Subject: swage blocks

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 09 May 1996 09:11:33 -0700 (MST)

Thanks to all for the info posted here, I have learned alot.

I have been in contact with a local "antique" dealer who from time to 
time aquires blacksmithing tools. he called me last night to ask what 
swage blocks are worth, or should I say what our members would pay for them.
I would appreciate your input.  The one he has right now is 4in. 
thickx12in.sq. one corner is broken off (about 3in.) I was also wondering
what kind of price range for trip hammers? 25 & 50lb. especialy
on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being in top condition.

Thanks,  Rob Sadowski Pres.(not cuz I'm an able smith because I wasn't at 
that meeting) South Alberta Chapter  Western Canadian Blacksmiths' Guild

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From: Jim McCarty <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 08:44:04 -0500

> that meeting) South Alberta Chapter  Western Canadian Blacksmiths' Guild

Regardiong swage blocks, the prices on these have come down recently 
because there are a lot of new ones being cast that are real nice and 
not too expensive. Laurel Machine and Manufacturing in Mississippi 
makes a nice one for about $75 and Roger Lowrance usually has some at 
the regional conferences. I think he gets around $100 for them. The 
old swage blocks were made of pretty crummy stuff and most are damaged 
in sdome way or another. Centaur forge makes a set that is real nice, 
they get $125 each if memory serves me. Given the new ones floating 
around, I wouldn't give the dealer his due, so to speak. Of course 
none of this applies to the pair of swage blocks I have that I am 
asking $250 for because they belonged to Dan Yellin (Sam's long lost 
brother) himself. $200-250 seems to be the range for big old swage 
blocks in good shape unless you are talking to Bill Gichner.

Trip hammers really run the gammet. Sid Suedmeir will pay from $500 to 
$1,000 for a 50-pound Little Giant. When he gets done rebuilding it 
you can expect to pay around $3,000 for it. Fred Caylor told me he 
gets $2700 for a 25-pounder completely resotred (this after I sold him 
a rough one for $650.)

Seems to me you get what you pay for in tools. If you save some buying 
a rough hammer for example you might put the equivelant of a Sid or 
Fred hammer back into it.