Subject: strange anvil, what is it

From: [email-masked] (Roger Olsen)
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 06:17:36 -0800

>I recently bought a anvil that has no horn no heel or hardie hole.
>The face is 12.5" X 7" and is 13'' tall. It has Fisher on one end and
>1941 on the other. On one side is an eagle over a fouled anchor,
> it weights close to 400 lbs.
>Anybody know what it was used for or anything about this type of anvil?

>Travis

the type of anvil mentioned is known as a sawyers anvil, was a common anvil
in saw shops, but would be a nice addition to any blacksmith shop, i wish i
had one, that big broad flat face can be handy for a lot more than saw
blades.

r. olsen

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 10:24:20 -0500

>had one, that big broad flat face can be handy for a lot more than saw

   I have one of these also. This one has a face that is 6" x 10". It is 8"
high and tapers down to a base that is 7" x 12", and weighs 140lbs. This
one is marked 1883 on the side. This mark is part of the casting rather
than being stamped on later. This may be the patent date and not the date
of manufacture.
   According to a reprinted advertisement for Fisher & Norris in the back
of Jess Hawleys' book, The Blacksmith and His Art, the face is "one piece
crucible tool steel." The body is "solid piece gun iron alloy."
   It does not ring but has a decent rebound.

   Bob.

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From: Phil Plumbo <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 12:44:13 -0500

>high and tapers down to a base that is 7" x 12", and weighs 140lbs. ...

I'm curious to know how you would rate the hardness of the face.
I'd also like to know exactly what the sawyers used these for...

-Phil Plumbo

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 15:49:12 -0400

Bob

The base on mine is 17.5 X 12.5  and the 1941 is part of the casting.

Travis

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From: "Paul C. Sperbeck" <[email-masked]>
Date: 05 May 96 15:03:07 EDT

I have seen reference to the saw maker's hammers in Richardson 'Practical
Blacksmithing' and it may be that the large face provided support for the saw
blade when it was being straitened .  The fact hat the anvil is much harder than
expected may be related to the greater hardness of the saw blade.  
Regardless, any anvil is better than a flat rock

	Heard at every public Demo: "My grandfather was a blacksmith"
	Well, my grandfather was a blacksmith... and it didn't do me one damn bit
of good.

Paul Sperbeck
Waukesha, WI
UMBA

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From: Dave B <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 5 May 1996 17:35:06 -0500

At 15:03 5/5/96 EDT, you wrote:

(snip)
>	Well, my grandfather was a blacksmith... and it didn't do me one damn bit
Well said.

Dave Brown
Green Bay, WI
ABANA
UMBA
NRA
N-SSA
Dave B