tcforgeandironworks Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Hey guys, I need an opinion about this anvil: http://www.centaurforge.com/NC-112-lbs-Calvary-Anvil-Eligible-for-Free-Shipping-See-Home-Page-for-full-details/productinfo/18NC112/ I know it's more of a shoer's anvil, but would it suffice for a starter blacksmith? Let me know your opinions please, come one and come all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Form follows function. The anvil you choose depends on your needs, finances, availability of anvils in your area, and what you plan on using the anvil for. The anvil shown seems fine but you might wish to try some anvils, or any other equipment, before you purchase so that you can make an informed decision, and match your purchase to your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unforgivun Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I'm just starting out too, and had the opportunity to purchase a few farriers anvils and have turned them down thus far. If I was gonna spend that much I think I would add a bit more and get the 120# Legend anvil from anvil brand. http://www.anvilbrand.com/p-716-anvil-brand-legend-120-lb-anvil.aspx It's not much more expensive and it has a much better setup and a thicker waist than the farriers anvils. It says they're out of stock at the moment but I was told if I called them around 8/2/11 that they should have some ready. Thats IF I was dead set on purchasing a NEW anvil. Before I did that I believe I would go to SearchTempest.com and put in my zip code and do a search for both anvil and blacksmith. Might be surprised what you find within an hour or 2's drive. In the mean time find something heavy and steel and put some hot metal on it and whack it with a hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 That's quite a bit to spend on something that may not suit your requirements! I think that you should possibly add your location to your profile and you might be surprised as to what is availible & where. Also it helps if you can" try out" on another smiths anvil/s as it will give you a "feel" for them. My $0.02 worth. Ian P.S. Welcome to IFI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcforgeandironworks Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 I have been smithing for about 3 years and demonstrated several times. I donated my anvil to my old guild when we left Nashville. I just got my shop set up and have everything but the anvil. Wailed on that old one a lot. I will check the search site though. I have drawn a bust on cl of anything I find interesting:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcforgeandironworks Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 I have been smithing for about 3 years and demonstrated several times. I donated my anvil to my old guild when we left Nashville. I just got my shop set up and have everything but the anvil. Wailed on that old one a lot. I will check the search site though. I have drawn a bust on cl of anything I find interesting:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Did you check out Laurel Machine and Foundry in Laurel Miss. for a new anvil if you are willing to buy a new one? Or Emmerson Horseshoe in Bossier City La.? Since I do not shoe horses I would not need all the "bumps" on that Centaur farrier's anvil and the price is a lot for what you get. Centaur is VERY proud of what they have and price it all accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boilerguy Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 location please maybe I can hook you up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Ok Folks; take a deep breath and repeat after me "The internet is often NOT the best place to find an anvil!" asking around locally usually will turn up good anvils far cheaper than the internet does and being local you avoid the often quite high shipping charges. (I do keep an eye on CraigsList for them as it's "local"; but have only found *one* that I would buy for a bit less than US$1.50 a pound and lots in terrible condition that they want $6 a pound for.) Now if you are willing to spend several hundred dollars just to not speak to you neighbors, friends, post a notice at the feed store, etc; well good for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 The internet can be a great place to find anvils IF you beat everyone else to the anvil (i.e. watch it frequently). I picked up my 450 pound Peter Wright for $450 and my 350 pound Fisher sawyers anvil for $150 by watching Kijiji (online classifieds similar to Craigslist). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcforgeandironworks Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 If I might take a moment to expand my statement / question with some background information: I have been smithing for 3.5 years. My main focus is on houshold items such as s/j hooks, scrapers, pot/pan racks, and fireplace pokers. I do often mix my craft with wood and make coat racks, clocks, and various other items. I recently moved from the Nashville area to Arlington Tx, and left my anvil in Nashville. Though the ancient crafts thrill me, I do use Gas, power equipement, and am by no means a purist. I will attempt to post my anvil quandry that is milling about the void that is my mind and utilize my inadiquate blacksmithing vocabulary to express my ideas.... I am by far not stating that money is no object, but I do have $500 that i am willing to purchase an anvil with. I have searched craigslist, newspapers, ebay, searchtempest, etc, and have found a few anvils that I have found interesting but I have either been unable to make it in time, or found the anvil to be in worse condition that I care to mess with. I know that "the oldies can be goodies" but I do not care to take the time or manpower to "rebuild" the surface of an anvil. My old anvil was a little beat up, and yes it did serve it's