Merry Christmas to me!

[Jon Smith]

So one of the neighbors decided to get into the Christmas spirit a little early this year. Turns out he had a grandfather who did some smithing on the farm and the old Hay Budden was sitting in the back of the shop collecting dirt and rust--till he decided to pass it along anyways. It's not proudly in my shop (even if the face is broken :-( ).

The stamp on the side says
Hay Budden
Manufacturing
Brooklyn, NY

But no serial number on it. It weighs i would guess about 70 lbs. Anyone got any idea around when it was made? I'll try to post a pic later

[ThomasPowers]

Serial number will be on the front foot not the side but they often are rusted past reading.

[Jon Smith]

Serial number will be on the front foot not the side but they often are rusted past reading.

I did look there as I know HB stamped the serial there, but sadly if there was one it's really, really rusted over right now. Maybe I can clean it up with a wire wheel and resurrect it but I doubt it.

[Jon Smith]

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36502-img-0440/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36508-img-0437/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36506-img-0435/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36505-img-0434/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36504-img-0433/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36500-img-0438/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36501-img-0439/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36502-img-0440/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36503-img-0432/

So I got her cleaned up and oiled and she's gorgeous. Rings like a bloody church bell too. I was right though, the serial number is completely obliterated; there's a chunk missing from the foot, almost like it was ground out.

[ThomasPowers]

Mine has the serial number on the foot rusted out too; but you know it doesn't work any less well as an anvil!

I think that a pile of scale built up against the foot and when the anvil was covered with moisture from condensation and it ran down there as well it set up a rust cell...

[Thomas Dean]

How do you get your anvil to stay on the ceiling?

[Jon Smith]

I would have never thought of a scale pile, but that makes all kinds of sense now that you say it.

I keep the anvil attached to the ceiling using a glue made of rust and beeswax. Wonderful stuff

[ThomasPowers]

I just hypnotize mine to think that it's in Chile.

[Ridgewayforge]

Fantastic looking little guy, he's still got enough face left to keep you hammering for a good long while! Happy hammering!