My first anvil

[streetcore]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum and have no experience blacksmithing, but I bought my first anvil last week and would appreciate some feedback on the condition and who might have made it. I've always wanted to learn about blacksmithing and metal art, but my interest in anvils peaked over the last year as I got into woodworking with vintage hand tools. I've been buying and fixing up old hand saws and would like to learn how to straighten bent blades by hammering them.

So I've been watching the local market (Southern Ontario) for used anvils and one popped up on a classified site a few minutes away from me for a very good price. It was less than $1/pound and the seller said it was 250 pounds. I put it on a bathroom scale when I got it home and it's more like 220, but that's close enough for me. 

There's a bit of sway in the top plate and some cracks and chips, but I think there's still quite a bit of good useable space, especially for the kind of stuff I might be doing.

There are lots of chisel and punch marks on the sides. So it's hard to make out any identifying marks or stamps, but I think I see what looks like a "P", a "G", and maybe a "4" on the waist. There is also an "A A" on the foot that is pretty clear.

Here's a few pics. Any opinions or feedback would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Tubalcain2]

its a old english style, my guess would be william foster or mousehole, but english anvils are not my thing so don't take my word for it. it would have wrought iron body with steel face plate. very decent anvils. it looks like you may have some delamination on the face. did you do a ring/rebound test?

[arkie]

You might try hand brushing the sides and foot with a mild wire brush, then dusting with white flour. That usually brings out the lettering much clearer.

[streetcore]

4 hours ago, Tubalcain2 said:

its a old english style, my guess would be william foster or mousehole, but english anvils are not my thing so don't take my word for it. it would have wrought iron body with steel face plate. very decent anvils. it looks like you may have some delamination on the face. did you do a ring/rebound test?

I am a bit worried about possible deamination as well. I did a hammer test when I bought it and didn't hear any obvious buzzing or vibration that might be associated with a loose top plate, but like I said I'm a total noob. So I wasn't too sure what to look for, but at less than a dollar a pound I didn't want to walk away either. 

I shot a video of a ring/rebound test today and posted it below. Unfortunately, I don't have a steel ball to test with, so I used a hammer. There's a slow motion clip at the end.

 

4 hours ago, arkie said:

You might try hand brushing the sides and foot with a mild wire brush, then dusting with white flour. That usually brings out the lettering much clearer.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not sure if I did it right, but here's a few pics with the flour. Didn't really reveal much more than I saw before. The AA on the foot seems pretty clear, but I'm still not sure about the P G 4. The G looks pretty clear, but the 4 might just be chisel marks.

[Marc1]

Hi Streetcore! 

Usually the best advice is to use the anvil as it is and concentrate on your forging. 

Unfortunately from what I can see and hear, I think that anvil had it's time in the sun and will with further use delaminate more. If I had bought that anvil, I would keep on looking for another anvil and sell that one as it is, hopefully for the same money. 

Surely a good wire brushing and a bit of wd40 will make it look more presentable. 

[Kevin Olson]

Forge on it. Then decide what to do with it. You have a real anvil. Not perfect, but more then some of us have. 

[Fatfudd]

The anvil is ok to use and use it you should. It is a great starter anvil and far better than what I started with. Don't be discouraged by others comments and don't sweat the condition. As Kevin said "Forge On It" It will serve you well and after you have gotten some experience and started making money, then consider whether you actually need another anvil. I still have the piece of rail road track I started on many many years ago and I also have way too many anvils that I have been able to purchase because i have a blacksmith art business. 

[Frosty]

She's got mileage on her and scars but she's got plenty of life left. Put her to work and by time your skills ask more than she has to give you will have found another and you can poss her along to the next aspiring smith. 

You  knew to do a rebound test and did it well. Next time don't worry about the sides what you're looking for is delamination or heat effected areas of the face. Still doing the sides doesn't hurt. Seems old timey tradition to test files, punches, etc on the side of the anvil most have the marks. No accounting.

Good score. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Randy Bill]

 204 (228 lbs.?)

[C-1ToolSteel]

Yep. 228 lbs is what it weighed at the factory. That is a great score at less that 1$/lb. Have fun forging on it, and whatever you do, don't weld or grind on the face! She's purdy.

[streetcore]

2 hours ago, Randy Bill said:

 204 (228 lbs.?)

1 hour ago, C-1ToolSteel said:

Yep. 228 lbs is what it weighed at the factory. That is a great score at less that 1$/lb. Have fun forging on it, and whatever you do, don't weld or grind on the face! She's purdy.

Of course, 2 0 4 or 228 lbs makes perfect sense! Thanks!

 

[streetcore]

On 8/19/2017 at 5:36 PM, Marc1 said:

Surely a good wire brushing and a bit of wd40 will make it look more presentable. 

I spent some time cleaning it up today with WD40, a wire brush, and some steel wool. I've attached a pic of the anvil and a few other things I've picked up recently. I think it definitely looks better.

On 8/20/2017 at 10:22 AM, C-1ToolSteel said:

Have fun forging on it, and whatever you do, don't weld or grind on the face! She's purdy.

I think somebody did some welding on it in the past and there's a high spot on top that looks like a zit that needs to be squeezed. Should I try filing that spot down?  Should I consider doing anything else to the top or the edges? 

Thanks.

[arkie]

Streetcore, I wouldn't worry about the "zit" for now.  If it's weldment, or something softer than the face, it'll probably just hammer out flat.  Hammer on some steel over it and see if it goes down.  Might take a while, if so, just work around it.

[Frosty]

That little thing should hammer down just fine. Don't work on the chipped edge if you can help it you don't want more coming off.  I'd put that fine old lady to work, unless a hidden defect turns up she has lots of years of good work in her. Listen to her while you work, she'll tell you if something's wrong.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Hammerfall]

An angle grinder with a flip disc could make that zip go away in about 6 seconds without harming the face.

[C-1ToolSteel]

Yep, zit or no zit, the idea is to not grind the face. Treat your anvil's face like your own face. (taking this too far??) Just like I wouldn't reccomend (unless VERY expierienced) going to the bathroom mirror and plugging in the angle grinder...

[Marc1]

On 8/23/2017 at 11:50 AM, streetcore said:

I spent some time cleaning it up today with WD40, a wire brush, and some steel wool. I've attached a pic of the anvil and a few other things I've picked up recently. I think it definitely looks better.

I think somebody did some welding on it in the past and there's a high spot on top that looks like a zit that needs to be squeezed. Should I try filing that spot down?  Should I consider doing anything else to the top or the edges? 

Thanks.

Well ... it looks much better already. 

So what are your planing to make? And what other tools do you have? As far as anvil, be assured that if you get into forging you will buy 3 or 4 or more anvils as they come along. This will be just one of many. May be in the distant future you can take it to a meeting where they can repair it for you if you really want to. 

[streetcore]

13 hours ago, Marc1 said:

Well ... it looks much better already. 

So what are your planing to make? And what other tools do you have? As far as anvil, be assured that if you get into forging you will buy 3 or 4 or more anvils as they come along. This will be just one of many. May be in the distant future you can take it to a meeting where they can repair it for you if you really want to. 

I'm not really sure what I want to make yet, and the picture above shows my very meagre collection of blacksmithing tools. I'm more into woodworking now, so I might start by forging some furniture hardware or shop accessories. I was actually looking for an anvil to use for hammer straightening bent hand saw blades and I'd still like to find a smaller saw maker's anvil that I can carry down to my basement shop. So the hunt continues and I can see why you might want more than one. 

I'll definitely keep my eyes open for meetings in my area.

Cheers.

[Marc1]

Good start with those tools. Now you need a forge and a post vice.  Oh ... and a handle for your hammer ... is it a rounding hammer?

Bent handsaw blades ? I thought you toss them? 

Small anvils are plentiful for some reason. I have a small Kohlswa I believe it is 9k or so, very handy to move around for small jobs 

[streetcore]

On 8/25/2017 at 4:48 PM, Marc1 said:

Good start with those tools. Now you need a forge and a post vice.  

I bought a post vise at an auction today! I had to buy the 10 ton jack with it, but it was still a very good deal. I haven't hammered any steel yet, but I'm one step closer. The got a couple hammers from the guy who sold me the anvil too, including a 2lb cross peen. Next step is a forge I guess.