Forge Fire Management For Newbies!

[@TalRohan]

Good one. and shows good reason for having the firepot clinker breaker and ash pot the way they are too. Excellent video thanks for sharing

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

Thanks! Most definitely :)

[@TomShervanick-uu5ss]

Fascinating and instructive, thanks

[@donniemills]

I like to use pine cones to start a fire usually only takes 4 to get it going

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

Yes for sure! I've done that too; sometimes cedar sticks, sometimes little pieces of pine kindling also :) Thanks for watching!

[@micahthezilla9432]

I’ve learned pine with sap also works great.

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

Agreed; and pine cones!

[@devonodonnell6443]

Do you not worry about the coal side catching accidentally on fire after youve left for the night?

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

Nah, not really. I take care to keep coal pulled back near the hopper and any loose coke away from the firepot. Has served me well.

[@Dr.yeetFan1]

where do you buy the coke i am in Charleston and a new black smith using lump charcoal.

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

I buy it as coal but you can also get bagged coke. My best recommendation is search online in your area for local blacksmiths club/ chapter. They'd know or would maybe sell it directly. I get mine in Nashville but have also bought it online a couple times, just super expensive that way.

[@Dr.yeetFan1]

@ thanks for your help have a good night.

[@cracked_smith-qz1ez]

how about charcoal fires?

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

I've never worked with charcoal for forging. I've used bituminous and anthracite coal primarily; occasionally propane. John Switzer of Black Bear Forge works with charcoal on this project skillet: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5TGgXppj5l7bMUsi=CtL5ErgzW8_GzMya I would speculate you'd just need to keep an eye on how big the fire grows during forging. Keeping only enough charcoal right around your fire that you need and/ or watering it to control the fire movement :) Thanks for checking us out; best wishes!

[@MatthewRulla]

real Charcoal (lump BBQ) is pure carbon and doesn't require any cokeing with water and it burns hotter and faster and starts easier. It also doesn't have as many impurities such as sulphur so it doesn't create as much clinker. I use charcoal to start my coal / coke fires or when I need a huge fire with lots of heat for large forgings. Pure charcoal fires with forced air can easily exceed steel forge welding temperatures very quickly so you have to be very attentive to your work. Currently where I live, 40lb lump charcoal is $18 at the grocery store, 50lb blacksmith coal is $34, ferrier's coke 50lb is $38.

[@josephmountford2292]

Any guilt over the environmental impact?

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

Absolutely none :)

[@jamesharmon3827]

REALLY?

[@josephmountford2292]

@@jamesharmon3827 yeah, I’m getting my 10 year old son into blacksmithing and we made a wood fired forge… I guess some people feel they need to try to do their responsible part, and most don’t care?

[@InigoTucker]

Coal itself isn't really being mined like it used to be, and on a scale like this I wouldn't say the environmental impact is actually that bad compared to everything else. Coal is the poster child of fossil fuels, but everything we burn for high temperature, excluding charcoal, is also a fossil fuel. Gasoline of course, diesel, propane, natural gas---if it's an established source of high heat, it's a fossil fuel. The impact matters of course, but its not as though mines and blacksmiths are still common. Environmental impact really lies in the usage of big industries and companies, which use unimaginable amounts of fuel. Long story short, this pales in comparison to modern causes of environmental destruction.

[@josephmountford2292]

@ you could rationalize doing anything as an individual is ok because it pales in comparison to industry by your reasoning. That is irresponsible.

[@User0resU-1]

Very useful information. Thanks.

[@IronsInTheFire-Official]

Glad it can help! Thanks for checking it out :)