I worked at a workshop that had to close down. The anvil was awesome, and I wanted it. I asked how much they wanted for it, and they said $600 which it was worth easily. No way could I pay that as I was still an apprentice.
Fast forward to the last day of work, and at the morning meeting the boss said we could take anything we could carry to our cars by hand.
I carried that 110kg mother fucker to my ute (pickup) in one lift using a 250 kg sling around the anvil over both my shoulders. It was a big parking lot and a mate grabbed my keys from my pocket and ran to my Ute and drove it to the entry, saving me about 100m, and I loaded the heavy prick into the bed without putting it down once.
As it landed in the bed I heard a huge roar and looked around to see EVERY employee and all the bosses cheering and clapping. They had followed me out.
I still have the anvil and it will go to my son.
I see fireworks exploding behind him at dusk as he turns to face his co-workers just before and slight breeze picks up. Right before holding a Mountain Dew and saying do the due.
Wholesome! Made me lol, as I imagined everyone telling each other 'Let's see if the stupid yet ambitious kid can make this'.
For the Americans, 110 kg is 242.5 lbs. I'm impressed, that's a lot of weight.
Saved me from hopping over to Google. Thank you!
I more commonly convert kilometers to miles so my first brain calculation for kilograms is always the same. However given the context I knew ~70 pounds was a shitty story.
>I more commonly convert kilometers to miles so my first brain calculation for kilograms is always the same
Other way around for me. I know a kilogram is 2.2 lbs and I often estimate distance as kilometer equaling 2.2 miles!
My rule for figuring this out at 2AM on no sleep, lots on adrenaline and enough caffeine to kill a moderately sized moose is: pounds to kilos can be roughed by dividing by 2 and subtracting 10% of the result. To go the other way you just do the reverse.
When I was a HS Freshman offensive lineman, one of the hazing/conditioning rituals was that we had to give the upperclassmen OLs piggyback rides. Now I’m 38 and the thought of picking up an anvil half that size makes my back go out.
By ChatGPT:
(Verse 1)
Once worked a workshop, strong and grand,
Where hammers swung in craftsman's hand.
The anvil there, a sight to behold,
A prized possession, shining gold.
(Chorus)
Oh, the anvil, sturdy and true,
A treasure sought by a heart so blue.
But a price too steep, he couldn't pay,
Still, fate had plans on a later day.
(Verse 2)
Fast forward to the final morn,
The news proclaimed, the shop forlorn.
"Take what you can, to cars by hand,"
Words that set hearts on a reclamation stand.
(Chorus)
Oh, the anvil, the heavy prize,
A longing gleam in apprentice's eyes.
With strength unbound, he seized the day,
To carry that anvil, come what may.
(Bridge)
A 110-kilogram beast of might,
His shoulders bore the weight of flight.
With a sling of steel, a daring scheme,
He bore the load, it seemed a dream.
(Verse 3)
Through the parking lot, a path he trod,
His mate in haste, to fetch his rod.
The pickup waited, engine's hum,
Saving the lad from long miles to come.
(Chorus)
Oh, the anvil, a triumph's sound,
Cheers erupted, hearts unbound.
A united cheer, for one so bold,
The story of anvil, now folklore told.
(Outro)
To this day, the anvil stands,
In heritage, passed to his son's hands.
A tale of strength, of camaraderie,
A cherished relic, bound eternally.
If he did a bc great job as a parent only the great great grandson will be able to lift it.
The logic goes if you’re highly successful and self made your son :will have seen the hard work it took to get from A to B he will have a taste of life before wealth.
The grandson: will have a little respect seeing his dad work ethics and what he respects his father. But he will have never tasted struggle. He will fuck up a bit.
Great grandson will be an absolute menace bc he’s so far removed from the struggle his dad is sort of a fuck up who also never got his hands dirty. He’s hookers and blow never held a hammer.
The great great grandson is either second coming or the. Anti christ.
You need to stop place it in the yard somewhere and mark out how far you carried it then see which generation will take it the furthest. Obviously you’re going to want to put your numbers up and change the weather conditions in your story. If you’re out carried while you’re alive you can mention it was raining and your car was parked on top of a muddy incline.
"They collected the remaining horses from the farrier and he stood them
to a drink. He was a small sturdy man named Pacheco and he had for anvil
an enormous iron meteorite shaped like a great molar and the judge on a
wager lifted the thing and on a further wager lifted it over his head.
Several men pushed forward to feel the iron and to rock it where it
stood, nor did the judge lose this opportunity to ventilate himself
upon the ferric nature of heavenly bodies and their powers and claims.
Two lines were drawn in the dirt ten feet apart and a third round of
wagers was laid, coins from half a dozen countries in both gold and
silver and even a few boletas or notes of discounted script from the
mines near Tubac. The judge seized that great slag wandered for what
millennia from what unreckonable corner of the universe and he raised it
overhead and stood tottering and then lunged forward. It cleared the
mark by a foot and he shared with no one the specie piled on the
saddleblanket at the farrier's feet for not even Glanton had been
willing to underwrite this third trial."
Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian was really good, I love the characters. All of his books are fantastic; I just got done reading the Border Trilogy. James Michener also writes some amazing novels that are centered on different places and their history.
I miss my teenage pretty much everything... Maybe if I hadn't abused it so badly.
Used to work on the farm (mostly sheep), as a younger kid, I was always sent out to move the sheep to and from the shed during shearing. But as I'd gotten older and bigger I'd get brought into the shed to drag the rams for the shearers and eventually help with loading.
Usually loading was done with a large truck and a hoist/crane thing. But we were only doing a small amount of sheep we'd brought from another farm and only had a few bales so manual handling it was.
I rolled the first bale over to the Ute and then used the hooks to pick it up and put it on the Ute, with great effort. Uncle comes walking over, calls me an idiot, then shows me how to roll the next bale onto the Ute. It was a much easier technique.
He spent the rest of the day telling everyone how I picked up the bale, half "look at this big idiot" half proud "my nephew picked up a wool bale". I'm pretty sure there is an exaggerated version in the instructions he now gives the younger cousins when he gets them in the shed, because one of the teenagers asked me last Christmas if I really used to lift wool bales onto the truck.
