The day I figured out my anvil was too low, no wonder my back ached

Been hammering for about 5 years and always had this nagging pain between my shoulder blades after long sessions. Last month a guy at the Austin flea market, old timer who does farrier work, watched me do a few strikes and asked if my anvil height was around my wrist when my arm hangs down. I measured it that night and it was a solid 3 inches too low, I'd set it up when I was younger and never checked since. Raising it made such a difference in control and fatigue, I felt like I'd been doing pushups wrong my whole life. Anyone else start with a height that seemed fine and later found out it was way off? What did you use to raise yours, wood blocks or a steel stand?

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adamthompson1mo ago

Man, that old timer did you a solid. I had the same thing happen with my setup a few years back. I got my anvil from a guy who had it sunk into this low wooden base, and I just kept it that way because I figured that was how it was supposed to be. Turns out it was about two inches off and my lower back was paying for it every single weekend. I ended up stacking some treated 2x6s under it and shimming it until my knuckles just barely cleared the face when my arm hung loose. Night and day difference. Felt like I finally learned how to stand up straight while swinging a hammer.