Ian Sayers Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I'm getting interested in a heavy anvil and I'm looking at 450# Nimbas and 460# Ratholes. The Nimbas are cast from 8640 (which I only know for its use in gears) and the Ratholes are cast from H-13, which I know as a hot-work/die steel. I'm guessing the H-13 might hold up better to prolonged hot work, but probably splitting hairs there... Both are about the same price. Both seem to be dressed very well. I really like the look of the Rathole and I like that it has the upsetting block. Everyone raves about Nimbas and I don't hear much about Ratholes, but I suspect it's simple marketing because Rathole has done so little in terms of web visibility. They look good quality and I've heard a few good comments about them. Any opinions? Anyone have a Rathole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiack Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I have no experience with either but have read positive reviews for both. It is my feeling that either will last a lifetime so I would go with which shape I thought would prove the most useful for the work I intended to do. There are a few others in that size range such as Refflinghaus. For most this would be a once in a lifetime purchase so I would make sure to get what I really wanted even if I had to save a litter longer to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I have the big Rathole (Fontanini) and love it. Part time professional use for 3 years now on it, when I use it I use it hard. Also have a few friends with Nimbas of various sizes and they love theirs. Only complaint about the Nimba design I've heard from them is the pritchel hole being actually in the horn is a little annoying. Mine arrived dead flat, crazy bouncy, and so hard I had to use a carbide burr in a die grinder to ease the edges of the holes rather than a file. It doesn't even dent with a missed blow from a big sledge or the overly hard Peddinghaus hammers that my son sometimes uses. The only downside is that it is mildly magnetic (not so much that I've bothered to do anything about it) and it rings like a bell. I have heard that Steve had some quality issues when he switched foundries a few years back, would be interested if anyone knows anything more about that. Mine is a great anvil thou and he has the best looking design IMO hands down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 If a piece of paper laid on your anvil doesn't burst into flame then you are probably not heating it up enough to worry about the draw temps of the various alloys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I think H-13 for an anvil is the result of a good deal from the foundry and part marketing hype. For what earthly reason would any alloy used for a manual anvil need to maintain integrity at RED heat? My opinionator tells me the important two factors are how hard is it and will it chip? After that cost counts. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Sayers Posted December 3, 2015 Author Share Posted December 3, 2015 I have had a hell of a time tracking Steve down, would love contact info if anyone has it. I get the feeling his anvil business may be on hold, or possibly defunct... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookieironman Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 I note that Nimba states a Rockwell hardness for their anvils but neglect to say what the scale is they are using. I have asked them three times by email what scale and they have never answered. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to buy from them even though I like the shape... if they can't answer a simple question and use hand waving meaningless terms like Rockwell hardness with no scale mentioned, it seems more like a marketing excercise than a real anvil company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 My unlearnted mind led me to believe that "Rockwell" was the scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Steels would always be in the Rockwell "C" scale. Even annealed. It is pretty much an unspoken understanding, the B scale is only for soft materials such as brass. You could work in a lab for years and never use anything but the C scale for testing. I don't think that we have changed ours out at work in 15 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_scale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redeeman Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 the 50-52C rockwell (assuming C) doesnt seem as much as what older anvils were though, are they still the same rebound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 In a word, no. But re-bound is not the be-all and end-all either. imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Steel is C scale. An old anvil will have significant work hardening of the surface, it's depth will be determined largely by how heavy the hammers used on it were and what the stock's temperature was. Rebound isn't so much a test of hardness as the depth of rebound. Inelastic rebound is what returns the hammer's force to the work from below. The rigidity of hard steel is important and the thicker the better. Hardness only goes so far where rebound is concerned as a working factor, it's more the depth. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 I've been using the 250 # Rathole for over five years, and I like it. The one thing I miss is the "London pattern" anvil step which I formerly used for concavo-convex work and some bending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Maybe as a reference, I know that it wasn't one of the brand mentioned by the OP, but Big Blu Hammer also sell a 540#, 54 HRC anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I like this one ... Refflinghaus 470 ... Kilos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 That's my anvil sitting on the upsetting block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matei campan Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Marc, you just took the word from my mouth - between Nimba and Rathole I would choose a southern german pattern from Refflinghaus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beammeupscotty Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 You guys beat me to the punch. When someone is shopping in that price range, why not avoid all the uncertainty and just buy a Refflinhaus? Probably the best anvil being made today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 When I bought my Fontanini, the comparable Reffinghaus was $1,400 more. Plus it's made in the USA, if that matters to you. Over 4 years on it now, on average hammering 20 hours per week (got to start saying no to the welding jobs!) Still flat, crisp, no dings or chips even with the occasional kid trying to abuse it. Abrasion from fire scale is just starting to polish out the faint Blanchard grinding marks on the face. Shot of the face after 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 I like my Fontanini "Rathole". If the horn is to my left, the upsetting block is on my side of the anvil; therefore, handy. The horn has some belly to it, American style. I turned my anvil upside down and ground/sanded the underside of the side-shelf to a sharp end; makes it useful for drawing fork tines and suchlike. It's mounted in a box of sand which deadens the ring somewhat. You can have too much loud ringing. Cast of H13 in the U.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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