Rare 1918 65lb Arm & Hammer Anvil Refurbish and Stand Build

I picked this beauty up a couple months ago. A 1918 65 pound arm & hammer anvil. I have wanted a small arm and hammer for so many years I kinda stopped looking but finally found one ! Perfect size for my leather craft and gunsmith work. Anvils in america by richard postman dates this one to 1918. He also writes that 65 pounds was the smallest Arm & Hammer anvil anvil he documented in person. However they did make smaller ones.

I have not seen alot of these pre 1920 anvils in such perfect condition so I thought other members would enjoy seeing it.

The anvil has a very high pitch ring like my 208lb arm and hammer from the 40's. It has awesome rebound with the ball bearing almost 100%. I use it a lot for leathercraft and gunsmithing. It has a 3/4" hardy

The Arm & Hammer anvil was produced by the Columbus Anvil & Forging Company of Columbus Ohio between the years of 1900 and 1950 and only produced approximately 52,000 anvils.

It has all the steam hammer marks on the surface typical of the columbus anvil and forging company. They throught it was more important to spend more time mfg. a high quality anvil rather than making it pretty. The anvil was made using two pieces forge welded together at the waist. On my 1940 208 lb arm and hammer the two pieces were arc welded at the waist rather than forge welded. It was finished off with a hardened tool steel face forge welded to the top of the anvil.

Arm and Hammers are very high quality anvils. They are rated by blacksmiths right up there with Hay Budden. They are often overlooked because very few Arm and Hammer Anvils were made making them harder to find.

IMAG1870_zpsx8h3wmbt by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1871_zpsmgcdpsgy by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1872_zpslgrwvfmt by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1873_zpsvrs9s4jl by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1875_zpsn5nbsim6 by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1877_zps9g3mslpi by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1878_zpsdyiwrjef by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1879_zpshscxtttl by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1880_zpsrlcc7jfh by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1882_zpsnpyhwdc6 by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1883_zpsmmweb733 by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1884_zpsi5ljp9t1 by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

start of the stand using large barn beams and 4x4 1/4" wall steel tube to add weight to the base since this is such a small anvil. I think i will attach the metal tube then fill them with sand or concrete.....not sure yet Work is on hold for awhile right now just had emergency gallbladder removal surgery Saturday and cant lift anything over 10 pounds for two weeks. Im starting to get pretty bored............Not used to so much down time

IMAG1916_zpszydm36qt by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1917_zpsi4yddwbj by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

What a pile of scrap! Send it to me and I'll dispose of it!




Man that is sweet! Would love to come across a gem like that!

Good information I enjoy learning something new everyday.

Nice. I've come across quite a few anvils, but never a Arm & Hammer. I have a Peter Wright & Hay Budden myself.
Good luck on your recovery.

countryroad82 said:

What a pile of scrap! Send it to me and I'll dispose of it!




Man that is sweet! Would love to come across a gem like that!

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Ok you talked me in to it!

woody 73 said:

Good information I enjoy learning something new everyday.

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If you are interested in anvils or old tools, Anvils in America by richard postman is one of the best reference books i have come across. Well worth the money.

Canoe50 said:

Nice. I've come across quite a few anvils, but never a Arm & Hammer. I have a Peter Wright & Hay Budden myself.
Good luck on your recovery.

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Sometimes sellers sell them as damaged then repaired anvils because of the clear seam at the waist where the two halves were joined together in manufacturing. They are definitely well made!

Thanks, its going well so far, but my wife keeps yelling at me for picking up things right at 10 pounds. I know i need to heal well but its so hard not to be busy, Im only 30 and my whole life kinda got put on hold when this happened. I have been sick since last september on and off with what I now know was gallbladdder attacks. Docs in the town I was going to college in kept telling me I was fine and that is was acid reflux, and chewing tobacco and stress even though i was insisiting it was my gallblader. So I quit chewing changed my diet lost a bunch of weight and the pains went away for about 3 months. Then during the last 2 weeks came back hard as I introduced dairy and eggs back into my diet. Went to the ER in my hometown with the worst abdominal pain of my life last weekend. they did a ct scan and diagnosed my gallbladder and said it needed to come out asap. Surgeon said it was fused to my absominal cavity lining because it had been inflammed for so long, it was all scar tissue and the exit duct was very narrow. Im very thankful the surgery went well and recovery is going well.

Awesome!

@PWRstroke -
what makes you think this anvil was manufactured in 1918? Can you post the S/N?
I have an A&H 78 lb'er with S/N 25196, which I think is from 1916. (S/N on front of the base)

Also, it's hard to imagine a wrought iron anvil to have "100%" bounce. Wrought iron antique anvils (H-B, Wright, A&H, etc) are 80-85%; and brand new Peddinghaus 100% forged steel anvils are 93% at best, which is considered phenomenal - best of the best.

One general observation (not directly in reply to your post): I hear so much about confusing on A&H vs Vulcan, due to similar insignias. It's super easy to tell if any anvil is cast iron - if the insignia or other writing is protruding outward, it's part of the casting for cast iron. If the insignia or other markings are stamped inward, it's wrought iron (or forged steel). Vulcan = cast iron, A&H = wrought iron.

I'm really curious to find out the S/N of your anvil. It helps me zero in on the manufacture date of mine as well.

cheers,
DFS