Gas forges are commonplace in today’s farrier rigs. We use them so often that it’s easy to become complacent and operate on autopilot.

A recent incident in which a farrier was seriously burned while refilling his propane tank serves as a stark safety reminder to all farriers and blacksmiths who carry a gas forge and propane tank in a vehicle.

“The man had been shoeing horses in the morning and had stopped … to refill a large propane tank mounted under the canopy,” according to the Salmon Arm (British Columbia) Observer. “He was disconnecting the filling line from the propane tank, which was close to a
small forge.”

Propane is a liquefied petroleum gas — or LPG — that is compressed and stored as a liquid. It’s primarily a byproduct of domestic natural gas processing, although some is produced from the refinement of crude oil.

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