Tell me about this 'anvil' pics included
- Thread starter 1982fxr
- Start date
Modifieddriver
Well-known member
Great pics. Go for it.
It sits upright in the stand and has 4 shapes, a straight angle, flat, rounded and top corner. Sorry I don't know the real terms.
The steel kinda has a shininess I don't think you can see in the pics. Any idea what it might be? Pics still ****, I know.
The steel kinda has a shininess I don't think you can see in the pics. Any idea what it might be? Pics still ****, I know.
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5lima30
Well-known member
Its hard what it is by your pics what it is. Have you weighed it? That is one thing you will need to know. Older English anvils will usually be marked in stones. You can go to IForgeIron.com (blacksmithing forum) there are a lot of pics and info on anvils. I have a 90# Mousehole which was made in Sheffield England in 1835.
I van putski
Banned
I can't tell what the hell is going on in those pics.
RCStocker
Well-known member
I it is home made to for something special at one time. Who knows what it is for?
O wow, thank you. I have been laughing for the past 5 minutes after looking at the first set of pics 
The only anvil (s) I see are in the last pic which you well us to ignore. 
I think (if I am putting it together properly in my head) the shaped metal plate (~2" thick) mounts in the stand shown in the first set of pics, vertically.
Honestly that looks like a horrible setup for use as an anvil. If I had to guess, the PO or maker probably designed it for very light forming use. With the stand being steel and those legs at their extreme angle that is going to be hell to work on from ringing and vibrations. A few of your other pics have a nice anvil setup with wood base?
Depends on what you want to use the anvil for. What is your intended use? Different types of work have better suited anvil shapes.
As for what is it worth... Honestly I would have a hard time stopping to pick it up, if I saw it on the side of the road. And I am extremely cheap as is it. So for me not over scrap value.
The only anvil (s) I see are in the last pic which you well us to ignore. I think (if I am putting it together properly in my head) the shaped metal plate (~2" thick) mounts in the stand shown in the first set of pics, vertically.
Honestly that looks like a horrible setup for use as an anvil. If I had to guess, the PO or maker probably designed it for very light forming use. With the stand being steel and those legs at their extreme angle that is going to be hell to work on from ringing and vibrations. A few of your other pics have a nice anvil setup with wood base?
Depends on what you want to use the anvil for. What is your intended use? Different types of work have better suited anvil shapes.
As for what is it worth... Honestly I would have a hard time stopping to pick it up, if I saw it on the side of the road. And I am extremely cheap as is it. So for me not over scrap value.
purevl
Well-known member
Do a google search for Brian Brazeal, it's his design. Among people who know what they are talking about he is one of the most well-respected working smiths in the country, and frankly a practical genius. To an uninformed armchair expert with nothing constructive to say, I guess it looks like scrap...
Purevl, I take that as directed at me ^^ Believe me or not, I am far from an uninformed "armchair expert" as you so say. I have been forging knives for years, primarily focusing on the Japanese style. Damascus, mokume, anything related to blades, I have probably forged it at one point in time.
I knew I have seen that style before. I think Sam S. over on Blade forums as well as the Dfogg site made one up? Isin't it designed as a forming anvil for light striking? SO without knowing the application of the OP, we cannot for see what he may use it for.
You have to admit that the pics were not exactly the most descriptive.
My comment on the scrap was more so for the stand and the fact that I do not need another anvil. At those extreme angles it will flex and on concrete it will vibrate all over the floor. You can't dispute that the stand is a poor design.
You do see where I say "for me, not over scrap value"? For me it would not be of any use over scrap value. I am at 4 different anvils already, so I would have no use for it. Again for ME, scrap value.
What do you think it is worth? Did you make it? Did I hurt your feelings?
Maybe next time you should gain some background knowledge on the individual. BEFORE you start the name calling
I knew I have seen that style before. I think Sam S. over on Blade forums as well as the Dfogg site made one up? Isin't it designed as a forming anvil for light striking? SO without knowing the application of the OP, we cannot for see what he may use it for.
You have to admit that the pics were not exactly the most descriptive.
My comment on the scrap was more so for the stand and the fact that I do not need another anvil. At those extreme angles it will flex and on concrete it will vibrate all over the floor. You can't dispute that the stand is a poor design.
