Why I Prefer Charcoal Forges

[@grasssnake3826]

Here they sell Royal Oak lump charcoal everywhere. This charcoal is supposed to be pretty good stuff made with 100% hickory. After watching this I’m sure this is the route I need to go for my first forge. Thanks for the helpful info.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thank you! Best of luck!

[@jrrarglblarg9241]

Red bag culinary charcoal is under-cooked as forge fuel, to leave plenty of flavor. Those volatiles cooking off cools the charcoal, lowering the max potential heat it can generate. That’s been my experience. I use it but the limits are limiting.

[@thewirerabbit]

Finally someone who works full-time with charcoal. I'm hoping to learn quite a bit from your channel. You have been very helpful showing your fire in this video. I would love to see your bottom draft firepot and compare it to my side draft insulated firebrick pot. I'm loving my charcoal forge.

[@opforgeron]

I really like working with charcoal too. I switched to coke the last few years for the price but now that I don't forge fulltime anymore, I will switch back to it. The main reasons are: renewable fuel, easier to find, very easy to light and it is greener than any fuel. It is not true when people say that propane is better for the environment. When you burn it, yes, but to make propane, you need coal. They think that using a gas forge is green because there is not so much emissions, but in reality, it is no better than coal because of the process it needs before you buy the propane. Great vid Btw! :)

[@BluestFalcon]

2 years later and here I am picking up awesome tips. Thank you, this channel should be more popular.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thank you! I'd like it if it was, too hahaha If you got good tips from this, you might enjoy a recent video of mine, titled "Why your coal forge sucks"

[@BluestFalcon]

@@ValhallaIronworks I'll check it out

[@stantilton2191]

I remember being laughed at when speaking about needing more volume as opposed to pressure. In this instance we were making a small cut in a sheet of paper 20 feet wide. the cut is in the middle of a rotating spool which builds diameter then needs to be swapped out. Volume pushes the cut trapped by a nip in the rolls and tears it both ways to it's edges. It also starts the other end on the new spool. These so called educated supervisors could not see the difference. I worked with it daily and agree with you. I look forward to enjoying more of your video's Thank you.

[@paulorchard7960]

The last 2 weeks I have been using my just completed, home built charcoal forge and agree entirely with everything you just said. My gas forge is going to feel very lonely and neglected in the future! I believe most aspiring blacksmiths watch every utube channel they can find but very few are Aussie, all the american and european smiths only seem to use coke or coal so thats why the mindset is towards those fuels. I want to thank you, not only for confirming my growing opinion of charcoal but also getting the information out for us to think about!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It is my pleasure Paul!

[@chrisVvV1821]

Finally!Trandional forging explain! Thank you! Greetings from Crete,Greece!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thank you very much!

[@michaelmerrigan1064]

From my experience I agree with all you have said. I made my own forges and tools as well as make and use my own charcoal from both a 200 litre drum and a retort that I built. I interchange a manual cranked blower and an electric blower depending on the amount of forging I have planned. I use a 2 litre hand held pump up garden sprayer to apply water around the edges of the fire. It applies an accurate stream of water exactly where it is needed and I prefer it to other methods I have tried. I find you video enjoyable and informative. Subscribed, Thanks

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thanks mate!

[@CredibleHulk10]

I just learned something. Thank you.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Glad it was helpful!

[@breese7488]

I've been watching KZbin videos for years, and you covered more material, more clearly, and with less BS than the majority of those I have watched. Well on my way to completing my blade smithing shop. All made by me, with info garnered from knowledgeable men like yourself. Many thanks.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

That is awesome! Glad you're taking the time to make the tools yourself, too, as no-one is closer with their gear than they who made it themselves! Keep that fire lit!

[@breese7488]

@@ValhallaIronworks A brief response...I am thankful for your encouragement. I am now planning on modifying my charcoal forge, to the style that you have. Wisdom begs duplication. Best to you Sir. B

[@vedamaritabullockashley2770]

Thank you for making this video! I've been using a gas forge for about a year. Since I have an abundance of wood on my property, I just purchased a wood fired forge that can also use charcoal. Your input helped make the decision easy. 🙂 ⚒️

[@ValhallaIronworks]

That is awesome! It sounds like you're really enjoying it, too!

