Fisher

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Samuel, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

 

A lot depends on where you live but if it's in good condition $2.75/lb sounds like a fair price, around here it'd be a give away. Do you have any pictures, we LOVE pictures and we could offer better opinions with a look see. Heck, how about posting some pics of your work?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[njanvilman]

_{Hi I am a young smith, my name is Samuel Smith, I am 16 years old, I have been smithing for about 4 years and I have decided that its time to get a bigger anvil, the one I have has served me well, its a 115lb, but I would like a bigger one, the one I am looking at is a Fisher Norris blacksmith anvil its in awesome condition, its has a flat face and not many marks on it, its 200lbs, BUT its gona cost me about $550, would that be a good deal? I would really like some feed back, if u could spear me a few words, Thanks}

 

That is a decent price if the the anvil is in good shape with little or no damage.  Use it correctly and it will last for many generations.

[njanvilman]

Interesting FISHER sawmakers recently added to the Fisher & Norris Factory Museum.  About 80 lbs, perfect shape.  However no date to be found where it is visible.

 

 

 

Turn the anvil over, and the date is found cast into the bottom.  A reminder to check out all sides of the anvils.

 

[njanvilman]

Another recent addition to the Fisher & Norris Factory Museum:  A 200 lb FISHER Farrier's anvil.  What is unusual is that all of the other FISHER farrier anvils noted are 150 lbs.  This is a custom made FISHER.  Perhaps a one off.  Fisher advertised that they would make any style anvil, and had over 300 patterns in stock.  If they did not have what you wanted, they would create a new pattern.

 

 

 

 

This anvil is dated 1891.

[njanvilman]

I came across this 200lbs anvil through a CL ad. The ad's picture had me thinking it was a Fisher from the shape and the placement of the "200" on the foot. This is my picture from when I went look at it yesterday. I was really hoping it was a Fisher for the guy only wanted $220 for it. Under the heel was a upside Y76, but no other markings. Rebound was really bad at like 30-35% and the face had several deep hammer marks. So was this a Chinese clone or just a abused Fisher?

 

Sorry for the late response, but I just found this question.  I was at Quad States when posted, and never checked past postings.

 

Yes, that anvil is a Fisher, made in the Crossley era of production(1962 - 1979).  It was probably made in 1976.  I wonder why the face was so soft?  Perhaps it had been in a fire and lost the hardness?   The rest of the anvil looks to be in fine shape.  Did you ever buy it?  The price was right.

[Revtor]

My fisher's table measures 17-1/2 x 15-1/4 with a 1-1/8 hardy hole.  Kinda sorta in-between sizes compared to the Fisher PDF you posted.  I'm assuming they changed sizes every now and then, when they moved locations, patterns wore out etc? Its dated 1881.  

 

~Steve

[njanvilman]

Steve/Revtor:  Yes, patterns got used a lot, and new patterns were made over the years.  Also, different patternmakers too.  The styles of FISHER anvils had major changes at least three times, with subtle differences along the way.  The location did not affect the styles.  Fisher anvil works moved from Maine to Trenton around 1852, and they moved in Trenton only three times.  The patterns, machines, and tooling always went with the move.

 

FISHER 1881 was toward the beginning of a new style, with a new logo, dating on the rear under the heel, and FISHER on the front base.  Also the curved horn instead of the straight conical horn.  These changes started in late 1879, and continued through 1880/1881.  It is not unusual for your anvil not to match the brochure sizes posted.  I believe that listing is from the 1930's.

[Jakesshop]

Sorry for the late response, but I just found this question.  I was at Quad States when posted, and never checked past postings.
 
Yes, that anvil is a Fisher, made in the Crossley era of production(1962 - 1979).  It was probably made in 1976.  I wonder why the face was so soft?  Perhaps it had been in a fire and lost the hardness?   The rest of the anvil looks to be in fine shape.  Did you ever buy it?  The price was right.

Wish I had. I told a good friend about it and he bought it for $175 and a steak flipper! I have two Fishers and this anvil just didn't sound right when I bounced a ball bearing on it. Those hammer marks raised a red flag for me too.
It all worked out since I still had money in my pocket when a 150 Trenton dropped into my lap this next weekend!

[matei campan]

that's interesting, I have the little sister of that anvil - "Y76" on the side of the foot, just under the heel, and "100" on the foot. the condition is almost new, only minor hammer marks on the heel and horn. there's also a hardness problem, the heel, just from the hardy hole, is soft, unhardened (hence the hammer marks) the rest of the face, back to the horn, is hard as glass. that's no problem, I don't do heavy forging on the heel. anyway my "working horses" are other heavier anvils, the Fisher is just a complementary anvil.

[njanvilman]

that's interesting, I have the little sister of that anvil - "Y76" on the side of the foot, just under the heel, and "100" on the foot. the condition is almost new, only minor hammer marks on the heel and horn. there's also a hardness problem, the heel, just from the hardy hole, is soft, unhardened (hence the hammer marks) the rest of the face, back to the horn, is hard as glass. that's no problem, I don't do heavy forging on the heel. anyway my "working horses" are other heavier anvils, the Fisher is just a complementary anvil.

