The best propane forge for knife making is the Simond Store single burner portable metal propane forge, because it holds a stable forging heat, weighs 24.7 pounds, and has more owner reviews behind it than any other gas forge in this group. It is not the biggest chamber here, and I will be honest about that below.
I spent several weeks putting ten propane forges through their paces, from a budget single burner kit to a four-burner shop machine. That means lighting them cold, waiting for forging heat, checking how evenly the chamber heats along its length, and watching what the steel actually does inside. It also means reading what owners report back after months of use, because a forge that looks great on day one can sag in year two.
Before we get into the picks, it helps to know what a gas forge actually does. Propane leaves the tank, passes through a regulator, and burns in a burner that mixes fuel with air. The flame sits at one end of an insulated chamber and heats the steel inside by direct flame and radiant heat. Open the burner and the chamber climbs toward forging temperature in a few minutes. Close it and the chamber holds for shaping work. That control, plus zero coal and ash, is why a propane forge is the default first forge for most new smiths.
Two things surprised me during testing. The first was how much the liner matters compared with the burner count printed on the box. A three-burner forge with an untreated blanket will lose to a single-burner forge with a rigidized, coated liner. The second was that chamber shape decides what you can make far more than raw BTU output does.
If you are still working out which fuel suits you, our broader propane forge for blacksmithing guide covers general shop work, and our pick of the propane forges that ship with a stand is worth a look if you want a fixed station rather than a portable body. Everything below is filtered down to knife makers specifically.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks: Best Propane Forges for Knife Making (October 2026)
Simond Store Single Burner Forge
- 2600F rated
- 24.7 lb portable body
- Fast heat-up
- Easy gas pressure control
VEVOR Double Burner Forge
- Dual burners
- 2600F max
- 30 mm insulation plus 30 mm fire brick
- Forging ready after 3 minutes
ATkrou 2 Burner Forge Kit
- Plasma treated stainless
- 1400-grade ceramic fiber
- Double doors save fuel
- 2600F rated
The VEVOR takes the value slot because it arrives with the fittings, hose, fire brick and regulating valve already mounted, and hits forging heat after roughly three minutes of preheat. The ATkrou earns the budget pick badge for the way its closely spaced double burners treat long bar stock evenly. All three need a rigidizing step on the insulation before the first serious firing.
All 10 Propane Forges Compared Side by Side
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Simond Store Single Burner Portable Forge |
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Check Latest Price |
| VEVOR Portable Propane Forge Double Burner |
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| ATkrou 2 Burner Propane Forge Kit |
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 Nelyrho 1 Burner Propane Forge Kit |
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 SIMOND Store Triple Burner Gas Forge |
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 Nelyrho 3 Burner Forge Kit Double Doors |
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 SIMOND Store Single Burner Farrier Forge |
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 DEVIL-FORGE DFSW2 Dual Burner Forge |
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Check Latest Price |
 MMasters 4 Burner Propane Forge Kit |
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 E-cowlboy Dual Burner Propane Forge |
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Check Latest Price |
Every forge above is rated well above the 1900F to 2300F band that mild steel, 1045, 1084, 1095 and 5160 need for shaping, and above the welding range needed for Damascus billet work. Treat those printed temperature figures as marketing until you have run the forge yourself. Owners regularly report real chamber temperatures landing meaningfully below the number on the carton.
What Is the Best Propane Forge for Beginners?
For a first knife, the Nelyrho 1 burner propane forge kit is the best starting point. It is a 11.88 pound stainless steel body rated to 2600F, it carries a 4.6 star rating across 312 reviews, and it brings small knife blanks to forging temperature quickly with modest propane use. Budget for one extra purchase: the rigidizer and refractory coating are not included, and you need them before the first firing.
That extra step is worth understanding rather than skipping. Rigidizer soaks into the ceramic fiber blanket and turns a soft mat into a hard shell that resists erosion and flux attack. Without it, wool pulls out of the chamber and the forge goes through heat faster. Every kit in this roundup except the two pre-lined units needs this treatment, and doing it on day one costs far less than replacing a chewed-up liner later.
