6$ per lb ?

[Mark Ling]

8 hours ago, crappiew said:

Here is his add

BUY SELL OR TRADE!! I keep a large inventory of blacksmithing equipment, bench vises, and vintage tools. I don't have any junk and wouldn't be interested in trading for any!

Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days for you to come have a look. Other days via phone. I will and have been selling to some great folks around the community and desire to continue doing so. 

Mopac and West Howard Ln. 
Call Andrew (972) 824-0041

yeah I've seen that add, never called the guy though, figure someone with that much stuff must have some higher prices and know the market, man though he's got a lot! I wonder where he got all of it. Also has quite a few German style anvils.

                                                                                      Littleblacksmith

[Fatfudd]

20 hours ago, CMS3900 said:

Seeing questions like this pop up, along with a increased frequency of people hopping on the forums posting anvils for sale with what I would consider high prices, I have to ask is there any benefit at all in purchasing a used anvil that is almost equal to the cost of a new one? Looking at the anvil as a working tool only, ignoring historical value, are there any anvils out there, not currently in production, that are some how better than whats currently available to smiths from quality anvil retailers?  Size, shape, features, metallurgy?

I have both a new anvil, a Refflinghaus and some older anvils. My suggestion is, if you have the money, buy new. You know what you are getting and their are some very high quality anvil available. That being said you will need to do research on which are the best new anvils. My Refflinghaus is one the finest anvil currently being produced but you pay for that quality. 

[Mark Ling]

Theirs an add on craigslist for a Peddinghaus anvil  in Houston that weighs 77 pounds, would be enough to start on, oh and did I mention that its NEW for $600, was thinking of getting it but thought it was a little far away and don't really NEED another anvil but am always WANTING a new one.

                                                                                         Littleblacksmith

[brianstucker]

I'm back in Missouri now. But I'm not gonna rush it. I'm gonna work on my forge and go to the scrap yard and look for a something I can get started on. I got a couple of local flea marketers operators keeping an eye out for me.

[arftist]

On 5/11/2016 at 2:01 PM, CMS3900 said:

Seeing questions like this pop up, along with a increased frequency of people hopping on the forums posting anvils for sale with what I would consider high prices, I have to ask is there any benefit at all in purchasing a used anvil that is almost equal to the cost of a new one? Looking at the anvil as a working tool only, ignoring historical value, are there any anvils out there, not currently in production, that are some how better than whats currently available to smiths from quality anvil retailers?  Size, shape, features, metallurgy?

In my opinion no, not at all with the possible exception of Fisher anvils.

Modern cast tool steel anvils are simply better in every way. 

The exception for Fishers is that they quieter than any modern anvil so if that were an issue then yes.

Modern solid cast tool steel anvils should outlast  early style anvils markedly. 

[Rmartin2]

1 hour ago, arftist said:

In my opinion no, not at all with the possible exception of Fisher anvils.

Modern cast tool steel anvils are simply better in every way. 

The exception for Fishers is that they quieter than any modern anvil so if that were an issue then yes.

Modern solid cast tool steel anvils should outlast  early style anvils markedly. 

I though about this as well. When the time comes to purchase another anvil I will more than likely buy a new one. At least you know what you are getting.

[CMS3900]

14 hours ago, arftist said:

In my opinion no, not at all with the possible exception of Fisher anvils.

Modern cast tool steel anvils are simply better in every way. 

The exception for Fishers is that they quieter than any modern anvil so if that were an issue then yes.

Modern solid cast tool steel anvils should outlast  early style anvils markedly. 

I just didn't know if there was some sort of unwritten anvil flowchart like:

From Best to Worse:

New Quality Anvils (Refflinghaus, Fontanini, Nimba, Kohlswa, Muskovic, ect. ect.)

Modern out of production anvils like the Tom Clark,

Fisher or German Pattern?,

... and on down the list until you get to a large rock.

[Alan Evans]

21 minutes ago, CMS3900 said:

I just didn't know if there was some sort of unwritten anvil flowchart like:

From Best to Worse:

New Quality Anvils (Refflinghaus, Fontanini, Nimba, Kohlswa, Muskovic, ect. ect.)

Modern out of production anvils like the Tom Clark,

Fisher or German Pattern?,

... and on down the list until you get to a large rock.

Bottom of the list is a little rock...

I largely agree with Fatfudd and Arftist... but I  have seen some chipped Kohlswa anvils...

It is a bit of a moot point though...old Peter Wright wrought iron anvils for example, by the very fact they are still around after use by four or five generations, are not going to let anybody down in their lifetime...Arguably any anvil would have been more heavily (ab)used a hundred years ago than by any professional blacksmith these days what with the advent of welders grinders power hammers and presses available....

Alan

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

At those prices I would buy new , or in my case I would head over to a scrap yard and get a big chunk of steel @ 20 cents a pound. Shoot, for those prices you could buy new stock and have it heat treated.

[7A749]

You know, I'm no expert on anvils, or even blacksmithing for that matter, but I buy sell and repair welding machinery for a living, and have been doing it a long time. I know the buy and sell business and I know it quite well.  Perceived Demand will always outstrip common sense and even common market values every single time. This guy probably doesn't sell as many anvils as he claims, but he probably has a line of suckers who come back after failing to find something local and shell out the cash for his overpriced wares. I got lucky on my anvil and got a decent condition 150 lb HB shop anvil out of a closing machine shop for about $350 12 years ago. Thanks to TV (it's a double edged sword) and Instagram, Pinterest and other social media making blacksmithing "cool" and "trendy", anvil values have shot thru the roof. I have seen the same thing welding machinery, but not on such a sharp incline. I advise someone looking for an entry level machine to buy what they can afford and look for the best value they can find.

I can promise you, I would be looking at an offering from NC Tool/Centaur before I would give some CL flip artist my money on such shrewd and outrageous terms. I've bought lots of stuff from them and they're a good outfit and nice to deal with. Of course, that's just me tho and everyone sees things different. Point being, the CL flip pro KNOWS there's plenty of desperate, clueless marks that will give him what he wants, and as long as there's a steady stream of those kind of ppl calling you for your stuff, you can dictate the terms, as ridiculous as they may seem.

You don't need a big, old solid wrought anvil to work metal. As was already mentioned, but a heavy block of steel and save your money for something more important like a forge and other tools you'll need down the road. A good anvil will eventually come along. You may have to drive for it, or buy it from someone and pay a little more than you want to, but it will. Bowing to some chump flipping stuff on CL isn't in the game plan for me. It's more a matter of principle than anything else. I price equipment to sell and I don't jerk my customers around, or demand prices I KNOW for a fact are way out of line with reasonable market values.

I like to treat my customers the way I would like to be treated if I were buying something from them.

Good business makes the world go 'round. My money will go on something quality that's new before I'll shell out cash to some guy who's clearly taking grossly obvious advantage of a lucrative resale market angle.

 

IMHO of course

[WL smith]

7A749 Sir you said a mouthful of common sense.

[arftist]

On 5/14/2016 at 9:43 AM, CMS3900 said:

I just didn't know if there was some sort of unwritten anvil flowchart like:

From Best to Worse:

New Quality Anvils (Refflinghaus, Fontanini, Nimba, Kohlswa, Muskovic, ect. ect.)

Modern out of production anvils like the Tom Clark,

Fisher or German Pattern?,

... and on down the list until you get to a large rock.

There is but it is personal like Ford/Chevy/Dodge 

Or Lincoln/ Miller/Esab.

As follows IMHO

FONTANINI or Jymm Hoffman's larger German style (both made in USA, a major factor for me)

Newer Hay Budd with the tool steel stop half or Fisher

Old style Hay Budd, Trenton. Columbian etc

Any Swedish anvil, South German anvil.

Now in decsending order: Peter Wrights.  The top plates are too hard and prone to chipping/ breaking (ducking thrown hammers from all over)

Mouse holes too crude.

There countless other brands, some great some not. 

