A calm forging project showing how a railroad spike is shaped into an axe through heat, hammering, and careful metalwork.

One of the biggest challenges facing the aspiring blacksmith is procuring the tools of the trade. And that means tackling the unenviable task of finding a decent anvil. Sure, one can buy an ASO — ...

A blacksmith shapes and refines a railroad spike into an upgraded axe using traditional forging, grinding, and heat-treating ...