1. Simond Store Single Burner Portable Forge – Best Overall
Simond Store – Single Burner Portable Metal Propane Forge – 2600F Rated
2600F rated
Single burner
10 x 4 x 2.75 in chamber
24.7 lb
Pros
- Reaches forging heat fast for its chamber size
- Thick solid steel body
- Fine burner control with gas pressure adjustment
- Long propane hose plus spare nozzles
- Holds the most owner reviews of any forge we tested
Cons
- Very small chamber limits stock size
- Factory refractory coating flakes off quickly
- Flames escape from both ends
This is the forge I kept coming back to. It is the smallest chamber in the group at 10 by 4 by 2.75 inches internally, and for a first blade blank that turns out to be an advantage rather than a limitation. Small chambers heat from end to end in a couple of minutes, which means less waiting between hammer strokes and less propane burned per finished piece.
The burner is the part that impressed me most. Owners report being able to fine-tune it with gas pressure alone, holding temperature steady rather than riding a wide on-off cycle. For someone learning to read heat color, that control matters. You can bring steel up gradually, stop at a straw color instead of blasting straight to orange, and back off before you cook the edge.
Build quality is noticeably better than the price band suggests. It weighs 24.7 pounds, which means real steel gauge rather than light stamping, and the 4.5 star average sits alongside 650 reviews, the largest review pool of any forge here. That volume matters for a hobby category where thin review counts make ratings nearly meaningless.
The specification I would change is the interior coating. Owners repeatedly report the factory refractory layer flaking off after light use, which leaves bare ceramic fiber exposed to flame and scale. Budget an evening to strip the coating, roll the lining in rigidizer, and coat it before you commit to this forge. A light coating of ITC on the floor also buys you a better chance at welding heat later.
One practical note on layout: the flame comes out of both ends of the burner tube, so you need clearance on the front and back of the forge rather than pushing it against a wall. Outdoors or in a garage with the door open, that is a non-issue.
Who the Simond Store Single Burner Forge Suits
This is the right pick for a hobby smith making one knife at a time out of 1095 or 1084. Tang prep, blade shaping, tip work, and re-tempering a dropped tip all fit comfortably inside that chamber. It also works as a heat treatment furnace with a thermocouple and a little patience, since the small mass means slow, predictable heating.
It is also the lightest sensible option in the group for anyone working in a shared space or a small apartment garage. Twenty-four pounds moves with one person, and the whole unit is self-contained on a regulator and standard cylinder.
Who Should Pass on It
If your goal is forge welding or a Damascus billet, move up the list. The chamber is too shallow and too short to hold a stack of layers at a consistent heat, and you will spend more time chasing heat than hammering. Long bar material is equally out of reach, since there is no throat to feed it through.
Skip it also if you want zero prep work. The coating issue means you are doing a liner job in your first weekend, and the small chamber means you will outgrow it within a year if you start finishing blades regularly.
2. VEVOR Portable Propane Forge, Double Burner – Best Value
VEVOR Portable Propane Forge, Double Burner Tool and Knife Making, 2600°F
2600F max
Two burners
15.7 x 8.5 x 7.5 in
10.4 kg
Pros
- Forging heat after about 3 minutes of preheat
- Hose regulator and fire brick pre-installed
- Dual burners can be run independently
- 30 mm insulation plus 30 mm fire brick
- Cold rolled plate body with 45# steel burners
Cons
- Weldless joints can leak air over time
- Back-pressure causes flashing at low gas pressure
The VEVOR is the reason this category has the reputation it does. Two burners, a 2600F rating, an aluminum silicate fiber blanket over a fire brick floor, and it is ready to fire as soon as you connect a cylinder. There is no assembly step and no separate parts order. For a first forge, that removes more friction than any burner upgrade would add.
Heat performance is the draw. Owners report forging heat in roughly three minutes of preheat, and the chamber is 15.7 inches long, which is enough to run a full-length blade blank rather than working it in sections. Two burners also mean you can shut one off and save gas on smaller work, a small thing that adds up over a year of shop time.
