What is this anvil worth?

[skipnay]

I have been wanting to get an anvil though I haven't seen very many at any local auctions. I did notice this is somewhat local to me. But I have no idea what it is worth other then what someone else is worth paying for it. I want one but I'm not going to spend a mint on something that isn't worth very much. So what is it worth or what would you pay for it?

http://www.auctionzip.com/Full-Image/2837935/fp1.cgi

 

[crguy]

Home made Railroad track anvil. $10.

 

[Bobcat753]

Looks like it was a piece of railroad track at one time. Someone took some time to make it look that nice. I think it is worth $150 tops.

 

[skipnay]

That's what I thought and talked to someone at the auction place and they told me it is an actual anvil not something someone made.

Thanks guys. Think I put a lot more trust in you guys!

 

[oxycodone]

Non-collectible anvils typically go for around $1/pound at auctions in these parts.

 

[Corndoggeh]

Railroad anvil, looks like whoever did that one took their time to make it look nice. I'd probably pay about $1 per pound.

 

[1982fxr]

Nicest track anvil I've ever seen

 

[RivennHewn]

It's much nicer than most anvil shaped objects made from RR track.

Follow the link and look at the other items.

 

[G-ManBart]

It's pretty well done, but no way that started out as anything other than railroad track.

Around here, non-collectible anvils are running $3-4/Lb pretty regularly and they go for more at auction.

 

[oldrockhead]

Unless someone can be convinced that this is "Folk Art", it's worth whatever scrap steel is going for in your area. The visible numbers are more than likely 3 numbers from the year the rail was made (1920 something). "Big Iron" as it's called (even though it's steel), back then, was smaller than modern rail. So, for example, 3 feet of rail that weighs 119 pounds, is 119 pound rail. Heavy modern rail can be 140 pounds (maybe larger, I've been retired for a few years) per a 3 foot length. Cut and grind on a 24 inch length of rail and you have a smaller piece of scrap steel, not an antique anvil.

 

[skipnay]

I actually have probably 5 or 6 pieces of railroad track at my house measuring from 18" to almost 30" I picked up for weight in a pickup truck for winter. I got it from an old coworker for a friend. My friend decided he didn't want them. I have given most away but like I said I have 5 or 6 laying back there still. I will see if mine has any dates on it.

 

[Davefr]

A sawed off chunk of train track might be $10 but that RR track anvil is very nice and someone put a ton of work into it.

I'd say closer to $100.

 

[kwoswalt99]

Unless someone can be convinced that this is "Folk Art", it's worth whatever scrap steel is going for in your area. The visible numbers are more than likely 3 numbers from the year the rail was made (1920 something). "Big Iron" as it's called (even though it's steel), back then, was smaller than modern rail. So, for example, 3 feet of rail that weighs 119 pounds, is 119 pound rail. Heavy modern rail can be 140 pounds (maybe larger, I've been retired for a few years) per a 3 foot length. Cut and grind on a 24 inch length of rail and you have a smaller piece of scrap steel, not an antique anvil.

Just cause it ain't an antique doesn't mean it ain't worth anything.

 

[notlob]

If you want an anvil, you should be looking at this item in that auction, not the (nicely) modified chunk of RR track you linked:

http://www.auctionzip.com/Full-Image/2837935/fp4.cgi

 

[Davefr]

If you want an anvil, you should be looking at this item in that auction, not the (nicely) modified chunk of RR track you linked:

That's true if the OP will be doing professional blacksmith work or wants a real anvil to collect/display.

However if he just wants something for general shop pounding, a train track works better. (especially if he can get it cheap)

 

[skipnay]

If you want an anvil, you should be looking at this item in that auction, not the (nicely) modified chunk of RR track you linked:

http://www.auctionzip.com/Full-Image/2837935/fp4.cgi

Ok what is that one worth? Honestly I liked that one but when I was looking at that picture I was thinking it was only 4-6 inches long.

 

[jahn]

Saw this on craigslist. FYI
http://annarbor.craigslist.org/tls/5959525588.html

 

[notlob]

Ok what is that one worth? Honestly I liked that one but when I was looking at that picture I was thinking it was only 4-6 inches long.

At minimum, need to know brand & weight to even guess a value range. Pics of each side and especially pics that clearly show the condition and flatness of the top surface will also aid in valuation.

 

[skipnay]

At minimum, need to know brand & weight to even guess a value range. Pics of each side and especially pics that clearly show the condition and flatness of the top surface will also aid in valuation.

What you see is what I get. I will go and see what it brings I guess.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Skipnay,

The first picture is one that went for 45$ at an auction in SW Indiana last summer. Although I really liked the workmanship, I stopped at 30$ because I buy things to resell. I felt that the guy I was bidding against would have gone much higher.

The second picture is my RR anvil that I got for 30$ at a yard sale. It's perfect for my needs. There was a vise and stand that came with it, that I sold for 40$.

The third picture is a flame cut one that I sold for 50$, yesterday.

IMO: With the work put into your anvil, and you were buying it for yourself, I'd say 100$ is reasonable.

 

[oldrockhead]

kwoswalt99
I will partially agree with you. It's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. That piece of scrap steel can be used to beat other pieces of metal, or it can be used as a doorstop, or Wile E. Coyote can try to do something to the Road Runner with it, but it's still a chunk of scrap steel.

 

[kwoswalt99]

kwoswalt99
I will partially agree with you. It's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. That piece of scrap steel can be used to beat other pieces of metal, or it can be used as a doorstop, or Wile E. Coyote can try to do something to the Road Runner with it, but it's still a chunk of scrap steel.

