Sam Thompson

The mass is all beneath the hammer, that is what absorbs the blow. The end of the leg doesn't need to be supported vertically, its purpose is to brace the vice against bending/twisting forces. The clover-leaf works the same in the other plane.

Now you've spotted them, you'll see punch marks all over hand made stuff.

They are not in good enough condition to be valuable to a collector and are too old/uncertified/obsolete to be of much use in any industrial application. There is a part number for replacement tips, so it looks like those are consumable; without a supply of spares (and given the cheap availability of modern/more accurate methods of ascertaining temperature) I'd say that you have what we in England would call a "White Elephant".

You're right... It's started!

Given the difficulty of making these things accurately by forging and the evenness of the original piece, I think it likely that the originals were cut out. This kind of thing was pretty much mass-produced in small factories and they would have used the simplest method available. The waste produced would have been easily large enough to use for other components.

Have you tried poking one into a fire to see if it works?

I think most of us would like to be able to make something that would make other smiths wonder how it was done. When I've made mine, it'll be the most difficult thing that I've ever made.

I'm afraid that my usual, slightly cynical, response to "art" is: "Very clever, now make 10 more the same.". .

"It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him." Shaw Does this hold true for Americans?

Can't you just saw it out of a piece of plate?

Eventually mankind will become so timid and risk-averse that we'll de-evolve back into weedy little microbes.

He's a two year old Patterdale called Nibble.

Count yourselves lucky you don't have to say "tuyere" on a regular basis!

Be careful with it; it's explosive if it blows about in a cloud. I don't think there's any smithing use for it, although I'd be tempted to try packing some into a box with a bit of MS and baking it to see if it case hardens. It's useful for banking up a house fire if you want to go out for a while.

How can he tell it's 400 years old? The shape looks like a relatively modern European anvil and it's got a hardy hole.

Here he is relaxing after a nutritious, delicious bunny.

I've got some rabbits burrowing under my earth floor, I find clinkers are very good for filling in the holes. The dog considers them a snack.

That looks a bit like an International Harvester logo on the RHS.

The value of second-hand gear is defined solely by supply and demand, decide what you're prepared to pay (with reference to prices asked by recent vendors) and then wait for a suitable offer. I agree, if you're selling it's easier to lower the price than raise it but asking a stupidly high amount will only alienate potential buyers. Bull***t descriptions annoy people, no-one will spend such a huge amount of cash without some knowledge; although they give us a good laugh.

This kind of thread serves to highlight the difference between us old-world smiths and our colonial colleagues. I've never heard of anyone trying to repair worn/broken vices or anvils (other than as an academic exercise) on this side of the pond. It shows how scarce these things that we take for granted can get. I've got five leg-vices and I've never paid more than £10 for one; strangers regularly offer to sell me anvils. If TFSR get their way, things could get that bad over here, while perfectly usable tools adorn gardens all over the third world (or get melted down in China!).

Clinton, That looks like a large cheese press to me, the sides on a wine press don't need to open. Is there any other metalwork with it?

Where would you find the nuts?

Is there any chance of some waterproof stickers?

I'm still trying to get hold of him, I'll pm you when I've spoken to him. I don't think it's postable... It weighs a ton (when I first tried to pick up the bottle I thought it was stuck to the shelf!). Ludlow's not too far from Gloucestershire; if it's any help, I occasionally go to Ledbury.

It's too small for that but I've just tried it and it works well.