Got my first anvil! How did I do?

[ClassicGrimey]

Hi all. I'm new to blacksmithing but I finally managed to get myself a real anvil, a ~120lb Peter Wright. Sure should be an upgrade from the sledgehammer head I've been using. I looked for about 6 months before I found one at a decent price and I think she's a beauty and the rebound is excellent. Paid $400 for it and to my untrained eye it seems like its in pretty good shape. What do you all think for the price paid? Don't mind the messy workbench.. cleanup is this weekend's project!

 

 

[ThomasPowers]

When are you going to post the messy workbench pics?  The one under the anvil looks pretty clean to me!

US$3.33 per pound is not a bad price in your area.

[materman]

Good buy I must say! And I as well must agree that your work bench is pretty clean! Mine usually get to looking like....

[ClassicGrimey]

Haha agreed that it could certainly be messier. I intentionally didn't take pictures of my other bench.. this is the one I consider to be the clean room haha. I suppose it goes with the territory though. Whats the old adage? Never trust the guy on the job site with the clean truck and shiny tools?

[JHCC]

1 hour ago, materman said:

Mine usually get to looking like....

Oh, you cleaned the shop?

[JHCC]

On 5/10/2019 at 1:26 PM, ClassicGrimey said:

I'm new to blacksmithing

Also, welcome to IFI! If you haven't yet, please READ THIS FIRST!!!

[ClassicGrimey]

Thanks JHCC! Been doing nothing but reading since I found this gold mine(or should I say iron mine?) of a website.

 

Curious if anyone thinks I should try to gently clean up the edges of the anvil a little bit or is it not that far gone? I've only got a few inches of a nice clean radius but I would hate to start grinding and make it worse if it would be better off just being left alone and used as is. I can get more close up pictures of the edges later this evening if that helps.

[JHCC]

General rule: use it for a year before you make any alterations to the working surfaces (including the corners). A few inches of clean radius is all you need.

[ClassicGrimey]

Thank you sir I appreciate the advice. I'll leave it alone for now.

[Frosty]

Nice anvil, decent price and it has plenty of clean radiused edge. Don't mess with it till you have a year or so working on it so you know what you actually need. You'll know it IF you need to grind a little different radius, hold off till you MUST.

Build a stand and put that fine lady to work.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Chelonian]

Yours has significantly more clean edges than mine does (mine's also broken off at the heel weld), and I've never had issues with not having enough good edge space. I can't really think of any task that would require more than 1" or so of edge space. You'll also likely find specialized uses for the different shapes in the chipped edges as you use it.

[ClassicGrimey]

Thanks guys glad to know I was thinking it was a bigger deal than it is. Looks like the rain will let up this weekend so I'll finally get to take a hammer to her.