January 18, 201313 yr Hello and good morning, So being new to blacksmithing and I needed and aso and found this nearby in London, Fairly happy with it but would like some info on manufacturer? Think its German style but no stamp other than the C. 32 in long, about 180 lbs. What do you guys think? All the best Liam
January 18, 201313 yr That sure looks nice, at this point I think the " Liam's " is the most important. Regards Ian
January 18, 201313 yr Author That sure looks nice, at this point I think the " Liam's " is the most important. Regards Ian I really feel quite :wub: about this pattern!
January 18, 201313 yr Author honestly i dont think its german.. mebbie a brooks ? Any particular reason? honestly i dont think its german.. mebbie a brooks ? Any particular reason? Maybe a german style vauhn /brooks? German style two-horn anvils often have very distinctive features. The hardie hole of modern German style anvils is placed near the round horn of the anvil rather than near the tail of the anvil, and the hardie hole is positioned inside the area of the feet or base of the anvil. Placing the hardie hole inside this base area offers more support and mass beneath the hardie and the anvil is subjected to far less bouncing and shaking under the heaviest hammer blows. The German anvils place the horn right up next to the workface of the anvil, omitting the cutting block that is normally associated with the typical London or American pattern anvils. German smiths are taught to either cut only partially through the metal and finishing the cut off the edge of the anvil, or to cut over a iron plate placed temporarily on the anvil. The cutting block would have taken up valuable workspace on the anvil and moved the useful drawing area of the horn farther away from the support of the main body of the anvil. So maybe german style brooks or vaghn?
January 18, 201313 yr It's not even close to a German style anvil, even though the double horns. As mentioned, German have their hardy hole close to the round horn in the face, and the pritchle hole is close to the square horn in the face. Looking at the anvil, I believe this is a Peter Wright (England) wrought iron anvil. I think it is one, by looking at the slight step if has at the end of its feet. A typical Peter Wright sign. Or a ....... Wright brand.
January 18, 201313 yr Author Thanks about the Peter Wright did not know it was only wright anvils that have a step in the feet. A better image I found this specifically Hardie holes in German style anvils. Hardie holes placed near round horns on some European anvils. The hardie hole on a German style anvil is placed near the round horn so that tools placed in the hardie hole will be positioned towards the left of the hammer when the smith is working on the face of the anvil. This is in contrast to the London pattern or American pattern both of which place the hardie near the heal of the anvil. Placing the hardie hole near the round horn instead of the tail of the anvil, moves the hardie tooling away from the hand-grip of the hammer and allows the smith to continue to work the iron on the face of the anvil without having to waste time removing the hardie between tasks. The German and Swedish and Czech anvils place the hardie hole near the round horn but the English anvils such as Vauhn/Brooks do not.
January 18, 201313 yr Moi?....That's all I have to go by, a PW is the only anvil I've seen with those distinctive flats on the feet....My theory is they could have been used to cleat the anvil down firmly while doing the final forging.....I've used them for that to fasten mine to the platen table with the use of a fabricated adapters for the dogs to press on. is that due to the feet / steps?
January 18, 201313 yr Author Wow, well i have cleaned it up some more, and given it and oil. Ill get some photos up tomorrow,
January 24, 201313 yr Author So here are some updated pictures after a quick wire brush and belt sander over the face. More than happy with the rebound and ring. Just need a bigger stand/stump
January 24, 201313 yr I'm with the Peter Wright camp. It doesn't look like a John Brooks anvil to me. You can see the welded waist on this anvil and the step as mentioned in previous posts, signs of a Peter Wright anvil. The John Brooks double bick anvils that I have seen have the Hardie hole at the end of the face with the square horn and the pritchel hole at the end of the face with the round horn and also they step down to the square horn. I am talking only of the forged John Brooks anvils here not the modern cast steel ones sold by Vaughans. I use a small John Brooks double bick anvil as my demo anvil and I find it extremely versatile and I prefer the shape to the London Pattern. I have recently purchased three full sized double bick anvils, I've already on sold one and the others are in my shed having some TLC and none of them were like this one. When I work out how to post images I'll upload some of my double bick anvils, the largest of the three is really unusual with two different sized pritchel holes and two different sized Hardie holes (one in the face and one in the square horn). Enough of my rambling, you've got yourself one very fine anvil that looks in great condition, be happy and enjoy it.
January 24, 201313 yr That's a wonderful looking anvil and I'm sure that whatever brand it is you will enjoy it all you years of forging on it. Now light off the forge, get the iron hot and start hammering. :D
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