jmeineke Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I've been very fortunate to have found two really nice anvils over the past 8 months. I'd like to keep them both, but I need some cash. One's gotta go. One is a 309 lb Arm & Hammer and the other is a 300 lb Ajax. I'd like some opinions on which one to keep. Both have great rebound and are in good shape. I dressed the horn on the A&H and welded (NOT THE FACE) areas on the table and horn that were gouged and cleaned the rust off of it. I haven't done anything to the Ajax. I'm sure it will clean up just fine. So, what are your opinions? Which would you keep? Add your comments or just click one of the vote buttons at the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I'd sell one and keep the other one! They both look fine, just what ever your opinion is. I like the lines of the Ajax better, but who cares what I think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 They both suck! I'll do you a favor and take them both off your hands. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 They both suck! I'll do you a favor and take them both off your hands. That's what I love about IFI - there's always some selfless soul out there willing to help you out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 I'd sell one and keep the other one! They both look fine, just what ever your opinion is. I like the lines of the Ajax better, but who cares what I think? Who cares what you think? Seriously? You're one of the big guns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 That's what I love about IFI - there's always some selfless soul out there willing to help you out! I do what I can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartthesmith2 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I recently thinned my "herd", as a favor to another member of IFI. I had a similar decision to make. Because I prefer hay buddens to peter wrights, I ended up vending a very nice peter wright to someone who needed it. Decisions, decisions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Hey can you tell me what kind of car I need? I can't tell you if I need to haul a lot of stuff with it, or tow a large trailer, or commute 200 miles a day but I need you to tell me the right one to get! Or to put it another way---what kind of work are you planning to do on the anvil you keep? The Ajax looks like it will be a louder anvil with the long slim profile and so perhaps not as good a choice for "steel under the hammer" factor; BUT if you do a lot of work where that long slim heel is a *good* thing then it's clearly the right choice to keep! (I have a 93# A&H anvil right next to my 515# Fisher just for it's thin heel for when I do things like toasting forks.) There is really not that much difference between the two. You might try offering them both and sell the one that gets the highest offer and keep the other. "Go not to the Elves for Counsel for they will say both Yea and Nay" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 Or to put it another way---what kind of work are you planning to do on the anvil you keep? The Ajax looks like it will be a louder anvil with the long slim profile and so perhaps not as good a choice for "steel under the hammer" factor; BUT if you do a lot of work where that long slim heel is a *good* thing then it's clearly the right choice to keep! (I have a 93# A&H anvil right next to my 515# Fisher just for it's thin heel for when I do things like toasting forks.) There is really not that much difference between the two. You might try offering them both and sell the one that gets the highest offer and keep the other. Good point. Frankly, I'm not sure what kind of work I'll be doing. I'm so new at this, I really don't know what I need or where I'll be 5 years from now, what I'll be making, etc. It sounds like the only drawback to the Ajax is the loudness (it does ring like a bell). Like Grant, though, I like the lines of the Ajax too - it has a longer horn and a longer face, thin heel for work like you've suggested. But the A&H sure is a sweet anvil... I'm not complaining - I know It's a good problem to have... Just want to hear people's opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Good point. Frankly, I'm not sure what kind of work I'll be doing. I'm so new at this, I really don't know what I need or where I'll be 5 years from now, what I'll be making, etc. It sounds like the only drawback to the Ajax is the loudness (it does ring like a bell). Like Grant, though, I like the lines of the Ajax too - it has a longer horn and a longer face, thin heel for work like you've suggested. But the A&H sure is a sweet anvil... I'm not complaining - I know It's a good problem to have... Just want to hear people's opinions. Keep the Ajax,Sounds like it would be more versatile and adaptable to more kinds of work. If the ring bothers you(or your neighbors)then just bed it properly to a stand or stump and if it still rings too much then wrap a couple turns of chain around the waist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 You're a Chriatian, right? Then take a look at Acts 1:26. That's the simplest way to do it. <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 You're a Chriatian, right? What gave it away? Right now I'm leaning pretty hard toward keeping the Ajax based on the feedback. A big thanks to everyone who responded so far - it's been very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Just something else to think about based on what Thomas said earlier. The AJAX appears to be a Trenton. From what I've seen on ebay etc. I would guess the Arm and Hammer would get more money if you sold it. Arm and Hammers have a pretty stellar reputation and are seen less often than Trentons, so they tend to be worth more to collectors. I'm not taking away anything from the AJAX as I love my Trenton anvils. It's just something I've noticed empirically. Your mileage may vary... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I like the idea of offering both for sale and letting the great karmanic forces of galactic destiny decide! Or do the Christian thing and cut them both in half! (wrong chapter?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 I like the idea of offering both for sale and letting the great karmanic forces of galactic destiny decide! Or do the Christian thing and cut them both in half! (wrong chapter?) With all due respect to the karmanic forces of galactic destiny , the pragmatic side of me is saying to keep the anvil that will be the most versatile of the two (the Ajax). The "tool hoarder" in me is saying hold on to what could be the more valuable of the two (the A&H). But I don't want to make a decision based solely on money... Cutting them in two? You must be talking about the first recorded Maternity Test : ------------ The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’” The king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!" Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice -- 1 Kings 3:23-28 ------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 "I say we take the jumpship and nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 "one has got to go". I do not understand. This has never come up before. Sell? What does that mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 "one has got to go". I do not understand. This has never come up before. Sell? What does that mean? I was thinking the same thing. I would be thinking of which organs I can part with so that I can keep my anvils... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 In general I have come to regret letting any smithing tool in good condition get away; though there are some I buy to pass on to students as I seem to be able to find them for a good price when they can't. Seems to go like this "I have too many anvils/post vises/hammers/etc, I'm going to sell off some" wait a month "I am going to teach a class and need 5 complete set-ups to keep the students from running around each other waving hot iron; oops I sold off what I now need." But some folks are but lightly touched with the tool disease; whilst others have it in acute form and like the dragons of old perch ontop their hoard not using it but not letting others use it either. I advise "all things in moderation!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 "But some folks are but lightly touched with the tool disease; whilst others have it in acute form " I guess I am terminal.Acute ironitis or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I've been meaning to ask you if you'd like to adopt me for purposes of your will; I'd give *all* those anvils a good home here in the DRY southwest..... Thomas, incorrigible and incurable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazyassforge Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I believe the poll at the top of the page is broken, I can't get it to let me select "BOTH"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Ditto what Bill said! It will only let me pick ONE!! Seriously, I would not be in a hurry to get rid of one, at least for a while. Set both up for a while and use them, then YOU decide which to keep and which to sale. My money is on you keeping both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 24, 2010 Author Share Posted July 24, 2010 I went out and wire wheeled the Ajax, put a coat of MMO on it and took some pictures of both anvils with a straight edge on the face for comparison. The Ajax has a bit more dish than the Arm & Hammer, not that it matters too much. I read somewhere on here where Thomas Powers said that the dish can be used to straighten knives - striking the blade over the dish causes it to bend and then bounce back straight, something to that effect. I think I'm going to do as Thomas Dean suggested and set them both up and try them out for a while. I'm also going to repair the table on the Ajax and dress the horn. That will give me an excuse to hang on to both for a while longer while I try to figure out what I'm going to do... We need the money, but man - this is harder than breaking up with a girlfriend (I'm speaking of my pre-marriage days, of course ). I'm also going to talk to the boss again about the fact that anvils are an investment and that they appreciate in value over time I appreciate all the feedback. It's been very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Not having a sway was the hardest part of getting used to my mint massive Fisher. I was so used to having a slight sway to work with I used to have to go back to my earlier anvil to straighten stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.