Anvil finding and pricing

[Kozzy]

28 minutes ago, Jack Underwood said:

now we have talked about where i might be able to get an anvil or how i might be able to make one, but what is a reasonable price? 

That is one tough question in this area.  Anvils are all over the place but very few come up for actual sale--that's one reason the schmoozing part of the anvil hunt can be so important:  You might break one free from it's moorings if someone "likes" you but they'd never let it go for just any old stranger.

Anyway...your most used tool needs to be the painful end of patience.  If the deal's not right, the deal's not right.  Walking away hurts a lot but other deals WILL show up eventually.  In this area (inland PNW USA), I'd attempt to stick with the $ 3 a pound for a "decent anvil" standard.  Because of the current wonkiness in the market, I understand that desire might make one bend that to something like $ 4 a pound for something quite good...or a few pennies more for something really ultra-special.  Beyond those numbers and you can probably pay to ship one in from elsewhere and save money.  Less desirable sizes or quality of anvil should be in the "wait for bargain prices" category, even though you might see them priced at ridiculous levels.

But....there is no right answer, just generalizations which may or may not fall into place.  The above is nothing but my OPINION from the anvils I've seen show up lately and how long they hang around on sale.    If you happen to run into a seller that has several items you might want, don't forget about "bundling" the price...it can change perceptions and make the deal seem better to the seller than tossing out individual item prices first thing.  The lesson there is to check it ALL out before you start putting numbers on the table.

YMMV...and that second M should be a W for WILL.

[Jack Underwood]

Just now, Kozzy said:

That is one tough question in this area.  Anvils are all over the place but very few come up for actual sale--that's one reason the schmoozing part of the anvil hunt can be so important:  You might break one free from it's moorings if someone "likes" you but they'd never let it go for just any old stranger.

Anyway...your most used tool needs to be the painful end of patience.  If the deal's not right, the deal's not right.  Walking away hurts a lot but other deals WILL show up eventually.  In this area (inland PNW USA), I'd attempt to stick with the $ 3 a pound for a "decent anvil" standard.  Because of the current wonkiness in the market, I understand that desire might make one bend that to something like $ 4 a pound for something quite good...or a few pennies more for something really ultra-special.  Beyond those numbers and you can probably pay to ship one in from elsewhere and save money.  Less desirable sizes or quality of anvil should be in the "wait for bargain prices" category, even though you might see them priced at ridiculous levels.

But....there is no right answer, just generalizations which may or may not fall into place.  The above is nothing but my OPINION from the anvils I've seen show up lately and how long they hang around on sale.    If you happen to run into a seller that has several items you might want, don't forget about "bundling" the price...it can change perceptions and make the deal seem better to the seller than tossing out individual item prices first thing.  The lesson there is to check it ALL out before you start putting numbers on the table.

YMMV...and that second M should be a W for WILL.

awesome, thank you. you all have helped me loads 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Have to disagree with both Jerry and George on their points. 

First, not every one can afford a $1000 anvil, some can barely afford a sledge hammer and cross pein, should we deny them the opertunity? Buying $1500 of kit to find out you really arnt cut out (or your life style) aren't cut out for it? Honestly not every one has a $70 an hour job and can throw money away. 

As to farriers anvils, tho some patterns are less than ideal, but maluable iron and cast steel carriers anvils work just fine for the hobiest. Turning cams, spreading blocks and clip horns not withstanding. 

[JHCC]

53 minutes ago, Jack Underwood said:

thank you very much 

now we have talked about where i might be able to get an anvil or how i might be able to make one, but what is a reasonable price? 

In addition to Kozzy's excellent response, remember that "reasonable" depends largely on one simple factor: how much are YOU willing to pay?

For me right now, my anvil does everything I want it to, and I don't need another one. Given the tightness of my budget, a "reasonable price" for me is ZERO DOLLARS. For someone with deeper pockets and no anvil at all, totally different calculation. So ask yourself, "How much do I have to spend on an anvil?" and "Given my current level of skill, what do I need my anvil to do?" Then shop accordingly.

[Charles R. Stevens]

2 minutes ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

Have to disagree with both Jerry and George on their points. 

First, not every one can afford a $1000 anvil, some can barely afford a sledge hammer and cross pein, should we deny them the opertunity? Buying $1500 of kit to find out you really arnt cut out (or your life style) aren't cut out for it? Honestly not every one has a $70 an hour job and can throw money away. 

As to farriers anvils, tho some patterns are less than ideal, but maluable iron and cast steel carriers anvils work just fine for the hobiest. Turning cams, spreading blocks and clip horns not withstanding. 

 

[TwistedCustoms]

It depends somewhat on what other tools you own or have access to. Making an improvised anvil can involve heavy welders, water jet cutters, power hack saws, chop saws, torches......or slipping a couple of feet of chain through the eye of a sledge hammer head and lag screwing it to a stump. Scrap yards in my area are not the best sources for the "good stuff". Spend a weekday going around to shops that work on heavy equipment and ask them what they do with their scrap. Be prepared to offer to buy someone lunch or bring a cooler full of cold drinks around lunch time. There is a shop close to me that services "big" all terrain fork lifts. The individual forks are 3" x 6" in cross section and weigh over 100lbs per foot. they are 4140 according to the guys at the shop and they will set one in the back of a pick up with a forklift for a grand total a $26.00 with a bill of sales. Not everyone looking for an anvil wants a thousand lb fork to drag home and cut up but I bet someone in your closest blacksmithing club does, and probably has some smaller pieces laying around his or her shop. If you want to find the best deals hang out with blacksmiths :-)

[D.C.]

I'm with Charles on the farrier anvils quality. I personally own a cast DUCTILE IRON anvil. Note...ductile iron...Not cheap Chinese gray cast. While many are sceptical of some of the newer USA made farrier anvils, I can and will attest to their quality. Plenty hard, without being brittle(not a chip anywhere on the edges), and great rebound!

That being said, there are some designs I'm not so fond of, such as the aluminum bases, etc.

Still though, a modern farrier anvil has the potential to give plenty of years of service to a serious Smith.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I have a 125# JHM Journeyman anvil , and it is a great anvil. I would not hesitate in recommending them to a smith. The turning cams also come in handy when bending items other than shoes. 

[aessinus]

NC farrier - about 50# before stump & chains.  Had a hard life; face chips & a couple ham-fisted chip repairs with SSA rod by the cutting table.  But, found in the bar-ditch where a driller or rig-hand likely left it after failing to secure it before tearing up the county road, so Road-Kill has a better home now ....  Handles up to 3/4"stock without having to chase it around.