ANVIL or Anvil Shaped Object

Vevor sent out the little 30 kg two horn anvil to take a look at.
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Blacksmithing and related activities can be hazardous. These videos are not a substitute for competent professional instruction. Your safety is your sole responsibility. Always use appropriate safety equipment including eye and ear protection when working in the shop. Follow manufactures safety guidelines for the use of all equipment. In the event something shown in one of these videos seems unsafe, it is up to you to make the appropriate changes to protect yourself.t yourself.

[@shon9425]

I have been slowly learning blacksmithing and some casting methods and such and these videos have been the most helpful to me, keep up the good work.

[@BlackBearForgeII]

Glad to help

[@paulregner5335]

Where I live there are a few farriers that are aging out of the trade and retiring. They sometimes sell their equipment, but they know what it's worth and often want top dollar. It looks like this might be a good option for someone like myself that's just starting out. Thank you for an impartial and thorough evaluation! 👍

[@herweirdoo0904]

You might be better off buying those high quality old anvils. Those are usually a buy once cry once deal

[@joshschneider9766]

​@@herweirdoo0904farriers anvils tend to have a narrow working face which will limit you to smaller work

[@maxtrehus602]

Ive been using this anvil for the last 3 years as a hobby blacksmith and its ate everything ive thrown at it, forged 2lb hammers on it with no issue. Probably getting close to the upper limit of what it can do forging the hammers though. Great video as always John

[@erikcourtney1834]

There pretty good anvils. Great starter anvil or a good anvil to teach on. Letting a beginner smith or my kids use my 1923 wrought iron anvil is gut wrenching. Letting them use a cheaper functional anvil is much safer.

[@TingTingalingy]

Agree

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Great addition to the reviews on this anvil thanks John

[@benjhind]

I've got the 100lb version and the biggest cons are the paint and the useless pritchel hole. Definitely best bang for the buck where I am, and I'm happy with it.

[@pjamestx]

Special guest appearance: hook of the week!

[@Vikingwerk]

I have the same pattern anvil under another name, and can confirm every point you made, a little light for bigger projects, and not having it secured to the floor makes every project a game of ‘chase the anvil’ But if you lock it down, and only do smaller projects, it is pretty good for the price.

[@nicksmith7314]

I have this same anvil and it is great I have had it for 2 years

[@FarmsteadForge]

I was around this anvil for the first time a couple days ago and I was quite impressed with it for being a budget anvil. The horn wasn't my favorite but for the price you can definitely get over that! Thanks for the review, I appreciate how you explained the rebound.

[@TingTingalingy]

I got mine when they were still $75 and I agree. I can overlook needing to completely dress the horn. Been hammering on it ever since

[@RegularJohntv]

Watching this, and a previous video on a five hundred dollar budget blacksmith’s tool list. You give me the impression I might be able to pull it off. Great work sir👍.

[@robmarshallofficial]

Awesome video as always and explains a lot about what a good and bad anvil should be

[@brianfalls5038]

Hey there John. I happen to have one of those Acciaio anvils. Mine happens to be the 60 kg(132 lbs) anvil and I got a pretty good deal on it. I'm just now starting up doing blacksmithing projects but so far that anvil is standing up ok to what punishment I'm putting it thru. All in all I think it's a good starter anvil for those of us that are just getting into the forging profession.

[@erichammer5502]

I picked up the 88lb (or so) version of this anvil last Black Friday, after seeing Old Hickory Forge's review of it, and I am really pretty happy with it. I have only been at blacksmithing for about a year, but the difference between this model and my old 50 lb HF from about 20 years ago is really noticeable. The main thing that annoys me is that the hardy and pritchel holes are right on top of the bolt hold downs, so they aren't as useful for knocking e.g. a stuck punch out as the bottom of the punch often hits the bolt. Still, for the money they are great! I don't have a permanent shop spot for mine yet, so an 88 lb anvil attached to a 50 lb stump is plenty to lug out and back, and the surface is nice. I did have a tiny bit of bondo in mine, but only a little on the underside, less than 1/8" or so. After my proper shop gets done this summer I am going to try and get a decent 200+ pounder, but honestly for my purposes this little one works well enough I don't feel myself in a rush. So very nice for beginners, or those who don't do a lot of serious full time blacksmithing I would guess. Thanks for the review John, and all the wonder tutorial videos! You have been a huge inspiration. I made a new shed latch with my 6 year old daughter just the other day based on things she and I have seen you do, and it was a great time. She's a fan too, so thanks again!

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

I have the same anvil I love it just got into black smithing I made a pair of tongs on it no problem 👍

[@phillean]

Another very useful video, thanks.

