Farmall Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Fella sent me this picture of an anvil he wants me to buy. No price suggested yet. Any ideas as to what kind it is? Could it be a Vulcan because of the stubby shape and the "12" on the front. Does that mean 120#? What do think a fair starting price would be...$150? $200? He's bringing it buy next Friday, so I am just trying to get some idea of fair price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 That is not a Vulcan, wrong shape. I have seen many many anvils in the US, but I do not recognize this anvil. Makes me wonder if its some modern cast iron anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I have found that the stubby fat horns like that are more often then not cast ASO ( At least up by me ) The 12 is also raised, not sunk, lending to the fact that it is cast. Now it coudl be cast steel, but if it is cast iron, then it is a better door stop than anvil. HOWEVER, if you don't have an anvil, then they are ok. I still have my cast ASO. Price depends on how much you want it, what it is made of, and its size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Very small hardy and pritchel; looks like a modern ASO to me---might give it the ring test as a cast steel anvil RINGS LOUDLY where a cast iron one goes thwap when struck---have to remove anything from the hardy or pritchel though and have it on a hard surface when testing. Now as to price---anvils go for about half agin as much where I live now than where I used to live. Whey you are at is a mystery! But for a cast iron ASO I would not offer over 50 cents a pound. For a *real* anvil I start my offer at US$1 a pound as sometimes folks will sell them at that and then go up based on my finances and perceived utility. I have never paid over US$1.50 a pound but $2 a pound if fairly common according to others. I'm quite happy to turn down expensive anvils as I'm well anviled up. Funny thing I was teaching smithing yesterday and with 5 anvils in the shop we ended up using a chunk of 8" steel roundstock as an anvil for a particular job as we needed a wide flat face to true up an item. Don't spend way to much money on an ASO when a scrap piece of steel would make a better anvil cheaper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Thanks for the information....I was thinking it was cast as well, but was not sure. I probably go buy and look at it, but I don't think I need it. I've got a nice little 70# fisher that works well....just looking to get a bigger anvil when opportunity strikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 If you want to be able to get some heavy striking in look at finding a block of steel something like 4" square or larger that is a 12" long or longer. Stand it on end and it will be able to take a huge amount of hammering and give rebound of a anvil 3 or 4 times its size. I have a 6" square by 12" tall block of steel standing on end and mounted to a stump. I don't think twice about having a striker with a 16 pound hammer work over it all day long. The block is only 120 pounds, and I would never consider having a striker on a London style anvil that size. But a solid brick of steel can take anything a man could ever swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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