21
Serious question, propane vs coal for a beginner's first forge setup
I was at the Midwest Blacksmithing Expo in Indianapolis last fall and watched a demo where the smith, Mark Johnson, made a Damascus billet start to finish in under an hour with a propane forge. He said the control and clean-up time saved him half a day. But my old teacher swears by coal, saying you learn the fire's heart better and the heat is more forgiving on thick stock. Which side are you on for someone just starting out?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
the_brian2mo ago
Propane for beginners, coal for the purist's education.
6
the_tessa2mo ago
Yeah, it's that exact feeling! Propane is so much easier to control when you're just starting out, you can actually focus on the food. But switching to coal feels like learning to cook all over again, in the best way. It forces you to pay attention to the fire itself, not just the dial. There's a real pride that comes from getting a perfect cook with just charcoal and air flow.
2
baker.holly2mo ago
Totally get that. The first time you nail a long smoke with just a lump charcoal bed and vents feels like unlocking a secret level. It's a different kind of focus, almost like the fire is part of the recipe.
3