Unpopular opinion: I was wrong about using a cheap anvil for decorative work.
My buddy Jake, who does historical reenactment forging, pointed out that my scrolls were wobbly because my $200 anvil from the flea market has a soft face. Has anyone else found their work improved after upgrading their main block?
So your buddy Jake, he was spot on with the soft face thing. My friend Mark had a similar issue with his scrolls - they'd always look a little mushy on the edges no matter how hot he got the steel. He finally borrowed a proper Peter Wright from a guy at the local guild meeting, and the crisp lines he got just from that first afternoon made him sell his old anvil the next weekend. Total game changer for his leaves and tendrils, took his historical pieces from "okay" to "wait, did you buy that at a fair?