wolfb

Here is a link to the picture. I don't know what happened to the first upload

'>

I've never seen a hammer like this, what is it used for

I have similar sized one but with the front jaw pivoting on a hinge at the base like a full size blacksmith vice.
The anvil on mine doesn't have a bik like yours does though.
Mine has no markings and it comes from my father-in-law's (FIL) tool box.
Most likely he got it from his father or earlier descendant as there are a number of tools in that toolbox that are at least 150 years old and one hammer with 1793 stamped on it.

Fisher 1900, 125#, Farriers anvil with clip, eagle logo surrounded by horseshoe

Fisher 1900, 125#, Farriers anvil with clip, eagle logo surrounded by horseshoe

I've seen a lot of Heller Bros. hammers and files, as well as a few other blacksmithing tools, I've got a few of their hammers and tongs and they're amazing, but I've never, ever seen a Heller vise! :)

HG Skip Brack at the Davistown Tool Museum in Maine helped me out with this one, strangely I've been obsessed with researching this little guy and I feel like I got some closure

'>just for fun:

'>

I did some more research and the company that made this little vise is Heller and Brothers company, a blacksmith/farriers company made famous in the nineteeth century for making files and Hammers and is now known as Simonds international

I found this little vise on Ebay, I didn't really need it but was enchanted by it and for $30 I couldn't resist.  Markings say Pat. June 16 1885 H & B.  Seems to be in excellent condition.  Any information on it?  google didn't really come up with anything except ads for similar vises (for a whole lot more).  Any history would be greatly appreciated.

Update:  I found the patent but still don't know the company.  Does not appear to be HB smith, but I may be wrong.  I attached the patent information

http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?pn=320224&id=7259

I noticed that everyone seems to use straps over the heels of the anvil to secure it to a stand. My anvil (a 150# fisher farriers) has a screw hole on each heel. I used a router to make a 1/4" recess that the anvil sits in, is it adequate to use the screw holes to simply screw it to a stand or will it just "jimmy" itself loose during use?

Southeastern US, not sure what the provenance of this vise is though

I could not find any markings on this, any ideas what kind of vise this is?

rooty tooty bang and boomy

I recently acquired this anvil: markings on it are: FISHER, 150, 1900 and a horseshoe with an eagle on it. I'm assuming it is a farrier anvil. It doesn't seem to ring at all, no cracks but some surface rust and pitting. Is it useful for anything other than horseshoes (hobby blacksmithing)? How much is something like this worth? Should I do anything to it to make it more serviceable?. Any thoughts or information will be greatly appreciated