Looking to buy one and not sure which. Comments, reviews, observations? Probably around 165lbs or so. Thanks!

Welcome aboard echo echo echo, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the gang live within visiting distance. A lot of things like anvil price and value have a strong regional element.

Both are high quality anvils being made currently. It'd be a coin toss for me if I had to choose. Rigid bought out Peddinghaus and I haven't heard anything about the quality suffering. The Home Depot is I believe Rigid's distributor so they ship by the container and you get a LITTLE break if you wait for a full load.

Were I to buy new I'd probably look into Rhino anvils, located in Eastern Washington, or one of the others made I believe in the mid west. Shipping can be a killer, try living in Alaska for a clear view, so if the quality is there I look as locally as possible.

That's just me though. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Nimba is another good anvil and made in the USA

Do a little research on this website and you'll gather a whole lot of discussion about the two anvils. I would add that the newer Peddinghaus anvils have gotten some negative criticism but you need to do some more research on your own..

Here is another outlet. I have a 125# JHM Journeyman, and it is a nice anvil.  anvilbrand.com

 

On 29/11/2017 at 2:26 AM, echosierra3 said:

Looking to buy one and not sure which. Comments, reviews, observations? Probably around 165lbs or so. Thanks!

That is a Hobston's choice.

It's the Refflinhaus or nothing ...

Ouch $$$$

Rat Hole  (Fontanini)!  Another made in the USA.  

 

This is an old post I am hijacking. I can buy a 165lb Peddinghaus for $1,200 or a 205/210 lb Refflinghaus for $2,350. Is the Refflinghaus actually $1,150 better? I don't mind spending the money if it is justified. 

So far you haven't told us if your needs couldn't be covered by a US$35 block of steel from a scrapyard.    Remember 1000 hours working on a $100 anvil will make you a much better smith than 100 hours working on a $1000 anvil!

Not having used either (Jennifer, jlpservicesinc, has both IIRC) I can't offer any pros/cons for each. From what I gather they are both great anvils.

I will say a Refflinghaus No 58 is my dream anvil...

32 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

So far you haven't told us if your needs couldn't be covered by a US$35 block of steel from a scrapyard.    Remember 1000 hours working on a $100 anvil will make you a much better smith than 100 hours working on a $1000 anvil!

I imagine I could use a $35 block of iron but that isn't what I am interested in buying! I am a very novice iron beater. I  have been at it about three years and have so much to learn. I  have a 125 Hay Budden which the face and the radius are a rough. I doubt I would be forging any material more than 1/2" thick. I  definitely don't need a new anvil but at my age I think I want one and was just looking for ideas comparing the two anvil manufacturers. Thanks in advance for any advise.

 

Compare manufacturing methods, alloys, hardness of face and dollars per pound.  Factor in your budget.

Have you looked at the NIMBAs and what Holland Anvil is producing here in the USA?

(And I said block of steel not block of iron!)

I knew I has screwed up with the iron comment, lol.

I haven't looked at NIMBA and not Holland recently. I  did research the Rhino but just don't care for the look of that anvil. I would like to find a nice larger HB but they are hard to find, especially in South Dakota.. It seems the Refflinghaus is priced well above the competition. 

Edited November 10, 20214 yr by Mod30
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If the maximum size stock you will be working is 1/2" crossection you don't really need an anvil larger than 150 lbs IMHO.  

And larger stock (say, 2-3") can be worked over the sweet spot on such an anvil, even if not so much on its horn or tail.

We blacksmiths suffer terribly from anvil envy; but for a general shop anvil around 150# is considered a good size.  IIRC Francis Whitaker, world famous blacksmith, worked his career on a 165# anvil.

I recently sold a 248 pound Peter Wright anvil for US$1000 as I didn't need an "intermediate sized anvil".  One edge had some damage from being heavily used in the mines here in the west.  My 165#'rs see a lot more use than my 400+ pounders.

I think I'm getting to be like Honest Bob and may start doing my demos with an improvised anvil!

I should consider how portable the anvil is. I will need to move it every time I use it. I  imagine the 210 anvil would be manageable but the 165 would be easier.  

On 11/28/2017 at 10:42 AM, Frosty said:

Were I to buy new I'd probably look into Rhino anvils, located in Eastern Washington, or one of the others made I believe in the mid west. Shipping can be a killer, try living in Alaska for a clear view, so if the quality is there I look as locally as possible.

That's just me though. 

Frosty The Lucky.

You mention Rhino, do you  or anyone else have any experience with this anvil? Thanks 

Edited November 10, 20214 yr by Mod30
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I don't know how young your back is; but at going on 65 my 165 pounder I can lift and carry a few feet, the 134# anvil I can carry out of the shop and load into the truck---it's now the heaviest I'll take on the road to teach with (134, 125, 112, 91).   If you have to move it every time I sure wouldn't go that heavy!  (When I was in my early 30's I had to carry the 91 pound anvil up the rickety stairs out of the basement, across the kitchen and out the back door, across the back porch down the steps and out to the stump under the tree in the back yard---I think I've managed to kill off those dumb and slow brain cells in the intervening years!)

Truth be told most people don't need an anvil over 200lbs. I don't know of anyone still using a gang of strikers to forge. As Thomas said we (more so in the USA) tend to get anvil envy and want the "biggest and best" 400lb beast of an anvil when we truthfully can get by with a block of steel or a 135lb-200lb anvil.

I believe a couple of the guys here have a Nimba and I've worked on it. Nice effective anvils. 

I do virtually everything on a 125lb. Soderfors though I have a 206lb. Trenton within a step. I've had two guys striking with 8lb. sledges on the Sorceress and she was happy happy. Of course nobody missed and smacked an edge with a sledge!  

I used to carry the Trenton and load it in the pickup now I use the engine hoist to load everything and get help loading it back up to come home. I CAN lift the Soderfors but I have tools so I don't have to risk strains or injuries. I'll be 70 in 2 months and feeling it is less fun that might be imagined.

Frosty The Lucky.

Your Back *never* forgets and *never* forgives!

Seems nothing forgets anymore.

Frosty The Lucky.

I have the HB 125 chained down to a cast milk separator stand. Maybe not ideal for mass but it is easy to slip an appliance cart under it and roll it into the middle of the shop floor. I will turn 66 shortly so I plan to do something with wheels if I do get another anvil.