toolles Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I am nearing completion of my new shop building &, in addition to my other interests, am looking into getting started in blacksmithing. How does one go about finding a good anvil? What do I want to look out for? Are there anvils that aren't good? How do I find one in Southeast or East Texas? I have seen them on ebay but I think it would cost a bunch to have one shipped across the country. Thanks, Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichudov Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) Anvils can be found at factory liquidation auctions. Those are usually good, for a simple reason that when factories bought anvils, they had money to burn and they know what is good. They also (usually) do not use those anvils much, because they use more modern technologies for production. So their anvils are used for maintenance, straightening things etc. And there is, of course, eBay, where anvils are plentiful and you can find something close enough to be picked up locally. Congrats on the shop building, I want to have a building like that. Edited June 29, 2009 by ichudov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Texas also has one or more large blacksmithing groups. If you check with them, they can point you towards people near you who are blacksmiths, and to gatherings/hammer-ins also near you. They are great places to meet other blacksmiths, and to pick up or trade tools. The ABANA web site should have a list of chapters near you, and be able to point you to their web sites. There is a whole plan/blueprint on finding and anvil somewhere on this site. Probably in the blueprints section. But others who know more about this will pipe in shortly. Mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Anvils are where you find them;) Your best bet is to get in touch with your local blacksmith organizations. They will have a line on what is available in your area. Fortuantely for you Texas has a number of very active organizations with members that love to help each other and beginners.EAST TEXAS BLACKSMITH ALLIANCEPres: John Soares P.O. Box 888 Woodville, TX 75979 (409) 982-1500 Ed: Tom Lundquist 320 Oak Ridge Drive Onalaska, TX 77360 (936)646-4985tom@bluebirdforge.comFOUR STATES IRON MUNCHERS Pres: Jerome LeGrand 612 S. Lelia Ave. Texarkana, TX 75501 (903) 792-1982ironmanlegrand@hotmail.com Ed: Michelle Barkman 7120 FM 559 Texarkana, TX 75503 (903) 832-6227Mbark1@aol.comwww.fourstatesironmunchers.comHOUSTON AREA BLACKSMITH'S ASSOCIATION Pres: Tee Hines 21803 Ann Cir. Magnolia, TX 77355 (218) 356-1340hmartggourds@charter.net Ed: Richard Boswell 281-356-5205rsboswell@sbcglobal.netHABA Houston Area Blacksmith's Association Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucegodlesky Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 A good place to watch , in this current day and age , is for some of the car dealerships that have been in business forever and have now been closed by the manufacturers. I've bought several out of closed / auctioned dealerships. After all, before they sold cars, they sold wagons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Like Bruce said I once went to an auction of a car repair place that had been in business in the same spot since 1919. It of course had a full smithing set up stuck in a back corner because in 1919 car repair included a lot of smithing. Also had old industrial woodworking tools to work on the frames and bodies! I believe that there is BP on my method of finding anvils much cheaper than e-bay and you live in an area it should work in too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolles Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Thanks Guys! I can't wait to try the TPAAAT method to find an anvil. I will contact the local blacksmith group & start there. Thanks for all the advice & sources. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scojo Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Thanks for the info. I'm going to give the TPAAAT a try out here in Arizona and see what turns up for my first anvil. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brasilikilt Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 This last summer I had troubles finding a *good* anvil and considered making my own, but I kept up with internet searches, asking people at work, asking people here and phoning other blacksmiths in the area...... What eventually turned up an anvil was doing craigslist searches. I not only searched my local area, but did searches in all areas within a 100+ mile radius of my city. I took a lengthy but scenic road trip up north into Washington and got my 178 lb Trenton (and a couple beers) from a nice guy for a reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scojo Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Good idea. At least out here, though, there are some people who run want ads on Craigslist looking to collect old smithing stuff. As such, this seems to make all old smithing stuff "collectible" and extremely valuable. So, I'm going to see if I can find a nice, heavy square chunk of steel to start off with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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