I know I'm 2 years later but this is literally my favorite anvil video on KZfaq, so good and informative.

I started off with a piece of RR track for my anvil (it was free). I used it for the last three years. A month ago I built me an anvil out of a fork off of a forklift. I cut it up and got it welded together, so it's my hornless anvil. Yesterday my father-in-law did some trading around and got me a 114lbs Hay Budden anvil. It's been a great few weeks for myself, but best of all how much my work has improved. Now I have to build a stand for the Hay Budden, but great video.

I started blacksmithing as a hobby back in September of 2017. First anvil I had was a harbor freight anvil, still got it for certain things. Bought a NC Big Face anvil a short time later. The things you said about the HB anvil and the newer anvils and the inflated prices of anvils now, I've been saying since I started lol. Great video, very informative. Thank you.

I recently bought a ~94lb columbian anvil from my mentor for $350 and I thought that yeah it’s an ok deal, but not the best. What I had not yet come to appreciate was the extremely pristine condition it is in. The face is still flat, un touched totally except for a couple clusters of ball peen dents. Sanding it at 220 grit shows the face is totally smooth except those spots and I’m blown away. Thanks for helping me realize the deal I got! If you want, I can send you some pictures of it once I finish cleaning it up (sides are a little dirty and rusty) :)

Am still fond of my very sway backed old mousehole farriers anvil with battered edges and a missing horn point. But for $15 I couldn't leave it.

That’s was very good. When I recently bought the Anvils In America book, I learned a lot that I didn’t know before. Some of that information was very surprising.

Hey John, I'm new to your channel. I was glad to hear your comment on Columbian anvils. I bought one about 15 years ago for around a hundred dollars. I'm old and don't remember exactly when or what I paid. I started on a harbor frigate anvil. I noticed a big difference when I got the Columbian. I love the Columbian it's just over a hundred pounds. Flat, good edges. I have been telling people for years. Don't buy the junk anvils at any price. Find something usable to get you started. Make what you can to sell. Then buy a good anvil. Thanks for what you're doing!

Recently purchased a 90lb Southern Crescent anvil (similar to a Vulcan in terms of its construction); my 1st, and really looking forward to putting it to work. This was a very informative video, thanks for the guidance.

Good info worth mentioning a block of mild steel will work well in a pinch for a beginner especially if its well mounted, i have a block mounted on a large stone and is literaly as solid as a rock, i also have a mousehole that has had the horn broken off as it was a cheaper option, still works well for most forging, like you said people price these things like their made of solid gold

Lots of good information, John! Great video! Thanks !

Nice vid. Good to know some of the things to look for from the different manufacturers.

Had a RR anvil for general use for 30 + yrs loved it. Appreciate your honesty most guys can't admit to what you got the kahunas to say, they have to stick to tradition over common sense. Doing more shaping of steel now. I have the $55.00 harbor really happy with it, moving up to the 66 lb amazon based on your honesty (be here tomorrow) forge has been the pain so far for me and not a strong enough right. Just built a single burner its a better forge & it's working out. Right arm's weak butt it's gettin there keep it up thanks PS you're my go to guy KingFish out

Thanks bud, appreciate your time on this!

I respect your honesty thanks for the advice

I have had a harbor freight anvil for about 3 Months now and it’s definitely a good anvil with exception to its weak edges and mild steel surface. As long as you can hit your mark though it’s definitely worth the 57 bucks it costs

Great video John!! Lots of information learned today! I'm an old Dog, learning new tricks! Lol Keep the vids coming ~

Somthing about the Fisher Nors anvils, they actually have very thin hard steel plates on the top originally made from gun steel. The Max thickness of the plate is about 1/4, what they did was fold over the ends to make it look thicker. To see how thick it really is look at the side of the step!

John I know this videos been up for a while, I'm new in the blacksmith Realm and I'd be interested to hear you explain what every part of the anvil is used for thanks man keep the videos coming.

I can't exactly explain why, but that Fisher sounded great to me. Just getting started and picked up a 5" round rod about 10" long. I'd say it's about 50 lbs. Thanks for the info.

1 agree with you 100 percent on the HF anvils. I bought one and it lasted me 19 years, and a buddy has the newer ones and it works fine. Not the greatest, but they do work.

I really appreciate your knowledge and sharing. I am really thinking about getting into this craft. I have subscribed. I love steel. Always have. To be able to manipulate it and form it into a beautiful knife for someone or sword, tomahawk maybe even make few $ would be quite the accomplishment in my opinion. Thanks again...

Thanks for the anvil education!

You'd be surprised what you can get by with. Unfortunately, I had a budget of 0 dollars when setting up my forge, but I found a big squarish hunk of granite to use as an anvil. Damn thing must weigh 150lbs. It's not quite flat but it's close, I use a piece of rail plate to straighten the pieces out after forging and I manage to make serviceable things.

I was fortunate to inherit my Grandfather's anvil. Not sure who made it...I do know that it is heavy as hell. Will be definitely checking to see where it came from. Thanks for the lesson

Hell more than 2 cents worth. Much appreciated.🇦🇺

I love my fisher yours looks absolutely beautiful #anvilenvy my friend

very informative, thanks..

Some folks say that the ring of an anvil 'can' be important because it indicates that the casting is sound (if it's a cast steel anvil) or that the tool steel plate is still solidly fused to the wrought iron body. If an anvil is cracked, or delaminating it won't 'ring true', rather like a bell. They often buzz or zip. My personal favourites are Brooks anvils, closely followed by Peddinghaus and Soderfors

A small amount of sway can be a good thing.

