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I Forge Iron

Fisher Anvil.....


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Wouldn't touch it for that price. The edges aren't great, not by any means, and the anvil's a bit light for my tastes. Those two factors mean it isn't valued at $3/lb. That's a rather high price in my book and it's reserved for anvils that really match my wants and needs. That usually means either larger than 150# or in pristine condition, or both.

I'd try to talk him down to less than $2/lb because of the size and condition, or walk away. While the face looks nice and flat, and you could do a lot of general work on an anvil of that size, the price is just too much for me.

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ya, but being the south, only a few hundred miles from mexico....
worst thing its an hour plus away.....but not too many options here, dont want a farrier anvil...
ill see if he can do 200 for it, if not just wait...i see TFS has a b-smith anvil for 550ish...thats only a little more than what i already have, would have to drive 180 miles or pay the shipping, might be the same in gas.....



just saw a TFS certifier for 400, but its a Farrier Anvil....:(

http://austin.craigslist.org/tls/3063328050.html

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not Farrier anviles round here , Tennessee good qualite and not trash , old school anvils that the ol timers like to see young folks useing and doing something with their life other than drugs . as most families know each other round here


Sam

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Don't feel too bad, hoss. If anvils are scarce you have to do what you have to do. I don't like farrier anvils for a lot of different reasons and would spend $3/lb for a Fisher in a skinny minute if it was the only thing available. The anvil pictured is in very good condition, and it's a very good brand of anvil. It's also a great size anvil for 99% of the general tinkering you'll probably do.

Nice thing about the Fisher when compared to those farrier anvils is that the Fisher won't ring like a church bell. They are very quiet anvils because they utilize a cast iron base.

Talk to the seller and see if he won't come down a bit. Make up a sad story, high gas prices... whatever. And realize that as soon as you buy that Fisher you'll run across a bigger better one for cheaper. Seems to happen like that all the time! :D

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ya if ya ant got a anvil its not bad but... last 100 lbr i had i sold for 200 and it was nicer than that... i use a fisher in my main shop and like it but the edges are a little soft... at 450 ide be tempted to save a bit more and get a new one of the various brands available... check around with neibors and friends you would be suprised what people have layin around....

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ya, ill be saving, he would go any lower then 400, i just don't think i can spend that much for a cast iron/steel plate anvil. i rather just save another 200 or so and get a new one....
thanks all

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The price was way too high for an anvil of that size and condition. $3/lb would have been reasonable considering the lack of anvils in the region, but $4/lb is silly.

That double-horn anvil from TFS does look good, but I've never worked with them. At 100lb, it's a good size and brand new.....

What type of work are you looking to do with it? Can you make do with a stump anvil or post anvil for the time being? I would think Austin would be ripe with old oilfield parts like drill rod that might be turned into an very stout anvil...

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well i liquidated my Marco Lens, got me $400, and now the question is should i try for an old Anvil or get a new one? the ones i have seen are all over an hour's worth of a drive, and all over 400.

as you seen the Fisher, he will not let it go for anything lower than 400
see a 94-97# Peter Wright (0 3 22), think this is too small for 400
and then a 200# Trenton Anvil for 600ish, this one would be nice.....
all of these i will have to travel over 100 miles....

or just order a farrier anvil form Centaur Forge, almost looking at the NC Calvary 112 lbs... or just save it for the 200 lb'er?
its burning a hole in my pocket......


thanks all

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Main thing I do or will be doing is blades, maybe some small decorative items, but for the most part blades.. Will need an anvil that will handle small sword/large knifes. I know some folks don't like to hear that, but my Viking heritage wants it, lol :)
Thx

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So you don't really need a london pattern anvil at all---why spend the $$$$$ on one?

I suggest you look at what traditional swordmakers in Japan use and go find something like that.

There is a good example in National Geographic's "Living Treasures of Japan" that you may be able to request from your local public library if you don't find it online.

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I've seen the Japanese style anvils, but finding a solid chunk of steel that sized is a problem here in Austin, Tx. No real industrial areas around here and for any Oil related finds, that all would be more North Texas.

As for getting a real anvil, i would like a "solid" piece of steel, that's heavier that the 2" inch block i have, would be nice to have a hardie hole and pritchel to aid in my one manned adventures... figure it would help me chisel/cut, fuller and such things i can not do without an extra pair of hands...but never the less...

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You might give this guy a call, see if he is willing to work on price with you. http://waco.craigslist.org/atq/3066440089.html


This is one of the ones I was looking at, be an hour or so away, but I believe that's worth it. Did some more diving, the 0 3 22, is. 106 lb'er

Is this Peter Wright math correct? (found it on another thread, changed it to match this anvil)...

0  * 112 = 0
3 * 28 = 84
22 * 1 = 22


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Ya, just read Thomas' note below the Peter Wright/English anvil math...It's a 106 lb'er, same guy that has the 200 lb'er Trenton ... Too much...
http://waco.craigslist.org/atq/3002460857.html


It states it's "soild wrought", that doesn't mean that it doesn't have a steel plate on top?

Thanks

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Well, if it's blade work you're looking to do, a london-pattern anvil is just about useless for the majority of the work. Yea, a hardy or pritchel comes in handy every now and then, but a vise does the job and a whole lot better, too.

Look around the scrap yards for anything that's big and use that for a stump anvil. Heavy equipment (bulldozer, grader, crane, train) all have very large chunks of steel in their makeup that will do wonders for an anvil, and most of them are better than a london-pattern because they concentrate the weight under the hammer's face. Buddy of mine works for Caterpillar and sells big equipment for the forest industry. He's trying to get me a "stump" from one of their harvesters. It's a 300lb hunk of steel that the giant sawblade bolts to at the end of the arm! That will make me the greatest bladesmithing anvil of all time!!! :D

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well, been thinking about VaughnT and Thomas said, not needing a full sized anvil for what i need... got me thinking, called the place Thomas found, they weren't too nice, "we might do something like that for our neighbors" "that's something they wont want to make" so screw them....

took a look at the 4x4 4140 steel block from OldWorldAnvils (ive heard they are willing to cut it bigger than 4" long)
http://www.oldworldanvils.com/anvils/4x4.html


you got a new question, if all a bladesmith is a small chunk of steel, would not a farrier anvil do, i hear a lot of talk about Blacksmiths not working on them due to where the weight is at, a farrier anvil should be ok for a bladesmith....

Thomas you got me thinking.... :|

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