It’s Hard to Know But I Have Suspicions » « Tactical – “SHOULD MILITARY SUNGLASSES BE LEGALIZED?”

This Old Thing

I got this old thing from a fellow on craig’s list who was clearing out an old farm.

Feels like about 130lb. I didn’t take the time to mess around and hop on a scale, though.

Anvil facts I recently learned: they are assembled out of multiple pieces, some tempered and hardened, some not. I’m not sure how on earth one gets an entire anvil up to welding temperature, or how one quenches the face, but now I need to research how that was done. These old industrial-age processes fascinate me.

I am tempted to paint it back and call it “tactical” – who knows, tactical anvils could be all the rage! As used by Elite US Navy SEALS (whenever they need to sink something)

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I just did a lot of driving between airports, collecting anvil, and flying to/from Chicago to do some video interviews about computer security stuff. In the process I managed to not sleep very much, so I’m going to get some rest tonight.

It’s Hard to Know But I Have Suspicions » « Tactical – “SHOULD MILITARY SUNGLASSES BE LEGALIZED?”

Comments

  2. says

    Eric Weatherby@#1:
    Don’t forget to screw a length of Picatinny rail onto each side!

    I believe anvils may have valid applications for home defense.
    – W. E. Coyote

    Look at the pointy thing on the front. You gotta admit, it doesn’t get much more tactical than that.

  4. kestrel says

    Oooh nice! If your anvil was used a lot it might be work-hardened and OK, relatively speaking.

    I have an anvil. :-) It’s WAY smaller than that one, though. Mine did not have a good surface; it was kinda soft which did not make me happy, and I ended up buying a hardened steel plate that I use instead.

  5. Brian English says

    Tactical Anvil™. Used by elite Blacksmiths and Forgers to protect their families from intruders.
    When a terrorist intrudes in your place of Smithing, simply pick up Tactical Anvil™ and drop it silently on the intruder’s foot! Send $14.95 to get the great Tactical Anvil™ guide book and you soon will be Anvil Ninja*.

    *Results may vary, Tactical Anvil™ assumes no responsibility for incorrect technique in lifting or dropping of Anvil. Anvil is for entertainment purposes only and is not recommended for self-protection.

  6. machintelligence says

    Does it have any markings on it? It looks like it may well be a wrought iron anvil rather than a composite one. I had a Vulcan anvil once, manufactured by the Illinois Iron and Bolt Co.and it was of cast iron with a tool steel cap 3/4 inch thick for a working surface. These anvils don’t “ring” but wrought anvils do.There is a book by Bob Postman called “Anvils in America” which might help you identify it. In good shape Vulcan anvils and the like are worth about $1.50 or so per pound and wrought anvils at least twice that. Vulcan anvils were intended for use by farmers and small shops where they wouldn’t see daily use.

  9. says

    chigau@#8:
    I weigh about 120lbs.

    You could put a rope around the anvil and run it through a pulley, and you’d almost be balanced! It’d be kind of like being in zero G! Whee!

  13. Dunc says

    Mine did not have a good surface; it was kinda soft which did not make me happy

    Apparently there are a lot of lumps of iron out there that look like anvils, but are not actually anvils. I’ve heard blacksmiths refer to them as “ASOs” or “anvil-shaped objects”.

  14. says

    Oh. I is envious. I have rigged myself a small anwil out of a piece of train track, but I would love to have a proper one. I must however say that there is no way I would be able to lift and carry 130 pounds without a crane.

  15. johnson catman says

    re Charly @14:
    I inherited a makeshift anvil that was crafted out of a piece of train track. It belonged to my grandfather. I have never really had reason to use it, but I have kept it as a kind of remembrance.

  19. says

    Charly@#14:
    I sourced some components for misters on Ebay and will do some experimenting. If it works out, I’ll have a $30 mister unit. The nice thing about how everything is made these days is it’s all componentized, so you take a $10 laser relay and a USB transformer and a 5v (usb voltage) pump and a mister nozzle, and it’s a bit of “connect the dots” but pretty straightforward. I looked at the commercial misters and they appear to use a mixing block for pressurized water and air. Very small amounts of water might work just as well. I’ll play. If it works, it’d be a piece of cake to make you a spare. (I like making stuff) 5v is nice with water because it’s not enough to fry anyone or anything.

  20. says

    @Marcus that is very nice proposal, but do you know how to eventually send such stuff across customs infested borders? Because I do not leave my cave often enough to learn such things which is one of the reasons I consider EU to be such a blessing.

  21. chigau (違う) says

    I just went and looked at the anvil in the basement:
    “CANADIAN FORGE & BLOWER, CO.” on one side
    “75” on the other
    .
    face is 3 inches wide, 11.5 long
    horn is 7.5 inches
    footprint of the base is 7.75 by 8.75
    .
    I can lift it, so I’m thinking “75” is not a poundage measure.