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True, but you can buy it most any grocery store, or BiMart, or Lowes/HomeDepot.
Just google "natural lump charcoal." It's not pressed briquets, it's actually chunks of wood charcoal.
Our local Safeway, as well as Roth's carries it made from Mesquite, and Hickory too I believe.
You have to ask yourself, is this hobby worth all the trouble? I come up with all sorts of excuses when I pursue mine. Try running an ad on Craigslist or some other forum and see if you can share some of the expense. Who knows, there may be a market in your area.
The hobby blacksmith in my old neighborhood used wood charcoal exclusively.
He had a blower made from an old blow-dryer and made everything from froes and axe heads, to hinges, latches and tongs.
He repaired a number of pieces of antique farm implements too, sometimes forge-welding stuff back together.
It was fun to just watch him work, and he made it look so easy.
Used to be a company in Tacoma called Star Fuel and Ice. I still see their trucks don't know if they still sell coal. In the Black Diamond area is Palmer Coking Coal company. Want to dig you own head for Selleck, Kanasket, Palmer, Bain, Cumberland, Wilkerson, Carbonado areas. Also their used to be a company listed in Seattle but in White Center. Roslyn, Cle Elum the stuff is all over in the Northwest.
You might try checking with some of the local SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) or Rendezvous re-enactors around that area. I know the SCA has quite a few smiths and if they don't know of a local source, then maybe you can buy some off of them or go in for a group purchase the next time someone needs to restock.
My Grandfather was a blacksmith. I used to watch him when I could, he made working with iron look so simple. Did I ever get a education when I built my first forge! Coal was a short 30 mile drive away and I would buy 200 lbs at a time. Where I live now I use Propane, cost more but I don't do much blacksmith work any more.
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