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osage outlaw:
I'd like to resurface the top of the anvil.  Thanks for the advice on how to do it.  I wrapped some chain around the anvil but didn't notice any improvement over how it was before.   I'll try a longer length and see if that helps.

Handforged:

--- Quote from: osage outlaw on April 22, 2020, 03:07:45 pm ---I'd like to resurface the top of the anvil.  Thanks for the advice on how to do it.  I wrapped some chain around the anvil but didn't notice any improvement over how it was before.   I'll try a longer length and see if that helps.

--- End quote ---
use a larger belt sander if you can and keep it flat.  Don't let it walk around on the face as you move it forward and back. Get a steel straight edge and keep checking for dips. AT THE MOST you're only looking to remove about 1/8" from the face. Go slow and keep the face cool with a rag soaked in water. Some folks go so far as to polish it all the way to 1000grit. I'm not that fancy but you can if you want to. Then after you get it that way don't hit it with a hammer anymore and it should stay that way. Shoot some wd-40 on it when you're not using it.

A good anvil is going to ring to matter what you do. It's just one of those things. The chain decreases the resonance more than reducing the sound if that makes sense so it might not be readily discernable but I can attest that it does help.  Have someone else watch while you work a piece of steel on your anvil. With the hardest strike that you can make the anvil should not budge, jump or wiggle in any way. If it does, even slightly figure out how to stop it. All of those little things will make things better over time.

osage outlaw:
The only belt sander I have is a small one from walmart.  I don't know if it would be up to the task of cleaning up an anvil. 

Handforged:
OH yeah, it would be fine.  We just worked a friend's anvil to a mirror polish with one of the el cheapos from HF. Just go slow and use a lot of belts.

dylanholderman:
it will take longer but you can make a large sanding block by taping sandpaper to a board and flattening it that way.

if it were mine i would hand sand it until i got board of that and start forging, your first forgings are probably going to be crap anyway( i know mine were) and then every time you go out to use it sand some on the anvil while the forge heats up. by the time you have leaned some decent hammer control you should have your anvil in better shape too  :)

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