BifrostFarms

Thanks guys.  That makes perfect sense.

Gentlemen,

    Should a hammer rebound off the heel (to the rear of the hardie hole) as well as the face?  What about the table?  Where should it rebound from?  I've temporarily mounted my PW and the rebound seems to be excellent off the face, good off the table, but non-existent off the heel.

Thanks!

I'll probably go the 55 route then :)

well, for some reason I'm not "authorize do" to post replies on the original post.  So..

Frank Turley,

   The farriers pattern came in several patterns.  One had half a table, one had the horn, and I don't remember what the others were.  I found a manual on this site under "Show Me Your Anvil" if I remember right.

Everything Mac,

    I'm not sure, but based on my 153 lb PW, I'd say it was 100 lb or less.

Frosty,

    Solid fuel.  I have access to wood to make my own charcoal if I feel up to that effort.  Otherwise (and more likely) I'll buy bituminous.  I'm going to use either: 1) a mower deck and brake drum; or 2) a 55 forge ( I have the 55 gal drums).

LOL.  Ok, I'm going to like it here

I WILL need more than one eventually.  I can feel it!  But I haven't even built my forge yet.  I have to take care of my day job AND the farm first.  I'll get to play at blacksmithing this fall / winter.
 

Well, I'm pretty sure it had a welded face, and he wanted over $3 / lb for it, so I passed.  I figure that someone who hasn't even pounded his first piece of iron doesn't neet two anvils

No, but the table is rounded off on one side.  I believe it's called a "Farrier's Plain Horn Anvil".

From what I've found here and elsewhere over the last couple days I believe many HBs had two Pritchell holes.

Thank y'all

I may be posting tomorrow afternoon to see if anyone can help determine the year if I can't do it based on the many posts here and elsewhere.  I don't have my copy of Postman's book yet.  

I'm going to see it tomorrow.  Based on what I've found on this sight and others I might be able to figure out a year and weight after seeing it.

Randy Bill, 

    How would I be able to tell?  Would the fact that it has absolutely no chipping on the edges be an indication?  What would be a reasonable price / lb?

Thank you BigGun.  It is in so much better shape than my PW I was tempted.  I think I have the 'bug' and am going to have to stay off the auction sites for a while :).

what would this Hay Budden anvil be worth?  It's a Plain Farriers Anvil, 100 lbs or less.

Thanks everyone.  I think I'll use her just like she is.  Any guesses on the meaning of the strange end on the horn?

Sound advice.  Thanks.

By the way, it's not swaybacked.  The face is quite level.  It's just the edges of the face I worry about.  Sound advice nonetheless.

Well I think I answered the second question just by reading some other forum posts along the same lines.  I just don't know if this one is in worse shape than the others, thereby rendering a different decision, so I'd still like some input.

Thanks again.

I attended a 'Green Skills Workshop' here in western Wisconsin that us locals put on each spring to share what we know.  I wandered into a blacksmith demonstration and was hooked.  I recently picked up my first anvil for $200.  Pictures included.  Two questions:

1) Should I refurbish this anvil with a stick welder to remake the edges, etc?  It's going to be used for working, not for show.

2) Does anyone have an idea what the strange end on the horn is for?  Is it just from being used repeatedly for a certain task?

Thank you.  I look forward to many discussions here