The 7 Best Blacksmith Anvils
This wiki has been updated 20 times since it was first published in November of 2018. Little more than a solid chunk of metal, anvils were in use for thousands of years before Wile E. Coyote brought them into mainstream pop culture. The quality of their material and their construction method are what differentiates them most from one another. We've found several that are worth the weight (and cost), thanks to durable steel alloys and resilient forging processes. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Ridgid Model 9
2. JHM Certifier
3. Ridgid Model 12
Editor's Notes
October 26, 2020:
We removed the Old World Forged, the NC Big Face, and the NC Cavalry all because of availability concerns. We've added a selection of smaller and cheaper anvils in their place, including the Mophorn 88-Pound, the HappyBuy Single Horn, and the CO-Z Round Horn, all of which are perfectly good choices for beginners and amateurs. Career blacksmiths and those planning to use an anvil for serious heavy-duty work should consider the larger models on this list, like the Ridgid Model 12 or the Ridgid Model 9.
November 26, 2018:
Blacksmithing projects that use stock any larger than 1/4" will need a serious unit upon which to hammer... whatever you do, avoid the imported ones that experts derisively refer to as "anvil-shaped objects." They claim to be steel, but they almost never are, and when a real craftsman works with them for a while, it's an easy lie to debunk. The Ridgid models are all super-high-end, crafted in one of the oldest German anvil factories. Alternately, the NC Tools options are great for hobbyists, whether they're making swords, daggers, hunting knives, or santokus (chef's knives). The Old World is a great value for its size, but only if you're okay with its lack of a real horn.
4. Ridgid Peddinghaus
5. Mophorn 88-Pound
6. HappyBuy Single Horn
7. CO-Z Round Horn
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