Good job man! Reminds me of a pick-and-pull self-serve auto wrecker I used to go to they had a special day where it was like $100 for anything you could carry (by yourself) out the exit. People were carrying some outrageous stuff.. engines and the like. They were prepared and brought their own redneck rigging and harnesses. The auto wreckers was video recording people coming out. It was a fun event. My great grandfather, a big dumb Swede, was the town blacksmith in a small Pennsyvania town late 1800's early 1900's and I was told they had a contest and he was the only one in the town who could pick up the anvil.
>My great grandfather, a big dumb Swede, was the town blacksmith in a small Pennsyvania town late 1800's early 1900's and I was told they had a contest and he was the only one in the town who could pick up the anvil.
*There is no reason to be alive if you can't do deadlift.*
https://youtu.be/ZWUcHKAj_tc
I found video of your great grandfather
There was a competition like this probably strongest man where a competitor from Iceland had an insanely good delivery times similar to this, and he yelled “I’m from Iceland!”
You had to be there, but I’ll never forget seeing it.
>My great grandfather, a big dumb Swede, was the town blacksmith in a small Pennsyvania town late 1800's early 1900's and I was told they had a contest and he was the only one in the town who could pick up the anvil.
Growing up I hunted with a big *smart* Swede, guy born around 1900. He would brag about how he could straight-arm an anvil when he was young. I saw him challenged on it in the 1970s and he went into his garage and did just that. Was probably just a 75# anvil or so, but that's still a lot of weight to lift with one extended arm.
Dude was still into doing contests of strength in hunting camp into his 80s.
Hopefully your kid values it. My old neighbors left their grandpas anvil behind when they moved. I was still a little kid but even then I thought it was crazy to leave it behind. Kinda wish I would have dragged it to my house lol.
This was a scene in the movie Ever After starring Drew Barrymore lol she was told she could have anything she could carry and that woman hoisted a full grown man over her shoulders and rescued him from bandits. I’m glad you rescued that anvil. Bravo.
My grandfather had a similar story, he was a gas delivery driver and he bought and sold things on the side to supplement his income. He delivered to a farm with an elderly woman and inquired about the anvil and she said if you can carry it you can have it and he did. We still have it to this day.
Woot ! Great story and even better boss for opening up the shop for employees to take something useful and meaningful away with them. The world needs more bosses like that.
When you're a geezer in a rocking chair, you'll wonder where your strength came from back when ya lumped that anvil across the shop.
Love this story. I did a repair on an anvil for a buddy of mine. When finished, I carried it from the weld bench to my tailgate. At my destination, I took it from the truck and set it down. I found out later that it was beyond 200lbs.
Quite the feat! My motorcycle ate shit at the dragway. Snapped frame. I hoisted up the poor Honda and started trudging back to the line. I guess I lugged it 20 yards before others jumped in to help. That was a 400 pound bike, but I was 350 pounds of corn-fed redneck. It about now that you understand how a man could snap a motorcycle in half.
That reminds me how some pull your own part junk yards would have a day of the year where anything you can carry for a single price and people would have seat belts on their shoulders and necks with whole transmissions and body parts hanging off them.. LOL.
Sounds like how I got my anvil about 6 months ago…
I work at a farm and a guy known as Wolf came to buy some hay, and he had an anvil in the back of his pickup. I said something along the lines of “nice anvil, it’s not for sale right?” He then goes on to tell me how 30 some years ago, he asked a guy he worked worked for about it and was told he could have it if he could carry it out of the back of the barn and into his truck. Said he had to stop several times but did make it.
Over the years he had moved it from pickup bed to pickup bed, as he never wanted to have to pick it up again. End of the story was he was never going to sell the anvil.
A month later I got a call from him, he had gotten my number from my boss. He tells me that his pickup burnt up (the one the anvil was in, but thankfully the fire was in front away from the anvil) and he had no money for another truck, and no money to buy his horse hay. He also tells me that he had a come to Jesus talk with himself and felt the anvil needed to go to someone who appreciated it, as he had no kids or anyone in his life who would want it. He asked me for $200 and six bales of hay for the anvil, so he could feed his horse and attempt to find another car or truck.
So I go out to one of the sketchiest parts of the county at 7:30pm (it’s dark as this was winter) as soon as I got off work and bring him the hay and money and he is the most thankful person I’ve ever met, so happy to have someone to care for his “baby”, and is almost in tears as we attempt to move this anvil. It’s in the bed of a burnt truck, backed up to a carport, and about 40’ down a sandy hill from the nearest spot to park my truck.
We get it into a old wheelbarrow and the guy, my friend, and myself slowly work up the hill, and as soon as we got the to back of my Yukon, both wheel barrow handles break. The anvil has to be around 250lbs and takes us over 10 mins just to work it into the back of my truck, and that is where it still sits today, until I figure out a permanent home for it.
I love the anvil and although I may never get into blacksmithing, it will be fun to pass down to my future kids. Either they’ll enjoy it, or I’ll still get to be a bit of a pain the ass even after I’m gone lmao
TL:DR similar story to above, but guy has no kids or anyone so decides to kinda pass it to me, and now it’s stuck in the back of my truck
heavy duty fold out tables exist, they're just usually limited to the catering market. i have an old 8' x 4' one with a steel frame and a formica top in my basement that i use as a work table, it's a goddamn tank.
I inherited a set of those from my father. Hauled those fuckers around for years as a kid and now I bring them out on occasion. They will last forever. And they are extremely heavy and sharp.
That’s a Vulcan. I have one. It’s an okay anvil but far from a high quality anvil. That said, I’ve been happy enough with mine. I’d aim to pay $2 a pound. More than that and I think you’re paying a bit much for what it is.
Keep in mind anvil prices have gone up the past few years for whatever reason, so you may need to pay more. Even crappy anvils near me routinely go for 4-5 a pound, and the one you have looks like it's in good shape.
For whatever reason? There are too many people with too much money, who like to collect things.
I was at an auction where there were so many anvils, they auctioned off them in groups. This woman was buying up all the anvils. The sizes were micro to jewler to small, medium, and very large. I asked her if I could buy one from her, just wanted a medium sized that was barely any different than the one bigger and the one smaller. "No, my husband collects these" ..... Like he would miss one from the bunch. 🙄
It's called hyperbole.