[@svenrasmussen3940]

Thanks so much for making this video! A really great overview on the topic, and great to hear it from someone who has proper experience of using it. I've just started making my own charcoal in a 44 gal retort kiln, having been dissatisfied with the wood fired kiln I built following the Whitlox forge. Charcoal is definitely worth the effort. Really pleased to have discovered your channel- discovered you via Daniel Moss's recent video- YT search algorithm not always that great. I will be working my way through your other videos. Thanks again, and all the best. Sven

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thanks for popping by, mate! Welcome!

[@LittleAussieRockets]

Hey mate, the information and knowledge in these videos has been extremely helpful. I've just finished building a charcoal forge with a hand crank blower and it's a little rippa. It's not perfect and I've still got a lot to learn but again I really appreciate the practical knowledge that you put in this video series.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

You are very welcome! Good luck with your forge!

[@johnpeters9175]

The coal ash is also a toxic mess and really should be disposed of properly. Charcoal ash is actually pretty good for soil (does make it less acidic, which some plants don't like).

[@esben181]

RIP my blueberries

[@bensartakamcas1n126]

@@esben181 Same here but with my grapes. :(

[@philiprutter1]

@@esben181 somebody could have told you - NEVER put wood ash on blueberries. They need decidedly acid soil; people usually recommend special acidifiers.

[@cristianpopescu78]

..Or you use it to make gun powder.

[@Bar_D_Forge]

I love my charcoal forge... I use box bellows in conjunction and that works awesome...

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Box bellows are wonderful things! I love the breathing sound they make.

[@Tr1g73ch]

Thanks for the information! I just started with a charcoal forge myself and after hearing this I think I'll stick to it.

[@NordicEdge]

Just bought a small solid fuel forge with a hand blower. Looking forward to learn how to use it.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

That is excellent, Bjorn! Please hit me up if you have any questions about it. I'm planning a video soon teaching how to get the most out of them!

[@dirmusloner7963]

The first blacksmiths were using charcoal or coal forges to forge, I know that nowadays we have propane forges, but I like the journey in the past a coal or charcoal forge let you have to the roots of blacksmithing, also as a beginner, I agree what you say thank you for sharing your opinion and knowledge

[@markcockerham646]

Very informative; I’ve been using a gas forge that I built, but have been considering a solid fuel. Thanks for the pointers.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thanks for watching!

[@dtrotteryt]

My favorite thing about using charcoal is the cost. Coal is readily available where I am, but it is more expensive due to the low demand. Charcoal I make on my own, as you say its quite easy. I save old branches and logs and split them to turn them into charcoal. Since I have a manual blower, it costs basically nothing to run, as opposed to my gas forges with electric fans. Great to see a charcoal smith, thanks!!!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It's very empowering being able to make your own forge fuel in your backyard using scrap!

[@AdamOoi85]

Learned a lot about solid fuel forge. Thanks a lot. Luckily I didn't attempt forging with coconut fibre brique after listening to your advise that they won't generate enough heat to allow forging.

[@stefanmierke4801]

I hated working with charcoal during my lessons. First because I had such a huge piece, that was nearly impossible with my skill to get a even heat in and second as I only head a weekend as total time I was constantly in a rush state and didn't took my time to learn to use it correctly. the most of the time you were fiddling out glass like stuff from the air blowerand had to restart the fire with the charcoal and then add more coke. I was so happy when I was allowed to use the propane forge. But for heating up, just a specific part on a tong for example I would prefer hard fuel forges over a propane.

[@FeatherHorseforge]

I used to work at a radiata pine saw mill, got all the offcuts I wanted so I used it to make my own charcoal was awesome, sadly I don’t work there now.

[@robynbliss8990]

Love your style mate. I too only use charcoal in Qld, make it ourselves in 205l drums. Have you done a video how to do this? Maybe your viewers would like. The alternative fuel they sell up here in Qld is called "Blacksmiths slack". Its a type of coal with its lump size is easy to use BUT it forms plenty of clinkers and gives a dirty fire compared to pure clean heat you get from hardwood charcoal. As you say you use more fuel with charcoal, but once you try its hard to go back to coal/coke!! Cheers mate

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I definitely love it! I have built retorts in the past, but they've always been temporary setups. There are a few videos out on KZbin on how to build and run them, but maybe I'll do one in future when I set up a permanent build! It's a great way to make use of scrap lumber and deadfalls!

