- Anvil Empires quenching locks a hammered blade's shape and determines its final quality tier (1-3 stars).
- Timing matters: quench each part type at a specific temperature on the gauge for a tier 3 result.
- Key thresholds: tool blade 25%, weapon tip 10%, sword blade 40%, axe head ~55%.
- Water required: the quenching station must contain water before use.
- Wrong timing yields only 1-2 plus quality, so watch the gauge closely.
What Quenching Does in Anvil Empires
Quenching is the final stage of the blacksmithing chain in Anvil Empires. After you mine iron ore, smelt it into ingots at the furnace, heat them in the forge, and hammer them into shape on the anvil, the quenching station fixes that shape into place. Critically, quenching is not just a confirmation step — the temperature at which you press the quench button directly decides whether you get a 1-plus, 2-plus, or 3-plus part.
Video Highlights:
- Full smithing chain: ore, furnace, forge, anvil, and quenching station
- Exact temperature gauge readings for tier 3 results
- How reheating works and when a part reverts to an ingot
- Assembling a finished iron hammer at the advanced workbench
Your workshop needs four stations working together: a forge to heat ingots, an anvil to hammer shapes, a quenching station with water to fix shapes, and workbenches to assemble final tools. Note that a forge without bellows only reaches about 50% heat, which is enough for normal smithing but worth knowing when reading your gauges.
Before quenching anything, confirm there is water in the quenching station. An empty station cannot fix your blade's shape, and a fully hammered part that sits too long can cool past the point of recovery.
Tier 3 Quenching Temperatures by Part Type
Each part type has its own ideal quenching temperature. Watch the gauge on the left side of the part inside the quenching station, compare it against the iron ingot icon landmarks, and press the button at the right moment.
| Part Type | Used For | Tier 3 Temperature | Gauge Landmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool blade | Daggers, hammers | 25% | Bottom of the iron ingot symbol |
| Weapon tip | Spears, axe tips | 10% | Well below the bottom of the ingot icon |
| Sword blade | Swords | 40% | Bottom of the top iron ingot |
| Axe head | Axes, pickaxes | ~55% | Slightly above the middle of the icon |
Quench too early or too late and the part drops to 2-plus or even 1-plus quality. Since a 3-plus part is the difference between a top-tier weapon and a mediocre one, this table is worth memorizing.
Correct Quench
- Tier 3 (3-plus) part
- Best stats on finished weapons/tools
- Efficient use of iron and fuel
Mistimed Quench
- 1-plus or 2-plus part
- Wasted hammering time and fuel
- Part must be redone from ingot
Cooling speed varies, so never quench on a fixed timer. Track the temperature bar against the ingot icon landmarks — for example, the sword blade's 40% mark aligns with the bottom of the top ingot symbol, not the middle.
Step-by-Step: From Ingot to Tier 3 Part
The full smithing workflow ends at the quenching station. Follow this sequence for consistent tier 3 results.
Heat the Iron Ingot
Place an iron ingot in the forge with plank fuel (each plank gives 3 minutes of fuel). Wait until the orange heat bar climbs — without bellows, the forge maxes around 50% heat.
Hammer on the Anvil
Open the anvil, select your form (tool head, sword blade, weapon head, or axe head), place the heated ingot, and hammer with left clicks. Listen for the hammering sound to change — that signals the metal has cooled too much to form.
Reheat When Cooled
Return the partially formed part to the forge to reheat, then continue hammering. Keep hammering until the model on the anvil stops changing shape — that is the fully formed signal.
Quench at the Right Temperature
Move the finished part to the quenching station, open it, place the part inside, and watch the temperature gauge. Press the quench button exactly at the threshold for that part type (see the table above) for a tier 3 result.
Assemble the Final Tool
Combine the finished part with blanks at the advanced workbench — for example, an iron hammer needs 2 blanks (1 plank each) plus 1 tool blade, and takes about 30 seconds to craft.
Reheating a partially formed part to 100% heat resets it back into a plain iron ingot. Reheat only as much as needed to continue hammering, or you lose all your forming progress.
Common Quenching Mistakes
Most failed quenches come down to a handful of avoidable errors. Check your process against this table before blaming the RNG.
| Mistake | Consequence | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Quenching before fully formed | Shape locks unfinished | Hammer until the model stops changing |
| Ignoring the temperature gauge | 1-plus or 2-plus quality | Use the per-part threshold table |
| Empty quenching station | Cannot fix the shape | Keep water stocked at all times |
| Overheating on reheat | Part reverts to iron ingot | Reheat partially, not to 100% |
| Letting a part cool fully | Part reverts to ingot form | Reheat promptly after cooling |
Tier 3 output is not random — it depends entirely on judging the quenching temperature and timing correctly. Practice on cheap tool blades first to calibrate your eye for the gauge landmarks.
Smithing Readiness Checklist
Run through this checklist before your next smithing session in Anvil Empires.
Before You Quench:
- Water added to the quenching station
- Forge fueled with planks (3 minutes each)
- Flint hammer equipped for shaping
- Part fully formed (model stopped changing)
- Per-part tier 3 temperature memorized
FAQ
Q: What is quenching in Anvil Empires?
Quenching is the final blacksmithing step that fixes a hammered part's shape in place. The temperature at which you quench determines whether the part comes out as 1-plus, 2-plus, or 3-plus quality.
Q: What temperature gives a tier 3 tool blade?
Quench the tool blade when the temperature gauge reaches 25%, which lines up with the bottom of the iron ingot symbol on the gauge.
Q: What happens if I quench at the wrong temperature?
Mistimed quenching produces a lower-quality part, typically 2-plus or 1-plus. You will need to start over with a fresh ingot for a tier 3 result.
Q: Can a partially hammered part be ruined?
Yes. Reheating a partially formed part to 100% heat turns it back into a plain iron ingot, and letting a part cool fully also resets it. Reheat only as much as needed and return to the anvil promptly.