Anvil $ per pound in my area

[Chris C]

I drool every time I see a "full-sized" anvil..................to me that means at least 125 pounds.  I live in Oklahoma.  But I have no idea what realistic prices per pound an anvil in decent shape should sell for. 

[Glenn]

The seller wants as much as possible for the product.  The buyer wants to pay as little as possible for the same product. They usually meet somewhere in the middle.

If the seller or the buyer is uninformed or under informed, then the price can get skewed.  For instance, an anvil and an anvil shaped object are not the same.  The asking price and the selling price on ebay, craigslist, etc can be a good distance apart. Just because they want $10 per pound does not mean it is worth $10 a pound or they are going to get $10 a pound when/if it is sold.

[Cedar Crest Forge]

Oklahoma is usually a good place to find anvils, due to the number of old farms and ranches. If you can avoid the big auction houses and city antique stores, you should do fine. 2 to 3$ a pound I am guessing. Ask around...network your way to an old farmer. And don't forget to bring a ball bearing.

If you run out of luck, expand your search to nearby states, like Kansas. But avoid New Mexico...prices are much higher in the southwest , compared to the mid west.

[ThomasPowers]

Population Density was pretty low out here during the height of smithing.

[Frosty]

Morning coffee at the local cafe is a good way to meet the local old timers. I used to drive cafe to cafe on vacation, I called it coffee clubbing. It's the inside track to the good stuff.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

I have done well talking with folks after church...Only anvil I was actually *given* was found that way.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Another good source for info is the local farmers co-op, those folks know just about everyone who may have anvils etc.

[Jason Fry]

I'm in Lubbock and watch the anvil market some.  It's been hot.  Seeing junk ASO's going in the 2-300 range.  Nicer stuff in the 4-500 range.  I'd put that range at anywhere between 4 and 8$ a pound.  Anything priced in the 2-3 per pound range lasts 5 minutes. 

That said, the other guys are  spot on.  Work the network of old guys.  FB market place, craigslist, and ebay are all going to be over priced.

[ThomasPowers]

Might search on TPAAAT; it works---I even have the shirt!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Just remember that an anvil does not have to look like a London pattern anvil. You are surrounded by anvils if you just look closer. Check out the thread on improvised anvils.

[SilentForge]

Where I live the anvil prices are crazy low, they're all around a doller a pound, most of them even less. 

so 3,4$ a pound is for me pretty high but that is from my perspective.

Damian Stil

[Frosty]

I recall exchanging emails with someone in Sweden who said I could pick up Soderfors from farmers for crazy low prices but shipping to the US let alone Alaska drove things crazy expensive then. It wasn't unrealistic $ to have a shipper, pick up, pack adequately and ship internationally everybody deserves to make a living. It just drove costs beyond what a person can afford unless they are buying, shipping in bulk and selling. 

I dearly LOVE my 125lb. Soderfors and would like larger but she's adequate, I'm not looking hard but always have my eyes open for one of THOSE deals. I know of a 450 lb Soderfors rusting as a decoration in front of an auto shop but can only hope it sells before I die or lose interest / ability and sell off myself.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Chris C]

On 6/11/2019 at 8:47 PM, ThomasPowers said:

Might search on TPAAAT; it works---I even have the shirt!

...........and TPAAAT  means what?

[Steve Sells]

  

[Chris C]

Thanks, Steve.  Guess I've been using the TPAAAT method all along.  I keep mentioning it to delivery truck drivers, tree cutting services, and most anyone I can think of who might have access to someone who might have an anvil for sale...............or wanting to "get rid of".  Guess my real problem is I'm trying to find that seller who asks "Is $50 too much?  I've put ads in Craigslist in OKC, Dallas, Ft. Smith and Wichita.  Had one fellow from Ft. Smith get back with me and said he had an anvil he want $550 for.   I don't even have that kind of money to spend, so didn't ask what kind of anvil or anything about it's condition.  Had a woman from Ft. Smith respond to say she'd seen one in front of a local pawn shop "a while back"...............but didn't know anything about it or even the name of the pawn shop.  One fellow contacted me from Dallas and said he had an old Fisher from 1881 (I think) but he was going to want a "ton" for it.  Didn't even ask him any more about it.

