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Need a smaller anvil


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Hi, this is my first post. Hope I'm doing this right. I am looking for an anvil about 50 - 70 lbs. What is a reasonable price for an anvil in good shape about this size? I want a smaller anvil because I'd like to take my portable forge and set up at some of the blackpowder (muzzleloading) events we go to. Can anyone give me some help? Thanks, Cindy

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At the last Quad-State there were several stump anvils for sale made by Steve Parker of heat treated medium carbon steel. They didn't have a horn but were quite accurate for "work on the move" looking exactly like the travelling anvil in the Camino Real museum here in New Mexico. And like the Roman anvil in Bath and like a French and Indian war travelling anvil.

Excellent work indeed!

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Hey Cindy anvils are running between $1 and $4 a pound depending on where you are and the shape they are in. Please update your profile to show where you are located as it can help those close to you help you if they might know where one is or there may even be someone with an extra one you can borrow until you find your own. Now as for the size I will tell you that for a portable setup I still prefer at least about a 140# anvil. The smaller sized anvils you mentioned are really limiting in their usefulness. My current setup for demos is a 180# and while it may take a little more effort to haul around I prefer it so much more than the 100# anvil I used to use.

Just my advice but do what works for you.

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Welcome aboard Cindy, glad to have ya.

A request for a smaller anvil is kind of unusual but perfectly reasonable. I was going to insert a smart aleck remark but decided we need more gals and I shouldn't run any off. :rolleyes:

Smaller anvils like you're looking for were fairly common on small farms and traveling forges. I have one around 65lbs from (supposedly) an old family farm but seeing as it was Dad gave it to me, who knows where it came from.

A stake anvil as Thomas suggests is an excellent option and not too hard to make if you're into some work.

Edit your profile to show your location so someone local can give you a shout and in the mean time watch, farm auctions, yard sales, flea markets, eBay, (expensive) Craigslist and the like. Be sure to tell everybody you meet and I mean EVERYBODY what you're looking for. You'd be surprised what the widow lady has in the shed out back. Just don't look under the porch! :o

Frosty

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WHAT!?!?! Frosty passing on giving a smart aleck remark.....ya feeling bad?

Well Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI, Cindy. I use a 127# Swedish made anvil for my demo/travel anvil. I have a 105# Hay Budden that I am looking for a good stump to mount it on and once that happens I will use it instead. My demos are mostly one day affairs and I don't get into making big projects, folks mostly like to see something made from beginning to end and pretty quick at that! They just don't appreciate good work anymore....

You are in BAM country, look them up and I'm sure someone there can help you find what you are looking for. DKforge is right on the prices, at least in my area. I normally don't pay much for anvils, usually in the $1 range unless it is a big one that I will keep for myself. I have a few in my shop for newbies that I teach and will let them have it for what I have in it. Helps them get started.

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Not feeling bad at all Thomas, in fact the weather finally gave me a break and I got the stovepipe installed and guyed off in the shop day before yesterday and lit it off today. For the first time since last summer it was warmer in the shop than outside so I fired up the forge and made the better part of a spring swage.

What it is is even I have some sense and didn't want to run off someone who undoubtedly looks and smells better than you guys. :P

Frosty

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Funny,

I am currently using my 70# Cliff Carrol farriers anvil and desperately wanting a much bigger one, and Cindy is wanting to go the other direction.

I need to keep the small one though, I don't want to pack one much bigger around to shape horse shoes and the 70 pounder does a good job of that.

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I don't have much to trade. Only been doing this for a year or so. I make knives mostly at home, but would just do little quick mild steel projects at events. I figure to display my knives and do some smithing to draw a crowd. We are members of BAM and you're right, I should check with some of those folks.

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Cindy, welcome. Are you a BAM member or do you know any ? NEEEEEVER mind you beat me to it. I'm about 30 miles from Memphis and 45 miles from Kirksville. Little anvils like that may or may not be tough to find. PM me if you wish.