Weight is 10.4 kilograms, which is on the heavy side for a portable unit but reasonable for something that stays put in a garage corner. The build is cold rolled plate rather than the light stamping used on cheaper kits, and the burners are 45# steel.
Two construction details are worth knowing. The body is weldless, held together with bolts, which is a real time and shipping saving but means joints can develop small air leaks over years of thermal cycling. If you notice the flame leaning or the heat dropping off, a tube of high temperature silicone and a pass over each joint is usually the fix.
The second is burner back-pressure. At low gas pressure the burner tube can flash back toward the manifold. If you hear a sharp pop and see flame inside the tube, raise the regulator pressure a little rather than forcing the valve. Owners who set the regulator once at a moderate pressure and leave it there report this problem largely disappears.
Who the VEVOR Double Burner Forge Suits
This is the one to buy if you want the shortest possible path from unboxing to a glowing billet. It suits first-time knifemakers, anyone without a reliable regulator or hose already, and hobbyists who want long stock capability without moving up to a triple burner machine.
It also handles mild steel practice work and basic decorative forging without drama. The double layer of 30 mm insulation cotton over 30 mm fire brick means less heat soak into the room, which matters more than most buyers expect for garage comfort.
Who Should Pass on It
Skip it if build longevity is your main concern. Weldless construction is fine for a decade of hobby use but is the first thing to inspect on a used unit years from now. If you plan to make blades commercially, a welded body is worth the step up.
The missing regulator ball valves are worth flagging too. You are controlling each burner with a globe valve rather than a quarter-turn ball valve, which is functional but slower to adjust between heats.
3. ATkrou 2 Burner Propane Forge Kit – Budget Pick
ATkrou 2 Burner Propane Blacksmith Forge Kit, 2600°F Metal Forge
2600F rated
Two burners
13.5 x 8.7 x 6.5 in
15.45 lb
Pros
- Even heating of long bar from spaced burners
- Double doors speed heat-up and cut fuel use
- Plasma surface treated stainless steel
- 1400-grade ceramic fiber rated to 2600F
Cons
- Rigidizer and refractory coating sold separately
- Needs a door open during extended high heat
The thing that sets this kit apart is burner placement. The two burners sit close together and are angled to spread heat along the length of the chamber rather than blasting one spot. When you push a 10 inch bar of 1095 into the forge, the middle does not lag behind the ends. That evenness is the difference between a knife that draws out evenly and one that tapers toward the tip.
The double doors do more than look good. Closing both ends traps the flame and radiant heat, which owners report shortens heat-up and cuts propane use noticeably compared with open-ended chamber designs. For a long chamber that also means you can feed stock from either side and work both ends of a blade without rotating the whole forge.
Construction is plasma surface treated stainless steel. That treatment hardens the outer layer against oxidation, which is why this body holds up under repeated cycling better than painted mild steel. Internal lining is 1400-grade ceramic fiber blanket rated to 2600F.
Two caveats, both from owner reports. The refractory cement and ceramic fiber rigidizer are sold separately and are needed for best results, so treat this as a two-part purchase. And leaving a door open during extended high-temperature firing is recommended to keep the burners from running too hot once the chamber is saturated.
At 15.45 pounds this is one of the lighter double-burner kits here, and the 13.5 by 8.7 by 6.5 inch footprint means it fits on a normal bench without a dedicated stand.
Who the ATkrou 2 Burner Kit Suits
This is the pick for someone whose interest is long thin blades, tanto geometry, or anything where consistent temperature along the stock matters. It handles 1084 and 1095 shaping work comfortably, and with a rigidized and coated liner it will take 5160 up to forging heat reliably.
It is also a strong choice for a beginner who plans to grow into Damascus later, because the double doors and even burners make a stack of layers much easier to heat evenly than a single hot spot would.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if you want everything in one box. The separate rigidizer purchase is easy to forget, and firing untreated fiber is how these chambers get ruined in the first month. Also pass if you plan heavy forge welding, since a two-burner chamber of this size is more of a shaping forge than a welding forge.
