Allthegearnoidea Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Hi Guys, My first post, please be gentle! What a fantastic site this is, I have been an plant engineer all my life and have recently started to work in health and safety, needless to say I am now getting board of my clipboard and decided I would like to take up a blacksmithing as a hobby. It was my Birthday last week so I decided to "treat myself" to a forge and an anvil. Since then Ive been down to the local car boot sale and bought myself some hammers based on some you-tube videos. The Hobby Forge I picked up on ebay it runs on a compressor and has a water cooled tuyere (Please give me your opinions on this do you feel it needs any improvements?). The first anvil I got was the black one with the side horn? Any ideas what it is? The second one I picked up from a farmer is Sussex its stamped with I Nash & Sons, could anyone date this? (he had three, 2 currently on ebay) Can you held my identify / date them please. Also I would like to clean up the second anvil, I cleaned the pits off the first one with a grinder flap disc and 60 grit paper on a dual action sander, can anyone suggest a better idea? It took me about 15 Hours! I was thinking of getting the nash anvil resurfaced? I think I need to fire up the forge and make my wife something nice before I tell her how much money ive spent..... Sorry for all the questions! Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Well, that's certainly a great birthday gift to yourself! I can't speak to the dates on the anvils, but I will say that you shouldn't do anything to them until you've worked on them for a few months and can better see where issues might lie. The act of pounding iron on them, and the abrasive nature of the scale, will go a long way towards refreshing the face! That forge looks dreamy. I've never used a side-blast forge, but I'm curious enough to give it a whirl if I ever run across one! That baby looks very well built and should last you another generation or two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thanks VaughnT I just knew it was a bargain, I had to drive a 500 mile trip to get it home though. Side blast forge's are very popular in England a couple of the local smiths use them although they are larger than mine. I think that the corrosion on the fave of the larger anvil is too deep and would caus issues with the work, do you think it's worth getting it re-ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loneforge Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Use it for a while first....I have an old english anvil that sat outdoors for a good 30 years.....I took it home and have been using it for 2 years.....Just took a wire cup to it the other day. I'm glad i didn't do anything to the face. This anvil works great just how it is. Machining the face in my opinion would be like removing Marilyn Monroes mole!....It may look better but it might be worse after....My opinion is good score on the tools. Enjoy and yes make her something real nice now because once the bug grabs....you may never see her again. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Loneforge, Thanks for your reply. I was hoping to fire up the forge today but the weather is terrible at the moment, do you think my lady would like a nice pair of tongs? :) The pits on the face are very deep, 3-5 mm, I would have thought that this will transfer into the steel when worked? I suppose I better get on my laptop and produce the management report that needs to be presented on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 remove the mole and you have a dress on the ground........ marilyn munroe was a mole! i have a beautiful german arch window anvil, worn as the rolling hills but such a beautiful anvil i have never used..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 here is the id on my i nash & sons, dose your anvil have any weight numbers.as to date can not find too much my nash is in brisbane au spent some time on the sea at his Majesty's pleasure . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 I must admit, it is very pretty however I couldnt bear the thought of having an anvil and not using it! Here is another picture which shows how deep the pitting is, this anvil has been in a field for 30 years plus and hasnt moved, apparently the farmers blacksmith left these to the farmer in his will, he died in the 70's. I also got a small portable bottom blow forge, do you guys think its worth refurbishing? I do have some parts for the blower also but it is incomplete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 I must admit, it is very pretty however I couldnt bear the thought of having an anvil and not using it! Here is another picture which shows how deep the pitting is, this anvil has been in a field for 30 years plus and hasnt moved, apparently the farmers blacksmith left these to the farmer in his will, he died in the 70's. I also got a small portable bottom blow forge, do you guys think its worth refurbishing? I do have some parts for the blower also but it is incomplete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Isaac_Nash_and_Sons post 1888 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi, the only thing I can see on the Anvil is I Nash & Sons and what I think is Stourbridge At a guess I would think its 2 cwt, do you know anything about I Nash production dates? is it rare? I would love to be able to date it. Also, the top is heavily pitted. Im at a loss and I am thinking about having it milled, do you think it's worth the effort and expense? Thanks in