bullchuck Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 hi everybody this is my second post, and looking for some more info. again. i just was given an anvil (free): and wanted to know any thing about it. it is a peter wright, made in england, 109#,. is this a good anvil or just another run of the mill anvils. also what are the square holes on the front, back, and bottom for? thanks mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 If marked 109, it is actually 121 lbs (1 hundredweight, which is 112 plus 9 lbs). It is a very good anvil and in decent enough shape to use as is without much cleanup. The square holes were put there to allow handling it more easily in the factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 The holes were for when it was originally made and still hot( metal poles were put through them so it could be carried easily). Definitely a good anvil as long as the face is in half decent condition. as for getting it free..... you suck:D just kidding. I paid $450 for my 200lb fisher from 1940 (but then it was in almost mint condition). Nice anvil! Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Someone must like you a lot or they have horse muck for brains to give you that. You got one sweet anvil there. So now you work will improve greatly.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Howdy bullchuck. You sure you're not a blacksmith? You sure do act like one, one with some good scrounging skills! Like Bear said, the rectangular holes in the sides and bottom are for handling purposes at the foundry. The long flat top of an anvil is called the face and the tail end of it, the square end opposite the horn is called the heel. Near the heel you will notice two more holes running right through from the face out the under side of the heel. One is round and the other square. The smaller round one is called a pritchel hole and it is for use with pritchels (punches). Hot iron to be punched is positioned over the pritchel hole which serves as a hollow space for the dimple to appear into when the punch is struck with the hammer. This serves to protect the face of the anvil from being struck. The face is hard steel, the rest of the anvil is softer wrought iron, you may notice a seam running along the side of the anvil a half inch or so down from the face which is a steel plate atop the wrought body. The other hole in the heel, the square one, is called a hardie hole. It serves to hold tools, mostly "bottom tools" or "hardies". It can also be used as a pritchel hole. At the opposite end of the face from the heel you will notice there is a little step down from the level of the face to the top level of the horn. This little flat area here is called the shelf. It serves as a platform to support work being cut with a chisel. The relative softness of the wrought iron body prevents the chisel edge from being damaged, you may notice several cut marks here in the iron and that's why. Peter Wright anvils are considered to be top quality and it looks like you found one in nice shape at a nice price! Congrats. Dan.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Excellent anvil. The only way the deal could've been better is if they brought it to your place and paid you to take it. This and a beautiful post vise for $25. You lucky dog, much more of this and I'll have to hate you. Frosty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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