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Peter Wright Anvil questions and advice needed


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Over the weekend I purchased a very, very rusty anvil for $350 from a widow in Maine that wanted to clear out her barn. I brought it home and cleaned the heck out of it to discover it was (if I am correct in my research) a 132lb. Peter Wright London style anvil from England sometime between 1885 and 1910 (loud ring and good rebound).

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 My questions:

The “Wright” in “Peter Wright” is stamped upside down? Does anyone have any knowledge of upside-down stamping on Peter Wright anvils? Could this have been an accident? Could it have been an indication of a "second" or damaged anvil? 

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Peter wright anvils were made with solid wrought bodies. Mine looks like the base and the top were forge wended together? Could this be the case? Could this be why “Wright” is stamped upside-down? The seam goes all the way around the anvil at the top of the mouse hole.

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My anvil has two star shaped stamps on the forward foot (left side as you face the end of the horn). Any knowledge what these stamps indicate?

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The cutting table, horn, foot, and front body are covered in small punch size divots about the size of a BB. These bb size digits are not in the face. I read that the owner of the anvil was probably testing the temper of punches that he made. Can the readers confirm the validity of this hypothesis or are there other likely causes of these small holes?

 487401518_Tooltestingmarks.jpg.9f627e6516fe3e3d7cca5bf2360d14e4.jpg

 

Lastly, as you can see in the photo, the top of the anvil is horribly pitted from rust. It turns out the anvil was left face down in the dirt for many, many years. I want this anvil to be serviceable, so my decision (after lots or research and reflection) is to attempt a repair of the face. I understand that if I overheat the face, I will ruin the temper and make the anvil useless. In my view the anvil is not all that useable as it is and with preheating and welding in short, back-stepped sections I may be able to bring this anvil back into usable condition. My question: being that I have decided to fill the rust pits in the face should I address the edges of the face and / or do a combination of filling and grinding on the horn to remove the small divots on it? Again, purpose is for use not decoration. Best to just fill the digits in the face or best to go whole hog and address the whole working face?

 1820515692_Pittedface.jpg.c3af23c4ff49026ce9f4b22f75bae82f.jpg

 

Thank you for your assistance.

 

 

Forge weld Line?.jpg

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Welcome from the Ozark mountains. In my opinion the only safe way to repair the hardened face is to follow this system. I would do the entire face, the edges don't look that bad to me.

Anvil Restoration

anvil and I were typing at the same time, with the same recommendation.:D

And you are correct about the chisel and punch marks on the sides of the anvil due to a smith testing the tools made.

 

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Your anvil has a high carbon faceplate forge welded to the body of the anvil. Anything you do that reduces the thickness of the faceplate is considered severe abuse to the anvil. Yes, round divots on the body are generally the result of testing punches, (And a bit bogus as anvil bodies are generally quite soft!)

I note that when I used my browser, google chrome, to search on anvil repair site:iforgeiron.com I get over 2000 hits specific to this site; may I commend this to your attention; and note that the Gunther-Schuler method is considered the gold standard of anvil repair. HOWEVER if you are not skilled at the processes it uses you would be better off having it done by someone who is. I've been smithing for over 40 years now and I have brought anvils to "Anvil Repair Days" put on by ABANA Affiliates in both Ohio and New Mexico as I am not skilled in the required welding processes.  

Also: any welder who tells you they don't need to follow the Gunter Schuler process to repair the anvil should be fled from; preferably screaming! (Just welding on the high carbon face usually results in Heat Affected Zone cracking that makes bigger holes than the originals!)

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Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming.  Glad to have you.

As previously mentioned, the edges aren't too bad.  However, the divots on the face are more problematic.  You could use it as is since there is a decent area above the sweet spot on the right edge (right when you are standing at the heel looking towards the horn).  If it were mine I would probably be looking at doing a Gunther-Schuler restoration across the whole face.  It takes a pretty skilled welder, pre heating, impact resistant rods (expensive), and slow cool down.  If someone does not want/can exactly follow the G-S mathod the result will be worse damage than if you did nothing.

I can't help you with the issue of "Wright" being upside down.  I suspect a mistake in die orientation when it was struck in.  My 200# PW has so many punch marks and chisel marks on the sides that the writing is pretty much obscured except for an occasional letter which are hard to read and wouldn't be noticed unless you knew they were there.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand.

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