Opinions Matter

c/blacksmiths

4

morgan915•11h ago

Finally got my forge to stop eating coal like crazy

It was burning through a 50lb bag in under two days, which was killing my budget. I started banking the fire with a thicker layer of damp clay and sawdust mix around the edges, and my coal use dropped by almost half. Anyone else have weird fuel-saving tricks that actually worked?

8

wright.jesse•3d ago

Tried a new coal mix and my forge went from orange to almost white hot

I was messing around with my old forge last week, blending some bituminous coal from Kentucky with a bit of anthracite I had left over. I figured it would just burn a little cleaner. Instead, after about 20 minutes, the fire hit a heat I've rarely seen outside of a professional shop. It was so bright I had to grab my darkest shade 5 lenses. The piece I was working, a simple leaf keychain, practically melted under the hammer. Learned that small changes in fuel can have a huge, wild effect. Anyone else have a forge recipe that went way different than you planned?

8

ryanj60•4d ago

Found out my old coal forge is putting out way more carbon monoxide than I thought

I borrowed a friend's air quality monitor last week while working on a knife, and the reading in my shop hit 120 ppm after just an hour of forging. I found a study from a trade school that said a lot of older forges in small shops can have poor ventilation. What's the best way you've found to check and fix airflow without a full shop rebuild?

16

davis.iris•4d ago

I keep seeing folks skip the soapstone test on old steel

Back when I was learning in my grandpa's shop in Toledo, he'd always draw a line with soapstone before the first heat. It shows you exactly how the metal moves. Now I watch videos where people just eyeball it and wonder why their scrolls twist wrong. That little chalk mark saved me so many bad bends on a tricky order for 50 gate hooks last spring. Does anyone else still use that old trick, or am I just stuck in my ways?

11

taylor632•5d ago

Choosing between a 2.5 pound and a 4 pound cross peen hammer for a big scroll job

I had a commission for a set of four large gate scrolls last month. I was stuck between using my trusty 2.5 pound cross peen or buying a heavier 4 pound one for the initial shaping. I went with the heavier hammer, thinking it would move the 1/2 inch stock faster. After about an hour, my elbow was killing me and my control was off. I switched back to the lighter hammer and the work was slower, but way more precise and less tiring. Has anyone else found a sweet spot for hammer weight on bigger decorative pieces?

12

leep89•5d ago

Showerthought: I picked a gas forge over a coal one for my first shop setup.

Everyone at the local guild in Springfield said I'd regret not learning on coal, but the startup cost and clean-up time with two little kids at home made gas the clear choice for me. It's been six months, and I'm making clean blades without the soot and constant fire management. Anyone else make a similar choice and stick with it?

28

elliot_thompson•7d ago

I thought using a cheap propane forge was a total waste of time

For years I stuck with my coal setup, convinced gas was for hobbyists making bottle openers. Then my buddy lent me his Hell's Forge two-burner for a week while my coal bin was empty. I made three identical leaf keychains, one in coal and two in the gas forge, timing each. The gas ones took 8 minutes from cold to ready to shape, while the coal one took over 20 just to get a good heat. The control was way better too, no more guessing the fire's heart. Has anyone else made the switch and found a specific project where gas just killed it?

19

christophers27•8d ago

Forgot to flux my weld and it cost me a whole Damascus billet

I was working on a pattern weld in my garage shop, got distracted by the phone, and didn't add any borax before the final fold. The scale trapped inside ruined the layers. Anyone have a good trick to remember that step every single time?

14

brooke475•8d ago

The day my forge went out right before a big order was due

So last Tuesday, I was in the middle of finishing a set of six custom fireplace tools for a client in Portland. I had the poker and the shovel done, and was working on the tongs when my propane forge just... died. No sputter, no warning, just cold. I spent the next three hours trying to figure it out, checking the regulator, the hose, everything. Turns out the solenoid valve on my Hell's Forge unit had finally given up after two years of steady use. I had to call three different welding supply shops before I found one that had a replacement in stock, and it cost me $85. The whole day was shot, and I had to work until 2 AM to get back on schedule. Has anyone else had a critical tool fail right in the middle of a time-sensitive project? What's your backup plan?

8

schmidt.grace•10d ago

A customer in Boise argued my forged leaf keychains were too expensive at $45 each.

He said anyone with a torch and an anvil could make them in ten minutes. My mentor, Frank, who taught me at the old Tacoma forge, always said the price is in the hundred unseen hours of practice. I'm curious where other smiths stand on valuing their time versus what the market will bear for decorative work.

12

rosep87•11d ago

Can we talk about how many folks are overheating their high carbon steel during normalizing?

I saw three separate videos this month where the steel was glowing a bright orange, which is way too hot and will just create more stress, not relieve it, so aim for a dull red heat and let it cool in still air.

6

torres.leo•12d ago

Vent: I tried a new coal mix for my forge and it was a total bust

I was told by a few smiths at the Tacoma meet that a 50/50 mix of bituminous and anthracite would give a cleaner, hotter fire, but after a full week of testing on my usual knife blanks, my forge ran dirtier and less even than with my old straight anthracite. What's your go-to coal blend for general forging work?

26

joel_young•12d ago

Had to pick between a power hammer and a press for my first big tool upgrade

I saved up for about a year and had $3,500 set aside for a new piece of equipment. It came down to a used 25lb Little Giant power hammer or a 12-ton hydraulic press from a local guy. I went with the press because it fit in my small garage shop better. It's been great for drawing out stock, but I still have to do a lot of the shaping by hand. Anyone have tips for getting cleaner bends on a press without a dedicated die set?

25

thea704•16d ago

Unpopular opinion: I think a basic coal forge beats a modern gas forge for most beginner projects

I ran my shop on a cheap two-burner gas forge for a year, thinking it was the 'right' way to start. Last month, I built a simple brake drum coal forge for under $100. The difference in heat control and the ability to work larger pieces is huge. I can get a better weld heat for Damascus billets and it's easier to isolate heat on a knife tip. The gas forge is cleaner, but the coal setup just feels more direct and forgiving for learning. For those who started with gas, did you ever switch back to solid fuel for specific work?

15

ivanprice•17d ago

My uncle told me to always quench a hot punch in used motor oil

He said it would make the tip hold up better... so I tried it on a set of center punches last fall. The oil caught fire and I had to throw the whole bucket in the dirt. Turns out he was mixing up old advice for hardening with a real quench tank setup. Anyone know a safer way to harden small tools without a full forge quench?

26

anna567•18d ago

Why does nobody talk about using a brass brush on hot steel?

I always thought it was just for cleaning up cold work, but after trying it on a piece at a bright orange heat, it cleaned scale off like magic. Has anyone else found a weirdly good use for a simple tool like that?

9

the_john•19d ago

Appreciation post: I thought a 2-pound cross peen was too light for general work

Used one for a month after my old 3-pounder broke. It's way better for moving metal on smaller projects, less tiring. Anyone else switch to a lighter hammer and stick with it?

18

olivia_wilson•21d ago

Vent: My old coal forge firepot cracked clean through on a big gate hinge job

It happened last Tuesday while I was working on a set of heavy strap hinges for a barn gate. I had a full bed of coke going, maybe 1800 degrees, when I heard a sharp pop. The cast iron firepot, which came with my shop when I bought it fifteen years ago, had a three-inch crack running up the side. I had to shut everything down, let it cool, and finish the heat with my small propane forge, which took twice as long. Has anyone else had a firepot fail, and is it worth trying to weld cast iron that old or should I just replace the whole unit?

3

the_john•21d ago

Tried using a potato to fix a forge weld and it worked

Had a stubborn gap in a billet last week. Couldn't get it to close up. My buddy joked, 'Just shove a potato in it.' Out of pure frustration, I did. Cut a chunk of spud, jammed it in the crack, fluxed over it, and hit the heat. The steam and carbon from the burning potato actually sealed the weld. Took three heats to clean it up, but the billet is solid now. Anyone else ever use a kitchen item as a last-ditch forge tool?

3

grant826•22d ago

Heard a kid call my anvil a 'metal printer' at the county fair

I was doing a demo at the Clark County Fair last weekend, and this young boy, maybe ten, watched me for a solid twenty minutes before he said that to his dad. It made me smile, but also got me thinking about how the craft looks from the outside now. We used to be the essential hardware store for a town, and now we're a kind of living history exhibit. Anyone else feel that shift, especially when you're showing the work to people who've never seen it before?

24

anderson.jason•23d ago

Finally got a clean weld on my first Damascus billet

Three years ago in my old garage shop, I couldn't even get the steel to stick. Last week, I got the flux right and the whole stack fused on the first heat. Anyone have a favorite pattern for a first knife from a successful billet?

8

anderson.jason•23d ago

My first try with a coal forge gave me a weird, glassy slag on the metal.

I was working on a simple leaf keychain and the surface came out looking like it had a weird, shiny skin. I think my fire was too deep and I let the piece sit in the reducing zone for too long. Anyone know how to fix this for next time?

18

parkermorgan•24d ago

My coal forge almost caught my shed on fire last week

I was working on a simple leaf keychain in my backyard shop in Springfield, and a big ember popped out of the firepot. It landed in a pile of dry wood shavings I forgot to sweep up. I had to dump my whole 5-gallon water bucket on it to stop the flames from spreading up the wall. Has anyone else had a close call like that and what do you keep nearby now?

18

elizabethwhite•24d ago

Heard a guy at the scrap yard say he never tempers his leaf springs

I was picking up some 5160 last week and this older smith was telling the yard guy he just quenches and goes, no draw at all. Said they 'self-temper' from the residual heat. I tried it on a small knife blank and it snapped like glass on the first bend test. What's the most stubborn bit of bad advice you've heard passed around like it's fact?

13

white.ryan•25d ago

TIL my old boss was right about letting steel cool on its own

I was talking to a retired guy at the hardware store last week, and he said he never quenches his mild steel right after forging. He just lets it sit on the anvil until it's black. I always thought that was a waste of time, but I tried it on a set of hooks yesterday. The metal was way less stressed and way easier to file smooth. I mean, it adds maybe 15 minutes to the job, but the finish is so much better. Has anyone else switched to just air cooling for simple stuff?