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Finally gave in and tried a coal forge instead of propane after watching a buddy's demo last weekend
The difference in how the steel moved under the hammer after just 5 minutes on that coal fire was night and day compared to my propane setup, and now I'm wondering if I've been missing out for the 8 years I've been at this.
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smith.elliot2mo ago
Bro cmon propane's way more consistent and you don't smell like a chimney sweep all day.
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emma_garcia2mo ago
And the thing nobody talks about is how coal forges basically teach you fire management in a way propane never will. With propane you just crank a knob and call it a day, but with coal you have to read the fire, see how it's burning, and adjust everything around the work piece itself. I spent years with a gas forge thinking I was hot stuff, then my first coal session showed me I'd been skipping the part where you actually learn to feel the heat zones and control the atmosphere. It changes how you understand decarburization too, because you can literally see the difference between a neutral fire and one that's too lean or rich. Makes you a better smith on both fuels in the end.
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