Dom

Thanks everyone.
As a relative beginner who wasn't a 100% sure if he was making the right call, this is really appreciated.

2 hours ago, Zeroclick said:

Nice anvil I have exactly the same one and love it. You might want some magnets on the heel to deaden the ring and your ears will thank you.

Thanks for the advice.
How big and strong of a magnet are we talking about?

Here is my new (to me) 140 lbs John Brooks anvil.

It seems to me in pretty good condition. I could not find a suitable ball bearing for a rebound test, so I used my limited experience to check the rebound using
a small ball peen hammer, my 2 lbs swedish pattern hammer and my 3 lbs french pattern hammer you see on the picture. Without hitting too hard in front of the previous owner, it seemed to have a good rebound and it rang with a clear, high, long lasting note.

The face and the edges are pretty clean for a used anvil.

Two small concerns are some small pin pricks with one bigger hole near the table and the horn. My guess is that they came from the casting process.
I do not believe they will affect the anvil's performance much, but you guys are the experts.

The other defect is that a previous owner seemed to have ground off small section of the heel, maybe to remove some markings.

Price was quite higher than what I've seen around here but availability in Quebec is not the same as in the States, so it drive prices up.
So if you guys think that it is in good condition, I'll be fine with the higher price.

Thanks!

I bought it today!

I have probably overpaid but it is tough to judge since anvil availability is not the same here in Quebec than down in the US.
Prices on-line seem systematically higher.

Anyway, what is done is done. I'll post some pictures in a new thread soon.
Now, just have to find a forge.

Really nice. I'm jealous. Congrats!

Funny how things are. Took too long to find a ball bearing, by the time I called the guy, the anvil was already sold.

However I found a nice couple selling parts of their anvil collection, including a nice 138lbs Brooks with the hardened steel plate. Supposedly in perfect condition.
It is way smaller than the one I pointed to in this thread, but it might still be plenty enough.

Would something like this do in a pinch? http://www.crosman.com/copperhead-ammo-1

Called the local auto parts and got a rather rude response to my inquiry about a 1" steel bearing ball.

I can't seem to be able to find a 1" (or even anything 1/2" and above) locally (or I don't know where to look).
I'm supposed to go see the anvil this afternoon. So what's the next best test I can do? Tap it with my hammer?

Thanks for any suggestion.

From what we can see on the picture, would you think the rust could be a problem or it`s mostly surface?

Here is all I have. I'm not on site but I can contact the seller and ask for some more info.

Seller estimates it at 300 lbs and could not find any manufacturer marks.
Apart from the rust it looks it great shape.

Thanks.

But it you want *real* boiled linseed oil without all the extra metallic additives that they put in the commercial one, look for polymerized linseed oil.

The stuff from Tried & True works great, though it doesn't stick as much to the material as the chemical stuff. However it is 100% food safe which is nice when you're making a kitchen knife (or IMHO anything that you hold for a long time in your bare hands).

Really nice.

There's one Habermann hammer on the Angele site which is made of stainless steel and to me, absolutely stunning.

From what I've read and heard about Refflinghaus, you're about to buy the "crème de la crème" of brand new anvils.

Seems like the difference between the 56 and the 57 is the upsetting block. My only question is why such a big weight difference? Do you want a 210# or a 120# anvil? That quite evidently impacts the price also.

43 minutes ago, SkoobyNewb said:

Other than a block heater or something along those lines, what do you guys do to keep your tank from freezing solid during the winter months? Could I just dump a bottle of windshield washer fluid in it? Or would this have too much of an negative impact on the quenching process? 

You could add salt. Fully saturated salt water freezes at -6F.

However is does impact the quench though it could be suitable for a quick cooling tank for iron.

The Anvil Fire website recommends it as a must have, especially older editions which contain a blacksmith section.

Being from the french speaking part of Canada my chance of finding a vintage old edition copy of a book in english locally are pretty low compared to what you guys might find in the States, so I don't consider that much of an option for me.

The first edition reprint, which came out in 2008 seemed like a good way to get a good quality, decent price, old edition.

Regretfully it is starting to get harder to come by in Canada, with aftermarket sellers starting to ask inflated prices for it.

It can still be found for list price if you know where to look, so is it really that much of a must have? What are you guys opinion on it?

Many thanks in advance.

Wow, you have a beautiful property notownkid. Colour me jealous.

Out of curiosity, I would have believed that a forge would have benefited from a chimney to help get the fumes out. Why no chimney on the new shop or am I wrong in believing this?

Maybe as a reference, I know that it wasn't one of the brand mentioned by the OP, but Big Blu Hammer also sell a 540#, 54 HRC anvil.

I find it odd that there is so little information on the products he sells.

I'm curious, I would have liked to know more about his anvil but there's nothing except pictures.

Maybe the website is still under construction...

For the record, since I'm the OP of this thread. I've gotten a nice Picard French pattern hammer which was way cheaper than either a Blu or a Robertson.

I'm still interested in getting a Blu down the line (and thanks Marc1 for your opinion on them and the company), mainly because I'm curious about the shape and balance but I'm not in a rush.

7 hours ago, Marc1 said:

Anyway ... now you made me feel guilty, I will buy a cast hammer from Hofi just to even the score.

To really clear your conscience, also get me one shipped to my door. This way you won't have the horrible freight charges from Australia.

I would be interested in knowing the story about how they came to be made in America. I remember reading somewhere on here that Mr Hofi stated that Blu had the right to make them in the USA. But that's about it.

I need to dress a new hammer head. I first tried to break the sharp angles with a angle grinder but I'm far from being an expert with that tool. I have a hard time visualizing exactly where the disc will grind on the hammer's face so my grinds are more random than I would like.

It has helped but the hammer still leaves marks. What can I use if I want to finish the job manually and get a nice smooth surface? A file? Some kind of sanding paper?

Thanks for any suggestion.

I started blacksmithing at the start of September with a coal forge and I must say that I love it. I love tending the fire, keeping it all nice an clean and the feeling of forging with traditional techniques. It is also quieter than the gas forge I have seen (or heard in that case). Only downside I can see for now is that if I ever want to setup a coal forge home, I'll have to build a shed outside as it would take many modifications to the garage to make it safe to use a coal forge indoors.

To each its own and gas forges have definitely advantages of their own.  The idea of trying both before taking a decision is probably the best but in the end, go with what you prefer / feel more comfortable with.

And like some others say here: Forge on and make beautiful things.

Wow, this is amazing. Especially as a first attempt.

I'm sure you now have a most happy brother.

On 9/21/2016 at 5:53 PM, rockstar.esq said:

It occurred to me today that although I've seen a lot of hammer heads, I can't recall seeing a cross pein where the pein was offset to the top of the head like the claws on a framing hammer.

Here ya go...