This is totally an opinion post, my favorites only.

[Everything Mac]

I'll throw in my 2p. 

Frankly gents who ever came up with the idea than anvils should be sold at a dollar value per pound was a genius. And he should be shot, as he has done nothing but screw over an entire nation and many generations of smiths. 

Every time I see a thread like this, here and on Facebook, I am reminded that I am very lucky to be British. We have yet to attribute a value per unit of weight - I've seen 1cwt anvils sell for more than 6cwt anvils. Here an anvil is simply an anvil. The average price has risen in the last 5 years, almost doubled in fact, but I can still go out an buy several anvils for less than many in the US will spend on just one rough, delaminated anvil. These aren't rare bargains, but simply the run of the mill anvils I see on ebay and gumtree (UK version of CL) every day. 

 

I've said it on here several times - people in the USA should seriously consider shipping an anvil from Europe to the US. Even with shipping it will still be cheaper. 

 

Not so long ago I bought a German anvil, from Germany. It was £300 + shipping which was £130 once you included £20 for insurance.  - so for £430 I have a pristine, high quality German anvil delivered to my front door within a week of buying it on ebay.de

So to put that in dollar terms - I paid $431 for a 250lb South German anvil + $186 to have it shipped. = $617 

Granted shipping costs will be higher to the US, but I'm willing to be they won't be as high as many would think. I found the process to be quick and easy and I'd happily do it again. 

 

Personally I'm happy to put money into decent equipment, but then I've been at this nearly 10 years and I know I can justify the cost. I also fully appreciate that most folks are on a budget and simply can't afford to throw thousands at a hobby they might either not enjoy or might not be able to do very often. As said above the idea that you need a London pattern anvil is incorrect and a simple block of steel will do 99% of what most people require from an anvil. And yet there is the overwhelming burning desire to get a "Real" anvil. Something we should all really move to rectify. Though it has been said here before that it is very easy to say a beginner doesn't need a real anvil whilst the majority of us personally own three or four anvils and simple let two sit in a corner just because... 

 

My advice would be to accept the fact that the anvil market is not what it used to be. That you will be paying several hundreds if not thousands of dollars for an anvil. And that the chances are you will not find one for some considerable time. If I'm after a particular item then I have a price in mind and anything above that just gets ignored. Moaning that this anvil or that anvil is ridiculously priced gets you no where. Time to put on the big boy pants and move on. 

Check ebay and CL, your local paper, auctions etc etc - check them every day to see what is around in your area. Get a tin and stuff $10 bills in it as often as you can afford to. Write anvil fund on that tin and don't touch it for anything (unless of course you seriously need to - who hasn't been there) and soon enough you'd have more than enough money to buy any anvil you wanted. 

 

But what do I know, I'm just some British guy....

 

All the best 

Andy

[Fatfudd]

Right on Andy!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I agree Andy.  Too many are trying to overcomplicate things when the answer is right in front of them. I watch videos of smiths in third world countries using all manner of items for smithing, and none of them are "real smithing" tools.

For the prices of some of the anvils alone I could outfit a whole smithy for a newbie.

[arftist]

12 hours ago, Everything Mac said:

I'll throw in my 2p. 

Frankly gents who ever came up with the idea than anvils should be sold at a dollar value per pound was a genius. And he should be shot, as he has done nothing but screw over an entire nation and many generations of smiths. 

Every time I see a thread like this, here and on Facebook, I am reminded that I am very lucky to be British. We have yet to attribute a value per unit of weight - I've seen 1cwt anvils sell for more than 6cwt anvils. Here an anvil is simply an anvil. The average price has risen in the last 5 years, almost doubled in fact, but I can still go out an buy several anvils for less than many in the US will spend on just one rough, delaminated anvil. These aren't rare bargains, but simply the run of the mill anvils I see on ebay and gumtree (UK version of CL) every day. 

 

I've said it on here several times - people in the USA should seriously consider shipping an anvil from Europe to the US. Even with shipping it will still be cheaper. 