The lowest first-star share here is worth noting if you are risk averse. Most reviews are five stars, but the 1-star slice is larger than on the Simond single burner, and those tend to center on the add-on liner supplies rather than the forge itself.
4. Nelyrho 1 Burner Propane Forge Kit – Best on a Budget
Nelyrho 1 Burner Propane Blacksmith Forge Kit
2600F max
Single burner
11.88 lb stainless
0-30 PSI
Pros
- Highest star rating in this group at 4.6
- Quick to forging heat on small blanks
- Compact and easy to store
- Modest propane consumption
- One inch thick insulation
Cons
- Rigidizer and coating not included
- Flames exit from both ends
- Regulator may not fit non-US cylinders
Nothing in this roundup combines a higher rating with a lower entry point. At 4.6 stars across 312 reviews, this is the best-rated forge we tested, and its owners consistently describe it as the easiest to learn on. For someone who has never held a hammer on hot steel, that matters as much as any specification.
The stainless steel body and one inch thick insulation make it a genuinely small forge. It heats small knife blanks to forging temperature quickly, holds temperature with modest gas consumption, and stores between sessions without eating floor space. If your shop is a corner of a garage, this fits and the two larger double burners do not.
Burner nozzle pressure runs 0 to 30 PSI, which gives you a wide adjustment window for controlling heat without swapping components.
Buy the rigidizer and refractory coating before you light it. That is the one genuine gap in this package, and skipping it is how the ceramic fiber erodes into your chamber within a few dozen firings. Treat the lining the same way you would treat a firebrick floor in a coal forge: it is a consumable, and the first coat is part of the build.
Two smaller notes. Flames exit from both ends of the burner tube, so plan your clearance. And if you are outside the US, verify that the supplied regulator matches your cylinder fitting before you plan a first firing.
Who the Nelyrho Single Burner Kit Suits
This is the first knife forge. Tang drawing, blade out shapes, tip work, and simple pattern welding with two or three thin layers all sit comfortably in this chamber. It also handles hooks, small hardware, and general shop heat treating, which makes it a useful general tool rather than a one-trick blade machine.
If you are worried about committing to a large machine, or you want a backup forge for re-tempering and small repairs, this is the practical second unit. It is also the easiest of the ten to move between a garage and a covered outdoor spot.
Who Should Pass on It
Do not buy it for forge welding or large Damascus billets. One burner in a chamber this size will not hold a stack of layers at welding heat long enough to work, and the wide chamber means you will be chasing heat across the width.
Also pass if you want zero preparation. Budget for the liner supplies, and plan the rigidizing session before your first fire rather than after you have already pulled loose wool out of the chamber.
5. SIMOND Store Triple Burner Gas Forge – Best for Blade Steel
Triple Burner Gas Propane Forge Furnace Blacksmith Knife making w/ 1 Door
Triple burner
24 in internal length
52 lb mild steel
Manometer regulator
Pros
- Handles 5160
- 1095
- D2 and 15n20 up to 18 inches
- Strong even heat across a long chamber
- Includes rigidizer plus manometer regulator
- Fast assembly with well packed parts
Cons
- Seams tack welded in places and can split
- Door insulation adhesive releases after many firings
- Tank fitting is not the common barbecue type
This is the one I would buy if the plan is a real progression into blade steel rather than practice pieces. The internal chamber is 24 inches long, 5.8 inches wide and 5.8 inches tall, and owners report running 5160, 1095, D2 and 15n20 bar up to 18 inches. That length is the whole point. A full-length blade goes in at once, so you draw and thin without working the piece in segments.
Three burners give strong, even temperature across that length rather than a hot zone at one end. Owners consistently report quick heat-up and stable control, and the burner sizing is efficient enough that running all three does not feel wasteful on medium work.
The accessory package is unusually complete. You get a regulator with a manometer so you can actually read the gas pressure while you work, refractory fire brick, an extra ceramic fiber blanket, teflon tape, an allen key, and a heat guard. Rigidized insulation is included, which saves you the first prep session.
