Anvil I.D. For a rookie

[Scout]

I picked this one up at an auction. After cleaning it, the only markings I can find are the numbers cast in the base. Can anyone tell me who made it?

[Judson Yaggy]

More pics and stop grinding please.  

Pics square to the sides and each way along the long axis, and close ups of the sides and bottom would help with ID.

A wire wheel on an angle grinder will just clean rust and highlite maker's marks.  An abrasive (grinding) wheel will remove identifying marks and degrade working surfaces.  

[Scout]

[ThomasPowers]

Since you did do a bunch of grinding (and the original state makes me wonder)  Was there any steel on the top of the face or is it all cast iron?  The sparks would tell. I hope you did not pay top high quality price for it!

Also LOCATION!  "I have a cheap old car, can you tell me the make"  Location would help decide if it was more likely a  Trabant or a Pinto

[Scout]

Not looking for criticism, just a manufacturer. If you don't know who the manufacturer is just say so. The "grinding" was a spark test.  The bottom pictures are after the spark test and wire wheel on a grinder.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Nice anvil for texturing.....

[Tubalcain2]

 

Not looking for criticism, just a manufacturer. If you don't know who the manufacturer is just say so. The "grinding" was a spark test.  The bottom pictures are after the spark test and wire wheel on a grinder.

Whoa brotha, rein it in a tad. TP was just trying to help, and I noticed you did not even answer his questions. We can't do much to help if you can't get us the info we need.

[Scout]

There is approximately 1/2 inch of steel on the top. What about location? I don't understand.

[Tubalcain2]

just where you are in the world.   different anvils can be found in different regions and location can help be a tiebreaker. lots of those unmarked cast iron anvils are hard to tell apart.

[Scout]

I bought it in northeast Kansas. Bought it fairly cheap.

[Frozenforge]

Looks to be cast iron which means there has been many companies making these over the years with no identifying marks.

They often make them to appear to have a plate on top with the casting mold. A rebound test will tell alot if you want to know.

[Scout]

50% rebound with 1inch ball bearing. What is a good rebound %?

[RobS]

Here is an excellent read if you are new to anvils.  It tells you all about them and how to tell good from bad.

 

 

Now everyone says cast iron is bad, and it really is.  But if you already have it, just use it for now.  Keep watching for something better to use as an anvil.  A really bad anvil is better than no anvil.  

That said,  you could probably find a chunk of hard steel at a scrap yard that would actually function as an anvil better than a cast iron "anvil".  It does not have to look like an anvil to be used as a anvil.  And many objects that look nothing like an anvil can be 10x better functionally used as an anvil.

Here is a good read about non traditional anvils.

 

[Frozenforge]

As Charles said while cast iron is not ideal it is still usable you just need to be aware of the inherent weaknesses of a cast iron. Only work hot metal, don't get too crazy with a sledge hammer on it, especially if your working out on the heel or tip of the horn.

Since you got it cheap you can try it out, learn on it and if you miss a blow or two with the hammer no harm!  Have Fun!!

[Nobody Special]

The damage to the face and the way that it's shaped, especially the horn shouts cast iron. Lot of generic makers over the years, especially in Russia and China, and they tended to pop up cheap at hardware stores, feed stores and harbor freight.  They'd get them from whomever was making them cheap at the moment.

Might be ductile iron, which is not great, but better. You can use ductile iron without it breaking, still tends to be soft.

[Irondragon ForgeClay Works]

 

50% rebound with 1inch ball bearing. What is a good rebound %?

80% is good. I would say considering the condition of the face of that anvil 50% is not so good.

[arftist]

 

Not looking for criticism, just a manufacturer. If you don't know who the manufacturer is just say so. The "grinding" was a spark test.  The bottom pictures are after the spark test and wire wheel on a grinder.

Simple answer, It isn't an anvil. It is a lump of cast iron. A forgery if you will, likely made in Mexico. 

There is no steel top plate, value, close to zero, except as a (hopefully) learning experience. 

[C-1ToolSteel]

 

Simple answer, It isn't an anvil. It is a lump of cast iron. A forgery if you will, likely made in Mexico. 

There is no steel top plate, value, close to zero, except as a (hopefully) learning experience. 

I see a perfectly good hardy hole, pritchel hole, and horn for occasional bending. Make yourself an improvised anvil to use as a main forging face, and you will have a complete set.

[arftist]

Work with junk if that is your desire.

[Tubalcain2]

Or if that is all you have, which is what C-1 meant. better to be productive with what you have than not do anything at all.

[ThomasPowers]

A striking anvil made from steel and that anvil's hardy hole and horn and you would have a decent setup to use at a low cost!

[Scout]

So... I milled the face to the deepest part of the damaged & dished surface. I took it to the 72” belt grinder and cleaned up the milled surface. It has a good pritchel hole, hardy hole, and horn. I guess I’ll be working with junk for awhile. Cheap junk though. 

[Marc1]

That anvil is perfectly good for a lot of different jobs. if you make decorative stuff or architectural stuff with smaller stock, you don't need 80% rebound or 50% rebound, just a hard surface to hammer and bend and cut. i have seen excellent work done on a Chinese cast thing i wouldn't have for boat anchor. 

Furthermore ... miss a blow on that anvil and the danger is probably minimal. I wonder sometimes what happened to the chips that are missing from my anvils' edges. Did they drive with someone to hospital? I guess I'll never know. 

[Marc1]

 

Nice anvil for texturing.....

True ... if you use a texturing hammer you do both faces in one go

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Now that you have a flat surface you can bolt down a chunk of thicker steel (forklift fork ?) to it. Won't be perfect, but you will have a longer lasting surface.