Makes me realise just how lucky I am. Recently [2022] bought a 450 pound anvil superb corners and flat as a die, rebound to die for with a 24 x 6 inch face .... cost £ 0.50 [63 cents] a pound. It came from a Mining Equipment Manufacturer that ceased trading. Also bagged an unused 200 pound swage block that was bought new and then spent next 60 years wrapped in oiled hessian under a workbench - that cost more though, £ 1.50 per pound. Guess you can get lucky if you look long and hard enough.

I’d love to take you anvil shopping with me. I could never remember all this stuff

What about a 38" long chunk of heavy RR track, on end, weights maybe 140 lb? Bolted it to the side of a log buried firmly in the ground. I have a beat up Fischer 60 lb anvil and got the RR track cheap to supplement. Haven't had a chance to use the RR track yet to compare.

A swayed anvil still has use as an artists anvil. The price for them is crap just as you said.. Also, you put out a fantastic amount of information in your videos. It's like I'm reading the book Anvils in America by Richard A. Postman.

Excellent info. I've been looking for a nice anvil for some time now, but I'm unwilling to pay the crazy prices some owners are asking. Who made ur belt sander? Looks good.

I wonder if you can make a stiff but loud anvil quieter with some outer material. 🤔Like an anvil mute, if you will.

I love my Fisher because it's quite

" I dont have a sway back anvil to show you, because I never bought one,because they are trash"love it."Fake news" ha ha .Good video,thanks,nice horde you have there.

Hi, great video. You you shared a lot of information about anvils. You have a lot of anvils there can you share one with me? I'm really new at blacksmithing and I need an anvil.maybe I'll get one, one day.. Thanks again for the shared information.and keep the videos coming. I'm really enjoy watching them..

As someone having a hard time finding their first anvil on the used market, this was a great history lesson and reality check, thank you! What are your thoughts on the NC tool farrier anvils for a beginner blacksmith?

Interesting write up. Every shop needs an anvil I do auto body and welding and it is a necessity for the shop. I would not pay anything more though than what you did for the vevor amazon anvil. For the modern prices you are only getting 50 hrc in the face. The old heybuddens had like 100% rebound.

I just got a 135lb for $200! Has a small swell. No markings at all on it! It has the hole under the hell and the horn! If you could get back to me on this it would be greatly appreciated! Oh it does have unbelievable rebound and a slight ring! Thanks my friend!

i was that one subscriber!

Hello thanks for the video. I am looking at a hay budden on Craig’s, but I’m concerned it might have a little slay on the face. If I put a straight edge on the face. How much slay would you walk away. The edges look very good. Thank in advance.

Thanks that was informative, Why do ya'll wrap a chain around the Anvil? And have you heard of setting a Rail Road Track Anvil in Concrete. Maybe a steal bucket? Thanks

very good info, I have been looking for an anvil for years, now too old now to justify the prices they want for one. Been using a railroad rail for along time and it works ok. May I ask what is that heavy chain for wrapped around the base of your shop anvil? thanks for posting.

I have a 30 ish pound railroad track with a horn like shape ground in

Hello was wondering what size iron fits in the hardy hole is it like a common size or varies anvil to anvil I’m using a Peter Wright. Thank you

I bought a anvil that said...steel 200.. on the side of it..what year would it be Thanks

You are not the first I have heard lately using that definition of anvil-shaped-object but it's one I disagree with. Item-shaped-object is used as a derogatory term for something that looks correct but is (almost) entirely useless for its supposed purpose, and I have heard applied across different disciplines (including IT to describe terrible hardware). Apart from that personal bugbear, I am really enjoying the style of your videos and looking forward to seeing more.

Whats with the ball bearing test? 🤔

My father works at a paper coating plant that makes it's own parts, could I make a decent anvil out of a 170lb slab of tool steel? The guys at the machine shop aren't willing to set up the tools to make a horn but they're willing to mill holes or curves, if it were you what would you have them do with it?

seems like a convoluted way to calculate the weight of an anvil.... why not just weigh it and stamp that number on it instead?

I have a small anvil .on one side it reads us and one the other side a round circle with a Z on it.Does any body knows what the Z means.

What do you think about Fulton anvils. Made 1920 - 1923 from Sears

Sir, I got my grandpa's anvil and I'm planning to restore it . Can you help me with advice. If you have some contact I would send you pics of it.

your main shop anvil is 260#, who makes it?

So, is there a way to fix or repair the slump in the face of the anvil?

I’m currently making my anvil from 100 pounds of forklift tine. That stuff is hard to cut!

just subscribed!! lol, i just got a columbian exactly like the one on the vid in beautiful shape. paid $200. do you think it was a good deal?

What about a striking anvil is it better than a Harbor freight

I found my 70lb American wrought anvil for $70 it is a lil abused but better than the track anvil I had

Is 56 dollars good for a 75 pound anvil

What's the purpose of putting a chain around it

If all I have to forge on is a section of railroad track how should I hear treat the section of track before using it?

What do you know about Arm & Hammer Anvils?

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pre1890 Hay Biden’s don’t have serial numbers. A little sway is not a big deal , you just have to work around it I have a 225 lbs HB and a 125 lb pre 1820 MH

I was once showed anvil to buy, the seller unveiled it, tapped it and sayd with a straight face "it's in perfect state, absolutelly no damage or wear" You could eat soup on the face of that anvil, it wasn't even some regular and circunstancially useful sway, it was all over the place, I spent some years under a power hammer or something.

Swayback is not the end of the world.

thank you. harbor freight will get you by

Why do you always look so depressed? Or is it the work that makes you tired?

So you would buy a Harbor freight Anvil before you would buy say a Peter Wright with a little sway.? Hmm..The ringing is not important. It sure seemed it is to you bro.

The best anvils ahre PEDDINGHAUS

Drugs are bad

Great informative video but damn dude what's with all the heavy mouth breathing? You a smoker? Sounds like you're horribly out of breath.

Columbian seems to be far superior