Skunk Piper Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 A gentleman has this listed pretty close to me, when I talked to him on the phone he admitted that he wasnt a smith but had googled and this is a "rare" maker. Hes asking $750. That seems high to me for the condition but I'm a newbie so I'm looking for all y'alls expertise and guidence. What would you offer or would you just walk away, I haven't seen it in person yet, kinda wanted to get knowledged up here first. Thanks, Jake S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 I don't think Henry Wright is a rare maker and at $3.64 U.S. per pound for it, with the worn edge like that it to me is a little high. If it passed the rebound and ring test it will probably sell at that price however, I would pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 $3.64/ lb. Is up there in my opinion for used. Still under new pricing. It does "look" like a usable anvil, pending a rebound test. Collectors of rare want rare and minty,and will pay for it. Buying used to use is another thing. Price and pay accordingly. Always remember just buying an anvil to use does not mean Having to buy a london pattern. An improvised anvil can be inexpensive if not free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 It also depends on how bad you want/need an anvil on what one is willing to pay. If I needed or really wanted it, I would take $400 cash and do my best haggling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 At least he hasn't tried to "repair it!" It's a nice shop size though you don't need one that heavy to learn on. I rarely use my 206 lb. Trenton over my 125 lb. Soderfors. Size is second if that to condition. That one is rough though you have one decent edge and the face isn't too beat up. The rounded edge is probably the result of striker work on that side. Were I looking to buy, I'd take $400 in my wallet and put another $50 in a pocket. First I'd point out it's not a rare maker, just not as well known. Peter's brother if I recall correctly and in direct competition. Take a couple few ball bearings, 1/2" is plenty and a whole LOT easier to carry in your pocket. Why take several? The anvil's face is rough so there's no telling where one might bounce. Being THAT rough is another bargaining chip in your corner. Keeping a list yet? You're looking at the rebound height as an eyeball estimate in % of return. You can take a ruler or tape measure and drop from 10" if this isn't your kind of estimating. Ideal is 90%+ rebound, 70% is acceptable much less is a pass. Bounce the bearing in a pattern all over the face, it WILL diminish towards the heal and horn, this is normal. You need to listen to the sound, it should be a clear ting, if it ticks someplace concentrate on that area and define the extent, it's a dead spot where the face plate is coming unwelded or the weld never set. That's a SERIOUS FLAW. A LIGHT ball pein hammer, is a good way to check for delamination once you have a handle on rebound % with the bearing.(s) Dirt will also prevent rebound so brush it off first. Go ahead and run your fingers over it, stroke the horn, feel under the heal like you're a doctor examining a new patient who can't talk. "Hmmmm"s and "eh hem"s make it sound like you k now what you're looking at. I'd hem and haw about the broken edge and face condition if everything else checks out, tell him his asking price is out of the question for the condition but it looks better than you thought from the picture and he seems a nice guy so you want to be fair. Counter offer $2/lb and show him 4 crisp hundred dollar bills. Make sure the only other money visible in your wallet are small bills, a 20, a 10 and a couple 5s, gas and lunch money. Right? It'll give you a $50 cushion you can bargain with and the hide out $50 if you MUST. I would NOT go over $500, there are other anvils in Idaho and that one isn't cherry. If you're going to horse trade you gotta be willing to walk. It MUST pass the basic rebound test though or it's walk away from a bad deal. Even IF you're willing to pay asking, if it's a bad anvil it's bad at any price. Yes? I'd sure go check it out were I close enough, I'd just turn the beat up edge into a feature if it passed muster. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaylan veater Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Hi All, I would agree with all has been said. One thing that I remember about Henry Wright he was a brother to Peter Wright and went out on his own to make anvils. I also think that his is marked in the English weight of 206 would be 230lbs. In my opinion it is useable but a little rough for sure not worth the amount asking. If it does pass the rebound test I would offer $400 to $450 and give the owner the reasons why. Just my 2cents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunk Piper Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 Thank you guys, I sure appreciate all the help. One more thought..I have been saving up and planning on buying either a kanca 110lbs or tfs 100lbs, both are double horn, which I have really liked(within my limited experience). Do yall think I'd be better off just waiting a bit longer and getting one of those even if I could possibly talk the gentleman down to the 400 to 500 range? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 100-110 lbs. is a fine weight, especially for a portable kit. New is nice though not so necessary for good work. How do the prices compare? If it passes the rebound test I'd probably be inclined to the Peter Wright but that's me and I don't spend much time working on the horn and have never used a square horn. Not saying they're not handy, I've never used one is all so I don't have an opinion. Waiting is always an option and usually well worth it. The only thing rushing is sure to do is make your mistakes permanent more quickly. While it's getting harder to find smithing gear is out there and you'll find it if you keep your eyes open and are patient. If you end up with an improvised or so-so anvil, you can make items to sell locally and save for a step up. Yes? You'll be amazed how fast selling a couple few small items a week ads up. It's not a living wage to be sure but sure feeds the tool kitty. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Adding in a bit more localized information (I'm more toward Lewiston ID), that price is not ridiculous for the area. There are a few "collectors" who will pay just about anything for just about anything and that seems to be driving up prices in this region to levels they shouldn't be. That's too high for this anvil though, just from a sense that you are a user and not a "collector" and that it's a bit beat (not badly so, but enough to add that into the equation). It might be in the consideration at more like $ 3 a pound for the general area but with patience and the TPAAAT (look it up on this site if you don't know what that stands for) you can likely do better. Were it closer, I'd consider biting at about $ 2.50/lb assuming it checked out well, casually ponder at $ 3, and generally pass above that. There are actually a lot more anvils hiding in barns around this area than most people know....so with TPAAAT and patience, you might be able to shake something better loose. Oh..and once you plonk your money down and get one home, someone will let you know about the 300 pound gem they have which they would have sold you for $ 200 if they had only known-- It just works that way . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 And remember it's not just barns! Back in the early 1900's there were anvils in auto repair shops and hospitals too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 I agree with everyone else. This is too much when considering all the damage to the one side. I once contacted a craigslist guy who had an anvil listed at $850. It was a Peter Wright looking English anvil and it was 230 pounds. I spoke to him on the phone and he really knew nothing about anvils or blacksmithing. I'm not an expert, but I educated him on what his anvil actually weighed by telling him the stamp was in English pound weight. This immediately established with him that I was knowledgeable. I then spoke to him about the size and the market and that I was a blacksmith and I'd be looking to pay $500 (I started low). He then admitted to me that all he really wanted to get was $500 out of it. In the end I decided to pass because of the weight and at the time I was moving everything in and out of my garage to forge, but it illustrates that people without knowledge really do have a low number they want to get out of it and showing up with $400 or $500 in cash will likely close the deal. On the new anvils you are looking at, I think a good shop size anvil is 150 - 180 pounds. At that weight you'd never have to buy another anvil most likely. New, that's a hefty price, but easily reachable in the used / old anvil market. You can always forge small things on a larger anvil but you can't always forge heavy things on a smaller anvil. If I had all the money in the world, I'd buy a new double horned anvil from one of the better modern makers of anvils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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