Tractor's Supply Co. may not have their coal out on display, but call your local store to see if they have it in stock. It's a seasonal product, so they tend to put it away in the stock room when the weather is warm and no-one has their coal stove going.

Also, the stuff comes in two sizes: nut coal and rice coal. The nut coal is too big and will need some banging with a hammer; you want pieces no bigger than the first joint of your thumb.

Finally able to get ahold of tractor supply they do have several bags of it. But its nut coal. I'll ask when I get there about the other. I figure I'll try it and get a sideblast together. I eventually want to make my own charcoal with pecan wood.

 

Don't worry if they only have nut coal. Seize the opportunity to practice hammer control.

I definitely need, mostly I do ok but I get some random hammer swings sometimes, especially on hard swings with the 3lb cross peen :).

I bought 4, 40 pound bags of nut coal for $23 at tractor supply. Makes it much cheaper for more than the charcoal, and its in smaller chunks as well.

Steve, glad you were finally able to get your hands on some coal!!  BTW, when TSC says "nut size", how big are the pieces and do they have much fines in the coal?

fines?  Not sure I'm familiar with the term.  The pieces I pulled out were very small.

Steve, thanks for the size info and picture.  That's a nice size to forge with.

"Fines" are the sand and dust size coal.  Fines are OK to forge with.  The fines in bituminous coal clump together well and can coke just like larger pieces.  Anthracite coal like you have doesn't coke like bituminous, but they will still burn.  (I understand the TSC coal is anthracite...please correct me if I'm wrong.)

Yea at the end of work today I actually got to talk to a local farrier.  Luckily he came in right before we locked up for the day.  He said he uses the stuff from tractor supply when he needs it.  He's supposed to be seeing about extra tongs and what not as well.  

 

 

EDIT:  Also I have tiny hands so about that size comparison

The nut coal I got was about the size of a golf ball to a ping pong ball, about twice as big as one needs, but once you have a good fire going you don't need to break it up, just use it as is, it will break down in the fire.

wouldnt say coal was better than charcoal, just different, you certainly make more sparklers, but the dosility, and lack of a raw trought are advantages of charcoal (not to mention that construction scrapes and yard waste find their way into my forges on a regular basis)  

If you are looking for bituminous still, Penn coal has some. Im not sure about shipping to you, but its $15 for 50 lbs.