[TheForge] Water on your coal forge fire?

[David E. Smucker]

I am looking for information on the subject of using water on your coal
forge fire for a future article for the AACB Newsletter.



Many folks do not use water or at most just a little bit - while others use
quite a bit.  Why?  In our part of the country smiths who spent time with
Francis during their formative years seem to use quite a bit of water to
control their fire while many others I have watch do not.



I have read statements by some self-appointed blacksmith experts that
putting water on your fire is stupid because it just wastes BTUs.  Is this
really the case?  I don't think it is a waste of BTUs because I feel it aids
in the production of coke.  Coke is what we really want to burn in our forge
because of its high local BTU output and clean fire.  (If forming coke were
just a waste of BTUs the steel industry would not go to all of the trouble
of making coke - they would just use coal.)



I am also interested in the chemical reaction of water on hot / burning
coal.  It generates CO as a gas (blue flame) and at one time was used as a
production method for "town gas" before the wide spread availability of
natural gas (methane).



How many of you use water on your fire and how much.  Why?



And I all ready know that most of you don't use much water in your propane
forges.



Dave Smucker

Editor, AACB newsletter