Euro Anvils

A

Anthony Chaney

Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
172
Guys I need your opinions. Are Euroanvils considered quality anvils? I want one that will last. I am tired of beating on a chunk of metal. I found a blacksmith Supply that has a 175 pounder for under 500 bucks. It's a lot of money to me, but if it's a quality anvil, I am thinking of biting.
 
Anthony

Big question and there are a million answers. In Australia a good 45 kg anvil about 110 lb is around $400 so it sounds about on track. I have a wide range of anvils. It is often more fun to work on the heavy anvils. It is always hard to tell. I don't know the brand your speaking of you may try Iforge or the anvilfire site that is more about smithing than blade making so they may have more veiwers aware of the brand you want. Some cheap chinese anvils are quite soft. They all work but after a while you can hear and feel the diffrence a good anvil makes. Some just look ugly and that is enough to put me off. I like the english american style the best. with a nice round top on the horn. You will want that for drawing out tangs .
 
Anthony:
I have a anvil made by the same company {Oldworld anvils} and it has been a very good anvil for blacksmithing, it has a flat top without the step plate and i find its not as easy to forge a blade on as one with a step
but i made a block that wedges into the hardy hole that i use to forge the bevels on a blade and this works fine, these anvils are softer than the older anvils with a hard top plate but thay are a fine anvil.
 
I would go along with little rabit. A step is good.

The shipping may make them out of range but for a look at the pattern I like try to find odwyer o'dwyer anvils in Australia They are a good brand but like I say the shipping may be unresonable.

The pattern suits my style of knife making and I have worked on the 45 kg model with a 4, 6, and 8 lb sledge hammers making damascus. They have th top plate.

Look around for a long time and get what you like not just what is available this week.
 
Anthony, while you're looking around, keep your eyes open in the paper, want ad digest, papershop (or your local equivalents) for anvils. Also check out antique shops, junk shops, scrap yards, garage sales etc. There are still good deals out there and you may not have to pay hunderds of dollars.
So far I've got a 145 lb William Foster for 60.00, a 185 lb Hay Budden for 100.00, a 300 lb Kohlswa for 250.00 and a 96 lb mousehole for 100.00. (I list these prices not to brag--well....maybe a little :D ---but to let you know that deals are out there. You just have to be patient, vigalent, and well....slightly obsessed :rolleyes:
You might check out ebay as well. Search for "blacksmith anvil" Not the best place to get a good deal, but you will get to see a lot of anvils, learn a bit about them, see what appeals to you and what doesn't, and get an idea what they can be worth so you begin to recognise a good deal when you see one...
Good luck and happy unting!
PS: I agree with the others for bladesmithing, I prefer something with a ledge on one end to help in forging my plunge area (the beginning of the bevel at the end of the ricasso).
Ed
 
Ebay has some good anvils. Just make sure to know what you're looking for, and not rely on the pictures as an indicator of quality. I got lucky a year or so ago, and scored a nearly new(original owner was a farrier and only used the horn for the most part) 127 lb Swedish anvil. The seller obviously had little knowledge of digital camera use. If the pics had been any better, I'd have surely been outbid. It ended up costing me $380. I figured $3 a pound for a nearly new anvil a bargain! :)
 
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