TIL my $40 anvil was a fancy paperweight the whole time

Picked up a so-called anvil from a garage sale in Dayton last spring, thought I scored a deal for $40. It had that nice ring when I tapped it, so I bolted it to my stump and started hammering. Three projects in, I noticed my material was mushrooming but not really moving, and the face was getting dinged up worse than my blows. Turns out it was cast iron meant for a jewelry bench or decorative use, not actual forging. I lost $40 and about six hours of hard work before I finally googled the manufacturer mark. Has anyone else bought junk that looked legit, and did you figure it out before or after you wrecked something?

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markh8528d ago

Pro tip from someone who learned the hard way: bring a magnet and a file next time. Cast iron won't spark and files bite into it like butter. Real anvils are hard enough to skate a file right off. And check the rebound test before you hand over cash, drop a ball bearing from chest height, good anvil bounces it back most of the way. That $40 lesson stings but it beats ruining a project halfway through.