There are three build issues to deal with, and owners solve all three. Seams are tack welded in places rather than fully welded, and under repeated thermal cycling they can split. Grab a welder or a friend with one and run a solid bead along them before heavy use. The door insulation adhesive lets go after a number of firings, so re-bed the wool with high temperature cement rather than leaving it to rattle loose.
Also check that the manifold fittings are not painted over before your first light. Owners report that paint on the fittings can hide a small leak until it burns off mid-session. And note the tank fitting is not the common barbecue type, so pick up the right adapter for your cylinder before you need it.
Who the Triple Burner Gas Forge Suits
This suits the serious hobby smith who has a first knife behind them and wants to start working serious blade steels in production quantities. It is the right chamber for 1084, 1095, 5160 and D2, and the 24 inch length handles a full bar without compromise.
It is also a sensible choice for a small production knifemaker, since three burners let you bring a long chamber up fast and the single door keeps heat loss down while you work. At 52 pounds it is a stationary unit, not a field forge.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if you are still on your first or second knife. The price and the 52 pound weight are a lot of machine for shaping 3 inch utility blanks, and the tack welded seams are extra work you do not need yet.
Also pass if you need something you can load in a vehicle and set up at a fair or a field day. This is a shop forge with a handle, not a truly portable one.
6. Nelyrho 3 Burner Propane Forge Kit with Double Doors – Best for Long Bar Stock
Nelyrho 3-Burner Propane Forge Kit with Double Doors, 2600°F Max
Three burners
0-30 PSI regulator
2600F max
28.9 lb stainless
Pros
- Double doors let long bar pass through
- Thickened stainless shell resists repeated heat
- Burners produce plenty of heat once lined
- Support replaced a broken ceramic ring
Cons
- Liner ships unfinished so rigidizer is extra work
- Small punched burner intakes starve the burners
- No ball valves for running fewer burners
Two doors on a three-burner chamber is a rarer combination, and it is the reason this forge earns its place. You can open the rear, feed a long bar through, and work the near end while the far end sits in the hot zone. Doors also warp with heat and pop insulation wool out, so expect some re-seating over the life of the forge.
Once lined properly, the burners roar and generate more heat than most people expect from this class of machine. The thickened stainless shell is what makes that sustainable, since it tolerates repeated high-temperature cycling better than painted mild steel bodies.
Customer support matters more than usual here. One detailed long-term report found the stock burners could not move enough air to reach welding temperature, and the practical fix was a forced-air rebuild. That is a real limitation rather than a defect, and it is worth reading before you commit to this specific kit for forge welding.
Be clear-eyed about the setup. The liner ships as unfinished ceramic fiber, so the rigidizer and refractory coating are an extra purchase and several days of work. Burner intakes are small punched holes with no flare or shutter, which is why airflow is the recurring complaint. Owners who flare those holes report a meaningful jump in burner output.
There are no ball valves, so you cannot shut off one or two burners to save gas on small work, and no burner air chokes are included. Only two firebricks are supplied, so the floor is not fully covered until you buy more. Take that into account if you are forging at all, since an incomplete floor is where scale ends up.
Who the Nelyrho 3 Burner Kit Suits
This suits a smith who works long, straight bar and wants to push it through rather than work it in sections. Full-length blade blanks, pattern welding bars, and bar for composite handle billets all benefit from the pass-through layout.
It is also a reasonable step up for a hobbyist leaving single-burner territory who wants more heat headroom for 1084 and 1095 without jumping to a full professional machine.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if you are on a strict budget, because the liner work adds cost and time that the single-burner models do not require. Pass if you do small pieces often, since without ball valves you pay full gas burners every session.
And pass if forge welding is your main goal. The stock burners need modification before they will hold welding heat, so budget for a forced-air conversion as part of the project rather than an afterthought.
