Hay-Budden Anvil

[brians]

I'm brand new to this board so first let me say hi to everyone. I'm a professional welder by trade.

I was just given a Hay-Budden anvil. It weighs in at 140 pounds and its serial number if 52708. Does anyone know anything about these anvils?

Thanks in advance and great information in the various forums.

[Sask Mark]

The serial number of 52708 means your anvil was manufactured in 1900. It has a wrought iron body with a steel face.

It looks to be in nice condition. Congratulations!

[brians]

Thanks! I'm new to anvils so I've got a lot to learn about them.

Brian

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Brian, glad to have ya.

Your anvil looks to be in pretty good condition though it isn't going to perform up to it's potential welded to the piece of wide flange like that. There's too much give in the web when the anvil wracks on the flanges under the hammer. Cut it loose and tip the wide flange on end, weld a plate to it and BOLT the anvil down. you'll be surprised how much better you can move metal.

Trim or shim it so the anvil's face is between your knuckles and wrist when standing flat footed in your work shoes next to it with your hammer hand in a relaxed fist at your side.

The other really important thing to know about anvils is they're really hard on coyotes so keep them away for their own good.

Frosty

[Drifter]

After reading the date thing I got curious. I went out and looked for a serial number on mine. All I could find was a 5660 with a B on its side on the front toe of mine. Was I looking in the wrong place?

Drifter

[ThomasPowers]

HB's are one of the great US brands, made in Brooklyn NY. Yours looks to have a lot of life left in it as shown by the thickness of the tool steel face that was welded to the wrought iron body.

Try not to do anything that decreases the thickness of that face! Also don't get caught up in the idea that the corners need to be clean and sharp---old blacksmithing books will often tell you that the first thing you should do with a new anvil is to round off the corners to prevent them from causing cold shuts in your work.

With that anvil I would go over the face with a wire wheel (or gently with a flapwheel) and get to forging!

If you want a clean corner for a specific reason make a hardy tool that has one.

Great Gift!

[JohnW]

brians you crack me up -- "Does anyone know anything about these anvils?". That's the anvil that everybody's looking for.

[brians]

Thanks everyone. Good advice.

Frosty,

I already cut the welds and make the mods you talked about. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

JohnW,

As they say - "ignore is bliss". I wasn't looking for an anvil but a co-worker of mine was watching me fabricate a railing and he said he had an old anvil at home which he never uses and did I want it. I jumped at the chance.

Anyway, that's for all the information. I'm now spending a lot of time reading the tons of posts and trying to digest the information. Great site:D

Brian

[Sask Mark]

After reading the date thing I got curious. I went out and looked for a serial number on mine. All I could find was a 5660 with a B on its side on the front toe of mine. Was I looking in the wrong place?

Drifter

If your serial number is 5660, then it would be made in 1893 (the 2nd year the serial numbers were recorded). I'm not sure what the sideways 'B' means. Mr Postman states that he has recorded 2 B's beside the serial number, but he doesn't know what they indicated.

Do you have any pictures of your anvil and serial number?

[Drifter]

I took a few pictures and hope they show it well. Looks as though some dillweed used the horn area to split chain from the marks I assume. Too bad they can't talk to a person.

I am thinking about a little flap disc sanding on a few imperfections. I know not to try to take out too much and not get it hot. Thanks for any more information. Kinda feel like a proud Papa now LOL.

Drifter