vonhelmick Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 this looks like a Söderfors to me, but I don't know if I should take more paint off to see what's underneath, since I haven't found the name. I see an "L" then the weight 156ky then 1914 then an "O" or something underneath the date. Many Söderfors out there have this same pattern but have the name above the weight. Any help would be awesome. And should I keep it? or keep the 152kg Holthaus?? Holthaus is double horned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Looks like the dogs are saying keep em both and I agree with them. It would make a good one for heavy work at 344 pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonhelmick Posted April 11, 2019 Author Share Posted April 11, 2019 Ya, the dogs say, "Keep this one." Maybe I will. These big things are pretty hard to move around, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 I agree with the dogs, keep them both. Moving heavy or awkward objects is what teenagers are for, I trade them a lesson or two for their labor. I'm a huge fan of Swedish cast steel anvils, Soderfors being my favorite. I'd be delighted to have to round up 4-5 teenagers to get that out of my pickup truck. Well actually help clear enough floor space to roll my engine hoist around. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonhelmick Posted April 11, 2019 Author Share Posted April 11, 2019 Hahahaha. I do have a surplus and I’m trying to make sure this is a Söderfors, before I decide what to do with it! I’ve read lots of your input on the Swedish steel and I’m torn between wondering whether or not I’d regret letting it go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Trust your dogs. Have you given it the Soderfors hardness test? A new sharp single cut chisel almost cuts as it skates on the face of mine. Mostly it only removes the patina that's developed over time. N, I'm ashamed to admit I don't use her enough to keep her face shining. She's more than r60 but I'm not testing just to know. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 That is one sweet anvil! Love the horn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedar Crest Forge Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Nice anvil! The edges look nice, and I dont see any saddle. The sideshelf , with the rounded corners , matches a french anvil in the Koch collection*. Maybe you can find a "sweden" stamped somewhere. Hmm..the roundness of the outside of the feet doesn't match a typical soderfors. Agreed that the hardness should determine what to do with it, not just the maker. What does the ball bearing test show? It may be a French cast steel anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonhelmick Posted April 12, 2019 Author Share Posted April 12, 2019 I have an Hulot Harmel that looks the same (minus the sidewing) as the one in the link you sent. And I actually got this curious other one with the similar placement of the sidewing, from Emerald. The rounded sidewing, though, on mine has a distinct bevel on it and any unlike the french one in Emerald's collection, mine is not "rhino" style, but rather flat. I'm going to compare it a little closer, though. I personally don't care about the maker's name on the anvil, but some people have offered me more cash for it, if it is proved to be a Söderfors. And I would be tempted to part with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedar Crest Forge Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Interesting. The L in yours doesnt match the style of Hulot Harmel L's either. I searched the internet for similar feet, but I couldn't find anything with clipped feet like that. Not a single example. They are all squared up on the corners. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedar Crest Forge Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 So, to revise: It may be a French cast steel anvil from a little known manufacturer. Or maybe Soderfors trying to sell an anvil into the french market, laughing and saying "we we" as they grind off the edges of the feet and shelf to make it more French looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonhelmick Posted April 15, 2019 Author Share Posted April 15, 2019 On 4/11/2019 at 11:44 AM, Frosty said: I agree with the dogs, keep them both. Moving heavy or awkward objects is what teenagers are for, I trade them a lesson or two for their labor. I'm a huge fan of Swedish cast steel anvils, Soderfors being my favorite. I'd be delighted to have to round up 4-5 teenagers to get that out of my pickup truck. Well actually help clear enough floor space to roll my engine hoist around. Frosty The Lucky. It's been a super tough decision, but I have never seen or used an anvil with rebound like the John Brooks 4 1/2 CWT that came with this collection I bought. And I love the look and feel of the 334lb double horned Holthaus (1887). So, I will part with this anvil we've discussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 Any markings on the Holthaus? I have a smaller German single horn. The only markings are “HHS” and “1886 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonhelmick Posted April 15, 2019 Author Share Posted April 15, 2019 It has the date 1887, the kg weight at 153, and three or four “triple square”stamps. Look to the left of the date. I’m actually not sure what that symbol is called. But it’s there and I was told it is the Holthaus symbol. Absolutely one of my favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedar Crest Forge Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 Good luck with the sale! "156kg" Does the stamped weight match the actual weight? This would indicate "modifications" that may be making your anvil harder to identify. If you found another 156kg soderfors (in a collection?), you could match dimensions , to help determine if it was cast from the same mold (factory). I know where "a few" are, but am not going there for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 Soderfors is a foundry, casting anvils was a sideline, they cast anvils for many markets and distributors. Finding one with weight stamped in KG and another brand name wasn't unusual. I believe they usually put their name or mark on what they cast though. It's been a lot of years since I read the Soderfors story and my memory is suspect so don't take bets. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonhelmick Posted April 15, 2019 Author Share Posted April 15, 2019 39 minutes ago, Cedar Crest Forge said: Good luck with the sale! "156kg" Does the stamped weight match the actual weight? This would indicate "modifications" that may be making your anvil harder to identify. If you found another 156kg soderfors (in a collection?), you could match dimensions , to help determine if it was cast from the same mold (factory). I know where "a few" are, but am not going there for a while. I doubt the weight and the stamped weight would match. Out of the 40 in the collection, those that I could test for weight did not match the stamps. I believe there's a cushion of plus or minus 10% with a lot of the makers. I'm not desperate to find the Söderfors name on it. I just thought somebody out there might have come across this one before. I'm more of the mindset that if the metal shapes how I want it to, I'm happy. I appreciate the help, though and look forward to more interaction here. 36 minutes ago, Frosty said: Soderfors is a foundry, casting anvils was a sideline, they cast anvils for many markets and distributors. Finding one with weight stamped in KG and another brand name wasn't unusual. I believe they usually put their name or mark on what they cast though. It's been a lot of years since I read the Soderfors story and my memory is suspect so don't take bets. Frosty The Lucky. Ya, I may have had a Söderfors in the past, as well. We had an anvil that just said "made in Sweden" with a stamp of a star. I never did know what that one was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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