[@Ab0minati0n]

I love a charcoal forge. Gets plenty hot to weld, doesn's smoke much, easy to light and very little tending. Few supplies in QLD so thats good

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Also, with a trivet thrown on top, you can cook your lunch on it! 😆

[@Ab0minati0n]

@@ValhallaIronworks now I'm thinking about Sausageman"s sausages

[@4LeafForge]

i started out with a charcoal forge and switched to a propane forge, after noticing my propane tanks only last a week max, the $30 refills get annoying, tedious, and expensive, now i’ve switched back to a charcoal forge not realizing how good i had it

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It gets a bit like that! These days I predominantly use my gas forge, but only because this is my full time job and the convenience of quick heat ups and cool downs is a necessary part of my workflow. But I still fire up the charcoal forge whenever time is not of the essence, as even many years on I still prefer it in almost every way.

[@bennyhill3642]

Well u just finished my 1st pair of tongs and u use oak in my forge. And I feel it works really well😇😁😇

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Sounds great!

[@danielmoss2089]

Nice video dude and loads of great info. If I could get the stuff for the right money I would. I think I'll look into it again.

[@YathishShamaraj]

My farm land has a lot of unwanted trees and eucalyptus trees, i have made charcoal before but this time I goda make tons of it for supply.

[@wmcutlery54]

Hi my name is John and I like using a propane Forge for most of my knife making because it gives an even Heat oh, but I also like using a charcoal or coal Forge as well.

[@cristianpopescu78]

Great presentation!Very helpfull.My forge doesn't heat enough,no matter how much air blow in, I think my firepot is too small..too.. I was trying to weld ..got nothing but frustration and wasteing my time. I confess: I used charcoal brickets ..I didnt know nothing about,just suspected it would be a problem with...Waching this video is God's response to my prays " please Show me!" Thanks a lot ! Big,big 👍from me

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Unfortunately charcoal briquettes won't ever reach those temperatures. Don't forget that it's not just about the speed of the air entering the fire, but the volume as well. Try and keep the air tube nice and wide the entire way. The narrowest part of my air tube is still 2" across!

[@ajsironworks3937]

That helps man. Thanks a lot.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

No problem!

[@thomass2505]

Friend and I are working on making a forge. It's made from cinder blocks and fueled basically by just charcoal. We're working on a lawnmower blade we were given. Our air comes from a leaf blower. Three tries and almost 16 lbs of charcoal and we've not managed to get the blade to go orange even once And I only just found out that the briquettes should absolutely not be used

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I think every blacksmith has gone through that saga before! Remember it's not just the speed of the air going through, it's the volume! Think of it like blowing on a fire. If you blow too hard and fast, the fire gets blown out. If you blow too soft and slow, nothing happens. You have to blow at a very specific rate and move a very specific amount of air to make it roar to life!

[@rodneylangstroth4577]

Excellent video. Thanks Alex

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Glad you liked it!

[@fredbergman6623]

Thanks so much for all the information. Definitely going to watch this a couple times! Just ordered a hand cranked blower today so I'll have better air control cause while the hair dryer is alright I don't have a good gate system that gives me the control I want.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Sounds awesome! I do have a video on building your own air gate out of wood that might help! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWSTc6Srh96tgKs

[@GWIRailroad]

Awesome video very informative, Thank You Wayne.

[@tanglediver]

I'm very new to forging, but I've been arc welding for 30 years. I can tell you that the smell of burning materials is very important. We need to know when to stop working and put out our burning shoes for instance!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

And beards! Don't forget beards!

[@jb8086]

Good video, enjoyed as always. Love charcoal, I find it much more enjoyable to use than coal. However where I live in the US I can get a truckload of coal for cheap and easier than charcoal. The smell/smoke makes me wish otherwise.

[@michael3573]

Your videos are great, and the intro music is amazing.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Glad you like them!

[@grandadz_forge]

Love the smell of charcoal

[@tobiaspatterson7215]

Awesome video ,so much useful info

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Glad it was helpful!

