George Geist

How old is that hammer? Iron maybe? George

I believe being as that they're still being made new every day there is no shortage being created by people collecting. Those who want one to use go ahead and buy one new. You'd probably get a better deal anyway. For those who just positively have to have one not being made anymore, they're still out there and pretty plentiful. If the "hoarders" annoy you that much, have patience. They'll all eventually die and their next of kin will be more than happy to scatter their stuff out into circulation again. George

Looks like another Trenton to me. Possibly one of the lot made in which the center N looked like an X. George

Thanks guys, That's precisely the information I'm looking for. I never saw brass trim ever hurt a knife either so is kinda what I was thinking. George

Not sure if this has been discussed around here or not. If so could somebody point me in the direction of where? If not, It's pretty common knowledge that aluminum and steel don't get along well together. This is why on trucks for example all steel and aluminum is separated by rubber gaskets and such. Question I have for you guys is how well does brass get along with steel? I have a project in mind that I'm contemplating adding brass to but wonder how that metal will be with steel. Anybody know? George

Any job that requires a respirator be used will require you to shave. Refineries especially wont allow you on the premises (as per federal law) with facial hair beyond a mustache. What you do on your own is your business but you're not likely to get a good seal.

Mr McPherson, I fully realize that anvils are sacred and holy objects worthy of being a footstool for Mother Mary Herself. I realize that you guys firmly believe that an army could lay waste to an entire region, burn a major city to the ground and in general commit mayhem of an unimaginable scale all the while not daring to touch a single anvil due to it's exalted position as a sacrosanct object. Fact of the matter is that info could be found in books written before I came around. I learned about it when I first started and I've been around beating iron for 40 years. Considerably before our former Vice President ever thought about inventing the internet. Since you and others are so agitated over a historical event not reported on Fox News or by Walter Concrete. I'll challenge you guys to prove me wrong. Have at it. Proving a negative makes for lots of fun. If you can do that you'll convince me and I'll shut up about it. If not, I might be liable to go onto my profile page and remove my location to really annoy you guys George

Value just depends as Mr Powers said. People give me an argument every time I mention this but I'll go ahead and mention it anyway. In the latter stages of the civil war Union forces destroyed and vandalized all southern blacksmith shops. While doing so they did their best to wreck the anvil as a top priority. I'm replying from my phone and can't see locations so was betting it probably confederate. No way to know if that was what happened to it but if so it would certainly be interesting from a historic perspective. George

Is obviously a mouse hole from Armitage in England. Am curious as to it's history? Confederate maebe? Georgre

Somebody will undoubtedly look up your serial # in their copy of AIA soon enough. All I'll say is it's not unusual to find an old anvil with it's horn blunted like that. I believe old shops may have deliberately done that for safety reasons or something like that. Is pretty common to see. George

I'd say definitely too much money for that. Chinese trash being dumped on this continent rightfully ought to be boycotted. I can't say I'd recommend a NC for any serious work either. In my never to be considered humble opinion they sort of bridge the gap between an anvil and an ASO but that's about it. George

I believe New England Blacksmiths covers them George

Tool steel is very expensive and unnecessary. For most uses of that tool, cold rolled will suffice. George

Looks like a nice one. Good work Have you tried it out yet? George

Amen to that! Good score. Me too Place was one of my old haunts. Seemed to always have good stuff there back in the day. As we know all flea markets are good sources for tools but that place was without a doubt the best by far. Anything you wanted could be found there. I'd recommend to the OP to go hang around Marshall's Farm on Mondays and get involved with the NJBA. They're a real good bunch of guys. George