Anthracite coal

[Woflglad]

As a beginner I have seen many references to Bituminous coal as being "the" coal, but I have also seen tantalizing if brief references to using Anthracite coal and wetting it. I have a coal stove in my house and live in eastern Pennsylvania so Anthracite is easy to get and in fact always on hand, so I was wondering if anyone has any experience using Anthracite and could maybe give me a few pointers or if it is just hands down easier to go ahead and find Bituminous coal.

[Larry H]

Go with bituminous, after all you live in coal country. Better yet go with coke if you can, if you get good quality you will never go back to coal. More heat, less ash.

[Francis Trez Cole]

anthracite well as a beginner years ago that was all I could get also. Breaking it up to walnut size pieces is the first step. It will work just fine but once you switch to bituminous you will never go back there is a diffrence. I have forge welded with anthracite with no problems and you have a supply on hand. As the first smith I learned from said "just do it". Some times you have to work with what you have don't over think it. I never wet my coal unless I am setting up a dome for forge welding. I have friends who keep there coal in a bin of water all the time in the winter I would think the water would freeze on you unless you have a heated shop. Try both and see what workes best for you.

[billd]

I am using anthracite now for the simple reason that I have it available for free. If your paying for it you might as well use Bituminous. I have not had any problems forging with it. It also seems to me that it burns with less smoke than Bituminous. If that's an advantage to you.

Bill

[Marc]

I remember reading the blacksmithing part of the Foxfire series of books and they said blacksmiths preferred anthracite to bituminous because it was cleaner.

[Frosty]

I remember reading the blacksmithing part of the Foxfire series of books and they said blacksmiths preferred anthracite to bituminous because it was cleaner.

And you hit the main reason I NEVER recommend the Foxfire books for anything. This isn't the only thing they have wrong or completely backwards, most of their info is more in the Urban Myth catagory.

Anthricite will work but you can make darned near anything work with enough effort. Happily anthricite works pretty well if it's reasonably low sulphur, it's sure less sparky than charcoal.

Use what you have, make a fire and beat some hot iron. Nothing else will teach you the craft and overcoming obstacles will actually flatten the learning curve for you.

Frosty the Lucky.