Ferrous Beuler

O.K., here we go, found them. I was close on the measurements going from memory. The tape is in a couple of the pics. '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> And here~ '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> Sorry the pics are so huge.

O.K., here we go, found them. I was close on the measurements going from memory. The tape is in a couple of the pics. '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> And here~ '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> Sorry the pics are so huge.

Those are the dimensions with a tape measure. The stoneweight markings are very clearly stamped, 2 -1 - 17 which works out to 269 lbs. I am trying to find the thread which has many more pictures of this anvil but the search is no help, I'll just have to keep poking around here in the anvils section to find it.

This is my Peter Wright. Well at least I am 99% sure it's a PW. The only markings it has are a capital "B" on the right side at the top of the arc between the feet just below the waist and 2 - 1 - 17 but no other markings whatsoever. The dimensions you gave are very close to what the dimensions of this anvil are, IIRC. Unfortunately this one is in a storage unit right now several miles from here but I did measure it once. This one weighs 269 Lbs. The face is 5 1/2" wide it stands 14" tall, has a 1 1/4" hardy hole and is 36" long overall. At the feet the base is 14" wide side to side and 12" long from to back. To the best of my recollection and straight off the top of my head those were the measurements but that was a few years ago. As someone else mentioned the other day on another thread an inch give or take on these bigger anvils goes a long way. You really won't know until you weigh it. Have you thought about fabricating a balance and weighing it yourself with a medium that could be weighed incrementally once you achieve balance?

Oink!

I wouldn't worry about a few flaws, wouldn't fix a thing. That's a fine old Fisher just use it.

You don't see that everyday. That's rockstar stuff right there.

That Vulcan looks like it has never been used, very sharp all over. Heck, leave the paint. It isn't on the work surfaces anyway.

There are plenty of $100 5" post vices around, really not hard to find. I'd get another and keep the broken one to take along to Quad State or some other tailgaiting session and swap it there maybe. Never scrap any blacksmithing tooling, no matter how "beat" you think it might be.

Great story. I've had similar experiences. About ten years ago I needed a firepot and a blower. Ran into an old timer blacksmith doing a demo at a county fair. He invited me to his shop the next week to buy a firepot from him and maybe he might know where I could find a blower. Got there that next week and he had a beautiful big firepot for me that he thinks came out of an old railroad shop based on it's size, for $25. Then he says "I found a blower too that you can have for $50", sold! A Champion 400 in great shape. Then he shocked me. Reaching back alongside the bench he pulled up a bucket with a second Champ 400 complete but entirely disasembled. That one had a slightly bent bronze gear but said he thought I looked like I could figure it out so I could have that one too. TWO blowers for $50! Later he found a floor cone for me at a reasonable price and gave me for free a post vice as well. It happens. He was getting on in years and getting out of it and he could see I was rarin' to get into it. Someday I'll help out some young guns too just like that. That's how you give back to the craft.

IMHO no matter what you settle on as a base the single most important factor is that when you are hammering on it that it is absolutely rock solid and does not move or wiggle in even the slightest way. Completely immobile is what you want.

Peter Wright, made in England, 154 lbs. It will serve you well for years and your grandson too.

If you found that in Montana I'd say that's quite a score. Can't be too many like that to choose from in those parts.

Very nice MH. Looks like very low mileage for its age. Congrats.

What Eddie said, those are just drops. Any of them will make a usable anvil but aren't worth spending a cent over scrap for them. Semper Fi.

I don't know her name but she sure has a pretty face. ;)

Nice anvil, congrats. Don't fret over the slight sway in the back, it doesn't need to be "fixed". Just use it as is. That anvil ventured a long way from its birthplace, if only it could talk.

At first I thought that was one of those 15 lb cast iron ASO doorstops from Harbor Freight. I think it might actually be a Fervi from Italy. They list several anvil sizes and be careful because they have both cast iron and steel. Click on the "item variants" for other sizes~ http://www.fervi.com/eng/hardware/bench-vices-clamps-and-anvils/anvils/c45-hardened-steel-anvil-pr-7230.htm

That photo must be photoshopped. No way that could be real. They don't have a London pattern anvil or even a designer hammer so how could they be smithing at all. Gotta be fake.

The blacksmith who is using that anvil a hundred years from now will thank you heartily for doing such a good job in creating it.

You really don't need a hardy hole. You must first have a hardy for need of a means to secure it which your vice can do. If you have a post vice that's all you need, it will hold hardy tools just as readily as an anvil will. Even better actually.

I second ironsmith's swage block idea.

Congrats. It's probably easier finding gold nuggets up that way. Looks to be in fine shape. Hard to make out the CWT numbers, 0 - 2 - 4 ? If so that works out to 60 pounds.

Looks like a John Brooks.

Just happen to run across this picture so I did a search for "civil war forge" because I knew there were threads previously covering this. A good clear original pic of a civil war forge wagon in the field during the war~