Warning: Stupid post

[gtmcfarland]

Hello. I have been reading this forum off and on for awhile. I finally decided to post.

I moved to Hawaii some time ago. I used to do welding projects, but steel is very expensive here. I have decided to try my hand at knife making (less steel needed, and probably can be had for free). While reading about this on the web, I found info about simple forges and became really interested.

I wanted to do some simple experiments by digging a pit in the ground and heating some steel. I looked but can't find real charcoal on my island. I had to use Kingsford briquets. I had a hair dryer duct taped to a pipe for air.

I got the charcoal going. The hair dryer seemed to supply enough air, but the damn thing kept shutting off. Must be an internal circuit breaker or something. I ended up using the outlet of a small shop vac. It supplied way too much air. I still got the steel red hot, and a magnet wouldn't stick to it. I was also able to bend it very easily with pliers.

I am still pretty clueless. I see everywhere that you should not use charcoal briquets in a forge. Can someone tell me exactly why this is?

This was alot of fun. I can tell I am going to be hooked.

Gregg

 

[Mike Ferrara]

There's just a lot of junk in the bricketts...coal dust, something to act as glue and who knows what all else. They're designed to burn long rather than hot. That said, I guess that doesn't measn that you can't get a piece of steel hot enough to forge but I wonder about welding. The size and shape might not make it easy to control the fire either.

Charcoal or coal will work better and you can make your own charcoal if you have a place where you can burn and a source of wood.

 

[Reg ELLERY]

I have no idea what type of wood grows on your island but you can make charcoal from any old offcuts of timber. smadhed up furniture packing crates
roof timber of cuts at new house construction. Don't splinter the wood keep it cut in chunks. May be even try the shipping companys shipping crates normally have wood frames. I tried bicketts and they did not work for me.
Make some kind of air flow valve or diverter so you can control the heat. More air more heat more fuel burnt.

not particle boards or palm trees. Look around some of the black smith sites you will find charcoal makers. They can be made from 44 galon drums. (200 litredrums) I used a hand wind forge for about 7 years still do for some jobs.

I could control my fire very well after practice I would get a hot center fire not the whole forge rageing. In this way you can reduce the amount of charcoal burnt per session. Also while hitting the steel the blower stopped turning again using less of the charcoal. I used about a 2 galon bucket for a 2 hour session. I have used a lot more in the same time when I was trying for a bif fire for big jobes but forging a blade to shape small fire worked well.

Good luck I love my charcoal forge but gass will be easier once your established.

 

[jhiggins]

Get yourself a copy of Tim Lively's video. That'll keep you entertained for a while.

 

[mete]

In Hawaii they have Koa which makes very fine furniture etc . It's in the legume family like locust so it should make excellent charcoal !

 

[IronWolf]

Some of the fillers and binders in charcoal briquettes are very toxic at the temperatures needed to forge. I would switch to something else both for health and temperature.

 

[Rob!]

In Hawaii they have Koa which makes very fine furniture etc . It's in the legume family like locust so it should make excellent charcoal !

Aargh!!! $100.00 bills will burn too! Koa is getting rarer and is subject to stringent harvest restrictions. It is used for everything from furniture to jewellry. The curly or otherwise figured stuff makes incredible knife handles.

Blasphemy!:thumbdn: