Thread: Forging Perceived Value

Btw I don't know if this is true or not, but in a vikings novel I once read a description of a smith making steel from iron by shoving bars in between the wood that was being turned into charcoal. In the story there was a 50 / 50 success ratio.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I was assuming I could sift out quite a bit of Charcoal from the wood stove all winter long...

Sure, why waste it? Charcoaling is essentially heating the wood to a temperature that out-gasses all the volatiles. Any wood that fell into the ash layer of a fire will be starved of oxygen and cooked by the heat in the stove forming charcoal.

I used to do the same thing and then take the charcoal fines and mix them into the garden compost. That made for some very good dirt that would hold nutrients and water quite well. See Terra Preta.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Btw I don't know if this is true or not, but in a vikings novel I once read a description of a smith making steel from iron by shoving bars in between the wood that was being turned into charcoal. In the story there was a 50 / 50 success ratio.

At temperatures that would ensure the carbon diffusing into the iron bars, I think there wouldn't be much charcoal left. Charcoal forms around 280C plus or minus and carbon diffuses into steel at or about 750C. All of the metallurgical studies of carbon diffusion don't have any data below that temperature. But, iron is always subject to time at temperature so I suppose that you could hold the temperature at 280C for long enough to make steel, but I don't know how practical that would be.

Originally Posted by Utopian

But Mike, you at least said he was right but went on to explain how others also were right.

I said he was wrong.

What the heck should I do?

Everyone is correct from their point of view, we all get medals. I like that

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Sure, why waste it? Charcoaling is essentially heating the wood to a temperature that out-gasses all the volatiles. Any wood that fell into the ash layer of a fire will be starved of oxygen and cooked by the heat in the stove forming charcoal.

I used to do the same thing and then take the charcoal fines and mix them into the garden compost. That made for some very good dirt that would hold nutrients and water quite well. See Terra Preta.

that is exactly where the Ash and Charcoal hod has been dumped for all these years, I think from now on I will sift out the larger stuff

I actually have a screen sieve box that will work perfectly for this

I remember watching a vid of Mastro Livi forging a razor. Heats and beats, sits it right in the coals until the color gets 'right' and then beats some more, sits it back in ......... IIRC

Maybe the 'romance' I mentioned stems from my imagination, as a kid in grade school, when I heard Longfellow's poem. No computers, videos, just imagination ;

The Village Blacksmith

Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The Smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can
And looks the whole world in the face
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming furge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church
and sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach.
He hears his daughter's voice
singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought!

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I have found I like both coal & gas for different reasons. Gas is much cleaner but is much easier to get a reducing fire with good blacksmithing coal. Coal will only smoke usually when starting up the fire. The secret to using coal is you are coking the coal to produce the best & hottest fire there is an art to using a coal forge. Charcoal is another story. I never used it much but I have heard it takes a lot more attention as it will go out if the air supply is stopped very long. I have had both coal & gas forges but if I get back into smithing I will probably just use gas. It is getting harder & harder to get good quality coal in my area. There used to be a coal yard in Brazil Indiana that you could get it in 50 Lb. bags or in bulk but they are now closed I hear.

Dave H.