Found a quick trick for cleaning scale off my anvil face

I was spending like 20 minutes grinding off built-up scale every week in my shop outside Denver until I tried rubbing a chunk of beeswax on the hot anvil face before hammering. The scale just flakes right off now with a wire brush in under 2 minutes. Has anyone else used wax to keep their anvil clean or is there something better?

3 comments

3 Comments

benk261d ago

Yeah but I've always felt like wax just leaves a sticky residue that grabs dust and grit, and that can actually wear your hammer face faster over time. I'd rather just hit it with a wire brush while it's still hot and call it good.

rileyl981d ago

Honestly, this whole wax thing sounds more like a hobby than a necessity. Is a little rust on an anvil face really gonna kill your work that fast?

angela431d ago

Oh man, that beeswax trick is gold, isn't it? I first tried it on a tip from an old farmer out here in Nebraska and I've never gone back. I heat my anvil just a little before I start, rub a bar of cheap paraffin wax on it, and the scale practically jumps off. I keep a stiff wire brush right next to my anvil and hit it between every few heats, takes maybe thirty seconds. It also keeps the face from getting that pitted look from rust in my unheated shop. I've heard some guys use a beeswax and linseed oil mix, but plain wax has been fine for me. Your mileage may vary on the type of wax, but anything that melts on there and doesn't stink too bad should work.