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I Forge Iron

"new" one today


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Really no clue on the maker or age, but it appears to be cast with a plate. I can't find any markings on it. Looks like there is a lot of plate left and it's actually quite flat. Some chipping on the edges, but I think it's within rounding range for what I would do with it. Weight is 150 from what I was told. Haven't put it on a scale to check yet.

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Got out today and got it out of the trunk and cleaned up. The worst chips on the side away from me I rounded off and made radius' (is that right?) out of. Mostly just to keep them from chipping further, but the will make an ok spot for starting handle contours when I'm making knives. Well, in my brain at least.

I did use a flap wheel for that and just lightly on the face to clean up a few spots that looked like weld spatter that had landed on the heel. The rest was just wire wheeled and rubbed the whole thing down with linseed oil. I got it mounted on my block and chained down like the little Vulcan was. It is slightly higher than the Vulcan that I set doing the knuckle thing, but it actually feels more comfortable to use that way. Time will tell on that one I guess.

I did get it on a scale. It weighs in at 160 pounds. I also found just a few hints left of some stamping on the foot under the horn. Looks to me like it has a 163 and a 1960 10 stamped into it. 163 pounds and made in Oct. 1960 maybe? No clue personally. It also has a bit of depression in the center of the foot.

So I still have no clue who it was made by, but I did forge out a knife blank from a piece of 1095. Hits very nice and has a decent ring without being tuning fork annoying. Definitely more than the "thump" I got from the Vulcan. A ball bearing is showing about 85ish% rebound.

Overall I am quite happy with the upgrade and don't think I did too bad on the score. My little 110lb Vulcan is going back to where this one came from as he only uses it to flatten things out once in a while and would rather see the big one get used. The only downside to it is all of the turning cams, cut off tools, and everything else I made for the 1/2 inch hardy on the Vulcan will need an adapter or re-built to fit the 1 inch hardy on this one. It also came with a bucket full of jackhammer bits and random tongs so making some new ones won't be an issue. I also haven't finished machining my guillotine, so that can be made to fit as well.

Would be cool to find out what it is, but it works great even if I never do.

 

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I think you have a Trenton, clues wt 163 & serial number 196010 on the front foot and the caplet indent in base. The only other anvil make that uses the caplet I know of is Arm & Hammer but their wt is on the side with the horn facing to the right, under the trademark. A picture of that side after cleaning may reveal remnants of a trade mark.

Someone with a copy of Anvils in America may be able to confirm that and give you a date range on when it was made. In either case you have a very nice anvil that should serve well for several more generations of Smith's.

It looks like the blacksmith that owned it made a lot of punches.

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Very cool for the information. Thank you. The other side just has a few more punch marks. There were/are quite a few chisel marks around the bottom of the waist and at the top of the foot as well. So my thinking was they made a lot of tooling.

I was kind of hoping to keep my little vulcan for the grandbaby when I upgraded, but being able to trade up for this one was too good to pass on. Plus he's not quite 2 yet, so I have a couple days to work on something for him. :D

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Look for clues of the Trenton diamond logo on the side with the horn facing right. Might be really faint if it's there. Looks like a Trenton to me as well. I really doubt it's from the 1960's, that's just the serial#. At some point later in their manufacturing they used a wroughtiron lower with a full steel upper welded on at the waist. 

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Thanks guys. So pretty safe to call it a Trenton then. I have a few projects lined up for it already as soon as I get the time to get out there now. Anxious to do some more hammering on it.

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What matters is Size and Rebound: good for both so you can call it what you like; perhaps Trondheim so you can use it for the Hammer Dance.

I once bought an anvil where all I can read on it was POWE, Mr. Postman told me it was a Powell, but I'm going to make the stamps and rebrand it as a POWERS!

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Wrist height doesn't mean as high as you can REACH with your wrist. :rolleyes: 

He's not too young to learn to wear stilts you know. That's best done well before your bounce by date expires.

Frosty The Lucky.

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I have the old block I used for a stand before I built this one lying outside of the shop. He uses that more than anything. He does have his own hammer already, and today he claimed a couple of old tongs that were in the bucket of stuff I got with the anvil.

He will have his own soon, probably a wooden one to start though. He won't even be 2 until August, but hopefully he continues to show a little interest. It was actually his idea to open the shop today. We were out in the yard playing and he went to the door and tried to open it wanting in to get his tools.

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1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

Large no lead solder makes a good starter material for young'uns'.  They can pound it out on a small section of RR rail with small hammers---I had 4 grandkids doing that one Thanksgiving using 4 oz ball peens.

Now that is a neat idea. I have an 8 year old who asked to apprentice already, once we get the shop set up. Anyway, that is a nice looking anvil!

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