advance for everyones advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Mat, Unfortunately there is no date, based on the website it could be late 1800's early 1900's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Menard Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 After seeing the most recent photos I would have to say, in my opinion, you can not forge effectively with that anvil surface. I understand working around a few pits on the face of a fine old anvil but this is another matter. Getting it out of the field was a good first step to saving this tool. Now you will have to take the next step. It is difficult for me to tell if any of this damage is as deep as the tool steel surface thickness. The risk milling the face of an anvil is reducing the thickness of the steel top to a point that the anvil is useless for regular forging. Usually you can see the line delineating the top plate and the body of the anvil. You will have to decide for your self if it is worth fixing. Most anvils are worth the trouble. Of course you can always get another one and keep this one for forging texture in bar stock. Bob Menard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Bob, That would be some texture! Looking closely at the anvil I think that I would have to take 4-5mm off the face to get the bottom of the larger pits. I would estimate the steel top to be about 12mm, in your opinion do you feel that this is enough steel left? Thanks - Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger9523 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Paul, Check out this picture: The one with the "Side Horn" appears to be a Coachsmiths anvil. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 oh i use mine, i was saying that i have never used a finer anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Wow digger 9523, I think thats the one, Im thrilled with that! Many Thanks. I would imagine this one to be fairly old then, do you have any idea of the date? It's a great anvil although a little on the small side for my ham fists! Thanks again. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger9523 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Wow digger 9523, I think thats the one, Im thrilled with that! Many Thanks. I would imagine this one to be fairly old then, do you have any idea of the date? It's a great anvil although a little on the small side for my ham fists! Thanks again. Paul No solid idea of a date mate, but that picture has the date 28/11/06 on it. All the other numbers are old money terms, as in shillings and pence. I think it's the price per CWT. So it's a safe bet that the date refers to 1906. So you know that your anvil has the potential to be at least 106 years old. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluidsteel Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I'd investigate welding those pits before I'd touch it with a mill or a grinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Really appreciate the help digger, has amazing rebound and rings like a gud-un! Shame I have not got a good base, its mounted on all old wagon brake drum and about 20 layers of ply-wood! Boo. I need to find some horse drawn carriages to repair now! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Really appreciate the help digger, has amazing rebound and rings like a gud-un! Shame I have not got a good base, its mounted on all old wagon brake drum and about 20 layers of ply-wood! Boo. I need to find some horse drawn carriages to repair now! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Fluidsteel, this may sound like a daft question. If I were to weld it, after its preheated, must I use an arc welder with high grade rods? I only have a mig-welder. Would it be worth the outlay to have a welder do it in your opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Look up the Robb Gunter method of anvil repair on the net. Note that *many* weldors don't know squat about welding on *anvils* and have often made things worse by not preheating the steel top or by using the wrong rod---many think that hardfacing rod is just the ticket; but they use rod designed to resist abrasion and that spiderwebs when cooling leaving the face covered with fine cracks. When I have an anvil that needs re-facing I cheat! I wait until our local club has an anvil repair workshop and has someone that knows what they are doing do it right---I'm happy to fork in for pre-heat propane, rods and beer! (the last one was a 400# trenton with a lovely flat face---in between the air arc gouges where the weldors at a mine used it as a fixture when working on heavy mine machinery! The repair workshop was 150 miles away but was done by a fellow who is not only a fine smith in his own right, he also teaches welding at the local college.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allthegearnoidea Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 Fluidsteel, Is it worth it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Menard Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I think you would still be well served to try and grind/mill a good portion of the texture off and then fill the really deep ones. It is not a great idea to do alot of grinding on the face of an anvil but this one is a special case. Again in my opinion, you will have to do what you will have to do to save this tool and make it useful. I would make it useful again and either use it to it's best advantage or sell it and get another one that has not suffered so greviously. Bob Menard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.