DRCrumlich Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Ello everyone, I'm usually not the kind of person to do this, but I feel I've exhausted my options. I've been searching for an anvil to get started for about 7 months. I have already checked hardware stores, friends and family members, old farms around the area, Craigslist/Ebay (have been told not to trust buying online unless I know what to look for), even the multiple flea markets/farmers markets in my area, even attempted the TPAAAT method of searching. I'm reaching out for you to help, hoping to find something for around 300 (or less) however price range is flexible. Was hoping for 75# or greater. I live in Pennsylvania around the Halifax/Harrisburg area, and thinking about all the farms and coal counties around I assumed it would be easy to find. Not sure if anyone would have any ideas of some other method I could find, I also had an ad on craigslist for a while that I was looking to purchase one for use. Again, I am looking to just get started and learn, I've done some research on the art of blacksmithing and I think it would be a great passion to learn I would like to thank anyone who took the time to read this, hope you all have a great day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOB T Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 One thing I've done in the past to locate blacksmithing tools is to find a newspaper that has circulation in the farm/rural community. I placed an ad in the" Wanted To Buy".. Blacksmithing tools.. I haven't done it for a while but when I did place an ad I usually got some type of blacksmithing tools and/or equipment.. You might try this???Another suggestion, try to locate a blacksmithing group in your area .. Blacksmithing events usually have tailgaters selling tools and equipment for blacksmithing's.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 84aad5a4b02ee25fbc8221603fe195f8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Since for 2000 years anvils did not look like London Pattern anvils WHY ARE YOU WAITING 7 MONTHS for a London Pattern Anvil to get started? A block anvil is good enough for a japanese swordsmith even to this day. Now a london pattern anvil is a handy thing to have---it being the "swiss army knife" of anvils; but time spent hammering trumps fancy expensive equipment and no time hammering. And once the dulcet sounds of steel hitting steel on steel start trickling through the aether your LP anvil might get lured close enough to grab! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.C. Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I have scored all of my anvils on the TX side of craigslist. I looked on ur side of CL and found a few you should be able to get for around 300. PM Stuart. I'm sure he has a "few" in the shop he would part with... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Go on Auctionzip.com, and type in your search radius and anvil. Always lots of auctions all over Pa that have anvils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawnJockey Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Yeah, what he said. My late father in law and my mother in law lived in York. I went back to help my mother in law get her house ready for sale and they had an auctioneer liquidate the contents of the home. Apparently that is a common practice in the area. If I was in the area I would seek out every auctioneer and get on their email lists. With all those old small farms in the area there has to be a bunch of tooling just waiting for someone into blacksmithing. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Welcome aboard DRC, glad to have you. You're not applying the TPAAAT properly if you haven't told everybody and I mean EVERYBODY you come in contact with what you're looking for. JOIN the local blacksmith group and tell THEM. When TPAAT says tell everybody, that includes the: little old ladies in line with you at the supermarket, the teller, EVERY TELLER YOU DEAL WITH, the kids stocking goods, the butcher wrapping your steaks, the people filling your scrips, the stocker herding shopping carts back to the entry, your Pastor or not, the whole congregation, the folk in the wife's sewing or whatever club, the cop giving you a ticket, the meter maid, the guys on the garbage truck!!! at the dump/scrap yard!!! Tip those folk with donuts, coffee, etc!! folk you meet on the street, the kids drying your car at the car wash. Starting to get the picture of what E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y means? Waiting till you think you're desperate to ask US tells me you're not serious or just don't know how TPAAT actually works. This is the first place to ask not only will you get direct leads (see above) but somebody here will line you out on the TPAAT straight away and get you up to speed looking. You want a challenge try finding blacksmithing tools in Alaska let alone bush Alaska. One of our organization's members is CRAZY effective finding smithing tools, even if he has to dig them out of the frozen ground, no joke. He lives so far off the grid it's just a theoretical idea to the locals. It's a make your own electricity and use a satellite phone and internet connection kind of place though the locals MAY have gotten together for a LAN kind of thing. Alaskan schools tend to be local hubs. Just be NICE, be persistent, feel free to drive your friends, relatives and acquaintances crazy asking. Being friendly annoying is a good way to encourage folk to find you SOMETHING. <wink> Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Annoying? "Yes we found you an anvil and now we are going to chain it to you and take you out for a swim..." Stock answer to "How far can you swim carrying an anvil?" "How deep is the lake?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 There is a pretty decent looking anvil just listed on Ebay in Johnstown pretty close to you. The listing says it is 150lbs but it is 30" long so its probably closer to 200Lbs. Bidding is starting at $250 but you can buy it now for $375. It has a really long thin tail so it could be a Trenton or Arm and Hammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Never mind- its gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wd&mlteach Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 DRC you should have no problem finding an anvil in PA. I am about 30-45 minutes away from you and everyday I can find them on CL in our area. We are in an anvil rich part of the world, it is rather nice. I personally have not paid more than a dollar-a-pound for any of the anvils I have bought. You actually have your pick around here as to what you want to spend, condition, driving distance, and size. Check CL everyday, two to three times a day for anvils. They are always there. If nothing fits what you want to spend, wait. Eventually you will find something that fits into what you want. I just bought a 232 Mousehole yesterday for $200. It is not perfect but anvils do not have to be to be usable. This particular anvil was on CL for $275 and it was listed for over a month before I bought it. Others in this world are not as fortunate as we are as far as blacksmithing goes we really are blessed with what is around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Here in North Eastern Ohio there is an Anvil Dealer. I take it you do not have one near by?????????? Yoders Blacksmith Supply, Mt Eaton. They also sell new anvils and ship them. You do realize that ebay has (probably) hundreds for sale................... You could also attend the SOFA meet this month in Troy @ Miami Co Fairgrounds (Ohio) Maybe it's just me, but anvils are one thing which are not difficult to find even in Alaska. Try locating new pistons for a 1955 John Deere 70 LP gas tractor. If you are limiting yourself to locating one at a local garage sale/flea market/auction etc. for 1 or 2.00/pound then yeah, you will have a tough time. There is a local collector here near Mansfield who is selling off his collection. Stop in and we will have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Don't worry, you'll break the barrier, and you'll have to call your insurance about the roof. ('cause it'll rain anvils!) Searched my butt off for the first real one (well, first one for less that someone didn't want $500 up for).....took six months.....then after the first one, they were everywhere. In the meantime, go down to the scrapyard and find ya a nice big hunk of steel. Even if you end up getting something "better" later, it's always nice to have a beater around for students, an upsetting anvil, something ridiculously huge or odd shaped, etc. And while you're at the scrapyard, ask yourself if they've got any anvils or post vises laying about.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 get a bit of rail or other heavy lump, it IS an anvil and they dont all have to be london pattern ( I blame Wiley Coyote for most of this ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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