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Show me your anvil


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My 100# Trenton.  I just got it this week.  It was my grandpa's anvil, who passed it down to my dad, and now I have it.  This will be the first time it has been used for it's intended purpose. I still haven't used it, but plan on it this Saturday. I still haven't mounted it to a stand.  

20150804_170544.jpg

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Bick anvil I made on the Iron Dwarf anvil posted a couple of days ago.  The bick is 25mm diameter mild drawn to a square point for mounting and a flatten curve for working on. Based on 10th century Anglo-Scandinavian bicks from Coppergate, York, and the Mastermyr Hoard.

bick1.jpg

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I got the copy from Lindsay Technical Books back a decade or two ago; my wife asked what I wanted for Christmas and I took one of their catalogs and marked a bunch of cheap books and said "get me one of these".  She bought me all of them!

The book says "Stanford Jr College"  so it's NOT more likely for the University proper.  Many universities had a "Jr college" associated with them; shoot I had a friend that got a 2 year Ag degree from Yale!  Being in 1917 they cover using wrought iron for their projects as well as mild steel and so of interest to me.

It is from Stanford University. Not a Jr College...

https://archive.org/details/elementaryforgepractice00harciala

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May I direct you to the Preface of the said book which I hold in my hand?

"The subject matter contained herein has been used at Leland Stanford Junior University for a number of years as a syllabus....Many thanks are due to Professor E. P. Lesley of Leland Stanford Junior University..."

I based my comments on the actual book that I own a copy of thanks to Lindsay.  Yes it was published by Stanford University but was intended for Stanford Junior University as it states clearly in the text.  

Edited by ThomasPowers
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My no-name 150-ish lb London pattern anvil. I've had this since I was a teenager in high school, and it's followed me ever since (even though my wife never could see the point of an anvil in the living room of an NYC apartment). I just remounted it after twenty-three years off-block, and I'm hoping to teach my son on it the little blacksmithing I know.

(N.B.: since this photo was taken, I've started cleaning up the face with an angle grinder. There's quite a dip in the middle, so I'm looking to clean up the rust and pitting and create a good flat area at the end next to the step.)

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Edited by JHCC
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From what I can see in the picture I wouldn't have dreamed of taking a grinder to it unless the grinder had a wire wheel on it.  To me it looks like it's in pretty good shape and I wouldn't risk messing up the hardened plate on top.

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https://www.stanford.edu/about/history/

I don't understand the confusion or argumentativeness. It was named Leland Stanford Jr after Stanford's son. There wasn't a JR College and even the inside cover simply says Leland Stanford University and published by Stanford... Officially today it's still known as Leland Stanford Jr University...

 

image.jpg

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From what I can see in the picture I wouldn't have dreamed of taking a grinder to it unless the grinder had a wire wheel on it.  To me it looks like it's in pretty good shape and I wouldn't risk messing up the hardened plate on top.

There was some pretty deep pitting, but I got a nice smooth area next to the step and the rest of it pretty well cleaned up. Not planning on doing any more than this.

IMG_20150807_163635746_HDR.jpg

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Okay, I take it back: it is NOT a no-name anvil; it's a Mousehole!

Here are the weight markings (with a little clay rubbed in for contrast) complete with the dots between numbers.

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And here's the maker's mark. It's so faint, I never saw it before. I guess this means it was probably made ca. 1830 - 1835.

M & H
ARMITAGE
MOUSE
HOLE

IMG_20150807_165911568_HDR.jpg

Edited by JHCC
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It looks like you didn't get crazy with the grinder, so probably no real damage done other than making a lot of people wince at the thought.  The bottom line is if you are happy with it then it doesn't matter what I or anyone else thinks you should have done or not done.   That old girl has a lot of life in her yet and should provide you with years of service.  Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

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A friend who owns a flee market gave me the little anvil a while ago and it instantly became my favorite! The funny thing is, it actually looks like it's been used. Jewelers work maybe? It's milled on every surface and nicer than the little cast anvils I;ve seen for jewelers and leather workers. Don't know if I'll ever use it but I'm digging the paper-clip forging idea Frosty!

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Jbrown, that is a good looking anvil. The markings on my 138# PW are not that clear. Overall it looks in great shape.  

Don't feel bad Frosty, I can't post pictures now. I keep getting a -200 error.  I just picked up a 100# HB, and can't post the pics of it.......grrr!

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Found this over the weekend. It appears to be a Lakeside, although the logo on the side looks a little different from what I've seen in other pics on the internet.

Any ideas on the age? Is it a Trenton? Is the upturned horn normal?

Other than that, it seems to be in great shape with a really flat and lively face

Anvil 1.JPG

Anvil 2.JPG

Anvil 3.JPG

Anvil 4.JPG

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