To buy or not to buy?

[AggieBlacksmith]

After months of looking on Craigslist/offerup/etc. I see a post by someone who says they'll be selling some anvils in the area. He's selling 135lb anvils, cast from high carbon 1053 steel, tempered to a hardness of 55-62. 

Does this look like a good buy?

[Tubalcain2]

the lack of a real step is kinda odd, but other than that it looks like a serviceable anvil. Just do a rebound test to be sure it is really cast steel and not CI.

[AggieBlacksmith]

Just now, Tubalcain2 said:

the lack of a real step is kinda odd, but other than that it looks like a serviceable anvil. Just do a rebound test to be sure it is really cast steel and not CI.

Thanks! is the 1053 steel with 55-62 hardness anything to worry about? Is that a good anvil steel?

[Tubalcain2]

1054 is a medium carbon steel that would, IMHO be perfectly acceptable for an anvil. 55-62 seems to me like a pretty big range, but If it has good rebound and don't  dent when you smack it with a hammer, the numbers are pretty irrelevant. The proof is in the bearing. 

[ThomasPowers]

Better than some worse than others---but do do the bounce test to make sure 

[jlblohm]

Its made in China. The same factory that makes the princess auto cast steel anvil and same as the 66lb eBay anvil. They are the exact same anvil that sells in Australia under the name Cougar. You can buy them in bulk direct from China on alibaba.com. I have the princess auto 110lb anvil and I am fairly happy with it other than a few minor defects. The one thing is quality control or the lack of. Make sure if he has a couple on hand to test them all and see if there is any difference in them. If you do let us know your results.