Greebe

Good points. I feel so confused. I just wanted to buy a new anvil. I feel like I am car shopping, or even worse, work boot shopping(I have wide feet and can never find the perfect boot). Someone just buy me a big anvil that fits all my needs and I will send you a check. LOL! The money really does not worry me, I just want to get what fits my needs and is gooooood!! Again, my thanks go out to you for your thoughts, opinions, and added confusion in selecting a new anvil. Hehe!

Thanks again for all the replies. I really do appreciate it. Having only used London pattern anvils, is there ever a time that it is better not to have the step on the face down to the horn? I personally use that step at various times when forging, but maybe I would find more uses between the face and horn with a smooth transition like the German patterns? Sorry to have so many questions, I just want to make sure I make the right decision when spending this kind of money on an anvil that I plan to be married to for the rest of my life.

Am I missing something about the shape? Seems like several people here have mentioned not liking the shape, but have not said why. Is there some design feature of this anvil other then the less then pointy horn that I am not seeing that would be a disadvantage in some way? Thanks!

So back to my original post, mainly I am looking to see if there are any opinions on the quality of the Papa Rhino. The handful of things I have seen from people with these anvil love them. I have yet to find a bad review. The only negative I have found is that the horn is not super pointy, but then they mention it was not that big of a deal for them. I personally like that it is kind of a hybrid anvil. Different designs suite different people and this is the design that I desire. Mostly I just wanted to see if anyone knew of the quality of the product and the service, or had first hand experience with these anvils. Thanks, Greebe

What do you not like about the Papa Rhino's shape? There are two things that I think would improve it personally. A more pointed horn, and a more pointed heel. As for the Nimba anvils, I just think they look silly. They look like something off of a 1950's sci-fi. Tell me they don't!! LOL! Just messing with you guys!! As above I do not want to go to a smaller anvil then what I already have. I suppose I could find a heavier base for my 120lb Fisher, but it just seems lighter then I want, and it walks around on my slab. A decade with this anvil and I am finding I want something in better shape and bigger. I understand what you guys are saying about not wanting to buy right now with prices so high, but they just keep getting higher and higher each year. So the longer I wait to get something the more I will pay. I doubt that prices will ever come down. If I could find a good used anvil I would go that route, but old beat up anvils here in Minnesota are going for over a $1000 for anvils less then 100lbs. I guess I could wait to buy a new anvil, but I think that will just make me pay more.

Unfortunately it is buy new or buy nothing these days. Well I could spend $1000 on an old beat up anvil, but that does not seem like a good deal when you can buy new for that. Used anvil prices are crazy these days. All those anvil collectors have goofed the market I guess. I am just getting back into smithing after a number of years off. I used to make mostly tomahawks for sale. I also did other small work, and occasionally larger stock up to 1" square. I like making colonial era items. Fire sets, steel strikers, axes, hawks, hardware etc. As in my other anvil post I have an old Fisher 120lb anvil that I have had for the past 12 years. I would like to upgrade because the heal is broken off and the horn has damage as well. I have wanted a better anvil for the better part of 20 years now. I keep putting it off and they keep getting more expensive. I like the Holland too. I just don't think I want the shelf on their double horn anvils. I would like a heavier anvil this time around, because my 120lb Fisher tends to walk when working heavier stock on the horn. Wish that Holland made a double horn anvil between their 125 and 260 anvils with no side shelf. That was where I was thinking this Papa Rhino would be good. It is of decent weight to keep it from walking, and it has no side shelf. I personally like that this anvil has the step by the horn as well like the London pattern. I would not use it to cut, but I do use that step on my current anvil a lot to manipulate steel. It also has the hardie near the heal which I like since I and a righty and work with the horn to the right. That keeps the hardie away from my hammer hand.

So I was thinking of getting one of the Holland anvils, but then found this Papa Rhino 240lb Anvil. Looks really nice. The horn being a little blunt is a little bit of a disadvantage, but other then that it looks nice. It is suppose to be hardened throughout the entire anvil to 54HRC. They are $1600 which seems reasonable for a new anvil of this size. I started out thinking I would get the 125 double Holland, then figured might as well upgrade a few hundred dollars to a 140lb, then from there why not pay a few hundred more and get a 190lb, now thinking why not spend a few hundred more and go up to 240lbs. Slippery slope this anvil business. So I think I have up-sold myself from the $950 Holland 125lb anvil to the $1600 240lb Papa Rhino. That do you guys think?

I am impressed with Justin's build, so I have decided to go through with a build as well. I just ordered my a USA made Leeson Industrial 1ph 2hp 1740rpm motor, and will try to go get parts tomorrow or early next week. The plans are a rough starting place, and not a complete set of plans. Dimensions are missing, wrong parts, etc. It also leaves out the top link sizes and what leaf spring to use. I wrote several times to Roy Adams who sells the plans, but he never responded. Since I am far out in the county this makes it hard to get what I need because most of the time I order online vs making the 1.5 hour drive to the store. I think I will be able to get it to work though.

Probably the longevity would be fine, since it is simple and cheap to build / repair. A tire hammer would be nice, but last year when I checked prices to build they were around $3000(probably a lot more now because steel prices have more then doubled in that time) vs probably $500 for this hammer. If a $500 hammer lets someone get more work done so they can sell more product, that allows them to grow and eventually upgrade. Without anything though, growing is harder and affording the more expensive hammer would be harder to reach. I think it is a cool concept and glad to see him building it

BTW, from the looks of your video, it seems like a tire hammer would not necessarily hit any harder then yours. Plus this one is much much cheaper then building a tire hammer.

I would love some 70 degree days. Few more months and we will be there.

Would like to get a new anvil soon. Trying to decide on this 125 double or their 140 single. I really like the idea of the double horn, but am not sure about the shelf. Then I think to myself, if I am going to spend $1000 on a new anvil, maybe I should spend another $275 and get the 190lb single horn. Decisions, decisions. Any thoughts?

Very Nice. Is there any reason to go to the homemade bearing cam thing vs the way you have it now?

Nice. Have you tried making many of those hammers on your homemade beam hammer yet?

Nice, thanks for posting that. I did not even see your build post till now. Here is the link for future use.

I wondered about the rollers as well. I think the are roller skate wheels, which take quiet the abuse in skating so it seems like they would hold up for a while. The hammer probably will not move metal as well as a $10,000 hammer you could buy, but it might be a nice inexpensive option for those who cannot afford to spend that. Being able to afford to build an inexpensive power hammer might allow people to speed production, grow your sales, and then afford a to purchase a bigger hammer in the future. That is the way I see something like this.

He has revamped the hammer so it reciprocates now, and has upgraded to a 70lb hammer weight. It is an interesting hammer especially if it can be made for the $400 to $800 he claims. That would be a great way for someone without the cash for a large commercial hammer to have some sort of power hammer in the shop.

Thanks. I wonder as a right hander if that shelf would get in the way. Most righties that use a shelfted anvil have the horn to the left and the shelf to the left rear as well. Seems like the shelf near the horn on the right might be a finger chopper for a right handed smith. Wish they would just make a 140 double and no shelf. Even the 125 and no shelf would probably be fine. I really like the idea of the double horn anvil, but maybe their 140lb singe horn would be fine. I also like the Hoffman anvil without shelf, but do not like the hardie hole near the horn as a right handed smith using the anvil horn to the right.

Sorry, just came back to the house from the shop and forgot to take a picture. Will try again tomorrow.

Thanks guys. I will look around. If there wasn't two feet of snow on the ground I might have better luck scrounging. I will keep an eye out and start thinking of options that might work.

So basically I need to start looking for a new anvil.

Anyone have the Holland 125lb double horn anvil. I like the looks of this anvil. I have been wanting to upgrade to a double horn. I am one of those weirdos that likes the horn to the right, so this one with the shelf as it is would be great for me. Only concern I have is that I already have a 120lb anvil, which needs to be replaced, and was hoping for a larger anvil. Wish they would make this pattern in the 150-175lb range. I work alone, but my sons are getting old enough that they could start working as strikers in the next few years. Most of my work is 3/4" and under, except when axe making which is obviously larger stock depending on the axes. Also hoping to buy a hydraulic press soon for doing the majority of the work for axes. The other option is maybe to just get their 190lb single horn, but I really was wanting a double horn this time around. Should I look at something else? I would rather not spend too much over $1000, which is limiting these days. Thanks, Greebe 125lb Holland

Thanks for the reply. Well, that makes things more difficult. I was hoping for a wrought iron body or something other then cast iron. JB Weld? LOL!!

Hey there, I looked around and did not see a similar question so here goes. I have a 120# Fisher made in 1905, that I have used for the past 10 years or so and I would like to do a little repair on the horn. For the most part it is fine, but on the underside of the horn there is a deep groove that seems to be either filed in long ago or was worn in from lots of shoeing. What it does is cause my work to slip into the sharp groove and makes things difficult at times. I am kind of getting tired of it and would like to see if I could just weld it up. Since it is on the horn and not hardened that should be of no concern, however I have no idea what the steel is made out of and if there would be trouble MIG welding it up. I do not have a picture, but I can go down to the shop and get a picture later. Basically if you look straight at the horn it looks like it has a big smile. I really need to get a new anvil one of these day. This one has the very end of the heel broken off at the center of the pritchel hole as well. I have been looking at buying a new one, but at over a grand for a new anvil it is on the back burner for now as this one has severed me fine since the face is good. Any thoughts? Thanks Greebe

Thanks guys. Unfortunate, I sold off all my scrap when we moved to this property and build the house and shop. Now I have pretty much nothing on hand, except various barstock that I used to make products on my lathe. From what I have found out here most of the old timers have sold off their scrap piles as well when steel prices were high a number of years ago. I can do some checking around, however it seems like everyone is afraid of being around people these days which makes it harder.