Anvil: Wrought-Iron Body with a Welded Steel Face

Outside the United States, anvils of the 1880s had a body of wrought iron under a steel face, and a horn of plain wrought iron. The body was roughly shaped under tilt hammers, in one piece or with the corners and horn welded on. A face plate of shear or blister steel, 3/8 to 3/4 inch thick, was forge-welded to it a few inches at a time by four strikers, then the holes were punched and the anvil dressed to shape, ground flat and hardened under a falling stream of water. A well-welded anvil rings clearly when struck. Most modern anvils are instead cast steel with the face hardened by flame or induction.