The round hole in the face is called the pritchel hole, over which small holes can be punched in the material. When larger ones are to be punched, they can be made on a nut or collar placed over the square hole or hardy hole. This hardy hole is used mostly for holding all bottom tools, which are made with a square shank fitted loosely to prevent their becoming lodged.
The flat portion D at the base of the horn, and a little below the level of the face, is not steel, consequently not hardened, and is therefore a suitable place for cutting or splitting, because there is not much liability of injuring the cutter if the latter comes in contact with the anvil.
The horn C is drawn to a point and provides a suitable place for bending and forming, also for welding rings, links, or bands.
The anvil is usually mounted on a wooden block and is securely held by bands of iron as shown in the illustration, or it may be fastened by iron pins driven around the concave sides of the base. It is sometimes mounted on a cast-iron base made with a projecting flange which holds the anvil in place.
A convenient height for the mounting is with the top of the face just high enough to touch the finger joints of the clenched hand when one stands erect. It is generally tipped forward slightly, but the angle depends considerably upon the opinion of the workman who arranges it in position.
For some time most of the anvils were made in Europe, but at present the majority that are purchased here are made by American manufacturers.
5. The Hammers.—Of the multitude of tools used by mechanics, the hammer is undoubtedly the most important one. There was a time when man had only his hands to work with, and from them he must have received his ideas for tools. Three prominent ones which are used extensively at present were most probably imitations of the human hand. From the act of grasping, man could easily have originated the vise or tongs for holding materials that he could not hold with the hand. Scratching with the finger nails undoubtedly impressed him with the need of something that would be effective on hard substances, and so he devised such tools as picks, chisels, and numerous other cutting instruments.
The clenched fist must have suggested the need of a hammer. The first thing to be substituted for the fist was a stone held in the hand. Next a thong of fiber or leather was wound around the stone, and used as a handle. From these beginnings we have progressed until we have hammers of all sizes and shapes, from the tiny hammer of the jeweler to the ponderous sledge. Workmen have adapted various shapes of hammers to their individual needs.