[@honkingdonk3981]

I've been thinking about learning how to do this.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

You should! It's amazing fun!

[@gurudasbock]

I use a side blast forge when using charcoal fuel. I find it to be easier to maintain and use.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

All of the different styles of forge have their pros and cons! It's great you've found what works for your method of forging!

[@basaltplainscreationsaustr1194]

Loved your video. I cook my own charcoal fron acacia in the Central Highlands of Victoria.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

That is awesome!

[@gebhardt244]

In last week i atarted makeing a boc bellow for my forge.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Excellent!

[@allenchancery4847]

Good show thanks

[@shawncawley7164]

I've been told that where I live back in the day if blacksmiths ran out of coal/charcoal they'd use poplar because of how hot it burns

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Absolutely - different species all burn with different properties, and are more or less plentiful depending on the locale. It's quite fascinating taking a look back at historical blacksmithing during eras where it was done out of necessity rather than art!

[@blackgriffinxx]

Used charcoal because that all i had but it get the job done well. fond out the hard way. LOL 1 by 1 bar gone in a minute it $8 a bag from the store. I got a air bed blower for air ( loud as hell) My forge kind of look like yours. It version 2. 2-A soon to be 2.2-B Not a weld used to make it. all from trash.

[@hannemannironworks1651]

Great video Alex!

[@davewilson1591]

Hey! Just stumbled onto your channel. Thanks for taking the time for us viewers. I too am in a pickle over fuel. Here I can get 40# of lump mesquite charcoal cheap, $13 and was striving to use coal - very expensive in California. Now after your clarification I'll be moving forward with charcoal only! I've finished building 3 forges this year - each one with a bigger firebox - until I found a size that works for me. I wanted to share my experience with the size of the tuyere. To get the air sound - blast - my understanding is volume is of prime importance. Avoid restrictions and the speed or blast will take care of itself. So I used 3 1/2" sch. 40 pipe throughout the entire tuyere. This may sound a bit large, but believe me it works. I just went out and started a fire and the blast comes about with less than half a turn of the blower. My blower is an antique of medium size - much smaller than a 400 champion to give you some idea. Also I noticed that you had a piece of metal between the blower and forge. Great idea - actually necessary - because of the heat generated. I don't have that on my forges. An old priest I met from Nicaragua came by and told me as a youngin' he was required to turn the blower and my tuyere was too short - too close to the forge for any extended forging. I'll be building a new tuyere with an extra foot between blower and forge. Thanks again subbed and will be tuning in!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Thanks for following, mate! Sounds like you're right into it! I love it!

[@jeanladoire4141]

since the war in ukraine, i've found charcoal that's the same cost as forge coal. Except charcoal is already de-gassed and pure, while the coal has to burn its crud and coke up (so you're losing like half the weight just in useless flames). Charcoal makes sparks so it's annoying sometimes, but it has so MANY advantages ! If it's hardwood charcoal (the best fuel i've ever had EVER was homemade oak charcoal), it's gonna burn for reasonably long, so it will keep the heat well, but it won't make any clinkers. It also takes very little oxygen to burn. It will keep its heat for longer when you cut the air, it doesn't make flames so you can see easily into the core of the fire, it doesnt smoke or make me cough black dust at the end of the day, it doesnt have any sulfur so it can't contaminate your steel, and it's closer to the medieval and old ways of forging. It's more expensive than propane tho. But it's renewable so ... i suppose thats good ?

[@Marc-qo1gz]

Can you do a video on forge welding with a solid fuel forge

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I'll add it to my list!

[@douglasfathers4848]

Mate I have trying to get information on charcoal . I have a gas forge but you know the problems with them . And if I herd you write you live in Tasmania . Well I live NSW Australia , and you are the only blacksmith channel that I have found down under . Cheers :)

[@robscott4723]

Fantastic tips and info!!!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Glad it was helpful!

[@unforkyours3lf730]

Wow cool thanks

[@ValhallaIronworks]

No problem

[@unforkyours3lf730]

So glad I found you. I wanna black Smith as primitive and self sufficient as possible

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I try to do it that way as often as I can, and hope to do it exclusively that way one day.

[@richardhawkins2248]

Thank you. Fortunately, I'm my own charcoal supplier.

