Arm And Hammer Anvil Serial Numbers

20.07.2019

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You are here: Home / 180 LB. Vulcan Anvil: “The Restoration. Tandy deskmate download. The telltale arm and hammer indicate it is a Vulcan anvil. Found an anvil, have a few questions about it. Throw that serial number up on. I just bought this arm and hammer, anvil. Mr Postman refers to the Arm& Hammer as.

80 Pound Arm And Hammer Anvil
Arm And Hammer Anvil Value
Arm And Hammer Anvil Serial Numbers

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Hot Rolled
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Found an anvil, have a few questions about it
I finally found an anvil on craigslist, bought it and have some questions about it I was hoping someone could shed some light on.
I have a hard time making the logo out but I think it is a Trenton. It is a 125lb, and serial number of 202270 stamped on the foot, both weight in pounds and serial number are stamped in the base. It bounces a 3/4' ball bearing very well, coming up ~80% or more of original height. The top is flat, but the top and base aren't very close to parallel, off maybe 1/4' or more.
My main question is it looks like the top was actually welded on at the waist, weld beads on the front and back, but the logo goes over the joint line makes me think it was welded from the factory.
Picture of the welded section, this is on the front and back of the anvil
Thanks for any help on the ID of my new anvil,
Ryan
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I believe the later Trenton anvils were factory welded together and lightly stamped with the logo. Also on these late anvils they used an X instead of an N in the logo. Looks right to me. Ed.
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That is a very clean and crisp looking anvil..doesn't appear to have been used much at all. Great find.
Stuart
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Looks to be in great shape, nice clean top.
The iforgeiron site will probably have info for you: Blacksmithing Forum I Forge Iron
I wouldn't worry about the top not being exactly parallel to the base, you can level it when you make a stand for it, or just adjust your hammering technique. Blacksmithing is a pretty forgiving way of moving metal Here's my stand, 1' plate on 1X3' tubing legs, sections of angle welded to plate at corners. The anvil is glued down with 3M 5200, which will release it with a torch (maybe). Right now you can lift the anvil and the stand will come up too
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Originally Posted by atomarc
That is a very clean and crisp looking anvil..doesn't appear to have been used much at all. Great find.
I agree with Stuart. This anvil has such crisp corners on it, you might want to relieve the rear up by the horn just a tad. I only say that as most smiths prefer a slightly rounded back edge to work off. If you are not familiar or uncomfortable with this, leave it as-is and be safe with a nice anvil with crisp edges. Most smiths also prefer the rest of the edges to be crisp as yours are. At least this is speaking for the smiths I know, arguably only a dozen or so..
Very nice anvil. Clean it up and it will be a fine tool. Don't worry about the top/base being parallel, what you care about is how flat it is and how square the corners are. Horn is in great shape also. If it bothers you, you can take a belt sander to the bottom of the anvil to bring the top/bottom parallel, but don't touch the top at all, just clean it. I would just mount it on a stump and level the stump, I wouldn't do anything to the anvil in regards to top/bottom. Just put it on stump and level it up for yourself.
I have a similar condition Hay Budden 128#. I don't use it much and have another 160# in good shape but not nearly as nice as the 128#. The previous owner who possibly bought it new softened the trailing edge just behind the horn. I don't use the 128# much as it is in such good shape, but if I didn't have the 160# I would use it more.
Compare your anvil to some with rolled edges and swayed backs and you will appreciate what you have. Although, that said, contours are good for forging stuff also..
Cheers,
Alan
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I think the logo says PEXTO,for what it's worth. A good brand in sheet metal equipment. I suppose their anvils would be good,too. I wouldn't worry about the base being parallel either. Fit it to a slanted stump till the top is parallel. That's all that matters. If the top isn't parallel,you'll be striking lots of 'cat faces'on your work. Make the height of the anvil face the height of your arm hanging down with a fist. Make your hammer handles so that when you hold up your fore arm with the hammer head grasped in your hand,with your fingers curved vertically over the head,the handle reaches to the bottom of your elbow. I hope this makes sense.
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I think you will find that the fist high anvil height will be too low for most work done by smiths today. It is OK for heavy work with big hammer or strikers but for most lighter work you will be bending over all the time.
Bob
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I purchased a 172# Trenton off of craigslist earlier this year. According to my serial # it was made sometime in the 1920s. Mine has seen considerable use. I wish I could have gotten the 1' cold chisel that was used on it. There were hundreds of marks from the chisel on top and sides, all showing a very nice sharp edge.
Yours looks much newer and in almost pristine shape. At the time I bought mine and was researching it there were a number of ads from old catalogs on EBAY. The pages could be downloaded and magnified to show great detail. Unfortunately I don't see them listed now.
I rigged up my Bader Spacesaver belt grinder as a stroke sander and cleaned up the top. I know most people say to leave it alone but I want to use it, not just look at it and wonder what the previous owner was doing.
Enjoy your anvil.
MT6
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Originally Posted by blcksmth
I think you will find that the fist high anvil height will be too low for most work done by smiths today. It is OK for heavy work with big hammer or strikers but for most lighter work you will be bending over all the time.
I don't know about that, I do keep my anvil at that height and find that if you're forging for longer periods, say 8-10 hours, you will find that if you do not have the height set properly it's easy to stretch your shoulder/back muscles and be left in some real pain. It really does pay to take your time and spend time learning how to swing a hammer properly, if you want to learn how to forge metal properly.
When the anvil is fist high, your forearm should be parallel to the anvil surface when the hammer strikes the work. If I am not like that and swinging from the outside or twisting my hand, it's easy for me to throw my shoulder/back out after an extended period of forging. I think all of our mileage varies, and some folks just never find themselves forging for long periods like that so maybe it doesn't matter. Similar with a woodworking workbench height, some like the bench a bit lower if they are doing a lot of hand planing, but it's much more comfortable up higher for many tasks. If the anvil is too high it leads to some problems also. This is how I was taught, and some of it I did have to figure out the hard way by evaluating why/how I had hurt my shoulder/back.
