Posted on Seattle CL, blacksmith anvil - $450. I'm going to see this tomorrow am, I've already contacted the seller and offered a lower price depending on testing and condition. I'd appreciate opinions on a price value. Thanks in advance

Six dollars a pound is pretty steep for my area, unless it is "new in the box". I would pass on it unless they come down to around $300.

 thanks IF&C. I offered 300, he came back with 350, I said maybe depending on examining it in person. The pictures are limited in usefulness

$450 for a 34 kg anvil is expensive even for Australia that has the highest anvil prices.

However ... price is relative to a lot of other factors.

I would be concerned about the size. 75 lb is a small anvil .... what are  you going to use it for? Do you have other anvils? 

Anvils around Seattle have been creeping up in price and I frequently see listings for $5-$7 per pound. No clue what they end up selling for. If this is the one currently posted in Snohomish, the edges look a little rough to be paying top dollar. Even at $350 you can get new anvil for a few bucks more in that size range.

Marc1, I knew $450 was too high but I'm using a cast iron ASO that I did some improvement on. Its still only just adequate, if even that in the long term. 75 lbs IS small, but it's also more portable if I want to do demos.

DanL. I haven't been searching, so I haven't been aware of new anvil prices around here. The only place I know of that carries anything worthy of the name anvil is Harry's leather shop in Everett. Their prices are way out of my range. This listing came to my attention thru NWBA, so I checked it out. Do you know of other suppliers around here?

Thanks for the input. I'm not falling all over myself with this, which is why I'm looking for opinions.

NWBA swap meet is Oct 28th, so maybe hold out for that. I haven't looked for a local place that sells them retail, but have been watching CL for a while to see what's out there.

Some of the online retailers have free shipping on some of the anvils in this size range. It's no a PW, but it will be chip free and flat face.

I'll be at the NWBA swap meet, but at the conference in May, all I saw were 300 lb monsters. Way overkill for me. The one I have will hold me for awhile, I was just interested in this one as portable. If i find any more defects tomorrow than what i see in the pictures,  I will pass.

What was the verdict with the PW?

I passed. The damaged corner also had what looked to be a 2" delamination crack though it didn't sound hollow there or anywhere and the rebound was a consistent 80%. I just felt $350 was too high to take a risk of crack propagation even though that may have been unlikely at that spot

I think 4.67 dollars a pound for a damaged anvil is a bit much myself...

But I could have told people that the corner broke when or landed on Wile E coyote

I think you were wise to pass on that one. Keep at it with the TPAAAT being used and the just about perfect one will turn up.

Passing was a good idea, the guy relisted it at $225. Much nicer deal at $3 per lb, perhaps still not worth it with a crack or delamination.

4elements, I was looking at this one, too. I didn't like the price.

If there is a delam, is it fixable? Or is this a boat anchor sort of item?

 Hi Denise, the delamination i saw, if that's what it is, looked old. I couldn't tell that it was an active crack, also its in an area that would get little hard use. I didn't think $350 was reasonable,  $225 is better and since the ring test didn't give a hollow sound, it then becomes a question of is it cheap enough to take a risk of further delam. As far as repair goes, all I can say is maybe. I have no experience in that kind of welding, but a small bead with proper care might work. It would be on the side, not the face, still some risk. Going to see for yourself doesn't obligate you to buy.

Well, $225 makes the risk seem less...risky.

I'm actively mulling taking a look.

I am such a sucker.

Edited to add: Looks like it's gone. Well, that'll learn me.

4elements, if you're looking for anvil in that size and price range, check out the NC Anvils at Centaur Forge (http://www.centaurforge.com/NC-Anvils/products/483/). They offer free shipping on anvils priced $325 or higher and $9.95 flat rate on anvils that cost less than that. So as DanL mentioned, you can get a new anvil of that size for same price. I've heard they also give a discount to first time customers, but you may need to talk to someone in the sales department to ask about that.  

Thank youLutz, I'll look into that but since I'm going to the NWBA swap meet this weekend, I'll wait to buy until after I've seen what's there