50Lb Anvil

[Smith357]

What is the current street price for what I believe is a 50lb anvil with a horn, looks like this one, only fire engine red.

I'm guessing it's still more than I can afford at the moment, I saw it in my neighbors garage. I want a deal, I should just ask him, but I want to make sure I have a fair offer for him. He's a good man and I want to do a fair deal. He is retired horse tack maker and he's selling all his tools. Gorgeous tools, and more stuff that I had never seen before. Being a wood and metal worker, I may not recognize them right off, but I know quality tools when I see them. I know if I outright ask, he's going to say something silly low.

He does have a hunk of 18" long RR track with a horn than is about all I can afford at the moment, I just want one for the occasional blade forge and light copper and brass work peening.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Smith357

[camano ridge]

I think you will find that it will vary in different parts of the country. Some area have more anvils then others. Here in Western side of Washington state $3 - 4.00 a pound for an anvil in decent shape seems to be average. Having said that i just looked on Craigslist and seen a 105lb anvil for $650.00. You might look on craigslist for your area and see what they are going for on there.

Edited August 30, 2014 by camano ridge

[earlthegoat2]

Vintage anvils will be made of either forged or cast steel. These are highly desirable among those who lust after anvils. Modern ones being sold today are nothing more than ASOs. (Anvil shaped objects) and will usually be made from cast iron which is brittle and susceptible to breakage MORE easily. As in, for leatherwork and not hammer forging, the cast iron anvil will do just fine. They are only worth to me marginally more than they are worth as scrap metal though. If I found a good price on one I would buy it.

However, I have been looking for a vintage anvil for some time and I commonly encounter prices not unlike the one referred above so good luck with that.

Oh and to help ID a steel anvil over an iron one, give it a good whack with a hammer. If it makes a beautiful high pitched ting it is steel. If it makes a high pitched thud it is iron.

Edited August 31, 2014 by earlthegoat2

[Colt W Knight]

Unless is a vintage anvil or one made from a reputable forge, its probably just an ASO as stated before, and 50 lbs ASO is about 50$

http://www.harborfreight.com/55-lb-rugged-cast-iron-anvil-69161.html

[oltoot]

That looks like an anvil and a pretty good one at that. I say that because of the shape and condition of the horn. I would expect it to weigh ~70# and that it began life as a portable horseshoeing anvil. I have a piece of rail with a horn turned on a lathe that is 24" overall that I keep on my bench. I made a shoeing anvil by taking 2 pieces of rail 18" and flipping one, welding them together and cutting out the web on one to make a horn I cut a few holes to give me places to make various bends, made a liteweight but sturdy stand and shaped shoes with it for many years. The point of that was that rail is good steel and if you can make things, it is a great material to work with. Because of the web and solid base you can achieve things that are durable and relatively lite weight when compared to anvils or ASOs and the base results in a large surface area to weight ratio if you use it "upside down"

[Rody]

Vintage anvils will be made of either forged or cast steel. These are highly desirable among those who lust after anvils. Modern ones being sold today are nothing more than ASOs. (Anvil shaped objects) and will usually be made from cast iron which is brittle and susceptible to breakage MORE easily. As in, for leatherwork and not hammer forging, the cast iron anvil will do just fine. They are only worth to me marginally more than they are worth as scrap metal though. If I found a good price on one I would buy it.

However, I have been looking for a vintage anvil for some time and I commonly encounter prices not unlike the one referred above so good luck with that.

Oh and to help ID a steel anvil over an iron one, give it a good whack with a hammer. If it makes a beautiful high pitched ting it is steel. If it makes a high pitched thud it is iron.

I've been lurking a good while, waiting until I could contribute enough to this community with my leatherwork to come out of the shadows. But with all due respect, as an amateur black-/bladesmith I cannot get past this load of misinformation.

1 Modern anvils from reputable brands are still cast steel (either with or without a welded-on tool steel face) or forged steel in case of Peddinghaus. The stuff you buy at Harbour Freight and the like are indeed ASOs, but this by no means holds for all modern anvils. Vintage anvils can be junk too, so like with everything, buyer beware. If you're really interested in reading up on anvils, "Anvils in America" will tell you all you need to know.

2 A good anvil does not have to ring. My 275 lbs PFP (Peddinghaus) anvil does not ring AT ALL but it does have a ~95% rebound which is about as good as it gets. Forges like a dream.

3 NEVER whack an anvil with a hammer. First of all you can damage the face of the anvil, depending on the temper, even with very good anvils (you can also damage the hammer, but that's way easier to fix, although still undesirable). Second, depending on the rebound of said anvil, it is a perfect recipe for a hammer to the face (your face, not the anvil's). Any smith who ever missed his workpiece can attest to this. Third, if you want to piss off the smith you're visiting, this would be a good way to go about it, for reasons mentioned before. Never mess with a (wo-)man's tools.

Sorry to come on this strongly, especially as it's my first post.

Cheers,

Rody

[Elliot]

I've been lurking a good while, waiting until I could contribute enough to this community with my leatherwork to come out of the shadows. But with all due respect, as an amateur black-/bladesmith I cannot get past this load of misinformation.

1 Modern anvils from reputable brands are still cast steel (either with or without a welded-on tool steel face) or forged steel in case of Peddinghaus. The stuff you buy at Harbour Freight and the like are indeed ASOs, but this by no means holds for all modern anvils. Vintage anvils can be junk too, so like with everything, buyer beware. If you're really interested in reading up on anvils, "Anvils in America" will tell you all you need to know.

2 A good anvil does not have to ring. My 275 lbs PFP (Peddinghaus) anvil does not ring AT ALL but it does have a ~95% rebound which is about as good as it gets. Forges like a dream.

3 NEVER whack an anvil with a hammer. First of all you can damage the face of the anvil, depending on the temper, even with very good anvils (you can also damage the hammer, but that's way easier to fix, although still undesirable). Second, depending on the rebound of said anvil, it is a perfect recipe for a hammer to the face (your face, not the anvil's). Any smith who ever missed his workpiece can attest to this. Third, if you want to piss off the smith you're visiting, this would be a good way to go about it, for reasons mentioned before. Never mess with a (wo-)man's tools.

Sorry to come on this strongly, especially as it's my first post.

Cheers,

Rody

You said it nicer than I would have.

Good to hear someone that knows anvils.

Elliot

[earlthegoat2]

I'm glad I was taken so literally. It is an honor and a privilege.

[Rody]

I'm glad I was taken so literally. It is an honor and a privilege.

Ok, I'll bite, once. How, pray tell, was the OP to take your "advice" any other way than literally?

[slipangle]

I would just start by asking the old gent what he would like to get out of it. He'll tell you and you can go from there.

He might surprise you.