I need an anvil

[Nik201]

So I am looking for an anvil 200 lbs and over. This is the only information I can give/know because it's for a surprise gift. I have tried craigslist and local Facebook groups. I simply cannot find one of this weight. Please help!!

[the iron dwarf]

have a 250 pound wooldridge anvil here, call round in the morning to see it if you want

[Nik201]

I'm in Bremerton WA

 

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

You need to be specific. I take it that you are looking for a London pattern anvil, because you should be able to find a 200# chunk of steel in a few locations up there.

Also , what is your budget? In a lot of areas an anvil that size will run you $600+

 

[Nik201]

36 minutes ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

You need to be specific. I take it that you are looking for a London pattern anvil, because you should be able to find a 200# chunk of steel in a few locations up there.

Also , what is your budget? In a lot of areas an anvil that size will run you $600+

 

I cannot be anymore specific because I have no idea. My husband is just starting out as well. And budget would probably be less than 1k for sure. In the 600-800 region.

[Nobody Special]

Why so large if you're just starting out? A 90 to 150 lb anvil should do just fine unless you're planning to start with heavy ornamental stuff.  But as above, if nothing else is available, a large piece of scrap steel from the junkyard will work fine, and much cheaper as well.

[Nik201]

5 minutes ago, Nobody Special said:

Why so large if you're just starting out? A 90 to 150 lb anvil should do just fine unless you're planning to start with heavy ornamental stuff.  But as above, if nothing else is available, a large piece of scrap steel from the junkyard will work fine, and much cheaper as well.

I'm not really sure why he wants one so big. I just wanted to get him this as a surprise.

[Nobody Special]

Ah, gifting. I know why he wants one that big.  Pretty sure Freud developed one of his pet theories that will remain unnamed by studying "anvil envy"....

[Nik201]

1 minute ago, Nobody Special said:

Ah, gifting. I know why he wants one that big.  Pretty sure Freud developed one of his pet theories that will remain unnamed by studying "anvil envy"....

Funny because I studied psyc. Sounds about right lol.

[Glenn]

Sneak over to a hammer in or blacksmith gathering in your area. They may have something on the tailgate of a truck looking for a home. Go early as they do not last long.

[Nik201]

3 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Sneak over to a hammer in or blacksmith gathering in your area. They may have something on the tailgate of a truck looking for a home. Go early as they do not last long.

What would I search when trying to find something like that?

[Glenn]

These look promising

Blacksmith Gathering, May 21-22, 2016, High Bridge Park, Spokane Click here for more info  5hr 28min, 324.1mi A bit of a hike (grin)

 

August 18-21, 2016 at Government Camp Or. 3hr 54min, 220.3mi

 

 

[Nik201]

5 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Blacksmith Gathering, May 21-22, 2016, High Bridge Park, Spokane

Click here for more info

5hr 28min, 324.1mi A bit of a hike (grin)

Oh my goodness yes that is far I wish my husband was home to go. Hopefully there will be more opportunities in a few months.

[Glenn]

05/20/2016 - 05/24/2016 10:00 am - 5:00 pm	5 day intensive raising and forming workshop The Ranch, Snohomish WA, Snohomish WA
05/21/2016 - 05/22/2016 All Day	Columbia Fire and Iron 2016 Spring Hammer-In High Bridge Park, Spokane, Spokane WA
06/04/2016 - 06/06/2016 8:00 am - 5:00 pm	Beginning Blacksmithing 1 at Old West Forge
06/25/2016 9:00 am - 4:00 pm	June 25th 2016 Mentoring Center Cowlitz Expo Center and NWBA Mentoring Center, Longview WA
07/13/2016 - 07/16/2016 All Day	ABANA Conference 2016 Fairpark, Salt Lake City Utah, Salt Lake City Utah
07/23/2016 9:00 am - 4:00 pm	July 23, 2016 Mentoring Center Cowlitz Expo Center and NWBA Mentoring Center, Longview WA
08/18/2016 - 08/21/2016 All Day	Blacksmith Week 2016 Government Camp Oregon, Government Camp Oregon
09/01/2016 - 09/06/2016 All Day	International Blacksmithing Event
09/24/2016 - 09/26/2016 8:00 am - 5:00 pm	Blacksmith Basics and Beyond at Old West Forge

[TwistedCustoms]

FYI, I have found that most folks who are new to blacksmithing have no real understanding of anvil size as it relates to anvil weight. I make around 90% of my annual income on a 120 lb anvil and almost everyone who sees it for the first time guesses that it must weigh around 250 lbs. Just sayin ...... At any rate, as stated above, for a beginning smith an 80-90 lb anvil will handle many, many more projects than the beginning smith can handle and can usually be found for $300.00 USD or less.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

For $600-$800 you can get a new anvil like a 125# JHM Journeyman. I have one of them and they are really nice. A friend of mine from Italy  borrowed it to make some pattern welded billets for the knives he makes, and he commented that it was a nice anvil. 

