Abstract: Bending and forming apparatus comprises an anvil adapted for use in a press in conjunction with a die connected to an opposed portion of the press, to form and bend material interposed therebetween as the press closes during its cyclic operation. The anvil includes a plurality of elements each of which is normally fixed to form an extension of another by an embodied locking device. In its extended condition the anvil is a rigid unitized structure of substantially fixed length. The locking device is constructed and arranged to release to provide the elements as hard tooling of reduced length as bending and forming of the material worked thereby proceeds, to set the bent and formed configuration of the material worked. A trigger device is included for triggering the release of the locking device to provide for reduction in length of the anvil. The bending and forming apparatus provides hard tooling in both its original condition and when reduced in length.