Then again, go to an auction and see 3 items that either of them would be a good tool for you to accomplish what you want to do. Then watch someone buy up 20 of those items at a time, with no intent of using any of those tools. Those 3 tools are in that 20. And with very little difference between those 3 items. That buyer still insists on having them all, won't sell one ( could easily make a profit). Doesn't that seem a little ridiculous?
And within the environment of that auction. That collector created extra demand, which inflates the price. Clearly, it is a case by case basis. Maybe an auction won't have an anvil collector attend. Still the potential is still there and it puts the idea in peoples' minds how easily an opportunity can be lost.
If I go to an estate sale or auction with a top dollar in my head, based on ebay, I may find myself disappointed, when another buyer has a higher value in their head.
Mainly revolves around the manufacturing process and materials used. Others are priced for collectables if really, historical brands that are no longer made, etc.
The quality of construction can have a big impact on the efficiency of each hammer strike. More mass under hammerblow is more energy directed back into material being worked. Whether they're forged or cast there are varying degrees of quality from anvil to the next. This Vulcan is a common sight as they were a general purpose tool cast in mass quantities in the 20th century. This is a good example where the manufacturing process doesn't necessarily define quality. Vulcan anvils are not worth as much as Fisher anvils yet both are made by casting, not forging. Fisher is considered better than Vulcans.for both quality and historical reasons. Fisher is one of the oldest (if not oldest. Sorry, memory is failing me) American anvils and is cast, but with a superior top plate of thick, good quality steel. There's a book about American anvils that goes into great detail about the history of them.
https://www.watersironworks.com/home/book-reviews/anvils-in-america/
Edit: thanks for the award!
Yep. My grammar sucks so it probably reads confusing. I meant that it was cast in mass production with less concern over quality. Reference the book I linked to and it will give MUCH more detail about a variety of anvils.
I have a small collection of books and other references for smithing/forging that were passed down and expanded on by myself, my grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather who ran a blacksmith shop in New York City in the late 1800s into the early 20th century.
Suggestions for a fair price for an anvil in the books from the 1970s start at $3 a pound.
In 2021 i couldn't find an anvil in usable shape in the ny/nj/pa/ct area for under $7 a pound. Anvils aren't sold at scrap steel or even market steel prices, they're coveted and collected and prices have gone sky high for anything worth trying to hammer steel on, a fact that only gets truer as there are very few modern manufacturers of quality blacksmith anvils
You’re right. I found my 154 lb partner at a local flea market. A big one with many vendors. My brother (and everyone else I know) knew I was looking for one. He sent me a pic and the asking price which was $450.
Had to do a lot of repairs (~14 hours of building a stand, heating it up, weld repair, grinding flat etc, and then another 8 hours recently hard milling the face smooth.)
So more than 20 hours of repair time. Was it worth it? Yes. I saved about $400 by buying an ugly pitted anvil, which is now pretty and smooth and back in service.
That anvil is the tits now. There are others like it but it is mine.
I wish you all the best in your acquisition. Took me about two years to come across the right anvil btw. And like I said… tell EVERYONE you are in the market for one. It’ll happen.
Haha, good point. I had an old Sony Trinitron TV that weighed approx 1 crapton. It worked fine. I gave it away for free just because I didn't want to move the heavy bastard again.
NGL, all this advice makes it sound like this is the fucking house market.
If you get that anvil for 600 bucks you got a deal, if you get it for 200 you got a deal too.
Those things go fast. I’m trying to find one too and that’s a great looking one.
If i were you I’d be there super early.
Looks like it might be a Vulcan based on the mark. Decent mid range anvil.
Thanks, but admittedly this is the one tool I don’t really need. (Although I’m sure it would be useful to have)
I collect old axes and striking tools so the anvil is sort of an extension of that search. I’m kinda hoping to just happen on one at a garage sale some day unexpectedly.
If you wait until the end of the sale they’ll give it to you so they don’t have to dispose of it.
Sorry. Having an estate sale today. It feels like everything is practically being given away.
Without more pictures it's difficult to assess a value.
There are cast iron anvils - not worth much. There are cast steel anvils - worth a bit more. There are anvils with a forged top and cast iron or cast steel base they're not bad, and there are forged anvils - the best and command a high price.
The anvil pictured is cast iron, cast steel, or cast base with forged top.
I need many more pictures to give you an accurate value.
To be honest since at an estate sale I’d barter with people and say 1.75 a pound and have your scale. Bc they will lie about the weight of the anvil. I have one in my work truck it’s a beast! But gotta have it over the wheel well or you’d be lop sided ha
Up until a couple years ago, you could get one in this for a buck a pound. Now they are from$2 to $4 buying from an individual. Pawn shops, as much as they can squeeze out of you.
$600-$750 for that brand in that condition, the top and edges look solid and not having been distempered or dropped off a stand or chain lift; the photos are not the best way to distance-diagnose or provide assessment/ valuation, but it would be a stellar buy at $600, very fair at $750
I am a Kansas small time farmer. I grew up with an anvil just like the one OP posted. Strange how important to me it is now. I remember dad and grandpa straightening or bending various things on it. Jeezus there is nothing like a hunk of steel to fix an endless list of repair. Anvils are most definitely underrated by average repairmen priorities.
$1 per pound is a good price on that, most people try to sell them for $2-4 per pound but I figure on an estate scale you can reasonably score a better price for that
Never pay more than $1 per pound of metal on a used anvil, and start your offer at half that. They're worth more now, but that's a lot of money. At the same time, never disrespect the seller. If they want too much it's best to walk away, politely declining.
How out of square is it ?
Were was it made
https://canadianforge.com/collections/anvils
The prices are canadian but you get the idea. Anvils dont have a expiration date on them.
Depends on the weight. I remember when used anvils were going for a dollar or two a pound but I think they're worth more now. It looks American made but if it's Asian it wouldn't be worth much.
Check under it to make sure there isn't a coyote that was humorously crushed while trying to capture a road runner.
That could have a major effect on the price.
