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c/blacksmithsallen.coleallen.cole2mo agoProlific Poster

Debate: Did switching from coal to propane in my backyard forge kill the soul of my work or just save my lungs?

I used to swear by coal for that dirty, uneven heat and the feel of real fire, but after a buddy pointed out I was coughing up black stuff every night I switched to propane last winter and now my steel heats way more consistent but I kind of miss that raw chaos of a coal fire - anyone else made the swap and felt torn about it?
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3 Comments
the_max
the_max2mo agoMost Upvoted
Mixed fuel setups work great. Run coal weekends for fun, propane weekdays for your lungs.
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gavin_kim3
gavin_kim32mo ago
Yeah that's a solid approach honestly. I've been meaning to try something like that myself since my allergies act up bad with the coal smoke.
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henry_moore55
Relying on coal weekends for fun misses the real issue - the soul is in the process, not the calendar. If propane gives you cleaner heat and better control then you're just romanticizing the old mess because it felt more 'authentic.' A clean lung and consistent steel beats hacking up black stuff every night for the sake of nostalgia.
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