I am getting ready to buy a new anvil. I have narrowed it down to either a 100 pound Emerson tradition with turning cams or an Anvil brand (JHM) legend. The legend doesn't have cams. I grew up using turning cams so I am kinda leaning toward the Emerson. Does anyone here use the legend? I shoe most of my horses cold but have started doing more hot fitting and handmades which is why I want something with a round horn.
I couldn't find a pic of the Anvil (JHM) brand anvil with cams. However the JHM certifier and journeyman have the turning cams on the back end of the anvil. I don't use them much for shaping, but they are handy for a bunch of other blacksmithing stuff. They are also useful sometimes when clips on a shoe won't let you get a nail hole over a pritchel or hardy hole for adjustment. You can use them as a sort of open ended hardy hole. Regards
I've got cams on my Future 3, but never use them. If I want to turn something cold, the horn works great. Learn to use the horn and it works great.
You can always Hang your hat on the cams and whistle loudly if someone like Mikel is around. it'll distract them
I used to have the same 70 pounder you have. Once I got comfortable using tongs properly I found it was easier to shape shoes cold over the horn with a pair of tongs. Shaping cold that way will build the skills for hot work too. I've used the older Emerson before seems like a nice anvil, but the horn was a little on the small side. I have been told that the newer versions of that anvil have a larger horn. If your screen name is any indication of your usual clientele you probably would not fair well with the smaller horn version. I've not used the legend, but it looks like essentially the same anvil, and I've not used a round horn JHM I haven't liked. I would highly recommend you look into the 100# Scott. It's another 100-150 bones compared to the ones you're looking at but they're much more stable, with a drastically larger horn. They feel like a 150# anvil under the hammer, compared to the London pattern anvils.
That's what I was wondering about. I have always had an anvil with a flat horn which is hard to shape cold shoes on.
Yeah it can be a pain in the ass. You can really only use the last 3 inches of the horn, bolting it to your stand helps a lot.
I, of course would not know about shaping cold, but my JHM 125 pound has turning cams. I will not use them to turn heels as it is a moral issue with me. As Rick said they're handie for smithing projects and opening up nail holes after clips, I mean for Rick of course, because I never squash a hole while drawing clips. The thing to remember about anvils; you can do a small job on a big one, but a big job on a small one is tough.
Actually after working on several different anvils, I can't figure out what the hell a flat horn IS good for.
Joey, in regards to the Scott, I have worked on one and didn't really like it. I'm a sucker for a London pattern anvil. I was also told that the Legend is a copy of a Hay Budden which I like. I have about decided to go with the Legend so I can do away with the crutch that is the turning cams and better learn to use the horn.
Like Bill said the bigger the better.same with cams you can not use them if there are there but its hard to use them if there not there . I dont have cams ,wish i did but i do have a clip horn dont use it but a few times a year but im glad its there when i do.anything that makes this job easer and your work better is worth the investment. Doing drafts i would think most cams would be usless but as others have said they come in handy for other things . My opinion buy the biggest you think your truck can carry and modifi it to sute your needs
i have a old GE horns as wide as the deck at the base .I do quite a few drafts my self and use every inch of that horn
Monty another farrier friend uses the legend every day. He suggested that if I go with that one I should carry my old anvil in case I decided I needed the cams until I go used to just using the horn. That's probably what I'll do. Oh, and I don't do nearly as many drafts as I used to and I don't have any in shoes right now.
Actually I worked on a Future 1 for a while. The oblong shaped horn was great for shaping hinds. The worst was I am left handed and I had to work backwards on it. I do love the Future 3, nice horn and great table for making shoes on the road.
Those GE square horns have nothing on the JHM 70#. The JHM horn is really shaped like a "J-toe" cowboy boot its truly horrible. The GE square horn really is quite usable comparatively. I was planning to keep mine until I spent a few weeks on the Scott and got rid of it.
