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Can you identify this eagle anvil?


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New guy here.

 

I recently took a weekend blacksmithing class and am really excited about learning more.  I've started looking for an anvil in my area.  This is one I found about an hour away.  The seller says its an "eagle" and it has the eagle logo on the side.  I searched the forum and read a good deal about eagles.  But I'm hoping some of you can tell me more about this one.  It seems to have a short horn.  Is it a farrier's anvil rather than a blacksmith anvil?  The seller estimates its weight at 100-200 lbs, a pretty big range.  How old do you think this one is.  The top surface looks pretty good.  He is asking $250.  Thanks for your help - Steve

 

rsz_p1240503_zpse76433cd.jpg

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That is an early pattern Fisher Norris anvil from the mid 19th century.  It was intended to be a general purpose anvil not just for farriers.  it is a collectable anvil but it could also be a user.  Be aware of the paint on the face it could be hiding damage.  Price is OK but not wonderful.  Tell him in order for you to know if you want it you need to know the weight. 

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I have not seen it in person yet, the seller sent me the photo.  Here is a close up of the logo.  Seller didnt say if there were any markings on it.  Reading more in the archives, it looks like it may be an early Fisher eagle. 

 

 

logo_zpsd3674499.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fisher anvil, cast iron body, steel face, good anvils for use in areas where the ring of a wrought iron anvil would be objectionable as these are very quiet by comparison.

I love my Fisher.  My family used to complain about the "noise" from my shop.  Now the only time they hear me is when I break out the 12lb sledge and even then they feel it through the floor more than hear it.  It looks like a good starter anvil anyway.  It took my four years to find mine, if I'd found that one I would have jumped on it after checking it's livelyness.  You can always make an offer and go from there Pawn Stars style B) .

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Thanks guys, I really appreciate your input. 1870s era Fisher, great.  I'm going to look at a couple others tomorrow and this one next week some time.  It looks to be in pretty good condtion for its age don't you think?  Although it looks like there is a small hole drilled into the horn.

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That hole could have been a pocket in the casting. It will not hurt it what so ever. I'd buy it if I had the chance. I'm in need of a Fisher Anvil myself. My Hay-Budden is a bit loud for where I live. I try to keep the peace between the neighbors and I so out of respect I don't forge any later than 7 at night.

 

Scott

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ND, I wouldn't hesitate to buy that anvil.  It's in cherry condition, which is always nice, but more importantly.... its a great size.  A fisher anvil is going to be wonderfully quiet, a true pleasure to work on, and that baby is very portable.  If you hesitate, you might just lose out on it.  I would put that anvil in the 100-120lb range, and that's a great size to have for the shop, even if you have another anvil.

 

Bm454, you can quiet your anvil by bedding it in a layer of silicone caulk.  I used masonry adhesive under my Wilkinson anvil and it instantly went from churchbell ring to Fisher quiet.  Amazing, really.  Give it a whirl and see if you can't forge after 7!

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I really appreciate your input guys. But I'm a little confused about the cast iron aspect.  I keep reading about how cast iron anvils are bad, but no one seems to think it is an issue with these.  I understand the tool steel face gives it a great working surface, but is it not more prone to cracking under heavy blows?  Am I correct in assuming that the horn is cast iron, not tool steel?  I wouldn't expect to be doing heaving blows on the horn, but wouldn't a cast iron horn be rather fragile?

 

i like this anvil and hope i'm just misunderstanding something and my concerns are unwarranted.  I'm an ageing civil war reenactor and thinking that this slightly post-war anvil would be suitable to use for a wartime impression in the future.  Thanks again fellas!

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ND, cast iron anvils like you can buy from Grizzly are just that - solid chunks of cast iron.  The fisher anvil, however, is a chunk of cast iron with a tool steel plate welded onto the top.  That makes it a spectacular anvil.

 

In olden days, anvils were made of lesser-quality metal for the majority of their body because the lesser quality of metal was easier to make, thus cheaper, and would stand up to the use it was under.  Only the top surface saw any real "abuse", so only the top surface needed to be the more expensive, but durable, quality steel.

