[TheForge] Water on your coal forge fire?

[Andy Vida]

"David E. Smucker" wrote:
> 
> 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 uave used it mainly to contain the size of the fire.
	If I'm making nails, I don't need a fire large enough to
	forge a battleship's anchors.

	I have heard, as many of us have, that it helps coking.
	One assertion was that the steam helps liberate the
	volatile contaminants such as sulphur.
> 
> 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?

	Depends on how "waste" is defined here.  BTUs definitely are
	consumed in the production of steam, so if there is no benefit
	to offset this loss, then I would have to agree that it is a
	waste.  But if, for example, I save fuel by not allowing the
	fire to get too large, then I would say that the loss may be
	acceptable.

>  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.)

	The contaminants would ruin the steel.

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

	I used to do it a lot.  not so much anymore.  Not sure
	why.  Probably just lazy.