Howdy all. I’m new to the forum. I’ve recently developed a new hobby of restoring old axes, saws, and now an anvil. I’ve restored two pre-1930 Black Raven axes and a 1930-era bow saw. They’re currently hanging on my wall.

Yesterday, I picked up an Acme Trenton ferrier’s anvil (W 125) for $300. It’s been well used but not abused. Could someone date it for me? The serial number is A43830. I’m thinking of anchoring it to a log and keeping it by my fireplace.

thanks.

Welcome to IFI... I always suggest reading this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST

I hope you have read about restoring anvils. Specifically about doing no milling, grinding or welding on the hardened face.

The list of Trenton anvils says 1904.

Welcome to the forum, Erik!

All an anvil really needs is to be "restored" is to have hot metal hit on it. Any grinding or milling will take decades of useful life out of an anvil.

Also be warned that a fresh coat of paint generally decreases value if you try to resell it. It's best to leave the patina it has earned over its long life.

That’s great advice. I did rub some of the rust off the top, but don’t intend to go any further. It’s really cool to see all of the individual marks on the top. Someone really, really used it, but it’s still in pretty nice shape.

Pictures please if you can. We love pictures. 

The faceplate is absolutely flat as a pancake. I appreciate your recommendation to clean it up with a wire brush. 

Plug-in orbital sander on the faceplate? Yes or no?

At this point, I’d want to remove just the surface rust.

Use a hammer and hot metal on the face to make it shine. Anything else and your removing material from the face thickness, no matter now small an amount of material.

For the body, go lightly with a wire brush. Do not remove anything that can not be replaced in your life time, such as a patina.  A bit of light oil will stop any rust and add  a bit of color to the metal. Work in the anvil for a year (2000 hours) before you decide to modify the anvil.  

 

In my opinion a restored anvil should be only lightly wire brushed and still have the nice dark patina.

This thing has a thick layer of rust - like a 100 years worth!

I once bought a 134# HB that had been stored in an unheated shack in a swampy area near a creek in Central Ohio.  It had 50 years, (according to the previous owner), of condensation rust on it.  Power wire brushed the face and then used it and the condensation pitting is gone from the sweet spot and tapers to the original as found/brushed at the heel.

However; it is your item and you can do whatever you like with it. Please note that we have had a number of folks come through here wanting to gussy up anvils to sell at a profit and they are generally NOT happy to find that their work has LOWERED the price on it.  Why some of use as so "First: Do No Harm" with them.

I think it's too nice a thing just to languish by your fireplace. That old beauty is crying out for work!!