beef56 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Good Morning, I don't think I even deserve the rookie designation. I know nothing! I have some experience with metal work, stick welding, acetylene, etc. I need another hobby as I near retirement. I bought a HB 124 lb anvil yesterday. It is in very useable condition and included 3 Hardie tools, a huge tree stump stand, and a cute little brass jewelers anvil. Living in SD where I do there aren't many anvils for sale so I jumped on this one, paying $375. I am curious when it was made. I thought I should introduce myself before I ask any favors. Thanks, looking forward to learning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Welcome. You've come to the right place to learn. Any pictures of the new addition? We love pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 The jewelers anvil on the right was included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lutz Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Greetings. Do you see any numbers along the front of the foot? If you can discern a serial number, it will help to date your anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 I forgot to include the serial #,22088 or possibly 122088. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Be sure to adjust the stump to the correct height for *YOUR* use! Lots of threads on the proper height for an anvil and how to determine this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 the wee brass one is most likely a salesmans sample not a jeweler's anvil. would make a neat little paperweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 or cast in a middleschool shop class as a paperweight. I've seen a bunch like that though my middle school shop class cast aluminum trivets using a cast iron on as the positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lutz Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Thanks for the additional pics. My copy of AIA is at home, but if no one beats me to it I'll take a look this evening and see if can give you a time frame for when your anvil was made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Olson Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 She's a beauty. Clean her up with a wire wheel on an angle grinder remembering to wear proper safety equipment. Those things are Dangerous! I coat my stuff with Fluid Film from Lowes. Works good and smells good. And it came with a hot cut hardy. Very usefull tool. Enjoy and welcome to the addiction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 Thanks for the information. I am anxious to see the approximate age. I will post a picture after I brush her off a little! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Hi Beef56, and welcome to the addiction. We won't remember that you live in SD ten minutes from now, however if you edit your profile to show your location it will be there with every post and you may be surprised how many of the gang are near you. You have scored a beautiful looking HB anvil and it should serve you well along with future generations. Have you done a ball bearing rebound & ring test yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 I haven't done the ball bearing test yet, haven't had time to find a bearing. It does rebound nicely and has good high pitched tone and using the hammer test. I had no idea there was so much to learn about anvils. I just got lucky with this one, I had no idea the HB was a good anvil. A guy showed up , wanted to sell it and I thought the price as right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lutz Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Anvils in America (AIA) places the manufacture date at 1906 for a serial number of 122,088. A serial number of 22,088 would be a manufacture date of 1895. So either way it’s got quite a few stores to tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Thanks Lutz, I think it is 22088. I am not sure there is a 1 in front, As you say it has some stories it could tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Picture of the base? Postman said that the earlier HB's had a thinner ridge for the Hourglass indent and it was sometimes worn down to almost gone. So if that one had a robust version it might be younger than if not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 I have included a picture of the base earlier in this post. I can provide other photos if needed. It looks quite robust to me. I will clean it up and maybe it will be clearer if the number does start with a "1". I didn't know anvils could be so much fun. I thought they were just for hammering metal on! We had one at home growing up and of course every ranch I worked on had one but they were just an anvil !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Until Postman wrote "Anvils in America" there were basically 2 types of anvils: "good" anvils and "not good" anvils I sometimes miss those days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted October 28, 2017 Author Share Posted October 28, 2017 So before the book was written was a Hay Budden anvil a "good" anvil or a "not good" anvil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 Well, it wasn’t a Mousehole, so it was “good enough”! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef56 Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Should I consider trying to dress those edges that are chipped off this anvil or leave them alone? There are some good edges to work with on this anvil. I worked for a man that said you would go to hell for bending steel cold. I think whoever beat this anvil, chipping it, may have had the same destination. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Leave them alone for now, forge on her a year or so so you know which ones need addressed and such ones don’t. Rememernsharp edges are not your friend and radiused ones are. The old smith saying was “you will only go to hell for two things, forgoing cold iron and not charching enough” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 HB's are good anvils unless detempered by a fire or severely damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.