tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post111306806426308304..comments2024-03-29T04:30:22.039-07:00Comments on Irons in the Fire: FuelFirehandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-1113154900777744072005-04-10T10:41:00.000-07:002005-04-10T10:41:00.000-07:00By bad coal I mean stuff with a high sulphur and a...By bad coal I mean stuff with a high sulphur and ash content. Sulphur you can often tell by looking, you'll actually see yellow streaks in the rock. Ash you find out by burning some. The best smithing coal I've used was glossy black and hard, though if you leave it out in the weather a long time, it'll be more 'crumbly'. <BR/><BR/>High ash means you have to clean the fire out more, and it won't burn as completely. High sulphur means more smoke, and bad things for steel. Sulphur weakens it. All coal has some; with good quality stuff you can add your fresh coal in at the edges of the fire, sprinkle it a bit with water, and by the time you work it in to the actual fire, it's had the impurities burned out. High sulphur makes it a lot harder to clean, and you will get more on the metal. <BR/>A lot of suppliers can tell you the breakdown of their coal, so just ask for the information. I can't remember the numbers to look for, it's been a loooong time since I last looked it up. The stuff Centaur Forge carries is .80 sulphur content, so that or less would be a good number to look for.<BR/><BR/>Hope this helps.Firehandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-1113139066283402972005-04-10T06:17:00.000-07:002005-04-10T06:17:00.000-07:00I'm 18 and just starting to get into blacksmithing...I'm 18 and just starting to get into blacksmithing I'm going to take my first blacksmithing class in about a month. I'm wondering what you mean by bad coal? How can you tell when its bad and why is it bad to use<BR/>-VMIJML@aol.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com