I'm starting to Collect the items I'll need to start smithing. I plan to take classes when time allows but for now I'll use a book and trial and error. Saw this add for the anvil below. The price seems high at over $4/lb. but the anvil appears in good to very good shape. My questions are 1) If I plan to get one anvil, what weight will serve me the best for the next few years as my skills develop? Is 100 -200 lbs reasonable? 2) Is this fellow overly optimistic on his asking price? I've spoken to him and he is retiring. He seems to take care of his tools from other pictures I've seen. 3) would I be better off getting something like a Euro anvil and swallow the cost and be done with it. Not much else to chose from around here as compared to the mid west and south.Any advise is appreciated........Alan



Blacksmith Anvil Knifemaking - $450

Date: 2012-06-26, 8:17AM PDT
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Very nice clean 100 lb Trenton anvil. Made around 1942 by the serial #
Nice size to move around
23 3/4" long with a 14 " x 3 1/2 " face
9 1/2" tall with a 3/4 " hardie hole.

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I would plop down four crisp benjis, and see if that would fly...

If not, I might still be tempted at 450....

I agree. It's on the high side for a "used" anvil. But it looks practically new. I've paid less than full price for two of the three anvils I bought after dickering a bit. I'd be sorely tempted.
I passed on a #150 Fisher that still had the sticker on it for $500 and I will likely regret it forever.

I passed on a #150 Fisher that still had the sticker on it for $500 and I will likely regret it forever.

....it'll haunt you 'til the day you die. ;)

Any thoughts as to the weight? I was thinking of one anvil that will last me for quite a while. I guess I was thinking I'd rather grow into the anvil rather than out grow it. Is my thought process faulty?

It's a bit light for a main shop anvil; but an excellent size for one that will travel to demos, get moved around, etc. Not knowing what type of smithing you plan to do makes asking us rather like me asking you "Should I buy the Prius or the pickup truck"?

If you plan to do large things like gates you probably will want a larger anvil sometime in the future. For most regular sized knives that would do you for a long time. For small ornamental work it would be fine; for toolmaking it's a bit on the light size...etc and usw!

You are in an area that anvils are more expensive in. That is a good brand anvil in quite good condition, (barring the results of the ball bearing test and tapping to see if any hidden flaws exist.) Can you get any basic tools thrown in on the deal? A hardy and a couple of pairs of tongs and a decent hammer to get you started would make the price more tempting...A leg vise would *really* make it sound better!

I must admit that until recently I had more hours on my 93# anvil than I did on my 515# anvil as the small one went to lots of day long demos; where as I only got a couple of hours a week on the big one between making a living and the honey-do's...