Sam Thompson Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/blacksmiths-anvil-/170658683802?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27bc0cdb9a Anyone got any idea why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Most likely was made that way, but I have no idea why, end of shift or they let the apprentice loose one day too soon to make his first one on his own. <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Note the lack of pritchel, compact form, sharp topped feet. So probably pre 1820's and possibly within the made by hand with tilt hammers standards. What I'm wondering is 30 CWT would be over 3000 pounds as it's supposed to be a traveling anvil my guess it's an 3 0 or 84 pounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 No, I think they were probably working out on the horn too much and not enough on the heel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Looks like a Mousehole- they all seem to lean forward for some reason- maybe for the cock-eyed smiths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Location is Ulverston, Lake District, It could have been made like that so that as the smiddy was on a hilly area, the face was level as the floor was on a slope. (Probably one explanation) Or the 'smith had one leg shorter than the other. (Probably explanation two) Any more suggestions out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 "Or the 'smith had one leg shorter than the other. (Probably explanation two)" Explanation three: Or one leg was permanently bent from resting on a bar rail for extended periods, whilst downing pints. I think Andy Capp made that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Perhaps it was beat on in one location thereby compacting the front leg? Ok, that almost sounds reasonable. I'll have to try better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 "Or the 'smith had one leg shorter than the other. (Probably explanation two)" You're close. It was made for shoeing Left-Hill horses. Anvils for Right-Hill horses are down by the heel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I have seen a couple Mousehole anvils like that. I doubt any smith could hit an anvil of that type of construction (built up wrought iron with a steel face) and not break off the horn. This would happen long before the core block of the anvil upset enough to make it that out of whack. Im not sure that is even possible to make cold metal that thick deform like that with hand hammers even if John Henry himself were striking for you. My guess is it was a some what common mistake that sometimes happened wile they made their anvils. They were deemed "good enough" Perhaps they were sold at a discount or as seconds. After all, all that would be needed to rectify the problem would to be to cut the stump at a slight angle or put a shim under it. Honestly a sloped anvil would not really impede any forging process I can think of as long as you can hold your work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 That's an "anti-spectator" anvil. It's canted just enough to make the lookee-loos tilt their heads. When they discover they've got a crook in their neck from watching, they move on. At the historic site I worked at, when we had a "know it all" in the shop, we'd give a signal and one of the other smiths would put a piece of sheet metal in the vise then start filing on the edge of it - after about 30 seconds of that premium sound, the "expert" would high-tail it outta there! That being said, I'm thinking Southshore has it right . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 It is a not often seen Hot Rod anvil. Being high in the back, and low in the front, it gave a sporty look to the smithy. They were used in speed forging competitions of old. Either that , or it was made that way to allow the prodigious amounts rainfall that are common in the UK to run off, and not puddle on the face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Look at the picture again......Is that a CRACK or a demarcation line all the way around the waist?? Could this be a repair job gone wrong??? Also, look at each side of the anvil. The side profile curve is more extended on one side verses the other. I really believe this anvil has been through a really bad repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Look at the picture again......Is that a CRACK or a demarcation line all the way around the waist?? Could this be a repair job gone wrong??? Also, look at each side of the anvil. The side profile curve is more extended on one side verses the other. I really believe this anvil has been through a really bad repair. This kind of anvil does not have a seem around the waist. The body of the anvil is a large block of wrought iron with the horn, heal and feet forge welded to it. Only later anvils were made with the weld seem across the waist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironsmith Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I have a mouse hole with a similar affliction. I just made a stand that compensates for the poor guys Lean :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 This kind of anvil does not have a seem around the waist. The body of the anvil is a large block of wrought iron with the horn, heal and feet forge welded to it. Only later anvils were made with the weld seem across the waist. That's my point, so if what I'm seeing in the picture is some kind of demarcation line at the waist, could this be a repair gone wrong, causing the raked anvil?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Obviously: that anvil dates to the morning after that annual Christmas party! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 That's my point, so if what I'm seeing in the picture is some kind of demarcation line at the waist, could this be a repair gone wrong, causing the raked anvil?? An anvil of this style of construction is extremely unlikely to have to have cracked across the waist. It would have taken a ridiculous amount of force to sever a solid block if wrought iron across the grain like that. Lets say it was a 3 1/2" by 5" by 10 core block that the anvil was built around and wrought iron fails at 60,000 PSI more or less thats virtually impossible in my book. Unless some one sawed it in half then cut out a wedge and welded it back together. Then they cleaned the weld to make it look like 200 year old wrought iron. I suppose its possible but why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 An anvil of this style of construction is extremely unlikely to have to have cracked across the waist. It would have taken a ridiculous amount of force to sever a solid block if wrought iron across the grain like that. Lets say it was a 3 1/2" by 5" by 10 core block that the anvil was built around and wrought iron fails at 60,000 PSI more or less thats virtually impossible in my book. Unless some one sawed it in half then cut out a wedge and welded it back together. Then they cleaned the weld to make it look like 200 year old wrought iron. I suppose its possible but why? Mild steel is about 36ksi, so I think wrought is a little less. Otherwise I agree, breaking this is near impossible. It looks like there is a wrinkle or blemish at the waist on one side (first picture). The blemish is in a very straight line most of the way across the waist. I suspect that could be from manufacture or from use over the years with something rubbing that spot for some reason. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 First picture: note that the top section of the side seems to have deeper pitting/weathering. My guess is the "line" folks are seeing is the transition line from where that anvil laid on it's side for a long time with the top part sunk into the muck and the bottom part propped up on the feet and so not as much in contact with the pitting agents! How about that for a WAG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 First picture: note that the top section of the side seems to have deeper pitting/weathering. My guess is the "line" folks are seeing is the transition line from where that anvil laid on it's side for a long time with the top part sunk into the muck and the bottom part propped up on the feet and so not as much in contact with the pitting agents! How about that for a WAG! Nice Wag! I guess this is possible. Still, something just isn't right with this anvil. Unless it had an intended purpose to be raked, I just don't believe it came from the factory in this manner. Makes for an interesting research topic...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 They must be multiplying! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Large-Vintage-Blacksmiths-Anvil-/330581211670?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cf82cfa16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Okay, I give.........Looks like it WAS designed this way. LOL.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil H Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Perhaps this was one of the early self-cleaning anvils. Normally the smith would take time to occasionally brush the accumulated scale etc. off the face. To save time for the busy worker, the tilted face allowed this detrius to work its way off the edge of the face as the anvil vibrated from hammer blows. In common with the later self-cleaning oven, this probably didn't actually work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Hey, when , and if, you get as old as some of these anvils you may have a hunch to your profile as well :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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