Came across this 1907 Fisher saw maker’s anvil at an auction, even came with a well-made stand for it.

I was shocked at what fantastic condition it was in under the dirt.

The stand also cleaned up well, and looks way better with a fresh coat of paint on it.

 

The anvil has “ATKINS” on the opposite side.

 

I was guessing its weight at the auction, I couldn't see the weight stamp.  I figured it should be around 100#, maybe a bit more.

Once I got it home and spent some cleaning time on it, I found it is stamped at 114#.

 

The only other similar Fisher anvil I can find info on has “E.C. ATKINS & CO.” on the side, 69 pounds made in 1905.

 

I’m hoping Josh will chime in here and provide some additional information to this after seeing the pics.

 

 

 

 

 

Josh here.

 

Disston, Atkins, and I think Simmonds were all manufacturers of saw blades for home and industry.  This type of saw anvil was used to condition the circular saw blades found on sawmills.  FISHER would cast in the companies name on request.

 

The anvil was never hit with a hammer if it was only used for blades.  There was always a blade between the hammer and anvil.  That is why many of the saw anvils out there are in such great shape.  Basically what the saw doctor did was condition the blade for the end use.  He had to know if it was a right hand or left hand mill, the HP running it, the RPM at the arbor, and what type of logs was usually cut.  With that infomation, he would hammer the blade, stretching it slightly.  The blade might appear slightly cupped at rest; when running centrifical force would straighten it out and keep it true as it cut through the log.

 

BTW, 1907 was Fisher' biggest production year ever.  I think I have at least 6 anvils from that year.

 

The stand is high because of the use.  Also most of the time it was place by a window so the technician could use the glare and light to check progress.

 

Fisher made saw anvils from 38 to over 600 lbs.  Obviously the big one were for very large blades(72")  They also advertised "Band saw anvil".  They were the same except they usually were more rectangular in shape.

 

Be very careful moving these types of anvils.  They do not have the nice horn and heel to grab and rock.  I only use crowbars and pipes to move my big saw anvils(almost 400 lbs.)

 

When these were used for a long time for saw work, the faces get very hard.  A friend who has one did a Rockwell test and it was R63!  Very hard. 

 

Any other questions?

COOL! Thanks so much for the history of this....

I did have another question, on the side under the handle there are some protrusions, almost in the form of some type of marking made in the casting. I can take more pics of that, but is that some meaning?

That's a great looking anvil! What did you use to clean it up so well?

I use several rounds of wire brushing (cups/wheels) with degreaser scrubs in between.

.......it takes a while to get 'em looking good. Don't expect to get it like this within a few minutes.
On bigger anvils, I've spent many, many hours in the cleanup process.  It is messy/filthy work, but I do enjoy it.  :)

That's a beautiful piece!

Thanks for the info. I've wire wheeled several of mine many times.. I've never had any of them looking that good. She sure is a beauty!

Thanks for the info. I've wire wheeled several of mine many times.. I've never had any of them looking that good. She sure is a beauty!


Oops.. Sorry for the double post.

COOL! Thanks so much for the history of this....

I did have another question, on the side under the handle there are some protrusions, almost in the form of some type of marking made in the casting. I can take more pics of that, but is that some meaning?

 

Not exactly sure what you are talking about.  Another photo would be great.

 

Remember, Fisher anvils were cast "up-side-down".

That is a beauty!! I have been looking for one of these for a couple of years, I do a lot of tool/knife sharpening including saw sharpening and I want one of these beauties to keep right next to the saw vise to work on the blades!

Greetings Frog,

 

I count a whole bunch of cool anvils that you now own..   You must smell them out...   Stay on your side of Lake Michigan.  Give an old boy a chance..  LOL

 

 Forge on and make beautiful things

 

Jim

Jim- I am relentless, but for good deals or unique items only.... 

I got a few more honeys in the works too.  ;)

 

Josh,

Here's a closeup of the marks I was referring to.  They seem to be too nicely formed to be random molding blobs. 

And considering how nicely molded all the other sides are, I thought these might have meant something.

They are in a horizontal row:  "I", "LII", and possibly a bit more to the right, a four-corner(?) symbol of some sort ?

They are all nicely placed the same height off the bottom of the anvil, and symmetrically spaced across the side.

 

My other question is about the ATKINS label.  The other Fisher anvil like this I've seen (from 1905) has "E.C.ATKINS&CO." on the side as opposed to simply "ATKINS" on this anvil.

Was that a year-to-year change of labeling, or was it dependant on the size of the anvil?

The I and LII marks are either batch numbers or the code for the moldmaker.  They are on many anvils I own.  I have not yet deciphered them to see if there is some pattern linking them to dates or something else.

 

As to the discrepancy of the labeling, it could have been what was ordered, or just laziness on the part of the moldmaker.  I would not read too much into there being a difference.

The website www.roseantiquetools.com, has downloadable catalogs and manuals from various companies. There are two from the Atkins company, the anvil is listed on pg. 77 of the catalog. They also list a forge on pg. 82. Anyone interested in antique tools should take a look.