Anvil rating

Arnsbjorn · Post by **Arnsbjorn** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:11 pm

So I am looking at a cliff carrol,delta, or an emerson. any suggestions?

redrook · Post by **redrook** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:27 pm

Arnsbjorn,
Welcome to the Archive. I have not used the anvils you mention ,but I believe they are designed for horseshoeing. If you are buying one of them for making armour,you will be getting a specific tool for a different type of craft.Save your money for armour specific tools like stakes,hammers,etc..I am not saying one of these anvils would not be useful to armouring,but if you plan to get one new,well....it seems like your money could be better spent. Just my thoughts.

Richard

Gest · Post by **Gest** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:30 am

Arnsbjorn,

I think those are all fine anvil manufacturers. I have a 110-lb Peddinghaus, but I looked at Delta and TFS. I bought the Peddinghaus because I think it's a great anvil.

How much are you looking to spend, what weight anvil are you wanting to get, and what kind of work are you wanting to use it for?

-- Gest

Thomas Powers · Post by **Thomas Powers** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:02 am

I've always managed to get great old anvils for a fraction of a new anvil price. Since even a hunk of scrap steel can make a perfectly serviceable anvil I'd spend the money on a beverly shear if I was going into armouring!

Thomas

don · Post by **don** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:00 pm

Another thing to think about is "how much" are you going to use it and what type of work you plan on doing with it (do you need the 200lb. anvil to place rivets?).

As was said before, Think about it and spend your money wisely.

Don

Uryen · Post by **Uryen** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:26 am

You mean people have actual anvils?? :shock:

I have 2 pieces of rail track.

Cap'n Atli · Post by **Cap'n Atli** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:42 am

Uryen wrote:You mean people have actual anvils??
I have 2 pieces of rail track.

Ah, but it's not just the tools, it's the talent! I've seen wonderful stuff made with rudimentary tools, and poor stuff (including, upon occasion, some of my attempts) made with good tools.

That said, good tools are usually more efficient. At our County Fair demo I had to switch from the 70# modern anvil to the 11# Viking style anvil for some small work, and I could really feel the difference in the progress. It got done, but it took longer and I worked harder.

Ingelri · Post by **Ingelri** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 12:16 pm

Check out www.oldworldanvils.com.

I have the 110 kilo double horn anvil. Best piece of equipment I've ever bought for my armour shop.

Ingelri

don · Post by **don** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:30 am

One thought would be to send a PM to Halberds, mentioning what you are wanting to do and ask for his advice.

Another thought is to check out some blacksmithing sites/forums and see what they say.

If you mention "what you want the anvil for" (ie. forging, rivetting, ?), you may get some better answers. (I have formed a crown in 18 or 20g with an 8oz. autobody hammer and a dolly that may have weighed about a pound and a half, metal can be formed/shaped in a leather shot bag as well) You may want to mention how oftern you may have to move it :oops:

Don

Darringer · Post by **Darringer** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 6:46 pm

I second Hal!

VRIN · Post by **VRIN** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:53 am

Anvils are really weight sensitive, so before purchasing ask what am I getting for my weight? Most (and I think all) of the anvils you have mentioned are cast machined and then hardened. I gather that this is the most common production method, so I dont think there is much difference there other than maybe some small face hardness bump one way or another.

Second is pattern or style, the "personal choice" as I call it. Do you want to do lots of bending? Get the one with the bending nubs on the side. Do you want to do tools and decorations? go for edge and face cleanliness consider blacksmith styles. Armour making? I like the curves on some farriers anvils for some things. Patterns are really a big selling point to some, personally I don't care as long as there is a smooth face a good edge somewhere convenient and the horn is in good shape.

For me the determining factor is how much weight can I get for my money inside the style of anvil I want. And then lastly the old domestic vs foreign decision (you dont have to worry about this with those brands are all north american right?)

Good luck and when you order I want an invite to the forge party!

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 1:19 am

I agree, we need to know what you wish to build.

Yes Uryen, It took me 9 years to find and afford an real anvil.
This is my 70 pound sweetheart.
I don't use her much but when I do she sure is sweet. :wink:

Hey let's hijack this thread and show him our anvils.
Whoop Hoo... an anvil thread.

