warthog02 Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 I've seen a few things on the anvil maker I Hill but very little of his father R Hill. One website I found says R, or Robert Hill was the father of Isaac Hill and operated in the 1770's. My anvil is 211 pounds, marked R Hill, and lacks any cutting plate or pritchel hole and has a very minor fifth foot if it can even be called that. I'm wondering if anyone new anything more about Robert Hill anvils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 I know nothing of them but wow that is a nice looking anvil. Look in great condition for it age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Welcome aboard Warthog, glad to have you. She definitely looks colonial and in wonderful condition. If someone here doesn't have information you might try contacting "Colonial Williamsburg" they might have some information for you. Don't be surprised if they want to talk you into donating it though. How does it work? How's the rebound? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warthog02 Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 (edited) The rebound is decent, around 75 to 80 percent by eye and no delaminations. Most of the edges are pretty rounded so not the best if you need a sharp corner. Overall it doesn't have much pitting on the face but it does have a couple deep ones. The horn wasn't bashed in so that was nice. Edited April 22 by Mod30 Excessive quoting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Well I suppose we can forgive a little pitting from a lady in the 250yro range. I'm no fan of sharp edges so I like her edges, I have bottom tools if I want a sharp edge or corner. I like the round horn on my Soderfors so yours is attractive to me as well. I'd really like to use her a little to get a feel of the 1770. This is another time I really miss Thomas Powers, he was one of our anvil gurus. If he didn't know off the top, he usually had the info in his library. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warthog02 Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 (edited) I'd seen lots of posts by Thomas, I only just read that he passed. I do have another little anvil if I need sharp edges luckily. Despite its age it has proven to be a workhorse in what little time I've had her, though i have yet to do a big project. And the round horn is quite nice, I hate oval shaped horns that you'd find on cheap anvils today. Edited April 22 by Mod30 Excessive quoting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 The flat topped horn is sort of a farrier thing so I don't hold it against the anvil. I don't have a lot of use for horns in general, I can turn rings, scrolls, wall hooks, finials, etc. and true them up on the face well enough. After a dozen or two years I discovered about the only thing I used a horn for was a bottom fuller. Of course that's just me, I could be full of it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warthog02 Posted April 23 Author Share Posted April 23 (edited) No you have a point, I've mostly just used it as a fuller too, though I've only got about 5 years at the anvil. It is quite nice for bottle openers though if you don't have a huge drift. Edited April 23 by Mod30 Excessive quoting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgeway Forge Studio Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 I mostly use the horn of my anvils as fullers and to true up bottle openers. It allows me to hit the ring at an angle and leave a pretty chunky amount of hammer marks on both the inside and outside of the ring. The only other thing I can think of I've done with a horn in the last few years is weld 12-14" rings on it. Work well for that, before taking that ring to the floor cone. Scrolls, finials, hooks, curves I all do at the edge of the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warthog02 Posted April 24 Author Share Posted April 24 I'm hoping to practice more welding this summer so I can see how using the horn would be nice for making big rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgeway Forge Studio Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Welding is easy once you forget it’s hard. I tend to do sloppy, dirty welds- I rarely scarf or upset, I get it too hot, I don’t flux- and sometimes it doesn’t work. But I suppose it all goes to show that there is a spectrum of “right” ways to weld. Smarter blacksmiths than me have failed with more precise parameters. have fun with welding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 If you lap the join on rings so they lay flat on the anvil you don't need to weld them on a horn or mandrel. By flat visualize a coil spring cut in a ring with a little overlap. The ends will lay one on the other while the ring lays flat. Yes? Don't let what works for me stop you from using your horn as you wish. This craft is different for all of us, what works for one doesn't mean diddly for others. There are so many ways to do any one thing there is just no telling. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgeway Forge Studio Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Frosty, I agree with you for rings bent the hard way- but I found for thin stock rings bent the easy way it is more finnicky to try and scarf them to weld flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 True, like everything the technique should have a "within reason" disclaimer. I don't know of anybody forge welding strap stock edge to edge. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgeway Forge Studio Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Now I want to try it so that you can know someone who has done it! if done properly, wouldn’t it be just as secure as the easy way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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