[@KeithSkates]

I got the 40k version to start my shop with, and it's been amazing for me. I haven't anchored my stand to the floor yet, because I haven't figured out exactly where it works out best for me, and I'm still looking for a better piece of lumber than my current 9 pieces of 4x4's lag-bolted together.

[@SonoraSlinger]

I've been looking for a good stump. Here in the desert we have lots of hard mesquite, trick is it's so twisty and turny. Not easy to fin a straight stump.

[@bobvines00]

John, since you mentioned dressing a new anvil, here goes: How do _you_ recommend dressing a new anvil? I.e., what radii do you recommend? Do you recommend tapered radii on different edges? Etc., etc.!

[@melgross]

Great review. I have the 132 lb black model. The horn shape is closer to the one on your large anvil, more of the European style. No real defects worth talking about. Yeah, the Prichel hole is in a bad spot, and is too big, way too big. But though someone else on KZbin said that they weren’t in those places because of the mounting holes, obviously they’re wrong. Whoever came up with the idea was more interested in having mounting holes than a proper Prichel hole and saved money by making them, and the Hardy holes in the same operation as the mounting holes. Ok, no big deal. I made a piece that fit in the Hardy hole, also large, that gave me a 5/8” Prichel hole and a flat surface. Otherwise, this is a pretty good anvil.

[@daveharper5655]

I’ve been watching your videos since well before you had 5000 subscribers, I’m happy that you have grown so much. I haven’t watched enough over the last while but I will make my way back to your channel. Your videos are an inspiration to me and so many people, it’s amazing how many lives you’ve touched. You are the kind of person that the world needs more of and less bs. Thank you very kindly for your time and effort over the years.

[@douglasfathers4848]

Hi John they are a good anvil mate , I have the next size up for my grandson and I find I use it a lot when he not in the work shop . 👌👍🤠.

[@SquirrelsForAll]

I have the 135 lb version and it's not bad. Some day I'll have a Fontanini.😀

[@CausticPuffin]

A good friend of mine and both started smithing around the same time, 2.5-3 years ago. We both have one of these. For a beginner, I don’t think you could start on a better anvil. You have to be very conscious of heat and mass management, mainly do to the anvil’s light weight. Great video!

[@The_Smith]

Great review John, that is a nice little bigornia, not that I'd want to trade my 260 lb pre-Confederation Mousehole for one, but I'd bet our ancestors a 1000 plus years ago would have loved to have it!

[@brysonalden5414]

Thanks for the review. If that hole in the horn is intended to be used as a pritchel hole it is unfortunately located! If it's just there to bolt the anvil down, so be it, but HF's new cast steel anvil actually has a usable pritchel hole, and if I were in the market for a smaller anvil that would be my choice. Odd that HF actually has a decent anvil now!

[@BlackBearForgeII]

I think it's only practical function is bolting sown the anvil. I did see some reviews on that other anvil and it looks interesting.

[@devilsanus3510]

$259 for the 130 lb anvil is not a bad buy for a guy on a budget. I know Roy over at christ centered iron works did acouple of videos on how to improve them.

[@TheFoleyForge]

I like my vevor anvil........ except for the fact the hardy hole is crap and is full of steel that makes it unusable.

[@deryiousbarzee627]

Good morning

[@BlackBearForgeII]

Morning

[@regobertoaguilar6293]

Thank you for your video.

[@ericcartrette6118]

Great review! I bought that same anvil to have something light to take to shows. I haven't even dressed the edges yet. Is that a nice new post vise I see in the background?

[@BlackBearForgeII]

It is, there should be a video on that in a few weeks over on the black bear forge channel.

[@rickyricardo3551]

I have the 88lb model, and the biggest problem I noticed with it was how rough the hardy hole was done. It needed to be cleaned out to fit a tool, and the hole is also slightly over size . But other than that for Cheap anvil it works ok and like you said it is quite a but nicer to work with compared to some railroad track , the biggest thing to look for are defects since vevor doesn't and the customer is the quality control dept . In my experience I had to return two anvils before I got one in good Enough condition to keep.. Great video

[@steveRBForge]

I think Vevor cherry picked your anvil. Mine had about a third of the rebound yours has and had big voids in the horn.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Great video John and good information on what to look for. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.

[@johnjude2685]

Love for you or someone to simply put a 3/4"bearning inside a plastic tube and give it, and it's compatible with the Chinese Red model of Harbor Freight. Myself that Preacher hole is an improvement location, and my hold down will rotate any direction that will make it work great! Thanks John Switzer

[@SnareX]

I got the 66lbs version. Beats the cast iron block I was using before by a mile

[@SnareX]

I don't like the hole placement

[@400yearoldvampire9]

Man, right tools for job are so important. Made knife out of coil spring on 3 inch steel plate as anvil, hardened cut nail in half as a test with barely visible dent, but it was hell getting to shape of knife...

