[TheForge] New Anvil!!

[Rick at Rafter Lazy C]

Hello  all  -

    I just had to gloat a little bit.  Last weekend the Illinois Valley
Blacksmith Assoc. had their get together at Pontiac, Il.  They always have a
good time there, and I don't make many meetings of any kind.  Happened to
get there though and am I glad I did.  There were tailgaters galore and I
was in my element.  Had a heck of a good time, and then, I happened to see
an anvil that caught my eye.  I have been looking for a wrought anvil for a
long time and this one, as I said caught my eye.

   Long story short, I bought it.  Brought it home, cleaned, wire brushed,
cleaned, wire brushed, etc. till I had it looking pretty good.  turned it
upside down and did it again.  Then put a good thick coat of black paint on
it.  (Still upside down, no paint on the face!)  The edges of the face were
chipped a bit, but rounding them took care of most of that.  Some one used
it for cutting with chisels (on the horn) and that is cut up quite a bit,
but I will have to learn to live with it.  Hopefully someday most of them
will be hammered out.  Not going to grind as it would take 1/16 inch or
maybe more to get them mostly out.  Don't want to take all that metal away.

    Looked it up in the book I got there (at Pontiac) a year or so ago.
'Anvils in America', by Richard Postman.  Excellent book, by the way.  Found
out it  is an Acme /Trenton.  Made by the Columbus Forge and Iron Co. who
made all the Trenton anvils.  This one, and many others, was made for sale
by Sears, Roebuck, and Co. and so the name on it is not Trenton, but Acme.
According to the book, and by the serial number, it was made in 1913, the
same as the 22 caliber rifle I have.

    Now for the wierd question.  Under the heel, (on the bottom side of it)
and right near the pritchel hole, is stamped a U.  Does anyone have any idea
what this would signify?  If you say it belongs to you, I am not going to
give it to U.  I can't find anything in the book about markings under the
heel.  Doesn't mean it isn't there, but if it is I can't find it.  Just
wondered what you guys thought.

    All the anvils I have worked on have been cast, and BOY does this ring
and have a great bounce-back.  The face is way harder than the cast anvils I
have worked on.  Really nice 100 pound anvil.  Bob Tuftee, if you listen in
here, thanks for having it for sale, I like it a lot.


 Rick Crawford at Rafter Lazy C
Home of Smoky Forge and Lem the Wonder Mule
email = rick at rafterlazyc.com
home page = http://www.rafterlazyc.com
forge page = http://www.smokyforge.com