Types of Fuel
There are various types of fuel you could use in your coal forge. Deciding what you want to use is usually a pretty simple process, but some people are not fortunate enough to have all options available to them. Sometimes when you are starting off with blacksmithing as a hobby, you don’t or can’t afford to buy the better fuel and need to start off cheaper. Other times, you just don’t know what to get because you know you want to get into blacksmithing but don’t really know where to begin. What ever the reason may be, it is perfectly fine! I will help you figure it out by breaking down the various types of coal forge fuel that are available.
Below are some of your options for fuel in a coal forge. Some are definitely better than others, but the important thing is that you just need something with enough heat to turn your steel red hot. I am not going to be including information on a gas forge because that is a completely different setup and is usually ran on propane. I will give a description of each and my opinion on the pros and cons. So here you go…
BBQ Briquettes
BBQ briquettes are those pillow shaped chunks you use in a charcoal grill. Most of us know what they are but I don’t believe most people know what they are made of. The simple ingredients in their fabrication include charcoal, sawdust, and different additives. The additives vary depending on the type of briquettes you buy and could be used to add some extra smoke to your BBQ or add a different flavor. Some additives are added to make lighting them easier. Once all the ingredients are blended together, they are compressed into their well known pillow shape.
BBQ briquettes are probably one of your cheaper options if you were to purchase a fuel for your coal forge. It is not my choice in fuel, but I have used it in a pinch.
Pros
- They get hot enough to forge with
- Fairly inexpensive
- Easy to obtain
Cons
- Very unlikely to get hot enough for forge welding
- Produces a lot of ash during and after using the forge
- Highly recommend using this product with safety glasses due to the hot ash that blows out from the blower in the forge
Wood
Wood is a natural resource as long as it doesn’t have any chemical additives impregnated in it, such as pressure treated wood. I have not used wood in the forge, but I have got steel rods red hot in a fire pit while camping so I do know that it can get hot enough to forge steel. If you have an outdoor metal fire pit or a metal grate inside an indoor wood burning fire place, you have most likely experienced what the red hot coals do to the metal. It deforms the steel and can burn it away.
Pros
- Can be fairly easy to obtain
- It can get pretty hot
- Cleaner than BBQ briquettes
Cons
- Can generate a lot of sparks
- Takes a little longer to get those red hot coals
- Can be smokey, depending on the type of wood used and how well it is burning
Charcoal
Charcoal is a step up from using plain wood. I keep a bag of lump charcoal at the forge for when I am feeling a little cheaper and don’t want to use up so much coal or coke, especially for smaller projects or when I am just practicing. It gets the job done.
This type of fuel is made by slowly burning wood in an air tight container until everything is burned out of the wood and all that is left is pure charcoal. It is used a lot in grilling and is a natural fuel.
Pros
- Lights quicker than BBQ briquettes and plain wood
- Burns hotter than BBQ briquettes
- It’s an all natural fuel
Cons
- Costs are a little more than BBQ briquettes, but usually cheaper than coal
- Burns pretty fast
- It can produce a lot of sparks when air flow is added to it
- Creates some ash
Coal
There are a few different types of coal on the market and each generate a different amount of heat.
In order of lower heat to higher heat they produce, they are…lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. These are the four main categories or groups of coal. The USGS has pretty good descriptions of these types of coal and their uses.
Fun Fact:
ASTM International has a standard for coal…”ASTM D388 – Standard Classification of Coal by Rank“.
There are thirteen different types of coal, each being a subcategory from the groups listed above as shown from Kentucky Geological Survey. Believe it or not, Peat is a category of coal.
I have seen Tractor Supply carry Nut Coal and Rice Coal online, both are anthracite. The names nut and rice give you an idea on the size of chunks they are. I haven’t tried either of them, but if you choose one of the two, I would go with the nut coal because of its size. Nut is a very common size for blacksmithing and rice is too small and used primarily for furnaces.
Fun Fact:
Coal comes in various sizes for different uses. They are from largest to smallest: egg, stove, nut, pea, buck, rice, barley, No. 4, and No. 5 as noted from Lehigh Anthracite Coal.
Coal has been used for many years and because it has been around for so long, there is a lot of information on it along with various types available. When someone starts looking into this trade of blacksmithing, they often get confused on what type of coal should they be using. Others just buy what they first come across not knowing exactly what they are getting.
To help simplify the selection for you, get bituminous coal. This is the most common and desired for blacksmithing. Lignite and sub-bituminous give lower heat output. I have heard that anthracite is more difficult to light since it is considered a metamorphic rock due to how hard it is.
Pros
- Fairly easy to light
- Can get to forge welding temperature provided that the fire is properly maintained
- Burns relatively clean once the impurities are burned away allowing the coal to turn into coke
- Can create a cave with the coal because it sticks together, keeping the heat in and helps shield the intense light from damaging your eyes
Cons
- Can be smokey and smelly when first lit
- Can be fairly pricey depending on availability
Coke
Coke is another fuel I like to use. I haven’t bought it myself yet, but I was recently gifted a 50 pound bag of this wonderful stuff and when I run out, I will have to make sure to get more.
Coke is made from coal through a process called coking. If you use coal in the forge and you use it correctly, you are making coke (This is a topic for further discussion another time). Buying pre-made coke reduces the amount of smoke and smells you create during the process of coking, which could be highly desired for some of you, especially in denser residential areas where you don’t want to disrupt your neighbors.
Pros
- Burns clean
- Gets to forge welding temperatures the best provided the fire is properly maintained
- Can be used for steel casting due to the high heat it can generate
Cons
- More costly than coal
- More difficult to start than coal
Conclusion
Bituminous coal is the top choice for most blacksmiths and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to get started in blacksmithing. Once you get use to using bituminous coal and get a handle on creating coke with it, give coke a try to skip ahead a couple steps. If you need something that is more clean burning so you don’t annoy your neighbors as much, go straight to coke and learn how to light it.
The choice in fuel to be used for blacksmithing is really up to you and what is available to you. Sometimes cost plays a big role in what you can use. If you are just starting out and don’t have affordable or easy access to coal, I would recommend giving charcoal a try.
Where I am located, a bag of Cowboy Charcoal is about 1/3 the cost of a bag of coal, granted charcoal burns faster. I can buy Cowboy Charcoal at the local Lowes or Home Depot and it costs around $10 a bag. Coal on the other hand, the closest source I have found to me so far is about a 60 mile drive and through one of the most deadly highways in the state. A 50 pound bag of coal cost about $23, double that if I have them ship it to me, which I usually do. If I drive down there and pick it up, it might cost me the same or more in gas and time, especially with today’s gas prices. It might be a complete different story for you depending on where you are located, so look around and check to see what is available to you.
Rick Simper has various hobbies, including woodworking, metalworking, composting, and gardening. He is an Architect full time and uses these hobbies to get away from the busy week of Architecture.
