Got My Small Anvil

[SandSquid]

When I left NH to move to TN and officially became a "Damned Yankee" I had to leave a lot behind in the barn of my in-laws'. Sadly much of it has either been pilfered or purged in various "cleaning parties", but rooting around the oldest barn I found a nice little bench-top anvil, perhaps twenty pounds... Quite a bit of oxidation and some light rust but no major blooms. (Sadly my big 200#'er gone though.)

I would very much like to get it usable again for setting rivets, snaps and shoeing small furry rodents. So I'm thinking to take a wire-wheel to the sides, and then work the faces down clean and flat with some diamond lapping plates... perhaps Emory paper on the horn? I'm pretty sure I have a partial can of POR-15 left to use on the sides that were japanned.

Being as I will be officially unemployed on the 23rd, I'll have much more time than funds...

Any advice or suggestions?

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Just scrub it down with some Scotch Brite, or some 230 grit emery cloth. Before you get too deep into it, what make of anvil is it? Some of the tops are very thin, so be careful not to take too much off. I also do some blacksmithing, and have 6 anvils of various weights.