Switched from store bought briquettes to lump charcoal in my forge and the difference floored me

Angela Dixon · 2026-10-09T13:05:05.348554+00:00

For about 4 years I ran my little coal forge on cheap briquettes because they were easy to grab at the hardware store in Dayton. A guy at a hammer-in near Columbus kept bugging me to try hardwood lump instead, so I finally did 2 months ago. The briquettes left so much ash I was cleaning the fire pot every 40 minutes just to keep heat, while the lump burns hotter and leaves maybe a quarter of the clinker. My welds at the anvil come together way faster now and I spend less time fighting the fire. Anybody else notice their coal choice changed how long a heat lasts, or am I just late to this?

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Switched from store bought briquettes to lump charcoal in my forge and the difference floored me | Blacksmiths - Topic Shares