matei campan

just put some angle iron or some thick flat steel over the feet and some long 10mm wood bolts like you can see in my photos in the link above. you'll notice the improvement. that "bricks" are not visible on a fresh polished surface, just after the slag from your work will wear the welding lines a bit. or maybe your anvil has a one-piece steel face or maybe is cast. they may used different technologies along their production time. so, after looking at the photos in the link above, showing the clear signs of a forged anvil, how do you think it's yours? can you post some more pics?

yes, maybe it's blister steel. I have another French anvil, a "a pig" - the face is composed of 5 steel bars welded along the face. the horns have thinner steel faces welded on them. anyway, a "pig" anvil it's the most complicated anvil to forge, they're just amazing the skills involved to forge such a thing. I saw just 2 French anvils with delaminated chunks off their faces, but I think they were damaged by bombs during the war (either of WW, heavy battles in that region), they looked like been torn off, not like sledge damaged. anyway, the plates are thick, like 1inch or more. '

yes, maybe it's blister steel. I have another French anvil, a "a pig" - the face is composed of 5 steel bars welded along the face. the horns have thinner steel faces welded on them. anyway, a "pig" anvil it's the most complicated anvil to forge, they're just amazing the skills involved to forge such a thing. I saw just 2 French anvils with delaminated chunks off their faces, but I think they were damaged by bombs during the war (either of WW, heavy battles in that region), they looked like been torn off, not like sledge damaged. anyway, the plates are thick, like 1inch or more. '

I took some photos, not very good, because of the light, you can see them here (I hope the link works): http://s908.photobucket.com/user/matei-campan/library/HulotHarmel?sort=3&page=1 it's quiet hard to photograph the "bricks", but you may see them. also you can see from the pics taken from under the horns that the anvil is forged, there are very clear forge marks and but no casting marks as parting lines, etc. you may post some photos from under the horns, it will help a lot to judge if the anvil is forged or cast.

you won't see where the top plate joins. on mine I just see the welding lines between the "bricks" composing the faceplate. I already saw several anvils of the same pattern as yours, on the "leboncoin.fr", and by the pics you could guess they are forged (not painted, easier to see the surface). you could look for the presence of the parting lines from the casting. also look on the chamfer of the pyramidal horn, there you could see if it's forged, and under the horns, etc. there is where I can see clearly on mine that's forged. maybe the other smith who saw it in person, has reason. me, I'm only guessing. check this out: http://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/774014493.htm?ca=12_s http://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/746985155.htm?ca=12_s http://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/746985155.htm?ca=12_ http://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/746985155.htm?ca=12_s http://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/746985155.htm?ca=12_s http://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/746985155.htm?ca=12_s

the size is approximately the same as mine, so it's ~100kg. why do you say it's cast, how can you see that?, anyway, even if it's cast, it must be a good one, it was one of the top makers in France. and excuse me I didn't see your post when you said that you already bought it. so, congratulations, you're now the happy owner of a French anvil on the other side of the world!

finally, a sreious anvil I have a Hulot Harmel anvil, 101kg, forged. yours seem to be also forged. mine has a face that seems to be made of little bricks welded toghether, you could see the welding lines if you look closely. SO, don't hesitate, buy it IMMEDIATELY , they are very good quality and the french pattern, I think, is very, very rare in AU. bot not because it's rare I advise to buy it, because is a very, very good/versatile shape, one of the best. I'm a big fan of them. generally, French anvils are of good quality. I check their http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/ile_de_france/occasions/?o=1&q=Enclume almost daily, just for the pleasure to look at them. most of them are still in good shape, and a good part in excellent condition, either the forged or the cast ones. they generally doesn't seem to have chipping problems (there are chips, of course, but I've never seen such damaged anvils by chipping like I've seen on this forum) neither heavy dishing problems. the forged ones seem to have thick face-plates.

it's more an Italian pattern anvil than French, the Italians have the pritchel hole at the beginning of the round horn and the hardy hole towards the square horn. here's one similar to yours: http://www.bassoli.it/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=74 and some older ones: http://www.tuttocoltelli.it/public/phpBB3.1/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9010 http://www.150digit.it/incudine_perrin_1909.php?zoom=1 just google the word "incudine" (anvil, in Italian) and you'll see more of them. the French pig anvils may look similar looking from distance, but are quiet different, here is one: http://coustil.free.fr/atelier_outils_gb.html if you want to see lots of French anvils, just visit: http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/ile_de_france/occasions/?f=a&th=1&q=enclume, there are thousands, just scroll through the pages. anyway, if it rings like a bell and has a good rebound, it may not be just an ASO, but an usable anvil. you have just to bolt it tight to a massive base, I mean "bolt", not just bent nails over the feet.

