June 2018 - Gallivanting Craftsman

No BS Guide To The Top 10 Blacksmithing Hammers

June 27, 2018March 29, 2021 James

Technically you can smack your stock with just about anything. Hell, an old carpenter’s hammer will get the job done. However, using a sub par blacksmith hammer is tedious and it’s hard on your elbows. There is nothing fun or creative about elbow pain! So which hammer should you buy? There are a lot of […] Read More

Anvils are beautiful, but why do they look like this?

Why Are Anvils So Weirdly Shaped? – The Best Answer

June 12, 2018March 29, 2021 James

Why Are Anvils Shaped The Way They Are? Are there different types of anvils? The anvil shape most people are familiar with is called a “london style” anvil. These have a very peculiar shape, very few other objects come close to the look and feel of the london style anvil. So why is it shaped […] Read More

Why The Hell Are Anvils So Expensive? 6 Reasons

June 7, 2018March 29, 2021 James

Why New Anvils Are Expensive For the most part, blacksmithing is a fairly cheap hobby. It’s possible to get a piece of stock, a hammer, and a forge-setup for less than 100$. The only real sore spot is the anvil, with many anvils selling at $3/lb or more. This begs the question: “Why the hell […] Read More

What Is the Difference Between Cast Iron And Steel?

June 5, 2018March 29, 2021 James

Metals have a combination of strength and plasticity that is not found in many other materials. That’s good to know, but how do we tell the difference between metals? What is the difference between cast iron and steel? Cast Iron And Steel Carbon Content The most notable difference between steel and cast iron is the […] Read More