It is a fact that I have many, many tools. Some in my family take every chance they get to point out I may even have too many, and that I don't often use some of them. They even insist that some of these tools NEVER get used. I of course categorically deny all such (false) allegations. My (favorite) son Peter is the instigator of the bulk of the teasing which he undertakes at every opportunity. One of the tools that Peter hasn't often seen me use is my anvil. It's a real beauty, much heavier than I could ever move by myself and probably older than Peter and I combined. I took the time to build a special heavy duty wood support for it to make it the perfect working height.

An anvil admittedy is not a tool I would use every, single day, Sometimes it is weeks or even longer between times I do metal work. But when the need is there to bend, flatten or bang some steel, my trusty anvil is the tool of choice along with a favorite hammer. I have plenty of those to choose from (but that is another story).

Just today, as a matter of fact, I needed to bend some steel. I considered shaping it on the steel welding table but then I remembered my old friend, the anvil. With a few well aimed bangs with the heavy hammer wedging the metal between it and the anvil and the job was done.

I'm sure glad that old anvil was handy when I needed it so badly, like all those other tools I use only when I need them. :) :)

-grampa dan