Fire... So easy a caveman can do it?

 

Excerpt from SHOE YOUR OWN DAMNED HORSE!

   At our regional farrier group's first public clinic, one of our
guys broke out his most recent acquisition. An antique, but fully
functional roll-out coal forge. Like most horseshoers circa 1990,
his experience was almost entirely in gas forges. He poured the
pan full of green (uncoked) coal, stuffed some paper in over the
grate, lit it, and started cranking away.

   In a few seconds the paper was blown away as ash and the
forge was still cold.

   So he tried again. With more paper, harder cranking. After
several attempts with no success, he got a bit frustrated and
went for the gasoline.

   I backed up several steps.

   Coal got soaked with gas, match was tossed-in, and our guy
cranked the blower like a madman, resulting in a spectacular
pillar of flame straight out of The Ten Commandments... For the
twenty seconds or so it took for the gas to burn away. Then our
intrepid blacksmith was left with non-burning coal, singed
beard, and a smoldering cap brim.

   At this point he seemed ready to accept assistance, so I got a
scoop of burning coke out of my forge, put it over the grate of
his, mounded-up the coal around it, wet-down the outer stuff,
and cranked easy 'til we had a proper fire going.

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