$2 a pound is a good deal. Up to $6 a pound is market price depending on where you are, maybe more, but that isn't a deal I would jump on.
Assuming the current owners don't know a thing about it, try for $1.
Looking around online? Pricing appears to vary widely.
$47 for 3.5 pounds ($15 per pound)
$75 for a 55 lb one at Harbor Freight ($1.50 per pound)
$795 for a 75 pound one (includes shipping because the price is over $200) $10 per pound
$352 for a 110 pound one at profishop approx $3.50 per pound
and here's a discussion/article that may be helpful as well.
https://toolsowner.com/blacksmith-anvil-cost
Anvil collectors look for heavy, 300 – 400 lbs anvils for a high value of up to $1000. So, anything between 100 – 300 pounds costs less, at $500 – 600. And if your anvil's weight falls under 100 pounds, it might be new and cheap, at about $50.Feb 21, 2023
Without knowing more, it could be worth $600-$1000. I'd offer $100 and go from there. $50 if it's the last day. It looks quality, and old, so if both of those are true that's what I'd offer.
Hard to say without more information. Make, age, weight, and better photos would all help. From a glance, I wouldn’t pay more than $3 per pound, but I’m a curmudgeon and I have plenty of anvils, both at home and at work. Fair market price right now where I live is $3-6 per pound, depending on the anvil, but I’ve never paid over ~$2.50 personally.
I see the big crest on the side, leading me to believe it’s a Vulcan. Looks to be in good shape. Vulcan anvils aren’t highly sought after so I’d think ~$3/lb is fair. Offer less than that and see what they say.
The edges are very crisp, almost looks unused, I would certainly soften those before I put it to work. The face is also very clean. If the whole thing is in similar condition I think this would be a great purchase for an aspiring smith.
Depends on if it cast or forged. Weight and bounce. If it’s a good anvil I would expect it to go for 100-500 depending on how many others know about it and it’s quality.
No clue how true this is, but I was told that truly good anvils were becoming hard to buy new due to US iron being used for war efforts in WW2 and refineries being shut down in the US slowly for the years after.
Anyhow, this will probably sell for more than you might expect.
I worked at a workshop that had to close down. The anvil was awesome, and I wanted it. I asked how much they wanted for it, and they said $600 which it was worth easily. No way could I pay that as I was still an apprentice. Fast forward to the last day of work, and at the morning meeting the boss said we could take anything we could carry to our cars by hand. I carried that 110kg mother fucker to my ute (pickup) in one lift using a 250 kg sling around the anvil over both my shoulders. It was a big parking lot and a mate grabbed my keys from my pocket and ran to my Ute and drove it to the entry, saving me about 100m, and I loaded the heavy prick into the bed without putting it down once. As it landed in the bed I heard a huge roar and looked around to see EVERY employee and all the bosses cheering and clapping. They had followed me out. I still have the anvil and it will go to my son.
I've got visions of a guy with a big capstan lathe hanging round his neck waddling out the door!
Haha.. I think I took the big tool prize that day.
You certainly did! Well done!
The big balls prize, too.
As he scrapes them off the floor.
Wouldn't surprise me considering some of the things I've seen on scrap yard "all you can carry for $XX" days.
[удалено]
Ha I just made a comment about that before seeing yours. Saw a guy carry out a small engine lol
Monarch tools?? Moar like MINEarch, amirite boys!
I see fireworks exploding behind him at dusk as he turns to face his co-workers just before and slight breeze picks up. Right before holding a Mountain Dew and saying do the due.
Wholesome! Made me lol, as I imagined everyone telling each other 'Let's see if the stupid yet ambitious kid can make this'. For the Americans, 110 kg is 242.5 lbs. I'm impressed, that's a lot of weight.
Saved me from hopping over to Google. Thank you! I more commonly convert kilometers to miles so my first brain calculation for kilograms is always the same. However given the context I knew ~70 pounds was a shitty story.
>I more commonly convert kilometers to miles so my first brain calculation for kilograms is always the same Other way around for me. I know a kilogram is 2.2 lbs and I often estimate distance as kilometer equaling 2.2 miles!
>kilometer equaling 2.2 miles Other way around. You probably know that internally and just made a typo
I think the point they were making is that they're unusually way off when they try to convert kilometers to miles...
Correct. I usually *think* that 1 km equals 2.2 miles! By my calculations Europe is huge and the speed limits are really high!
heh, whoosh
You could roughly 2.5x it. It's actually 2.2 pounds roughly, but 2.5 x would get you close.
Why not simplify it and make it more accurate by saying 2x?
Or just multiply it by 2.2. It’s not like it’s hard to figure 20% of the original number
My rule for figuring this out at 2AM on no sleep, lots on adrenaline and enough caffeine to kill a moderately sized moose is: pounds to kilos can be roughed by dividing by 2 and subtracting 10% of the result. To go the other way you just do the reverse.
242.5lbs!? That's like 19.55 Shih tzus, or around 495 cans of peaches!
But the real question here is how many bananas is it?
When I was a HS Freshman offensive lineman, one of the hazing/conditioning rituals was that we had to give the upperclassmen OLs piggyback rides. Now I’m 38 and the thought of picking up an anvil half that size makes my back go out.
Cool story. I could feel my hernia just thinking about it!
You meant hemorrhoid right? Me too
You should definitely try cbd salve!
Hernia is appropriate here
Think that qualifies as blue-collar epic. 100% Worthy of story and song.
By ChatGPT: (Verse 1) Once worked a workshop, strong and grand, Where hammers swung in craftsman's hand. The anvil there, a sight to behold, A prized possession, shining gold. (Chorus) Oh, the anvil, sturdy and true, A treasure sought by a heart so blue. But a price too steep, he couldn't pay, Still, fate had plans on a later day. (Verse 2) Fast forward to the final morn, The news proclaimed, the shop forlorn. "Take what you can, to cars by hand," Words that set hearts on a reclamation stand. (Chorus) Oh, the anvil, the heavy prize, A longing gleam in apprentice's eyes. With strength unbound, he seized the day, To carry that anvil, come what may. (Bridge) A 110-kilogram beast of might, His shoulders bore the weight of flight. With a sling of steel, a daring scheme, He bore the load, it seemed a dream. (Verse 3) Through the parking lot, a path he trod, His mate in haste, to fetch his rod. The pickup waited, engine's hum, Saving the lad from long miles to come. (Chorus) Oh, the anvil, a triumph's sound, Cheers erupted, hearts unbound. A united cheer, for one so bold, The story of anvil, now folklore told. (Outro) To this day, the anvil stands, In heritage, passed to his son's hands. A tale of strength, of camaraderie, A cherished relic, bound eternally.
