otisdog Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Considering a possible purchase. Can any one give me the companies background, and opinions on it's quality? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Apparently they are high quality cast steel anvils made in England. I'm hoping to get a nice one in the next month myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 i bought a 2 1/2 cwt anvil from brooks direct from the works in 1964-5 the price was 28 pounds sterling ,around 3 weeks wage ,my dad went nuts ,for spending all that money ,when we had a shop full of anvils i wanted a smaller anvil to go out shoing ,all the anvils at home were in the 5-6 cwt range, it was a fine anvil ,the only drawback for a shoing anvil is the heel is thick and not good to pull shoe heels out on, i gave it to a young lad wanting to start up a year or so back ,and it had held up well . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lambiase Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 In my opinion, they are the best London pattern anvil ever made... But I am biased. 560#, 140#, 56#... Mike Lambiase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 what steel are they cast from ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otisdog Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 i bought a 2 1/2 cwt anvil from brooks direct from the works in 1964-5 the price was 28 pounds sterling ,around 3 weeks wage ,my dad went nuts ,for spending all that money ,when we had a shop full of anvils i wanted a smaller anvil to go out shoing ,all the anvils at home were in the 5-6 cwt range, it was a fine anvil ,the only drawback for a shoing anvil is the heel is thick and not good to pull shoe heels out on, i gave it to a young lad wanting to start up a year or so back ,and it had held up well . Where were the works? Do you know the years that they were produced? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Do they have any other markings than the weight? That small one looks exactly like my 28kg one but mine has nothing but the weight marked on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Apparently Brooks have been made since about WWII. They used 2 different foundries to do the casting. They are still being made (as of 1995) under the name Vaughn. They are handled by Vaughn's (Hope Works), Baker House, King Street, Lye, Nr. Stourbridge, west Medlands DY9 8UT. http://www.anvils.co.uk/ All of this information is from Richard Postman's 'Anvils In America'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 I helped a friend on a Bronze job and we used his newly purchased 300 + pound John Brooks. Really nice anvil. Good hard cast steel. A little loud though. There were several on Ebay last summer.... I really wish I ended up with one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Beamish Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 (edited) Just to clarify the comment by Sask Mark there were John Brooks anvils made before WW2 that were Forged Wrought Iron with a Steel face. I'm not sure when the cast steel variety were introduced. My research has uncovered a John Brooks Anvil Maker in Lye, Stourbridge in the 1820s, mention is made of a brief peiod of bankruptcy in the 1860's. A John Brooks anvil maker died in the same area around the turn of the 20th Century (I can get the correct date). I've read of the recollections of a Real Estate agent from the area in the early 1950's I think and he mentions a customer called Squire Brooks. Vaughns the current day manufacturer of Brooks anvils used to be in Dudley (only about 5 miles from Stourbridge) interestingly they moved to Stourbridge. It maybe purely coincidence but it adds to the interest factor. My romantic idea is that all the Brookses were of the same family and Squire Brooks (I think in this case it was his name not a title) was the last of them and probably sold out to Vaughns. I have written to Vaughns asking about the history of Brooks anvils in the hope that some one would take kindly to the enquiry of a Blacksmith and Blacksmithing tragic but no luck no even a "sorry we no nothing of what you're asking". Perhaps I need to try again in the new year. I've seen the cast steel ones with the name stamped in, fairly small lettering (smaller than the forged ones) some had JB cast in the mould (proud of the surface) the later ones have Brooks cast on them from what I have seen in the photos. The early ones seem good quality, like a Wilkinson, Attwood, Peter Wright. The latter cast steel ones seem to be very common in the UK but they may be the last maufacturer, I did see a post they are in the Blacksmithing schools there so people will be used ot them and if they're ok they buy them. They also seem good anvils to me of the few I've used, I personally don't like the thick heel but that's just my preference. How did I become interested? I have a small double bick John Brooks 64 lb which I use as a demo anvil (it is an absolute beauty and it raises lots of questions). John Brooks anvils are not uncommon here but I think their distribution is related to the port of arrival. My friend in NSW an avid tool colector and fine smith had read about the cast steel Brooks anvils in