KS Guy Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) Hello everyone! I just got my first anvil and forge, and since then have been reading on here and trying to learn as much as possible, while I get my new acquisitions situated. I purchased them from a friend who used to shoe horses back in the early 80's. It's a Mankel 95# farriers anvil, and I think the forge is a Mankel as well. I think he purchased them through the Oklahoma Farriers School, if I remember correctly. There's a little bit of info out there about Mankel's but not a whole lot it seems. The anvil is on good condition, and so is the forge (once I get it cleaned up) other than the blower needs replaced on the forge. It's one of those old Dayton 12v blowers. So I figured I'd get a new one for 115, if I decide to use it instead of buying a propane forge. I do have a hood for the forge, that I believe came with it originally, but it's in the back room, so I didn't get a picture. Anyways, I just wanted to say hello and thank everyone for the knowledge they share on here. Here's a few pictures. Edited February 15, 2020 by Mod30 Resize large photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Welcome aboard... I always suggest this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Whatcha interested in forging? That forge looks a bit specialized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Welcome aboard. I've never seen that type of forge before with a firepot and little hearth. Looks pretty cool. Good luck be safe and remember it's supposed to be fun. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 31 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Whatcha interested in forging? That forge looks a bit specialized. I'm kinda interested in forging ornamental type doodads, hooks, utensils, and just whatever comes to mind down the road. I don't have any real specific direction I plan on going, I'm just going to go with it and see where it leads! I do a bit of machining, so I just want to do some metal work that isn't so precise, if that makes sense. The forge is a farriers forge. I think they sold them as a set, or maybe he just got them at the same time, I don't recall exactly, but I do know he got it while he was down in Oklahoma at the farriers school...........In Tulsa I think. 19 minutes ago, pnut said: Welcome aboard. I've never seen that type of forge before with a firepot and little hearth. Looks pretty cool. Good luck be safe and remember it's supposed to be fun. Pnut Thanks for the welcome! It's a small little farrier's forge, I'm almost certain it's a Mankel, but not 100%. I just text my buddy to ask, I'll report back when he answers. I couldn't find any info on it, and barely any on Mankel anvils, so it must be a bit obscure. Fun is my ultimate goal, in every aspect of life! 38 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Welcome aboard... I always suggest this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST Thanks! I did read it, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Is the forge coal or gas? I remember Mankel used to make a small portable coal forge. Now all the forges are propane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 As far as I can tell it's a firepot with a small hearth. Like a rivet forge with an actual firepot but the op will know for sure I'm just guessing Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 +/- the thickness of a worn shilling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 8 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Is the forge coal or gas? I remember Mankel used to make a small portable coal forge. Now all the forges are propane. It's a coal forge. This would be that forge, I'm pretty certain. I did look up Mankel forges and saw they only have gas now. I literally can't find anything at all about the forge online, not even any pictures, so maybe it wasn't all that common, I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 I still haven't picked up a worn shilling to be able to pull out like a challenge coin when it gets mentioned. That really is the tightest tolerances I ever hope to forge to. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 11 minutes ago, pnut said: As far as I can tell it's a firepot with a small hearth. Like a rivet forge with an actual firepot but the op will know for sure I'm just guessing Pnut You give me too much credit. :-) All I know about it is it's a coal forge, for farriers, hence it's size for portability. I'm almost 100% certain it's a Mankel as well. (still waiting on my buddy to get back with me) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 Most portable coal forges are rivet type forges. I like that one you have. If I ever run across one and can pick it up I will. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 I follow ya now. I had to Google a pic of a rivet forge, and you pretty well described it in your other comment, "a rivet forge with a fire pot". That's what it looks like to me. He always just called it his forge, and I'm just getting into this and so I'm trying to pick up all the terminology. Thanks. I'm pretty excited to try it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 The other one thing I noticed is that your anvil looks to have some pretty sharp edges. In the future after you have some experience with it you may want to radius the edges. You can do find plenty of info about it in the anvils section. A progressive radius on the edge is very helpful for many different types of techniques. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 Thank you Sir! I'll dig around the anvil section and see what that all entails. I appreciate the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 My buddy got back to me, and confirmed that this forge is for sure a Mankel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 I like it. I haven't seen one before, but that being said, I haven't really been looking. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 (edited) I would absolutely be envious of you if it was a side draft firepot. If I was a better welder and had the equipment I'd be tempted to fab a sideblast version using your forge as inspiration. I primarily use charcoal instead of coal and charcoal seems to do better in a sideblast forge in my experience. From what I have heard from much more experienced smiths they agree, or rather I agree with them. Pnut Edited February 14, 2020 by pnut had to correct horrible run on sentence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 Worn Shilling: last time I had one was when I bought a bunch of old silver coins from a pawnshop. I was making a going away gift for a pastor we liked---a pectoral cross made from "30 pieces of silver". A bunch of different countries, worn, old (some had Queen Victoria barely visible on them!) I bought them at bullion cost, none of them were "collectible". Pawn shop was in Columbus OH as I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 I want one just to be able to pull it out when talking with another blacksmith and it comes up. Kind of like a military challenge coin. Example: Do you have your worn shilling? No, then you're going to be paying for the coffee. Or, Yeah this is the tolerances smiths of old were recommended to work to. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 Perhaps only with smiths interested in "traditional" work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 I only want it for the novelty of having it. More of a joke aand to be able to show people the tolerances smiths in the 19th century were recommended to work to. I just have to remember where I read it so I can reference it when talking about it. I also wouldn't really expect anyone else to have one. It's just an excuse to rib someone a little. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 As I recall it was in a letter by one of the early steam engine pioneers who was complaining that the blacksmiths were only able to work to "the thickness of a worn shilling" making pistons and cylinders quite leaky. Hunting for it I mainly run into machinist references for boring the cylinder; but the letter I read talked about blacksmiths. I'll have to hunt deeper when I get time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 I want to say that I seen a reference to it in one of the three main blacksmithing books I read and reread. The art of the blacksmith, practical Blacksmithing, and the New edge of the anvil with an outside chance I seen it in the modern Blacksmith but I don't think I ever encountered the original although I do have a machine blacksmithing PDF that could have contained a reference or copy , but I'll have to look when I get a chance. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS Guy Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 Thanks for mentioning those books Pnut. I'm going to see about finding those and adding them to my collection of resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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