1884 Fisher 90#

[Matthew Paul]

I finally got a nice anvil. I found an 1884 fisher 90# locally for a good price. It's in fairly good shape and has been refaced, but the edges are not too sharp. It works great for now until I can get them fixed up. Here is a not so good picture. I'll take better ones once it is mounted proper in a stump. It's nice an quiet, and I like that.

-Matt

[Elemental Metal Creations]

You don't want the edges to sharp, that will cause problems with colt shuts. I found that out the hard way, You need at least a small radius on the edges, different radius on different parts of the anvil are handy.

[Ridgewayforge]

Beautiful anvil! Sharp edges mar your work, too, unless you're super-accurate with your hammering. If you nedd a sharp 90 degree bend on say a nail hook, makie the radiused edge and then use a nail-header to put a sharper bend on it.

[ThomasPowers]

Quiet; heavy enough to be useful, light enough to be easily moved, good price == great anvil to me!

[Bentiron1946]

Nice sized and easy to move. Don't worry about sharp edges on an anvil that age. If you want sharp edges go buy a new anvil but on a Fisher they tend to be a bit brittle and it best to gently round them off any way. If they are chipped just knock of the chipped edges with a file or hit them gently with a grinder. If you want sharp edges make an axillary tool that fits in your hardy hole. Get a piece of square stock that fit your hardy hole and a piece of steel plate a minimum of 1/2" thick, the length of your anvils hard face and at least 1/4" wider than the hard face. This will provide you with a sharp cornered face. If you are thinking of welding up that old hard face and then grinding down the welds forget it, it will come to no good. Most of the welds will eventually break out and take some of the older material with them.

[Matthew Paul]

Nice sized and easy to move. Don't worry about sharp edges on an anvil that age. If you want sharp edges go buy a new anvil but on a Fisher they tend to be a bit brittle and it best to gently round them off any way. If they are chipped just knock of the chipped edges with a file or hit them gently with a grinder. If you want sharp edges make an axillary tool that fits in your hardy hole. Get a piece of square stock that fit your hardy hole and a piece of steel plate a minimum of 1/2" thick, the length of your anvils hard face and at least 1/4" wider than the hard face. This will provide you with a sharp cornered face. If you are thinking of welding up that old hard face and then grinding down the welds forget it, it will come to no good. Most of the welds will eventually break out and take some of the older material with them.

Well that's not good news. It was hard faced when I got it,with some type of extremely hard plate. Instead of fixing the defects in the face when they welded the new face on they just notched the plate at the same angles and it is really uneven and wavey along the edges. I just migged a small spot on the corner of the face for now. I'll Have to make a plate that fits in the hardy hole like you said. That's a good idea. Ya think 1095 would work well for that? I have a bunch of 1/4 thick stock. Thanks for the info.

[ThomasPowers]

1095 is overkill---save it for blades!!!!!! Also 1/4" is way thin: 1/2" to 1" is better. I'd go with something like a truck (semi, dumptruck, etc) leafspring piece and remember to preheat when welding! Heat treat to normalize will probably work fine.

[Matthew Paul]

Thank you for the info Thomas

[Matthew Paul]

I said that I'd post a picture once It was on a qiality base, and I finally built one this weekend. My buddy shoes horses so he and I cut an old shoe in half and shaped it so that I could use it as the hold downs. We secured them with shoe nails too. It looks cool. So, here it is:

[gator13]

Nice anvil. Love that stand too. My stand is 9 4x4s standing up and there not all cut straight so its got a little wobble. I may have to rebuild my stand. Good work