For months I've been looking at an anvil for sale.  I don't especially need an anvil, I'm not a blacksmith or blacksmith wannabe, but I have a shop and like to work on a variety of equipment.

 

It is a Vulcan, about 100 pounds.  I see Vulcans don't rate as being very desirable in the comments here.  I wonder if there is a price point that makes one desirable for general shop use?

 

They are down to $125 for this anvil, from $250 a year ago.  they describe it as a horse-shoers anvil.  At least that is what it has been in its working life.

 

It has no significant chips, the holes are a little worn at the edges, the top has shallow dents - not sharpsided, just something I can feel with my fingertips.

 

Does $125 for a 100 poung vulcan make this something I might want to have or should I resist?

 

TIA

 

Well...Are you going to get your money's worth out of it? $1.25 a pound seems like a good price if you can use or need a 100 pound solid surface.

An anvil is a very useful tool even if you are not constantly using it for blacksmithing, it is 100 pounds in a pretty compact package that has lots of square and a few rounded edges for all sorts of fun things.

I had a cast iron ASO long before I started seriously beating on metal. Good weight for holding something in place while glue sets, exciting to kick when I wasn't looking where I was putting my big feet. Lots of uses, but do you need it?

(OF COURSE YOU DO)

 

Mark

Need doesn't exactly explain it!  ;<)

 

On the basis of Mother Teresa or Mahatma Ghandi or even the IRS (!) I don't need much.

 

But I would get some use out of an anvil if I had one and it would tempt me into playing with metal more.  I just don't want to spend more than I could get out of it again.  Or, more to the point, if this is a bargain I don't want to pass it up. 

I don't think that's a bad deal for a Vulcan, if it's in pretty decent shape. That said, I'd go and wave a Benjamin in his face and see what happens.

 

Steve

A dollar and a quarter a pound for a Vulcan in good condition ain't bad but when it was at $2.50/# that was awful! Go ahead and get it, who knows where getting it will lead you. If the edges have not been relieved just put a slight radius on the edges as it will help prevent chipping in the future. Good forging ^_^

I have a 185 lb vulcan and it is my favorite anvil out of all the ones I have worked on.  If its in good condition don't pass it up.  Just don't weld/ cut on it as that will make it less usable and damage it and that would make me sad :(   Vulcans are awesome and quiet.  A bit of a flatter horn then most  which can be useful.  

My ex gave me a 250 pound Vulcan for Christmas over 20 years ago. Edges had been destroyed with O/A cutting, but I repaired those and I like it. $1.25 a pound, jump on it. Course he's already come way down, a $100 bill might just get it.

Get it. Then when you hear of someone that really needs an anvil, you will have one to let them borrow, buy or receive as a gift. Or you just might find that you have a need for it. Either way you will have one when you "need" one. There are a lot of young and not so young beginning blacksmiths/bladesmiths that are always looking for one. 

 

Mark <><

I'd buy it.  Vulcans don't get the best reviews because there are far far better anvils out there.  BUT, Vulcans were still a top-tier anvil; they were just at the bottom of the ranking among top-tier anvil makers.

 

If the face is good and flat, and the edges aren't dinged up beyond hope, I'd jump on it.  For a beginner anvil, or an every-now-and-then anvil, Vulcans are good and the price is decent.  

 

A key thing to remember???  You certainly won't lose money on it if you use it a bit and then turn around and sell it in a month or three.

There is something about having one anvil that attracts more anvils , Get that one and see more show up . I am not kidding. 

There is something about having one anvil that attracts more anvils , Get that one and see more show up . I am not kidding. 

There is something about having one anvil that attracts more anvils , Get that one and see more show up . I am not kidding. 

There is something about having one anvil that attracts more anvils , Get that one and see more show up . I am not kidding. 

OOPs .  posted too many times , sorry MODs.

Okay, you guys "talked me into it". 

 

It was at a horse tack and consignment shop next to my office.  It was on consignment oddly enough, even though it was horsie stuff, so it was hard to haggle.  I'd been offering $1 / lb. for more than a year, but she's been down to $125 from an original price of $250 for months.  She wasn't going any lower.

 

So now I've got an anvil.  I better hang around this site and find some reason to beat on metal!

All kinds of neat things you can make for the house if you have a way to heat and beat iron!

The price was right. Even if you decide not to use it, you should be able to make some money on it by listing it in just a few places.
Or as has been mentioned, pass it to someone who might use it.

 

I probably would have went for it when it got down to $175, unless the drop was more substantial and didnt come down a little at a time.

Told you you needed it, now give it a good home and let it do what it is supposed to do.

 

I hate "decorative" anvils, vises, post drills, etc. "Oh it looks so cute in my garden...", "No I don't have a clue what that cranky thingy hanging on the wall with a drill bit in it is, but it looks cool and is old..." ARRRRRAGH!!! 

 

Enjoy

 

Mark 

Congratulations! It is nice to hear a successful anvil acquisition story!