[@011CJ]

I have used the same Aso for many years. i have considered buying one of their largest anvils, but mine still works great, and i want a large older one with history behind it 👍

[@வெங்கடேசன்-ள1ஞ]

நான் தமிழ்நாடு நீங்க சொல்வது கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சம் புரிகிறது காசில்லாதவர் சின்ன பொருட்களை வாங்கி பழகிக் கொள்ளவும் என்று சொல்கிறீர்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்

[@GeorgeStreet-m8c]

I have both an American made quality anvil and the one you're reviewing, all I can say is that you get what you pay for!

[@jairusvanberg5687]

I bought this for my first anvil, I’m excited to start working metal!

[@torpemonguz]

Great video.. very helpfull! Thank You!

[@sladoeii]

What I found is that mine appeared to be induction hardened. The outer skin is hard, but the hardness didn't go very deep. This resulted in it picking up a lot of dents I wasn't expecting it to. Also, the slightly misshapen hardy makes fitting a hardy stem an exercise in patience. Still great bang for the buck, though.

[@sladoeii]

@@Grauenwolf nah, one of the walls bulges in, so it takes a lot more work to get it to fit both snugly and be able to be rotated.

[@richerworldproductions]

I had this other tiny anvil that did not work well, so my son bought me THIS exact Anvil for Father's Day. My work has improved 1000%. For a budget friendly Entry Level Anvil, i would recommend it to anyone!

[@zakarysiders2020]

Just a random sidenote: I like the new glasses.

[@DIYToPen]

Sick I'm waiting for my vevor anvil to arrive rn. 60kg one

[@SonoraSlinger]

I have this exact anvil. I ad it for a few years now and it's been a hard worker for me. Harbor freight just came out with a very similar anvil, they just put the pritchel on the anvil face. Which makes me want one!

[@SchysCraftCo.]

John great video review this anvil. Hopefully u get great use out of it for many years to come my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Forge On. Fab On. Weld On. Keep Forge lit. Keep Making. God Bless.

[@hkhunter1]

Thanks I will check them out

[@bunyanforgings7849]

Hi John. Best explanation l've heard for rebound and it's importance. I bought the 44 pounder about 5 years ago when these anvils started appearing on the market. Just FYI, the specs on the anvil say it is cast out of C45 steel. Doesn't look like the casting has improved much in that time. Cheers.

[@Rowganlife]

ive got 135lb one, it seems good to me (a total noob)

[@AkaedatheLogtoad]

Fantastic content. Everything i ever learned about working with my hands came from men like you. And I appreciate all of you.

[@kuriakos]

Appreciate the review. Even knowing this was your honest opinion, I still have trouble understanding how these could be so cheap without some kind of QC issue.

[@hollisbarels3484]

I was very pleased with how in depth you went into the real review of this anvil! Ive been looking forward to start blathsmithing at home for the first time. All of your videos are so helpful, and are much appreciated to a future beginner :)

[@johnbloom1109]

Love your content John! Anvil shaped object is a funny term that has sprung about. The majority of anvils in Medieval Europe, ancient Japan, and the rest of the world were just square blocks of steel for thousands of years. China had a popular anvil design that looked like a loaf of bread haha.

[@gurvinderkaur6996]

Hello sir. Nice to talk to u after a long time.Nice anvil. Rebound concept well explained, 👍🔥

[@thefarfiles]

I have a similar anvil. I've worked 100's of pounds of steel with it. It's held up for several years.

[@farmerboy916]

What tempts me a bit more and makes me more curious about the quality are the Atlas knife and tool anvils; not quite this level of $/lb, but seemingly still good value compared to other new manufacture anvils.

[@Aco747lyte]

That's such a sweet little anvil! Originally, I wanted a model of yours Fontanini but no-go, so I went to Germany and bought a rare Ernst Refflinghaus Anvil, a 460 lb, South German #58 with its custom stand. Getting the blue off your anvil will make it look much better. I like the rebound that ball-bearing made when you dropped it, a very good sign. Oh, I really loved this video so much that I added to my Playlist made of your vids. Thank you so much and God bless, Wendi 🌻

[@glencrandall7051]

I am a woodworker but an anvil can come in handy on occasion. This one would probably do very well. 🙂🙂

[@j.m.k.3406]

Thank ya John, I've been bouncing this anvil idea around As I am a fan of your channel, your opinion is valued.

[@briantremblay9157]

Hi John, as you know, I am a beginner but have over 200 hours in the shop now, I made a good little anvil from a railroad track, but now find I need a real anvil. I bought a 55lbs Vevor cast iron anvil with a 4.1 inch work space for $100cdn did I make a mistake with cast iron being on a budget?