[@jedsoutlook2810]

Hey mate I’m starting out and I’m on my third revision of charcoal forges I’ve built I watched tonnes of videos and yours by far is the best set up I’ve seen. Is there any chance you have plans or dimensions of your set up so I can replicate it.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I can do you one better! Check out a recent video of mine called "Why your coal forge sucks" - It's a super in-depth deep dive on how to get the maximum efficiency out of your solid fuel forge design, regardless of what size or shape it is!

[@mattwyeth3156]

How do you keep the spaks from the charcoal to a minimum and do you break up the charcoal into smaller pieces to get a more even heat or does it not really matter

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It really doesn't matter, in my opinion! I always wear eye protection while forging, which I recommend. Outside of that, it's not a problem.

[@williamevans6554]

Im in the uk and haven't done any black smithing, but i want to make a charcoal forge. Is the design the same as a coke or coal forge?Do you still need a clinker breaker

[@ValhallaIronworks]

More or less the same design, but no need for a clinker breaker. I have another video titled "Why Your Coal Forge Sucks" which explains in detail how to design them for the best performance!

[@williamevans6554]

@ValhallaIronworks Thanks, that's great. I will check it out.

[@mattwyeth3156]

What size blower do you have on your forge im also thinking of getting a hand crank blower as the hair dryer that I'm using goes through charcoal way too fast even with an air gate i can't get the control i need and it produces lots of sparks to the point where I've had to cover it to use the forge without setting everything on fire

[@ValhallaIronworks]

That depends on how you measure blower size! I'm not sure what the output rate is of this one, but physically the entire unit would fit inside of a 1ft cube.

[@gelanghaarteweile3048]

Nice talk about solid fuel forge! :) As charcoal is made of... well... just cut and dryed wood isn't it also like coconut coal renewable? :) btw: what brand is that hand cranked blower?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It's a Zomax! The original source of the charcoal does indeed make a difference. I had hoped to be able to use coconut fibre charcoal to power my forge, and it DOES work, but I really struggled to get it hot enough to forge weld. Would have made for a cool alternative if it had worked!

[@mattwyeth3156]

Do you need to prepare your charcoal into smaller pieces before you forge with it or do you just forge with it as you take it from the bag

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Depends a lot on the brand you get. Unfortunately most suppliers tend to sell lump charcoal in fairly large chunks. Ideally for forging you want golfball sized bits. So at the start of my day I'll often just grab a hammer and spend a few minutes breaking up the lumps I'll use for the day. You don't go through charcoal as quick as most people think, so a good sized bucket full is enough to do a full day's work for most applications. Doesn't take long to process that up.

[@johnwest4788]

Thanks for your videos. I'm interested in your thoughts on forging with wood. Conventional wisdom is that you can not, but it doesn't make sense to me. Forging with coal is just forging with coke once the coal has been converted to coke in the forge. Why would not the same be true with wood that becomes charcoal as you use it? It seems to me that if you chop/cut the wood into small pieces you can make your own charcoal as you go. I have not tried this yet (I'm still constructing my solid fuel forge) but I'm going to try. Primarily because I cannot easily get coal, coke is expensive, I have no source for charcoal, and making charcoal independently seems pretty labor and time costly. Thoughts?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Actually, many traditional Japanese smiths would forge using raw pinewood! It works quite well for many applications. The main difference is that it doesn't get quite as hot as charcoal or coal, so forge welding is much more difficult, and also raw pinewood burns significantly faster than coal or charcoal, so you go through more physical fuel in an average session.

[@dylanodoherty9702]

Thank you for your insights, makes a lot of sense! Have you had much formal training in smithing or are you mostly self taught? Thanks again mate!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

All self taught!

[@The_Devil_Nside]

Agreed

[@miltonshields6877]

I am building my first forge and have been looking for supplies of lump hardwood charcoal but unable to find a supplier of good charcoal in Adelaide. You mentioned a business in Tasmania and wondering if they supply under a brand name so I can look into availability in Adelaide.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Unfortunately they don't ship outside of Tasmania :( but keep looking around! I have used Samba charcoal in the past, and the quality is quite good. My only issue with them is that the size of the pieces can sometimes be quite large, but that's only occasionally. Ideally you want pieces around the size of golf balls.