7. SIMOND Store Single Burner Farrier Forge – Best for Farrier Work
Propane Gas Forge Single Burner – Portable Farrier Blacksmithing Forge Kit
Oval stainless body
16 gauge steel
2600F max
16 lb
Pros
- Oval body gives more working room than a square design
- Air choke on the burner pipe aids control
- Stainless body and nozzle resist rust
- Compact footprint that stores easily
Cons
- Narrow vertical chamber limits stock size
- Single burner means longer cycles on big work
The oval body is the idea worth understanding. A 6.3 inch wide oval chamber gives you more usable interior space than a square forge of the same external width, because the curved walls keep the usable corners. In practice that means you can swing a hammer over a wider part of the floor without hitting the wall.
It fires vertically, which suits knives, blades and small farrier work equally well. The air choke on the burner pipe gives real control over combustion air, and owners report that it helps hold a stable temperature rather than drifting as the chamber saturates. Sixteen gauge heavy duty stainless steel for both the body and the nozzle is the detail that makes this one rust-proof compared with painted mild steel kits.
At 16 pounds, this is a genuinely portable unit. It moves with one hand and stores against a wall when you are not using it.
The chamber is narrow vertically, which limits you on tall bar. Horseshoe work and larger bar need more vertical room than this gives you, so if farrier work is a serious part of what you plan, look at a deeper chamber instead. Single burner also means longer heat cycles on anything substantial, since there is no second burner to bring the far end up.
For knife work specifically, those limits barely register. Tang work, short blade blanks, and small stock all fit well within the oval interior, and the vertical firing pattern suits the way a knifemaker works the front half of a blade.
Who the SIMOND Single Burner Farrier Forge Suits
This is a strong second forge for a smith who already owns a larger machine and wants a lightweight unit for small jobs. Re-tempering, tip repair, small hardware, and short blanks are all comfortable here, and the stainless body means it tolerates being left outside under a lean-to without rusting.
It also works for anyone who splits time between knives and light farrier repair work, since the oval chamber handles small shoe and heel work as well as blade work.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if you are forging at production pace. One burner with a narrow vertical chamber is the wrong shape for repeated long stock work, and you will spend more time waiting on heat than on steel.
Also pass if you are starting from nothing and want a forge to grow with. At this size, your next purchase will be a bigger chamber, so buying the small one twice costs more than stepping up once.
8. DEVIL-FORGE DFSW2 Dual Burner Forge – Best Complete Kit
DEVIL-FORGE Gas Propane Forge DFSW2, 2 Burners DFP (160.000 BTU) use 1 or 2, Gas Ball Valve, Air Choke, Knife Making, Blacksmith, Farrier, 2500°F / 1370°C
160000 BTU dual burners
2500F max
16 in chamber
16 lb
Pros
- Ball valves let you run one or both burners
- Built-in air choke for heat control
- Includes rigidizer gloves tongs firebrick and manometer
- Light 16 lb weight with a 16 inch chamber
Cons
- 21 gauge body is thinner than heavier forges
- 2500F rating is below the 2600F class
The control hardware is what earns this kit its place. Ball valves on each burner mean a quarter turn to start or stop instead of fiddling with a needle valve mid-heat, and the built-in air choke lets you trim combustion air to hold temperature. Those two features are usually an add-on purchase, and here they come in the box.
Burner output is quoted at 160000 BTU across two DFP burners, with the option to run one or both. That figure is the only honest BTU number in this roundup, and it is useful when you are comparing against manufacturers who print nothing at all. It also makes it straightforward to know whether you are short for a given billet.
The lining is 1 inch of ceramic blanket with a 20 mm firebrick floor, and rigidizer powder plus a brush are included, so the first liner session is covered. Tongs and heat resistant gloves round out a package that would otherwise mean five separate orders.
Interior is 6 inches wide, 4.8 inches tall and 16 inches deep, which drops to 3.2 inches of working height once the firebrick is installed. Plan your stock size around that reduced figure.
Who the DEVIL-FORGE DFSW2 Suits
This suits a beginner who wants a complete first setup and nothing else to buy. Regulator with manometer, hose, clamps, firebrick, rigidizer, tongs and gloves are all present, and the 16 pound weight keeps it portable enough to move when you need the floor space.
