Dale Peters Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Has anyone here had any experience or know anything about a vanadium steel anvil? I've got a line on one that I haven't seen yet. It's about a 4-hour drive from me and I'd like to find out a little about it before I spend the time, energy and money on it. The guy who owns it says the word "vanadium" is on the side and the numbers "100" is on the front of the base. We're assuming it's a 100-pounder. Thanks in advance for any comments, advice, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 IIRC Postman mentions them in Anvils in America, unfortunately I won't be able to access this forum after perusing my copy till Monday. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Peters Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 Thomas, I'd appreciate it very much if you could check it out. There's no hurry. I tried to research it on the internet, but there seems to be very little information on it, or either I don't know where to look. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 From "Anvils in America" by Richard Postman, *the* *best* reference on anvils! "Vanadium Steel: Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward both sold these anvils under the vanadium steel trademark in the late 1930s and early 1940s, prior to WWII. There was a Vanadium Steel Corporation, which manufactured tools and they were the ones most likely to have manufactured these anvils they are listed in the catalogs in sizes 75, 100, 125 and 150 pounds. A 100 pound anvil is listed in the 1941-1942 Fall& Winter MW catalog for the great sum of $17.95 The trademark Vanadium Steel is cast in bold relief on the side with the weight listed below." The listing also has a copy of the Sears catalog, Spring-Summer for 1938 with the 100# anvil listed as being $14.95 and "Guaranteed not to chip" (which indicated they may be a tad soft...) From the sourcing and price I would guess that it's a decent but not great anvil and should sell for less than one of the top tier anvils. Thomas Powers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Peters Posted March 8, 2006 Author Share Posted March 8, 2006 Thomas, thanks for checking it out. He's asking $225 for it so I'll probably pass on it. For that kind of money, I think I can do better at an auction. Fortunately around here, anvils show up at farm auctions fairly often. There are auctions coming up this weekend and next that have anvils on the sale bill. I just have to be patient about these things... that's the hard part. And I might be sorry I passed it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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