[@thomas.thomas]

Any tips on how big the chunks should be and how to achieve that size? I just hammer them smaller and that produces quite a lot of dust

[@kimsutton2268]

I have a question in a charcoal forge are you not adding more carbon to the metal

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It's a good question! In order to carbeurize steel, however, you need to have an oxygen starved environment and quite substantially long soak times at high heats (many many hours). So while it's possible to do, you'd have to actively be working at it in order to make that happen, and even then it would only add additional carbon to the very outside shell of the steel!

[@kimsutton2268]

@@ValhallaIronworks I have been told by a black smith instructor that charcoal is better for welding in the forge

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Fuel type is irrelevant for forge welding - it's all about temperature and atmosphere! Check out the video I did talking about the chemistry of it! kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6mklY2jpNWGh7s

[@thedavidwalker]

How is the smoke from a charcoal forge?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It smokes quite a bit when you first start it up as with all solid fuels, but once it's running, it puts out almost no smoke whatsoever! Runs very clean.

[@mattcruise8894]

Some charcoal briquette manufacturers, such as Kingsford, use anthracite or bituminous coal in the ingredients as well as other chemicals. Another reason not to use the charcoal briquettes.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Not to mention all of the filler and other crap they put in them! Best avoided, absolutely!

[@wolfsforge2]

I use Charcoal in my forge.

[@lenblacksmith8559]

I have used charcoal from Bunnings and it's not bad but I don't know where to get the good hardwood stuff you talk about. I'm in Brisbane. Thanks for the info.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I used Samba charcoal from Bunnings for years and it works ok. Just much more expensive to buy that way. Restaurant grade charcoal I find works best, and Brisbane has plenty of suppliers - www.charcoalbrisbane.com.au/ - www.charcoalbrisbane.com.au/bbq-charcoal/ - www.ironwoodsmokers.com.au/product-page/gidgee-lump-charcoal-8kg-10kg-19kg

[@lenblacksmith8559]

@@ValhallaIronworks thanks for that wi check them out

[@lenblacksmith8559]

@@ValhallaIronworks Yeah Bunnings got rid of that Samba Charcoal was good.

[@elektrobear2027]

Hos big a fan would you recommend? Im looking at 80-350 watt ones (weird measurement to me), the size of yours might point me in the right direction

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I've never used an electric fan on my forge, only ever hand-crank ones. That being said, a hand cranked blower pushes far less air than even low powered electric fans. So what you're looking for is VOLUME of air moved, rather than speed. A lot of people use things like mattress inflators or hair dryers, since they focus on moving LOTS of air, rather than moving it particularly fast. If you're going to use an electric blower, though, you need to make use of some kind of air gate, to vent off the excess air, otherwise it will cause backflow and burn out your motor. I have a video on a wooden one I made a long while ago, perhaps it will help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWSTc6Srh96tgKs

[@elektrobear2027]

@@ValhallaIronworks actually these are handcrank fans. It's bloody weird they have the measurements in watts nd not cfm/cmm or similar. That's why I asked about the size of your fan so I might get a pointer as to how big a fan I should buy.

[@HoldFastForge]

Great video - thanks! What’s the song played during the intro?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

It's a song called "Lamp Light" by an Australian artist who goes by the name Old Semiel. His details are in the description!

[@HoldFastForge]

@@ValhallaIronworks Oops - missed that. Thanks for the info, and keep up the great content 👍🏻

[@donaldweikel2963]

Is it possible to use seasoned or dried hard wood or pine instead of charcoal?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

You can indeed. You just will go through a lot more fuel.

[@donaldweikel2963]

@@ValhallaIronworks thank you. I am trying to get started coal/coke is very hard to come by and lump charcoal that is not for the grill is also hard to come by. I am a over the road trucker and when I go home I have little time to make my own

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Take a look at this! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpK7g6uAbtyJgbc

[@donaldweikel2963]

@@ValhallaIronworks thank you.

[@hiramortius2353]

Bro I just can't get heat enough to get damascus. Can't get the forge welds to weld..

[@ValhallaIronworks]

In a solid fuel forge? Or a gas forge? If it's a solid fuel forge, you need to get more air into it. If it's a gas forge, check out my latest video!