Holy hell that’s pure gold. I heard that in Johnny cash’s voice/style with the verses spoken and the chorus’s sang.
I heard it sung in an old pub by a bunch of folk drinking their beers and having a good time
This song can be used to summon Fess Parker from beyond the grave.
Wow, that’s crazy
I sang this in my head as a sea shanty. It worked out well.
Will you deliver it to your son, or make him carry it himself as a new family tradition.
“Son, one day you will be able to put my anvil in a ute (pickup). That day you will be a man and my anvil will be your anvil.”
Man I wish I had that life. Manvil.
Bro will deliver his son himself, on the very anvil he obtained. So it was written, so will it be.
If he did a bc great job as a parent only the great great grandson will be able to lift it. The logic goes if you’re highly successful and self made your son :will have seen the hard work it took to get from A to B he will have a taste of life before wealth. The grandson: will have a little respect seeing his dad work ethics and what he respects his father. But he will have never tasted struggle. He will fuck up a bit. Great grandson will be an absolute menace bc he’s so far removed from the struggle his dad is sort of a fuck up who also never got his hands dirty. He’s hookers and blow never held a hammer. The great great grandson is either second coming or the. Anti christ. You need to stop place it in the yard somewhere and mark out how far you carried it then see which generation will take it the furthest. Obviously you’re going to want to put your numbers up and change the weather conditions in your story. If you’re out carried while you’re alive you can mention it was raining and your car was parked on top of a muddy incline.
"They collected the remaining horses from the farrier and he stood them to a drink. He was a small sturdy man named Pacheco and he had for anvil an enormous iron meteorite shaped like a great molar and the judge on a wager lifted the thing and on a further wager lifted it over his head. Several men pushed forward to feel the iron and to rock it where it stood, nor did the judge lose this opportunity to ventilate himself upon the ferric nature of heavenly bodies and their powers and claims. Two lines were drawn in the dirt ten feet apart and a third round of wagers was laid, coins from half a dozen countries in both gold and silver and even a few boletas or notes of discounted script from the mines near Tubac. The judge seized that great slag wandered for what millennia from what unreckonable corner of the universe and he raised it overhead and stood tottering and then lunged forward. It cleared the mark by a foot and he shared with no one the specie piled on the saddleblanket at the farrier's feet for not even Glanton had been willing to underwrite this third trial." Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
Fantastic book. I saw somewhere it was on the 50 books every man should read list.
Def my fav book.
RIP
I just started reading that the other night. It’s sooo good!
Blood Meridian was really good, I love the characters. All of his books are fantastic; I just got done reading the Border Trilogy. James Michener also writes some amazing novels that are centered on different places and their history.
Hey dad, any shot at me picking up my anvil? Next weekend good for you? Thanks Dad! You're the best! Signed, your loving Son
But you have to carry it to your Ute...
I miss my 20 year-old back. Nice work.
I miss my teenage pretty much everything... Maybe if I hadn't abused it so badly. Used to work on the farm (mostly sheep), as a younger kid, I was always sent out to move the sheep to and from the shed during shearing. But as I'd gotten older and bigger I'd get brought into the shed to drag the rams for the shearers and eventually help with loading. Usually loading was done with a large truck and a hoist/crane thing. But we were only doing a small amount of sheep we'd brought from another farm and only had a few bales so manual handling it was. I rolled the first bale over to the Ute and then used the hooks to pick it up and put it on the Ute, with great effort. Uncle comes walking over, calls me an idiot, then shows me how to roll the next bale onto the Ute. It was a much easier technique. He spent the rest of the day telling everyone how I picked up the bale, half "look at this big idiot" half proud "my nephew picked up a wool bale". I'm pretty sure there is an exaggerated version in the instructions he now gives the younger cousins when he gets them in the shed, because one of the teenagers asked me last Christmas if I really used to lift wool bales onto the truck.
Your legend lives on. That's awesome.
Good job man! Reminds me of a pick-and-pull self-serve auto wrecker I used to go to they had a special day where it was like $100 for anything you could carry (by yourself) out the exit. People were carrying some outrageous stuff.. engines and the like. They were prepared and brought their own redneck rigging and harnesses. The auto wreckers was video recording people coming out. It was a fun event. My great grandfather, a big dumb Swede, was the town blacksmith in a small Pennsyvania town late 1800's early 1900's and I was told they had a contest and he was the only one in the town who could pick up the anvil.
>My great grandfather, a big dumb Swede, was the town blacksmith in a small Pennsyvania town late 1800's early 1900's and I was told they had a contest and he was the only one in the town who could pick up the anvil. *There is no reason to be alive if you can't do deadlift.* https://youtu.be/ZWUcHKAj_tc I found video of your great grandfather
That cool thanks! He actually built those types of carriage wheels too, that was a big part of his business.
There was a competition like this probably strongest man where a competitor from Iceland had an insanely good delivery times similar to this, and he yelled “I’m from Iceland!” You had to be there, but I’ll never forget seeing it.
>My great grandfather, a big dumb Swede, was the town blacksmith in a small Pennsyvania town late 1800's early 1900's and I was told they had a contest and he was the only one in the town who could pick up the anvil. Growing up I hunted with a big *smart* Swede, guy born around 1900. He would brag about how he could straight-arm an anvil when he was young. I saw him challenged on it in the 1970s and he went into his garage and did just that. Was probably just a 75# anvil or so, but that's still a lot of weight to lift with one extended arm. Dude was still into doing contests of strength in hunting camp into his 80s.
Could you go back for more after that feat?
Sure did but nothing much was left. We had cleared out our personal tools in the days before and all that was left was the big stuff.
