Grizzly Anvils and Chinese ASO's
The world's ugliest anvils
ABOVE: A genuine Grizzly anvil photographed at SOFA in 2005.
When I photographed it I immediately thought this should be labeled the worlds ugliest anvil.
Grizzly tools sell these anvils with a lot of hype but they are honest and clearly state that these are made of cast iron.
Their price is fair for such a heavy door stop.
ABOVE: A photo of an anvil sold in China, by tool dealers world wide and on ebay.
Our source bought two of these anvils in China because they were VERY inexpensive there and says (from experience using them) they are junk cast iron anvils.
The problem is that many dealers are are now selling these as "steel" anvils, not the much cheaper, useless for an anvil, cast iron.
Besides lying about the materials they are made of they have ripped off Grizzly's pattern.
ABOVE: Three cast iron anvils photographed at a Carolina Farm Supply store.
We also did a formal rebound test on these using the same steel ball and ruler that I have tested dozens of anvils with.
They all had less rebound than the concrete floor they were setting on.
While these LOOK more like anvils than the Grizzly they are of no better quality.
They include a prominent feature found on many cast iron anvils and that is the face ledge.
This is to make the buyer THINK it has a tool steel top plate.
In fact real anvils with a plate are hard to find the line where the plate joins the body.
The small anvil is commonly sold as a jeweler's anvil. It too is cheap cast iron.
I was given this one as a joke gift. Since then the thick layer of putty making the body look smooth has flaked off in big chucks (without use).
ABOVE: This is yet another cheap cast iron anvil from China.
It was sold as having two pritchel holes and being of "professional quality".
The ebay dealer "intergratool" sold them for 99 cents with $20 non-refundable shipping.
Everything from the description to the deal was a flim-flam.
There is no shortage of cheap cast iron anvils in various styles.
With a very few exceptions they are sold using flattering unqualifiable terms and outright lies about their material.
Occassionaly they are sold for more than a good quality used anvil.
USED CAST IRON ANVIL!
ABOVE: The early 20th Century cast iron anvil that the Grizzly pattern is derived from.
The condition of this anvil is what you get with very little use doing actual forging on a cast iron anvil.
The large hole in one side is the result of a sand inclusion which is common in low quality castings.
Imagine how that thin ledge on the Grizzly and its look alikes is going to (not) hold up.
References and Links
Copyright
© 2008 Jock Dempsey, www.anvilfire.com
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