MotoMike

I don't know much, but I know what I like. Those openers are very pleasing to my eye. They'd make me buy better beer!

Thanks and thanks for that info that makes its use in 1929 possible. Add to that another uncle told who is into genealogy told me me that the 1920 census had grandpa Brandt as a blacksmith in 1920 working for his father who was also a blacksmith. Interesting stuff. Do I gather that the process of making these anvils was to forge weld with steam hammer hot chunks of iron together until you had a big enough chunk to start turning into an anvil? Once mostly anvil shaped it was finished with sledge hammers by a crew and ultimately a crucible steel plate forge welded on the face? I watched a YouTube video of a group of guys forging an 80 pounder and was struck with the brutal work required to handle and manipulate it but to also do the finish shaping. Doing that with a 250 or 500 pounder just seems beyond difficult. Mike

Russel thanks for that date. I went back out and tried again with more powder, the sun at my back and a magnifying glass. Almost invisible I believe I've found another number after the last so now am convinced that it is either 26616 or 26618. I have also convinced myself that there is no Z before the serial. Sorry to mix up the grandfathers. My cousin and I share maternal grandfather. The great grandfather that owned and used the anvil was his paternal GreatGrampa not related to me by blood. . Sorry for the confusion. my uncle Marve, my cousins dad, when he acquired the anvil lacked the place to put it and let his father- in-law my maternal grandfather use it. There it remained until our common maternal grandfather passed away. At that time 1988 I think, Uncle Marve reclaimed it and put it in a shed until I took custody of it. I'm lousy at explaining those familial relationships. I really never knew about the original owner but I think I can get more info on him though given a little time. My cousin thinks there are hammers and tongs and hardy tools somewhere but we could not find them when we got the anvil. He did give me a hammer, but I don't think it is contemporary to the anvil. Frosty, thanks much for that advice. To say I'm clueless would be an insult to clueless people, but now that my interest is peaked, I'm a quick study. Once it gets good and hot out, I might scrub it off with some hot soapy water and a stiff brush and hit it with a pressure washer and put a more acceptable protective coat on it. Yeah, I know the stump is perhaps not ideal, though the height seems good. I just couldn't resist putting it on there to gaze at even if it does not stay there. It seems to be in pretty good shape to me. the table and horn bear lots of dings, but the face is pretty good. I saw the trace of silver paint which was a fond memory as my grandad had a penchant for painting things silver. Funny how you can take things for granted and have really no interest in them for your whole life (59 years young) but then when you do whole new avenues of interest arise. I appreciate all the help and warm welcome. Mike

Hi Here she is. Arm and Hammer. I've started discussing it on "Family heirloom Arm and Hammer" post.

Guys thanks very much. I am not sure it is the final spot. probably not as it is not really convenient to my garage where my future forge will likely reside. when I was a kid my grandpa had it on a big piece of log about the height of my stump turned on end. I recall that he would routinely take used crankase oil and keep oiled down. I like the idea of the linseed oil. My cousin had it in a shed that was not really weather tight and the anvil had been there for the last 30 years. I was surprised that the rust was pretty much surface rust and came off with a wire brush. Then in my ignorance, like my grandpa, I wiped it down with motor oil. I then spayed it with graphite lube just to give it a dull black finish. I like the idea of keeping it coated with linseed and will see if I still have some. Probably not evident is that I have threaded rod which is in the stump about 6 inches held there by epoxy. I then nutted down some 1/8 inch steel straps and peened over the ends to prevent the nuts from being easily removed. I know that is just keeping people honest and that someone set on taking it could still prevail. I am anxious to see if the serial numbers support the family legend of it being used by my cousin's Great Grandfather in 1929. He said that knowing his family, it was acquired second hand.

Hello Everyone: by way of introduction I am Mike and live in Northern Illinois. I feel a little sheepish coming to you hat in had for information, but you seem to be the best place to look. I mentioned to my cousin that I am thinking about trying my hand at forging. He told me that he had his great grandfathers anvil and that if I promised to keep it in the family, it was mine. I have known the anvil my whole life as it was at my grandfathers when I was growing up. Family legend says my cousin's great grandfather was a blacksmith in Fulton Illinois in 1929. this anvil is said to have been with him at that time. After getting the anvil I wire brushed it off and discovered the words on the side looking at it with the horn to the right. "wrought Iron" in a rocker on the bottom with an image of an arm with the shirt sleeve rolled up, holding a hammer above that. there is a top rocker as well but it is illegible. the words and immage are stamped in. I've seen from looking at your site that it is likely an Arm and Hammer. accross the front foot, face under the horn is ever so faintly the letter z (i think) on the left face of the foot. on the right side of the foot face is the number 2661. I've tried to photgraph these impressions with negative results. I've wire brushed them, cleaned them and then powdered them with talc and need to hold a flashlight off to the side to just make them out. Maybe with a better camera I can get them. The anvil is a little over 31 inches long, the base is 10 inches wide, it is 13 inches tall and almost 5 inches accross the face. It is quite heavy, I'm guessing in the 250 pound range. I have just learned of testing rebound and have not yet acquired a ball bearing to do the test. I do know that the hammer bounces off it quite lively and it does ring. that is to say no dull clunk. I feel like the luckiest guy on earth. Kind regards, Mike