I guess I should just shut up and keep searching the scrap yards for a large hunk of steel because I'm not really going to be making anything much larger than a knife on it.  I'd love to see a beautiful German style anvil sittin' on my anvil base, but the truth of the matter is it would be wasted. 

[ThomasPowers]

Get off the internet if you are hunting for an inexpensive anvil!  

[Chris C]

Didn't get on the Internet until I put some WTB in Craigslist.  Won't be doing it again.  It's a waste of time considering the financial condition I'm in.  I've got a12" chunk of railroad rail and a 50# Vulcan anvil.  That's probably a better start than a lot of people get, so I should quit complaining.

[ThomasPowers]

Have you looked at this: http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html

(and yes I am the Thomas mentioned.)

[Frosty]

Ask everybody doesn't mean folk you THINK might have an anvil, it means E V E R Y B O D Y: neighbors, milk man, meter reader, checker at the quicky mart, the people in line with you, the Cop writing you a ticket, everybody you work with, their friends, everybody means EVERYBODY.

The folk who know about everything in a neighborhood are the kids. Children get into everything everywhere all the time. Show them pictures and offer a reward for putting you in contact. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Chris C]

Believe me, Frosty, I've asked everyone I can think of.  Kids?  Ha-ha, we don't have kids out where I live in the country.  Anyway, I think I'm going to run into town tomorrow and pick up one of those forklift tines I saw day before yesterday at the scrap yard.  I like the idea in the link Thomas showed me.  At .34 cents a pound, that would make a pretty inexpensive and useful working surface, I'd think.  I'm never going to be able to afford an anvil............and, honestly, it would probably be a waste for me to own one.    Would probably be a vanity thing more than anything else.

[pnut]

It's only a waste if you don't learn how to use it.

Pnut

[Chris C]

You are probably right, pnut.  But if I'm going to be honest with myself, I 'll have to admit being a "blacksmith" isn't my real goal here.  I've no desire to make hinges, hasps, plant hanger brackets and all the other wonderful things I see you folks exhibit.  I think it's fantastic blacksmiths are so capable of making anything they need.  I'm building a forge to be able to attempt some of that..............................but my goal in pursuing all of this is to make knives.  My wood carving knives have blades that are under 2" long, mostly, with tangs of the same length.  I hope to make small every-day-carry knives which will have blades from 3-4" with full-length tangs.  I don't have any real need to curl things on a horn.  So basically, all I need is a small surface to work with.  Thomas sent me a link to Marco Borromei's pictorial review of his forklift tine anvil.  Truth be told (as Thomas mentioned) all I need is a work surface larger than my hammer face.  Would I be proud to own a 250# German style anvil...............oh heck yes.  Does it really make sense that I should have one?  Probably not.  A Black Robin anvil would probably suit my real purposes just fine.................I just don't have $460 plus freight to spend on one.

I'm headed to the scrap dealer as soon as I finish my breakfast to pick up one of the forklift tines I saw the last time I was there.  If the work surface is large enough,  it should serve me nicely until I decide what I "really" want to do with this new hobby.  At .34/lb, scrap spring steel will do for my purposes, I think. 

[ThomasPowers]

Anybody have a link to that youtube video of a fellow forging kukris using  a sledgehammer head for an anvil?   Of course he's doing it for a living and so doesn't need to show off.

[Glenn]

Thomas, will this work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=220&v=YmrpWw8nThA

 

[Frosty]

Chris: You'd be amazed if you knew how many blacksmiths started out just wanting to make a wood blade: chisel, planer knife, carving knife, etc. without having to spend wads of money. It doesn't take long to discover how soul satisfying working hot steel on an anvil is. 

Horns are over rated, the better I got the less I found to use one for, now I rarely use one as a bottom fuller to help direct which way the steel draws. I turn and true up scrolls, rings, loops, etc. on the face maybe start them over the edge. 

A fork lift tine makes an excellent anvil, it'll serve you well and who knows a couple years from now your EDCs might have enough market draw you'll have to buy some high falutin anvil so customers KNOW you're really a blacksmith. 

Frosty The Lucky.