Ed...for us non forgers can you tell the history of your new anvil...and will it "feel" different from your pearl harbor anvil?
I don't have the full history on the "new" anvil yet.... but I will make Jim tells me the whole story.
I know the first time I used it in his shop.... I fell in love. The overall "feel" when using it is very similar to my #300 Trenton, but because of the added size/mass/weight, it "rebounds" more of the energy you apply with the hammer into the work piece..... in short, you can get more work accomplished with less effort..... and as I get older, I'm all about that! For those who might not be aware, when it comes to quality anvils..... the old saying of "bigger is better" is really true.
The very first time I used it at Jim's shop, I told him that if he ever decided to get rid of it..... I wanted it. Of course that brought a smirk, and a look like "Not happening!" at the time, and honestly I didn't think Jim would ever let it go. I have to admit that when I saw what he was asking for it, I hesitated..... but my wonderful Mrs. (Cindy) made the comment I mentioned above (You'll never get this chance again), followed by.... "It's only money"...... I was out of excuses.
To be totally honest about it, I've only ever seen ONE Peter Wright anvil larger than this one (and it was in very poor condition, located in England, and it was not for sale) the fact that this one is the size/weight it is, coupled with the outstanding condition....... I'd have likely taken a second mortgage out on the house to get it if necessary. Jim is the person that I purchased Orange Crush (my 80 ton forging press) from several years ago..... I balked a bit at the cost of it then too.....but within a year of installing it in the shop, it had already paid for itself. I anticipate that this anvil will be the same..... it will pay for itself in increased production, and quality of work.
For those who don't know the story behind my #300 Trenton. It was delivered (brand new) to Pearl Harbor in 1929, and during a TDY there in 1994, I spotted it laying on it's side in a junk pile in the Civil Engineering compound. After frantically running around, trying to find whom was in charge of that junk pile, I was directed to a civilian worker who told me "The junk man will be here tomorrow to scrap it".
After some fast talking, he told me.... "Heck, if you can move it, you can have it.". I went and found three of the biggest guys who worked for me, we loaded it into an old Air Force panel van, and that night, drove it to the runway, where we were heading for home on a KC-135 tanker. I found the Aircraft Commander and told him what I had/needed to take home. He said "If you can get it up the ladder, and into the plane, we'll take it." Four at the top pulling on a chain, and two climbing the ladder pushing it upward, we got it aboard..... they laid out two 1/2 sheets of 3/4" plywood on the plane floor, we sat the anvil in the middle, strapped it down from 4 directions, and I literally rode the anvil home....from Hawaii to Montana. We arrived approx. 4:30am, and I called my Mrs., telling here to "bring the old ford truck". Her sleepy reply was "What did you do now?"
I can still see her driving around the a building to meet me, and when she saw what I had, she was just shaking her head. On the way home she exclaimed..... "Everybody else who goes to Hawaii brings home pineapples......but not you...... you had to bring home an anvil!" That's been 20+ years ago, and we still talk about it to this day. That's the kind of memories you just can't buy!
