[TheForge] TheForge Digest, Vol 165, Issue 6

[barry myers]

You do need to put some kind of clay in the cast iron forge.  Even the
steel ones, but certainly the cast iron ones.  If it gets too hot, they
will break and it scares the hell out of you and those around.  When I had
a nice square Champion being used by a newbie and his teacher at a
hammer-in, they were really cranking on the blower to get the steel hot.
It sounded like a shotgun.

Also, I don't think that water on a cast iron forge is the best idea.  A
cold drop of water will also cause it to crack.