 

It sounds like Crossley/Fisher had a quality control problem on that anvil(and possibly a few others).  The hardening was done in-house, by heating the face plate to a hardening heat in a big coal forge, then plunging it into a bit vat of water.  I wonder if the temperature was not hot enough through and through, or if the quench was not done evenly.  If one wants to take the chance, the top could always be re-hardened, if you have the tools and knowledge.

[njanvilman]

Two versions of a 30 lb FISHER anvil recently added to the collection.  On the left is a 1907, curved horn version.  On the right is a straight horn version, with the 3 under the horn.  This one dates to the 1860's/1870's.  The 1907 version is fairly common.  The early version is much rarer.

 

 

 

[njanvilman]

A very interesting custom FISHER anvil.  I seems to be a Chainmakers/London pattern combination.

 

Note the two hardy holes, and very thick heal.

 

Top view:

View of the other side:

Dated 1882

This is the third Fisher anvil in the collection with the name backwards.

 

It weighs 357 lbs.

[njanvilman]

Interesting new addition to the collection.  52 lb Crossley/Fisher.  No name, no eagle logo.   In almost perfect shape except for some markings on the face.

 

 

The horn still shows the factory grinding marks.

 

 

The only markings, indicating this anvil was made in 1964.

 

[njanvilman]

I was out in the museum today and noticed that I had an almost identical Crossley/Fisher anvil to the last one I posted above.  It had the same T 64 markings, indicating a 1964 casting year.  They are almost identical, but not quite.  One weighs about 52 lb, the other is 60 lbs.  Interesting to find almost twins.

 

 

 

 

[njanvilman]

One of the reasons FISHER began dating their anvils was that they offered a one year warranty on them.  To prove when it was made, they dated them.  If It did not sell in the year made, they would grind off the last digit or two, and stamp in the correct number(s).  The picture shows a FISHER anvil made sometime between 1920 and 1923,  that had the last digit removed and the 4 was stamped in.

 

 

 

 

If their was a manufacturing defect in the first year, the customer had to ship the anvil back to Trenton NJ to be inspected, and if it was a defect and not abuse damage, a new anvil was sent to the customer.  The old ones were remelted to make new ones.  FISHER was the only company to offer a warranty on their products.

[njanvilman]

The early FISHERS.  1860's in the middle with the round Eagle with the wheat.  1870's around the edge, with the Eagle with Anchor.

 

 

[Cretedog]

One of the reasons FISHER began dating their anvils was that they offered a one year warranty on them.  To prove when it was made, they dated them.  If It did not sell in the year made, they would grind off the last digit or two, and stamp in the correct number(s).  The picture shows a FISHER anvil made sometime between 1920 and 1923,  that had the last digit removed and the 4 was stamped in.

 

 

If their was a manufacturing defect in the first year, the customer had to ship the anvil back to Trenton NJ to be inspected, and if it was a defect and not abuse damage, a new anvil was sent to the customer.  The old ones were remelted to make new ones.  FISHER was the only company to offer a warranty on their products.

 

Good evening NJ,

I was out at the blacksmith shop yesterday, took a break and paged through an old Hay Budden catalog- between 1900 and 1909, I believe.  They also offered a warranty.

 

JM

[njanvilman]

Interesting to hear that another company also offered a warranty.  Aside from inventory control, that is probably one of the reasons HB serial numbered their product.  They knew when the anvil was made.  Did the literature say how long the warranty was?  Fisher offered only one year.

[Frozenforge]

The copy of an old Hay Budden Catalog i have says under the guarantee title

" Should the anvil break at the waist within one year from the date of purchase, it will be replaced without charge"
It then says
"Caution this anvil is tempered in a manner to suit the majority of smiths. No claim for defective temper will be allowed"

I believe the catalog to have been from sometime around 1910

[Frozenforge]

Anvilman

Your information explains this for me. I just thought whoever bought it did this to record when they did the purchase.

 

 

 

[njanvilman]

Interesting that HB only really guaranteed the joint between the top and bottom.  I wonder if they had some breaks there and had to offer the warranty to assure customers that they would stand behind their product.  They did not have any protection for the working surfaces though.  The FISHER warranty covered the whole anvil, as long as they accepted the defect as a factory problem and not customer caused.

[Cretedog]

NJ-

 

I believe the warranty I read was the same as FrozenForge quoted- 1 year on the waist joint only...

 

JM

[njanvilman]

Cretedog

 

I do not understand your post. 

 

Fisher warrantied the whole anvil for a year.  HB warrantied the waste joint only, not the working surface for a year.  Does anyone know of any other anvil company of the past that offered any type of guarantee or warranty?

[Cretedog]

Nothing to understand Josh- just said I remembered the warranty statement I read as being on the waist weld only, not the complete anvil as was Fishers.  I'm still a Fisher man at heart, haven't converted to H-B quite yet. ;)

 

Regards, JM

 

Fishers

30lb

80

100

150

150

300

350

and probably more I'm forgetting

[njanvilman]

I only hammer on my 300 Fisher.  I have a few HB, but can never get used to the "ring".  A few spare Fishers is a good thing.