It also suits anyone doing frequent small work, since the ball valves make switching between one burner and two trivial. For pattern welding with thin layers, being able to drop to a single burner for control is genuinely useful.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if your main goal is forge welding. The 2500F rating sits below the 2600F class that most of this list reaches, and the 21 gauge body is thinner than the heavier forges in the group, so it stores heat less efficiently over a long cycle.
Also weigh the reduced working height. With firebrick in place you have 3.2 inches of chamber, which is fine for tang and blade work but tight for thick stock or stacked billets.
9. MMasters 4 Burner Propane Forge Kit – Best for High Volume
MMasters 4 Burner Propane Blacksmith Forge Kit
Four burners
1 inch insulation plus fire brick
39.9 lb
31 in package
Pros
- Four burners spread heat along a long chamber
- Single door can be closed to speed heat-up
- Dual protection of 1 inch insulation and fire brick
- Very simple setup
Cons
- Rigidizer coating must be added to the blanket
- Highest share of 3 star reviews in this group
Four burners is the most heat in this roundup, and it is aimed squarely at volume work. The burners spread along the chamber so heat comes up across the full length rather than at one end, and closing the single door concentrates what you have generated. Owners report fast heat-up and a chamber that stays even once saturated.
Insulation is 1 inch ceramic fiber blanket over fire brick, which is a proper dual-layer build rather than a single mat. Setup is about as simple as it gets: connect the gas hose and burner, and you are forging. Replacement parts are available through buyer-seller messaging on Amazon, which is a small but real advantage over lesser-known sellers.
At 39.9 pounds and with a 31 inch package, this is a stationary shop machine. Plan the floor space before you buy.
The honest drawback is the rating spread. This forge carries the largest share of three-star reviews in the group, which points to inconsistent heat performance for some owners rather than a defect. If your work depends on very even temperature, test it thoroughly before committing to production schedules.
As with most kits in this class, the ceramic fiber blanket needs a rigidizer or protective coating applied before you run it hard. Untreated fiber in a four-burner chamber erodes faster than in a single-burner one because of the higher airflow and temperature.
Who the MMasters 4 Burner Kit Suits
This suits a small production shop or a hobbyist with a backlog. If you are making knives regularly and want heat-up speed over quantity, four burners pull a large chamber to forging temperature in a fraction of the time a single burner would take.
It is also well suited to long stock, since heat is distributed along the chamber rather than concentrated at one end. Mild steel practice work and production mild steel blade work are both comfortable at this capacity.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if you fire a few blanks a month. You will burn more propane bringing 39.9 pounds of steel and four burners to heat than you will recover in convenience. A single or double burner is the right size for occasional work.
Pass if you cannot give it a dedicated spot. There is no carry handle, and moving this around a shop single-handed is not realistic.
10. E-cowlboy Dual Burner Propane Forge – Affordable Entry Point
2700F/1482°C Propane Knife Forge, With Dual Burners Portable Propane Forge with Two Durable Doors,Large Capacity Farrier Forge, Square Propane Burner Forge for Knife and Tool Making
Claimed 2700F
Dual 80000 BTU burners
Two doors
29.1 lb
Pros
- Runs within 20 minutes of assembly
- Dual DFP burners each have an air choke
- Two doors feed long stock and save heat
- Manometer regulator and gloves included
Cons
- Does not reach true welding heat without liner work
- Kaowool is poorly cut with half inch gaps
- 16 gauge body and paint burns off fast
- Cheap hose runs near the heat
This is the weakest-rated forge in the set at 4.1 stars, and I am including it because the reasons are instructive rather than because it competes with the others. The specification is attractive on paper: a claimed 2700F ceiling, two 80000 BTU DFP burners, and an air choke on each burner, which is a feature most forges at this level simply do not have.
Assembly is genuinely fast. Owners report running it in under 20 minutes with the forge, burners and regulator included. The two doors let you feed long stock through and cut heat loss, and the manometer regulator means you can read gas pressure while working.
Where it falls short is the liner. The kaowool is poorly cut with half-inch gaps, and several owners report the advertised temperature is not reached without additional lining work and an ITC-100 coating. Applying ITC to the insulation is what moves it from a shaping forge toward welding capability.
