arm and hammer anvil?

[Jim Munn]

Folks,

 I I have my first anvil. Believe it’s a Arm & hammer but thought you might help identify it. 

All it says is “warranted”  “solid and “wrought”.  it does have the arm and hammer stamped ito the side, stamped as a 131 lb. can you tell the age from the ser # 8875. 

I’m concerned about the crack you’ll see down the side. 

What can you tell me about it?

Thanks much! Jim

[ThomasPowers]

Looks like the heel weld is failing.  You can treat the heel gently and make an adjunct hardy hole for hardy tooling or you can try Veeing out the crack and arc welding it up---preheat and post slow cool of course and use the proper rod and if you are not a really good welder---I'd not go that route.

Not knowing what country of the 100+ that participate here I can't make a suggestion of where to go for such a welding repair---few professional welders have experience arc welding real wrought iron.

A face shot is much more important than the base shot.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome to IFI... Have you read this yet? It will help you get the best out of the forum. read-this-first/

 

[Fatfudd]

It MAY be a crack. A&H were known to be made from junk metal that was forged together to make the base.  I have several that show the bases were rather 

poorly made especially my 433 lb shop anvil that has a similar split but was probably used in a rail yard and I've used for many years with no problem. 

 If you are worried it wouldn't be hard to grind the split and  have it deep welded to a point below the face which could be cooled with wet rags 

while welding. Its a nice anvil!