Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) I’m trying to identify this anvil. I’ve tried the tricks with flour, and I’ve scoured it with a flashlight with no legible brand name. The serial number is on the left foot under the horn and reads 35328. The only thing I can read on this anvil is what appears to say “wrought iron”. And the weight in the lower center of the side, with the horn to the right. 306lbs. Any help would be appreciated. It seems there are a lot of people educated on this subject here. Tanner Edited January 31, 2020 by Mod30 Resize large photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 What does the bottom look like? I would have guessed a different American maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) Here’s a couple more pictures Edited January 31, 2020 by Mod30 Resize large photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Can you see the steam hammer blows on the underside of the heel? If so I vote Arm and Hammer; if not Trenton. With the caplet indentation on the bottom is definitely NOT HB! (A&H and T sometimes shared bases and so you can see the caplet on either one.) Top American brands; made in Columbus Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 Okay thank you! I wasn’t sure which makers put the serial number on that foot other than HB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 And the possible steam hammer marks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 I will take a look after work, and get back with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 My first thought was a Trenton also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Trenton's are definitely caplet anvils (save for the early hourglass ones); but I have a clearly stamped A&H with a caplet and Postman said that they sometimes shared bases between the companies so barring clear hammer marks it's Trenton. With clear hammer marks A&H. My large anvil has no markings visible; but a caplet and a smooth heel underside so I call it a Trenton. Too heavy to drag it to Quad-State to see if Mr Postman agrees...(around 410#) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) Do these pictures help? Edited January 31, 2020 by Mod30 Resize large photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Yep... the steam hammer marks under the heel indicate an Arm & Hammer to me. A very good anvil and it looks to be in excellent shape to boot. Pleas no grinding, milling or welding on the hardened steel face. How is the ring & rebound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Anyone have a copy of AinA to hand to check the serial number? Doesn't really matter as both Trenton and Arm & Hammer are top shelf American anvils (as is HB for that matter.) Note with the thin heel and horn they tend to be LOUD; so please read the "How to quiet an anvil" posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) Thanks guys! I really appreciate it. I have no intentions of altering this or any other anvil that I have. My father was a knife maker so I grew up around some blacksmithing equipment, but I sure didn’t know what make this anvil was. Can anyone tell me why the heel is angled on one side and not just a square corner? Was it made this way, or has someone done that? It looks to me that it was produced like that, but I’m no expert. Ring and rebound are good, I bought it over the weekend and i haven’t wanted to unload it until what’s left of the ice is off my driveway. Can’t hurt having a little weight in the back of the truck when driving on this stuff either haha Edited January 31, 2020 by Mod30 Resize larhe photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 I beg to differ; I know of at least one smith who had an anvil in the back of his pickup who was involved in an accident. The anvil broke the rope tying it in place and slid forward and the horn punched through the bed and cab steel and he had a custom arm rest. less than a foot over and he would never have walked again. If you need traction weight try using sand bags that have some give to them and have broad impact profiles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 The traction statement was meant more for humor. The weight is unnecessary, 4wd usually does fine. That custom arm rest was surely one of a kind though. Since my job only requires driving about 3 minutes in little to no traffic areas in a small farm community, I’ve decided to keep it there for a couple of days while I get what’s left of the ice off and can get to the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Since if we planned to have accidents we wouldn't have them, I would strongly suggest not driving with it in the pickup bed---and if you do push it against the front wall sideways on the side you are not sitting in front of and fasten it securely. I spent quite some time in NW AR and got to enjoy the ice storms that would happen on a way to common basis. You are not in a hotter and dryer area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 You are right, I certainly am not in a hotter dryer area. The chain went back on the anvil after the pictures were taken. It shouldn’t go anywhere. Key word “shouldn’t” ha! All streets and roads are clear of snow and ice except for the driveway. You’re right, something absolutely could happen to the anvil, or to the chain securing it. Someone could also be driving incredibly fast, swerve and cause a head on collision with me, without the anvil in the back. Heck I could walk out the back door and get hit by a meteor. Or remember that guy who got struck by lightning 7 times? That was crazy. You take a chance every time you get behind the wheel, or use any type of transportation. I’m confident in the security of the anvil to just make it a day or two, to blade what I can off of this road. There’s no doubt that you are right in saying that I am taking an unnecessary risk, but if none of us could drive with a chained down anvil in the back of our pickup most of us wouldn’t have one. We sure wouldn’t be packing them home on our backs from some of these distances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 When we were living in Miami FL, I read a statistic that said the majority of accidents happen within 5 miles from home. We moved 1329 miles away and it didn't help, still got into several accidents up here (not at fault) so be careful out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 Last week the weather and roads got a little bit nasty. This week is looking much nicer. I hope you’re not getting anything too bad down there. This anvil has inspired me to get a copy of AIA as I’ve always heard great things about it. I don’t intend on buying anymore anvils but the information in the book will still be valuable for sure. I appreciate both of you for your help, and I hope to get out and get the dies and anvil heated up again soon. Tanner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 According to AIA it is from 1903. Very fine looking Trenton! I always love that statistic about accidents within 3 miles of your home. There is only 1 place we all drive to and from to the most and thats home, so of course thats where most of the accidents happen. I am also amazed at how many vehicles you see with unsecured loads or that are full of stuff. All potential hazards if things go bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 (edited) 16 hours ago, Frozenforge said: According to AIA it is from 1903. Very fine looking Trenton! That’s incredible, thank you so much for looking it up! I hope the weather hasn't been too brutal for you this winter either. A close friend of mine moved from MO to Alaska, took a job with ConocoPhillips. I keep saying I’m gonna get up there to see him one of these days. Edited January 29, 2020 by Mod44 Trim excessive quote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 Yes Life is trying to kill us; I'm sure one day it will succeed. Part of the trick is to cut down on unnecessary risks to leave more room for necessary or FUN ones! I learned the "secure all loads" lesson in a rather silly way around 30+ years ago. The city we lived in used to chip up used Christmas trees and use them as mulch in the parks. However some years you left them in the alleyway near your trash bin for pick up and some years you had to take them to a park with the chipper set up in it. One year it was a "take it to the park" and as I was loading up our tree in my old pickup with bad shocks I noticed my neighbors hadn't gotten the memo. So as I went down the alleyway I threw another 5 or so Christmas trees in the back of the truck, especially for the retired folks who couldn't manage a drop off on their own. It was only a couple of miles to the park, all city streets and I didn't secure them in back. Well going down a steep hill on a bridge over the RR tracks and river there was a bump where the pavement and a expansion plate met. My truck was going boing boing boing and I glanced in the rear mirror and noticed that at the top of the cycle it was ejecting a tree onto the road behind me and I had a trail of trees. Luckily no traffic and I was able to stop and fetch them all and then even though I was in sight of the drop off point I roped them in. The lesson on heavy stuff I learned even earlier: I was moving a powerhammer in my old van on a dirt/gravel road in the hills where someone pulled out in front of me in their granny gears without looking. I stomped on the brakes and the van was sliding and I finally felt the weeks grab and the other driver evidently looked up, saw the cloud of dust bearing down on them and decided to be elsewhere! I was just taking a breath when the 50# LG lying on the flywheels *shifted* and pushed my drivers seat forward so I was gently pushed into the steering wheel. Definitely a brown pants moment because if there had been an impact; it wouldn't have been gentle! For some reason I now carry several coils of rope and ratchet straps of various widths and strengths behind the seat of my pickup at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: For some reason I now carry several coils of rope and ratchet straps of various widths and strengths behind the seat of my pickup at all times. I’d say if a 50lb LG creeping down your neck doesn’t make you start packing chains or ropes, nothing will. I would’ve liked to watch that hammer being loaded into your van. Notice I said “watch” not help! Hahaha how in the world did you get it jammed in there?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 1968 Ford Econoline Ex Phone company work van; completely stripped interior. Park van close to hammer, lay hammer down into open rear doors with come-a-along keeping it from ballistic/newtonian maneuvers. Once top is in contact use come-a-long to lift base and levers to shove it in the van. I've loaded a Champion#1 into my pickup all by myself in a similar way only with levers and lots of cribbing and a hydraulic jack. You may notice in my current hammer purchase stories I mention paying a tow truck driver to move the hammers. I think I killed off the slow and stupid brain cells over the years. About the time I paid nearly as much for a rigger to load my screwpress as I paid for my screwpress I started to realize that having a pro do it was *cheap* in bodily injuries and damaged equipment. (Of course when I got it home I unloaded it and moved it into my shop by myself...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerj Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 On 1/29/2020 at 2:28 PM, ThomasPowers said: You may notice in my current hammer purchase stories I will venture over and read through the mentioned stories. I have a lot to learn in general blacksmithing. Just blades in the past, so I’m sure you’ll hear questions in the future. I appreciate everyone willing to share their knowledge and experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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