I am meeting a fellow to look at this Vulcan, and I would like to know a little more about what i'm doing. Not only am I new to the forum, I have only made a few knives using stock removal. I will be buying this to hammer out my blades. My issues are with the pitting on the sides, specifically under the plate, and the chipped edges. The asking price is 200, but I need to know what to ask for this reasonably. Also, how difficult would this be to fix? Does anyone know someone in middle Tennessee that could do it for me? I have included a link to the pictures, because they were too big to post. Thanks in advance!!!

http://i1268.photobu...AL/IMG_2101.jpg

http://i1268.photobu...AL/IMG_2102.jpg

http://i1268.photobu...AL/IMG_2100.jpg

Vulcan anvils are good anvils even though they might be considered at the bottom of the anvil list compared to Hay Buddens or Fishers. The one you show certainly looks great and I wouldn't hesitate to grab it up if the price/weight ratio is right.

The pitting on the side isn't an issue. That one area were the top plate is unsupported is going to be an issue as you could possibly crake the top plate if you hammered in that area. That could be fixed with a welder, though.

How much does the anvil weigh? 2-3 bucks a pound is fairly standard, and that anvil looks in really good shape. If you do decide to buy it, I wouldn't change anything on it until you have some time in it.

It is 100#. Thank you for the confidence! Do run of the mill machine shops do welding like I need? I did some welding back in the day, but I don't have the skills or supplies to adequately fix that hole under the plate with any confidence.

My recollection is that Vulcan anvils are steel plated on grey cast iron. That being the case I would be skeptical about the chances of simply filling the gap where the cast iron has chipped out from under the plate using common welding repair techniques (preheat and weld). With preheating and special alloy repair electrodes, or bronze electrodes it may be possible but in this case we need the experts to weigh in.

Bottom line is that the anvil looks serviceable as is but if cosmetics are important if would be safer to look for another unless you can find a welder who really knows what they are doing. In any event I would bargain because repair is not likely to be cheap.

I had another look at the pictures this morning. Take a close look first picture which shows the overhanging plate above the chip out of the body. There is a dark line between the bottom of the plate and the anvil body. If the plate were securely joined with the anvil body I would expect to see a sharply defined corner between the two. What we may be seeing is a plate that is not joined to the body. If that is the case I would not buy this anvil at any price.

I already asked the fellow about that. He said it was joined, and that was just shadow. I will find out in person. Later on, could I just weld another tool steel plate to the existing plate? Would that area still be prone to cracking with another 1/4 or 1/2 inches of tool steel?

It may or may not have problems as posted above. IF you can purchase the anvil at a good price, you can use it to make your knives to sell and pay for a better anvil, then sell or pass the anvil to someone else.

If you add your location to your profile you could get much more information. There may be blacksmithing groups in your area that can assist you with this anvil or find an anvil for you.

You could not weld another plate onto the existing is the short answer. For $200, get it and make something! For that price you can always sell it/upgrade later.
Take a ball bearing and check for rebound, especially any areas you are worried about delamination of the faceplate. Because it's a cast iron it will have more of a thwack than a ring like a cast steel or wrought anvil will.

All sound advice heeded. You guys are awesome! Thank you so much!

90% of that face looks great, so just don't hammer over that bad spot. Or, take a grinder to that area and radius it a bunch.

At $2/lb, they are asking top dollar in my opinion. With that damage, I would take a hammer and tap all over the face, listening for changes in tone that would indicate the face plate is separating from the body. If there's no change in tone, great! If there is, walk away.

Use that damaged spot to talk him down a bit on price. A hundred-pound anvil is a great size for making knives and general hobby smithing, and a good Vulcan will do everything you ask of it.

$2 a pound for a damaged bottom of the line anvil? Seems high to me. Of course if you are anvilless and dying to get started and can't source a chunk of scrap steel to work off of...