Cholder777 Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 So I just picked up a Fisher anvil. 205 lb is what I was told. And it's got some interesting marks on it, I was curious if anyone on this forum might know some more information about it. It's got a pretty cool story in the 1916, it was bought brand new by the first Coca-Cola factory in Texas and sat in their shop for 50 years. When that Coca-Cola plant shut down a gentleman bought it and had it in his garage for another 50 years. when he died it got sent to an auction where gentleman in Paris Texas bought it and had it for 2 years before posting it on Facebook marketplace where I went and picked it up. This is my first anvil and I'm curious what all the markings mean. I'll post some pictures. Thanks in advance. On a side note. I want to clean it up a little bit. Can I use muriatic acid without damaging it? Also, should I grind down the edges a little more square? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 Nice anvil. Dont grind on it. Wire wheel will clean it up nicely then you could wipe it all down except the face with BLO if you plan to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 There is a thread about Fisher anvils here. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/37409-fisher/ Lots of good info about them. Yours looks to be in very good condition and only needs hot steel hammered on it to shine up the face. Any grinding, milling or welding on it will do more harm than good. Square edges are detrimental to good forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 Your anvil is 105 years old and you are now the 4th owner. Lightly wire wheel the anvil to clean off the heavy rust, and coat it with boiled linseed oil for protection. Use the anvil for a year (2000 hours of hammer time) before you make any modifications or improvements to the anvil. By then you should have had time to research and learn about blacksmithing and the use of an anvil. Never do anything that can not be undone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 You have a nice anvil. As Das and Irondragon have said DO NOT GRIND it. A wire wheel is as aggressive as you need to go. All the stamped in Salvage and Hare... I believe were later additions. Njanvilman runs the Fisher museum, I believe, and will probably find this thread. He just published a book on Fishers, so he may know a bit more than the average bear... Enjoy it. Glenn types faster than I do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholder777 Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 This is great to hear. I'm hitting it with a wire brush and it's cleaning up nice. Would it hurt to run progressive sanding on the face to get a nice shiny finish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 No sanding either. Wire brush it then beat hot steel on it and it'll shine right up. Honest it'll put a shine on that fine old lady's face in short time. Any steel you remove fro the face represents years of useful life gone forever. Anvils weren't made to be pretty, they're tools and you have a beauty as she sits now. Shiny doesn't mean a thing to the HOT steel / iron you pound on it. Even cleaning it up is like putting lipstick on a pig, it doesn't change the taste of the bacon. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with taking a wire brush and preservative to it, it just doesn't make it a better tool. The real next step is to build a good stand the correct height for YOU and go to work using it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelonian Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 Also, you don't really want a shiny mirror finish on the face of an anvil. It makes the workpiece feel annoyingly "slippery" under the hammer, at least in my opinion. That anvil is in great shape! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholder777 Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 Awesome. I'm super excited to use it. It's going to be a great upgrade from my railroad tie anvil. I wire brushed it and sprayed it with some protectant to prevent further rust. Time to strap it to a stump and get to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 The face will clean itself as you work hot steel on it. Congratulations on a nice find. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 I don't advise railroad tie anvils as the creosote is quite toxic when you hammer hot steel on it. Or did you mean Railroad Rail? I have a book published in 1889 that says sharp edged anvils must be around because the user doesn't understand how forging works..."Practical Blacksmithing", Richardson, vol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholder777 Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 Oops.railroad track*** Another thing. I found this on Facebook marketplace in Texas. I live near austin and the typical anvil price on marketplace is $10lb. Found this one for $5lb. Dropped everything and drove 6 hrs one way to get it. I didn't want a new one. I wanted a proven one with some history to go with it. appreciate everyone's quick and knowledgeable responses. I tired to make a few things with the railroad anvil and just had to fight it the whole time. This is going to be a game changer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan N Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Anvils are going for 10 bucks a pound in Texas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 People on marketplace and clist always ask ridiculous prices for what they think are rare antiques. At $10 a pound you can buy new anvils. $5 a pound is top end $4 a pound is fair and $2-$3 is fair for something beat up. I paid $1 a pound recently for a 105 pound William foster that has no ring and won’t bounce a ball bearing half an inch. It’s not good for anything except a rusty decoration or a door stop but I had a guy bring it by my shop and he needed money so now it sets In a back corner. Don’t get caught up on online pricing for used anvils they are not rare or hard to find. They are still just tools no different than buying any other used tools. You wouldn’t pay new price for a used welder or air compressor would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan N Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 From what I have read Postman has only documented 3 anvils known in the U.S. that matched one of my anvils. I don't know much about them even though I have had them for over 40 years but sounds like it might be a rarity in the U.S. I appreciate this forum I am learning a lot and hope to learn more. Most antiques go up in value and anvils are unique as being used does not seem to hurt their value. Not sure how true your statement is I have been looking for used anvils. Can you show some adds that supports your claim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 For starters a quick google search turned up that tfs sells a brand new double horn 100 pound anvil on their website for $568 that comes out to $5.68 a pound for a new anvil with no marks no chips no cracks no grinding no welded spots ect.... there are many others if you do your research. if you are checking your prices on Craigslist, eBay an Facebook then you are seeing the ridiculous prices I’m talking about. There are still plenty of modern anvil manufacturers in the world today that build new anvils at verifying prices. Continue reading on this site and you will find quite a few companies still producing. There is no reason in my opinion to pay $10 a pound for anything used when I can buy it new for that price or less... As for something being rare or antique I have accumulated multiple vises, anvils, blowers, tools machines ect.. over the years some of which are pushing 200 years old. Some of which I’ve never been able to find another anywhere. Does being rare make them worth a small fortune? Not to me.... I find antique tools and machines frequently using the tpaaat method and it works very well if you haven’t already I suggest you read about it. You might even ask Thomas personally how cheap he finds anvils on the regular using his tpaaat method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 try finding a anvil on this side of the pond is even harder. With extreme luck I found my Peter Wright in Belgium priced at $1,5 a pound, for an anvil 130+ years old she is in mint condition. For that price she was almost free. I have seen Vulcans go for $4 or $5 a pound. New anvils (if you can even find one) go between $7 and $10 a pound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholder777 Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 Sure can. I know I could have bought a new one for this price. I didn't want a new one. I wanted one with history behind it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Do you pay list price when you buy an auto? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 That's where the art of haggling comes into play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Art, Science and gol durned cussedness1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholder777 Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 Tried haggling. My dad raised me goin to yard sales. Got him down to $800. SMH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 OK for a 200# anvil in good condition; under 100 pounds; he's not selling to smiths. He's selling to wannabe smiths! (IMNSHO) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Well, if age and history is important to you rather than tool quality you have to pay for it. I automatically include a heavy discount for claims of vintage, rare, antique when I bargain. I don't pay for rust on a using tool. Trying to sell something rusty and dirty will cost THEM, not me. Asking 10/lb. is a laugh and walk away opening, unless it's something extraordinary. I would've countered MAYBE $150, probably $100. If the seller doesn't howl your counter was too high. Whatever history you're told is almost undoubtedly imaginary. Imagine your own, I do especially for an audience at a demo. You have better things to spend money on than age and imagined history. Make your own history on it to tell the grandkids when you pass it down. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan N Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 I don't believe anyone was talking about new anvils. I have not been able to find many antique or rare anvils for sale. I am looking for real time sales to base a fair value on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.