Rustproofing anvils kept outside

[ichudov]

Just wanted to share something.

I have a 200 lbs Peter Wright anvil that I bought two or three years ago.

I keep it outside year round and I found a way to keep it from rusting.

It is outside, sitting on a stump (not secured to it, so I can turn it as I please).

When I bought it (it lived in a factory) it had a small amount of rust, and I removed it all with a wire brush on an angle grinder.

I spray it with LPS-3 rust preventative once every few months. I also keep it covered with a piece of plywood on top of the anvil. If I use the top of the anvil, I respray that place after use.

Just this -- LPS-3 and covering with plywood -- seems to be completely preventing any rust from taking place. It is a bit dirty now -- nothing special -- but it has essentially zero rust on it.

i

[Marksnagel]

Mine is also outside. I have a piece of board that stays on top and have had no rust problems yet with no rust preventative. Fair amount of use though.

[MLMartin]

I would be wary of spraying chemicals on the anvil then burning them off every time you forge on it. Burned chemicals can potentially be vary bad for your health. I don't have any anvils outside but I do keep a good vice out. I just keep a old oily rag laying over it when not in use. The rag sheds water like a duck and I just lift it off when ever I want to use it.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Why even worry about it? All 6 of mine are outside, and the patina that they get seems to do the job. Of course if I used them more they would stay shiny.

[ThomasPowers]

Having had my first anvil, a beautiful 199 pounder stolen from my back yard in the middle of OKC I would suggest a more secure arrangement. And I'm on the don't breath stuff you don't know side of the argument.

[ichudov]

LPS-3 is basically oil thickened with paraffin. I do not think that it can possibly be harmful to breath its fumes that arise from its contact with hot metal.

[double_edge2]

I thought the parrafin fumes not good at all, ....
Im Probably wrong,....

[nthe10ring]

Both of mine stay outside, I keep a rag soaked in wd40 on the face and both covered with one of the large commercial trash bags. No problems so far. Not the ideal solution but space is at a premium so no inside forging.

Jerry Fisher

[Frosty]

I have mine sprayed with LPS-3 and recommend not breathing fumes of any kind except maybe dinner. My sodorfors hasn't needed a respray in over 16 years but it doesn't live outdoors anymore.

Frosty the Lucky.

[philip in china]

My real anvils are all inside but I keep an ASO outside as a sign. That has the original grizzly blue paint on the sides and I have simply greased the face. I have used that system in the past- paint the sides, grease the face- if leaving my anvils for a prolonged period without use as it is very warm and very humid here in the summer. Then once you start forging the thin smear of grease just burns off. A bit of burning oil is nothing about which to worry.