You do see where I say "for me, not over scrap value"? For me it would not be of any use over scrap value. I am at 4 different anvils already, so I would have no use for it. Again for ME, scrap value.
What do you think it is worth? Did you make it? Did I hurt your feelings?
Maybe next time you should gain some background knowledge on the individual. BEFORE you start the name calling
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Thanks will do, any idea on value?
O wow, thank you. I have been laughing for the past 5 minutes after looking at the first set of pics
I think (if I am putting it together properly in my head) the shaped metal plate (~2" thick) mounts in the stand shown in the first set of pics, vertically.
Honestly that looks like a horrible setup for use as an anvil. If I had to guess, the PO or maker probably designed it for very light forming use. With the stand being steel and those legs at their extreme angle that is going to be hell to work on from ringing and vibrations. A few of your other pics have a nice anvil setup with wood base?
Depends on what you want to use the anvil for. What is your intended use? Different types of work have better suited anvil shapes.
As for what is it worth... Honestly I would have a hard time stopping to pick it up, if I saw it on the side of the road. And I am extremely cheap as is it. So for me not over scrap value.
That is how it mounts, yes
What are your plans for it 1982fxr? It looks like you have a few standard anvils in your possession, so I assume you are already into the forging scene.
Why are you stuck on the value of it?
Usually they are custom built and thus only valuable to those with the specific need for them. I have a bunch of power hammer tooling that I built over the years. To me it is highly valuable, however to someone else probably scrap, unless they have the same need as I do.
Why are you stuck on the value of it?
Usually they are custom built and thus only valuable to those with the specific need for them. I have a bunch of power hammer tooling that I built over the years. To me it is highly valuable, however to someone else probably scrap, unless they have the same need as I do.
darkk
Well-known member
tough crowd...
purevl
Well-known member
zkling- Whatever your background may be, you showed yourself to be uninformed about this particular piece of equipment, so I have no trouble standing by that statement. It was your tone, i.e. thanking the OP for a good laugh and telling him you likely wouldn't pick something that he obviously valued enough to purchase up for free that I found irksome. I didn't, and still don't, see the utility of a post so likely to seem condescending to someone asking for help. That said, from one metalsmith to another, let's chalk it up to the difficulty of conveying tone via text and not let it be divisive, shall we? 
As for the utility of this style of anvil, Mr. Brazeal makes a lot of hammers -with a striker- on anvils just like this one, if that's any indication of their suitability for heavy work. The idea is basically that it gives a large amount of backing material at low cost. To get 16" of material from top to bottom (the most useful plane) in a standard anvil you're probably looking at well over 300 pounds and consequently big bucks. To consider it another way, a farrier's anvil and a blacksmith's anvil of the same weight are suited very differently to heavy work because the smith's anvil, with it's taller waist and smaller horns concentrates more mass behind the face. This arrangement gives you the most usable rebound for your money.
1982fxr, as far as what it's worth: like most homemade tools, probably whatever it's worth to you. If you want a "retail" estimate you could price out the materials and then guess how much time there is in grinding it and welding the stand, but replacement cost and value aren't necessarily the same thing.
As for the utility of this style of anvil, Mr. Brazeal makes a lot of hammers -with a striker- on anvils just like this one, if that's any indication of their suitability for heavy work. The idea is basically that it gives a large amount of backing material at low cost. To get 16" of material from top to bottom (the most useful plane) in a standard anvil you're probably looking at well over 300 pounds and consequently big bucks. To consider it another way, a farrier's anvil and a blacksmith's anvil of the same weight are suited very differently to heavy work because the smith's anvil, with it's taller waist and smaller horns concentrates more mass behind the face. This arrangement gives you the most usable rebound for your money.
1982fxr, as far as what it's worth: like most homemade tools, probably whatever it's worth to you. If you want a "retail" estimate you could price out the materials and then guess how much time there is in grinding it and welding the stand, but replacement cost and value aren't necessarily the same thing.
Man of Many Vices
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2012
- Messages
- 366
It looks like a swage block, but with forming surfaces only along the outer edges. Most swage blocks have numerous shaped holes that penetrate the flat surface so that it resembles swiss cheese. The different holes (not this one) and edge contours present numerous shaping opportunities that would otherwise take a bunch of swage tools to duplicate.
I agree with zkling that the stand looks a little wobbly and dangerous. I agree with purevl that it is a very useful pounding surface. I wish I had it, even though I have four anvils and a swage block. I would make a stand that would also allow it to be laid flat.
I agree with zkling that the stand looks a little wobbly and dangerous. I agree with purevl that it is a very useful pounding surface. I wish I had it, even though I have four anvils and a swage block. I would make a stand that would also allow it to be laid flat.
Couple things
First I was in no intention trying to insult the OP. Its just the angle of pictures leaves a lot to be desired. I just thought it was funny, taking odd angle pictures of a partially assembled part. Then including a standard anvil in a following picture. In MY OPINION I thought it was funny, that is all.
Second. I was trying to be realistic on the value of it. If he tried to sell it casually, one would probably be looking at scrap value. I was not insulting his purchase. What do you think the value is? What would you pay for it? As I mentioned before it has no value TO ME. Heck I wouldn't stop to pick up some high dollar art sculptures that I see, it may be priceless to others, but of no value to me. Likewise a lot of my specialized tooling I have has no more than scrap value to it, even though I have hours upon hours of machining time wrapped up in some of the dies.
Had you not added the part about "uninformed armchair expert" it would be fine, but that just was over the top. The tone was very clear in your response. He asked for a value and I provided what I thought it was worth. It was my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.
So, 1982fxr If you feel that I insulted you, I do apologize. That was not my intent. Maybe when you get it assembled you could take a picture of it for us.
What are your intended uses for it? What type of forging do you typically do?
That was my only concern. I started forging years ago with a piece of rail road track on a tripod steel stand, concrete floor!!! I learned real quick why most smiths mount their anvil to a wooden base. Sometimes even wrap the base of the anvil with chain.
Out of curiosity what would you use it for while flat? For forging? Typically you want an anvil to have as much depth (z axis) as possible to deaden vibrations. My favorite is a 6' hunk of 10" round solid stock I half buried in the ground. Like a homemade Robin style anvil on steroids. Great for blade work.
First I was in no intention trying to insult the OP. Its just the angle of pictures leaves a lot to be desired. I just thought it was funny, taking odd angle pictures of a partially assembled part. Then including a standard anvil in a following picture. In MY OPINION I thought it was funny, that is all.
Second. I was trying to be realistic on the value of it. If he tried to sell it casually, one would probably be looking at scrap value. I was not insulting his purchase. What do you think the value is? What would you pay for it? As I mentioned before it has no value TO ME. Heck I wouldn't stop to pick up some high dollar art sculptures that I see, it may be priceless to others, but of no value to me. Likewise a lot of my specialized tooling I have has no more than scrap value to it, even though I have hours upon hours of machining time wrapped up in some of the dies.
Had you not added the part about "uninformed armchair expert" it would be fine, but that just was over the top. The tone was very clear in your response. He asked for a value and I provided what I thought it was worth. It was my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.
So, 1982fxr If you feel that I insulted you, I do apologize. That was not my intent. Maybe when you get it assembled you could take a picture of it for us.
What are your intended uses for it? What type of forging do you typically do?
That was my only concern. I started forging years ago with a piece of rail road track on a tripod steel stand, concrete floor!!! I learned real quick why most smiths mount their anvil to a wooden base. Sometimes even wrap the base of the anvil with chain.
Out of curiosity what would you use it for while flat? For forging? Typically you want an anvil to have as much depth (z axis) as possible to deaden vibrations. My favorite is a 6' hunk of 10" round solid stock I half buried in the ground. Like a homemade Robin style anvil on steroids. Great for blade work.
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I have to laugh here.....the pictures **** because, well THE MOTHERF***ER is too heavy to move and position for pics!
. Lol. I picked up two other anvils, a 120 and a 150 pounder and after loading them into and out of a mini van with only 1 working side door my back hurt like hell. I had help, but still.Seemed like every angle I tried the pics just sucked worse! Anyway, I said disregard the last pic because I loaded it accidentally and didn't know how to get it out of there. I don't actually do blacksmithing, I just buy-sell-trade tools and found out anvils are sought after. This one i bought on a whim, which is kind of rare for me. Normally I'm asking the question before the purchase...
mesquiteforge
Well-known member
A little late on the follow up here-but yes this is a block anvil. With one piece you have a flatter, fuller, butcher, etc.. You have several radii machined on the top edge to make quick work of all sorts of forging operations. Very handy tool.