Chinobi Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Hey all, Time to poll the collective wisdom again, i saw this thing on craigslist and while i see a few features that are familiar from keeping up on many of the other ID threads, i cant say with any confidance what the make of this anvil is, and from the dimensions given (28"L x 12"H x 5"W) i would guess it to be something in the neighborhood of 200 pounds. asking price for the anvil - $425 i emailed the seller asking for more info and possibly additional pics of markings etc. can anybody shed any light as to what the make might be on this from what is shown? the deeply swept heel makes me think HB but it looks too thick, and the spread feet seem atypical too. for the size and price its on the high end of 'shut up and buy it' but i am *really* bent on getting a fisher because they are significantly quieter and i live in a pretty residential neighborhood and i do not want to be 'that guy'. :wacko: Thanks :) attached pic for posterity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Jump on it. Looks weird to me, but from the feet waist and shape, it looks like a Columbia. Their cast steel high quality anvils and that looks to be in mint condition... columbian anvils sometimes have what looks to be a top plate, but I'm pretty confident, in this case, that it's cast... I can also almost make out what looks to be a upside down triangle with a C... tell tale identification if you can verify it through the seller... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Thanks for the quick reply Pulse, that cast steel is gonna ring like a bell though >.< they didnt leave a phone number so only thing i could so was email them, gotta wait for a bite =/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knots Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 There are ways to quiten an anvil. My Peter Wright rang like a bell until I snugged it down to my stump with Z clips and bit of roofing felt between. Wish you were close because I have a 300 pound Fisher that needs a new home. Z-clips are easy to make and effective, but if "Thunk" is the only sound that warms your heart get your Fisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Thanks Knots, depending how this pans out i may get ahold of you for a pic of your Z-clip design :) i got a few more photos from the seller, who 'thinks its around 150 pounds' and says that there are no identifying marks on it, but it looks 'antique' (really beginning to hate that word...) it seems pretty strange to have an anvil that size with no markings (to me at any rate) it seems to have a very distinct top plate as well but only covering the face, not the table and horn, at least not visibly. i think i will definitely have to make a pit stop to check this out when i head to los angeles this weekend :) edit: jiggled to get pics to post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 It looks like a cast British Brooks anvil except for the appearance of cold shuts at the welded-on face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I absolutely love my Fisher anvil. But, my Wilkinson anvil rang like a bell and was very annoying until I set it into a bed of silicone caulk. No chain, magnets, roofing felt, etc. Just silicone caulk and wait for it to set up. Went from church bell ring to almost as quiet as my Fisher, literally! As for that anvil, I'd buy it. The horn looks a bit weird, but certainly a usable bit of kit. And, I've found that getting that first anvil seems to call all the other anvils out of the woodwork. Is it worth $425? Depends on the weight and the general availability in that area. I'd certainly pay $2/lb for that anvil, maybe upwards of $3 if it was within driving distance. And, don't forget to check with uship.com and the like to see what it would cost you to have an anvil shipped. My Fisher traveled the original 13 colonies to get to me, and it was only two bills. Well worth the price!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 That is an ODD looking anvil. I'd second the notion of it being a Brooks, but in all honesty I don't haven't the fondest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Greetings, Looks like a cast Brooks BUTTTT The pritchel hole is on the wrong side... The face looks dented.... no handling holes..... It is wide faced like an English anvil... Its a mystery... Be sure to check for hardness with a small ball pien and rebound... Good luck Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 not inspiring me with a lot of confidence here guys :) but thank you all, im going to meet the seller this friday and see what i can see in person. ill bring a ball pein and a file, but i cannot for the life of me chase down a bloody ball bearing! @frank: are you referring to the shadow-looking line in the first photo? the whole face plate has an almost too-well defined line, which is a bit unsettling. i will investigate. @VaughnT: by the sellers eyeball its 150#ish so just shy of 3$/lb, by the dimensions given compared to other typical anvils i place it closer to the 200# mark, which would be just over 2$/lb. and the market in my area bloooows! which is why i wanted to do a little extra legwork and make sure i wasnt getting unduly excited... and unless the thing punches a whole in my car (i will bring lumber!) i dont think i will need to worry about shipping, maybe just the chiropractor's bill after the fact... are there any makes in that size/shape category that would be something to watch out for (good or bad) if i am able to make out any markings on it? something to smile inside about because im making a killing, or to back away from because its known to be problematic/poor quality etc? hopefully its worth the effort! Thanks again for all the input :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 It is difficult for an Internet forum to answer the question "Should I buy it??" Only YOU can answer that question. If you don't have an anvil, it will be at least twice better than the one you now have!! :) :) Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 Yea, thanks Swede, i will address that question on friday when i get to feel it up in person, im just trying to get a feel for what *it* is before i do :) it will certainly be an improvement over my 55# ASO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 Buggeration! seller is backing out, saying that it is significantly heavier than he had estimated (216 vs 150) and is pulling it off the market to have it appraised, which means its going to come back at 'antique vintage value' at probably $1200, get picked up by a collector, and never again know the sweet caress of hot hammered iron. :angry: :angry: :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Maybe good he is doing that. It has a hardface on it that looks kinda funky to me, just something off about the whole anvil. Like maybe it's a cast iron anvil with a hardface added on later. You just wouldn't know until, as you say, "felt it up" in person. Wait for another to come along that doesn't have that funky feeling to it, you know like a really nice Fisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 well, i went ahead and passed on the return offer. i am pleased that it came back at a fairly reasonable price, seller said the appraiser couldnt ID it either and marked it up at $3/lb. i was offered $500, but for the increased logistics of trying to make a shop class anvil into a portable, the general 'mystery meat' nature of it and the loss of the truely irresistible price tag i had to let it walk. i hope it has found its way into good hands already and will be put to good use. for me the search continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 glad i decided to check craig's early today :) just spotted at 162# hay bud in my home town plus 4 hardies(pictured) for 425! definitely more manageable :) i really hope i got in there fast enough! looks like the hardies are a cold cut (very thick cutting edge, at least thicker than hot cuts typically seem to be), half round swage, either a smaller half round or a V swage (its on its side and backwards so hard to see), and some kinda T/mushroom swage. spec's from the add serial no: 171702 Measures 26"length x 11" height x 4"width Base = 10" x 4" Top excluding horn = 14 1/2" x 4" Horn = 11" 1" hardy hole 9/16" pritchel hole includes hardy tools $425 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 not sure what happened to my edit post button, but there was somebody that got in just ahead of me and snuck away with it :'( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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