[@iprenmannen]

I know this is an old video by now, but how come you seem to use gas forge instead on your newer projects? Is it convenience or something lacking in the charcoal forge?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Two reasons, actually. My forge is on a large farm, and last summer the farm chose to grow hay in every paddock that surrounds my forge (basically positioning me in the middle of a giant tinder-box) so I switched to gas for safety reasons during that Summer. And during that time the knifemaking side of my business took off massively, so I had to switch to the gas forge for speed of production. I still have the coal forge though, still prefer to use it whenever I can, and still often do for the times that I still do decorative ironwork!

[@iprenmannen]

@@ValhallaIronworks Ahh, that makes sense, I have a gas forge now but I only forge as a hobby and feel that the therapeutic feel of a charcoal/wood fired forge instead of the roraring fire from a gas forge would make me feel more at ease. I'm building a new forge to try to forge with charcoal or wood in the future and stumbled upon your channel and therefore got a bit confused at first. Thanks for the quick reply :)

[@mattwyeth3156]

How much will the draft of a forge hood increase the amount of fuel consumption in your charcoal forge compared to a set-up similar to what you have

[@ValhallaIronworks]

A draft hood doesn't really affect the amount of fuel consumption of a coal forge. Only the amount of air going INTO the forge does, not the amount of air being drawn away from it. So it would be blower power that would be the main thing to look at. A draft hood just draws the smoke away from the top of the forge.

[@thewalnutwoodworker6136]

Coal for general work, charcoal for welding.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Both can weld just fine. I would actually say that charcoal's heavy ash production would make it far less ideal for welding than coal.

[@elektrobear2027]

What are the measurements on your blower? If you were to fit it into a cube? Or if you could just give me the circumference of the outlet, since it different on every size.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I'd say the outlet is around a 5-6 cm diameter. Not very big. The entire blower could fit inside of a 1 foot cube.

[@CChan11]

what kind of crank blower do you have and where did you get it?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I have a Zomax blower made in Rajkot India, and got it off of eBay!

[@CChan11]

@@ValhallaIronworks I just got a similar blower after your suggestion. If you use that forge for forge welding, I’d be really interested to see how you prep your fire, the size of the charcoal pieces you use and other steps you use. I can easily forge weld in my gas forge but am having a very hard time with charcoal.

[@esben181]

I always assumed that everyone used charcoal

[@ValhallaIronworks]

haha it's actually pretty niche. Most people use coke or coal!

[@georgegriffiths2235]

What make is your blower.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

The green one in this video is Zomax - I also have a Buffalo and a Sharmin

[@northernironforge]

How do you find those zomax blowers? Is that the 25 or 35?

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I'm not sure! I got mine on eBay many, many years ago.

[@northernironforge]

@@ValhallaIronworks yeh fair enough. The only ones I’ve seen have a 25 Or a 35 number cast into the outlet like the name. Do you find it to be a reasonable blower or better off finding a second hand old one?

[@jc-rq8or]

I just use regular wood because you've already gotta burn a bunch to make charcoal. So I just skip all that.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Charcoal isn't "burnt wood", though. Charcoal is charred wood. Regular wood can absolutely be used to forge, and in fact a lot of traditional Japanese forges use this. However, it burns MUCH faster than charcoal does, and you have to feed your fire much more often. This is a personal preference of the smith.

[@joshuatremper5026]

Cheaper and easier to find when you don't have local coal

[@HighWealder]

Back to the roots of blacksmithing before coke or coal were discovered.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

And wouldn't you know, it still works a treat!

[@nielsr.2859]

I work with 50% charcoal, 25% cokes and 25% anthracite.

[@OuroborosArmory]

LOL you can also buy bags of charcoal almost anywhere.. coal.. not so much.

