Mihai Cadis Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Hi! I just got another anvil and I need some help identifying it. It weights 672 pounds and it's the only marking that it has. It has two hardie holes, 1 1/2 inch. Length 42 inches , width almost 7 inches, height 15 inches. It comes from UK. Didn't clean it yet but the weight markings are pretty clear and there are no other visible markings on it. Also I'm not sure about the face. Does it have a welded face? It's clearly made of pieces forge welded together since you can see where the weld didn't blend. I left if home since and can't get back for better photos for a few days. Did a rebound test while on the grass with no plank under and the face with rust and it was around 50%. Has some rust since the guy that had it kept it in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Are you sure it's 672 pounds or is that a typo? Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mihai Cadis Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 The weight is marked on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Congratulations, you have a monster anvil !! Get it home, clean it up, and apply hot metal and a hammer to the face to make you both happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 That is a weighty beast. I do not envy you having to wrestle it into position though. I hope you have a tractor or some other equipment for getting it to where it's going to be. Wherever I put it that would be where it was going to be for quite some time. I calculated the weight for a solid piece of steel with the measurements you gave and 672# is right. When I read 672 I thought it was a typo I think it's the biggest anvil I've seen anyone acquire since I've been a member here. Good luck with it. I don't think you'll need a bigger anvil than that one unless you start building battle ships Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mihai Cadis Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 10 hours ago, Glenn said: Congratulations, you have a monster anvil !! Get it home, clean it up, and apply hot metal and a hammer to the face to make you both happy. Thank you, sure will! 10 hours ago, pnut said: Good luck with it. I don't think you'll need a bigger anvil than that one unless you start building battle ships Thanks! No, I won't need a bigger one. This is too big maybe but it was around and I didn't want to miss it I have no equipment to move it around but I'll manage with a big crowbar and muscle. That's how I got it home. Once on a stump near the forge it won't be moved only rarely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Be careful moving it. You can't use it in the hospital. Expect it to tip over during the move. I'm not saying it is going to tip over but if you treat it like it is going to happen you will be ready if it does. When you get into that type of weight injury is a real concern. Steel is unforgiving compared to flesh and bone. I would have had to get it also if it became available. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Be safe and use it in good health. By the way congratulations on the great anvil. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mihai Cadis Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 I will be careful. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Rust will affect the ball bearing test, clean it off and try again and tell us if it improves. Larger anvils generally are softer both for manufacturing and use reasons; but real wrought iron worked at welding heat is really really soft and large sections retain their temperature a goodly amount of time. That is one of the larger anvils out there. I have an anvil with two 1.5" hardy holes as well and I make tooling for them by taking beat up handled top tools and forging the striking section down into the hardy hole stem. I can find tools that the working faces are in good to great shape but the striking ends are pretty mangled, generally pretty cheaply---like the one I reworked recently where the metal above the eye had split down to the eye. Not a good candidate to rebuild as a top tool but works great forged down to fit in the hardy hole! Now as far as weight goes, I know of two 750# West anvils out here in NM and I have seen the mile long anvil at Q-S before. However lets just say my anvil envy is in an acute phase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mihai Cadis Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 I will clean it but only Monday I get to do that. The re-use of top tools is a great idea, thank you! I am amazed by the size of it. Also by the fact that the face looks like it hasn't seen a lot of work. I would have imagined that a beast like this would have been used a lot in big industrial settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Could be that they bought it and then switched to using a press or powerhammer and so it was dumped in a corner and ignored. My screwpress is like that. I talked with a fellow remembering when the tool room bought it in the late 1950's and a year or two later they bought a hydraulic press and nobody used the manual screwpress again---sold it off, (to me), in the early 2000's IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mihai Cadis Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 That might be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mihai Cadis Posted November 13, 2019 Author Share Posted November 13, 2019 Cleaned it a little. No other markings found except weight. Rebound is about 60%. Face is in good condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 60% is on the low end, any evidence that it was detempered in a fire? Of course the finely pitted face will drop the rebound too. I had an anvil with such a face and polished it out smooth and shiny by hammering hot steel on it---using it is the best way to clean it up as you are NOT throwing away face depth/use life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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