stan

3 hours ago, Foundryman said:

People these days seem regard anvils as precious relics, when this "damage" was done to these anvils there were literally hundreds of companies mass producing anvils. They were, and are, just a tool to do the job, yes its a shame that you cant see the makers mark any more but if you want a pristine anvil, then buy a pristine anvil.

I agree with Dan P, what's much more upsetting is the way people have used anvils as cutting tables and welding benches or worse still, the way they were scrapped wholesale in the years between the downturn of commercial blacksmithing and the start of the hobbiest blacksmith movement.

 

I agree you can`t change its history and I accept it, and as it was at the time I bought the anvil there was an similar size PW with  all the markings intact and very little damage and was just about to clinch the deal when I notice a hair line crack at the waste , so lucky because then I would have something to winge about

11 hours ago, Frank Turley said:

Grant Sarver (RIP) of Off-Center Tool Company said that he served an old fashioned apprenticeship where he was taught to test cold work tools on the anvil sides and base and he had better do it that way, or else! His boss insisted.

 Hi Frank ,its funny how these practices were in a lot of trades,  but you wouldn`t do it now ay.It reminds me of when I first started working on cars .If you need to replace a welch plug( think you guys call them freeze plugs)you were told to punch the old into the water jacket an let it rust away. 

12 hours ago, Dan P. said:

I've tested the hardness of cold chisels and centre punches many a time. It's not going to hurt the anvil, and let's not forget that an anvil is a tool, not an artefact, to be left to rust (ahem-hem, Stan!).

What gets my goat is what appears to be a whole generation of idiots who permanently damaged the working faces of their anvils by using them as welding or cutting tables.

Hi Dan I agree any damage to the work surface is much worse. That photo of my anvil in a rusty state I took just before I bought it, it looks like this now .I know I seem to be carrying on like a two bob watch about this but any damage to an anvil through misuse is regrettable and I do class testing chisels on anvil feet as misuse, you say its not going to hurt the anvil see picture of right front foot.

Hi nkearns  have a close look at the side with orange paint that's were the marking  would be on a peter wright, hit it with a wire brush and use chalk to high lite any marks. Does look like a PW; pity about the missing section of top plate but even so you could still use it if you stay on the rear 3\4 section and of course the horns ok. For moving stuff that's a good score. Cheers.

2 hours ago, WL smith said:

Let me brag a little here about chisel marks on anvil legs! The marks on mine are deeper than yours!! However they are not on the important top plate. use it in good health for years. Like a skin doctor told me years ago "in your case it is not a beauty mark, but a scar and a badge.

Hey mate if you are going to brag show pictures

Yes arftst, put like that I can see your side more now, and your right in that it could have happened 100 years ago.

Cheers stan.

6 hours ago, arftist said:

The "Fool" who made all those chisels made a good living selling all those chisels and if he had to "prove" ti each customer that he could actually make a tool that could cut iron it is a cost of doing business similar to advertising or an elecric bill is today. 

in what way is your anvil almost ruined by marks in it's soft sides? 

I think that if this practice off `testing chisels ` had continued on this anvil it may have resulted in the feet being removed. Not to mention the senseless removal of the makings of ,even when purchased, a famous brand anvil. I can understand to a point why it was done but really who buys a chisel to use on an anvil feet, no one, so why not demonstrate on a block of steel or similar. Anyway lucky this anvil is certainly not ruined.

6 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

When you are showing off to a "customer" it's more impressive to use an anvil as they probably don't understand that the body is dead soft.  Remember too that back in the day the anvil was a tool and you could go out and buy another. It wasn't some sort of sacred totem. and I believe that that quote is better as " It is said that God must love fools because He made so many of them."

That's an apt quote, and other fools follow the practice of theses fools and think that's what everyone does. Recently you talked about re stamping the weight numbers on an anvil after the true weight has been established, I guess stamping markers information would be out of the question, I'll just have to except it as part of its history. 

33 minutes ago, turbo7 said:

They're too lazy to grab a bit scrap mate.

That it, they probably use a shifter as a hammer

Yeah ,I believe the practice was more common in big industrial blacksmith shops where as you say if its not theirs its not their problem.

This subject may have already been discuss at some point but I could not find it. The practice of testing chisels and punches on the lower section of an anvil seems so wrong at any level. And the craftsmen ( so Called) who partake in this practice of slowly ruining the most important tool of their trade surely could not think its a good idea .I have heard others discussing TP for instance but I still can not under stand why. My large PW anvil, which I am very fond of has not only had all its markings removed but significant damage to the lower wrought iron section and feet.I have worked in machine shops and if anyone was doing something that would damage one of the machines there would be xxxx to pay.

wow fantastic work

I could be wrong but I had not heard of a peter wright with serial numbers stamped  on the front feet normally just a letter on each foot.

1 hour ago, littleblacksmith said:

Don't you mean "manufacturing LETTER" sorry I couldn't help it.

                                                                                                      Littleblacksmith

Your right, I think that does sound better

yes I agree its a PW mine has the H on the foot as well no sure what it means,  maybe a manufacturing number .Pity about the grinding don`t take any more off just use it. Great  price though.

Yes, what Ivan said.

I raised this issue as` basic question` in Fed 2015 and was told then that it had been deal with at length before . But anyway I am left handed and think that using an anvil does not pose as much as a challenge as for instance a lathe or other machines for the left handers who most seem to adapt pretty quickly. 

Too right ausfire, like Charles Mcraven says in his book, "And I`ll listen to all the old folks whose fathers or grandfathers had been smiths like me (only better, of course, as they remembered it, having been much older and wiser)"

Wishing you well Ian.

I zadvorney there's a few things to consider , first if your only using the fan for room ventilation only  there would not be so much an issue with heat and a section of steel ducting through your wall penetration would stop air going into a wall cavity. I would prefer to have to fan assembly inside and duct the air out ,there may be a problem with noise if its mounted on the side of the building and some of those motor are not weather proof. Electrical connection would also be easier. 

I like it all especially the post vice. Did you plan for a whole blacksmith shop or did you start with just the anvil and it grew?

I don`t think I would bother running an a\c unit it would have to be huge to combat the Btus being put out by your gas forge.Go for an air extraction system and put the a\c inside the house where you go for a cold beer when finished

That's a great axe and interesting video especially the fact you are using a small gas forge .

Your spot on ausfire I have two oxy/acet kits and would love to have one handy, For the last 30 years have always had a set in the company work truck, but its just way too expensive from BOC. I even though of going to air/acetylene at least you only have to hire one bottle.

Thanks for another great video Tubbe ,nice design so spring steel is used for is toughness but not heat treated.