I ran by my local scrap yard today to pick up some steel for a project... and one of the guys who worked there remembered the ONLY time I came in and asked about anvils, over 2 years ago, and asked me if I was still looking for an anvil... which of course the answer was, "always"

What he drug out was something of a horror story... the anvil broke in half, apparently from a failed forge-weld as best I can tell. Someone ground about 1" into the crack and did some very poor welding on the front before giving up.

But, I asked how much it was, which the first answer was $100. I pointed out it was broken in half, and he came down to $75, at which point I said I'd take it.

My first impression was that it was about 130 lbs or so... didn't look at it very closely to be honest. At $75 I really didn't care. When I first loaded it into my car, my estimate jumped to 150+ lbs. And once I got it home, looked at it a bit more carefully, I'm leaning towards about 180 lbs. (I really need to pick up a cheap scale if i'm gonna keep buying anvils...) It's about 29" from heel to horn, 4.5" wide face, and 12" tall.

It looks like it might be a Haybudden... It does have a serial number stamped on the front of the foot, anyone have a copy of Anvils in America handy to look it up for me? It looks like it's 112(1?)8? I'm not sure if there's a digit between the 2 and the 8, or if it's a chisel mark. The number after the 8 has a curve on top, so it's a 2, 3, 6, 8, or 9.

The original makers mark is all but obliterated, between the lost material around the waist, and the arc welding done to it... there are a 2 artifacts though... What looks like "SS", "S6", "SO", or "SC", and down an inch or so there is a definite "WA" (Likely from "Warranteed"

Also, using my keen eye for detail, I have looked at some of the tool marks left on the anvil. And it is my expert opinion that it was used in an automotive repair shop :P

What's the plan?

Quote from: Yadda on July 14, 2016, 09:32:52 PM
What's the plan?

The plan is, to lay it on its side and smack it with a 20lb sledge to make it two pieces again. Grind an angle all the way to the center, top and bottom, on all 4 sides, and weld it back together solid. I'm thinking I'll do this with the anvil upside down in a vessel of water to keep the face from losing its temper...

I like the plan! That one's definitely worth restoring.

Haha, well I feel better about my ability to guess the size of an anvil! 179 lbs. And it's missing at least 2 lbs of material at the moment, probably a little more...

Also, judging by the artifacts of the original stamp... I think what I have here is actually a "Sligo" anvil. Which was made by Haybudden, just with a different stamp on it. I've come to this conclusion because I cannot find any Haybuddens that have the "SO" or "WA" like mine does. Which, I've made the assumption are part of the fairly common anvil stampings:

"SOLID WROUGHT"
"WARRANTED"

Looks in the right place, compared to this SLIGO, which has the same pattern of anvil... I wonder what I'd have to do to make them make good on their "Warranted" statement :P Breaking in half is clearly a manufacturing defect... lol

Unfortunately I don't have my copy of A in A with me but as I remember there was a manufacturer that welded their anvils together at the waist.  In about the same spot as where yours is broken.

Am pretty sure it was not Hay-Budden who did it.  Maybe some body will look it up.

Mike

Arm & Hammer I believe

Looks like a fun welding job.

Was a junk shop in town til recently.  Just inside the door was a Hay Budden anvil, about 150lbs.  I looked it over, it had broken apart the same way, and some drunk guy with a welder put it back together.  The weld looked like chicken whatever, or a handful of worms, so I left it right there. 

I had a 150# Hay Budden that was broken the same way too. I picked it up for about 60 cents/lb. It was welded back together and there was a large bead of weld around the whole waist of the anvil.  I had it for a number of years and never did anything with it. A guy at work was looking for an anvil for his son who was getting into smithing as a hobby. I passed it on at a slight profit but way under what he could get anything else. I figured I would help them out getting setup since he was actually going to use it again. The tip of the horn had been cut off from a previous owners miss adventures.

I wonder if it is the same Sligo?  http://www.sligosteel.com/
They have been around a long time.