Unpopular opinion: Using a propane forge vs coal is a debate that needs more heat

I was at a demo in Portland last week where the smith's propane regulator failed mid-strike on a hawk, ruining the heat treat timing, while the coal guys just kept hammering through their session without missing a beat. Does the convenience of propane really outweigh the reliability of coal when you're on a deadline, or am I just old school about it? What's your go-to fuel when things go sideways?

3 comments

3 Comments

river_allen2d ago

Ever notice how everything in life is shifting toward convenience over reliability? That propane regulator failing during a critical heat treat is basically the same thing as my buddy's smart thermostat glitching out in the middle of a winter storm. Coal may be dirtier and more work, but sometimes the old ways just keep running when the new stuff falls apart, you know?

grant.felix1d ago

That whole situation sounds frustrating, nothing worse than gear failing right when you need it most. You make a good point about the tradeoffs between easy and dependable, especially when the stakes are high. Sometimes the older methods just have a stubbornness that newer stuff hasn't earned yet.

wesley18114h agoMost Upvoted

Buddy of mine had a brand new computer controlled woodstove... top of the line, all digital. First real cold snap we had last January, the control board fried. Just stopped working in the middle of the night. He spent two days with space heaters waiting on a replacement part. His neighbor's old steel stove with a manual damper never missed a beat. Sometimes all that tech just adds more ways for something to break.