Hello I'm incredibly new to smithing and I'm wondering if anyone had any tips on where to find anvils, I live in the Saskatoon SK area if that helps at all.

Craigslist, eBay, estate sales, flea markets, just start looking for big chunks of steel, you'll find something eventually.

Search this site for TPAAAT or the Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique

This page has a fair bit of info on how to find a used anvil, might be helpful to you

Link removed at the request of Anvilfire.

Joe

Once you tune your scrounging technique a bit they seem to pop up all over the place. Sadly most should have stayed up popped. Vulcans missing half the face and what not. The last one I picked up was a Lakeside (Hay Budden for I think it was Monkey Ward) I literally tripped over going into my favorite antique shop. 125 for an 86 pounder was too good to pass up.

Join the blacksmith guild based out of the WDM in Saskatoon. The guild is an excellent source for resources.

Tell EVERYBODY you know you're looking for an anvil. This is of course the prime tenet of the TPAAAT but it's the most powerful trick there is.

Frosty The Lucky.

Here's what some real anvils look like

(jumpy camcorder recording of TV...)

A well supported and fastened 30# (15kg) steel mass, higher carbon preferred, can outperform a 100# anvil simply placed on a stump. While there is no substitute for mass, good fastenings can help immensely.

And ask everybody for an anvil, your parents, your SO's parents, the preacher, your teachers, your boss, the grocery clerk...someone may have just banged their shin on a perfect 50# - 300# Peter Wright, Trenton, Hay Budden, Other Big Name, and will want you to haul it out of their garage or basement, possibly for free.

How do you determine the size of an anvil? One hand lift, two hand lift, team lift, get more help, machine required, and appraise the person you are talking to, and where they say it is located.

Phil

Come to Quad State 4th weekend in September. Troy, Ohio. Many other Canadians will be there, one is even demonstrating.

Great video !!! A reminder that EVERYTHING made of metal used to be that labor-intensive.

Me, I'd be crippled if I hunkered down like that for a half-hour !!!

PeteH

Hi im looking for a great condition 900lb plus non repaired anvil. If anyone has one for sell let me know. If you know anyone with one let me know as well. I am in Southern CA  

Thank you

B & n metals might have some rail way rails I know they got some from cn  I am going to see if they can dig some up for me I will let you know

30 minutes ago, Elite said:

Hi im looking for a 900lb plus non repaired anvil. If anyone has one for sell let me know. If you know anyone with one let me know as well. 

Thank you

Welcome aboard Elite. If you'll put your general location in the header you might get a response to that request. 

Why do you need a 900lb. anvil in "non repaired" condition?  By "non repaired" do you not care what condition it's in so long as nobody tried repairing it, as in 900lbs. remaining of a 2,000lb. anvil? 

If you're looking for a museum display why so large?

If you're trying to equip a shop in a foreign country just say so, if we know where you are we might be able to refer you to a manufacturer who can make exactly what you need.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Im in Southern CA. Just looking for a great condition non-repaired Anvil. A great bragging rights piece for my shop. 

What kind of shop is it, a reality TV custom chopper shop? Surely not a blacksmith shop.

I'll give you a shout next time I see one.

Frosty The Lucky.

No. We install/ repair Commercial Dock levelers and Doors  thank you Frosty!

On the west coast I would suggest searching old naval yards and major ship building places.  Talk with the old retirees and try to find where the big ones got to when things shut down.  Expect a price of at least US$5K

Or more... a 700# Hay Budden went up to $14,000 recently. A 900# would have collectors drooling, if it got listed. I am friends with a guy on FB who buys anvils in England, then ships them to customers over here. He recently posted a 700#, he may have a bigger one. The 1,300+# Wilkinson he has is not for sale, as he was searching that one out to get it back "Home" where it belonged.

For dock levelers-I would make a custom anvil from a trip to the scrap yard pieces. 

$8,000 will currently net you a 990lb German Anvil

 

There is a 1,200# bridge anvil listed on the Minneapolis CL, $3,500