That week in '09 when the old forge finally gave out

I was working out of a rented shop in Lexington, and the old coal forge I'd used for 15 years just cracked down the middle on a Tuesday. It was the middle of a big job for a draft horse barn, and I had six sets of shoes to finish. I had to borrow time on a buddy's propane forge across town, hauling my steel back and forth for three days straight. The whole rhythm was off, the heat felt different, and I was sure I'd mess up the fit. But you know what? By Friday, I was getting a cleaner weld on the clips. It made me see how stuck I'd gotten in my ways. Anyone else have a tool break that forced a change you ended up liking?

2 comments

2 Comments

charlie_allen3d ago

Did you ever go back to coal, or did you stick with propane after that?

andrewross3d ago

Stuck with propane after that first winter. The convenience won me over, even if coal gave a better heat sometimes. Been running the same propane setup for about five years now.