[TheForge] Vermiculite

[Bob Ehrenberger]

Hi Guys,

I have a barrel of vermiculite that I use to anneal tools and knives.  Over 
the years the vermiculite has gotten compacted and is only about half full 
now.  I wanted to get some more to top it off and have discovered that it is 
no longer available at most farm  & home stores like it used to be.

It seems that most of the gardening departments have switched to perlite 
instead of vermiculite.  Have any of you used perlite for annealing?  Does 
it work as well and vermiculite? Would it hurt to mix it with the 
vermiculite that I have left?

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net