Testing the Swanstrom Multi-Purpose Forming Anvil
Strike Smart
This compact system lets you swap parts and stay organized—without taking over your whole bench.
by Melissa Muir
(Originally Published by MJSA August, 2025)
As metalsmiths and jewelers, we all know how important it is to have solid tools for hammering, hardening, forming, and forging. But let’s be honest: finding the right tools in the right size and shape isn’t always easy. I’ve definitely had my share of improvising with random items from the garage, repurposed hardware, and even discount store finds just to get the job done. And once you collect all those bits and pieces, there’s the challenge of keeping them organized and accessible.
Fortunately, we’re living in a golden age of tool innovation. More manufacturers are thinking seriously about how jewelers work, and how to make that work easier, cleaner, and more efficient.
Swanstrom has long been part of that conversation, and their partnership with Micro-Tools has raised the bar. The result: high-quality tools that are not only durable and functional, but also modular, organized, and ready when you are.
One of their latest releases—the Swan-strom multi-purpose forming anvil—has quickly become a favorite in my shop. It’s small, lightweight, and incredibly handy, especially if (like me) you don’t have a permanently mounted forming station. I mounted mine to a piece of 1×8 and use C-clamps to attach it to my bench. Whenever possible, I position it over a table leg for extra strength, which makes a noticeable difference when you’re really swinging the hammer.
About the Multi-Purpose Anvil
The base set includes a flat anvil top, two tapered mandrels, and two stepped mandrels, along with hex wrenches and mounting bolts. What sets this anvil apart is its interchangeable system. Everything, from the flat top plate to the mandrels, swaps out easily via a hex screw system that tightens from the opposite side. Once secured, components stay firmly in place, even during heavy forming work. All pieces are made from hardened tool steel, so there’s no worry about denting or damage from missed strikes.
Swanstrom Multi-Purpose Anvil
Base Dimensions: 3.5″ L x 3″ W x 3.75″
Shipping Weight: 8.358 lbs.
What’s Included: Two tapered mandrels; two stepped mandrels; interchangeable flat top; two Allen wrenches; two mounting bolts
Optional Accessories: The available mandrel shapes include round, oval, teardrop, triangle, square, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, and slim tapered profiles. The round sizes alone range from 1/4 inch up to 11/2 inch, providing plenty of forming flexibility.
How Well Does It Work?
Micro-Tools loaned me the full Swan-strom multi-purpose ultimate kit to test, and, honestly, it’s hard to imagine sending it back. The kit includes all of the mandrels, plus nine Bonny Doon stakes and the vertical vise adapter (which I wrote about in the June 2025 MJSA Journal). It also comes with a range of adapters and handles, such as the mandrel holding handle, mandrel axle, universal adapter clamp, and universal mounting adapter, along with a custom organizer to keep everything right where you need it.
The adapter system is especially clever: It lets you integrate Swanstrom’s tools with others, such as Fretz forming stakes and Bonny Doon ring-forming kits, giving you even more options depending on what you’re working on.
The anvil’s modular system allows for quick changes—just loosen the hex screw with an Allen wrench, slide in a new top or mandrel, and tighten.
There’s no way to showcase everything in one article, so I focused on a few standout components. Swapping out mandrels and tops was quick and intuitive—just loosen the hex screw, slide in the new part, and tighten. I kept the hex key in the storage base that came with the kit, though attaching a small magnet to the side of the anvil base also worked well for keeping it handy.
I tested a variety of hammers, including steel, nylon, and urethane, and all worked beautifully with the system. The hardened surfaces held up without dings, and the finish on my pieces was clean and smooth, with no unintended texture.
The Swanstrom anvil holds steady under hammering, with hardened tool steel components that resist dents and deliver clean, smooth forming results.
One of my favorite accessories was the grooved anvil tool, which I used for forming tight curves, tubes, and spiculum forms. I paired it with wooden mandrels and even the handles of dapping punches, depending on what I had nearby. It’s amazing how many forming possibilities opened up just by changing the tops.
Grooved anvil
I also enjoyed reshaping round rings into ovals and other profiles using the shaped mandrels. While making coils was possible, the tapered shape made that a bit tricky. Where these mandrels really shine is in refining and reshaping. Hoop earrings and slim bracelets were super simple to form on the tapered mandrels.
Shaped mandrel
Tapered mandrel
For gentler curves, I swapped out the flat top for the convex and concave faces—a fast and effective change that gave excellent results.
All in all, the Swanstrom multi-purpose forming anvil system is thoughtfully designed, durable, and surprisingly compact. Whether you’re a full-time jeweler, a traveling educator, or someone working from a small home studio, this setup delivers serious forming capability without taking up too much space. And because it’s modular, you can expand it over time as your needs grow.
If you’re ready to upgrade your forming setup or just want to work a little smarter, the Swanstrom anvil and stake sets are well worth a look.
MJSA would like to thank Swanstrom for providing the multi-purpose forming anvil system for testing.