Black Frog

hmmm... doesn't seem to allow me to post a YouTube link either... Here's a workaround. If you copy and paste the links below into your browser bar and remove the space after the https: and before the // then it will link to the videos, Part 1 and Part 2. https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=gREo5WJQDX8 https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkR_rC9J0yo Joel I also linked these vids to other blacksmithing pages. Fantastic stuff!!

Joel! It was a such a pleasure when Aaron and I got to visit your shop last year!! I took some video of your shop in action, but I don't want to post them without your permission. If that's ok, I'll put links on here for all to see. Joel's shop is jaw-droppingly cool to see in action. As cool as it is in the pictures shown, it is even more amazing to see it all going. The video shows things in action, but in person it is even more impressive. I could (and did) spend hours just looking at everything. The drives, the machines, the tooling, and the work performed, all truly amazing. As an engineer and machinist for my day job, and forging on nights and weekends, my day spent at Joel's shop was just like visiting Santa's workshop to a wide-eyed kid....

Thanks! The weight is stamped on the left side. 112 pounds?

Concrete Guy, Can you take a picture of the serial number? Located on the front foot under the horn on the right side.

It's cake, fully wire brush and oil blacken, then scrub with abrasive cloth of grit and duration to your liking.

Thanks!

Please take a close-up picture of the Trenton stamp on the side, and the serial number on the front foot under the horn! I'd like to add this to the database I've got going.

Thanks for the pics! :-)

1908 ballpark.

that makes it a bit later then... Not in the 1800's. The "England stamp was added in 1910-1911" has been up for debate, but that might give you some idea.

It isn't the earlier "flat side" Peter Wright style, and I don't see the "ENGLAND" stamp on there from the later ones. Late 1800's to early 1900's would be a ballpark guess.

I wouldn't say it was typical. If a tool was well cared for, and not used too heavily, then yes. Either through extended hard use or abuse, the average lifespan of an industry anvil "back in the day" was around 20 years. I've found several advertisements based around that number, and editorial comments within trade journals stating similar. There were advertising campaigns about repairing wore out anvils. Fisher was boasting that their anvils would last 20 years. If Fisher was using an anvil lasting 20 years as a selling point in advertising, what does that tell you about the average anvil's lifespan at that time?

If I'm reading the 5-0-14 correctly, that would be 574 pounds. NICE! Gorgeous looking condition too.

John In Oly, Can you take a closeup of the side logo stamp of your red Trenton anvil? I'm cataloging a database of the different Trenton logo stamps vs. the serial number ranges, would love to add yours to the list! Thanks!

127# Too much money for that condition of anvil.

Serial number should be on the front foot under the horn. That can give the date of manufacture.

They don't get more Hay-Budden than that one.

23" long and 10" high is nowhere near a 200 pound anvil.

Playing with flat stock today... Flat stock is quick and easy to crank out openers.

I have the 527# you're talking about. :-) Can you get a closeup picture of the side logo, and a picture of the serial number? I'm making a database of the logos vs. serial numbers for a few makes. Both A&H and Trenton had several different styles of logo stamps through their history.

Is that SN 38863?

HB gave out some guidelines of size for weights at some times in their manufacturing history. Problem is that they changed their manufacturing methods, and their anvils varied. I've been keeping a database of anvil dimensions vs weight for the major anvil manufactures for some time now. It comes in incredibly handy. You can have anvils that are 3" to 4" different in length and be the same weight..... The guesses above seem to be right in the ballpark.

That was the time period that Columbian Hardware Company was importing Soderfors anvils to sell in the U.S. Great anvil! I have one from the same year. :-)

VT, very classy!

There are some Columbians with the 'reversed' logo like that, sticking out. I've seen a few now. Looks like a fine anvil in great shape.