Any thoughts on this anvil?

[zak54]

Hi all,

Just recieved this photo of an anvil for sale....was wondering what your immediate thoughts are? I feel it looks cast but am a novice so not sure?

Also, does the absence of a pritchel hole mean anything to be concerned about?

Thanks for any and all advice.

Simon

Sorry.....forgot to insert the photo....here it is.

[Daswulf]

It will all come down to if it has good rebound. If it's cast steel, good. If it's cast iron, generally bad. Doing a rebound test on it before you buy it should tell you a lot. You can get by with out a pritchel hole by making a bolster plate.  the anvil "looks" cast steel to me but You need to check it before you buy it. Good luck.

[Tubalcain2]

definitely cast something. as Das said, it all comes down to rebound.

[ThomasPowers]

I'd bet on the cast iron side; look up the "Ball Bearing Test" it will tell you all you need to know. Also does it go *TING* when hit with a hammer or thwap?  Ting is cast steel Thwap is cast iron.  I once owned a 100 kg cast iron ASO, my only anvil at the time was stolen 3 days before I was doing a forging demo at a Museum and it was the only thing I could find in time. I used it *1* time and never again---it actually dented when I was forging red hot steel on it---under the steel!  Finally sold it for half what I paid to someone who swore they wound never ever try to forge on it but just wanted a garden decoration...

(so traumatic I now own close to a ton of *real* anvils---just in case!)

[zak54]

I've asked for details from the anvil itself....make/maker, and whether the seller knows if it's cast iron or steel. It's a four hour drive for me if the anvil is worth it, and I guess that's my next question. For a hobby blacksmith like myself, is this even worth considering as a working anvil, and do you think it would be worth approx $ 485 US?

Thanks.

[Daswulf]

IF it is cast steel And has good rebound, $2.20 a pound for an anvil in good shape is a good price where I'm from. Then you have to add in fuel cost. IF it's a good anvil then it will last several lifetimes if it isn't abused. So that is a tool that will out last you. Can you forge enough stuff in a lifetime to make your money back and then some? 

Just make sure it IS a good anvil and not cast iron. 

[ThomasPowers]

I'm still betting it's cast iron;  but if it passes the ball bearing test 70%+ rebound then yes it's worth the money.

If it's cast iron US$100 is too much to pay for a hardy hole

[Daswulf]

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

If it's cast iron US$100 is too much to pay for a hardy hole

Totally agree with that. $50. Would be too much in my opinion. 

[ThomasPowers]

If it's cast iron: it isn't a top plate of steel but a cast iron "fake" and so useless and deceitful and worse than if it was even with the side of the anvil.

Plain Cast iron is a weak, soft material under impact situations and so not suitable for an anvil that will get used as an anvil.  "I have an anvil made from mud does it help if it's really thick mud?"

[ThomasPowers]

I know of no anvil that has a steel face plate that thick and projecting---not even my 515# Fisher!  I've know a bunch of ASOs with such a "fake" plate cast as part of it.

Stella?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEOHFbhWiG0