Anvils???

[dragoneggs]

I have been on the hunt for a proper anvil for years now without having to bust the big piggy bank. Being in the PNW, I am guessing there aren't the abundance of them as in the Northeast and Midwest. I have a couple of sections of railroad ties that don't really suffice.

Please tell your stories of how you acquired yours and include pictures and descriptions. I think this could be interesting. I know Big Barn will chime in... seen his stable full. So jealous. Been trying to figure how I can sneak into his shop and smuggle one out while he isn't looking and cross back over the border with it.

 

[Roadworthy]

Being in the Pacific Northwest isn't so much your problem as WHERE in the Pacific Northwest you're looking. Any place they have horses there will be farriers. These are the guys who shoe horses. Most have an anvil. Many are capable of crafting custom or corrective horse shoes. You need to head for eastern Washington or Oregon where they still have rodeos and cowboys and stuff.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Around here you can find anvils at auction sales but if they are in good shape expect to pay.

 

[ArlyA]

I inherited mine from my long deceased grandfather. Its not very large and in rough shape, but I do plan to smooth it up someday. Its old, real old. I'll take a photo of it if anyone cares to see it.

 

[Motorboatin]

I found a new Peddinghaus model 12 at an auction and got it for a little over $600

I had been looking for years but never found one worth what they were asking. I was actually looking for something else when I saw it. It's been sitting in my warehouse for a couple of years but it will soon be moving to it's new home. I don't really need an anvil but I've always wanted one

 

[dragoneggs]

I inherited mine from my long deceased grandfather. Its not very large and in rough shape, but I do plan to smooth it up someday. Its old, real old. I'll take a photo of it if anyone cares to see it.

Yes please.

 

[dragoneggs]

I found a new Peddinghaus model 12 at an auction and got it for a little over $600

I had been looking for years but never found one worth what they were asking. I was actually looking for something else when I saw it. It's been sitting in my warehouse for a couple of years but it will soon be moving to it's new home. I don't really need an anvil but I've always wanted one



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That's a beauty! How heavy?

 

[Bullwinkle123]

Some suggestions:

- You can occasionally find one on craigslist, be sure to look in neighboring states or however far you're willing to drive.
- You may be lucky enough to have a local place that makes them.
- There are plenty of places that sell new ones on line.

Either way, a well made good condition anvil is an expensive purchase, more so if you have it shipped. Good luck.

I found an old Sheffield locally via craigslist. It's in poor shape from wear (i.e. is more saddle shaped than flat), but for my level of hackery it's just fine and the price was right. I find it useful to have it around for any time I need to bang dents out of things or get the urge to make one of my shlocky projects. I'm always impressed by the level of abuse this anvil takes without showing any sign I'm abusing it.

I'd post links but it's been 10 years since I looked for an anvil so I don't remember all the places I found them online before. I wasn't interested in paying for a new premium anvil so most of them were just window shopping for me, but those places are definitely out there.

 

[Motorboatin]

That's a beauty! How heavy?

275

The 125 stamped in is Kilograms


I don't know much about anvils other than always hearing an old timer talk about his Peddinghaus

Here is the website. Ridgid bought the company a while back but they are still made the same
Anvil Peddinghaus | Blacksmith Anvil for Sale | Blacksmiths Depot

 

[WranglerX]

How big a anvil are you looking for.....

Any quality anvil such as Hay Buden or Trenton and Peddinghaus are going in $3 to $6 per pound for used.... If a anvil is over about $500 for used, it getting cheaper to buy new....

Just be very careful and stay away from all "cast iron" anvils, you only want forged or cast steel..... I currently am using a 100 lb Vulcan which is a cast iron base but has a tool steel top plate... Quality wise it's mid range in anvildom, but it works for me....

Dale

 

[dragoneggs]

275

The 125 stamped in is Kilograms


I don't know much about anvils other than always hearing an old timer talk about his Peddinghaus

Here is the website. Ridgid bought the company a while back but they are still made the same
Anvil Peddinghaus | Blacksmith Anvil for Sale | Blacksmiths Depot

Aha. That 125 was confusing me judging by its size on the pallet.

 

[oosik]

I'm over here on the "dry" side of WA state. A respectable anvil is scarce here also. I have an 18" chunk of "standard" railroad iron welded to my welding table. It works OK - except when the point of an anvil is needed.

 

[ArlyA]

Yes please.

Here is mine. Might be one of the crudest castings I've ever seen and the only visible number on it is a 78 which I suspect is its weight and can be seen in the 5th photo. No other letters or ID can be made out. I'd guess this is turn of the century or earlier.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm over here on the "dry" side of WA state. A respectable anvil is scarce here also. I have an 18" chunk of "standard" railroad iron welded to my welding table. It works OK - except when the point of an anvil is needed.

Exactly my situation except my two hunks are 12in and squared off. One heavier gauge than the other.

 

[BukitCase]

A CL search in my area

corvallis tools "anvil" - craigslist

Back in the early '80's when we still had horses, I took a farrier course (I was still young enough to DELUDE myself into thinking I was ALMOST invincible)

Part of the final test on the course was to fit a shoe to a foot (not attached to a horse, school had a deal with a "glue factory", so just a lower leg) - you then had to lay the shoe on the concrete floor and draw its outline; then,(in ONE HEAT) you had to turn that shoe INSIDE OUT and fit it to the original outline, WITHOUT any of the nail holes closed up - by that time we'd had a fair amount of anvil time, but it STILL took me a second time to do it. Funnest part of the course

Had everything but an anvil, money was kinda tight - at the time, we were just riding on our place so I just trimmed all but wife's and my QH's, paid a REAL farrier to shoe those two. I kept waiting for money to get looser or anvils to get cheaper (the 120# I wanted was right at a buck a pound back then) never DID get one

Fast forward to today, a POS excuse for an anvil tends to run $3 a pound and typically looks like it was beat to death, dumped in a swamp, and dug up 100 years later - a REAL one starts around $5 a pound, some in the above search are over $10 a pound. Don't like it? Buy NEW, if you can find a couple of "co-signers" :thumbdown:

I too have a couple pieces of RR iron, probably will 'em to a friend when they "pat me in the face with a shovel"... Steve

 

[dragoneggs]

Ha ha... good story Steve!

 

[Big Barn]

Hi Mark

Coincidentally this just left this AM.





And someone messaged me looking for a propane forge so if I sell it too I may have an extra anvil or two available.

 

[Big Barn]

275

The 125 stamped in is Kilograms


I don't know much about anvils other than always hearing an old timer talk about his Peddinghaus

Here is the website. Ridgid bought the company a while back but they are still made the same
Anvil Peddinghaus | Blacksmith Anvil for Sale | Blacksmiths Depot

^^^THAT ^^^ is a beautiful anvil.

 

[ray66v]

An anvil would be nice. But, I have always gotten by with a piece of railroad track, or steel I beam.

 

[dragoneggs]

Hi Mark

Coincidentally this just left this AM.

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And someone messaged me looking for a propane forge so if I sell it too I may have an extra anvil or two available.

I didn't realize you had my address! :cool2: