Hello, my name is Cheyenne Walker. I'm fairly new to forging and bladesmithing and had a question about firebricks. My forge is simply stacked firebrick and it is outdoors with my anvil nearby under the carport. After a rain, I usually wait several days before building a fire in it due to not knowing how porous are the firebricks. In case they are porous enough to hold water, I didn't want to risk a watervapor explosion and in doing so, I am losing days when I could be practicing and learning. So all that being said, do I need to wait or am I safe building a fire as soon as I can? Thank you for your replys.
Cheyenne Walker
Apprentice Smith
Hi Cheyenne!
When you use the term "building a fire" I'm assuming they is a coal/coke forge? If so, you should be alright....with a coal/coke fire, it's a relatively slow heat up, which would give the water a chance to evaporate away.
If it's a gas(propane) that's a different story....that will heat up much faster, and the risk of bricks "popping" are greater.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Sorry Ed, I forgot to mention my fuel. I use oak charcoal. Am I still ok? If I need to wait, what is a decent timeline?
Cheyenne Walker
Apprentice Smith
You should be fine with that type of forge...even if it's "wet", once you get the fire started, and up to temp, it should have plenty of time to "burn" out the moisture. That doesn't mean that you won't have a brick crack or break now and then...that's just a byproduct of the heating/cooling, and expansion/contraction.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
I am using mesquite charcoal in my forge because its free. I also have fire bricks (the hard kind) in my forge which is in a carport/ tractor parking area. My bricks have cracked which is a bummer because my local source has closed down. But to get to the point I frequently forge on wet rainy days and haven't had any trouble.
|quoted:
I am using mesquite charcoal in my forge because its free. I also have fire bricks (the hard kind) in my forge which is in a carport/ tractor parking area. My bricks have cracked which is a bummer because my local source has closed down. But to get to the point I frequently forge on wet rainy days and haven't had any trouble.
|quoted:
I am using mesquite charcoal in my forge because its free. I also have fire bricks (the hard kind) in my forge which is in a carport/ tractor parking area. My bricks have cracked which is a bummer because my local source has closed down. But to get to the point I frequently forge on wet rainy days and haven't had any trouble.
I realize that this doesn't specifically address the question of using charcoal, but I just wanted mention that the forge that I use about 99% of the time is made from an old free-on tank lined with ceramic wool and refractory cement. It's very efficient, clean, heats up in about a minute and a half, and is extreemely hot with the burner I use. I can forge and harden up to a 9" blade. It's also very easy to build if you are interested.
