Deviant Nation Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 I am looking to purchase my first anvil and happen to find a few for sale. First question is after looking at this picture they all look a little on the rusty side. is this anything to worry about or can they be cleaned up good? I am looking mainly at one of the 2 biggest ones. Also Is there anything you can tell me about them just from looking at them? Or if I go look at them tonight what things do I need to be looking at? I asked about markings on them they don't know so I would have to go check them out for my self but want a little bit to have on my mind when I go. Thanks in advance for any info!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 They look great to this newbie. If I had the money and space I would go for the big one and the one in the middle with the large step from the top to the horn. That big one is fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Looks like some good options. What weights are there, and what kinda $ is he looking for? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deviant Nation Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 5 minutes ago, Stash said: Looks like some good options. What weights are there, and what kinda $ is he looking for? Steve The biggest is 520 lbs $2100 the next size down which is the one I think I would really want is 395 pounds at $4 per pound. He has already sold 5 of the smaller ones so I think the best of the smaller ones are probably gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I would be real tempted and would need a confab with SWMBO. High end for me, but good looking arn sittin on that pallet. Secret anvil fund would be twitching in it's secret hidey hole. Do your due diligence on it. (check it over real good) Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Welcome aboard Deviant, glad to have you. Where are you? Blacksmith tool prices and values vary considerably depending on location. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many IFI members live within visiting distance. Every hour working with an experienced smith is worth days of trying to figure it out yourself. You can learn a lot online but nothing and I mean NOTHING beats face to face learning. All those anvils look to be in very good condition, surface rust doesn't mean anything, a little wire brush time and some hot steel and hammer time and any will shine right up. The make is a BIG determining factor to anvil value, for instance that could be a pallet of Fishers and worth great gobs of money OR they could be artificially aged Mexican knock offs and worth little better than scrap. Can you visit them in person? If so take a ball bearing somewhere between 1/2" - 1" and do a rebound test. Simply drop the bearing from a distance and estimate how far it bounces back in a %. Use a ruler if you're not good at eyeballing things like that and drop from 10". You can make the same estimate with a small smooth faced hammer, ball peins being the norm but it takes more practice. What you're looking for is max rebound: 90%+ is OUTSTANDING! Grab at least one for that price on the spot, you'll be able to sell the other one and pay for both plus. 75%+ is good up, 70% down is okay and less than 60% is pretty poor. While the ring of an anvil is really over rated in general you do want to listen carefully to the ring of impact. Not for any specific sound but for consistency, rebound and ring will ge better over the waist, center, of the anvil and diminish as you test towards the heal or horn, this is normal. What you really need to watch for is a sudden change or "dead spot." Dead spots are indicators of several probably defects typically delaminating face. Many anvils have a high carbon steel face bonded to a wrought iron or cast iron body depending on maker. If for some reason the face is coming loose from the body "delaminating" it's a failure point and a defect. It's a BAD thing. The sound of a ball bearing or hammer bouncing will speak loudly. Another cause for a dead spot in an anvil's face is being over heated by a torch. This abominable sin is typically committed by an idjit in a shop whith a cutting or heating torch who uses an ANVIL!!! as a bench to cut or heat on. Torch cuts on anvil faces are the tracks of these sorts of ofal eating idjits. Anyway, from all appearances those are darned good looking anvils. Value is depending on their rebound and availability in your area. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deviant Nation Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 2 hours ago, Frosty said: Welcome aboard Deviant, glad to have you. Where are you? Blacksmith tool prices and values vary considerably depending on location. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many IFI members live within visiting distance. Every hour working with an experienced smith is worth days of trying to figure it out yourself. You can learn a lot online but nothing and I mean NOTHING beats face to face learning. All those anvils look to be in very good condition, surface rust doesn't mean anything, a little wire brush time and some hot steel and hammer time and any will shine right up. The make is a BIG determining factor to anvil value, for instance that could be a pallet of Fishers and worth great gobs of money OR they could be artificially aged Mexican knock offs and worth little better than scrap. Can you visit them in person? If so take a ball bearing somewhere between 1/2" - 1" and do a rebound test. Simply drop the bearing from a distance and estimate how far it bounces back in a %. Use a ruler if you're not good at eyeballing things like that and drop from 10". You can make the same estimate with a small smooth faced hammer, ball peins being the norm but it takes more practice. What you're looking for is max rebound: 90%+ is OUTSTANDING! Grab at least one for that price on the spot, you'll be able to sell the other one and pay for both plus. 75%+ is good up, 70% down is okay and less than 60% is pretty poor. While the ring of an anvil is really over rated in general you do want to listen carefully to the ring of impact. Not for any specific sound but for consistency, rebound and ring will ge better over the waist, center, of the anvil and diminish as you test towards the heal or horn, this is normal. What you really need to watch for is a sudden change or "dead spot." Dead spots are indicators of several probably defects typically delaminating face. Many anvils have a high carbon steel face bonded to a wrought iron or cast iron body depending on maker. If for some reason the face is coming loose from the body "delaminating" it's a failure point and a defect. It's a BAD thing. The sound of a ball bearing or hammer bouncing will speak loudly. Another cause for a dead spot in an anvil's face is being over heated by a torch. This abominable sin is typically committed by an idjit in a shop whith a cutting or heating torch who uses an ANVIL!!! as a bench to cut or heat on. Torch cuts on anvil faces are the tracks of these sorts of ofal eating idjits. Anyway, from all appearances those are darned good looking anvils. Value is depending on their rebound and availability in your area. Frosty The Lucky. Thanks for all the good advice Frosty. I am in Southeast Idaho. I am going to go look at them tomorrow night. He said he would try and get the info stamped on them tomorrow morning. I need to try and find a ball bearing between now and tomorrow night too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 A marble will work but not bounce as high from the start. A light ball pein hammer is good if you can't find a bearing. Were he in Alaska that entire pallet would've been gone in days. I'm not rushing you I'm just thinking you're one lucky dog to have so many to choose from. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 They all look in good condition. As to ring, Fishers do not ring at all, and they are excellent anvils, so rebound testing would be the way to go. Fisher, Hay Budden, Trenton, Sodefors, Kolwasa, Peter Wright are all good makes to look for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caintuckrifle Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Those are the ones in Pocatello, they all look great to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deviant Nation Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 3 hours ago, caintuckrifle said: Those are the ones in Pocatello, they all look great to me. Do you know anything about them specifically caintuckrifle? Or just saw them for sale? 13 hours ago, Frosty said: A marble will work but not bounce as high from the start. A light ball pein hammer is good if you can't find a bearing. Were he in Alaska that entire pallet would've been gone in days. I'm not rushing you I'm just thinking you're one lucky dog to have so many to choose from. Frosty The Lucky. He said someone told him the biggest one was a fisher but he said he can't make out any of the markings on it. What do I look for specifically to confirm or deny that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deviant Nation Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 On 2/16/2016 at 5:22 PM, Stash said: Well I am the proud owner of my first anvil. THANKS to everyone who responded to my questions your answers greatly helped me in my decision. I will post up some pics on a new post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Which one did you get? Any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deviant Nation Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 I may or may not have splurged and got the big one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 that's a lot of anvils in one place. the one you picked looks real nice! great job. Littleblacksmith it looks to have a high carbon steel plate welded on to surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Wow, you did well. Great looking anvil. Any name or iD marks on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Wow! Just over double mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 What you paid for that one is what I paid for my 275lb reflinghaus and it was maid in 2015. You did well the face and edges look like it has never been worked. Have fun with her and don't abuse her by not using her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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