In a vacuum booster for a vehicular brake, at least one of flat front attachment portion and flat rear attachment portion has a central disc portion which is concentric with a fitting cylindrical portion and plural side disc portions which are disposed around the central disc portion so as to be continuous with the central disc portion and to be spaced from each other. The alternatives for producing such an anvil comprise coating the anvil with diffusion barriers such as oxides, nitrides, intermetallics, andor refractory metals; manufacturing an anvil either completely or partially from the same; or placing a coating of such materials in the form of a thin sheet or a powder between the anvil and the work pieces. Related apparatus and methods are also provided.