foundryguy Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 30 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: If you can forge on it; it's not an ASO, it's an anvil. ASO is reserved for cast iron things where the face will dent under hot steel being worked! I have had a couple people message me asking if I could make one in iron or ductile or not hardened at a cheap price, i tell them to keep on walking! So on the photo that Koek posted, that is awesome! What would that be made of in the 1800s that would hold up for all these years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 There are a bunch of early german anvils in mint shape. Unlike here they had it perfected on the process including a thick face plate 1" thick, usually covering the complete top of the anvil including the horn vs here leaving the horns of simple wrought iron.. A well made anvil used properly will last hundreds of years no problem with very little shown as what we think of as traditional wear sway back and chipping.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 6 minutes ago, foundryguy said: I have had a couple people message me asking if I could make one in iron or ductile or not hardened at a cheap price, i tell them to keep on walking! So on the photo that Koek posted, that is awesome! What would that be made of in the 1800s that would hold up for all these years? Yeah, those are the folk I used to send to Sears for fabbed railings, etc. I don't do junk either. That's a beautiful anvil Koek! She's in perfectly usable condition as she is unless there's a hidden defect somewhere. The little bit of sway won't effect a thing, you forge across the anvil, not lengthwise. She's be wrought iron with a high carbon steel face welded on. The sway is from the wrought iron being malleable under the steel face and over the last century it's dipping a bit. Normal normal. A rebound test, either dropping a bearing ball and estimating how much it bounces back as a %. Or use a small ball pein to tap a pattern on the face and again estimating the rebound. The tone of the ring under the hammer is a good indication, it should be clear and musical metal ring. If you hear a dead tone or it changes ring quickly it's an indication of a problem. If it's dead across the face the anvil's probably been in a building fire and the face has been annealed. If there are dead spots the weld under the face may be failing locally. OR some moron may have used it for a bench to heat another piece of steel with a torch. NO GRINDING!!! I'd put her to work immediately. . . Well after I brought her home though I might take her for a test drive. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnotherViking Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 52 minutes ago, Two4mirth said: there's a serious depression in the top as you can see in the picture Where? I can see a small bit of sway, but for a PW, that's virtually nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two4mirth Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 Thanks... I'll bring a bearing with me and test it before I decide. I felt the price was fair, I just was unsure about the depression. I understand that a anvil that age will show wear. Just how much is acceptable is my concern. 20 minutes ago, JustAnotherViking said: Where? I can see a small bit of sway, but for a PW, that's virtually nothing. That's what I wanted to hear! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 Old English anvils sometimes had the face welded on in segments: I see a horizontal line that may be one of these welds as they often wear differently from the rest of the face (perhaps from decarb of the thinner weld scarf making a slightly softer "line") Looks to be a good usable anvil and having some sway can be very handy for bladesmithing as it helps in straightening if you are used to it. Anyone tells you it would be improved by milling or grinding or welding the face flat: Drop the anvil on them!..........beep beep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two4mirth Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 I did have concern with that horizontal line. I have been researching, and understand not to grind or weld the face. I would prefer something with character anyway. I just needed the opinions of folks with experience in these matters. I can only research so much, but without experience, i have little to base my decision on. Thank you again everyone. I hope it is still there tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Not mine but a clients, said it was a plow anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Nice Hay Budden it looks like.. Any idea about weight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koek Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 18 hours ago, foundryguy said: What would that be made of in the 1800s that would hold up for all these years? 18 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said: There are a bunch of early german anvils in mint shape. Unlike here they had it perfected on the process including a thick face plate 1" thick, usually covering the complete top of the anvil including the horn vs here leaving the horns of simple wrought iron.. after fingering the hardy hole I conclude that the face plate is 1,6 thick. It may also help the condition, that when I bought her she had been standing in a barn, coated with half an inch of grease and mud for atleast 25 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Koek, 25 years to an anvil is like time to granite.. I have my primary anvil which I got when I was 16.. It was a 175lbs hay Budden london pattern.. I had been smithing for 8 years when I got it.. I was so excited... By the time I got it, I had excellent hammer control.. In 15 years of using it daily 8-12hrs a day I put in 2 very small dents in the face.. Tiny, small enough most wouldnt even see them.. When I pulled myself out of retirement and started smithing again,, I put 6 dents into the face in 6 months from bad hammer control.. I was so disgusted, I went out and bought a brand new anvil.. Of which I don't really care if i dent it or not.. (I do and don't want to dent it but if it does happen, it's brand new.. no harm persay) but with a piece of history like the Hay Budden or any other vintage anvil it bothers me so much so.. Most forged anvils today are over 100 years old.. There are not a lot of tools or machinery that old still in use everyday that can be in use for another 100 years easily if cared for properly.. What is the easiest way to mess up and anvil in use???????? She is a beauty.. I'm envious... Congrats.. Those German and swedish anvil makers had it really figured out.. Both fit and finish was excellent.. some of the german anvils were monsters and all hand forged.. 400-500lbs seems pretty common... Same with Vises.. The industry there for smiths was just far greater for a longer period of time vs in the USA.. Lots of 150lbs anvils or smaller... 200lbs seems to have been the most popular with full time shops and then the 300lbs and up seemed to radiate around industrial forging areas and Rail road shops.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Low 200s if I remember, but it was the end of a long day, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Realized I didn't have pictures of my little rr track anvil that I picked up years ago at the fleamarket for $5. US. It was rusty but a wire wheel cleaned it up nicely. Someone spent a bit of time on it. It currently sits on an old fridge in the shop on Wile E. Coyotes lap ( a larger stuffed version). The guy selling Wile E at the fleamarket didn't have the roadrunner unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRich Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 My anvil. No idea what make it is or where it originally came from. They had it at my work to bend sheet steel on occasionally but it was in the way and heading for the scrap, so it disappeared one day and turned up in my garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 It's in excellent shape J. What the rebound on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 Very nice. Note that the absence of a cutting step makes this a “Birmingham pattern” rather than a “London pattern” anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRich Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 Didn’t know it wasn’t a London pattern! Not sure what you mean by rebound yet, still learning all this stuff! It rings nice and even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gubilok tennerman Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 I bought my first anvil .it's a really old Kohlswa #148 pound anvil.i hear these are loud like a bell.time for chain and a base to secure this anvil. i am very happy that it has decent edges and a flat face i do not have a ball bearing to test it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 The best way to quieten it down is to set it in cheap silicone calking compound. The edges look a little too sharp from the picture, might want to radius them a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 I almost dont wat to say this but it looks like the edges have been weded up. You can see the distinct lines that run the whole length of the anvil. One way for sure would be an acid etch. It would bring out any weld material. If done properly it shouldnt affect it much. I know you asked him and he told you it wasnt welded but i think he lied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Jlblohm I have a pen tablet computer and was able to make the picture pretty large.. It looks to me like it might just be the way it was wire brushed.. The brush being held on the edges longer.. The wear and the marks in the metal run concurrent.. I've done acid etching on anvils and it's a neat process to see just where the face is.. It also works on Steel anvils as the hardened areas will show up.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 There is chips missing so it must be hard. All the welded anvils ive seen had rolling on the edges not chips so thats a good sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gubilok tennerman Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 The man wire brushed ,and never welded it because it was not used since i would say 1950's era.most definitely not welded or the chips would have been repaired,right?anyway the face is used but acceptable condition. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Thats awesome you got a great anvil thar will outlast you and probably yor kids.. Enjoy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foundryguy Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Here is a bounce test on my 85 lb H13. VID-20180422-WA0007.mp4VID-20180422-WA0007.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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