purpose, but I did not like not having an edge, and having to work on 100 years of someone else's work. I like the idea of crisp edges and a clean work surface that i don't have to worry about a mark on my work that i didn't intend to put there. I don't feel as though I need (or care to fight with) a 450lb anvil at this stage in my work, and feel as though a 120lb anvil would do just fine for the light work that I do, unless I am mistaken. If I do have a very large piece of steel that I must hammer on, I do not use my anvil anyways, I have a section of railroad track that I can abuse to my heart's content. If I am going to drop coin on a new anvi, I just want to make sure I get a good one. I don't feel as though I have a need for a double horn. I do not need all the horseshoe stuff (though alot of my work is remaking horseshoes into other items) Mainly I want a good, solid, well made basic blacksmith anvil that will last me until I decide to expand my trade into something larger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I've never paid US$600 for an anvil in 30+ years of smithing and I general pick up ones with a great face and crisp edges. This includes anvils I have gotten in OK, AR, OH, and NM. It does not include any found in newspapers, conferences, and only one on the internet (112# PW, Albuquerque NM, $150, 2010). I did spend $600 for a #1 Champion triphammer last year though. Most of my acquisitions were inside city limits of Columbus OH in the 1990's. So by going around talking with people I have managed to find great anvils in your quality and size range that required NO repair work whatsoever. I'd go for a better deal on an anvil and sink the rest of the money in a good swageblock and a cone---I assume you have a good postvise already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boilerguy Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Well unless ya want to take a trip to NC Charlotte area I can't help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcforgeandironworks Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 I do have a good post vise as well as a pretty nifty Engineer's vice that I'm doing modifications to! I guess I will just keep my nose to the grindstone and see what I can dig up before I buy new. I don't have any contacts down here really, and have yet to meet another hammer swinger. I work sometimes 16 hours a day 5 days a week, saturday is honey do, and Sunday is church all day, So other than my 1Am workshop, i'm pretty booked up. Any folks in the Arlington Area that can give me some pointers on were the local smiths congregate? I miss my guild back home, we met once a week and were always getting togeather to hold classes, hammer ins, or just swap designs and techniques. It's hard going from an active guild to a solitary lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Yup; when I first got out of college I worked in the oil patch as a mudlogger 12 on 12 off 7 days a week; gets old pretty fast and hard to have a social life---OTOH I talked with a lot of folks in small towns and started buying smithing equipment---my first 50# powerhammer I bought for $250 under power back in the early 1980's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 OK, I guess it's a lot better than something from Harbor Freight or some other cast iron anvil from China or India and a whole lot better than a rock. And it will work for simple things like "S" hooks and that sort or thing but I wish you would look long and hard for an older anvil. There has got to be one out there somewhere hiding in a pumpkin patch or a hen house. I bought one at a auto garage that was just in the way for $75 and they felt like the were cheating me, if I hadn't open my mouth I most likely could have got it for nothing with the rest of the scrap steel laying there, but I had to go and say "Hey, will you take $75 for that anvil". Don't worry, I got my money back and then some. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcforgeandironworks Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yeah, i have some more tinkering I need to do with my shop, so I can delay a while. I will finish my gas forge first and post the pics here. I've just not swung a hammer in almost 12 months due to not having a shop, and now that I'm so close it's actually creating an urge in me quite like craving a pizza. It's quite odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! TC, here is the local group for you; http://ntxba.org/ Their next meeting is Aug 13. There are some great guys in this group and you may be able to find one of them that will turn loose of an extra anvil. They are also having a HammerFest the weekend of Sept 10-11 in Plano. If you want to drive to Longview, TX, about 120 miles or so east of Dallas, I have a couple that I keep for any students that are looking for an anvil, not pristine mind you be good anvils. (You can PM me if you like and I can send some photos of what I have.) If you can get to Canton, TX on 1st Monday's Trades Day (this weekend) you can sometimes find an anvil there for sale, but they are a little high for me. Also, it's best to get there on a Thursday before everything is picked over! Ask around about 1st Monday in Canton, it's been going on since the 1800's and folks come from all over the U.S. to buy/sale. Good luck in your quest for that anvil. And no you are not alone in the Dallas area, there are a lot of good smiths just 'round the corner! If you want to travel to OK there is a fantastic group of smiths in the Saltfork Craftsmen Artist Blacksmith Assoc. http://www.saltfforkcraftsmen.org we also have swage blocks and cones that are excellently cast for a good price. Our annual conference is in Perry, OK the 3rd weekend of OCT. sorry, can't remember the demonstators... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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