January 16, 20179 yr Hey guys... Can anybody identify this anvil? I find it in an old shed (also found an old leg vice). The owner said I could have it if I loaded it up and took it away. I'm new to Smithing, but really would like to make it a full time hobby... Anyway the only markings that I could are the ones pictured that day "Sweden" and something else. Any help would be appreciated!
January 16, 20179 yr You hit the jackpot! It is a Kohlswa made out of solid tool steel from sweden. One of the best anvils in the world. Worth big !money
January 16, 20179 yr Author It seems to be in great shape... I'm no expert by any means, but the face is undamaged and practically blemish free. Is there any way to tell how old it is, or how much is worth?
January 16, 20179 yr How much it's worth is how much someone will pay for it. It's a good quality anvil from a maker with an excellent reputation, but the value will depend greatly on (A) how much it weighs and (B) where you are. In some parts of the world, anvils are comparatively rare, and scarcity will drive up the price. In others, there are a lot more available, so prices will be somewhat lower. You didn't put your location in your profile settings, so it's hard to say which of those applies to you. If you're looking to make this a full-time hobby, though, DON'T SELL IT!!! That's a really good anvil, and you will probably never see another of comparable quality for a comparable price! Now, get yourself over to the "Introduce yourself" page and tell us who you are, but make sure to read this first!
January 16, 20179 yr Well it's worth about twice as much out here as where I used to live and both places are in the USA! Where you are I haven't a clue; do you want your price in Euro's or rupiah, or pesos, pounds, rubles,???
January 16, 20179 yr Author Oh I had no intention of selling it... I was just curious as to how much cash I may have saved when I found it for free lol... Btw, I'm in Bridgeport, TX... I'll have to see if I can update my profile. Also the weight stamp is no longer visible, but I estimate it to be between 150 and 175 pounds (based on the difficulty of picking it up compared to what I know I can lift lol)
January 16, 20179 yr OK Minimum of US$2, more than US$6 would be very surprising. Can't narrow it down much as we would need to see more of the anvil to judge condition but you really lucked out!----Big Time! Still need to check the temper on it with the ball bearing test as if it's been through a structure fire the face may be soft---and that would drop the price substantially!
January 16, 20179 yr Author To do the temper test, I just drop a ball bearing on the face and it should bounce back about 90 percent, right?
January 16, 20179 yr Depends on the temper of the face anvilfire has a list of anvil makes and ball bearing test results; but anything over 70% is good with higher better. Note that a rusty face can modify the results. (as well as one with paint or other coating on it---steel to steel is what you want.)
January 16, 20179 yr When it is true that what you can get for an item is what someone is willing to pay, and if you live in a desert, your anvil is worth zero because there is no one to sell it to ... I venture that a reasonable retail price for that beauty is $500. perfect size for small to medium jobs. Light enough to move by yourself. Wire brush the sides, oil them with orange oil (my preference) and don't touch the face with anything that is not red hot ...
January 16, 20179 yr Author This is a small s-hook I just made out of 3/8 rebar... Kinda crappy, I know... It's really the first thing I've ever made
January 16, 20179 yr Congratulations! Looks like a lot of scale so perhaps an oxidizing fire or too long in the fire. Soaking overnight in plain old cheap vinegar will remove it though you need to rinse it off thoroughly afterwards and it will want to rust *fast*. What's next?
January 16, 20179 yr Author I'm using coke that I bought at the farriers supply for the fire... Perhaps that's contributing to the scale? I also didn't take the time to really brush off the scale well after I pulled it from the fire. I'm not sure what's next... I've kinda been looking around for good "rookie"projects
January 16, 20179 yr The fool that I am-even I can see that the length of bar from your 'pinkie' upwards has not been touched at all by a hammer. That is why it is covered in detritus/burnt rust/scale. Wire brush will see it gone-don't forget yer safety specs! Where's the anvil then? Oh, if you've mislaid your brush, its under the anvil in the first picture.
January 16, 20179 yr The fuel isn't the issue; one fire (if large enough) will be oxidizing at the bottom, neutral in the middle, and reducing at the top.
January 16, 20179 yr Dang, and I was going to tell him that anvil's junk, send it to me and I'll dispose of it properly. Now I just have to say, great find! Nothing better than free! And a post vise to boot?! Can't beat that with a stick, but definitely with a cross pein hammer! Well, not the anvil directly, but the hot steel on it.
January 16, 20179 yr 35 minutes ago, Emhooper33 said: I'm using coke that I bought at the farriers supply for the fire... Perhaps that's contributing to the scale? I also didn't take the time to really brush off the scale well after I pulled it from the fire. I'm not sure what's next... I've kinda been looking around for good "rookie"projects EmHooper33 - You may want to check out this book for a good beginning blacksmith education, and some nice starter projects: https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Blacksmith-Lorelei-Sims/dp/0785825673 -- Dave
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