Hay Budden Gen 1, 2, 3, 4

[Glenn]

by jlpservices

Hay Budden made what I lump into 4 generations of anvils with each having a different main design..   WW1 changed much of the manufacturing in the USA.  After this we start to see blacksmiths turning to other professions on a more regular basis as the writing on the wall was becoming clearer.. 

Gen 1 is a forged wrought iron anvil with a steel plate

Gen 2 is the start of the Rhino horn and these are the ones that are forged out of Crucible cast steel top to bottom but have wrought iron feet welded on at the waist.. Usually hollow on the bottom..  They used a continuous wrought iron rod welding method from what I can hypotheses on.  These have a high face height compared to the cutting table distance.  Jacked up. 

Gen 3 also used the Rhino horn and forged from 2 pieces just as Gen 2 but now the distance from table to face is shorter and it almost looks like they had someone else take over as main foreman because the change was across the board. 

Gen 4 was just before they closed their doors  and they started to look at forging a solid 1 piece anvil from steel.. 

From the looks of the anvil from the store because I haven't seen any updated photos.. it looks like a Gen 2 anvil..  

Gen 3 anvils start with an A in the serial number.. 

40 years ago..  All the smiths I bumped into wanted Peter Wright anvils..   At they were #1 no question..  

I on the other hand read about the Hay Budden anvils with a solid steel top half and it made better sense from an anvil owners stand  point..   This I will explain in the next couple of years as the shop comes up to speed. 

I was lucky back then because Hay Buddens rang so loudly that not very many people wanted them..  Of course I was very poor at the time but they were always going for much less money then Peter wrights.  Once mounted and bolted down solidly like and anvil should be.. They don't ring at all. 

[Conrad.blacksmithing]

Thanks for the info, Glenn! I personally love Hay Budden anvils.