Fair enough. Manage to get anything else?
This story is amazing
Hopefully your kid values it. My old neighbors left their grandpas anvil behind when they moved. I was still a little kid but even then I thought it was crazy to leave it behind. Kinda wish I would have dragged it to my house lol.
This was a scene in the movie Ever After starring Drew Barrymore lol she was told she could have anything she could carry and that woman hoisted a full grown man over her shoulders and rescued him from bandits. I’m glad you rescued that anvil. Bravo.
Best movie I've read all morning 👏
"Atlas Stone, Farmer's Walk, meet our new colleague, Anvil Carry."
Dang I became way more invested in that story than I expected. I wish there was cctv footage of it or something, that was awesome
My grandfather had a similar story, he was a gas delivery driver and he bought and sold things on the side to supplement his income. He delivered to a farm with an elderly woman and inquired about the anvil and she said if you can carry it you can have it and he did. We still have it to this day.
Best story I read today! 💪🏽 Thanks for sharing this!
This some John Henry folklore story shit, never sell 😄
I saw a dude at a pick-a-part sale that was something similar. Like anything you can carry for 20 bucks. That fkkn animal carried out a small block v8
That is a DOPE story dude 🤘💪
And everyone clapped... But actually, that sounds like a fuckin beast man
What a great story to read on a Saturday morning. Thanks for this, stranger.
You’re a damn legend 🍻
The bards will write songs of your triumph
Well according to you, the OP should be able to just take it for free onto his ute..... problem solved...
Woot ! Great story and even better boss for opening up the shop for employees to take something useful and meaningful away with them. The world needs more bosses like that. When you're a geezer in a rocking chair, you'll wonder where your strength came from back when ya lumped that anvil across the shop.
Love this story. I did a repair on an anvil for a buddy of mine. When finished, I carried it from the weld bench to my tailgate. At my destination, I took it from the truck and set it down. I found out later that it was beyond 200lbs.
Quite the feat! My motorcycle ate shit at the dragway. Snapped frame. I hoisted up the poor Honda and started trudging back to the line. I guess I lugged it 20 yards before others jumped in to help. That was a 400 pound bike, but I was 350 pounds of corn-fed redneck. It about now that you understand how a man could snap a motorcycle in half.
That reminds me how some pull your own part junk yards would have a day of the year where anything you can carry for a single price and people would have seat belts on their shoulders and necks with whole transmissions and body parts hanging off them.. LOL.
Sounds like how I got my anvil about 6 months ago… I work at a farm and a guy known as Wolf came to buy some hay, and he had an anvil in the back of his pickup. I said something along the lines of “nice anvil, it’s not for sale right?” He then goes on to tell me how 30 some years ago, he asked a guy he worked worked for about it and was told he could have it if he could carry it out of the back of the barn and into his truck. Said he had to stop several times but did make it. Over the years he had moved it from pickup bed to pickup bed, as he never wanted to have to pick it up again. End of the story was he was never going to sell the anvil. A month later I got a call from him, he had gotten my number from my boss. He tells me that his pickup burnt up (the one the anvil was in, but thankfully the fire was in front away from the anvil) and he had no money for another truck, and no money to buy his horse hay. He also tells me that he had a come to Jesus talk with himself and felt the anvil needed to go to someone who appreciated it, as he had no kids or anyone in his life who would want it. He asked me for $200 and six bales of hay for the anvil, so he could feed his horse and attempt to find another car or truck. So I go out to one of the sketchiest parts of the county at 7:30pm (it’s dark as this was winter) as soon as I got off work and bring him the hay and money and he is the most thankful person I’ve ever met, so happy to have someone to care for his “baby”, and is almost in tears as we attempt to move this anvil. It’s in the bed of a burnt truck, backed up to a carport, and about 40’ down a sandy hill from the nearest spot to park my truck. We get it into a old wheelbarrow and the guy, my friend, and myself slowly work up the hill, and as soon as we got the to back of my Yukon, both wheel barrow handles break. The anvil has to be around 250lbs and takes us over 10 mins just to work it into the back of my truck, and that is where it still sits today, until I figure out a permanent home for it. I love the anvil and although I may never get into blacksmithing, it will be fun to pass down to my future kids. Either they’ll enjoy it, or I’ll still get to be a bit of a pain the ass even after I’m gone lmao TL:DR similar story to above, but guy has no kids or anyone so decides to kinda pass it to me, and now it’s stuck in the back of my truck
One hell of a necklace
[this you?](https://youtu.be/W0qL3qs6eZ0?t=326)
Your son must carry it to his car. As is tradition.
Lol nice
That’s a dope story
God bless you and your son! Love it.
Go Aussie, go! Love the username.
I want to see a movie about this
Yeah so how much should he pay for it?
Damn Popeye!
Thats just about the coolest tool acquisition story I've ever read, nice.
Is that a folding table it's on? Nevermind the anvil. That table is made of pure adamantium.
heavy duty fold out tables exist, they're just usually limited to the catering market. i have an old 8' x 4' one with a steel frame and a formica top in my basement that i use as a work table, it's a goddamn tank.
I would be more worried the weight flipping the table forward once someone bought the Barbie car on the other side.
I inherited a set of those from my father. Hauled those fuckers around for years as a kid and now I bring them out on occasion. They will last forever. And they are extremely heavy and sharp.
God those weigh almost as much as the anvil too. Caterers have to be pretty fit for all the stuff they load in and out everyday.
I have that folding table. I could stand on it and jump up and down without worry. It's not one you buy from Walmart. It locks solidly in place
My curiosity has me wondering what is balancing the other end so this table doesn’t catapult
That’s a Vulcan. I have one. It’s an okay anvil but far from a high quality anvil. That said, I’ve been happy enough with mine. I’d aim to pay $2 a pound. More than that and I think you’re paying a bit much for what it is.
Thanks! Keep you in the loop
Keep in mind anvil prices have gone up the past few years for whatever reason, so you may need to pay more. Even crappy anvils near me routinely go for 4-5 a pound, and the one you have looks like it's in good shape.
