A Good Start?

[edm418]

Hey Blacksmiths!

I found this on a local auction site, if the price is right then it will be my first Anvil. Just wondering what those with more experience would think of it and what would be a good price to pay.

Cheers, edm418.

link:


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=262706229



ahhh wheres the photo gone???

[David Einhorn]

To me it looks like a piece of railroad track that would cut and ground into the approximate shape of an anvil. For little more than the price they are currently asking for it, around here you can periodically find a real anvil, or you could get a fork-lift scraped fork, or other large chunk of scrap iron with more mass and more utility as a beginning anvil.

If you place your location in your profile, then others might be able to point you to options in your area.

[CurlyGeorge]

I agree with Dave. I bought a 92 pound Vulcan for $50. The ad doesn't tell the weight, but it looks a lot like a piece of RR track that was worked into an anvil shaped object. I can't tell where you are located, and anvils in your area might be hard to find. In my area, they are pretty well available. In the end, it's your choice, but I think that I would look around a little more. :)

[njanvilman]

Looking at the adds with the listing, my guess is Australia.

Definately a railroad track made anvil. Very loud to hammer on.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Whoever made it did a nice job. I have seen worse RR track anvils. To beef that one up, some thick plate could be welded to the sides. Being the ad states Kiwi I would say New Zealand.

For a blacksmithing anvil though I think I would look around some. As stated eariler, you could get a piece of scrap steel and get by just as well as with that anvil. The scrap would be a lot less to free depending on where you get it from. My anvils run from 124#-306# with costs from $50-$250. The $50 was for a 150# Vulcan?, and the $250 was my Dad's 260# Fisher.

Look around, ask around, and anvils will start to appear.

[edm418]

Hello again, thanks very much for your replies!

Yes I am in New Zealand and have actually just started looking into tooling up for some basic Blacksmithing, with the goal of knifemaking on the horizon.

There are a few other anvils on that auction site around the $200 nzd mark (I think thats about 130 ~ 150 USD? )

But thats a lot of money for me atm. I was interested in this one primarily as it came with the Hardy cutting tool.

Do people generally make their own Hardy tools for specific purposes or should I expect that they will be supplied with an anvil (if bought new)?

Happy New Year by the way!

[Rob Browne]

If knife making is your target then you really don't need a "real" anvil. A real anvil for you could be a length of 4-5" rod or square bar stood upright in a bucket of concrete so its at the right height for you to work on. Think aof an old fork lift tong from the scrap metal people. The important thing is that the mass of the anvil is under your hammer and that is where the RR anvils lose out. As for hardy tools you can set these up in a stump or frame so they are not on your anvil leaving it free to work on all the time. You will find that most people will make their own hardy tools, that way you get exactly what you want. An old piece of leaf spring makes a great cut off tool.

[edm418]

Thanks for your reply there Rob, I'll use my imagination when looking for a suitable anvil... or "anvil"!

Cheers, guys!

[irontwister]

id definetly look around somemore. time for you to look around the scrap yards for a big hunka steel. a cold chisel works if you stick it in your pritchel hole. just atemp. fix though.