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Abused anvil


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You would have to wonder what kind of abuse an anvil would have to receive to lose the horn completely. I found this one in a pile of junk - don't know what brand it is. Very hefty piece of steel though, so even with no horn it might handy around the forge.

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"might be handy around the forge"  Many of the anvils in the entire world for the last 2000 years have not had horns by design and they were found to be useful!   Horns and heels are often missing on old london pattern anvils as they were forge welded on and a weak weld and errant sledgehammer hit can take one off.  I love anvils like that as they are often sold at a steep discount yet are still extremely usable!  I have a Powell missing the heel; but with a smooth flat thick face and a fair horn, over 120# and cost me US$40  One of my favorite anvils for new students working on projects that require heavy hammering.

 

I also have a Vulcan missing the horn; but it's just kept to show extremely bad casting defects that they sent it out the door with, (that caused the horn to break off in use).  It was a gift when I found my friend a cast steel anvil to replace the Vulcan.

 

I have to agree that that looks done on purpose---not the usual breaking place and it's been neatened up Perhaps it was used as a weight and trimmed to fit a location...we may never know.  All we can hope is someone will buy it and put that face and hardy hole back into use!

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Interestingly enough we actually know how and where that Urban Legend started and have watched it spread to be spouted as fact by people all over; please don't spread it!

 

The real reason is that after the ACW the south was in a deep economic decline and anvils that lost their horns due to "normal" wear and tear were not replaced or sent off for repair but remained in use.  As is easily seen you can make horseshoes on a cube anvil with no horn.

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I've got an old William Foster with a busted heel, most of the Fosters I've seen are missing one end or the other. 

 

It's great, and at 75 bucks was a great deal for around here, but I think I'd rather have the hardy than the horn on it. Sure Steve.....they look tough....but if ya want something broke, leave the hammers at home, just give it to my 6 yr old.......

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Interesting comments. I think I may just drag it out of the junk pile and set it up. As was suggested, at ground level it would be a very useful upsetting block. Perhaps a bit of work with an angle grinder would soften the appearance of the amputation.

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Horn or no horn, I sure wouldn't let her rot out in the grassland with nothing but dingos and crocodiles to keep her company.  She deserves better than that.

 

The face looks spectacularly good and she'd be in the back of the truck just s soon as I could manage.  A great anvil to have around.

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I'm with you Vaughn, if he doesn't have that home soonest I vote we send Ausfire to a corner till a clue finds him. Only a neophyte gamer would be asking if it was something to bring home. I'd have a stand built before I told IFI I had it.

 

Send them to school and they eat the apple. do we start calling you Mick or what?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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You would have to wonder what kind of abuse an anvil would have to receive to lose the horn completely. I found this one in a pile of junk - don't know what brand it is. Very hefty piece of steel though, so even with no horn it might handy around the forge.

attachicon.gifbusted anvil.jpg

You found this one in a junk pile and on Ebay they are selling piles of junk,

 

"Antique 60lb Anvil, #6, 'city anvil' cast base, no maker's mark" Starting bid is $150.00+ $53.00 shipping. I got to wonder how much work it would take to make this old guy workable again. Needless to say I have no plans on buying this anvil, it has seen some work, I wonder how many hours. 

post-35414-0-31070500-1400116599_thumb.p

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Oh, good grief! Now *that* is an abused anvil! Wow.

Not much work left in that guy, beyond a boat anchor or door stop.

Actually, I have a cunning plan... We should collect up anvils that are that toasted, fix them up with Bondo, paint them black; and swap them with all the useful anvils that are sitting out in someone's garden as an ornament.

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The worst one on my wall of shame is missing everything above the waist.  Postman believes it is a PW and it has the weight stamps indicating that it was a complete anvil once.  It shows evidence of work being done on it after it separated so it was still used without the top half!

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I'm with you Vaughn, if he doesn't have that home soonest I vote we send Ausfire to a corner till a clue finds him. Only a neophyte gamer would be asking if it was something to bring home. I'd have a stand built before I told IFI I had it.
 
Send them to school and they eat the apple. do we start calling you Mick or what?
 
Frosty The Lucky.


Well, Frosty, the thing is ... the anvil IS home. It has just been sitting in amongst the scrap steel and stuff for years. I don't have to take it home. I haven't paid it much regard, it being in such poor condition. But, as I said before, perhaps I should cart it over to the forge and give it a second life as an upsetting block.
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Okay, we won't start calling you Mick. I'm just a little amazed you have a SCRAP pile. Most of us think of it as the steel store we can afford to visit.

 

Yeah, putting it to use is a good thing, maybe a loaner for new folk.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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  • 2 months later...

more than just an upsetting block "ausfire", that has a good face, step, and hardy and pritchel holes, use it as an anvil! never have too many anvils, or hardened work surfaces. when you say "home" and "in a junk pile" i assume you are talking about "museum grounds?" ;)

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