Tell me your favorite anvil story

[Michael Spaulding]

Hey folks!

I'm new here, and I've quickly discovered that my favorite thing about this site, is hearing the story of how you acquired your favorite anvil, or your favorite story.

I've read a few in the "show me your anvils" thread, but most posts over there are just stats. Weight, price, size, location. I want the story.

 

I apologize if there's already a thread for this. Searching various terms didn't yield anything.

Let's hear the stories!

Michael

[Frosty]

I guess I'll take the chance of boring the gang with ANOTHER "Frosty's Soderfors anvil story." <snicker>

I've been banging around on steel since I was maybe 10 but have always just used what was handy for an anvil. Once it looked like I'd found a career and settled down I started pursuing the craft more seriously and seeing as I was as close to a fabricator the State Materials lab had and same for the drill crew I transferred onto I had access to the drill shop and nobody asked questions or I put them to work. Hot dirty sometimes painful work.

One of the guys in the lab came to me one day saying a neighbor of his was retiring from horse shoeing because of back and knee injuries and was selling his gear. I went over, Chip introduced us and I scoped out what he was selling. He had a pile of tongs from the RR smithy before the hand shop closed down. A farrier's portable coal forge, a couple buckets of coal, farrier hand tools, anvil stand, shoe vise, hoof stand, etc. Enough and more to go to work shoeing horses but the crowning jewel was this pristine 125lb. Soderfors, Sorceress #5  Swedish cast steel anvil.

At the time I'd only just discovered one blacksmithing book in print, "The Art Of Blacksmithing" by Alexander Bealer. That mean I only knew one test to determine an anvil's condition, the "Bealer chisel and file test." He recommended you take a new sharp cold chisel and a 3lb. hammer to the face. The anvil should blunt the chisel without being marked and a new sharp file should barely cut. If the chisel marked the anvil it was too soft, if the file skated it was too hard. I call it the Bealer test because that's the only place I've ever seen it.

Well, there I was looking at this beautiful anvil, almost completely unworn from being used by professional blacksmiths since 1933. And I was holding a brand new cold chisel and a hammer. I told Rick (I think his name was) about the Bealer test, he laughed and waved me on. "Help yourself". So I took my 3lb. hammer and brand new cold chisel to that unblemished face. One smart blow and the chisel was flat as a fritter and the only mark on the anvil face was dust rubbed off. I couldn't feel a mark with my fingernails so I tried with my pocket knife blade. Smooth as a sheet of glass. The file barely cut and after 4 strokes was too dull to cut anymore.

I'd been looking for a "real" anvil for several years at that time and ended up paying a bit much for that one. I gave $1,200 for all his farrier's gear though I only wanted a few things. Still, it was an all or nothing deal so it all went home with me in my pickup. That had to be between 1980-1982 and it's still my go too anvil. she goes everywhere I go to smith. The pic is her getting fitted to her new anvil stand a few years ago.

An that's my anvil acquisition story.

Frosty The Lucky.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Frosty

[ThomasPowers]

There are so many stories:  I will have to mention a couple:

back around 1984 I was an apprentice to a sword maker and living off my savings from being a mud logger in the oilpatch; I had gotten engaged and started combining budgets when I saw an anvil for sale at a garage sale.  Now I was looking for a larger anvil than the 93# travel anvil I had (my 198# having been stolen); so we went out.  It was a 163# Peter Wright with a good face and was US$100.  I was salivating pretty hard but we were dirt poor, shoot we couldn't afford dirt, we had to sneak out and "borrow" it from the fields...and my wife to be said "I think you should get it, here's the money".

So we pay the old codgers at the garage sale and one of them asks "How you going to load it?"  I said "Like this!" and picked it up and carried it down the driveway to our car at the curb.  My wife says that one fellow turned to the other and said "He's more of a man than he looks!"