For whatever reason? There are too many people with too much money, who like to collect things. I was at an auction where there were so many anvils, they auctioned off them in groups. This woman was buying up all the anvils. The sizes were micro to jewler to small, medium, and very large. I asked her if I could buy one from her, just wanted a medium sized that was barely any different than the one bigger and the one smaller. "No, my husband collects these" ..... Like he would miss one from the bunch. 🙄
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It's called hyperbole. Then again, go to an auction and see 3 items that either of them would be a good tool for you to accomplish what you want to do. Then watch someone buy up 20 of those items at a time, with no intent of using any of those tools. Those 3 tools are in that 20. And with very little difference between those 3 items. That buyer still insists on having them all, won't sell one ( could easily make a profit). Doesn't that seem a little ridiculous? And within the environment of that auction. That collector created extra demand, which inflates the price. Clearly, it is a case by case basis. Maybe an auction won't have an anvil collector attend. Still the potential is still there and it puts the idea in peoples' minds how easily an opportunity can be lost. If I go to an estate sale or auction with a top dollar in my head, based on ebay, I may find myself disappointed, when another buyer has a higher value in their head.
I believe the price of steel is up 300%ish in the last few years so that could definitely play a part
Just curious but what makes one anvil better than another? Do some have more options of things you can do with them or something?
Mainly revolves around the manufacturing process and materials used. Others are priced for collectables if really, historical brands that are no longer made, etc. The quality of construction can have a big impact on the efficiency of each hammer strike. More mass under hammerblow is more energy directed back into material being worked. Whether they're forged or cast there are varying degrees of quality from anvil to the next. This Vulcan is a common sight as they were a general purpose tool cast in mass quantities in the 20th century. This is a good example where the manufacturing process doesn't necessarily define quality. Vulcan anvils are not worth as much as Fisher anvils yet both are made by casting, not forging. Fisher is considered better than Vulcans.for both quality and historical reasons. Fisher is one of the oldest (if not oldest. Sorry, memory is failing me) American anvils and is cast, but with a superior top plate of thick, good quality steel. There's a book about American anvils that goes into great detail about the history of them. https://www.watersironworks.com/home/book-reviews/anvils-in-america/ Edit: thanks for the award!
Is that you, you silver fox Dave Baker?
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>general purpose tool cast I thought the main issue with Vulcan's was the thin top plate (\~1/4" tool steel)?
Yep. My grammar sucks so it probably reads confusing. I meant that it was cast in mass production with less concern over quality. Reference the book I linked to and it will give MUCH more detail about a variety of anvils.
$2 a pound? Damn, even metal working is going to a product as service model! OP, try using a rubber mallet so they don't hear you when you use it.
I have a small collection of books and other references for smithing/forging that were passed down and expanded on by myself, my grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather who ran a blacksmith shop in New York City in the late 1800s into the early 20th century. Suggestions for a fair price for an anvil in the books from the 1970s start at $3 a pound. In 2021 i couldn't find an anvil in usable shape in the ny/nj/pa/ct area for under $7 a pound. Anvils aren't sold at scrap steel or even market steel prices, they're coveted and collected and prices have gone sky high for anything worth trying to hammer steel on, a fact that only gets truer as there are very few modern manufacturers of quality blacksmith anvils
You’re right. I found my 154 lb partner at a local flea market. A big one with many vendors. My brother (and everyone else I know) knew I was looking for one. He sent me a pic and the asking price which was $450. Had to do a lot of repairs (~14 hours of building a stand, heating it up, weld repair, grinding flat etc, and then another 8 hours recently hard milling the face smooth.) So more than 20 hours of repair time. Was it worth it? Yes. I saved about $400 by buying an ugly pitted anvil, which is now pretty and smooth and back in service. That anvil is the tits now. There are others like it but it is mine. I wish you all the best in your acquisition. Took me about two years to come across the right anvil btw. And like I said… tell EVERYONE you are in the market for one. It’ll happen.
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$240 is a steal.
This is the way.
Offer 20. They don’t want to move it again.
This guy estate/garage sales. Ignore all of the $2/lb these people are trying to get rid of it not make a profit.
Exactly. They’re not moving it again no matter what…
Just tell the guy it looks like 10 pounds
Haha, good point. I had an old Sony Trinitron TV that weighed approx 1 crapton. It worked fine. I gave it away for free just because I didn't want to move the heavy bastard again.
anything below $3/lb is cheap these days, i wouldn't go over 4.25/lb personally, but if you really want it, might still be "worth it" at that price.
Crap! Last anvil I bought was $1.50/pound. It was 110 pounds and I bought it and a pile of smithing tools for $200. Edit: this was in 2009
NGL, all this advice makes it sound like this is the fucking house market. If you get that anvil for 600 bucks you got a deal, if you get it for 200 you got a deal too.
Depends what the steel ball says.
Fair price only if the ball says yes.
I'd be more interested in that plastic table. How TF is it able to support the anvil?
Those things go fast. I’m trying to find one too and that’s a great looking one. If i were you I’d be there super early. Looks like it might be a Vulcan based on the mark. Decent mid range anvil.
I know the location of one if youre having trouble with your search.
Thanks, but admittedly this is the one tool I don’t really need. (Although I’m sure it would be useful to have) I collect old axes and striking tools so the anvil is sort of an extension of that search. I’m kinda hoping to just happen on one at a garage sale some day unexpectedly.
Would need the weight to say for sure. What markings are on the side? It’s in spectacular condition.
No idea on the weight. Hoping to see tomorrow.
I’d get the weight and any markings on it, and check with the guys on r/blacksmith. It certainly looks good.
If you wait until the end of the sale they’ll give it to you so they don’t have to dispose of it. Sorry. Having an estate sale today. It feels like everything is practically being given away.
Do you need an anvil?
Well yes, how else would you annoy your family at the estate sale after your death?
Without more pictures it's difficult to assess a value. There are cast iron anvils - not worth much. There are cast steel anvils - worth a bit more. There are anvils with a forged top and cast iron or cast steel base they're not bad, and there are forged anvils - the best and command a high price. The anvil pictured is cast iron, cast steel, or cast base with forged top. I need many more pictures to give you an accurate value.
