We all know that some forms of coal don't work well for blacksmithing. But does anybody out there have some testing of "non-blacksmith coal" that they'd care to share. Don't be shy. I don't think anybody will flame you for trying some "mystery coal" and then ratting on yourself.
Blacksmiths must use more than one kind of coal. For instance: When we were in France at a blacksmith conference at Arles-sur-tech some years ago, they were burning coal that had more volatiles than I have ever seen before or since. The smoke from it would go a couple of feet into the air and then actually ignite again!!!
I might even have a picture or two of the flames.
I got some coal at a blacksmith auction once. It looked like the old stoker coal that our neighbors used back in the 1940's. Dull gray, it was and no pieces were larger than about 1/2" cubed. It would NOT coke up at all. It did not get very hot in the forge. Don't remember ash content or smell (sulphur).
Don't tell anybody I told you this, but I gave up and buried it (about
50 pounds). Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, coal back where it came from, says I. Wait till the archeologists find THAT some day!I was browsing through my 1973 copy of "Marks Handbook for Mechanical Engineers" a few years ago and found 55 pages in it about coal. Very enlightening.
Pete Stanaitis
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