France Cat Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Hi all, New here! So I acquired this anvil and plan on giving it the old wire wheel treatment this weekend. I would love knowing more about when/where/who made this guy, I just don't know a whole lot about the subject. So, basically any information is wonderful. The photos provided are the before photos I almost forgot to take. You can see my start on the lower portion of the left leg in photo 1. The close up with the blatant "BR..." is on the side shown in the first picture as well. So far those are the only markings I can make out, but I hope more will show themselves with a little love. I'll return once the surface is cleaned up with new pics. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Good Morning, BROOKS, Made in England. Welcome to this forum from the Left Coast of Vancouver Island. Enjoy perusing all the content. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Welcome aboard France Cat, glad to have you. Looks like a Brooks to me too. Top tier anvils and yours looks to be in pretty good condition. HOT steel and hammering will shine her face up nicely. Know what kind of stand you're going to put her on? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Its a Hay Budden. The BRO is the beginning of Brooklyn NY. A little talcum or baby powder will give you a better read. Please keep grindstones and any other abrasives away from it! George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 I'm thinking Hay Budden also. A picture of the underside of the base would probably confirm that. No matter who or where it was made, if it passes the ring & rebound tests it is a top notch one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 HB's had Brooklyn NY as part of their stamping. And generally haver an hourglass indentation in the base; though some years the walls were quite thin and may have worn almost flat. (I have one like that; clearly stamped though so no confusion.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
France Cat Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 This is all very exciting! I'm still in the works of getting her clean and just flipped it to work on the underside of the horn and such. I tried to show with my phone beneath the dolly but I guess it was still hard to see. But TO ME, the bottom appears clearly flat. Sharp edges around the base. This would indicate a European origin, or so it's said. I can imagine this being a pretty reliable rule of thumb, but there has be exceptions right? There's embossed organic looking markings on the front bottom that look like it could be the cursive of Hay Budden, numbers on the foot I can't clearly make out yet, and MJD stamped on the face with the BRO. I'm going to get to cleaning those up tomorrow but for now I thought a clear photo of the undercarriage would help steer us closer. Thanks for all the help guys! I'll keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Any number on the front of the feet below the horn? (Looks like the bottom of mine with a faint trace around the edges.) Who is saying that sharp base edges are European? I've never heard that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 If you find any numbers on the base under the horn then my vote would also be a HB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
France Cat Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 (edited) Hey guys! So it's been a long time coming and sorry to leave you all hangin, but I got the anvil cleaned up finally, and I think she really shined up nice! I got some new pictures, so hopefully this is enough to go off of to crack the code. I'll list photos of markings starting with the associated surface and include context if necessary. Here we are. Overview Front Side and Markings Two vertical MJD's high end of foot, left side. BRO... Here is another set of MJD's on the front side. This time upside down, roughly centered left and right and 1-1/2 inches below the face. Heel Foot and Markings This looks like an anchor to me. Or some other symbol? Almost dead center. Horn Foot and Markings Back Side With No Apparent Markings Bottom So there she blows. What do you guys think? I see a pretty clear 22 on one foot and a string of 1's 2's and 0's that don't exactly follow the standard weight labeling system... I'm not sure what to make of that. The anvil weighs 255. The marks look like 1 1 0 1 0 to me. No idea. The left side of the heel foot looks like a pretty straight forward 22. Could be a possible inspection mark? Certainly any other ideas are welcome there. I have no Idea why there are 3 MJD's on the side and 1 elsewhere on the foot, maybe just to MAKE SURE your initials lasted? As far as the bottom goes, it sounds pretty conflicting to be American with a completely flat bottom. And then of course, we have the BRO on the side. I think that covers everything. So that's it. The project was a lot more work than I envisioned but was so rewarding and satisfying. I'm proud of her no matter the maker, but it's definitely exciting to know. Soooo, any ideas? Thanks for all the help guys. Edited August 12, 2022 by Mod30 Resize photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 I would still say it's a Hay Budden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 With the BRO being the start of Brooklyn. Early HB's sometimes have worn the hourglass flat with the bottom, (I have a clearly stamped one that way.) Really the maker of the anvil doesn't mean much, it's the quality of the rebound and thickness of the face plate that makes an anvil good or great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 Who cares its bigg enaugh for working and if its not cracked and have good rebound as thomas said. I red in old book that anvil should be at least 8 to 10 times heavier than hammer and on this note you win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 8-10 times is a better number than 15-20 times often quoted. The later being extrapolated from power hammer anvil published weights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 Power hammer anvils have to factor in the force of the blow into their anvil weights, I don't know anybody with an arm that can put several horse power into their hammering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 Does that mean I can stop using a 20lb. hammer on my 200lb Trenton?! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 Frosty; we advocate you using a 2 oz Stanley Ballpeen when working 2" sq steel on your 200# Trenton and remember to not overheat your steel! A nice dull red will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Frosty said: using a 20lb. hammer on my 200lb Trenton Holy cow what are y’all forgin up north? Steel moose? i use a 20lb head on the treadle hammer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
France Cat Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 I think cleaning this guy up and finding all it's secrets has been a really fun experience. I KNOW it's good lol but that pretty much goes with anything. You don't have to know what brand something is or who made it, as long as it works, right. Most things in life don't have a rich history though. Not knowing and not caring about the history of something that's possibly well over a century old, in a very traditional hobby like this is almost irresponsible, the way i see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Will do Thomas. A 2" square of what? Nothing wrong with that France Cat, I do a little looking into my tools too it's just not a priority. My 50lb. Little Giant power hammer turned 100 in 2013 and in 4 years my 125lb. Soderfors Sorceress #5 will turn 100. I don't know the Trenton's date but she has a good home and is good with it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Hmmm, how about tungsten? (Just for the challenge!) My 25# LG was shipped Dec 28 of 1915 to Merino Colorado and is now slumming in Central NM. Funny thing I was supposed to receive my insulin pump supplies tomorrow but UPS said there was a "sortation error" whatever that is and to look for them on Monday; so an extra 5 days tacked on their "3 day shipping". Checking the tracking; I noticed that somehow they went from Louisville KY to Minnesota????? (Hmm New Mexico == NM, Minnesota==MN hard to differentiate when spoken; but easy electronically!) Could have been worse. I once had several thousand dollars of Insulin mis-shipped and stored in an un-refrigerated warehouse over a 105 degF holiday weekend. It had to be replaced as it was hot within the shipping cooler when it finally got to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Hmmmm, that's a thought but I'll stick with your original challenge and go with the 2"x2"x2" platinum. Do you think shipping the UPS home office a nice big box of fish would show your appreciation adequately? 3 Day of course. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Just amused as Minnesota is on the US/Canada border and New Mexico is on the US/Mexico border; I wish I could collect mileage reimbursement for it! Of course living in Rural NM, no mail/package ever makes the promised date. "Overnight" means 2-3 days for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 Here overnight means it's in Wasilla going to Wasilla, that way going to the Anchorage annex and back only takes one day. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 On 8/11/2022 at 3:16 AM, France Cat said: I think cleaning this guy up and finding all it's secrets has been a really fun experience. I KNOW it's good lol but that pretty much goes with anything. You don't have to know what brand something is or who made it, as long as it works, right. Most things in life don't have a rich history though. Not knowing and not caring about the history of something that's possibly well over a century old, in a very traditional hobby like this is almost irresponsible, the way i see it. Yeah i know same i felt about bellows thats old for 200 years maybe . But i didnt find who made it. just saw that model and stye of woodwking is from Austro Hungarian time, i get what you mean . Sometimes it make me sad even i am young that some my tools will live longer then me. Acctualy i have mixed feelings about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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