family heirloom

Well my cousin gifted me his anvil. It was his grandfathers who was a practicing blacksmith in 1929 Fulton IL. He had the anvil at that time and no one seems to know about it before then.

It is 31 inches long, 13 inches high and almost 5 inches wide. I've not weighed it, but it is extremely heavy. certainly over 200 pounds. It was behind my grandfather's house as I grew up, so have known it for most of my life. keeping it in the family.

 

Well Mike I'd say it's time you start to forge something.

 

fantastic.!

 

Wow, that's great! In any meaning.
This might be a big rusty metal for some, but it could be a birth of something new as well... With a WIP thread of course.

 

I mounted it on a stump in the back yard. drilled some holes in the stump, filled them with gorilla glue, then inserted some threaded rod in there. after it curred I put some strapping across the base and bolted it down. probably not necessary but I'd hate to see my grand kids doing as grand kids do and knock that thing off onto a foot. wire brushed it and was surprised to find only light surface rust on it. oiled it and then sprayed it with a graphite lube which gives it a dull black finish.

I noted on one side the words "wrought iron" in a bottom rocker. there is writing in a top rocker as well I believe but can't make it out as it is near the top of the anvil and has been banged up. between the rockers is the image of an arm with the shirt sleeve rolled up and I believe the hand is holding a tool, presumably a hammer but I can't make it out for sure. I tried to photgraph the detail with negative results. maybe I will try with a real camera and contrasting with some powder. does that logo sound familiar to any one. Oh, and I put that anvil on the stump by myself. It wasn't pretty.

Mike

 

Now it's and Epic yard piece.

 

Maybe an old Arm and Hammer?

 

Jared.

thanks you nailed it. thought you were joking initially, thinking of the baking soda, but did a quick search and found it. Here is an image from the net. Not mine but that is definitely it.

 

Very cool. My Grandpa had a metal shop, he made fences, gates etc. Some years after he passed away, my Dad started giving away the old tools, like the anvil, a metal band saw, a large cast iron drill press etc. Didn't think much of it at the time, but now I wish I had the shop and the tools...

Stefan

 

Wow mike that you grew up with it and it landed with you is fantastic. Next up a forge!

 

Thanks to Jared, I found that the Arm and Hammer is one of two highly regarded anvils from Columbus Ohio. Trenton being the other. A&H was known for leaving lots of forging marks on the base but finishing the top well. a tough crucible steel plate was forge welded to the top then finished. Steam hammer marks are evident under the horn and tail. They say on the bigger ones, like the 300 pounders that it might take 7 guys working on it. rough forged with steam hammer and then finished by hand. I'd like to read or see pics of the actual process of making one of those old anvils. I was surprised as the big chunk of iron does not have a dull clunk when struck with a hammer, but fairly rings and the hammer bounces off it. Some accounts are that they made only about 50,000 which in anvil circles makes them on the rare side. I did not realize that quite a lot went into making a good anvil. I guess if it were simply cast iron, it would not last.

 

Here is a you tube video of a group forging an 80 some pound anvil. I can't imagine what it would have been like in the days when my anvil was made and what king of crew was needed to make one of those 500 pounders.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/vide...fr2=p:s,v:v&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&tt=b

 

Cast iron is somewhat fragile is it not? I mean, taking a hammer to it over and over again and all....
I think if it were cast iron it would just crack or shatter after a couple good hammer whacks.

 

Excellent score!! It's definitely an Arm & Hammer. Great anvils. The hardened steel face makes the wrought iron more than serviceable for anvil material...and those anvils were known for being very lively with excellent rebound.

Again!...excellent score! I'm a little jealous .

 

cool family piece Mike, youll have to show us the first hammard bits that you run across that thing