 

Another tale is a two parter: Part 1: We were looking for another used car and had gone out to a smaller town about and hour away for a Sunday Drive and to checkout a dealership there.  They had one my wife liked; so we took it out for a test drive: first on the highway and then we turned off on a windy, hilly rural road.  Out in the boonies I spy a large postvise leaning against a collapsing small barn next to a small house one step up from a shack.  "Stop the car" I told my wife, "There's an anvil in that barn and I want to buy it and the postvise!"   She refused and told me that I could not load dirty blacksmithing stuff in a car we hadn't even bought yet.   Had to take a day off work to sign the papers and as soon as it was ours back out the rural road to the barn/house.  The fellow who was living there was in his late 80's and doing rather poorly, (both financially and in health) and was overjoyed to find someone wanted to buy both the anvil (125# PW) and the 5.5" postvise.  Now the price he wanted was more per pound than I had spent on an anvil before--- more like the "going rate" and maybe a tad more and the anvil had a bad chip off one side of the face---didn't interfere with using it but was cosmetically impacting. I didn't try to talk him down and paid his asking price for both, ($75 for the postvise as I recall and $125 for the anvil)  I was determined that he would have heat that winter and I could afford it by then.

Part 2:  I'm a member of the SCA and at a meeting a new guy got to talking to me about smithing; seems like he had a big anvil that was a pain to drag around the country every time he moved; but he thought he *might* want to do a bit of smithing sometime in the future.  So I go out to look at it as I was hunting a big anvil.  Now most times a "big" anvil turns out to be around 100 pounds---unless it;s an auctioneer talking and then it's greater than 50 pounds...This one was *big* 400#+ came from an old copper mine in Arizona; looked to be a Trenton, (markings ground off) and the face was thick and smooth as glass---in between where the mine welders had used it as a fixture and air arc gouged the face $%^&*@#!  Well I wanted it anyway and so traded the 125# anvil, a postvise screw and screwbox I had been given and threw in $100 as boot making the "cost" slightly over 50 cents a pound.  I then proceeded to move it with me back towards it's old stomping grounds. (he had moved it from AZ to Columbus OH, I moved it back to NM when I moved)

Now I had a hole card.  Many smithing groups will have an anvil repair day when folks with skills and equipment will help out others to get their anvils back in good condition---the RIGHT  way!  Sure enough my new affiliate had an anvil repair day; but in the southern subgroup; only a couple hours to drive and me and another fellow who had as a beginner had a perfectly good anvil *MILLED*  flat and with sharp edges making it then too thin a face to be used.  (Welders and Machinists destroy more anvils due to them NOT knowing how they are made and used and so making bad assumptions when they work on them!).  His anvil took 5 hours of work by a professional welding instructor with commercial sized equipment, (Gunther method) to get back in business.  Mine took a couple hours to fill the air arc gouges and deal with some crush injuries along the edges. Both ended up restored to use.

[Michael Spaulding]

These stories are a trip.

I could read AA stories all day, I think.

 

Thank you for sharing, guys. Looking forward to reading more!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

My Dad and I were just starting to get interested in smithing around 1979-81 as I recall, and had told a friend that he was looking for an anvil. Awhile later he gets a call from our friend that he had seen one listed in the Sacramento? newspaper. It was located in Lincoln which is up in the foothills of the gold country. Dad, and Bob went to go check it out, and it was a really nice 260# Fisher. Dad got it for $250. While they were up there Dad spotted a post vise that had been attached to a tree many years ago, so many that the only thing visible was the outer jaw-and it still worked. I still wonder if the vise in the tree is still there, or if it has been cut out.

 

A few years later (late 80's) when I had my machine and fab shop I was hitting auctions to buy equipment. At one I see a big anvil, and end up getting it for $200. Dad had driven us to the auction in his 81 Coupe DeVille, and as the anvil was being loaded into the trunk, the forklift driver said that was the first time he had loaded a Caddy. Once back at the shop I cleaned it up a little, and saw that it was a 306# Sodefors.

