Found my old coal forge receipts from 2018 and the price jump is wild

I was cleaning out my shop last week and found a stack of old receipts stuffed in a toolbox. One was from 2018 for a 50-pound bag of blacksmithing coal, bought from a local supplier in Knoxville for $12. I bought the same bag from the same guy just last month and it was $28. I remember three years ago, when I first started working with a gas forge, thinking I'd never go back to coal. But lately, for certain scrollwork and heat treating, I've been missing the soft, mellow heat you can only get from a good coal fire. It just feels different, you know? Makes me wonder if the old ways are worth the extra cost now. What's everyone else using for detailed work these days, gas or sticking with solid fuel?

3 comments

3 Comments

karenmurray2mo ago

What's the price of coal doing to your budget now?

jamie7942mo ago

You asked about the coal price, @karenmurray. It's the same hit as everything else. My power bill last month was way up, and filling the car costs more. It feels like every basic thing, from groceries to keeping the house warm, has this hidden extra tax now. You just get squeezed from every direction.

ellis.rose2mo ago

Wait, @jamie794's power bill went up too?