BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 A 140# Vulcan with a partial sticker just sold in a few days for $400 in Salt Lake City UT. Here is the text of the ad in case you can't pull the post up. The "44" cast into the back of the anvil indicates it was made in 1944. The "14" cast into the front means it weighs 140 pounds. This anvil, in addition to the cast Vulcan logo of the arm holding a hammer on the one side, there is a remnant of a paper sticker put on when the anvil was shipped from the Vulcan factory in Carpentersville, Illinois. This tells me the anvil has seen little use and has been stored indoors, out of the elements for many years. There are no major condition issues with this anvil. The working edges of the face have no chips at all. Where the face meets the step down table there are a couple of dings, but nothing serious. Also, the face has some marks, but they are not deep and will most likely smooth out as hot metal is worked on the anvil. The anvil is perfectly flat with no sign of sway. The anvil is 21 1/2" long, and 11" high. The face is 4" X 13 1/2". The hardy hole is 7/8" square and the pritchel is 9/16" in diameter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanshin Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 This is the reason I cannot find a used anvil for a price lower than a new one. Because there are id...s that buy chewed anvils at huge prices because they look "vintage" for their collection ov vintage stuff. I found a guy sellung here in Henderson a Peter Wright 120 lb CHEWED (bended working table, all corners destroyed) for 500. Fortunately the ad is there after several weeks. I recently sent an email with a reasonable offer and he told me the price is firm. The world is upside down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 There is a guy over here selling a brooks anvil with a stand. In fairness it's in good condition but he's asking £540. He's dreaming. £300 is more reasonable price but even that is at the higher end price bracket of anvils on eBay over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Greetings Big, I seen a Vulcan just like it at an auction last week go for 350.. Some people just don't know anvils and will buy anything... go figure.. JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 If the anvil is unused and still has all or some of the original label, that makes it more than just an anvil to beat stuff on. To get it for $400, I would think that a good price for a collector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neg Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 I payed 400 for my 200lb vulcan, but it came off a famous ship so I didn't mind paying a little extra. Also I live in florida and anvils are hard to come by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris J. Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 You've no idea. I've been searching for my first anvil (to replace the 15# Harbor Freight ASO I currently use), and out in CA, I can't find anything used for less than $4/lb. They're poor quality, too, more often than not. I blame all the yuppies out here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam C. ToolSmith Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 haha here in aus, we are getting anvils on ebay and gumtree selling at minimum of 500$ aus, smallest anvil a 30kg PW, sold last week for a ridiculous 700$ and then anvils are banged up as heck, http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/spalding/antiques/blacksmiths-anvil/1018579789 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 Zanshin , I saw that same rough anvil in Henderson. Chris J. Keep looking. I found a dozen anvils on the various CA craigslist's one weekend, and most were good sized, and well priced ($1-$2 a pound). I searced the main header "Items for sale", not individual ones like tools. They turn up in garage sale, auction, farm and garden, etc CL listings. Also check machine shop, and fab shop auctions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanshin Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Yesterday. I found a guy selling a Swedish anvil 120 lb for 200. He send me pics. Then I said: when can we meet? He never responded. Now, that anvil is on cl for 750. Now. One thing I don't understand: if I have to pay 750 for a used anvil with chipped corners, I would rather buy a new one like NC or Cliff Carroll from online shops that sells you free shipping, for the same price. NEW. The whole point of buying a used tool is to have it for cheaper because it is USED. I am not gonna lie: I am pretty angry at those people who BUY used anvils at stupid prices because it is their fault if a tool became a luxury item. I need to work and I cannot do it without an anvil and a forge. I can make my forge pretty easily but not an anvil. And I can't afford to buy a new one or a used one priced as new. I am angry at this lack of honesty and at this stupidity. I am sorry if I upset someone but this is how I feel today. I was happy yesterday now I am really sad Francesco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.C. Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Don't be upset. I looked for a long time b4 I got my anvil at a good price. RR track held me over till I found a good anvil. I watched a Swiss anvil do for 5 dollars a pound, PW's that were crazy expensive... Smashed up broken fishers that were 4 bucks a pound ECT. in time u will find exactly what u need. Make sumthn work till that day comes. It will all work out man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 Francesco, how big of an anvil do you need? I have a 125# JHM with a folding stand that I could loan you for a bit. I can also check with Tim to see if he is using the single burner propane forge I loaned him. From the quality of your blades I figure that you won't abuse my equipment. I'll PM you my email address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Greetings Francesco, See your problem is temporary solved... Good friends are all you need. I find anvils and I'm not even looking.. Got 20 or so.. The key to finding anvils is don't look so hard and they will find you. I have bought 2 in the last 8 months off CL and both bargains. Plus the people that sold them to me were just fine.. I wish you well Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanshin Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Guys, I don't know what to say... I am not gonna lie, my wife just saw me almost crying... For joy. Thanks to biggundoctor for the offer... Jim, I agree with you but if you really need something it is hard not to look for it really hard... Anyways, going back to the topic: the problem is that lately people just think to do whatever they want even if it mean being dishonest. One example: I had to sell the wood for cellos I had in Italy because sending it here was not convenient. A guy contacted me to buy the whole thing and he made an offer. I accepted. Later I received offers for single pieces at higher offers. Still, I sold the wood to the first guy because I told him I accepted in first place. I could have risen more money but I'd rather be honest and sell stuff at a reasonable price instead that like it was made of gold. And because I think that when I give my word, that's a contract. You can call me stupid but that's the way I think. Thanks to all of you again for the support Francesco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 You are also falling into the trap that you have to have a london pattern anvil although that design is a bit over 200 years old while a big block of metal anvil has been used for 2000 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I have a small 70lb london pattern Vanadium anvil. I was fortunate and found it locally at a good price. I definitley appreciate the traditional shape, but am limited in some respects because of its small size, which has me wanting to build a striking anvil of the type I have seen Brian Brazeal use. Even if I didn't have this anvil I think a striking anvil which you can build and other components could be an option to a traditional anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanshin Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 On 5/30/2013 at 9:17 AM, ThomasPowers said: You are also falling into the trap that you have to have a london pattern anvil although that design is a bit over 200 years old while a big block of metal anvil has been used for 2000 years Thomas: I hammered for years on a railroad track and, before, on one of those iron weights used on the front of tractors before having my cheap anvil at my parent's in Italy. Now that I moved here I was thinking to buy a chunk of steel and have it hardened because I don't really need the complex shape of an anvil. Then, this guy contacted me and offered me the anvil. You can understand that in such this case, it's feeling the "taste" of the anvil so close that made me sad, not the fact that I want something specific. Plus, the lack of honesty xxxx me off a lot, even if, it's true, the anvil is his property and he can do whatever he wants with it... But I am still sad thinking about it...... Francesco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren70 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 haha here in aus, we are getting anvils on ebay and gumtree selling at minimum of 500$ aus, smallest anvil a 30kg PW, sold last week for a ridiculous 700$ and then anvils are banged up as heck, http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/spalding/antiques/blacksmiths-anvil/1018579789 I agree, $1000 bucks is the average price for anything decent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanshin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 By the way, I just called the guy to see if he still wants to sell me the anvil and he said he never send me an email. He is actually taking it to an auction house because it thinks to sell it $1000. Well, the email with pictures in my account it must be auto generated... good luck!!! Fra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 If it is the same Sodefors I saw on CL , that thing is ROUGH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Greetings again Fran, All blacksmiths in the US are true and fair people... You just had a bad experience with a want to be picker that haunts Ebay .. Keep the faith and I hope you stub your toe on a great anvil... If you were closer to me I would fix you up... Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanshin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 @ Biggundoctor: On Cl las vegas i found only that one ($750) and a PW same poundage ($500). The last one is still there after a month, really rare for an anvil... @ Jim Coke: I have always, and when I say always it means since I started digging a hole in the ground to make a fire to strigthen spring leaves, always found in blacksmiths (and bladesmiths) real, true, and fair people. We can be a little... rough sometimes (and I say this only talking about myself) but we give a kidney if another hammerhead needs it, even if never met. A master bladesmith in Italy who I had never met before, explained to me for 45 minutes how to proceed to forge weld my first billet on the phone and he was going to a baptism with his family. He let wife and sons go ahead and he sat in his car explaining step by step. Thanks Jim for your words Anyways, I am going off topic... sorry ;P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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