 

The 100# Vulcan came from a closed highschool in Vallejo CA. Hardly anyone was there to buy , and Dad ended up with the Vulcan for $50. It still has the school district inventory tag on it. Other than the top being dented all over with light dings, it is in good shape.

 

The Hay Budden was found at an estate sale on Craigslist. I cruised on over to check out the blacksmithing gear that was listed. It was an old estate with a large pole barn in back. We start walking around, and I start seeing lots of smithing gear. It was the guy's father in law that had passed, and they were looking to make some room. I ended up with a 170# HB, two forges,a bucket of tongs-$5 a pair,a bucket of top tools $3 ea, a bucket of hardies $3 ea,and more-good thing I took my dually. The HB was $175 as we settled on $1 am pound, and it was hard to read the weight at night. He mentioned had a matching anvil that he was keeping, and when we looked at it after I bought mine he saw the other one had been hit a few times with a sledge damaging the edges. He said he should have looked at it closer , but a deal is a deal. Even though the smithing gear was a good deal, the real score for me though was when we did a walk around to see if other was more out back. As we rounded the corner I see a HOBART buffalo chopper angled into the dirt. I mention"Hey, a HOBART". He stops and says, the ammo can has the meat grinding attachment, and that rolling stainless cart goes with it. If you know anyone who wants it-$100. SOLD! I couldn't get my money out fast enough. That unit by itself was worth more than everything I had just bought. 

 

The other two , a 125# JHM, and an old no name 50#( that supposedly came from a mine) were just Craigslist finds. Although the JHM was a screaming deal. It was like new, and came with a folding stand, single burner forge, a box of farrier tools, a box of shoe blanks, and a box of hoof epoxies for $250. He had retired from shoeing, and needed room for his iron horse in the garage. The only reason I got the small anvil was to put it with a small farrier's forge I picked up at a yard sale years ago. 

Not super exciting stories, but each purchase made me really happy.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I spotted a 390# Trenton in a guy's yard, and he is just using it as home decor......I may have to touch bases with him again. The thrill of the hunt.

Edited February 25, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[Ferrous Beuler]

Sure, I'll play...

I got my first anvil by dumb luck back in 2000. Had been looking for about a year and a half with no luck, searching flea markets, farm auctions, etc. One day while out driving with my girlfriend she spied a barnsale sign so we stopped to do a little chicken hawking. The yard was loaded with craft materials, bolts of fabric, bushels of yarn, girl stuff. Yawn. She was loving it and loading up. Finally we drifted into the barn and an anvil was the furthest thing from my mind. As we stepped in my eyes were cast upward looking at all the wrenches hanging on nails from an overhead joist. "Hey honey, isn't that one of those anvil thingies you've been looking for"? my girlfriend said as my eyes were still adjusting from the bright sunlight outside. I looked down and literally right at my feet there it was. Another step and I would have done a face plant over top of it. To this day if I think back to that moment I remember it with angels singing and harps strumming as a heavenly shaft of light shone upon it through the door causing it to glow in a vibrant golden hue.

Behind me in the corner sat two blue haired grannies at a table with the cashbox. I asked how much for the anvil as it wasn't marked. One looked at the other and said "Who's is that now, Gertie's wasn't it"? "Yes, that's Gertrude's, let's give her a call". There on the table was a desktop rotary telephone which one of them dialed impossibly slowly. Once Gertie answered I could hear every word because the phone was very loud. "There's a young man here who would like to know how much you will take for your anvil"... "Not a penny less than sixty-five dollars"!  I paid the Ladies and was then the proud owner of a 269 lb Peter Wright that weighed about as much as a feather pillow because I was so elated as me and another man there hefted into the trunk of my '91 VW. Yup, handed over four twenties, got change back and it came with a nice cutoff hardie too.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/uploads/500/931065-R1-07-14A_008.jpg

Edited February 25, 2015 by Ferrous Beuler

[petere76]

