Fuel/forge question

[zombieresponder]

Howdy all.  My nephew has been watching the forged in fire series and wants to try his hand at forging a knife with his grandfather. They were going to try it on a charcoal grill, but I have an extra(no sentimental attachment) riveter's forge pan and a couple of other things I'm going to loan them instead. I'm thinking that they will either need lump charcoal or wood for fuel, and not the briquettes I believe they were planning on using. Am I correct, or would briquettes work as well? I've got no experience, thus my question. I can also supply them with wood if needed, but lump charcoal may be difficult to find. I don't know of any place around to get coal...the last fellows I talked to said they ordered theirs.

 

Thanks in advance, and I'm going to direct them here to the forum as well.

[Daswulf]

Lump charcoal would be the way to go. Most big home improvements carry it, but you could burn down wood to get the coals you need as well, if not even build a charcoal retort. I had built a 55 gallon drum to make charcoal but only had used it once, then found a source for coal.

Yes please direct them here and tell them to pack a lunch since there is a Lot of good info here to read through.

[ThomasPowers]

I've bought lump charcoal at Walmart; it's better when you can find the 40# bags for BBQ places.  Strangest Place I;ve gotten it is at a roofing supply place.  Turns out that some of the traditional roofers still use charcoal fired heaters for their soldering coppers.

Note that if you are using charcoal in a rivet forge you will need to use firebrick or adobe to make a deeper trough and contain the fire.

[JHCC]

Go light on the air supply, too. Charcoal doesn't like too much blast. 

[zombieresponder]

Thanks for the input fellas. It's the time of year that has me concerned about finding lump charcoal. It's usually available during spring and summer when everyone is grilling, but I don't recall seeing it any other time. I'm going to look, just for grins, but even if I don't find any it won't be a problem. I found a place an hour or so away that has coal. Gotta check their hours to see if I can make it down there on a Saturday morning.