matto Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 The thing with vulcans is a lot of people say they are bad and have never used one. They have just heard, but want to sound like they know. $100 for one especially if it has good edges is well worth it. You can always move up in quality, but you have to start some wear. I have had a few vulcans and they have all worked for me. I do a lot of custom and modern metal work and still find my self going back to my first vulcan for specific task. The only thing I Had to really work with is the later volcanos had a more boxy horn. But you can always modify that or make a hardy or vise bick to use. I really learned my forging temps on that anvil to because it does have a little softer face. But I would still buy vulcan in good shape any day for $100 over digging through the scrap yard for a piece of steel that you may or may not know what it is, and I would use a vulcan over a RR track or RR track anvil any day. Just my piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Don't get discouraged, it wasn't that long after I found a Kohlwash in a junk store. Took me about 6 months to scrape up the pittly little bit he wanted for it. Couldn't pass it up though. Funny thing is I posted more than once about the find and nobody went to get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 hairballz, From a newbie just into blacksmithing for a little less than a year, if I were in your position and have the enthusiasm to get right into blacksmithing that you have, I would go ahead and get the Vulcan. You will be able to do as much with the limited skills you have now and will be learning more over the short term. You don't need a high quality anvil to start learning. Get something you can work with NOW. When you find the anvil you really want at a price you can afford, get it. Then you can sell the Vulcan, maybe to a new newbie to get them started and recoup your first investment. Good luck anvil hunting!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 Great advice from all, and I really can't tell you how much I appreciate all the input. Simply love this forum already and look forward to many years of enjoying blacksmithing. I'll let ya'll know how my anvil hunt proceeds, hoping my guy with the Vulcan and 2 others gets back in town so I can ride up to God's Country this weekend and come back with one of 'em! Or maybe TWO of em?! LOL, I got it bad guys.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 I'm travelling up north (okay, just to Tennessee) this weekend to look at the three anvils. I can't deny it - I'm pretty excited! Any last minute words of wisdom as I go to inspect the three options? One's a Peter Wright, one's a Mouse Hole, one's a Vulcan. Any tips for a totally green, novice Anvil Shopper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Greetings Hairballz, My choice the PW... Good luck... Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Just give in and rehome all three, that way you don't have a hard choice. Get the best condition for the best price. Any of the 3 should serve you well. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 If you put a Peter Wright next to a Mousehole, will they procreate? Produce a little baby anvil that grows up to be a Hay Budden or ??? Just a thought! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I'd lean towards the Peter Wright, then the mousehole, then the vulcan in that order. Matter of fact I probably wouldn't even be interested in the vulcan as I just never liked them. The horseshoers anvils there's nothing wrong with for general smithing except they're usually a little lighter than you'd like for a shop anvil. Nonetheless they work just as good. As far as they go keep away from anything with turning cams, heel hooking holes, or any other such gimmicks intended to cater to the least common denominator. Most contemporary shoeing anvils are unsatisfactory for this reason so I'd look for something a little older. They can often be found on ebay or craigs list or other such places. If free of such things I'd go with the Emerson. Cliff Carroll and TFS I'd pass on. Hope you go home with something good :) George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 It does seem to work that way; you search for a long time to find *1* anvil and then the next shows up---and then you turn your back and the place is full of them! And Matto; I dislike Vulcans and I have owned them and have used them. The only one I currently own has the horn broken off showing MASSIVE porosity in the casting---it should have never left the factory but have been tossed back in the cupola. A friend gave it to me when I found a cast steel swedish anvil to replace it for her Fine Arts Metals classes. She had a student break off the horn setting rivets...The face was worn through in the forward half showing how thin it was too. It is now a proud member of my "Wall of Shame" collection of extremely abused anvils, though pride of place goes to the PW? that is missing the entire top half (hence the ?---but Postman thought it was a PW remnant). OTOH I consider Vulcans "real" anvils and buy and pass them on to new smiths to use while waiting for a better one. They are especially good for folks who need to be discrete in their forging----not as good as a Fisher; but also a quiet anvil. What I object to is folks wanting to sell them for top of the line prices when they are bottom of the line anvils. As far as the three mentioned: The PW and the Mousehole are pretty much interchangable with size and condition and price playing the deciding factors. Some people dislike the "squat" look of the Mousehole, some prefer it as it increases the "sweet spot". If you plan to be doing heavy work the Mousehole over the PW, if you plan to do light ornamental work perhaps the PW over the Mousehole as the horn and heel are usually longer. Both will be weight stamped in CWT system. The vulcan will usually have a raised number ontop of the foot that is the weight divided by 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 If you put a Peter Wright next to a Mousehole, will they procreate? Produce a little baby anvil that grows up to be a Hay Budden or ??? Just a thought! :D Hmmm, not sure. If I remember correctly I believe Peter Wright was an ex employee of Mousehole who went off and formed his own company. By that you might think of them as kinda semi-related. Hay-Budden was an American company unrelated to the other British firms. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 If you put a Peter Wright next to a Mousehole, will they procreate? Produce a little baby anvil that grows up to be a Hay Budden or ??? Just a thought! :D Hmmm, not sure. If I remember correctly I believe Peter Wright was an ex employee of Mousehole who went off and formed his own company. By that you might think of them as kinda semi-related. Hay-Budden was an American company unrelated to the other British firms. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 I know the Vulcan is just 90 pounds which concerns me, the Wright was quoted at 156 pounds and I don't know the weight on the Mouse. Thanks all for the advice, I will stick ball bearing in jeans pocket and head for the Tennessee Hills tomorrow to, hopefully, come back with my first true anvil love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 A side note. It's not bending over to shoe horses that usually gets a farriers back, it's hauling your anvil around. So I like small anvils for portable/demo setups, my truck has my 70# JHM living on her. But I step up on the truck to work. The 120# JHM stays in the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Your picture is great. Any one would be proud to work in that shop. I am in the same boat as you. This anvil hunting is a little like dating when I was younger. Little bit nervous and you have to work at a it a little. Good luck with your search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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