I have four anvils in the shop. I was always working with iron but when I got into blacksmithing my buds came through with 3 anvils. One PW at 140 lbs from an old shop in Oakland Maine. Another good friend had an old mill in Mass, he used to recycle Kevlar vests, he proudly delivered a mint condition Hey Buden , 135 lbs. to me one night at our favorite watering hole. Cost was  one beer and I had to hump it out of his truck into mine. Another friend had family that worked in a mill in Millinocket Maine. The mill closed and he gave me a 140  lb American when he got divorced. My favorite anvil was a surprise from my wife on Christmas, a PW , 150 lb. I opened her card and it read, look in the back of my car. Sure enough she had gotten me a 1900s vintage anvil from a friend in an old logging town in western Maine. I knew the whole family and they were all in on the Christmas surprise. That's my story. 

Peter 

 

[Michael Spaulding]

Thanks for all the stories! I'm learning that I need to start driving around in the country more often!

[ThomasPowers]

I actually lucked onto an anvil on Craigslist out here in Anvil poor NM, 112# PW with a lovely face and horn and 1 foot knocked off, US$150 .  As I was hunting some lighter anvils to lug around teaching I jumped on it.   It was to be turned over in Albuquerque an hour away from my shop.  Turns out that since the owner and I were both working that day our wives made the transfer in Albuquerque at the University, (Actually they buttonholed a student to do the transfer for them...) It's currently on loan to Du7ch while he hunts one of his own and I'm still hauling the 160+ pounders for classes; sigh.

[njanvilman]

I have hundreds of stories, but I will throw this one out for now.  The anvil pictured is actually a FISHER.  I bought it at an auction on the waterfront in Keyport, NJ.  As you can see, it is a bit corroded.  They had used the anvil for a mooring block in the bay.  It had recently been hauled out.  I bought it for $5.  How do I know it is a FISHER?  You can just see the remnants of the lugs, there is a shadow of the Eagle, and most of the steel has corroded away.  There is also a faint FISHER in the front of the casting.  I believe this was the first Fisher anvil I owned.  The anvil weighs almost 200 lb.  There is actually enough of the faceplate left that it probably could still be used. 

[njanvilman]

I have hundreds of stories, but I will throw this one out for now.  The anvil pictured is actually a FISHER.  I bought it at an auction on the waterfront in Keyport, NJ.  As you can see, it is a bit corroded.  They had used the anvil for a mooring block in the bay.  It had recently been hauled out.  I bought it for $5.  How do I know it is a FISHER?  You can just see the remnants of the lugs, there is a shadow of the Eagle, and most of the steel has corroded away.  There is also a faint FISHER in the front of the casting.  I believe this was the first Fisher anvil I owned.  The anvil weighs almost 200 lb.  There is actually enough of the faceplate left that it probably could still be used. 

​I was always impressed by how well the iron held up after decades in salt water.  Also how the lugs were rubbed off from constant movement on the bottom of the bay.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

 

You can just say that was a custom made "texturing" anvil...

 

[Stash]

I'll jump in here. I'd been working a 170# PW when I saw an ad on CL just listing an anvil, and the price, $300. I called, made the appointment and took off. It was a real nice 179# PW with a smooth top , nicely reduced edges and excellent rebound. I rescued it from being a hearthside ornament and took it home. In the meantime, my wife texted me to hurry home, as I had just become a Pop-pop. Less than 2 hours later I was holding Shanna in my arms. I will never sell that anvil, but if she wants it, it's hers. She turned 2 the beginning of this month. The anvil is a bit older.

 

Steve

[njanvilman]

I'll jump in here. I'd been working a 170# PW when I saw an ad on CL just listing an anvil, and the price, $300. I called, made the appointment and took off. It was a real nice 179# PW with a smooth top , nicely reduced edges and excellent rebound. I rescued it from being a hearthside ornament and took it home. In the meantime, my wife texted me to hurry home, as I had just become a Pop-pop. Less than 2 hours later I was holding Shanna in my arms. I will never sell that anvil, but if she wants it, it's hers. She turned 2 the beginning of this month. The anvil is a bit older.