You can take a Hay Budden to the scrap yard and it's scrap steel too.

 

[oldrockhead]

Just cause it ain't an antique doesn't mean it ain't worth anything.

I replied to you earlier, but I didn't do it correctly, so it didn't link to your comment. My reply ended up on page 3 of this thread. Hopefully I'll do it correctly this time.
I actually have a modified rail anvil that my Grandpa made, way before I was born, so it could be 70 to 100+ years old. I certainly place a Value on that Anvil, but that's because my Grandpa made it.
If you think I was being a tool-snob in my original comment, I really wasn't intending to sound that way. I have a hard time putting up with beer-snobs, whiskey/whisky-snobs, art-snobs, music-snobs, and tool-snobs.
And, I didn't say that home-made anvil wasn't worth anything, I said it was worth what scrap metal was going for in that area, or whatever someone believes it's worth.

 

[oldrockhead]

You can take a Hay Budden to the scrap yard and it's scrap steel too.

You're correct. If someone's stupid enough to do that, that's the price they'll get paid, and then if someone at the scrap yard isn't equally as stupid, they'll have something that has value to a knowledgeable person.

 

[ssffnomad]

[/attach]
Larger of two given to me by Dad. Old timer neighbors gave to him years ago. Small I bought at Garage sale for $5

 

[ssffnomad]

[/attach]
Larger of two given to me by Dad. Old timer neighbors gave to him years ago. Small I bought at Garage sale for $5

 

[BDT/NWMN]

After serving it's original purpose as a section of railroad track, it was scrapped. A small piece was salvaged and converted into that anvil... It was scrap at one time, but definitely NOT now.. That is now a neat, strong, useful piece of equipment.. The term scrap just don't fit.

 

[Farmall450]

Nicest track anvil I've ever seen

Agreed, they did one hell of a job.

 

[disston]

I have a 10" length of track for an anvil. Unshaped, uncut, unmodified. I don't even need it very often. But it does the job when it is needed.

That's a very nice homemade. I'd own that if I had the coin it went for. I'd pay I guess 20 or 30, on a good day for it.

 

[kwoswalt99]

I can do anything on a track anvil that I can do on a similar sized real anvil.
So can you.

A track anvil is a real anvil! Just a small one.

 

[justanengineer]

You can take a Hay Budden to the scrap yard and it's scrap steel too.

JME but its usually scrap iron, you dont usually even get a mixed price. BTDT with several old farm anvils btw.

Some of the fellas here need to get out more, I concur with the $10 estimate on the track anvil at most collector shows and auctions. $100 would be well into the realm of buying a proper anvil that size.

 

[kwoswalt99]

Some of the fellas here need to get out more, I concur with the $10 estimate on the track anvil at most collector shows and auctions. $100 would be well into the realm of buying a proper anvil that size.

I bet it's stronger than a "proper" anvil that size.

 

[oldrockhead]

Deleted

 

[oldrockhead]

I bet it's stronger than a "proper" anvil that size.

You really need to find a home-made anvil and buy it. Then, you can admire your home-made anvil and tell people how great you think your home-made anvil is.

 

[kwoswalt99]

You really need to find a home-made anvil and buy it. Then, you can admire your home-made anvil and tell people how great you think your home-made anvil is.

I'm just defending the poor thing, as the rest of y'all are bad mouthing it and saying it's worthless.

 

[crguy]

I'm just defending the poor thing, as the rest of y'all are bad mouthing it and saying it's worthless.

There's a Reason people are saying track anvils are not worth much.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Skipnay,

The first picture is one that went for 45$ at an auction in SW Indiana last summer. Although I really liked the workmanship, I stopped at 30$ because I buy things to resell. I felt that the guy I was bidding against would have gone much higher.

The second picture is my RR anvil that I got for 30$ at a yard sale. It's perfect for my needs. There was a vise and stand that came with it, that I sold for 40$.

The third picture is a flame cut one that I sold for 50$, yesterday.

IMO: With the work put into your anvil, and you were buying it for yourself, I'd say 100$ is reasonable.

Sorry everyone. Looks like my images didn't go through.
Here they are:

 

[Brad54]

I've got a length of rail that I've pounded on for years. It's always done the job... just not really well.
The problem with a railroad anvil is the same positive in a real anvil: MASS.
The mass absorbs the blows, so all the force of the hammer goes into the piece you're working. A rail road rail anvil doesn't have the mass to absorb the blows, so the piece you're working on ends up bouncing and jumping around.

One trick I've seen is to build a "stump" for a railroad rail, and set the rail vertically in it, so you're hammering on the small end, rather than the wheel surface. This makes the entire length of rail absorb the blows, rather than having it localized into the area only under the work.

I've got a real anvil now too. The benefit of a rail road anvil over a real anvil, in my opinion, is that you can hammer cold steel on a railroad rail and it won't damage the rail or work surface of the rail, while hammering cold steel on an anvil can crack the top plate.


-Brad

 

[BDT/NWMN]

When using a 16 or 20 oz hammer to straighten a bent piece of 1/16" thick metal, would that anvil work ok??? Being it is an old track anvil, maybe I should get one for working on My toy trains... I believe it would be the perfect fit for the job. My 50 pound anvil would maybe be used less often.

 

[oldrockhead]

I'm just defending the poor thing, as the rest of y'all are bad mouthing it and saying it's worthless.

Hey! I guess I should be more sympathetic. I've been accused of being worthless, but no one has come to my defense. [emoji1] I don't use these little smiley faces, but I thought this would be a good opportunity to use one.