Marc1

I would start diving where you dad sunk the anvil.

I have a blower in the shop forge that is a bit larger than that one, about 16" diameter ... but it runs on a 1400 rpm motor and the pulley ratio is 2:1 ... so fan is at 700 rpm and it needs the gate to rain the air in all the time.

It's been discussed before ad libitum. There is no practical way to make the ground part of the anvil mass. Two different materials with an interface do not become one as much as one would like them to. Small anvil on concrete pyramid and large anvil on same concrete pyramid perform like a small and a large anvil. The best anvil stand is a solid tripod made of thick wall rectangular hollow section at some 12 degree angle filled with sand and oil ... on a one or two inch plate with the anvil bolted down with big nice bolts. Super stable and solid and still moveable. Concrete does not do well with hammer blows and is immovable. The function of the stand is not to increase the anvil mass, something that it can not do, but to support the weight safely and if possible stop the pesky ringing. It is the anvil that absorbs the hammer blows not the stand.

Best shape for decorative blacksmithing is souther german pattern. But it's all very subjective really.

As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

For 111 lb and $700 I would keep looking, but I am not your it's a small anvil, that size anvil can be had cheaper new, at a farriers supply. Search for Cliff Carroll 125lbs Anvil selling for $565. They are in Amarillo Texas Many other suppliers with similar prices. Never mind the base. You can do better and it will be your first project And yes, the guys are correct, BIGGA IS BETTA

That is a big stand! Are you going to fill with sand and oil?

That is a relic and part of your own past. Mount it on an industrial looking base untouched. A section of H beam or riveted to a large flat bar sunken in a pyramidal concrete base, and a little plate engraved with a description and dates.

Not long ago someone asked "why size [of anvils] matters", and we had a very funny exchange. What is the best size anvil is not exactly the same question but close. Any blacksmith that is able to be honest with himself will agree that a bigger anvil has a bigger appeal. Why? Too many reasons that could potentially evolve in a slinging match, but let's just say that real estate is one reason, and rebound another. However ... even when a larger face and maximum rebound should be universally appreciated, there are other factors that play against the 'bigger is better' camp. Just like a lot of people have intense feelings against big cars, and elaborate reasons to convince themselves they are on the right side of the debate, bigger anvil is better, falls in the same category. A lot of blacksmith particularly hobby one, are minimalist. Each to it's own. Some like scooters and TuckTucks, I don't. Big anvil smacks of bragging according to some, they are very hard to move if they are big enough, and the actual real reason behind the love/hate ... is their price. They are really expensive. So ... if one had to answer your question dispassionately the answer should be just like answering "what is the most desirable spanner size". Makes no sense, size is related to the job at hand. Say you want to buy a press to stamp car bonnets, you need a 300 lb press. if you need a press to stamp train carriage bodies, you are likely to need 5000 lb press. The debate is purely technical. When this should be the case for anvils, for some reason emotions and likes and dislikes come into play. What is the most desirable size anvil is already charged with an emotional factor, so I'll give it an emotional response. Buy the biggest you can afford or you will regret not buying it

You can now soak the lot in 1/9 molasses water. No nasty chemicals and will be clean as a pin in a week or two.

I wish we had 1/10 of the suppliers you have in the UK Found in a few seconds using google UK. Many more from eastern Europe https://www.jimblurton.co.uk/product/rounding-hammer/ esty links removed.

Agreed again. No not about you being an old timer ... about the strange phenomenon of old anvils going for more than new prices. This is only possible with the fallacious idea that old is better than new. The existence of anvil shaped objects helps with this, and only a well informed education campaign can turn this around. But it is not easy. Most people that talk to me about anvils have this idea that the age of an anvil is some form of badge of honour like a violin, and that the older the better. I am really happy that Foundryguy has taken to this quest of making new high quality anvils. Good for you mate !

Agreed, and that many new anvils are better than many of the old one. And I think that our old timers narrative is sometimes at fault on this, promoting this ideas that old anvils are insuperable. If you read some of the post on Facebook it seems anvils are like wine, that gets better with time

That anvil looks like a typical PW. A few chips, a bit of sway, some imperfection and 100 years more of work in it. A real work horse and nothing to brag about. Just what a blacksmith can use every day. Peter Wright stuff, be it anvils or vices were most likely always intended for the average Joe and not for the elite with the measuring stick. Enjoy it as it is, I have two of them and they will be good for 3 more generations of blacksmith.

I like the buckle too. Would appeal to a concreter for sure! Get some plain steel from a scrap yard, or offcuts from a steel merchant. I buy my steel from a mob called Edcon Steel and they have always a big box with offcuts they sell cheap. Sometimes if I buy some big stuff the guys chuck some offcuts on my trailer for free. Saves them dragging it to the bin.

Perfection is overrated, attitude is all that counts. Happiness a consequence of your good attitude. Keep at it and never give up

Only one reason comes to mind

Yep ... rather pathetic when you can't extricate blacksmith from knifes. Fortunately there is Pinterest. Google blacksmith projects and pick the Pinterest link. A lot of ideas there, 732 today. My suggestion, try your hand at sculptures. You can always hide your inevitable beginner mistakes with artistic licence.

All this talk about anvil faces without a mention of what you forge on them? If you forge small things, you will always be able to find a flat section on your anvil, so any repair would be unnecessary. Having said that, the debate about repair or not, never considers the owners idiosyncrasy. There is such thing as OCD and for some, a chipped edge or a depression on a surface that was originally flat is a constant cause of aggravation that nags you every time you have a look at your anvil. The idea that a depression on the face is an advantage, is one way to compensate for this. I remember a guy who had a faulty exhaust valve and his exhaust backfired every time he lift the foot off the accelerator. He thought this was the reason he never had an accident since people jumped out of his way Personally my OCD is not strong enough to compel me to do any repairs to my anvils. The one PW I use the most is a 280# that has a very nice flat surface but a few chips. My 480# has a lot of scars, a minor depression on the face and a lot of cuts and big depression on the horn. i will eventually repair the horn but leave the face alone. To those who think a wongolated face is an advantage I say, each to his own, but when you ever buy a new anvil please don't go for your die grinder and make a depression on the face. That would be a real pita.

Ha ha, that's a good one VT ... you should have that for signature

Not easy to do, let alone the leadlight ! He definitely chose something special to leave behind.

Check out a member that calls himself the Iron Dwarf. He can put you on the right path.

Not bad for this days of anvil craze. (Must have been a good rifle ) Does she sing right all over?

Lovely anvil! Just the right size and shape. Someone sleeved the hardy to use smaller tools. There is some writing on it. Use chalk to reveal it. All I can see is RKANS ... and HO ... I really like it. Did you pay much for it? Any manufacturers in ARKANSAS perhaps?

That is how some commercial punches are made. I have a bunch of them and they are OK.