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Had to pick between a coal forge and a gas forge last month
I was setting up my first real shop in a rented garage in Tampa and had to choose between a $300 coal forge setup or a $600 gas forge. I went with the gas forge because I figured it would be cleaner and easier to control heat. First few weeks were great, but I keep seeing videos of guys getting that deeper color on Damascus with coal. Now I'm wondering if I made the wrong call for the long run. Has anyone else switched from gas back to coal and regretted the hassle?
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kevin_wells4613d ago
william, I read an old interview with a bladesmith who said most of that rainbow effect in Damascus comes from the steel composition and how you heat treat it. He ran both gas and coal for years and said the fuel choice is way overblown for that specific thing. In my experience the main difference is just how fast you can get the steel hot and how even the heat is across the billet. Gas is way more predictable for that. I'd stick with what you got and maybe try a different flux or a bit more temperature control before you go buying another forge.
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