Is this anvil worth it?

[Bruno Medeiros]

Hi,

I'm new to anvils and blacksmithing and have the opportunity to purchase this anvil for $600 and am wondering if it's worth it.

Seems to be an ~100lb Wilkonson & Sons / Queens Dudley anvil.

 

Attached are a bunch of pictures of it:

 

 

[ThomasPowers]

Not knowing the location we couldn't say  BTW are those Australian dollars or Singapore Dollars, Canadian Dollars...?

I certainly wouldn't pay that much anywhere I have lived in the USA (AR, OH, NM, OK, VA, NJ,) looks more like it's priced as a "collectible"

A 100 pound block of steel is US$20 at my local scrapyard and looks just like anvils have for over 2000 years whereas that style is fairly location specific and about 200 years. If you are just getting into the craft spending top dollar on an anvil you will probably ding up learning on is rather like those parents who buy new cars for their kids to learn to drive on---a "beater" would be a better return on their money.

Now if you have those $$ whatever type they be and really need an anvil and have to have a london pattern one I'd try to talk them down substantially.  I wouldn't groan much if a student told me he had spent US$300 on it as it's very clean.

Of course if the face is painted it drops the price by 1/2 as it's often done to hide repairs as many anvils are welded up with the wrong rod and the colour differential shows on the face! (in fact almost *anything* a seller does to an anvil to pretty it up drops the price a LOT! I wish more sellers knew that...grinding, milling welding can turn a US$2 a pound anvil into a scrap rate anvil!)

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

If you edit your profile to show your location we may be able to give a more definitive answer. However $6.00 US a pound is pretty much at the high end of outrageous even though it looks like a very nice anvil.

[Bruno Medeiros]

Oops! Updated my profile. I'm from the SF Bay Area where everything that should be reasonably priced isn't.  

 

[ThomasPowers]

So have you looked at the improvised anvil thread and the National Geographic's "Living Treasures of Japan" section on the Master sword smith and seen the anvil he uses and still think you have to have a London Pattern Anvil?  I know SF has forklifts and probably stringent laws against reusing damaged ones---take a look at:

http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html

[Bruno Medeiros]

Thanks, I'll take a look! 

[njanvilman]

If the anvil edges and face have not been repaired, that anvil is probably worth the price.  One can always make a nice cash offer lower.  You are looking at a nice English made Wilkinson  anvil.  Queens Dudley is the area it was made in.  At 99 lb original weight, it is big enough for most work, and not too heavy to move around.

Is it worth it?  That is totally up to you.  If you can haul it yourself, you are saving over $125 in shipping costs.  And what is your time worth looking for a better deal?    And it is an investment that will never loose its value.  Use it for a decade or more, then sell it and get your money back; essentially making it free.

[Charcold]

Given prices of just about everything in San Fran that could be a good deal. Regardless of the price/lb its either a craftily repaired anvil or in incredible shape. 

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

You can buy a new 125# JHM for just under that, but shipping would be added on. I picked one up from a retired farrier and it is a nice anvil. 

Are the huge scrap yards still on Cutting Blvd in Richmond? 

 

[Timber Ridge Forge]

That price is not unreasonable but in that condition it’s collector priced if your just starting out get something a little more worn in for cheaper 

[MC Hammer]

I'm just not sure the faces and edges haven't seen some work.  I have to wonder if the face was not machined being that square and nice.  The only other option would be that it truly saw very little work.  If no work, then well it's probably priced that high as a collector's piece.  IMHO $600 is too high as that translates to $6 per pound.  Most people here will tell you that up to $3 per pound is a reasonable price for an anvil that is in good shape.  You could buy a new anvil for that price.  

I like others feel that only you can decide because it's your hard earned cash.  I know when I was looking for anvils, it gets frustrating and sometimes you just want to pay the high price and get your anvil so you can get going.  But, what if you save that $600, wait until you find a nice $300 anvil then use the other $300 to buy hammers & tongs.  I usually buy my tongs at junk shops / antique shops for $10 - $15 a piece in NY.  Hammers are pretty cheap as well and less than $30 at the same junk / antique shops I frequent.  I just present a different way of thinking about it.  I certainly wouldn't look down on you for spending YOUR $600 on that anvil.  Just check to be sure no work was done on that face as it seems a little too perfect for the age and the patina seems a little too perfect on the face as well.  I'm no expert though.

 

[VaughnT]

An "as new" anvil is worth a pretty penny, in my estimation.  Even if it's been welded up, that doesn't mean it's been welded poorly.  Without seeing it in person, I'll operate under the assumption that it's simply "as new".

 

That being the case, buy it and feel good about yourself.  I've got an old Queens Dudley here and it's a good anvil.  They're loud as can be, ringing like a church bell if you don't bed then in caulk.  But they are certainly good anvils.  The small size makes them easy to move and they always have a high resale value.  Wait a year and you can easily sell it for $500, which means you'll only have paid $100 in the grand scheme of things.  

Light anvils do best with a heavy stand and I'd be inclined to replace all that wood with some steel when time and money allowed.  Firmly attached to a heavy stand, a light anvil will perform like a much heavier anvil.

If it's close enough to pick up, pick it up!  She's not going to devalue over the years unless you beat her to a pulp.  There's no annual maintenance costs and no odometer for future owners to pick at.  The six bills you shell out today can be recouped in a couple years if you decide to sell her and move on to greener pastures.

[Marc1]

The only problem with that anvil, besides it's outrageous price for its size .... is that it is not leveled ...

 

Seriously now, considering an NC anvil at 112lb is worth $440 plus shipping, I wouldn't even consider that one unless you have a thing with the brand. 

Also ... depending what you intend to forge, 100 or 112 lb is marginal for forging unless of course you intend to make knives ... what am I saying of course everyone wants to make knives, Marc shut up.

As for blacksmithing, I think that ideally you need around 200 lb anvil give or take 10%. Sure you can forge on a 10 Kg piece of rail, I said ideally.

[1forgeur]

In the picture of the level sitting on it, it looks like the center of the face is high. Repaired? Also in the last picture it looks like hammer marks by the hardy hole and the pritchel hole? I don't care for the paint job either. Like Thomas says, could be hiding something, maybe.

[Tennessee Cattleman]

You might want to put level or square on the face to see how straight it actually is and peck it a little with a hammer. If the price doesn't scare you, it sounds good and the face is close to being flat, I still wouldn't buy it until the paint was removed from the face to see what is there. We all know what a little makeup can do for faces! The hardy and pritchel holes do look a little rough for the face to be that smooth looking. I would go new for that money.