I have been interested in blacksmithing since I was a wee lad.  I made a cheesy 16 gauge great helm with roofing nails as rivets in welding class and a butted chainmail haubergeon when I was a teenager over 10 years ago.  I have recently become very interesting in smithing again.  The first thing I need is an anvil.  I have been checking craigslist often and I found one for much cheaper than most others.  It has a wavy recessed edge near the top that bothers me.  Can you anvil experts tell me if the is a red flag or nothing I need to worry about? Farriers anvil, 135# $295, includes stump.

The first thing I plan to make is nails.

 

 

Regards,

 

Berserk

I do not have a true anvil yet but If it were me, I would still pass. I don't like the beat up edges and it is a farrier's anvil so is shaped differently for making horseshoes. 

Flash him $250 cash and see if he bites.
Edges are overrated. You can easily make a hardy block with crisp corners.
If you have nothing now, and you can get it for a good price, check the rebound and snag it.

Seriously what is it with Americans and edges??? 

 

That anvil is fine. The edges will need to be cleaned up a bit with an angle grinder but it's nothing major. IF you need a sharp edge you cn make or buy a hardy tool. 

 

The face looks to be pretty flat and in good shape which is good. 

 

As have been pointed out it is a farriers anvil - which will mean it is likely to be quite small in which case it will be unsuitable for heavy work but it will be absolutely fine for most things. 

 

Best of luck 

Andy

Purchase a new Anvil, for not much more. Who supplies farriers near you? Ask them what Anvils are available.

A rock would work just as good as a beat up, abused, can't tell the story, kind of Anvil.

 

$0.02

 

If you list your location of residence, You might be surprised at who lives close to you. Network, Network, network!! :) :)

Farriers anvil not withstanding that will work better than most substitutes. 

Check for rebound and that the top plate is secure, she is a little used but far from past serviceable. 

 

By the way, if you truly plan to just make nails all you need is a nail making anvil. 

 

Eric Sloane showed nail making anvils in "A Museum of Early American tools".

 

I would suggest you could construct one for far less. 

Seems a bit heavy for a farrier's anvil, but it's not in real bad condition. There's a lot worse, and if you're only doing light work it would serve you well. There's a million nails left in it!

Seriously what is it with Americans and edges??? 

 

That anvil is fine. The edges will need to be cleaned up a bit with an angle grinder but it's nothing major. IF you need a sharp edge you cn make or buy a hardy tool. 

 

The face looks to be pretty flat and in good shape which is good. 

 

As have been pointed out it is a farriers anvil - which will mean it is likely to be quite small in which case it will be unsuitable for heavy work but it will be absolutely fine for most things. 

 

Best of luck 

Andy

It's a new guy thing Andy. Unless there's a particular reason, experienced knowledgeable smiths don't need edges for much. If one is necessary it's easy to make a bottom tool with crisp edges.

 

Another new guy wanting to be helpful but . . .

 

It's the thought that counts, right?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Doesn't look too bad to me, but whether you are getting a good price or not really depends on location too.

 

If there is no rebound or dead sounds when you tap the face I'd pass.

 

If it is a usable anvil and you feel that you are getting a pretty good price for it, then you can probably get your money back by reselling it if you ever feel the need to upgrade.

 

There is always the option, as others have said, to make your own anvil out of a block of steel.  If you decide not to get the anvil I would maybe do this and get a post vise if you don't have one yet.  It is easy to find a substitute for an anvil, but quite a bit harder to do so for a post vise.