[@redrob6331]

I prefer solid fuel forges, although I am thinking about getting ahold of a propane forge (one of the Mr. Volcano ones) because of the ready availability of propane. I live in the suburbs and so I don't like using coal since it may result in bad relations with my neighbors. I have been using coke, but it's increasingly harder to get, due to mining it for industrial purposes being uneconomical due to fracking producing such cheap natural gas. I recently purchased 150lbs of the stuff and had to drive 300 miles round trip to get it. Charcoal is relatively easy to get around here (I live in Texas and it's basically always barbecue weather), but it can be expensive. I crunched the numbers and these 34 lb sacks I can get from Costco work out to slightly more than the coke. One of the big reasons I don't like to use it, though, is fire fleas (sparks) which like to land on your arms when forging. It also makes it unsafe to use when in drought conditions. I notice that your fire doesn't seem to spark that much and that it's surrounded by pieces of sheet metal. Is that to contain the sparks? Do you have other tips about dealing with them? I would use wood, but I don't have an adequate supply of it.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I find that using hardwood lump charcoal produces far fewer sparks, but you can never fully get rid of them. The sheet metal shield I sometimes put around my fire pot is actually to block the wind! My forge is open-fronted, meaning that when the day is windy enough, and from the wrong direction, it can negatively impact my fire in all kinds of ways, so I have a temporary sheet steel shield I can put up to block it and forge in peace!

[@redrob6331]

@@ValhallaIronworks it’s hardwood charcoal that I have used, and currently use to light the coke. Do you know if it’s resin or moisture which causes the sparks? Often, the species is mesquite.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I believe it's just the nature of solid fuel based fires which cause the fire fleas. However, excess moisture certainly does cause more of them

[@Dustrout]

For me It just feels safer when I use coal forges

[@ValhallaIronworks]

I actually felt that way too, for the longest time. Now I feel equally comfortable by both, but it took years of full time use to get there.

[@jmbstudio6873]

I built a coal/charcoal forge and used it for a few months. I built a propane forge and have not used my coal forge since. Propane is cheaper, cleaner, and allows you to do multiples. It is superior to the coal/charcoal forge in every way. The only exception is if you do large decorative pieces that wont fit in a propane forge. Ill pas on dirty, constantly needing attention to maintain fire, burns up steel, cant to multiples coal/charcoal forge. The only reason you dont like propane is because you do not know how to build a forced induction burner setup, if you did I seriously doubt you would use dirty fuel that turns to dirty ashes/clinkers again. Forge On!!!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Can you make anything the size of, say, a gate in your propane forge? Can you make your own fuel for your propane forge at home? Can you comfortably work next to your propane forge all day with no hearing protection, or without having to shout to talk to people? These are just a small few of the benefits of solid fuel forges over propane forges. The point of this video is not to convert people away from using gas forges. If you don't like getting your hands a little dirty, that's your choice. I have SEVERAL gas forges, of different sizes and shapes, all for different tasks. I also have several coal forges, as I do this professionally, full time. The fact you feel the need to come onto the comment section of a KZbin video and try and insult someone's setup shows me how thin your grasp of this craft and community are. So - and I mean this with all sincerity - keep your shitty insults to yourself.

[@1pcfred]

I've seen some hipsters but I've never run into a charcoal snob before now. I had to stop the video in fear that he'd wax over some ethereal charcoal properties after he name dropped. The nose of Jarrah charcoal is unparalleled. You are just a pauper if you use anything else.

[@ValhallaIronworks]

😂😂😂

[@andrewdurfee2891]

Great video, but as I'm sure you know,Valhalla is a myth👍🏾

[@ValhallaIronworks]

Just like Heaven. Doesn't stop people referring to it.

[@andrewdurfee2891]

@@ValhallaIronworks Because there is Subjective Truth & Objective Truth ⚖️😉

[@andrewdurfee2891]

@@ValhallaIronworks so many are emersed in fantasy/mythology/theories mostly because they have been indoctrinated by Subjective Truth in government institutions from their adolescence 😖 which has bred the spirit of what we are seeing today... "Do as thou wilt shall be the WHOLE of the law" (⚠️) Subjective Truth is a Dead End road/ hopeless

[@andrewdurfee2891]

@@ValhallaIronworks "Truth is the MOST VALUABLE Thing on earth, SO VALUABLE it's often surrounded by bodyguards of Lies"... The BEST kept secrets are in plain sight

[@ValhallaIronworks]

You're a strange guy, but keep on keeping on.

[@ericsprado4631]

Quit babbling and get to the point!!

[@ValhallaIronworks]

If you don't like it, watch someone else's channel. It's my video, I can babble all I want.