Glenn Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share Posted October 17, 2020 Thank You Frosty for a batter explaination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 My pleasure Glenn, I knew what you meant and forgot to say. Proud to be backup, Brother. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPaul Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I hit it up with a file a bit today. What's your opinions on what's been done, or still needs to be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 Good start. Soften those top edges a bit more, about 1/16” radius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPaul Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 After hitting a bit more, I'm thinking it looks better....certainly feels better, no real distinct edge as compared to before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 Much better. Give that a try, and if you find that the edge is cutting sharply into your workpiece, give it a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 that is about perfect. I like a larger radius for most things but about 1/8" is a great place to start. The issue here is you have a double radius because of the heavy chamfer. I wouldn't be concerned with the edge towards the handle or center of the hammer but more the one that you have been working on. Looks really good from where I sit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPaul Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 Thanks for the input! I'll see how it works out here in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 Much better, what you don't want is a sharp edge. If you were to take some emery cloth and buff it like a shoe shine guy it'd be perfect. Well as perfect as anything blacksmith. Fire up and beat something on it! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoleaf Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 After about 7 years of dabbling with blacksmithing on a small soft piece of steel, I bought a traditional anvil. I had progressed a bit in the things I’ve been making enough to realize having both a horn and option to use hardy tools would be worthwhile investment in making some tasks easier with probably better results. It took a while to get to this point, in both hammering away and debating if a part time hobby was worth the spend. For at least a year I’d been scanning ads, asking people about anvils etc. Saw the same abused overpriced junk everyone here has mentioned. Looked at new, but couldn’t bring myself to spend that much more on a part time hobby. Anyway, decided to scroll a bit deeper on Facebook marketplace, and found a barely used looking Fisher 80lb made in 1913 that had originally been listed for something like $900, then dropped to $500 and listed for over a week. A Fisher would be quiet for my suburban location here in Massachusetts and the size a big improvement on my current setup but still easily moved to my forging spot outdoors from the storage shed. I considered the brand and excellent condition and decided to offer what I felt would be fair price for me and for the seller, who judging by original list price was unsure about value. So I offered $3.75 lb ($300) and the seller accepted. The seller said the anvil came with the property when they bought their home. I asked if they happened to also have any related tools for sale, but there weren't any. I made sure to bring a small ball bearing and ruler to test rebound before forking over any cash. I found rebound about 85% at least over the entire face. After careful inspection, I handed over the cash and brought it home. Other than some small chips, and some minor dents on the horn, it appears hardly used. The black paint seems original. I’m happy part of the edge is already dressed with a nice radius ( a file skated over the chipped areas, so not sure how I’d ever add any radius myself without power tools anyway). I used a light wire wheel to remove the rust and put on a light coat of boiled linseed oil. Now I just need to mount it on a stump I’ve been saving for about 6-7 years for just such an anvil. I figure if I ever quit the hobby, I should be able to get my money back on this anvil, and if my interest continues and deepens, I can always save my pennies to add a heavier anvil down the road. I’m very glad though I started right in on the hunk of steel I had at hand at the time, rather than overspending years ago before I’d had time to learn what I needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 She's a beauty, SWEET SCORE! Your neighbors will thank you if they notice at all. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfinder401 Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 It may be a little rough but what do you guys think of this old American star I got yesterday? Looks to have been repaired on the edges and not the best job doing so but for 200$ for a useable 144lb anvil I think I did ok... Any tips for getting her inshape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Looks like you have a good usable anvil just like she is. I wouldn't do anything except hit hot steel on her, especially no grinding, milling or welding on the hardened face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfinder401 Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 I definitly wouldn't mill or weld on it myself but I have done some light grinding to clean the face a little(didnt remove any serious metal though) I dont mind normal dings on it but a previous owner aparently thought an anvil was the perfect place to use a cold chisel... I did check though and I seem to have have a plenty thick face on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 Isn't the American Star a steel faced cast iron anvil? How did you check the thickness of the face? I wouldn't have done anything but pound hot steel on it; that will shine it up and polish it nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfinder401 Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 yeah it is steel faced cast iron, but in a few places you can see the line of where the face plate is, and ideally i would have done the same but there are come cuts from chisels in it that would make sore very noticeable marks in any work, although I don't plan on doing much more to it. I just wish whoever repaired the edges in the past did a better job with the welding haha... they left a few small gaps on the face and the bottom edges of the welds were pretty ugly, the face feels solid though and wow is this thing quite compared to my peter wright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonBoy33 Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Try to learn more about what I have Any one able to help me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Hay Budden made in Brooklyn NY; older style with the forge welded steel face; weight is stamped on the side in pounds. Should have an hourglass indentation on the base; but may be worn almost smooth. Is there a number on the front of the foot under the horn? One of the top tier of American made anvils. Do NOT do anything to decrease the thickness of the face! (No milling, no grinding, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonBoy33 Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 It has a number 3 Just now, JonBoy33 said: It has a number 3 The other number are 22.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 On the side or on the foot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonBoy33 Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 On the foot it has 22.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmedjaSlitvarg Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 My first anvil, a 430 gram Kohlswa: Not long after that I got my hands on this 81 Kg (178 lbs) anvil. South german pattern and some markings, but no maker mark. Got a great deal on it, paid about $50. After wire wheeling it and applying BLO it looked like this: The markings that are visible. If anyone has any idea about maker, please chime in! I suspect Kohlswa or Söderfors, since that's what's most often found here. I think the step by the hardy hole is some sort of resurfacing attempt and not original. And in this year I picked up this 50 Kg (110 lbs) Kohlswa for $120. Very similar to my existing one but a bit smaller. The markings on this one: It has a military history, I.19 is a Swedish military regiment. And here is how that ended up when cleaned, oiled and mounted. It is too high by choice, for tall friends visiting. Also visible here is my bick, that's too large for the hardy hole in my anvils so I mounted it separately. And a stake anvil that's probably just a part of some old iron gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 The Swedish pattern anvil is my favorite. I'd love to find one and import it to the USA. Tall, narrow with plenty of meat where it needs to be at the hardie hole.. Congrats.. I'm envious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Lovely, lovely; feel free to bring them out here to get a little sun! I have one extra tall stump for the same reason---extra tall students. I also have one short stump for short students. SOFA used to have one anvil set up for a 6'4" (193 cm) tall smith; it was fun to watch shorter smiths try to use it because of how nice the anvil was on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Galloway Posted November 25, 2020 Share Posted November 25, 2020 I live in Ellijay GA. My husband passed away and I finally started trying to sort out all the old things he brought home over 38 yrs. And found this Anvil , I've had 2 people that wanted to buy it. 1 offered 350.00 sight unseen. Curious about it's worth , Don't want give it away , but could use the money. It has 90Lbs. on it.Also says SODERFORS above the 90lbs. With Sweden wrote upside down between the two ,has other things I can't make out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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