Cheers,
Alan
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I just know what the blacksmith shop in Williamsburg does. They are highly expert smiths,and much of the work they do is light stuff such as products to sell in the museum shops,though they also do much heavier work such as curved carriage axles,parts for the 18th.C. fire engine we made,etc. Whatever comes along. I made the patterns for their period anvils,treadle lathe,etc.,so had much association with them over many years.
No comment about the PEXTO logo?
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I see a clear 'TRE' at the beginning of the diamond shaped logo, so I am going with the Trenton ID. That is also consistent with the welded waist and the serial number. I believe the Trentons had a cast iron base welded to a steel top. Either way, that's one pretty anvil.
Throw that serial number up on Iforgiron and someone will look up the date for you.
I favor the fist level anvil height myself. I haven't had any back issues from forging, but a higher anvil aggravates my wrist and elbow because I can't get as full a swing with the hammer.
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I know Pexto made stake anvils for working sheet metal but I didn't know they made blacksmith anvils. Could be?
Originally Trenton anvils were imported to the US from Germany (Hermann Boker) and maybe England. Later they were produced in the US by the Columbus Forge and Iron Company(CF&I). CF&I also had the Indian Chief and Buel post vise lines but kept the Trenton name for the anvils when they started production. CF&I often welded their anvil tops to cast bases which they purchased from another foundry. Easy to see how they could get a bit out of square using this manufacturing method. I'm not sure why CF&I started using an X in the logo..could have been for seconds? Ed.
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Originally Posted by fciron
I see a clear 'TRE' at the beginning of the diamond shaped logo, so I am going with the Trenton ID. That is also consistent with the welded waist and the serial number. I believe the Trentons had a cast iron base welded to a steel top.
You are absolutely correct, this is a Trenton anvil for all the reasons you state.
Here's a Trenton logo on an anvil.
Cheers,
Alan
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So it's not really an 'X' in the logo, but a stylized 'N'. Cool.
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Originally Posted by fciron
So it's not really an 'X' in the logo, but a stylized 'N'. Cool.
Yes, it's kinda odd.
Originally Posted by fciron
I favor the fist level anvil height myself. I haven't had any back issues from forging, but a higher anvil aggravates my wrist and elbow because I can't get as full a swing with the hammer.
BTW, I just wanted to comment that my shoulder/back problems were really my own fault. As I tired, I started to swing with an outside arc. Interesting to note that I realized the answer reading an old army or government document on blacksmithing. They described the hammer swing as being in 3 parts 1) full arm motion, 2) elbow/forearm, 3) wrist. The later is important as you should snap your wrist properly. When the anvil is too high it put a crimp on that last snap also, that could have an effect. Very similar to an improper golf swing or tennis swing or I would imagine even a bad baseball swing with the bat, all of these motions have a lot in common with each other.
That said, it really matters what one is forging, if you have a striker, etc..
That above anvil will be a beauty after it's cleaned up, I hope the OP posts a pic after the fact.
Cheers,
Alan
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That three part swing description is very apt. It made a big difference in my forging when I learned it, better control and more power. Of course, years of practice didn't hurt either.
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Setting anvil height is often related to the size of work. Large stock and/or using struck tools requires a lower setting; small work done primarily with a hand hammer will tolerate more height. Aside from being related to the smith's arm rather than a machine, this concept is no different from the stroke daylight required on power hammers or presses. An adjustable anvil stand is most useful to accomplish this if multiple anvils are not available.
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Originally Posted by blcksmth
I think you will find that the fist high anvil height will be too low for most work done by smiths today. It is OK for heavy work with big hammer or strikers but for most lighter work you will be bending over all the time.
Bob
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AMEN Brother ...
I like to joke that whoever first said 'Fist high', was misinterpreted, .. and actually said 'Wrist high'.
Your personal body build also has a lot to do with what's a comfortable height for you.
Personally, .. being 6'2', and having a 'barrel chest', ( and belly ) I like all my work surfaces 36' to 42' high.
Being 'hunched over' tends to 'wear me out', much quicker than any other factor.
Decades ago, I worked in a shop that had a WWII era poster on the wall, that said 'Patriots Stand Erect'.
I have no idea about the original context of that proclamation, .. but I've never forgotten it's universal wisdom.
.
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At least the Trenton logo is stamped clearer. Very peculiar X shaped N.
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Thanks for all the info on the anvil and stand height guys. As requested I'll post a picture or two when it gets cleaned up and a stand made for it when I get some downtime.

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Arm And Hammer Anvil Value

The clang of a heavy hammer against the steel body of a dense blacksmith anvil is a sound that resonates through history. In use since the ancient world, working with and forging metals is a practice that still has a prominent place in culture, from the farrier working a horseshoe for a young mare to a craftsman working metal for a hand-crafted piece of art. Historically, the larger and denser an anvil is the more dynamic a tool it is in the forging process, providing the sizable inertia needed to transfer energy through and effect the shape of metal. An anvil today typically has the same design as centuries ago and features a horn for bending and curving metal, a step for cutting metal, and a plate for flattening and smoothing metal. A small blacksmith anvil can be as long as a few inches and serves as an ideal work surface for tinsmithing, working with brass, and creating jewelry pieces. Collectors, too, might have an interest in a vintage blacksmith anvil to use as a display in a shop or even as a working tool. Any and all options are available through the wide range of blacksmith anvil inventories on eBay so you can be sure to find a classic piece of forging history for your workshop.