 

You will see anvils that have the face plate broken off in places, but this is the result either of a manufacturing defect or serious abuse.  This happens across the spectrum, on anvils that have both wrought iron bodies and cast iron bodies.  Of course, back then the anvil was seen simply as another rather easily replaced tool.  Break an anvil, go to the store and get another.  If folks then had known what a mint condition anvil was going for today....  

 

In the case of Fisher Norris anvils, the tool steel face plate covers the entire top, including the top of the horn.

 

Were you to buy a Trenton, Peter Wright, or Hay Budden, you're buying an anvil that has a wrought iron body and a tool steel face welded on.  The wrought iron is a very durable material.

 

If you were to find a Paragon or Soderfors anvil, you're buying a solid chunk of Cast Tool Steel.  This was only possible in the later years due to advancements in metallurgy and manufacturing.  Great anvils if you can get one.

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I really appreciate your input guys. But I'm a little confused about the cast iron aspect.  I keep reading about how cast iron anvils are bad, but no one seems to think it is an issue with these.  I understand the tool steel face gives it a great working surface, but is it not more prone to cracking under heavy blows?  Am I correct in assuming that the horn is cast iron, not tool steel?  I wouldn't expect to be doing heaving blows on the horn, but wouldn't a cast iron horn be rather fragile?

 

i like this anvil and hope i'm just misunderstanding something and my concerns are unwarranted.  I'm an ageing civil war reenactor and thinking that this slightly post-war anvil would be suitable to use for a wartime impression in the future.  Thanks again fellas!

 

If you want more information on FISHER anvils, look up my past posts.  Can't find the info you seek, contact me directly or on this forum and I will get you the answer.

 

BTW, Fisher made anvils from the early 1850's to 1979.  They were the sole supplier of American made anvils to the North during the Civil War. 

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I went out and looked at the anvil yesterday. It was as good as it appeared in the photo, I brought a bathroom scale and it weighed in about 100lbs. I couldn't find any markings on it, but they may be hidden under the paint. I'm going to clean the paint off and see if anything can be found. I ended up getting it for $220 including a hardy cutoff tool that fits it and a big set of tongs. I'm pretty pleased.

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I'm pretty pleased with it.  i wired wheeled the horn and top yesterday to get a clean working surface.  Nothing bad hidden under the paint.  I think this is a good size for me to start on.  I also got a 3/4" hardy cut off that fits it.  Its heavy enough for light work I'll be doing, yet light enough that I can move it without hurting myself.  Here's a couple more shots taken after I got it home. 

 

Fisher1_zps39a8fa18.jpg

 

Fisher2_zps876b11ef.jpg

 

 

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  • 4 years later...

It's been over 4 - 1/2 years since I started this thread about my fisher anvil. I've been using it all this time and been very pleased with it. But I never did clean it up. A few days ago I decided it was time to give it some attention. I got all the rust and nasty old paint off and cleaned it up a bit. It's pretty as is, but because it sits out on a covered patio, I'm going to paint it (except of course the surface and horn). It has plenty of bumps and bruises, but cleaned up pretty well for being over 140 years old.

Fish1.jpg

Fish2.jpg

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Boy, she shined up nice didn't she? Paint's okay, they came from the factory painted. I'd go for epoxy paint over a rust inhibiting epoxy primer. Were I going to paint my anvils. Maybe Josh knows if there was a "standard" color for Fisher anvils. You could order them in any color you wanted to pay for and a lot of retailers bought them in company colors.

I found applying Trewax to mine when it was nice and warm protected it for about 14 years under my old tarp tent smithy. Trewax is a carnuba paste floor and furniture wax, the same stuff they wax bowling alleys with. Another top shelf brand is "Bowling Alley Wax" another paste carnuba wax.

Linseed oil is a good finish and not a big chore maintaining. Wipe it down every so often depending oh your climate. Maybe every 6 months if it's muggy or every decade or so if you live in the desert. Nothing lasts forever.

Frosty The Lucky.

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I would go the Boiled Linseed Oil route before painting anyday.  I do not like painted anvils.  As to the working surface, just take an old towel and use motor oil to make it oily, then lay that over the anvil whenever it is not in use.

Fisher anvils were like Ford Model T's...you could have any color as long as it was black.  That is the only color they ever used at the factory.

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