Baltimore Anvil Heads UP!

[Johann ColdIron]

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/tls/4353076277.html

A bit expensive but comes with a cast stand and some hardy tooling. Really nice face.

[CLANG]

That's a Fisher/Norris. They are good anvils, but check this out-they're CAST steel with a tool steel face and top of horn. Sort of a hybrid that came along around 1900. They are the only cast anvils worth a %#*!, IMO. I inherited one almost exactly like the one shown when the owner, a family friend who'd loaned it to me, died. It's from 1903, and the same weight (100 lbs-it's just visible in the pic, cast on the top of the front foot), and the rebound it produces is amazing. Long time ago, I missed a stroke while forging, and the re-bound hammer almost hit me in the face before I could stop it. Fishers are really nice to work with because, due to the cast body, they thud instead of ring. Also the only anvils I can recall seeing that have bolt lugs on the bases, so you don't have to engineer something strange to keep them on the block. Earlier ones didn't have these, BTW, and were more stubby. I'd hate to pay it, but I don't consider the price bad in today's "scarf 'em up and sell 'em for a million $$ on ebLay" market.

[Johann ColdIron]

Thats neat Clang! I noticed the prominent line between the face layer and the rest but wasn't sure what was up with it. Makes sense with the cast base.

Its a neat anvil though not one I need. I already have a blacksmithing anvil.