Danz409 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 so i went to harbor freight to pick me up a small anvil for small projects (and first TRUE anvil) however i didn't walk out with an anvil. mainly for the fact the design has changed.item#03999 is no longer stocked. (traditional style with full horn) instead we get a slightly larger version with a cut-off horn Item#69425... SERIOUSLY!?! i am disappoint HF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Wow, they actually made it worse. That's kinda weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rashelle Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I really wouldn't bother with a harbor freight anvil. They may claim cast iron for the jewelers anvil but it is softer then copper. So a piece of scrap steel can actually be better then their anvil. I have good larger anvils, but I would use scrap before buying a harbor freight larger anvil. I do have one of their small jewelers anvils, if I don't want the jewelry marked up from imprinting from the anvil I use a piece of scrap steel with a clean face. I have used it for copper and a little silver work. The tools used are case hardened mild steel hammers without missed blows. The harbor freight jewelers anvil got marked up from tapping on copper for the most part. Lightly. They really are not worth the effort in my opinion, based on my experience. Others of course have the right to their opinions too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Maybe they cut the horn off so it will fit in a flat rate box now for shipping LMAO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) It has been about 15 years since Horrible Fright stocked a real anvil, a 110 pound Russian import cast steel anvil, the rest are just ASO's. They can be identified by the hardy hole being turned 45 degrees to a diamond configuration. Edited March 19, 2015 by John McPherson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiack Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 It was more like 5 years ago. I had one and the face was extremely soft if you forged you iron a little to cold or straightened something cold it would dent the face. Any errant hammer blow was certain to leave a mark. When they originally started selling the Russian anvils the hardy was not at a 45 but 90 like a regular anvil.I would agree with the Rashelle on the cast iron one, your money would be better spent finding a large chunk of mild steel or a large fork lift tine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malice9610 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 That is actually the exact Anvil I have at the moment, Purchased due to its relative cheap price. Cannot use the edges for shaping as the crap metal will split when you attempt to do so, Using the " horn " for any kind of shaping results in the blue coating producing NASTY fumes ( buying and taking a wire wheel to it this weekend to solve that, but I expect it to split or snap off this weekend also from use ) . and the Hardy hole on first appearance appears straight, but its VERY poorly done and in order to use anything I had to take a file to it and square it up the entire length of the hole.But, for 20 bucks, and being easily 3 times the size of the Anvil I started with back in January, It was well worth the money, being the newb that I am, I would much prefer to make my mistakes that damage one of the most important tools of the trade on a piece of 20 dollar HF junk, then on some nice expensive 100+ lb anvil worth owning. As my skills improve and I start to make some money off this project, I fully intend to buy or make a good anvil, but for the moment, Im gunna just pound away at this thing till it breaks.As for marking the face, Yes, even light taps mark the face of it, I have decided in the interim, I will cut a piece of 1/2 inch steel plate to slightly overlap the existing face, as then I can toss the plate in the fire to preheat to lessen the heat loss when doing things such as forge welding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Be on the lookout for some rail road track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 If you are able to find one of the original 110# Russian made anvils, just an FYI. They are, from what I have read, cast from a fairly decent steel. They just never got heat treated. However, also from what I've read, they are therefore, heat treatable or open to hard-facing. It may or may not be cost effective, but (again), I have read, folks have done both, successfully. I wish I had bought one when they were available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 And the up side , yes there is an up side! .... due to the shape, when used as a boat anchor it's easy to tie a chain to it! Sorry could not help myself ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Malice, Yes but for US$15 you could have had a 75# block of steel that would last your entire blacksmith career and still be of use for another generation or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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