blazemaster Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Been on the lookout for an anvil for a while, and yesterday I finally got one. I work as a glassblower, so not new to heat but certainly new to forging. I suspect it should work perfect for my use(learning). I had a friend that was interested in some glasswork and said he had a bunch of his fathers tools laying around after he passed, and he would like to see them used. He wanted to keep most of the stuff, but some of it he said he just had no use for. I told him I would give it a good home, and so we made a trade with both of us happy in the end. All I had seen was a cell phone pic, so I couldn't really tell the size or maker until he showed up. The anvil is an acme. I got it up on the bench with relative ease so it can't be too heavy. I would guess around 80lbs. As you can see from the pics you can barely make out the acme stamp. On the side there are a bunch of numbers stamped. to me it looks like z100 a79727. The face is well used, it's a little swaybacked and the edges are rounded off in most spots. All that being said it will be much much nicer than using the imaginary anvil I had before. I hope to show some crude objects soon in the future, and knock some dust off this thing. Thanks for looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Blythin Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Remember - road runners are notoriously difficult to hit. Be careful where you're dropping that thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I'd be a betting that is one of the Hay-Budden made Acme's and a nice one with years of life in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Poor edges. You will want to make an edge tool for the hardy pretty quick for when you need a clean edge. Very nice overall. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Phil has a good idea which is a lot better than trying to get it "fixed" which always sounds like what you do to a male dog, a terrible thing to do to an anvil. I guess that's what you get for not putting a radius on the edges in the first place a long, long time ago. Nice anvil you got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 That kind of damage is from adjusting horse shoes cold. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Yup it's pretty distinctive, you can get some old "ranch anvils" out here that are dang near ridge backed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 on the edge tool question dose anyone have a photo of one they like i am finding that now and then i really want a crisp edge and i have not been that happy with the the one i made for myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 http://www.iforgeiro...6953-new-edges/ these are hexagon. Mine is quite ugly. ugly. UGLY! and square. It has been ground on more since this picture so it is more usable, but still ugly. It works fine for the times I have used it. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 yeah thats about what mine looks like and my problem is i cant get as extreme an angle as i need i am trying to set up something so i can work over on the edge of my anvil so far everything i have tried has not really had the stability i am looking for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Got a welder? Do a deep penetration weld using an appropriate size post on a small plate that extends right to the edge of the anvil. Grind it back so it fits neat. Maybe not the blacksmith answer, but it will get you going with less aggravation. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 yeah its on my list of things to do the first one i made was out of half inch plate and it was just way to bouncy i keep diving into the scrap dumpster at recycling and i have my fingers crossed over a lucky dip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltesehunter Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 I'd be a betting that is one of the Hay-Budden made Acme's and a nice one with years of life in it! That anvils is made by trenton w/ an acme logo over it. The diamond is a dead giveaway, but on this anvil you can actually see the words trenton inside the diamond. Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 The serial number and weight stamping are also typical for Trentons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric sprado Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Trenton it is. I thought I saw that on the picture. Oh- about the shaping shoes cold ruining an anvil edge like that. I did exclusively hot shoeing for 25 years,but have fellow shoers who did cold shoeing for years and I NEVER saw that kind of damage. The damage they did to the edge was rounding at the heel of the anvil even with or just forward of the hardy hole.That came from shaping hind shoes. Beating on cold shoes is still a sin but I hate to beat up cold shoers THAT bad!!! That anvil is prime for some buildup with 11018 Rod. I just did a repair with it. Preheat and follow instructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 As mentioned that's the kind of damage found on old ranch anvils out here in NM that have been used for cold shoeing for the last 100 years or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shralp Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I just picked up a similar-sized Acme from my dad. Apparently was used by my great-grandfather on his farm, but I noticed a thin layer (maybe 1/4") of the top surface on the heel around the pritchel hole has chipped off. Would a tool steel face be that thin? Also, to the original poster or anyone else who would know: Is there any particular key to the numbers printed on the base? Do they reveal anything about date of manufacture or anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Also, to the original poster or anyone else who would know: Is there any particular key to the numbers printed on the base? Do they reveal anything about date of manufacture or anything? Yes, I believe Postman's book Anvils in America has the key to manufacture dates by serial numbers. Also, if my recollections are correct I believe "Acme" was a label indicative of anvils marketed through Sears and Roebuck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 My first post and trying to be helpful ACME anvils were in fact marketed thru Sears and Roebuck. ACMEs were made by both Trenton and Hay Budden depending on the year. This anvil appears to be a 1908 (S/N 74001-82000)100 pound (Z100) Trenton according to AIA. I love digging thru AIA . Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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