Which anvil to get?

[Steven511]

I've decided to upgrade out of my railroad track aso now that I have the money, and from all my looking I seem to have 2 good options. My first option is a 60lb Fisher anvil which is being sold nearby for 350$, and my second option is an new  70lb NC Big Face Anvil for 370$ (including shipping) off Amazon. Having an anvil being sold nearby is pretty rare for Vegas, since the place only got really established past the time of blacksmiths, so I'm leaning towards the Fisher. What do you guys think? The Fisher is cast iron with a steel top, and the NC is steel (I think cast steel). Is the extra 30$ worth 10 extra pounds? Which kind of anvil is better quality?  Is there a third option somewhere? Thanks!

Edit: After typing this out, I realize I put it in the wrong thread. If there is a way to move it myself, I don't know it, so if any mod that sees this could move it to the anvil thread, I would appreciate it greatly.

[ThomasPowers]

What's the condition of the Fisher?  Do you need an exceptionally quiet anvil?  What sorts of things are you planning to use it for?

 (funny my Fisher cost the same amount; of course that was for a 469 pound one in mint condition in Central Ohio about 15-20 years ago...)

[stevomiller]

I can’t help too much, except that would rather have a Fisher IF it was in exceptional condition, especially if it’s a blacksmiths pattern and not a farriers pattern.

NC are made of heat treated cast ductile iron, not steel, if my memory is correct. That’s not a bad thing, just a thing. The good of it is there’s no weld to break between the face and body, but on the flip side it’s probabl 5-10 points softer on RC scale, if so it could dent easier. The NC is a farrier pattern which has a thin heel and slim waist, so it MIGHT not be as efficient to forge when using say a 2.5-3lb hammer (top end weight wise for a traditional anvil that size. A 70lb cube or “brick” of steel on end would behave nicer yet and could handle heavier forge work, but obviously lacks a horn and hardy hole which both add great utility.

I recently bought a cast steel 66lb Italian pattern double horn anvil off EBay for $145 delivered. I’ve only worked on it with a 24oz ball pein so far but it works well for its size.  It’s made in China so I can’t say if you bought it’s brother if you’d get as good quality, they can be variable. This one was a nice casting with good heat treat. One like it might allow you to spend less now, and either gett other tools OR set aside saved $$$ for a future bigger anvil. I’ve used a North German pattern 50kg (110 lbs) and the extra weight is nice to have over say a 60/70lbs. A 150lb is nicer yet,  and is about the beginning size for shop anvils vs portable or table anvils. You’d still get use out of your small anvil for small projects (horn is narrower) and /or for travel if you ever did a craft fair or rendezvous etc.

Bestest

Stevo

 

[Steven511]

Thomas - the Fisher is in great condition, only a little crumbly-denty looking on the edges (not in a bad way) and some light rust. I do really want a quiet anvil because one of my neighbors works nights and I don't like to wake them after only 4 hours of sleep. I'm planning on using it for light work - mostly decorative things like leaves and some small knives.

 

Stevomiller - The NC anvil is said to be made of steel from both the buyers and the seller on amazon, maybe they changed materials? Anyways, I don't really need any other tools that I can't forge myself, and I need a light anvil because I'm gonnna be moving it in between houses (parents seperated) every couple weeks. My max weight would be around 120lbs, and even that is pushing it. I also don't really need that heavy an anvil for my work, so I think the range of 50-90lbs is my sweet spot. However, getting a cast steel anvil for only $145 is a pretty good steel (see what I did there ) so maybe I should be on the lookout for something cheaper on ebay?

[ThomasPowers]

Under those conditions I would go with the Fisher---but try to talk them down in price a bit.

However there is another method of dealing with your situation:  I work in Mexico but own a house 3 hours from the border. Not willing to commute 6 hours a day I have a small rental "casita" on the edge of the desert---no neighbors for at least 60 miles behind me...down close to the border.  As I don't drive home every weekend the peripatetic smithy situation is well known to me.  So I have a postvise bolted to a carport's support beam---telephone pole---and an anvil that stays down here along with necessary tools.  The propane forge travels back and forth along with a bucket of my favorite tools.

Moving smithing stuff can be a pain so decreasing what needs to be moved can help a lot.  (I sold a 5" postvise to the Fine Arts Metals instructor where I regularly teach an intro class just so I didn't have to bring a travel postvise set up.  I also found a bridge anvil in typical beat up shape for their classroom so students could exceed their skill levels on something other than my good anvils!)

[stevomiller]

Steven I agree with Thomas, try and get the Fisher.

As for the EBay thing, I was protected so to speak when I scored it.

If it was cr@p, I’d turn in an expense report to work, get my $$$ back, and leave it there for my techs to abuse doing the odd job.

It ended up being properly heat treated carbon steel and not cast iron or mild steel, so I never turned in my expense report and kept it.

Your situation is different, unless you are willing to gamble, spend $150, and if you get junk try and unload it on someone at a yard sale or Craigslist.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I would try and work that price. If it is the anvil I am thinking of it has been listed with his other ones for quite awhile. He is a flipper getting in on the current trend. National average is around $3 a pound, and that one is listed at over $5, so more like $180 than $350.

Personally _even though I love Fisher anvils_I think that is way too steep for one that size. You could drop $50 and get a much larger piece of good scrap steel and do everything you want to do. I have a neighbor who mentioned that he has a pile of forklift forks at work, One fork will make an anvil at least twice the weight of that Fisher.  If you do not weld I could help you out with that. Forks are made of good tough steel and are already heat treated, they make great anvils.

As to being quiet. Even with a Fisher there will still be a thump, thump, thump when using it that could be a waking point. My suggestion would be to ask him when he usually sleeps and explain what you are doing. Who knows he may end up being a smithing partner.

 

[Marc1]

21 hours ago, Steven511 said:

...because I'm gonna be moving it in between houses (parents separated) every couple weeks.

In that case buy both, Keep the Fisher in the house with the night working neighbour and the NC in the other.