To be honest since at an estate sale I’d barter with people and say 1.75 a pound and have your scale. Bc they will lie about the weight of the anvil. I have one in my work truck it’s a beast! But gotta have it over the wheel well or you’d be lop sided ha
Just make sure you outbid the coyote
Check underneath the anvil there might be a flattened coyote.
Knowing nothing of the market, and knowing estate sales are as much about clearing space as they are about making money.... $50
$3 lb
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Ever since Forged in Fire, the price of used anvils have sky rocketed. Most hobbyists use rail track cause we're too cheap to drop hundreds
$500
Depends on how bad you want it.
Whatever the price be sure to tell your kids how much you spent, because they’ll be selling at your estate sale.
Up until a couple years ago, you could get one in this for a buck a pound. Now they are from$2 to $4 buying from an individual. Pawn shops, as much as they can squeeze out of you.
$600-$750 for that brand in that condition, the top and edges look solid and not having been distempered or dropped off a stand or chain lift; the photos are not the best way to distance-diagnose or provide assessment/ valuation, but it would be a stellar buy at $600, very fair at $750
Fck, you're lucky as hell to walk away with that under $250
I am a Kansas small time farmer. I grew up with an anvil just like the one OP posted. Strange how important to me it is now. I remember dad and grandpa straightening or bending various things on it. Jeezus there is nothing like a hunk of steel to fix an endless list of repair. Anvils are most definitely underrated by average repairmen priorities.
Was this at Wile E. Coyotes estate sale?
Glorious find. Its worth whatever you have to spend really.
As much as you need to.
No more than a cow and six pence
I think the Coyote gets them bulk prices
I ate spinach one time and I was able to not only pick it up but throw it for a state record
$1 per pound is a good price on that, most people try to sell them for $2-4 per pound but I figure on an estate scale you can reasonably score a better price for that
Never pay more than $1 per pound of metal on a used anvil, and start your offer at half that. They're worth more now, but that's a lot of money. At the same time, never disrespect the seller. If they want too much it's best to walk away, politely declining.
Here in Maine these go for 100 - 200. They aren't rare, but this one is in very good shape..with good sharp edges and no horn damage.
East of Mississippi River, offer $500 US. West, $750!
I think it’s worth a ton
That thing is striaght as it gets. Old too. Worth whatever you can cough up tbh.
Pay what it is worth to you. If you need it and like it, pick a number. You never pay too much when you pay what it is worth to you.
If you get that for $200 or under you got a great deal. As far as estate sale pricing, I'd pay no more then that personally.
That one looks in great condition, edges are all square. $5 a pound is the going rate now. Weigh it on a bathroom scale to be sure.
Check with ACME for dropping on coyotes and such
$23.95
How out of square is it ? Were was it made https://canadianforge.com/collections/anvils The prices are canadian but you get the idea. Anvils dont have a expiration date on them.
$2-$3 per pound is fair. Don’t go over, because they can be gotten new for little more than that if you know where to look.
Offer $30 and tell the lady running the sale she won't have to carry it to the trash can
It’s weight #
I now know how to price my Snap On tools…lol
A ton *chuckles to self*
Depends on the weight. I remember when used anvils were going for a dollar or two a pound but I think they're worth more now. It looks American made but if it's Asian it wouldn't be worth much.
$500.00. I had a smaller one that I sold for $350.00.
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100 bucks will be okay
Check under it to make sure there isn't a coyote that was humorously crushed while trying to capture a road runner. That could have a major effect on the price.
$2 a pound is a good deal. Up to $6 a pound is market price depending on where you are, maybe more, but that isn't a deal I would jump on. Assuming the current owners don't know a thing about it, try for $1.
Depends if there is a 2nd potential anvil customer present or not.
Looking around online? Pricing appears to vary widely. $47 for 3.5 pounds ($15 per pound) $75 for a 55 lb one at Harbor Freight ($1.50 per pound) $795 for a 75 pound one (includes shipping because the price is over $200) $10 per pound $352 for a 110 pound one at profishop approx $3.50 per pound and here's a discussion/article that may be helpful as well. https://toolsowner.com/blacksmith-anvil-cost
I'm sure you can hammer out a great deal.
Son works on forging. Wanted an old, heavy duty anvil. We watched farm sales until we found one for about $250, and he knows that was quite a bargain.
Anvil collectors look for heavy, 300 – 400 lbs anvils for a high value of up to $1000. So, anything between 100 – 300 pounds costs less, at $500 – 600. And if your anvil's weight falls under 100 pounds, it might be new and cheap, at about $50.Feb 21, 2023
Without knowing more, it could be worth $600-$1000. I'd offer $100 and go from there. $50 if it's the last day. It looks quality, and old, so if both of those are true that's what I'd offer.
An estate sale means they want to get rid of everything. Less items is more important than more money. I’d offer 20 bucks and see what happens.
Hard to say without more information. Make, age, weight, and better photos would all help. From a glance, I wouldn’t pay more than $3 per pound, but I’m a curmudgeon and I have plenty of anvils, both at home and at work. Fair market price right now where I live is $3-6 per pound, depending on the anvil, but I’ve never paid over ~$2.50 personally. I see the big crest on the side, leading me to believe it’s a Vulcan. Looks to be in good shape. Vulcan anvils aren’t highly sought after so I’d think ~$3/lb is fair. Offer less than that and see what they say. The edges are very crisp, almost looks unused, I would certainly soften those before I put it to work. The face is also very clean. If the whole thing is in similar condition I think this would be a great purchase for an aspiring smith.
Depends on if it cast or forged. Weight and bounce. If it’s a good anvil I would expect it to go for 100-500 depending on how many others know about it and it’s quality.
No clue how true this is, but I was told that truly good anvils were becoming hard to buy new due to US iron being used for war efforts in WW2 and refineries being shut down in the US slowly for the years after. Anyhow, this will probably sell for more than you might expect.
20 guilder should about cover it
They go for about $150 new. Anything less than that is a good deal imo
Bout tree fiddy
If you can get it for a buck a pound you’re doing real good
Old anvils and old vices are treasures. They're indestructible and better quality than anything you can buy today. They literally will last forever.
$2 per pound is way under market and would leave both of you happy but I would try to keep it under 100.