Edited by Ten Hammers
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There is a stake/stump anvil as well as a rivet forge complete with blower for sale, as of yesterday, at a booth in the Black Rose Antique Mall in Hanover Pennsylvania. If I remember correctly the rivet forge with blower had an asking price of $195 and the stake anvil was around $175. My understanding is that the booth belongs to Karl Orndorff of Bonneauville, PA

Edited by UnicornForge
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A couple of other points to keep in mind during your search:

The small side of your range (50-70lb) is bordering on the transition from "small anvil" to "rare and pricey anvil". I've been amazed at the $ per lb price some of the small anvils get. Luckily, 70-80lb is just small and doesn't seem to have the associated rareness.

Also in the size you're looking for, eBay becomes an option if you would consider going that route. 50-70lb is easy to ship, with or without a box, by any of the common carriers. I think once you get over 150lb you're looking at LTL freight.

Good Luck! David

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Cindy:

There are plenty of period projects you can do at events, things like flint strikers, tent stakes, roasters, tripods, trivets, etc. etc. none of them require a large anvil though I'd do the tripods, cook grates and the like at home on heavier equipment.

Being a BAM member I'm sure you could get someone with a power hammer to help you make a stake anvil and a bickern to make the set.

Frosty

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For many years I put a lot more hot steel over my 91# arm&hammer travel anvil than my much larger shop anvil. At demo's I got to forge all day long; but in my shop there was always something I should be doing, (finishing a second degree, 60+ hour weeks at work, old house, young family...).

Getting an anvil *you* can carry by yourself without damaging yourself is a good idea.

I was given a 63# sweedish cast steel anvil by a retired rancher that went to my church when he found out I needed one to donate to the local community college Fine Arts Metals program. Ask *everyone* you know or meet. (my 515# anvil that was in mint condition and cost $350 was from talking with a random person at a fleamarket---his uncle had an anvil and want ed to sell it...)

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Would a Vulcan anvil be an ok choice for the type of work I'd be doing on it at demos? Mostly mild steel, smaller projects. Did Vulcan always have a steel face or were some of them only cast iron with no steel face? Also, I see some 70 lb anvils on ebay that the seller say are Vulcan, but the only mark on the anvils is a 70 on the front. How can they or I know if they are Vulcan anvils? Sorry to ask so many questions, but I really don't know much. Can you recommend a book that has information about various anvil brands? Thanks

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Cindy:
Just got back from a BAM meeting near Marshall, MO. The talk of the meet was the sale next weekend March 28, 29 of the stock of the Ozark School of Blacksmithing near Potosi, MO, which is closing due to the death of Tom Clark. I picked up a 113# Arm & Hammer Wrought Iron Anvil with stand and anvil tools. As of last week they had 4 more London Pattern anvils to sell but they are going fast and there may not be any left by this weekend. Check out the website for the Ozark School of Blacksmithing for a partial list of what they have left for sale.

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Thanks, I've been watching ebay. There are several I have my eye on. I think I have been under estimating how much per pound a good anvil will cost me. I'm sort of "frugal". I'll keep you posted on how this all develops. I might have the anvil I want in a few days. Or I might have to look a while longer.

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Ahh you are watching one of the most expensive places to buy an anvil, e-bay, and underestimating the costs? Who'd of thunk it! There are lots of anvils in your neck of the woods that you should be able to buy for a bit over US$1 a pound if you go out and find them! And NO shipping! My demo anvil came from NW AR and cost me $75 for a 91# Arm & Hammer anvil.

Ebay only works if you are in an anvil poor part of the country and can't find *any*!

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Thanks. I know ebay is expensive. I work in a job where I come in contact with about 25 new people 4 days a week. I ask them about anvils, I ask my co workers about anvils, I ask my friends about anvils. And I post on a site that has I don't know how many blacksmiths (who all have anvils that were given to them or cost next to nothing), but I still have not found any anvil of any size for sale. Except on ebay.

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