Nathan Stanford Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Any insight into what kind of anvil this is? Has some faint indentations that were letters. It does have a 'W' stamped in the base at the back. Just got it from my grandpa and working on resurfacing and repairing it. Just curious what I've got. Any input is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 What's with the molten metal look on the face? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 Someone at some point welded the surface back on I'm guessing and the weld cracked and it looks like rust spread underneath the weld. It has a strange look in the top picture bc I had done some grinding to see what I was dealing with. I have actually removed about an eighth of an inch of steel from the face of the anvil and am working on resurfacing it myself. I don't plan on it being perfect but I am just a hobby blacksmith at this point so anything works better than an anvil with a big chunk of missing out of it. It was my payment for cutting a couple loads of wood for my grandfather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 How much welding on heat treated high carbon steel have you done? I usually disrecommend doing any welding on anvils but yours might be an exception and seeing as you've started prepping. . . What kind of rod are you going to use. Have you read up on the Gunther method? Welding up an anvil is not a trivial job, pre and post weld heating and slow cooling are essential. Running beads is close to the bottom of the necessary skills sets. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 I am limited on experience. I have read up on Gunther and am doing my amateur best to follow it to a T. I can't find anything on what the w in the pic below means. It's the only clear marking on this beast. When I weighed the anvil it is 140# if that helps in identifying the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I'm guessing that it is an english anvil and old enough to have the face welded on in several sections one of which didn't weld well and has failed. Note that if that 1/8" ground off was over the face to either side of the missing/bad section then you have done MAJOR damage to your anvil. If it was done only in the damaged section then not so much and a clean weld prep is an advantage! Gunther's method is the way to go; I generally get my anvils worked on when a smithing group hosts an anvil repair day (so far I've been to one in Ohio and one in New Mexico) Check around the waist on the sides for the weight and see if it's in CWT! (and 140 isn't a beast; it's a middling anvil and a good size for a hobby shop) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Wire wheel that side in your first photo. I think I see a weight stamp there. Also it might have a name stamp there. It is sad that that happened to the anvil. Were it mine, Depending, I might have left it alone and worked around the de laminating section. It's not in from of me tho so I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I'd recommend you contact the local smithing club and see who does that kind of work, there will be someone.This is NOT a project for someone who is inexperienced. There was a LOT of testing to be done before grinding to determine just what needed ground. A ball pein rebound test will signal how much if any of the remaining face is delaminated. A lot of anvils have been damaged even ruined by professional welders. There is just a lot to doing the job correctly and any less doesn't make anything better. Nobody's picking on you Nathan, we just want you to be successful, honest. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 The beast part was about the look of the terrifying project in front of me. It's funny how you said no one is picking on me. I was just telling my coworker that the most brutally honest group of people are those in the blacksmithing community. I wouldn't post on here if I didn't think your honesty is with good intentions. Going back to the repair. If it was to get ruined, I probably already did. I heated up the anvil to around 400 like Gunther said to do and started welding. I'm going to finish up anyway and if I can't get a workable surface then I think there's a club down the road. Toward the horn is some weld that looks like it hasn't failed (I can just tell its weld vs hardened steel). I did a bit of a ball peen test before digging into it. Either side of the delaminated area has good rebound, hence why I left it alone. I did grow up welding which is why I'm not cocky to consider myself a pro. I tried doing a rubbing on the side and wasn't real successful. Then again my eye is probably not as well trained as others. I will post a pic when I get home from work later. Any idea about that w? I can't find anything on its significance. Thank you for the advice and keep it coming bc I have avoided many mistakes from this awesome forum. Helps when you are Forged in Fire and YouTube "self-taught". Here is a pic of my anvil that I have used for a year and a half and made some decent creations with. The mandrel sticking up there was for a project. Lol I was hoping this new anvil was going to be rather turn key with minor issues, but it was essentially free!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammerMonkey Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 14 hours ago, Nathan Stanford said: Does that look like "HOLE" stamped in the side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 It does, and the weight stamp "looks" like 110 or 119 if it Is 119 it would put it at 149lbs. Which sounds about the right ballpark with his weighing it in at 140lbs so possibly a mousehole. As far as the W, Many anvils have number or letter marks from inspectors or makers, they are usually not identifying marks that I have seen. I'm no expert tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 It seems consistent with the Mousehole made anvils as it has punch marks between the numbers. (I did a little reading online) What do you think? Any idea on approximate age? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Not from me but I'm happy to see that my eyes are still sharp and I saw the 119. You can thank Shady for catching part of the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 I know it was made after 1835 bc it has a pritchel hole. I'm just intrigued as to its history. Apparently Mousehole has a storied past. I just can't find a way to date it. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 You might and you may never. Personally I really like my pre 1835 mousehole anvil and it's sad that yours suffered the fate it has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 So as I was reading up on Mouse Hole anvils I came across the pre 1835 anvils were made without a pritchel hole. Later some had pritchel holes punched in them. I was looking at the bottom of this pritchel hole and it seems to be flared. I added a picture of this as best ad I can. Does it look like this is an after market hole to anyone?? Also, a picture of the completed anvil. Not the prettiest thing, rebound is only about 85%, but its functional. Thanks to all who have given me input an tips bc it put the importance of being serious about the details and not just laying down beads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Mousehole Forge started adding pritchell holes in about 1830. The 1835 date you have in mind (in addition to being the inaugural year of racially integrated collegiate education in the United States) was when Morgan Armitage of Mousehole died and his brother Henry carried on alone. If you're able to discern more of the stamp above, if it says "M & H/Armitage", it's pre-1835; if it's just the "H", then it's post-1835. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 There has been weld slapped on top of most of the stamp (which makes me sick). The weld doesn't look to 'sunk' in all that far. Any ideas on how to 'peel' it off? I'm afraid to try an chisel it away bc I don't want to do that not be successful and come to find out there's a good way to do it 17 minutes ago, JHCC said: Mousehole Forge started adding pritchell holes in about 1830. The 1835 date you have in mind (in addition to being the inaugural year of racially integrated collegiate education in the United States) was when Morgan Armitage of Mousehole died and his brother Henry carried on alone. If you're able to discern more of the stamp above, if it says "M & H/Armitage", it's pre-1835; if it's just the "H", then it's post-1835. Do you know where to find the history of this forge? I'm very interested in learning more about Mousehole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 "The Mousehole Forge" , (2003) by Richard Postman, also the author of "Anvils in America". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Looks punched, so probably was manufactured with it. Also, it's yours to do with as you please, but I wouldn't grind any more off it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Later some were retrofitted with a pritchel hole by drilling; those manufactured with a pritchel hole were punched and therefor *may* show evidence of punching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Stanford Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 On 1/25/2018 at 12:30 PM, Frosty said: I'd recommend you contact the local smithing club and see who does that kind of work, there will be someone.This is NOT a project for someone who is inexperienced. There was a LOT of testing to be done before grinding to determine just what needed ground. A ball pein rebound test will signal how much if any of the remaining face is delaminated. A lot of anvils have been damaged even ruined by professional welders. There is just a lot to doing the job correctly and any less doesn't make anything better. Nobody's picking on you Nathan, we just want you to be successful, honest. Frosty The Lucky. Frosty, I wanted to thank you for this reply. It prompted me to seriously look for a blacksmithing group in my area. Tomorrow I'm going to my first hammer-in. Having educated myself thru YouTube, forums like this, as well as trial by fire (pun intended), I'm excited to actually meet other blacksmiths!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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