Glenn Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 If you have used these anvils please post a review of that anvil to include weight, dimensions, and how the anvil worked for you. Photos are encouraged. Please include how you found the anvil and any history of YOUR anvil. This should be much like a book review, only an anvil review, where you comment on the specific anvil. A suggested comment could be as follows PICTURE (if available) 1) Weight, make, year of construction and material 2) Rebound test (%) 3) Where did I get it? 4) History 5) Personal review: Why do use or prefer that anvil Would I recommend it to someone else. The following is a list of anvils (used with permission). I am sure there are others but this will be a start. If you know of other brands please all them to the list so we can write a review. Acme Ajax Alsop American-Ross American Skein and Foundry Arm and Hammer Attwood Stourbridge Badger Baker Bay State Black Jack Black Prince Bradley Brooks (Baker Vaughans Ltd.) Brooks and Cooper Buffalo Forge Centaur Forge (by Kohlswa) Central Forge (cast iron) Champion Charles Hadfield Cliff Carrol Columbus Anvil and Forging Columbian Harden Co Columbus Forge and Iron Cranberry CW Delta Denver Dural DuraSteel Euroanvil Fireside Fisher-Norris "Eagle" Fulton Grizzly (cast iron) Hay Budden Henery Wright Herculies Hofi Indian Chief Insonora J.E. Pilcher JHM Anvils Kim Bach farriers anvil Keen Kutter KL Kohlswa Lakeside Louisville Forged Anvil M & H Armitage Mankel MFC Hollow Core Mouse Hole Nimba NC-Tool Oak Leaf Old Forge Old World Onsteel Paragon Pedinghaus Peter Wright Rat Hole Forge Record Refflinghaus Rhino R. Redding Rock Island Roberts Anvil Sampson SISCO (Swedish Iron and Steel) Sligo Snyder & Oaks Soderfors Southern Crescent Standard Star Trenton Trenton Indian Chief "USA" cheap cast iron Valley Vernaium Steel Village Forge Vulcan Arm-Hammer West Wilkinson William Foster WT (Wholsale Tool - cast iron) Yost "Y" in a circle I spoke with Mr Richard Postman and he graciously gave his permission to use the names and brands listed in his book. Vanadium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 A suggestion to add a category: Add one for Bicks. Most are unmarked as to brand, but many of us have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceas65 Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 i'd like to know if anyone has some info on " Sanderson Brothers " anvils ... all i can find out is ... they worked metal ... and they were located in Sheffield,England maybe some of the UK folks know more ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 How about Hofi and Rhino? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 How about Hofi and Rhino? Just add your review. Surely someone will welcome it. Since I am posting, I will review the only three brands I can verify using; Hay Buddens are my all around favorite (I have never used an anvil which is not a London pattern). I have owned and or used many Hay Buddens, the newer ones with the solid tool steel top half are amazing yet I have never hurt my main anvil, an old steel plated wrought iron Hay budden. I have used Peter Wright's. It is my opinion that the top plates are too hard, even on the larger (3-400#) They frequently are chipped badly or missing chunks. I have a mint condition Fisher, I have it mounted higher and use it for lighter work, I can't say enough good about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FletcherHoward Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 1) 50# Vancouver Iron & Steel CO , approx 1922-1933 . Cast steel with thick hardened steel face. Casting lines were left undressed on these. 2) Ball bearing drop from 10inch consistently between 82-85% 3) Farmer clearing out his barn, his uncle bend cold horse shoes on it and the face is still in good shape. 4) Vancouver Iron & Steel CO was a merger between 2 company's which later switched from CO to INC with a 3rd merger and is still in business today. 5) I really like this anvil, it is very rare and they did not produce many of anvils although they made a quality product. I paid 40$ for this anvil, the guy wanted 20$ but I felt bad at that price, I thought it might be a vulcan and I wanted a quieter anvil but turns out it wasn't. I would not sell this anvil for 200$ if offered, it is very portable and really well made and I have only seen 1 other for sale but I suspect some may be misjudged as a vulcan and passed by. Would I recommend it to someone else: YES. I only wish they made more anvils and also larger. But if you find one in usable condition at a good price it is a nice little piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FletcherHoward Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Vancouver Iron & Steel CO. Some do not have a cast logo on the side, it may be under the heel like mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FletcherHoward Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Vancouver Iron & Steel CO pictures of mine.. Sorry I seem to have trouble getting posts through it tells me its forbidden lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heraldo Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 0ec5eeada8bd361038c7eda14940b42f Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yeah guys me and my Soderfors again. <grin> It's a 1933, 125lb. sorceress #5 in near mint condition, there are a few small chips from the edges and Ive radiused them at the horn end. Before the internet went public I was lucky to find anything about blacksmithing, my only book was "The Art Of Blacksmithing" by Alex Bealer and not knowing any better I put my Soderfors to his quality test. I laid a cold chisel on the face and gave it a stout blow with a 3lb. hammer. It's something I'd never do to any anvil now, a ball bearing or rap with a ball pein is so much safer all round. What it did was flatten the chisel and not leave a mark on the anvils face. Good according to Bealer so the next test was to lay a new sharp draw file across the face and see if it cut. It nearly scated, barely shining the face at all and better still it cut across the entire face so it was flat. According to Bealer it was hard enough and the temper had been drawn down correctly to approximately a rc60-62. Mr. Bealer would've considered my Soderfors a good anvil. Good to know eh? A bearing test from around 10" will bounce the bearing back almost to height. I haven't done it with a ruler so all I can say is it's darned near all the way, mid to high 90% at a guestimate. I've never used a better anvil and I've had the privilege of using some darned nice anvils, a friend's Kohlswa is close but it's lighter, that may be the difference. That's my assessment of my Soderfors, best anvil I've ever used, if you get a chance buy it. If you have an old Soderfors in your way or you don't like, PM me I'll send you my address, I have the perfect place for it. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Is this where we can request a review? Maybe nudge someone to actually put it in writing instead of putting it off? I have been seriously considering a Nimba Centurion, I have the ability to get free shipping so that would knock some off the price of obtaining one. I have searched the forums and saw what has been said in passing regarding them, but I'd like a nice in depth review with maybe some pictures after several years of use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Is this where we can request a review? Maybe nudge someone to actually put it in writing instead of putting it off? I have been seriously considering a Nimba Centurion, I have the ability to get free shipping so that would knock some off the price of obtaining one. I have searched the forums and saw what has been said in passing regarding them, but I'd like a nice in depth review with maybe some pictures after several years of use. I would suggest you put your question in the regular anvils section also. I can't really help you but a friend has one and loves it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 200lb Fisher. Dated 1942, military surplus. Rebound 85%. This is my main anvil. It spoiled me. (my neighbors love it too, but don't know it). My second is a 126lb Kohlswa. Cast steel. Rebound 75%. Rings like a bell. Bought it for a demo anvil. Works very well, too loud for neighborhood work. Lastly is a 1911 Mouse Hole. 92lbs. Wrought/ steel top. Rebound 65%. I bought this one for a demo anvil as it is lighter and has that gnarly look that speaks of history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Rich Waugh shipped a NIMBA to the US Virgin Islands and spoke well of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 I've never heard bad about Nimba anvils. I've only worked on one once and it was a nice tool, worked well. I didn't use it long enough to start getting used to the shapes, etc. though. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithatheart Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I have a 153 lb peter wright anvil and it is different to most peter wrights I have seen its face is 4.5 inches it just looks different if any of you could shed any light on it that would be great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 28 minutes ago, smithatheart said: I have a 153 lb peter wright anvil and it is different to most peter wrights I have seen its face is 4.5 inches it just looks different if any of you could shed any light on it that would be great I few pictures of your anvil would greatly assist us in helping you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Is it caddywumpus or giflibberty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve2md Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Mine is a 1901 Soderfors 225#. Paid $800 for it. Loud as can be and fantastic rebound. Best anvil I've ever had the pleasure of using. A previous owner mangled the far edge a bit by using it as a torch cutting table, but that hasn't caused any issues. I may or may not repair it. So far though, I like it how it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaylee Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 On 9/8/2014 at 8:22 PM, jmccustomknives said: 200lb Fisher. Dated 1942, military surplus. Rebound 85%. This is my main anvil. It spoiled me. (my neighbors love it too, but don't know it). I think my anvil and yours must be sisters! Mine's 1941 (200 pound? I haven't been able to weigh it yet but it has the 20 on the foot like this one) Fisher. They really look a lot alike... I haven't done work on mine yet as I'm just getting my forge set up, but I already know the neighbors will love it too. 90-92% rebound. I got it from a guy in Forks, WA but it doesn't look like the sparkly vampires have gotten to her yet. Sadly I don't know her history. I'd definitely recommend a Fisher, the guy didn't know about testing rebound, so he had grabbed his 10 pound sledge, and swung at the face as hard as he could to test for rebound... and luckily the face is still good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Sparkly vampires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaylee Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 Sparkly vampires was in reference to the Twilight series, which took place in Forks, WA... and the guy I got my anvil from lives in Forks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oberu Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 LOL.. Forks.. good one! Where are you located bud? I'm in Everett, perhaps we could do some hammering together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommie Hockett Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 What do you guys think of vulcan anvils. It is posted on craigslist in Paris Texas. Alas can't post pics yet. (Glenn is working on it) so it weighs 100 lbs and the top looks good, it has some chipping on the edges. So assuming that the ring and rebound tests are good do yall think that it is worth $275? Also if this doesn't pan out what is everyone's opinion on just getting a new anvil of a good reputation? I found a store called Texas ferriers supply in kennedale Tx they have new ferrier anvils they are $275 for 65lb'ers. Has anyone ever had any dealings with this store? We have a good vertical rr iron anvil. We were just cruising through craigslist and decided to share our thoughts here. Maybe get some advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJT Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 What do you guys think of vulcan anvils. It is posted on craigslist in Paris Texas. Alas can't post pics yet. (Glenn is working on it) so it weighs 100 lbs and the top looks good, it has some chipping on the edges. Hope you don't mind. I looked it up for you and posted the picture. What about that 396# mousehole for $2,000? Maybe you could get him to drop the price $1,500 or so.... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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