Banging good time to commemorate end of WWI

[Harvuskong]

89th annual anvil shoot commemorates end of WWI

Or how a metal worker fabricated a quick loud and legendary wake up call for the town in a time of good news and great joy.

The American Legion Cunningham Post 222 in Hamilton will hold the 89th Annual Anvil Shoot at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Legion Post on U.S. Highway 281 north of Hamilton.

The tradition of the anvil shoot started in 1918 at the end of World War I, which was supposed to be the “war to end all wars.”

The armistice to end the war had been rumored and local residents gathered in the early morning hours at the telegraph office to receive confirmation. When word was received, Frank Holmes, who had a blacksmith business next to the telegraphy office, had the idea to fire the anvil to notify the rest of the sleeping town.

Returning local veterans heard of this and asked that it be repeated in 1919 and it has continued ever since.

The armistice was signed into effect in Versailles, France on the 11th month, 11th day at the 11th hour. Thus, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in France is 5 a.m. Texas time, which is the reason the anvil shoot starts at 5 a.m. Nov. 11 is observed nation-wide as Veterans Day.

The anvil shoot consists of taking two anvils, placing black powder on one, then placing the other anvil upside down on the first anvil and setting off the black powder with a red-hot rod. The top anvil is blasted several feet into the air.

“As you can imagine, this makes a lot of noise,” said Post members Robert Jackson.

Local blacksmiths continued this tradition for some time until the American Legion Post 222 in Hamilton took over and has continued the tradition.

The anvil shoot has traditionally been the post’s largest fundraiser. Breakfast consisting of gravy, sausage and biscuits will be served.

“The breakfast is free, although donations will be deeply appreciated,” said Jackson.

The event is the oldest anvil shoot in Texas celebrating the end of World War One, “the war to end all wars.”

This year the post is raffling a Remington Express Model 870 12 gauge shotgun, a 50th year anniversary decanter and as set of stainless steel pots and pans

Raffle tickets are available for the shotgun and decanter at a cost of $2 each or three for $5 and for the pots and pans $1 each or six for $5.

The drawings will be held after breakfast. Tickets may be purchased until just prior to the drawing.

[Harvuskong]

I knew Frank Holmes from back in the 1960s while I was in high school.

At the time that I met him, I think that he was semi-retired. He had a very small sort of outdoors type shop behind his house. He showed me me how to put a handle into a sledgehammer. He also did some repair work for my dad when we got it to his shop. Always had a cigar in his mouth that he chewed on.

The one thing that made him stand out from the other welders was that he always used a welding hood with a handle on it. No headgear, just a handle attached to the bottom of the hood. I never saw him use a helmet with headgear.

It was many years before I knew anything about him and the Anvil Shoot. Oh, I had heard and read about the Anvil Shoot some, but did not know or really understand about the history behind it there in Hamilton.

We also did some business with another old time welder there in Hamilton, I remember being there at the other welder's shop and here came Frank in his truck, backed up said hello to everybody and unloaded the powder burned anvil that he had borrowed for the anvil shoot, thanked his welder friend for the use of it, visted a short bit and said bye and left.

[workhorse]

I'm trying to picture how this is done. The bottom anvel is upside down with the recess in the base filled with black powder, the top anvel is also upside down covering the blackpowder, or is the top anvel upright with the bases together?
Also, who is getting close enough to set it off with a hot poker? where is the touch hole?
Does the disclamer "DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME APPLY HERE?

[one_rod]

If you to know anything about anvils or blacksmithing then Anvilfire is usually the place to look....


http://www.anvilfire.com/news1/news1208.htm




one_rod.

[fluxcoreit]

Originally Posted by workhorse

I'm trying to picture how this is done. The bottom anvel is upside down with the recess in the base filled with black powder, the top anvel is also upside down covering the blackpowder, or is the top anvel upright with the bases together?
Also, who is getting close enough to set it off with a hot poker? where is the touch hole?
Does the disclamer "DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME APPLY HERE?

welcome aboard workhorse,if you would be so kind as to scroll to the top click on user cp,then click on edit profile scroll to the bottom and fill in a general location,then click save changes we would appreciate it,you would be surprised how that helps when any of us try to answer a question you may ask,thanks,john

[Silverback]

I'm not sure that it really makes sense... black powder isn't a high explosive (meaning that the gasses produced do not expand faster than the speed of sound), so you have to have it in a sealed space to do any real work (go boom!). I’m not sure that a layer between 2 anvils counts unless there really is a hollowed out chamber in there somewhere to make this all work, and then you would only get a boom proportionate to how much pressure that chamber will hold before it releases (black powder burned in the open just flairs)

[LW Hiway]

I'm trying to picture how this is done.

Does the disclamer "DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME APPLY HERE?

No, but "here, hold my beer and watch this", does.

Also, who is getting close enough to set it off with a hot poker?

Usually the one who was drinking the beer. lol

Not that this practice doesn't sound like fun, I wouldn't do it with my anvils. Not when their worth about 2 bucks a pound. lol (3 to me)

I'd rather beat hot steel on em with a big azz hammer instead. I guess I do that already.

Welcome to the show "workhorse".

LW

[Brian C.]

Here is another Anvilfire link, http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tuto.../top_index.htm

Also check out The Museum of Appalachia 4th of July Anvil Shoot,
www.museumofappalachia.com

and lastly, National Anvil Shooting Contest -
When: April every year
Where: Laurel, MS, U.S.A.
More Info Please: For more info call 601/428-0541

Dont try this at home (unless you have become an expert by staying in a Holiday Inn Express :evil: )