[TheForge] To ring or not to ring[was anvil i d]

[Demon Buddha]

Bruce Freeman wrote:

> That said, no, reheating and cooling would in no way compare to using a
> chill in the mold.  The idea of a chill is that the crystallization from
> the molten iron is different at a chill than elsewhere.  And THAT's
> about the only positive statement I can make about it.

	I believe Bruce is correct here.  The fundamental structure of the iron 
is going to be notably different from that elsewhere in the body.  If 
you kept the iron at high heat over an extended period of time you will 
probably get alteration of this, but I would be doubtful that you could 
achieve the same effect as the chill without going first to liquid 
phase.  If possible, it would seem far too much work to achieve.  For 
all that effort you'd probably be better off casting your own anvils 
from scratch.
> 
> My suggestion is polish up the face of the Chinese ASO and give it a
> go.  If it's not hard enough to be useful, BRAZE a plate to the
> surface.

	Seems like another big load of work for a gain I might consider 
questionable.  Why not just go buy a good anvil and use the Chinese 
thing as a doorstop the way it was meant to be?

	Are you going to be around Saturday?  I have to stop at Marshall's and 
do some work on the truck.