Smart Buyer's Guide: Used Anvils - Avoid Rip-offs, Find Value.
New blacksmiths or tool enthusiasts often find it challenging to assess used anvils, which can lead to overpaying for subpar quality. This resource (an e-book, newsletter, or video course) would help them identify problematic brands, like cast-iron Vulcans with thin steel faces, as mentioned in the discussion. It would also cover how to spot critical damage such as chipped edges, delamination, and severe wear, understand fair pricing based on condition, and recognize good budget alternatives, like new cast steel Vevor anvils. This empowers buyers to make smarter choices and save money. The revenue would come from sales of the guide or course.
Origin Reddit Post
r/blacksmith
Is this a good deal? $450
Posted by u/Brilliant-Hornet-579•06/01/2025
Top Comments
u/Inside-Historian6736
That anvil is pretty darn mangled. In general $4/Ib is a pretty good target to shoot for when they are in okay to decent shape. That anvil might be 100ibs but I would be doubtful and it is in
u/Mr_Emperor
Leave the anvil, take the tongs.
u/alriclofgar
This would be a pass imo. The edges are very chewed up, as often happens with this manufacturer; it was a budget-brand anvil when it was new, and it’s now damaged so severely that you won’t b
u/RacerX200
IMHO, no. Vulcan anvils were rather cheap cast-iron anvils that then had a hard steel coating on the outside. The coating is rather thin and is easily worn thru or damaged. The edge damage in
u/Dizzy-Friendship-369
I second that a vevor 112 lb for $200
u/TheLavaTinker
No. I'd get a vevor!
u/Witty_Fox6043
No. They are roughly 4$ a pound in good shape. That one Is beat to hell.
u/boogaloo-boo
Not at all lovingly:
Vulcans are as good as harbor freight anvis
The cast steel is not very good
u/Abbeykats
Nope, Vulcans are on the lower end and that one is beat to shit. If you could get a decent deal on the tongs though they could be worth it.
u/not_a_burner0456025
It also looks quite small, you could probably buy a brand new vevor of the same size for less, and that cast steel body is going to perform way better than the cast iron of a delaminated Vulc
u/alriclofgar
It’s hard to tell from this photo, but the tongs don’t look particularly great either imo. They’re better than nothing, but not what I would choose.
u/3rd2LastStarfighter
As working tools? No.
As antiques? Probably also no.