It's easy to forget that when we're hammering texture into our wires, that the backside gets impressed by whatever it's resting on. Perfect texture and polish are very important for professional looking jewelry. And if you're hammering on a marred finish, that will end up in your piece. You can greatly simplify your life if you work on an perfectly smooth horn anvil. if the top your anvil shows signs of wear, turn it on its side. The sides offer a surface that's smooth as a mirror!