I used a short RR rail, spike and a steel plate for many years.
I would like to see our members anvil shaped objects also.
Just because it is not a real anvil does not make it an unreal tool.

As the Capt said it is in the hands of the user.

Thomas Powers · Post by **Thomas Powers** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:06 pm

Anvil design has a large part in usability. The sweet spot on an anvil face is that area that has metal going all the way to the base under it. Many "late pattern" London anvils have long horns and heels reducing the sweet spot. Great for some things but if you ever plan to do any heavy sledging those long thin areas are accidents waiting to happen.

Note that what a modern anvil is cast from makes a huge difference! Is it 4140? H13? Ductile? or a cast iron ASO? We see a lot of what look like great anvils from a distance but up close they are ones cast in Mexico using traditionally made anvils as a pattern and then cast in whatever was left in the ladle after a day's casting is done. They have mold seems right down the middle of the face and horn and are not heat treated. (I've seen a few cleaned up and sold as "antiques " as well though they are less than 5 years old...

One thing to remember is that the modern "london pattern" is a sort of Swiss Army Knife anvil. It's designed to do a lot of different things but not necessarily designed to do them well. Medieval anvils tended toward two types: the large mass with little or no horn for heavy hammering and the stake anvil that is pretty much all horn. A good shop would probably have both in it.

Thomas

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:16 am

I didden't know any of the anvils the OP mentioned either. :wink:

Acme is the only one I know of.

However; I do know... the coyote swears by them.

Hal

Thomas Powers · Post by **Thomas Powers** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:45 am

They are all new farrier's anvil brands.

As I'm a smith I am more familiar with peddinghaus, Brooks, Nimba, Jymm's, Old world anvils, Euro Anvils, etc blacksmithing anvils of current make.

Thomas

The Iron Dwarf · Post by **The Iron Dwarf** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:18 pm

However; I do know... the coyote swears by them.

I thought he mostly swears at them after they land on his head etc :wink:

Thomas Powers · Post by **Thomas Powers** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:35 pm

I unfortunately can tell you that a roadrunner is not 20 year old isuzu pickup proof...(or faster than)

Acme used to be a brand sold by Sears and Roebuck who had several different manufacturers make them for them. Hay-Budden was one that I remember!

Thomas

Cap'n Atli · Post by **Cap'n Atli** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:16 pm

Thomas Powers wrote:I unfortunately can tell you that a roadrunner is not 20 year old Isuzu pickup proof...(or faster than)

Acme used to be a brand sold by Sears and Roebuck who had several different manufacturers make them for them. Hay-Budden was one that I remember!

Thomas

Oh wow! A Hay-Budden "Acme" anvil! How cool would that be? Great quality and the mystique of coyotes and road runners in a single package! That would be so cool at demonstrations!

Jonathon More · Post by **Jonathon More** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:30 pm

hmmm. I found my anvil in an old barn we were breaking down for the beams and other useful pieces parts. 230 pounds of really old steel. unfortunately I've never been able to tell who the manufacturer was. I'll dig it out of the shed and take some pics of the foundry marks, maybe some one here can shed some light on her.

Thomas Powers · Post by **Thomas Powers** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:41 am

Really old anvils are 90+% wrought iron with just a steel face forge welded on. (why folks grinding or milling the face make us scream! I've seen more than one anvil destroyed by folks trying to "pretty it up" who end up removing the steel face and have only the soft wrought iron left---almost as bad are the "sharp corners" crew who want to weld up the edges of an old anvil never having read the old smithing books that tell you the first thing you do with a new anvil is to ROUND OFF the corners!) )

They were not cast either so no foundry marks. Slightly younger ones can be like Fisher's or Vulcans and have a steel face and a cast iron body and so may have foundry marks. Some younger than that can be all cast steel---mainly the ones from Sweden. And with the turn of the 19th to 20th century you started to get cast high carbon top halves and cast low carbon bottom haves forge welded together and then later arc welded together.

"Anvils in America" is the current state of the art work on anvils though Postman is busy working on an update to it.

Thomas