build a stand to hold it upside down and use it as a cutting plate!

Looks like a Black Powder shooter to me.


Please read the next several post to see why this is a BAD idea.

Deleting this post based on safety would have been correct, but would have also removed the reason it should never be done. The reason is much more important at this point.

Nitewatchman, thank you for your post as it allows us to address a safety issue that otherwise would not have come up.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is a Vulcan---CAST IRON BODY can you say shrapnel!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do not use as a SHOOTER!

Nitewatchman can you edit your post to remove that suggestion?

Maybe Glenn or one of the moderators can fix that suggestion. I was just looking at the anvil again and thought that maybe it could be used as a swage block for big curves at the base.:confused:

I seem to recall that a lot of cannons and cannon balls were (are) cast iron. Have never heard of a base to base or base to block black powder firing causing shrapnel. Sorry but to me thats like saying guns kill people. I have tried for 40yrs to get one of mine to fire itself. I don't shoot anvils but then a lot of you don't shoot,drive MCs,dive or fly. Thomas no offense but have you seen or heard of a cast iron anything blowing up?
I"ll go sit in the corner now.
Ken

Yes. Cast iron cannon exploding was a major problem and cause of death for artillerymen.
Cannon balls are *supposed* to fragment on hitting something hard to do more damage to folks nearby.

Also that Vulcan base was not cast to cannon standards is was cast as a cheap anvil base. The Vulcan I have on my wall of shame has such large casting flaws in it that you could stick pencils in them where the horn broke off. Other Vulcans I have seen or owned had flaws visible too.

Ken; Analogy time: take your car out and drive it at 250 mph; I mean it has an engine and wheels just like race cars do right? So it should be safe?

If I was choosing an anvil to shoot I would go with a forged steel base if I could get it, then a cast steel base and then a wrought iron base. I would NOT shoot with a cast iron base. Period.

This should be a posted anvil for leave it be and the walk away (fast).

Because of the condition of the anvil any large stress will most likely cause the metal to fracture. Any casting problems will do the same. DO NOT use cast anvils in high stress situations like shooting an anvil.

One question. How could an anvil ever get to that stage of destruction? What has been done to it to get it so bad? I really don't understand.

One product, one or more successive users, many hammers, many, many years.

Excuse me for bringing it up, the comment was said in jest!

we were all thinking it,,,:D

philip,all, i have to do some research with dad but i think the man that killed this anvil literally beat it with way to big a hammer and had his sons hammer on it in a gang style of work ..... if that makes any sense? i do know they had a shop out in the middle of no where near victoria tx