If you were designing an anvil from scratch what would it be? Would it be German, London, or some mix? I realize that everyone has there own idea of what the perfect anvil is and thats what I'm after.
I've decided that just for something to do I'm going to build myself an anvil. I already have a decent 146 pound PW to use, so it's not like I have to make one. I just want to. I also happen to work at a scrap yard, which doesn't hurt anything on a project like this.
I'm mainly a lurker when it comes to forums but I will say I have found this one to be very interesting and my thanks to the powers that be for keeping it going.

I like the aesthetics of the south German anvils.

A few different sized Pritchett holes would be useful too

Cheers

If you are paying... a 250 Kg Brooks either single or double bick. www.anvils.co.uk

 

If I am paying, probably a US made Bubba Rhino as that gets about the biggest bang for the buck at 300 pounds+

Well I would want one that is extremely large yet extremely small with a wide but narrow face and zero to 3 horns with a very fat thin tail and a short squat long thin horn.

 

Or in other words what would be ideal for some tasks would be terrible for others.

 

Not knowing what YOU plan to do on it makes it hard to suggest what would be ideal for YOU

 

Now I'm lusting after a large NIMBA; but I know it wouldn't be right for everything I do.

Why a small face? You can do small work on a large anvil but not vice versa. I missed a deal on a 250Kg Brooks a few years ago. It would have been wonderful....

I have solved the problem of the ideal anvil by having more anvils than tongs :)

so, my anvils are quiet different from each other, sizes, shapes, features, etc. of course, I can do the work on one single anvil, but it's not  bad  to have more anvils

around you :) 

 

but, the idea of the "ideal anvil" haunts me too, I'm even dreaming about finding a steel foundry to make it. 

330lb Refflinghaus #58

There are certain tasks where a narrow face helps  for example forge a T and then bend the ends of the bar parallel 3" apart.  If you have a 3" wide face it's trivial---why the coachmakers anvil has the small side horn on it for just such tasks.

I have fantasies of a Spanish double horn, with Hofi style working surfaces. Actually 3 of them, 75#, 150# and 300# portable, simiportable and shop.
I like the looks of postanvils

 I wouldn't mind having a Hofi or Tom Clark anvil, but neither one is available now. The "BLU anvil" looks close to it and they even make a stand for it, but they don't say what its made of or where its made. Has anyone had a chance to see or better yet, work on the BLU anvil?

I don't think there is one ideal anvil that covers everything you might want to do.

 

I have a Paragon 66lb, a Wilkinson 120lb and a Fisher 350lb.  All three are made with different types of manufacturing (cast steel, wrought under tool, and cast under tool, respectively) and all three are very nice to work on.  

 

The smallest one isn't the greatest because it's a portable anvil for demos or learning smiths.  It's a lot softer than my other two anvils, but it's one solid chunk of steel and I can grind the face down should it get too dinged up and not have to worry about thinning down a tool-steel top plate.

 

The Wilkinson is also small enough to be reasonably portable for demos and the like, but big enough that any smith could use it for a shop anvil and not feel like they are handicapped.

 

The Fisher, though, is a hoss at somewhere around 350#.  She's not portable in the least, but she sure does look pretty sitting there on her stand!  Absolutely wonderful anvil for all-purpose working, and I'm so incredibly happy to have her around.  :D

I don't think there is one ideal anvil that covers everything you might want to do.


The Fisher, though, is a hoss at somewhere around 350#.

I would like to keep my 120 Fisher and have one like yours..

I'm with Thomas Powers, I have found over the years that one anvil won't cover all my needs. That being said I have hunted and found the best of each kind that suit my needs and 

then surrounded my forge so that each is readily available depending on what I'm working on. If you are are confined to one anvil you can figure out how to make it work. But realistically

as you progress your needs will probably surpass your tool. Yeah, I could make do with one large anvil, which I have but I love to turn to the small horn on my 77 pounder when the need arises.

Much is made about the perfect anvil, I have more than a few and I use them all depending on what I need to accomplish. But a BIG Nimba or Rhino would always be welcomed too and wouldn't be left out..