Where to find coal?

S

SunnyM

Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Messages
12
Hey all,

I'm not sure where to post this, but I'm having some trouble trying to find coal near Vancouver Canada. I think our local home depot has 4 kg bags of hardwood charcoal but I'm not sure if those bags are big enough to do a project or 2 with. There are a few places that sell the briquettes but I've read that those are no good for blacksmithing purposes. Does anyone have any suppliers around the area? Also this is just something I am looking to get into on the weekends if thats of any use lol.

If someone also has any good ideas for a small coal forge as well feel free to chime in!
 
You're going for a drive to find coal I suspect. Check around the valley for farriers and supply.
 
hmm. i wonder if itd just be easier to get some from across the border as I live very close to a crossing.
 
Also, remember that all coal isn't forging coal. In fact, very little coal is forging coal.



You need low sulfur bituminous coal. Additionally, you want it in "Pea" to "Nut" size ( coal size grades). Most folks prefer pea size.

The coal vein that 99% of it comes from is in Virginia, USA. Some is also mined in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The coal is called "Pocahontas Blacksmith Coal". The very best grade is from the Pocahontas #3 mine. Almost every blacksmith supply and farrier supply carries it. Most all will ship to Canada. Cost runs around $15 for a 50 pound bag plus shipping. Do a search for "Pocahontas Forging coal" and "Pocahontas Blacksmith coal" and you will find dozens of suppliers. I am sure some are in Canada.

I would start by contacting the Vancouver Island Blacksmith's Association:
http://viblacksmiths.com/
 
Its getting harder to find coal even here in the heart of coal country..I live right in the middle of coal country..All my life there has been mines all around me, hundreds of coal buckets going up and down the road 24 hours a day..Good coal, some of the best around..AK steel got most of their coal from East,Ky..Now since the so called "war on coal" so many mines have shut down, hardly any coal buckets running up and down the river..Thousands of miners out of work here in Kentucky.In fact Ky lead the nation for years in coal production with one of the lowest sulpher and ash contents around.Im lucky I can still buy good coal about 10 minutes from the house for practically nothing..Coal is much,much cheaper than gas around here...I can bank a fire and leave it smolder all day for pennies..On a really busy long day you might burn a 5 gallon bucket full spending a whole .50 cents for a entire days worth of fuel...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top