Anvil brand is running some specials at the moment.  The 120# AB Legend, and the 160# Shaper are within your budget. I have the Journeyman like their #1 pattern with the turning cams. I got mine from a retired farrier, and although the turning cams are not a standard blacksmithing anvil feature I have found them handy for bending at times. They also offer the Journeyman with a more traditional square heel. The 260# Competitor , and 200# Legend just a little over your budget. Shipping will need to be figured into the total cost as they are heavy items.

I would say that 125# - 150# is a good shop size anvil, and they can be moved around easily.  A 200# would be nice, but unless you are swinging some big hammers, or working thick stock it would be more of a Tim the Tool Man Arrr Arrrr Arrr biggers better feeling. I don't really need the 260# Fisher, or the 306# Sodefors I have for the work I do today, but I got them when prices were a lot lower than they are now. The other reason the Fisher is my main anvil is because it is very quiet to work on. Along with the anvil your guy should invest on some good comfortable protective gear ; safety glasses that are clear and shaded for Infrared, ear plugs or ear muffs, gloves, etc. Over a short time the romantic ring of the anvil will deafen you, and this ringing won't stop when the forging does. 

Seeing that you are going to this much effort to find him an anvil may I suggest that you also look into getting into smithing yourself. There are some very accomplished female smiths out there, and I think that as a craft we need more women participating as they bring a different design aesthetic to their work then guys do.

Good luck!

MOD: This post has been edited to remove advertising a specific anvil or brand. =gray>

[Nik201]

Wow thank you so much for all of this information! I just want to make a good decision on this so he won't be disappointed. And getting into it myself seems like a good idea. Can this be a couples type of hobby though? Thanks again

[turbo7]

My oath it can be a couples type hobbie, even better. Do you realise a 200lb anvil is a lot to shift.

[Bo T]

Perhaps just giving a gift card and letting your husband decide on the 'right' anvil. I have tried to get presents for friends in the past where tastes differed and an anvil might be more difficult to return than a sweater.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Traditinally smithing was a team sport. You simply run out of hands trying to hold the stock, hold top tools and swing a hammer. A man with a 8" sledge, or a woman with a 6# (not to say some ladies can't swing 10# and some men would struggle with a 6# sledge) can move a lot of metal. Not to mention the competitiveness some couples get, lol. 

 

[Nik201]

21 minutes ago, Bo T said:

Perhaps just giving a gift card and letting your husband decide on the 'right' anvil. I have tried to get presents for friends in the past where tastes differed and an anvil might be more difficult to return than a sweater.

Yea I think when he's done with his car project he'll want to go into something else.

2 minutes ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

Traditinally smithing was a team sport. You simply run out of hands trying to hold the stock, hold top tools and swing a hammer. A man with a 8" sledge, or a woman with a 6# (not to say some ladies can't swing 10# and some men would struggle with a 6# sledge) can move a lot of metal. Not to mention the competitiveness some couples get, lol. 

 

Interesting that it used to be a team craft. I totally understand couples being competitive at this. I watched a beginner's/basics video and it was really impressive how this leaf turned out. 

[SLAG]

 Jhm,

Thank you for the J.H.M. reference. A very interesting farrier& blacksmithing  site. They describe their anvils as made from malleable iron. Is that malleable cast iron? They do not mention steel anywhere in their anvil description. No steel top? I think I am missing something. Would someone please enlighten me as to what the anvil is made of. Thank en avence.

SLAG.

Edited May 19, 2016 by SLAG
pruning

[ThomasPowers]

Trying to buy a craft specific item as a gift when you are not experienced in the craft often results in disaster---*many* ASO's (Anvil Shaped Objects) are out there being sold at high prices as "anvils" or even "Professional grade anvils" when they are really worse than a chunk of scrap metal.    I'd suggest the NIMBA Titan anvil new; but he might not like that style. Nothing worse than a spouse blowing the budget buying a gift for you that you DON'T WANT and so not having the cash for what you DO WANT.  One method is to attend a conference with him and if he's coveting an anvil in the tailgating area, hand him the cash and say Surprise!

My wife and I both have crafts we are passionate about and have been involved in for over 35 years; when we married we had an agreement that we would NOT buy the other anything related to their craft that cost over US$20 without consulting with them *first*!   Just knowing that they are thinking about you is a "gift" of great worth.

And as the person who coined the term "Anvil Envy"  I can say that it's endemic in the blacksmithing community.  I've put more steel across my 93# anvil than my 500+# but I still can sometimes be found out in the shop caressing it and saying "My Precioussssss"

[Bo T]

4 minutes ago, SLAG said:

 Jhm,

Thank you for the J.H.M. reference. A very interesting farrier& blacksmithing  site. They describe their anvils as made from malleable iron. Is that malleable cast iron? They do not mention steel anywhere in their anvil description. No steel top? I think I am missing something. Would someone please enlighten me as to what the anvil is made of. Thank en avence.

SLAG.

From my understanding, there are (at least) 3 types of cast iron. Malleable cast iron is alloyed in such a way that it will be tough and hard (HRc @ 52) after casting and heat treatment.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Maluable iron makes a functional anvil, other grades do not. 

My JHM's certainly get the job done. I am coveting the Competitor model, lol.