Peter Wright Anvil & Edge Importance

[tippit]

Ray Hammond called me last night and said he'd found a Peter Wright anvil in Boston.  Since I'll be in Aiken for the winter and on the Bacon Strip (hog lease next to Ray's Hog Heaven), I said I'd be glad to pick it up for him.  Only problem was the sides were all chipped with no clear unharmed edges!  The top surface was OK with some pitting and the horn wasn't dinged up.  Since Ray was willing to part with $250, I called him and no deal.  The young fellow was very nice but knew nothing about anvils.  It was in his grandfather's garage and he just want to get rid of it.  He had also lost his job.  I said maybe it was worth $100 but the edges needed to be bead welded & re-ground.  

He asked if I wanted it for $100...no I already had two.  Then he said how about $80.  I really didn't want it but knew I could get it fixed at the NH ABANA work shop perhaps even donate it them.  So I came home with it, gave Ray another call to see if he wanted it for $80 to make sure I wasn't messing him up.  

Well, I have another project...tippit

   

   

[kuch]

you stole it !

[KHALVERSON]

113 # peter wright for $80
i wish id gotten mine that cheap
nice score  even if it needs a little work

[akaboomer]

That will do. Glad to hear Ray is getting an anvil. Could not go to a nicer guy.

Chris

[Lamey]

nice one,  its actually not that bad.  The ones that are hard to re condition are the ones with CHUNKS missing.

[tippit]

Unfortunately there are no original edges to use.  They are all dinged or chipped. If you try to smooth them out, you'll have too large of a radius.   I think the only way is to weld a bead around it and the grind the edges back.

[tippit]

This is for Ray:

The picture of the anvil can be deceiving.  This is a close up of the Wright anvil edges.  They are chipped like this all the way around as they have All been hit directly with hammer blows.

   

Here is a picture of my Swedish anvil's edges.  They are square with a very slight radius.  It apparently had been worked by a Smith that understood the the need to protect them.  Both anvils had been worked hard but I'm sure the original owner of the Swedish anvil was a very good Smith who appreciated the value of his anvil.  I actually think about him at times I'm working it        

I use my edges all the time in shaping my blades.  The Wright's current edges are unusable/unacceptable for my style of forging without squaring them up.  I still remember Ed Caffrey saying "treat your anvil like it's glass".  When I first started I couldn't comprehend what that comment meant.  I'd be lost without a good anvil or even one that gave me 4" of good edge.  Edges don't chip working hot steel on them but they don't stand up to a direct cold hammer blow...tippit


   

[amar911]

Jeff, I'm sure with any repairs you do on the anvil, you will do a "Bang Up" job. Those edges have definitely suffered anvil abuse! Hope you can bring that beautiful piece of metal back to life.

Allan

[tippit]

Just an example of what a nice anvil edge can do.  Here are three blades that angle where the blade is drawn down from the handle was all created by hammering it on the anvil's edge.  Granted these were polished at finish but they were not ground in.  To get that clean of an indent you need a nice edge.  

With all the great bladesmiths here, I feel a little funny harping about this...tippit

Jason Knight MS blade:

 

Burt Foster MS blade:

   

Tippit PS (peon smith) blade: