Wasted $150 on a cheap anvil from a flea market

Picked up a so-called 'vintage' anvil at a flea market in Columbus for $150. Looked fine until I tried to use it and realized the face was way too soft, dents everywhere after one hit. Anyone else get burned on a bad anvil deal and have tips for spotting fakes?

3 comments

3 Comments

nelson.wren17d ago

Flea markets are wild for that stuff. It's like people think because it's old and heavy it must be good. I've noticed that same pattern with tools in general lately. Everyone sees "vintage" and assumes it's quality when half the time it's just a beat up chunk of junk someone found in a barn. A real anvil should ring when you tap it, not thud. That hollow sound is a dead giveaway for soft iron or cast junk.

lee68917d ago

That trick saved me from buying a dud last summer. Found an anvil at an estate sale that looked perfect, but it thudded like a dead log when I tapped it. Walked away and found a real one the next week at a garage sale for half the price.

beth_park17d ago

My granddad had an old saying about flea market anvils: "If they price it like it's solid gold but it sits on a milk crate, walk away." I've seen people pay three hundred bucks for anvil-shaped boat anchors that couldn't hold an edge on a butter knife. The ring test works great, but I also check the horn for chipping and the face for any welded repairs. Have you ever run into one that was painted over to hide a hairline crack?