Purchased an anvil today. How'd I do?

[ForgingChaos]

This is upgrading a basic 60lb vulcan. 

It is ~103lbs, in very good condition for its age. Very flat top, horn is still in great shape too.  According to my research it is a pre-1830 Mouse Hole Forge.

The hardy hole is 3/4", so he threw in some of the nonstandard hardy tools he made...a cutter and a spring fuller. 

[Daswulf]

Looks like you did good. How is the rebound?

I have a pre-1830 mousehole anvil as well. It is a good solid anvil. Mine in in the 90# range and I use it with my travel demo setup. 

 

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard ForgingChaos, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you'll have a much better chance of meeting up with members within visiting distance and lots of information is pretty location specific.

Nice looking anvil, mind saying what you gave for it?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains.

A very good find indeed. M&H ARMITAGE MOUSE HOLE anvils are top of the line. Hope you have read about not doing any grinding, milling or welding on the hardened face which will do more harm than good.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[ForgingChaos]

4 hours ago, Frosty said:

Welcome aboard ForgingChaos, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you'll have a much better chance of meeting up with members within visiting distance and lots of information is pretty location specific.

Nice looking anvil, mind saying what you gave for it?

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks. Rebound feels good but I haven't done the test yet. Paid $400 for it with the hardy tools. Based on what I could find online (not a ton honestly) it seemed like a very fair price. Nice guy too.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

If the weight stamp I'm reading is correct 0 . 3 . 19 she weighed 103 pounds when made. So depending where you are located $3.88 U.S. per pound is not a bad price and the tools are a bonus.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[George N. M.]

Very nice anvil.  It has decades or centuries of life left in it.  Take care of it and someday pass it on down a generation or two.

$400 is a decent price in US dollars but the dollar as a unit of currency is used by many other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, etc. all of which have a different value.  Since this is a world wide forum we don't know which dollar using country you are in.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Frosty]

How good the deal depends on where in the solar system you cast a shadow. In my neck of Alaska it'd go for 2x that easily but in the upper mid west maybe 2/3. Location is king when looking for, buying or selling smithing tools.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Daswulf]

Not a bad price in my area really. It is in good shape. I asked about the rebound because i am interested. Mine has a bit less rebound and ring than my other shop anvils. Probably around 70%. No big deal as it functions great and seems like a quiet thud mounted to a metal tripod stand with a chunk of rubber mat beneath. No matter what it is a good usable anvil. You didn't pay too much vs. What you could make and sell with it. My 4 anvils are paid off on what i have made and sold using them. 

[ForgingChaos]

9 hours ago, Irondragon Forge ClayWorks said:

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains.

A very good find indeed. M&H ARMITAGE MOUSE HOLE anvils are top of the line. Hope you have read about not doing any grinding, milling or welding on the hardened face which will do more harm than good.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

I did read that grinding the hardened was a bad idea, thanks! I don't think it needs any attention to the face right now as it is in great condition, and honestly I doubt I will be very hard on it I am still very much a beginner.

8 hours ago, Irondragon Forge ClayWorks said:

If the weight stamp I'm reading is correct 0 . 3 . 19 she weighed 103 pounds when made. So depending where you are located $3.88 U.S. per pound is not a bad price and the tools are a bonus.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

Yeah I have been looking for an upgrade for awhile. Finally expanded my search area on FB/Craigslist and this showed up. Seller was a really nice guy, and had upgraded to a 200+ (I didn't get exact weight but it was big) Peter Wright. I chatted with him a little about the Mousehole, mentioned its age (1820-1829) and he seemed surprised, didn't know that much about the history, just that it was a good anvil. 

8 hours ago, George N. M. said:

Very nice anvil.  It has decades or centuries of life left in it.  Take care of it and someday pass it on down a generation or two.

$400 is a decent price in US dollars but the dollar as a unit of currency is used by many other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, etc. all of which have a different value.  Since this is a world wide forum we don't know which dollar using country you are in.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

Thanks. 200+ years old currently and still looking great! I am in the Northeast USA. It wasn't really about the money or the deal for me, I just wanted to find an upgrade I could feel proud of. 

 

7 hours ago, Frosty said:

How good the deal depends on where in the solar system you cast a shadow. In my neck of Alaska it'd go for 2x that easily but in the upper mid west maybe 2/3. Location is king when looking for, buying or selling smithing tools.

Frosty The Lucky.

It was easy to price anvils generally, but there weren't many other Mouse Hole Forge anvils for sale in any of my searches (a few similar sized on ebay and other specialty sites for outrageous $800-$1600+ amounts). Saw one on Craigslist in Nebraska with a big well in the face and chips off the side for $600 and decided to just buy this one.