and wearing earplugs as well :)

the horn, left or right? rebound? edges? - real blacksmiths don't even need hammers :) ok, just a pair of tongs :)

so, how about the horn weld, was it actually a real weld, or just some welder "droppings"? still curious...

as I supposed earlier, someone checked his welding rods on the anvil. how about the welding on the horn?

nice anvil, congratulations! to me, as I could see from the pictures, the weld seems like someone just welded a seam over the horn, like checking the rod, but not actually trying to weld a crack in the horn. or if he wanted to weld that crack he doesn't weld it properly btw, I have the exact size, shape, but made in 1976, Fisher :)

look at the scrapyards. USA to welcome the "magnets" - they also like very much the copper wire, even that it's non magnetic. keep an eye on the drain lids, manhole covers in cast iron, everything metal

I use ear plugs at work but they are very useful at home, in family, too - three kids under 5 and a wife..., maybe I have to secure them down as I do to my anvils, which are more quiet now :)

that's interesting, I have the little sister of that anvil - "Y76" on the side of the foot, just under the heel, and "100" on the foot. the condition is almost new, only minor hammer marks on the heel and horn. there's also a hardness problem, the heel, just from the hardy hole, is soft, unhardened (hence the hammer marks) the rest of the face, back to the horn, is hard as glass. that's no problem, I don't do heavy forging on the heel. anyway my "working horses" are other heavier anvils, the Fisher is just a complementary anvil.

so, I have to put more door handles on the forum :)

I didn't know that in US the round knobs are standard, interesting. now, remembering the doors/knobs I saw in the movies (no other opportunity to see US so far), I'm seeing just round knobs. it seems that in old europe the lever handles are standard. I can't see the advantage of round knob. several times I had problems to twist one with a slippy hand or really impossible with the elbow or the ass when my hands were occupied, very easy with the lever handles. I'm glad you enjoy my work.

here are some door handles I made this summer. the handles are forged from 14/14mm square stock.

the anvil richest area in France, the best prices and anvils are in the north-western area of France just over the water from Britain, well not so close to Ireland. I saw many GREAT anvils for the prices of 100 and below. an year ago I almost bought a over 250kg double horned anvil, with upsetting block, in perfect condition, just needed to be wire-brushed and oiled. I failed just because the transporter could only pass by the seller in the afternoon, and the seller was available only in the morning, and had a second buyer... I even saw a 118cm long, 35cm (that was was well over 300kg), not the "pig pattern", but the one with wide base as the one in this topic, at asking price of 150euros, in perfect condition, which stayed unsold by months... and so on. and if you can imagine, two anvils of around 150kg for 25 euros... those were sold within days. and the french anvils doesn't seem to have delaminating, severe chipping, and other issues common on the London pattern ones I'm seeing on this forum (or is just selective observation). I only saw two anvils with delaminated chunks but hose seem to have been struck by bombs during the war... and the face plates are THICK, something like over 1inch, the horns are hardened...

it's sure 99.99999% french.

well, looking more attentively at the marking, it seems that's not S&S, but S&Cie (S&Co. in Frech), so it's an original French one. In which country do you live? BTW, those feet on the "pig" anvils aren't so tiny. I have a "pig" anvil and is very stable. I think that pattern is the most demanding to forge from all the anvils. those who forged them were really masters of the craft.

I think it weights at least 150kg...

a French pattern German anvil?... interesting. it's true that I saw even a Swedish made French pattern anvil. that interesting feature that some of the French anvils have, is the horns convexity that continues over the face. you have a surface that evolves from convex to flat. o some used ones you have even a slight dished area. so, congratulations, nice anvil. I'm a big fan of the French anvils. (un)fortunately I am some 2000 km far from France... French anvils are generally of very good quality. you can find a lot of them in very good condition. or maybe the smiths used them the right way. if you want to get really sick, just visit http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/ile_de_france/occasions/?f=a&th=1&q=enclume and scroll down trough tenths of pages full of anvils. from time to time (quiet often) you can see fantastic occasions. at any time you can buy very nice anvils to prices up to 150 euros.

gorgeous anvil! what weight?