Blew $200 on a fancy anvil that was total junk

I picked up this so-called 'hand forged' anvil from a guy on Facebook Marketplace six months ago. It looked great in the pictures, nice flat face and clean edges. Got it home and started using it, and within a week the face started chipping and denting like crazy. Paid $200 for it, which I thought was a steal for a 150 pound anvil. Turns out it was just cast iron with a cheap hardened plate welded on top. Now I'm back to using my beat up old railroad track anvil that my grandpa gave me, which works way better. Has anyone else gotten burned buying anvils online without testing them first?

3 comments

3 Comments

leehall15d ago

I bought a 'shop tested' welder once. It was held together with hopes and dreams.

angelarivera14d ago

@leehall Honestly, "shop tested" sometimes just means they made sure the power button worked and the ground clamp was attached. If a shop actually runs a bead on scrap metal before selling, that's a whole different level of trust. Most people who buy those just want a deal and don't plan on doing the kind of work that would expose the flaws anyway.

foster.jordan15d ago

Did you find out the hard way or did they at least give you a heads up about what was actually wrong with it? It's funny how "shop tested" can mean anything from "we plugged it in and it sparked" to "we rebuilt the whole thing". I always wonder if these shops even bother running a bead before slapping that sticker on it, or if they just check that the fan spins and call it a day. What did you end up finding when you finally opened it up?