How To: Mount a Sledgehammer Anvil

One of the most frequently asked questions we get from beginners is, “what can I use for an anvil?” One often overlooked but widely accessible and affordable option is the humble sledgehammer head. We recommend looking for one that weighs at least 10 lbs (4.5kg).

Community member @AkersRidgeForge got this 16lb sledgehammer head for $4 (USD) at a yard sale:

A sledgehammer head sits upright in a hole drilled in the end of a log. The sledgehammer head is affixed to the log by means of a flat, rectangular strip of metal threaded through the eye, which is held to the log by two lag screws.

He traced the head onto the stump, then used a paddle bit to drill out inside the traced circle, The sledgehammer is anchored to the log with flat bar stock fitted through the eye and affixed to the stump with lag bolts.

A top view of the mounted sledgehammer anvil. An oblique, zoomed out view of the mounted sledgehammer anvil. A diagonal crosspein hammer sits on the stump next to it.

Updated on 26 Apr 2022