Small forge question

[Patrice Lemée]

I bought some firebricks from a local supplier to make a two brick forge. These are regular refractory bricks like the ones use to make a fireplace. Now I read somewhere that the bricks I need are supposed to be very lightweight and can be carved with a spoon. Since mine are much harder than that, am I using the right ones?

Any help would be appreciated.

Padrig

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You want "SOFT Fire Bricks".The supplier will have them or order them from Darren Ellis.
http://refractory.elliscustomknifeworks.com/

 

[kricket]

The bricks Darren sells are the ones you want. They can be easily carved out with a wood rasp or a hack saw blade. I cut mine by hand with a worn out hack saw blade that I got from the garbage can. Post pictures of the finished forge, good luck!!!

 

[Airborne Steel]

When you get your soft bricks, be sure to wrap the finished forge in chicken wire or something similar. The bricks will fall apart easily after being heated up and cooling off several times. (Or maybe I just took too much off the insides of mine)

Have fun and welcome to the addiction.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Thanks for the link, I will order some.

As to the chicken wire, would a steel frame also work?

Pad

 

[Airborne Steel]

Yes, a steel frame will probably be even better. Anything to keep the bricks together.

 

[DAMNENG]

When you go to buy the brick ask for "insulation brick" not fire brick.
Jim A.

 

[Darren Ellis]

Hi Pad,

Take a look at the two-brick forge by Len Landrum on our site:

http://ForgeGallery.EllisCustomKnifeworks.com

for an example of one with a steel frame. Len has made that his portable demo forge, and it really seems to be working out well for him!

Let me know if I can help out in any way!



-Darren

 

[Patrice Lemée]

I will try a steel frame then. The places I called only had hard "firebricks". I will see about insulating bricks but it doesnt look good.

Darren, any idea about shipping to Quebec, Canada? Have you ever done it before?

Pad

 

[Darren Ellis]

I will try a steel frame then. The places I called only had hard "firebricks". I will see about insulating bricks but it doesnt look good.

Darren, any idea about shipping to Quebec, Canada? Have you ever done it before?

Pad

Hi Pad, the proper firebricks are hard to find, that's one of the reason's we started carrying the line of materials that we do, to make it convenient for knifemakers to get set up with refractory materials for building forges.

We ship all over the world, so shipping to Canada isn't a problem...I'm shipping one of our full size forges to Canada on Tuesday!

-Darren

 

[Chant]

I had trouble finding them too, until I phoned a pottery supply place. They use them in their kilns. You might want to look up "pottery" in your yellow pages and give them a try.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Thanks Chant, I'll take a quick look around to see what I can find. If I don't find anything, I'll order some from Darren.

Pad

 

[rpaladin]

Darren Ellis is fast getting stuff out... got the bricks today...

/ al

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Well as it happens, the major potery supply company is about 20 minutes from my house. I bought 6 soft firebricks and will be going back for some refractory cement. Sorry Darren, I still appreciate your help.

Now on to carving. "Damn it Jim, I am a doctor not a carver!".

Pad

 

[Brekfast]

Hi Padrig,

I live in Montreal and am in the process of building my heat treating furnace. I'd like to ask you where you bought your soft fire bricks (ones that can be carved easily.) locally.

Many thanks !

Henrik