Soderfors Sweden anvil value?

[PandaLikesMetal]

Hi, I’ve been getting information from this site for a couple of years and this is my first topic. I just got a new anvil Soderfors Sweden 125 lbs. 1928 and #12. Can anybody tell me about it

[Randy Griffin]

It’s one of the better anvils out there. That one is in exceptional condition. If the rebound and ring is good, I’d give as much as $5/lb. That’s top dollar for me.

[Daswulf]

It could use a good wire wheeling to really see the condition of the face. 

After some boiled linseed oil or other oil can help  keep it rust free. 

They are reported as being good quality cast steel anvils. 

Planning to use it or sell it?looks like a good usable anvil. Curious as to the real condition of the face but the rust might be throwing me off. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. Frosty will be along shortly to critique it. He is our Soderfors specialist so may be a little biased.

[PandaLikesMetal]

17 hours ago, Daswulf said:

Planning to use it or sell it?

I’m not sure. I’ld really like to keep it and start some blacksmith work but I’m moving to a house and i won’t be able to use it there. I’m trying to make some extra money for the down payment but honestly I can’t decide how often does someone come across one of these?

17 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

Frosty will be along shortly to critique it. He is our Soderfors specialist so may be a little biased.

Okay I’m just happy to hear something about it

18 hours ago, Randy Griffin said:

If the rebound and ring is good

How do I test the rebound

Edited May 17, 2022 by Mod34
Excessive quoting

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

To test the rebound I use a hardened steel ball bearing and ruler. Place the ruler on the anvil face, drop the ball bearing from 10 inches and see how far up the ruler it goes. Dropping it from 10 inches makes it easy to figure % of rebound. If the ball bearing bounces to 5 inch mark the % is 50 % 8 inches is 80 % and so on. This short video explains rebound pretty well.

To test the ring a small hammer tapped all over the face while listening for how it rings and if there are any dead sounding areas, which indicate some delamination of the steel face or softer spots on a cast steel anvil due to heating as in a fire.

[Frosty]

I'm hardly a Soderfors expert, I just own a 125lb Soderfors, Sorceress #5 that looks an awful lot like yours. I can't read what's under "Soderfors Sweden" cast proud in your pics.  Whatever's written there is where mine says it's a Sorceress. The Soderfors foundry cast a LOT of anvils sort of as a sideline for many years and they were happy to put whatever name, number, logo, whatever a buyer was willing to pay for.

I've never used a better anvil, be careful not to miss hard blows on the edges, the face is hard enough to chip. Expect the rebound to lessen as you test towards horn and heal, it will be best over the center of the body.

The ring on the other hand will get louder and more piercing as you move out horn and heal. Wear ear protection!!! They are noted for being dangerously loud.

There are different methods for quieting loud anvils, mine are all on steel tripod stands and the sound has damped to tolerable. Wear hearing protection! A sand box stand works well too. Magnets, chain, etc. not so. I haven't tries silicone, felt, rubber mat, etc. so I can't say.

Clean that old lady up and put her to work, you'll be permanently spoiled for lesser (other) anvils. It'd be a shame to have such a primo anvil in near pristine condition and not get to use it. 

Without knowing where you are there's not much chance we can give you a good idea what that beauty is worth.

Were it mine you could buy it at my estate auction. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[PandaLikesMetal]

14 hours ago, Frosty said:

Without knowing where you are there's not much chance we can give you a good idea what that beauty is worth.

I’m in central texas

Edited May 17, 2022 by Mod34
Excessive quoting

[Frosty]

Ayup, your header changes show on ALL your posts. 

There are a  number of discussion about mitigating noise and smoke for smithing in close neighborhoods. I used to practice the craft in the sideyard of my  mobile home, never more than 25' from the neighbor's wall. I stayed on the neighbor's good sides by never making noise after dinner time or before 9am. I also sharpened everybody's knives, lawnmower blades, etc. and did  minor welding repairs, gratis. If ANYBODY said ANYTHING about the noise I asked when might be a good time for them. 

In short order I was THE trailer court Blacksmith. When dragged out the equipment and I fired up the forge, the neighborhood kids put the word out and they'd be standing 3-4 deep at the fence to watch. It was some of my happiest smithing. I also had at least 6 families watching my place when I was out of town. 

Being a good neighbor makes good neighbors.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Les L]

I built a steel tripod stand and mounted my Soderfors with silicone under it. It is very quiet now, just a dull thud, no high pitched ring. When I tested the rebound, before buying, it hurt your ears dropping the ball bearing on it.

[Frosty]

Ayup, painfully loud is a Soderfors alright. Isn't a quiet Soderfors a real joy to use? 

Frosty The Lucky.

[FlatLiner]

I found that the steel tripod stand with silicone under the anvil quieted my Sisco but the ring still gets more pronounced the further out on the horn or tail you go. But overall it is much nicer to work on.

[Frosty]

Ayup, that's a Soderfors anvil, any anvil for that matter actually. The farther out horn or heal the more like a tuning fork they are. Tap an I beam with a hammer in the center and again on an end, same same.

Frosty The Lucky.