My forge fire brick exploded during a demo last Saturday

I was at a county fair in Ohio showing people how to make basic hooks. Got maybe 20 minutes in and a fire brick right next to the forge just cracked and popped like a firecracker. Scared the crowd and sent chips flying. Turns out I had a hairline crack I never noticed and moisture got in overnight. Anybody else have a brick blow up on them mid-demo?

3 comments

3 Comments

carter.casey18d ago

Man I had one go off last summer at a farm show near Toledo. Scattered hot grit everywhere and my anvil got pitted from the shrapnel.

bettyroberts18d ago

Yeah, that part about the anvil getting pitted is what gets me. I used to think those old anvil firing demos were mostly harmless, just loud and flashy. Then I saw a video where one actually blew apart a steel plate they had nearby, and I completely changed my mind. Idk what kind of grit they used in yours near Toledo, @carter.casey, but that's some scary force if it's scarring up anvils.

grant.felix18d ago

Totally hear you on that, @carter.casey, pitted anvils are no joke and that grit sounds like a nightmare. @bettyroberts is right to be cautious, those old demos can get real dangerous real fast.