Anvils in America and thought all the Brooks anvils were cast, he had not come across the earlier type, this added to the mystery for me, hence my thoughts on distribution . We had a few discussions (just that,not arguments) and I thought I'd try to find out what I can. This is where I've got too so far. I think Anvils in America is a great book but I think the author would agree with me that it doesn't cover everything and if my feeble attempts are anything to go by its hard to get a definitive answer sometimes. Edited December 25, 2012 by Bruce Beamish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 I have owned quite a few john brooks anvils. I currently have 4 double bicked JB anvils. in general they stand up ok, however they are prone to edge chipping in a way that most other anvils are not. this is a phenomenon that I have noticed on a few Vaughn's anvils as well. easily solved by radiusing the corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Beamish Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Thanks for your input Owen. I am aware that the cast Brooks anvils have a sharp edge and prone to chipping and like you if I owned them the first thing I would do is radius the corners. Soderfors also exhibit the same characteristics in my experience, that is the ones I've seen and used, I've never owned one. Do you know anything of the history of John Brooks anvils? I do realise that you're located in London and that is not the Black Country. For those of you who don't know, the Black Country is an area of the West Midlands near Birmingham (Birmingham is not part of the Black Country, make no mistake), the Black Country was so called because of its industrialised nature prior to and during the Industrial Revolution, the smoke,soot and dirt covered everything alledgedly. I'm a fan of the double bick anvil, in fact I recently purchased three. I could only bring one home with me, the others I had to leave to collect at a later date. Two are about 3 cwt and the other about 4 cwt. No names are readily visible and none of them are pristine they are cetainly all usable. I couldn't make up my mind and I didn't like the individual prices, the seller said why don't you make an offer for the lot and I picked a pretty low price as a starter and he bit. When I finally get them all together, I'll make a final decision on which one to keep and sell the other two to hopefully finance the purchase of the one I decide on. A friend of mine recently purchased a 5 1/4 cwt anvil and a 3 cwt from a dealer he knows, the dealer had recently sold an 8 1/4 cwt and prior to that a 20 cwt with a 10 cwt cast iron stand, ex Railways evidently. I'd really like to find out where that got to. Not that I would want it, a Photo would and a bit of background would satisfy me. Owen, I see from your other posts you like an anvil with a bit of weight to them too. I find that even when using a hand hammer I get a better return for my effort with a the mass of a bigger anvil. They can be a nuisance to shift sometimes but I can out up with that. Cheers, Bruce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I'm a serious lover of brooks avnils and have a couple and would not heasitate to to aquire more "at the right price of course". Regards Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Beamish Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 (edited) Hello Ian, Do you have the cast steel type or the older forged type? I believe they are good anvils, I like the older ones in particular and that is not to knock the cast steel ones, I just prefer the older forged ones and I would particularly like a bigger double bick one. Altought as I have recently bought three to get one double bick anvil and none of them are readily identifiable as a John Brooks I might have to pull my head in for a while until I can sort out which ones I am selling! I also have a 1890s French Anvil at the machine shop for a skim of the face it is a bit different but has a good solid feel, 106 kg. I have a John Brooks leg vice too about 5 inch, my nephew picked it up for on the specualtion I might be interested. I was surprised to find it branded John Brooks and it was in really good condition, cost me $100 Australian. Who do you follow in Rugby? Cheers, Bruce Edited December 26, 2012 by Bruce Beamish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 i have two john brooks legvices, i got them from a mate, one 5" and one 4" they are both very nice tools in very good condition, but i am yet to mount them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 <p>I live in sharks country(within4k's of the stadium)and have 2 teenage boys 1 was captain of the Clifton 1st xv last year and the other captain of u16 this year and sometime reserve of 1st xv they practice at rovers Kings park so like it or not Sharks all the way. My Anvils are from the late 50's and early 60's so they are 'new'</p> <p>I have 100, 80 & a 60 I used to have a 250 but alas that was "redistributed" along with my leg-vice</p> <p>Regards Ian</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Hello Ian, Do you have the cast steel type or the older forged type? I believe they are good anvils, I like the older ones in particular