RoguishSmith Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Hi everyone, I've lurked on these forums here and there, but I decided to actually make an account now that I've received my first anvil...s My uncle contacted me a few months after I asked him to keep a look out for any anvils he might see. He works at a scrap recycling plant and sees scrap come through all the time. So I went to go see him (unfortunately did *not* bring my truck) and he gave me 2 anvils that were brought in to be melted down. One being a ~35ish lbs anvil made from what looks to be a railroad track. The other is a big ass anvil that feels like it weighs like 150ish lbs. I was barely able to get it into the neon and we had to use my father's car lift to get it out of the trunk. Maybe it's just awkward to hold, but it seems heavier than 150 lbs. So, I wanted to clean it up a bit because someone said I should check for welds and cracks. I cleaned off the loose bits with a fine cupped wire-brush with a hand drill and used evapo-rust and a tight woven cotton rag (old clothes) to clean the surfaces. I hosed it off with water while fighting the dog off me (swear that dog was a puma in a past life with her love for water) and rubbed a small amount of boiled linseed oil into the metal, which made the anvil really look nice and shows the amount of blood, sweat and iron that's gone over it. I frickin' love the worn but shiny look to it now. So, after looking it over and doing some research online, it looks like a Peter Wright anvil... But I'm brand new to this, so I can most definitely be wrong. The latter pictures are the ones I've taken of the symbols, which one looks like a nordic rune almost, embedded with a chisel. The others look to be in exact placement as the Peter Wright anvils but without the importation stamps... Which from some of my research would indicate that this anvil was imported before 1903 where these stamps were required...? Anyways, has anyone ever seen this kind of anvil before? I'd love to know everything about it since it's going to be an integral tool for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjaman Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Looks like a Peter Wright to me. The only thing i find strange is the visible top plate. Peter wright was very good at covering that up. According to the weight stamp, she weighs 247lbs. The style seems to be after 1910, Although i cant see the stamp after 1910 they were required to stamp England in their anvils. Maybe someone who is more knowledgeable on Pete's can tell you for sure what the date is. Congrats on the anvil, awesome scrap yard find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoguishSmith Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 29 minutes ago, Benjaman said: Looks like a Peter Wright to me. The only thing i find strange is the visible top plate. Peter wright was very good at covering that up. According to the weight stamp, she weighs 247lbs. The style seems to be after 1910, Although i cant see the stamp after 1910 they were required to stamp England in their anvils. Maybe someone who is more knowledgeable on Pete's can tell you for sure what the date is. Congrats on the anvil, awesome scrap yard find! Thanks Ben! (Can I call you that? lol) Actually I'm based in Western New York, so this being an English Anvil is pretty cool. Goddamn! Now I know why I'm dying after carrying it out! lmao! May I ask how you identified that it was 247 lbs? I saw the 2 on the left side, but I'd like to know a bit more. Also, there's an M on the bottom of the same side (2nd to last picture) and do you know anything about that marking on the other half? It looks like a rune to me, but I'm at a loss. Could be an owner's mark for all I know. What was the style before 1910? Sorry for the interrogation, just trying to get educated. lol *whistles innocently* EDIT: Actually, after looking at the anvil some more you *can* just barely make out Peter Wright, there seems to have been some more underneath but I can't read it, it's way too faded. So there's my importation stamp I guess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjaman Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 The weight on peter wrights is in the English hundredweights. First number being that number multiplied by 112, Second by 28 i believe, and the third is just the remainder weight left. So that number multiplied by 1. Before 1910 They did not have to put England in the name, but just what i've seen. From the ones i have seen anyways. They look shorter, a bit bulkier, and a little bit rougher. that one seems a bit taller and lengthier. Seems smoother too, but like i said i could be wrong about the date but if i had to make a guess that would be mine. As for the "m" stamped below, im stumped, no idea lol... and the "rune" you talked about, i think that's just a chisel mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoguishSmith Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 Oh, alright, I'll leave the chisel mark for now, lol The smoothness I think could also be because of how rusty this thing was when I got it, there was a *lot* of rust on it. So blame me for that ;P Thanks for that bombshell of information though on hundredweights, I haven't heard that system since I was in highschool. That's really cool. Don't really understand the third number though, it says 23 or 2.3 but that's a bit confusing. (To me anyways) I'll do some research on it so I can understand it better. Thank you sincerely for the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Nice one, good score Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjaman Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Third number is remainder pounds. So 23 pounds, and when I said smooth I didn't mean litteraly how smooth it was just touching it. Like the lines of the feet the heel and horn, it just looks smoother. Cleaner lines I should say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yuppiejr Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 What a nice looking anvil, the face looks flat and the edges are remarkably clean, great weight for a shop anvil... Looks like something that was only lightly used, or very well cared for by a prior owner. Fantastic score, congrats! It shocks me that scrappers haven't picked up on the market demand & value of old anvils... the local yards are paying between 3 and 4 cents a pound so the scrap value of something like this is less than $9 while it would easily fetch $1000 or more on Craigslist or a local antique/used tool shop. Glad this one was rescued before it was shredded and sent off to China to build microwaves or flat panel TV mounts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 44 minutes ago, Yuppiejr said: It shocks me that scrappers haven't picked up on the market demand & value of old anvils My closest yard isn't allowed to sell anything once in their yard by Zoning, city & state licensing regulations, Sales tax regulations and they don't want people poking around because of insurance. One of the workers told me it isn't unusual to have mystery shoppers trying to buy stuff from them sent in by one of the regulating bodies so it's a blank NO! They have had mystery sellers show up to see if they buy stuff they shouldn't like RR items from none contractors. Big Brother at work using the word Work loosely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoguishSmith Posted October 8, 2016 Author Share Posted October 8, 2016 Thanks everyone for your input!!! So sorry I haven't been able to respond due to moving and my computer was packed up for the time being. @Yuppiejr - Thanks! It's a real beauty of an anvil and with some boiled linseed oil I smile every time I look at it. @Benjaman - Whoops, sorry, I didn't quite get what you meant by smoothness before lol *shrugs* but I get you now. The horn's tip is kinda.... Broken? I guess... I don't know how prominent the tip is supposed to be though. @George Geist - Thanks man, it feels great to own one finally! I'll die if I lose it, lol. @notownkid - Interesting, I think the place where I got the anvil from allows people who do work for them and certain individuals to comb through some of the stuff that might be more valuable, but I know they don't allow everyday people to just walk through the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 FIRST THING when lucking out with getting something from a limited access place is to give a THANK YOU PRESENT! Buy them a dozen good brand doughnuts! Bribery *works*!!!! Once you learn some smithing then making trinkets for the folks is good---bottle openers made from stuff they provided for instance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkearns Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 That's a beautiful anvil. Glad you were able to save its life and get it out of the scrap yard. She will serve you well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 One of my prime targets for "good PR" gifts is the secretary, nice card holders, pen holders, etc. are money in the bank. THE person who knows what's where is the secretary if s/he says keep an eye out for . . . X and set aside it's going to happen. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Rather than use the term secretary I would use "person who runs the office" (answers the phone, keeps the petty cash drawer, etc and so on...) Or as it was once put "It's good to have low friends in high places!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 Point. Office manager, though I have a rather low opinion of "management" but that's . . . Nevermind. You just have to know who to talk to and the CEO isn't usually who gets the day to day work done. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 everywhere there is someone low down who is more important than the boss. in M A S H it was radar, in Northern Exposure it was the doctors receptionist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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