Sask Mark

Wow! That's quite the find. I hope they didn't charge you extra for the cat though...

Jeremy, that is a beautiful restoration job on that hammer.

I was just browsing ebay and there is a screw press for sale in Charlotte, NC for $499 buy-it-now with a best offer option. Just thought someone closer would be able to take advantage of what seems to be a pretty good deal. http://cgi.ebay.com/HAND-SCREW-PRESS-ANTIQUE-Farrel-Foundry-Waterbury_W0QQitemZ120525511068QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0fe1599c

I think she worked there in the mid to late 90's as well. I worked with her from 2000-2006 when I was working for a malting company (she works at the malting facility in Vancouver, WA). I traveled down to Vancouver routinely as I was the technical manager for the labs in our company (I love the Vancouver/Portland areas).

Chyancarrek, did you work for Nike in Beaverton (I think that's where it was)? I have a friend that worked there and she loved it! She said is was a very positive environment. She lives in Battle Ground and her parents live beside Mt. St. Helens too. Getting back to the thread topic, Wayne Gretzky once said 'You miss 100% of the shots you don't take'.

Are there any numbers on the front of the feet? If there is, perhaps the location and number can give an indication af manufacturer and year. You may not care. I'm just being curious, that's all.

What brand is the anvil? It looks like a Hay Budden to me. Whatever it is, it's a good looking anvil.

Yeah, I've been watching for one for a while now. The area that I live in has very little in the way of manufacturing and heavy industry, so a lot of the 'fun' tools are few and far between around here (fly presses, big power hammers etc.). I mentioned to him that I was interested in blacksmithing and he throws this offer at me. He asked 'do you know what an acorn is?' I picked my jaw up off the floor and said 'you bet I do!'. The soluquip website shows that they have stacks of used ones in their inventory, but they don't list any prices. Throw some high shipping costs on them, and I pretty much ruled out the possibility of ever getting one.

One of my stainless steel subcontractors that I deal with just offered me a 5 X 5 acorn platen with a huge vise attached to it for scrap metal prices (he thinks it's about 1 - 1.5 cents a pound around here right now). I will be getting it for under $50. He's been trying to get rid of it for a while now, but noone he knows wants something that big and heavy. He doesn't feel right about throwing it in the scrap bin (I'm glad he feels that way). We had a wicked blizzard last week so he has to dig it out when he's clearing his yard. If he gets it out today, I will pick it up next week and get some pictures.

Truer words have never been spoken!

I would not hesitate for a second walking up to Mr. Moore (or any other collector for that matter) and congratulating him for doing what he enjoys with his money. I don't think he is collecting anvils to drive up the market value of anvils (a la DeBeers with the world diamond supply), but he probably truly enjoys it. I understand the analogy of the General Lee, but Mr. Moore is not letting the anvils fall into disrepair and rust away, never to be used again. I would think that most of them will be used again at some point. I for one would love to have the opportunity to visit his museum and check out all the history there.

There's a couple more nice big leg vices for you collection! If I lived closer, I would be giving you a call. There's some nice equipment there.

Well, I looked for the videos tonight and it seems I left them at my in-laws when we moved. Unfortunately, they live about 8 hours away and I won't be seeing them for a few months. Perhaps if you sent a pm to Dr. Hrisoulas, he can enlighten you. His member name is JPH. Good luck.

IIRC, Dr. Hrisoulas mentioned appropriate eyewear in the video in which he made a ladder pattern welded dagger. If I can find the video, I will watch it and post what he says. I haven't seen him post of the site for a while.

Very impressive! I wonder how it compares to the size of njanvilman's collection?

I have used Rust-oleum Painters Touch Satin sealer.

Hope you're having a good one Frosty! It's good to see you posting again.

One of my structural steel subcontractors told me I can come scrounge in their scrap bin for free.

I picked up a 100 pound Peter Wright that's in pretty good shape to add to my small collection.

Mr. Browne, if you didn't know and are curious, A4461 = 1918 manufacture date according to Anvils in America.

Yup, that Advert Bot is one smart cookie.

Very cool! It's interesting to see that their logo hasn't really changed since your anvil was made.

Or, it seems you might have an oddball. Just send it to me as you don't want to have anything to do with oddballs, do you? Edit-I just did some more reading in my copy of Anvils in America and your anvil does not appear to be a Trenton. If the anvil was a Trenton, the serial number 21569 would indicate a year of manufacture of roughly 1901. Early Trentons had an hourglass depression, and did not start adopting the oval depression until 1907 with the changeover complete in about 1910. If the Anvil is an Arm and Hammer, the serial number would indicated a year of manufacture of 1913-1914. This year would fit into the oval depression scheme on the cast steel bases as seen on your anvil. Mr. Postman also states that some Swedish anvils had the oval depression as well, but yours appears to be forged, not cast, so I'm going to guess that it is an Arm and Hammer. As for the name stamped on the side, it is not listed in anvils in America. I understand that there is a new edition in the works. Perhaps it will show up in the new edition if Mr. Postman has uncovered any other examples. You might want to contact him and let him know you have an example and see what he says as he is far more of an authority than I am.

Sometimes the manufacturers made anvils for hardware stores or distributors and stamped the store's name instead of their own. I don't think 'Stilletto' would be the maker, just the store or distributor. The fact that the weight is on the side and not stamped on the left front foot is a little atypical for Trenton. I'm wondering if it is perhaps an Arm and Hammer? They also used cast steel bases with that depression like Trentons, but they usually stamped their weights on the side like yours. One thing that is different from regular Arm and Hammers is the underside of the heel seems to be finished quite nicely whereas 'normal' Arm and Hammers had a rougher underside of the heel from the fullering process in drawing the heel.

That depression in the base makes me think it might be a Trenton. However, they didn't usually stamp the weights on the side like that. Is there anything stamped on the front of the feet?