If you’ve visited other blacksmiths before, then there’s a good chance that you’ve seen anvils wrapped in chains. But why do some blacksmiths do this?
Why do blacksmiths wrap chains around their anvils? Chains are most commonly wrapped around anvils to reduce the amount of noise and vibration given off while an anvil is in use. But they may be used for other purposes as well.
In this article I’ll explain some of the reasons why blacksmiths wrap chains around their anvils. As well as some alternative techniques like magnets that are also used instead of chains.
Why Do Blacksmiths Wrap Chains Around Anvils?
There are a few different reasons why blacksmiths wrap chains around their anvils.
It Makes Blacksmithing Quieter
The main reason that chains are used with anvils is to reduce the amount of noise given off while doing blacksmith work on them.
Some people debate whether putting chains on your anvil really has any effect. From my research, I found that it really depends on the anvil.
It seems like wrapping a chain around anvils can offer significant noise reduction on some anvils, but doesn’t do much of anything on others.
Putting chains on your anvil seems to work better if you’ve got a small anvil. Anvils around 70 or 80 pounds seem to really benefit from the use of a chain. Larger anvils, like 150 pounds or more, aren’t likely to see any benefit from putting chains on them.
It Adds Weight And Stabilizes The Anvil
Putting heavy chains on your anvil can help add some extra weight to hold it in place. Chains are sometimes also used to directly fasten anvils to stands to make sure it doesn’t move during work.
The last thing that you want is an anvil sliding around or falling while you’re holding a red hot piece of iron or steel!
Practical Reasons
Having a chain wrapped around your anvil has some practical reasons while you’re working. For example, it can give you somewhere to hang your tools while they aren’t in use if you haven’t got any kind of stand or table nearby.
It Just Looks Cool
Some people aren’t using chains on their anvils for any particular reason. They may have just seen another blacksmith do it before or have seen it used in a movie.
If you just think wrapping your anvil in a big heavy chain looks cool, you can use it for completely aesthetic reasons.
Are Anvils Really That Loud?
Are anvils really loud enough that wrapping a chain around them makes enough of a difference?
It depends on how the anvil was made, as well as how the anvil is secured.
Cheaper or lower quality anvils tend to ring louder. And having them improperly secured can make an anvil ring really loud, like you were standing right next to a church bell.
You should be wearing ear protection while blacksmithing anyway. But trying to reduce the sound of your anvil a bit is just the courteous thing to do for the sake of your neighbors and other people in the area!
Other Methods For Quieting An Anvil
If you don’t like the look of having big chains wrapped around your anvil, there are a few other things you can do.
The main thing that makes anvils loud is vibration. A little bit of understanding what exactly causes vibration can go a long way. If you can eliminate as much vibration as possible, your anvil will be a lot quieter.
Plus less vibration means more energy from your hammering is going directly into the work.
Properly Secure Your Anvil
This should really be the first step that you take before trying to use chains or magnets to quiet your anvil.
By properly securing your anvil by the corners of its feet, most of the anvil’s ring will go away.
I’d recommend not using a wooden stump as a stand for your anvil, as this can cause a lot of extra vibration. If you do use a stump, be sure to put pieces of metal around the feet of the anvil to hold it in place. This can cut down as much as 80% of the ring.
If the feet of your anvil are warped, then it might be impossible to strap it down properly. In that case, you might want to consider creating a sandbox for your anvil. Bolt down a metal or plywood container able to hold about an inch of sand, put your anvil in it, and then cover the remaining area so that the sand can’t get out. The sand will help keep your anvil stationary and stop it from vibrating.
Use Magnets
Magnets can greatly reduce the vibration and noise that an anvil makes. Many blacksmiths choose to use magnets instead of chains. They’re easier to find and buy than random old used chains in many cases.
If you want to use magnets to help silence your anvil, you’ll likely see a major difference just by putting one small bar magnet on the center of the side of your anvil. To further cut down vibration and noise, try sticking magnets to the underside of your anvil’s horn and tail as well.
Where Can You Buy Cheap Chains?
If you want to wrap chains around your anvil, then it doesn’t necessarily need to be the newest and fanciest looking chain. You can buy any old length of chain that you can find, even if it’s quite rusty. All that really matters is that it’s big and heavy!
A number of industries like logging, boating, towing, etc. all use quite heavy duty chains and you might be able to find some good deals on used chains. I’d also recommend looking on websites like Craigslist or Kijiji to see if anybody has some old chain for sale in your area. I checked these sites myself and saw a number of cheap lengths of chain that people had available.
Because of its weight, you probably don’t want to order chains online through sites like eBay as the shipping cost alone will probably be more than what the chain itself is worth!
Do you have any other tricks for quieting a noisy anvil? Let us know in the comments section below!