 

Not so long ago I bought a German anvil, from Germany. It was £300 + shipping which was £130 once you included £20 for insurance.  - so for £430 I have a pristine, high quality German anvil delivered to my front door within a week of buying it on ebay.de

So to put that in dollar terms - I paid $431 for a 250lb South German anvil + $186 to have it shipped. = $617 

Granted shipping costs will be higher to the US, but I'm willing to be they won't be as high as many would think. I found the process to be quick and easy and I'd happily do it again. 

 

Personally I'm happy to put money into decent equipment, but then I've been at this nearly 10 years and I know I can justify the cost. I also fully appreciate that most folks are on a budget and simply can't afford to throw thousands at a hobby they might either not enjoy or might not be able to do very often. As said above the idea that you need a London pattern anvil is incorrect and a simple block of steel will do 99% of what most people require from an anvil. And yet there is the overwhelming burning desire to get a "Real" anvil. Something we should all really move to rectify. Though it has been said here before that it is very easy to say a beginner doesn't need a real anvil whilst the majority of us personally own three or four anvils and simple let two sit in a corner just because... 

 

My advice would be to accept the fact that the anvil market is not what it used to be. That you will be paying several hundreds if not thousands of dollars for an anvil. And that the chances are you will not find one for some considerable time. If I'm after a particular item then I have a price in mind and anything above that just gets ignored. Moaning that this anvil or that anvil is ridiculously priced gets you no where. Time to put on the big boy pants and move on. 

Check ebay and CL, your local paper, auctions etc etc - check them every day to see what is around in your area. Get a tin and stuff $10 bills in it as often as you can afford to. Write anvil fund on that tin and don't touch it for anything (unless of course you seriously need to - who hasn't been there) and soon enough you'd have more than enough money to buy any anvil you wanted. 

 

But what do I know, I'm just some British guy....

 

All the best 

Andy

Not sure if you have to pay the same value added tax we would have to pay?

Kept me from importing a flypress years ago IIRC.

[Everything Mac]

I can't comment on the tax to be honest Artfist. I guess ultimately if it's not worth it financially then it's not worth it. 

What is the rate of tax? 

 

Andy

[ThomasPowers]

"Hi; I'm trying to buy anvils from people trying to get the highest prices possible for them and all the ones they have are over priced what am I doing wrong?"

Get off the blasted internet and go find anvils that people are not trying to gouge the market with.  Look up the TPAAAT.

Folks selling them on the internet know how to check up on the prices on the internet and for some reason everybody seems to think that their anvil should sell for the highest price they can find on the internet. So the internet is NOT the place to find cheap anvils.  I know that sometimes on shows up---out here I've seen 2 in 12 years, (bought a pretty mint 112# PW for US$150 off of Craigslist); but all my screaming deals have been person to person not on the net.

And as was mentioned; we're in a bubble due to the television; give it a few years and things will start hitting the market for 50 cents on the dollar original price (and some still overpriced at that!)

[brianstucker]

I got a piece of rr track around 14" long. And a buddy of mine had a piece of 10" x 12" x 6" die steel. Bought it for 50$. I dropped a hammer on it and it rebounded around 80%

[Mark Ling]

That looks nice! Told you that you would find something! Good price. I recomend that you turn it on edge for more mass under your hammer and radius the edge, great rebound though.

                                                                                 Littleblacksmith 

[brianstucker]

It's got a slightly angled side. If I turn it on its side it won't sit straight up and down.

It weighs around 200lbs.

[SLAG]

Crp...how about shimming it?

SLAG.

[brianstucker]

The top is 10"x12. The base is 131/2 x 11 1/2.  I could shim one side but the top side will be at an angle.

[Rmartin2]

8 hours ago, crappiew said:

The top is 10"x12. The base is 131/2 x 11 1/2.  I could shim one side but the top side will be at an angle.

Nice score! 

 

Is it possible to build a stand to accommodate the angle on the bottom and grind the top flat?

[brianstucker]

Possibly. But I have a buddy who is a machinist. I'm gonna talk to him about Cnc milling it.