anvilcustoms

Probably good that you bought it.....scarce anvil there....I had one. (see attached 701 pound Black Prince)

Is he selling all his tools? If so, is he open to a visitor?

Are you going to buy it? If not, would you mind giving me information as to where it is at? I'd love to take a chance on it.....

Actually that anvil in Memphis is a 500 lb Fisher. Its the one they use in their ads for the museum. Unless they have another hiding in the woods...

Anyway, the quest now is to find some of the Insinora anvils, the ones they mostly exported. And also some of the custom anvils. This will probably never end.

Well, getting back to my original thread, before it was hijacked by tales of anvil-lifting and space.......

Just if anyone was wondering, at last, best count, there are 250 Fisher anvils here. Some perfect, some with normal wear, some almost worn out, and some broken. I have about 40 original anvil patterns, 4 original Double Screw vise patterns, and whatever original paperwork was left before the building got demolished. Also parts of the original Fisher cranes. Plus much more.

While doing further research today, I came across an ad from 1907. Fisher was advertising that they made two hundred sizes of anvils, from 10 to 800 lbs. So the search for the elusive 1000 lb Fisher anvil is probably over. 1000 lb Fisher anvils were advertised in the late 1800's, but I have never seen or heard of one in existance. Not to say that they did not exist; just probably not any left out there....

My 800 lb Fisher is just one of two I have ever seen. My 700 is one of just two I know of. And my 600 is the only one I know of. Any anvil over 500 lbs are few and far between.

You might find this amusing. I went to demonstrate at a local park yesterday, and dragged my 219 pound hay budden out there with a small portable forge. When I was 22 years old, lifting that anvil would have been a joke! Today, with my ameliorated 57 year old musculature, I find it far more difficult to lift and move heavy things! I once dead lifted my 700 pound hay budden from shop floor to stump, when I was in my twenties. At this age NOW, I marvel at how young and dumb I was, showing off for folks by lifting heavy things. My newfound maturity, if I get the chance to buy another humongous anvil, might cause me to hesitate in purchasing such a beast for at least a millionth of a second. See, I have matured!!!!

Well well well, welcome home, 700 pounder....not you Josh, the anvil. HAHA. It was a pleasure meeting you, I really wish we could have visited longer, I love talking anvils. I've owned well over 800 anvils the past several years and each one meant so much to me.....what IS IT about anvils!!??? If I thought hard enough, maybe I could remember each one of the anvils that have past through my hands.....

I am especially happy that this 700 is in your hands, now. Enjoy....and I can't wait to pay a visit to the Fisher Museum!

Ryan Wasson
Anvil Customs
www.anvilcustoms.com

Hi Joshua,

Could you please call me, I may have something that might interest you. It's a 700 pounder....

Ryan
Springfield, MO
417-766-8055

I finally decided to give this forum a go. A few friends on here urged me to get in on the fun. I am the curator of the Fisher & Norris Museum. Some of you out there know of the story of how I got involved with saving the archives of the factory. I had a story published in the Anvil's Ring in 2001 about the beginnings of the quest. More information can be found in a Google search. It would take too long to repeat it here now. My museum houses all of the remaining pattern for the Fisher anvils, the remaining paperwork, and a lot of anvils. The count is in the tons. I believe some photos were posted here in the spring of the museum.


I love to talk about anything Fisher. I am working on a book of the history and products of the company. My museum is open to the blacksmithing community. Just PM me. I am in central NJ. This is not a full time venture. I teach wood and metalworking. Home this week recovering from a broken leg. OOPS.


My quest out there is to find 600 lb and 700 lb Fisher anvils. They are the only missing ones from a complete line of all of their standard anvils. The search goes on.

My 100 pound Trenton also has a large step like yours.

Very nice little 90 pound Trenton with unusually tall step, a reworked Peter Wright anvil, and a small collection of minis.....enjoy.....

I think I am going to follow anvilcustom's trend and paint my anvil green!

looks like a hay budden, youll have fun with that. use a angle grinder with a wire brush attachment and remove that paint from the face and youll be happier while forging, burning paint tends to smell less than pleasant, or just use some sand paper by hand to remove paint.

there is a few forums topics on the site with good stands-stumps for anvils, have a look and chose whats best for your anvil.

most of all, forge hot iron on it!

I was impressed by the base on the big HB. You might like to fill the base with lead to stop the anvil moving around when you are making knives on it.

I am not sure of the EXACT weight, but Mengel and Green have around a 803# Hay Budden, so it is not the largest, but certainly up there!

Thanks for the replies guys. I've owned over 800 anvils in the past 18 years, this 701 HB is one of the largest ones I've had. Just really like anvils I guess....they tell a story, you know?

I am 3 hours from St. Louis.

I do leatherwork for a living. You can view my websites if you wish: www.anvilcustoms.com and www.leatherchainwallets.com

Have a great weekend everyone....

Ryan @ Anvil Customs

Registered my membership a few years ago, but have been out of the blacksmith stuff for some time now.....I think I'll fire up the ole forge again soon!

This thread is just showing some of my tools for your viewing....I know I enjoy looking at other's tools, so here goes!!

Here is a few pics of my 701 Hay Budden, marked "Shapeliegh Hardware Company, BLACK PRINCE, ST. Louis, 701" on Original anvil stand (which nearly weighs as much as the anvil!). It came off the Missouri Pacific Railroad in St. Louis. ENJOY....