 

Steve

​Great story!  That anvil will always remind you of her, and someday her of you.

[Frosty]

That has got to be one of the best anvil acquisition stories ever. Serendipity the birthday anvil. The birth of a family heirloom and wonderful birthday story.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Frosty]

Yeah, bad backs can happen at any age, some folk are born with one. Something we used to laugh about when I was drilling was how the office guys were all into physical fitness, gym memberships, "power walkers" (I never quite got that one) runners, marathoners, weight lifters, etc.  Oh and ALL very into proper nutrition. However, if there was a box to be lifted or furniture to be moved they called one of us over weight, smoker drillers to actually do physical work. I was actually asked to lift a heavy book down off a shelf once. <sigh>

Desk jobs had most of these guys backs so wracked they were lucky to be able to walk. Before the accident I'd carry over and put my 206lb Trenton in the pickup without thinking about it.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Michael Spaulding]

My military service left me with a bad back. I'm in pain most of the time, but I'd probably lift a newly purchased anvil if the call came.

 

Would I help someone lift an anvil, yeah probably, but give me a couple years after all that anvil lifting and I might have to stick to my guns.

I'm a fit dude, and by all appearances look healthy, but my back is wrecked. just goes to show you never really know what someone's been through. Great story, though!

[ThomasPowers]

went to our local forging get together and worked on making a stake anvil from a section of 1.5" sq stock and an old drilling sledge hammer head that we are forging down the ends to resemble a medieval armour making one.

Big hit of the day was twisting the 1.5"  Pep didn't have a large twisting wrench to hand so he quickly cut the end off a piece of sq tubing and welded it to the side of a piece of pipe and we both grabbed an end, stuck it on the top end of the shaft and made a lovely twist.  Pep posted a pic of it on instagram while it was still glowing...

 

1.5" was still much easier to work than the 2.5" sq piece I used for my last stake anvil...

[Michael Spaulding]

Stuart, that is a story, all right. I've been keeping a keen eye on craigslist and $300 in my pocket. I'm in a job that I can actually leave early on little notice and go chase down an anvil. I am 100% ready to move like a mongoose.

[Michael Spaulding]

Stuart, your subway story disappeared again. I've got the email notices, and was able to read it, but it doesn't appear to be showing up in the thread.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I see both of his posts.

Edited March 1, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[Michael Spaulding]

I do now, too! I wonder what the holdup was.

[Frosty]

I think the hold ups and apparent message drops are just an effect of the new software getting burned in. Lots of bugs are causing the Admin guys to have to shut some areas down til they get it straightened out. Fewer areas are being completely shut down as bugs are getting stomped. MAYBE messages are routing a long way to come back to the sender. That's a HUGE MAYBE, I'm no IT.

I know, I just got back on after being shut out for 2.5 days. <sniff sniff> I'm seeing a common complaint right now, slow posting the sender's own post. It's happening to me too but other folk are seeing my messages right away. I don't know why we can't read our own posts (come back) as fast as everybody else but it's happening.

I'm just trying to be patient and NOT hit "Submit" or reload or, heck anything again. I've been looking at another thread and coming back to the thread to see what's what and finding mine.

Everything else seems faster and smoother, this little thing will get worked out.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Michael Spaulding]

I took some anvil clip art and took to MS Paint with a quick

"Looking for anvils and blacksmithing tools
-clip art of anvil-
Please contact Michael spaulding at
-phone number-
Interested in anvils larger than 90 lbs"

and went down to the local office depot. They gave me an email to send it to, printed off 10 sheets of 9 per sheet card stock, and even cut it up for me. Spent about 8 bucks and 25 minutes (including driving to office max). It worked out great, and people seem very responsive to the "Wallet flyers" I call 'em.