Local regulations pushing propane forges, but I'm not convinced

Honestly, the new clean air rules in my county mean a lot of smiths are ditching coal. Tbh, it makes sense for reducing smoke and neighbors' complaints. Ngl, though, I feel like the heat from coal just works better for certain projects, like when I'm making Damascus steel. Some guys say propane is the future, with precise temperature control. Others, like me, worry we're losing part of the craft's soul. What do you all think? Is adapting to regulations worth it, or should we fight to keep coal alive?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix1321mo ago

No way! I heard propane forges can nail Damascus steel too.

clairewalker1mo ago

My cousin in Asheville had to switch last year and he still talks about missing the smell and the sound of a coal fire. I mean, propane might get the job done technically, but it doesn't have the same... feel, you know? Maybe it's just me, but there's a basic connection to the history of the craft that changes when the fuel changes. It's hard to explain, but I get why you'd worry about losing that part of it.

leebrown1mo ago

You think the old way is the only real way? That's just being stubborn. I've seen guys make perfect Damascus in a propane forge, with way less mess and no smoke alarms going off. The "soul" is in your hands, not in what's burning. If the old masters had clean, reliable heat, they would've used it in a second. Clinging to coal just makes the whole craft look stuck in the past.

-2