I went to this auction

[john k]

Went to an auction with intent to buy an anvil.   Anvil turned out not so nice but bid it to $175, it was a Peter Wright.   Then I saw these vises, the small one is 4 inches and marked "Indian Chief", still has the crosshatch marks on the jaws, the bigger one is a five inch and quite heavy.   Neither has much wear, all parts present.  Plus a bucket of tools, one wrench is the JH Williams that I collect.   Plus a wood stove in good shape, spent about as much on gas as I did there, about $30.   First auction I've managed all year, it felt great. 

[skipskip]

Nice day for sure


what was the final $ per pound on the anvil??

[john k]

The anvil was 130#, the other guy got it for $180.  One edge of the table was chipped all to heck, it just wasn't any larger than my good Fischer anvil.

[skipskip]

$1.40 / lb for a rough  Peter Wright, good data point.

I would have passed too, I bet the other guy would have kept a goin

thanks

Skip

[rusty]

The Johnny Cash auction rule:

 "Know when to walk away, know when to run."

You did good tho :)

[Plyerman]

Nice! Looks like it was definitely a worthwhile trip John.

[Branson]

Two leg vises for $30 is courting for a you suck award!  My 6 inch came in at $50 twenty years ago (along with some tongs and a chain breaker) and I felt like I should have been wearing a mask.

[john k]

I guess I deserve that but, the vises were $15,  $7.50 each.   The local iron buyer bid the opener at $5, and I got them at the next jump up.   I did find a 6-inch blacksmith vise about 6 years ago in a junk shop.  Heaviest thing I've seen, weighs 122lbs.  Had to pay $20 for that one.   Most I ever paid for a vise was a six inch in a pawn shop,  was out of my head that day and paid $60, however it is pretty old, one can see the hammer forge marks on most of it, and the female screw/barrel is bronze,  also the bench mount is not like the usual plate, and is definitely forged,  mentioned it here before. 

[Branson]

I may have to hate you, John.  But before I decide, you got any ideas about a "nail punch" from around the mid-1800s?  I imagine it would have a square or rectangular business end on a 3/4 inch octagonal grip.  The grip dimension and octagonal is definite.

[john k]

Well, most modern nail punches or counter sinks seem to be in the 2.5-4 inch in length, but a 3/4 inch grip,  would that bring it to maybe 6 inches in length?   This wouldn't be too difficult on the forge, where I will be in a few weeks.   Mid 19th century tools are sparse right here. 

[Branson]

Well, most modern nail punches or counter sinks seem to be in the 2.5-4 inch in length, but a 3/4 inch grip,  would that bring it to maybe 6 inches in length?   This wouldn't be too difficult on the forge, where I will be in a few weeks.   Mid 19th century tools are sparse right here.

It's the tip that concerns me.  The nail punch is one of the smith's tools, so it would have been used to punch nail holes in metal.  It's heftier than the pritchel.  Seven inches overall, 3/4 inch octagon.  The tip is 2 inches long.  Hard to tell the thickness at the point, and no indication whether the point is square or rectangular.  It's easy enough to grind the proper point on a 3/4 inch cold chisel if you know what dimensions to grind it.

[lazyassforge]

Branson,

I remember you asking about the punch you need for your forge kit. Could what you are looking for be a forepunch? Most of the modern forepunches are handled but maybe back then they were not? A forepunch is used to start the hole for the horse shoe nail and form the area for the head of the nail and the pritchtel is used to punch on through and clean up the area for the shank of the nail.

Hope this helps!

Bill D.

[lazyassforge]

Ok, I went back and re-read the post and you said you already have a forepunch! I am still curious about what it is that they were describing!

BD

[Branson]

Ok, I went back and re-read the post and you said you already have a forepunch! I am still curious about what it is that they were describing!

BD

Me too!  A friend of mine has suggested it could have been used to punch holes for their cut nails in making mending plates for field expedient repairs. He might be right.