[@BlackBearForgeII]

The Vevor anvils should be cast steel and are a fairly good anvil especially at that price. It should be a good next upgrade

[@briantremblay9157]

@@BlackBearForgeII Well I thought I was buying the cast steel, but when I read in the fine print from the seller it was in fact cast iron... :( I tried to cancel the order but they said it had already been shipped. Good thing there is a 30 day money back policy on it. I didn't have to pay shipping it was $114 after taxes. After I realized what I bought, i looked up videos on cast iron and was not happy with what I found. oh well live and learn. I will save up for the Vevor 66lbs cast steel. In Canada it comes to $240cdn.

[@hulkthedane7542]

👍👍👍

[@Duckrabbit_Forging]

I'm not a big fan of where the pritchel hole is on this pattern of anvil, and will probably be getting the new harbor freight anvil, but I might eventually get one of these, probably the 10kg variant for a small bench top anvil

[@BlackBearForgeII]

I think that hole is really only there to help in bolting it down, pretty useless as a pritchel hole.

[@Tammy-un3ql]

👍👍👍

[@jeffreymiller9706]

I would love to know how perfectly flat your BIG anvil is...I bought a used one and the top is not level. Thanks for freely sharing your knowledge and expertise with us newbies.

[@BlackBearForgeII]

Perfectly flat, although over time it will start to show signs of use.

[@jeffreymiller9706]

@@BlackBearForgeII can I resurface mine? To clean it up or should I just leave it? It's a nice 135# Peter Wright.

[@BlackBearForgeII]

@@jeffreymiller9706 You can build the face up with hard surface welding rod. Its lots of work to do the job right and you may be better off using it as is. There should be information online describing the procedure.

[@DemonsRage83]

Harbor Freight just put out their own cast steel anvil. Almost identical except that it's RED instead of blue and the pritchel hole is in a better location. Roughly the same price. Give it a look!

[@cmleoj]

Vevor has another version that’s twice the size. Decent price.

[@tijlaerts]

Since they sent it to you personally to review i'd assume they picked out a good one. I've heard reports of there being so much bondo material that the anvil is 20-25% lighter than advertised because of it.

[@mercoid]

That is such a high percentage that it is rather hard to believe even for a company manufacturing to the very lowest standards imaginable. 10 to 15% of the advertised weight I can reasonably believe, but not that much.

[@davetymchyn9072]

Is that a Kanca leg vise in the back? I’d love to see a review on that. I’ve been thinking of buying their 6” one for a while now. Can never find a review on them. Love your videos by the way. Hope all is well

[@BlackBearForgeII]

It is. You can look for that video on April 16th on the main Black Bear Forge channel

[@Hazama27]

I think this is the exact kind of anvil I got and it appears to be rusting already after less than a year, even over the painted area. I guess I'll try taking the rust off and keep it oiled between uses.

[@michaelbeliveau2194]

Humid environment?

[@Hazama27]

@@michaelbeliveau2194 It's currently outside in a rickety metal shed, so I'm sure it gets plenty humid.

[@ozarkscarguy540]

Was that a walnut anvil stand?

[@BlackBearForgeII]

Yep, Just because it was handy. I probably won't leave it on there

[@ozarkscarguy540]

I need to get some blocks for my bigger post leg vice and anvils. I run a sawmill and have a ton of cut offs. I was actually just thinking how I should use walnut for my anvils. Other than cost, which isn't issue for me, it's a great option.

[@En-Pea-Sea]

This is the size anvil to mount to the back of a truck that a Ferrier would use. Thanks for the review!

[@CoyoteFallsForge]

That's the anvil I've got - like you said, best I could afford. Mine has more of a shark nosed shape on the horn, which is annoying. I used a flap disc to get rid of the blue paint (mine was not cured, and left sticky blue crud on everything it touched!) and smooth the finish on the horn, then I hit it with some LocTite rust inhibitor everywhere but the face and the horn to protect it. I mounted it on a square of 9 of 4x4's bolted together with allthread and made a pretty sturdy stand for it. It's been a surprisingly good anvil for the three years I've been blacksmithing and will probably continue to be even after I'm able to upgrade to larger and better anvils - i'll keep it around for smaller jobs, or as a portable anvil if I should ever need to take my show on the road for any reason.

[@censusgary]

A review sponsored by the company selling the anvil? At least you admit that’s what it is.

[@pressurechangerecord]

Made in China.

[@deanrantz1112]

Hey get with the times.....The new Anvil on the Block is the HF- Doyle 😄

[@BlackBearForgeII]

😂