and that is not to knock the cast steel ones, I just prefer the older forged ones and I would particularly like a bigger double bick one. Altought as I have recently bought three to get one double bick anvil and none of them are readily identifiable as a John Brooks I might have to pull my head in for a while until I can sort out which ones I am selling! I also have a 1890s French Anvil at the machine shop for a skim of the face it is a bit different but has a good solid feel, 106 kg. I have a John Brooks leg vice too about 5 inch, my nephew picked it up for on the specualtion I might be interested. I was surprised to find it branded John Brooks and it was in really good condition, cost me $100 Australian. Who do you follow in Rugby? I recently sold a 3.5 hundredweight wrought iron and steel anvil with british military arrow markings no other makers mark. It is adentical in size and shape to my more modern JB 3.5 hundredweight both are double bicked and an atractive shape. The older one was quite dented on the face by missed sledge blows .which must have been quite a feat as it was nice and hard. I suspect a lot of anvils were cast to this pattern for other manufacturers or military orders etc. Cheers, Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Edge chipping, more than "normal", seems to be a characteristic of cast steel anvils in general as is being "loud" under the hammer. Both are easily dealt with and no reason to avoid a fine anvil! In general Anvils go from "more pieces" to make them to fewer as time goes on with the 1 piece cast steel being pretty much the end game. Some brands used to make their brag about how few pieces they used as the forge weld lines did tend to be sources of failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Beamish Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Thomas I agree wholeheartedly with your comments regarding cast steel anvils, I have a 3 cwt (336 lb) cast steel anvil (not a John Brooks) I have used for years at home and in an industrial environment. It was pre loved when I got it and had been weld repaired in spots some time prior to coming my way, the repairs were on the edges. It is a little soft on the face and edges (probably as a result of the welding?) but it is very easy to look after and dress if needed and I have had no problem with edge chipping in the time I have owned it. I don't miss hit it very often either but it does happen. If I don't take preventative measures it has a loud ring and I wear hearing protection as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks relative Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Hi Bruce I am related to the Brooks family. My mother and father are both dead so cant get too many details. I saw my Uncles last year and told us that Brooks Pots and pans was started by my Grandmothers brother called Squire Brooks, form Lye in Worcestershire Apparently he made his money by getting the anvils when the Army had moved camps they were rusty and scrap and he bought them as scrap. he then refurbished them and sold them back to the Army. I am not too sure what an Anvil is but would this story make sense to you? After the War he sold the business as he wasn't getting the customers and he went into making saucepans etc. Apparently they sold out to Prestige. My family name is Shiner and my uncles who are in their 70's remember Squire Brooks. they lived in Stourbridge and then kidderminster. I found your blog when I was searching for Brooks of Lye. Hope this makes some sense to you, Good Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I have a 2:2:0 Brooks and it is the best anvil I have ever used. BTW the name is Vaughan NOT Vaughn which is a different brand. I bought my anvil new and have never regretted the decision. I f I could get a used one I would buy it in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvereaglevaughan Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 BTW the name is Vaughan NOT Vaughn which is a different brand. Sweet so I have Hammers & anvils in my family. No wonder I keep coming back to this hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournesmith Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 I just got a john brooks stourbridge 26 for $100 AU it has the usual chipped edges but is perfectly suited to bashing out a few knife blades. Put a smile on my face as soon as it was placed in my hands. Not really concerned if it is worth it or not as I have no plans to ever sell it. It has character and looks like it has done a lot of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksF Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 Hello, I am also related to the Brooks family. From what I know, my 3rd gt grandfather was an iron-master who lived in Lye, Stourbridge, definitely in 1851. His name was Brooks, (possibly Timothy or Joseph). If you know anything about this connection, please get in touch. If anyone else can help me further, I'd be very grateful. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 Here's a bit of Brooks history. Factory wood anvil pattern. .... love the oddball '6'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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