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I was totally wrong about gas forges after that demo
I always thought coal was the only real way to forge. At our local smith's gathering, a friend used his propane forge for a quick demo. He made a detailed scroll fast while I was still heating my coal. It was pretty embarrassing, but now I see how handy gas can be for some work.
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jesse_lane14d ago
What exactly can coal do that gas simply can't?
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ward.joel14d ago
I saw that same demo at the Tri-County fair last year. The key thing is that gas is great for fast, clean heats like scrollwork. But coal still wins for certain jobs, like when you need to heat a big piece in one spot. My old teacher always said gas is a precision tool, but coal lets you really work the metal. It's not that one is real and the other isn't. You just pick the right tool for the job. I still fire up the coal forge for any serious drawing out.
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