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I Forge Iron

Smithing Coal Versus Coke


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I want to sing the praises of using Coke in a forge instead of Smithing Coal

It does not produce any smoke or smell at all, no matter what you do.
It burns hotter than hell and produces little or no ash or clinkers.
The fire never settles down, no hollow spots, nothing but pure heat. Just add fresh coke as needed.


It's a little harder to start a new fire in the forge, just use a little more kindling.

I was told that it needed a strong blast to keep it running, but I didn't have any problems using a hundred year old, no name, hand cranked blower.

A blacksmith friend gave me a bag of coke, which is what I was using, but I would like to find a regular dealer who sells it.

Does anyone know a dealer in the New York or New Jersey area where I could buy some??

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  • 2 weeks later...

I always thought the problem in NY and NJ was too many coke dealers... Sorry, cheap shot! I agree that it's great using coke instead of coal however I'd add two caveats. #1 Coke will go out faster than a coal and coke fire. #2 coke runs considerably hotter and a thin firepot may not last long as a result. I've taken to cutting it about 50/50, although I enjoy the lack of smoke, stink, and clinker using straight coke.

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I began using coke in Utah where the availability of good coal is horrible. Once your use to it it's is great. The other reason I prefer it is that the former president of our ABANA chapter worked in the coke plant at the local steel foundry. He told us once that the coal smoke driven off the coal to make it in to coke was not vented to the air but gathered and made into products for sale. You know these products as XYLENE, TOLUENE and BENZINE. After this revelation I am quite happy not to breathe coal smoke anymore than I have to.

Daniel

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