So I have been browsing the forums for some time now trying to get a feel for a good anvil. So i put out some feelers in my local area and as they say when it rains it pours! I have the opportunity to purchase 2 anvils. The first one being a swedish anvil made by Kohlswa, and the second is an unknown.

I was just wondering if i could get some more experienced opinions on the 2 anvils of which there will be files attached for your viewing.

The Kohlswa looks like it has some white discoloration. Could this simply be rust over time or is that white area indicative of a larger issue?

The second anvil looks to have a little or a lot of wear on the top as it doesn't look straight. Is this a large detriment to the quality of the anvil?

 

From what I've seen on here if your choices are Kohlswa and almost anything else, you grab the Kohlswa and don't look back.  That assumes both are in decent condition and in your price range.  Kohlswa vs. unknown would be an even easier decision for me to make.  If you have the opportunity to do a side by side rebound test with a ball bearing that would be worthwhile before making your final decision.

Kohlswa unless it is 2X per pound of the unknown, which may be a Trenton with the flats on the feet. See if you can get to the bottom of this (literally) and flip it over to see the indentation in the base.

The white stuff on the Kohlswa doesn't mean anything, it could be worn paint, sheet rock dust, someone might have dusted it for a picture, anything. My only concern would be if it were fire extinguisher powder. An anvil's color doesn't effect anything but the owners aesthetics. Don't let cosmetics effect evaluating a tool's utility, UNLESS you can use it as a bargaining chip.

If you can, do a rebound test, a building fire could have annealed either one. All things being equal I'd choose the Kohlswa, it's hard to top a Swedish, cast steel anvil. On the other hand if the other anvil turned out to be a Soderfors I'd buy both if I had to sell the wife's car.   If I had to choose though I'm a Soderfors anvil guy, I've never worked on a better anvil.

The damage to the other anvil is pretty insignificant the edge chipping will clean up radiusing the edges. Not being level is a matter of adjusting the stand. If you mean the face doesn't look "Straight" it's a non-issue unless it has a severe swale. Severe means deep and abrupt. A 1/2" dip over 6" of the face is nothing but say a 1" dip over 2'-3" is an issue and needs a closer look see and more rebound testing. Time to go to a light smooth faced hammer or a dip like that will be shooting a ball bearing under a bench across the shop.

Either of those anvils will make a good piece of equipment in your shop IF they pass a rebound test. And NO don't rely on it's ring, you want to see a bearing boucing almost as high as the drop point.

Frosty The Lucky.

Hey guys thanks a lot for the responses! I will give them both the ballbearing test when i get to meet em. Ill be driving out this Saturday both of them are in the same general area from me. 2 hour drive but there isn't much else available if you look within the city. I just managed to pick up a ballbearing from a buddy a few days ago that should suit the task fine.

So for the unknown if I flip it over what sort of indentation should I be looking for? Also what makes you think the unknown is a Soderfors? The way it looks?

Early Trenton hourglass, late caplet.

Funny, I am going through similar changes but I am going to get a new anvil. I really like the style of the Nimba. And I like the Peddinghaus being drop forged,And I think the Rat Hole anvils are beautiful, BUT unfortunately the decision is being forced by my location... I'm only 1.5 hours away from Big Blue Hammer... no shipping charges!

 

So the underside would be in an hour glass shape if it was an early Trenton anvil? What is a Late caplet. I tried doing a search on it and couldn't find reference to it.

google caplet and look at images, late refers to the fact that the early anvils had the hourglass and the later ones had the caplet indentation.

Thanks for the clarification. I will take some pictures of them after i pick them up just so you guys can see them.

I didn't say I thought the other anvil is a Soderfors, I meant to say IF it turns out to be one I'd get both. Not knowing I'd hope for the best, expect the worst and judge by WHAT IS.

The only valid opinion I can offer regarding the anvil that's not a Kohlswa is it's condition appears to be very good. The edge chips aren't significant, what little swale there is in the face is even less an issue. Provided it passed a rebound test I could put it to work as is without issue.

I'd still take the Kohlswa if it passed the rebound test if I had to choose.

Sorry if I confused the issue.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks! Yeah with the many people becoming interested in using their hands more these days, having access to more than one anvil will help out my friends. Im sure they will fall in love with hitting hot metal as I have. So I figured i would pick them both up in 1 swing if they happened to both be good anvils.

Thanks for the clarification on the Soderfors comment. And thanks for the advice.

Here is an ad with the late US made Trenton caplet base, the other photo is a Hay-Budden with the typical hourglass frame.

Ahhh yeah I see what you mean now. Thanks guys!

Well guys I ended up picking up both! I forgot my ballbearing at home so luckily I had a hammer in the back of my car. Both had pretty good rebound. I think i was doing something wrong with the hammer because when i got them home with the ballbearing man really nice rebound. The Unknown turns out its a Peter wright 148 lbs anvil. I had a real nice tour of the guys farm and he basically said everything is for sale! So i saw a real nice old Reed Vice that i picked up for 50 bucks weighs almost as much as the anvil!  Also side note both anvils were 250 dollars. This is Canadian keep in mind and they tend to go for more up here I guess because they are so rare. I figure i got some good deals today.

Do you mean to say that you scored two anvils for $250 total, or that each was $250? In the first case, you stole them! The second case, you still got a heck of a deal!! 

Yeah Each! total spent 600 bucks for the 2 anvils and one vise.

Just a second while I catch my breath . . . Okay, you're saying you got a 148lb. Peter Wright and a Kohlswa for $500. Canadian!? Holy moly MAN that's a great deal, not counting the vise and that's a sweet deal too. What's the Kohlswa weigh?

Now I'm going to go sit i a dark room and sulk for a little while, anvil dealaroony envy weighs heavy you know.

Pics when you get them set up and start making things please.

Frosty The Lucky.

The Kohlswa weights 105 the lighting in my garage is pretty dim so in my coming days of i wana clean em all up and look for markings and document them. A buddy of mine and myself will soon be working on some forges. Turns out a guy across the street is into the same stuff and has access to most of the forge parts from his job so Hopefully by Christmas we will be flattening some Iron as thats all im currently capable of! haha