There are four build issues to weigh. Independent testing found it does not reach true welding heat on quarter by one inch mild stock as shipped. The body is 16 gauge, and the paint burns off after the first burn. The propane hose runs close to the heat and is cheaply made, with owners flagging melt risk. And there is no master shutoff beyond the cylinder valve, which is a real safety consideration when you need to kill the gas quickly.
The included tongs are also well below the standard of the photos. Treat them as a placeholder and buy proper tongs separately.
Who the E-cowlboy Forge Suits
This suits a first knife project on a tight budget, provided you are willing to do liner work. Once the gaps are filled and the insulation is coated, owners report it handles tang work, blade shaping and general mild steel practice without trouble.
It also works as a temporary or occasional forge for someone who wants to try gas forging before committing to a larger purchase, and the dual air-choked burners give more control than most budget alternatives.
Who Should Pass on It
Pass if forging is something you plan to keep doing. Rebuilding the lining and replacing the hose and tongs will close the gap with the better-built kits in this list, so the low entry point shrinks quickly once you have spent the money.
Pass on it for forge welding without accepting the liner rebuild as part of the project. And pass if you want a verified temperature figure, because the claimed number is not what independent testing found.
How to Choose a Propane Forge for Knife Making
Chamber shape matters more than most spec sheets suggest. A deep chamber with an open-ended throat lets you feed long stock straight through and work either end, which is what you want for full-length blades and long bar. A shallow, wide, open-face chamber like the Simond single burner is faster to heat but only ever holds a short blank at a time. Neither shape is wrong, but you should pick the one that matches the work you plan to do rather than the one with the biggest printed number.
Get the throat dimensions before you commit. Once firebrick is installed, the usable interior is meaningfully smaller than the exterior measurements, and the DEVIL-FORGE DFSW2 is a good example of that gap. Measure what you intend to put inside, then compare it against the lined interior, not the outside of the box.
Burner count is the first number to look at
One burner is enough for tang work, blade shaping, tip work and small practice pieces. Two burners give you faster heat-up, the option to run one burner on small work to save gas, and much better heating of long bar. Three burners are where forge welding and serious blade steel start to become realistic. Four burners is a volume and speed play rather than a capability play.
More burners is not automatically better. Each extra burner draws more air, and if the burner intakes are undersized you will get a roaring flame that still starves the chamber. Check whether the burners have a flared intake or an air choke, and treat missing air controls as a real limitation rather than a minor omission.
Lining and insulation decide how long the forge lasts
Liner durability is the top technical concern in bladesmithing communities, and the pattern is consistent. Ceramic fiber blanket rated at 1400-grade or above, rolled in rigidizer, then coated with a refractory slurry, is the standard that holds up under repeated welding heat and resists flux attack. Pre-lined chambers are convenient. Unlined chambers are cheaper. Only the first is built for years of hard use.
Factor the coating into any purchase. Four of the kits here require a separate rigidizer and refractory purchase, and firing untreated fiber is the single most common way these forges get ruined. Budget the supplies and a weekend before your first fire rather than treating it as optional.
BTU output and real forging temperature
BTU is a measure of burner energy, not chamber temperature, and manufacturers rarely print it. Only the DEVIL-FORGE in this roundup publishes a figure, at 160000 BTU across two burners. When a seller gives you a temperature and no BTU, treat the temperature as aspirational until you have measured the chamber yourself.
What matters for knife steel is the heat you can hold over a workable area. Mild steel shapes around 1800F to 1900F, 1045 and 1084 work at roughly 1900F to 2100F, 1095 and 5160 sit in a similar band, and forge welding needs the top of that range sustained across the whole joint. A double burner comfortably covers shaping in those steels. Welding heat across a wide stack is where single burners run out.
Stainless grades are more forgiving at the low end of the range and demand nothing special, which is another reason to start with a mild or simple carbon steel for your first blade.
Portability versus a fixed shop forge
Weight is a fair proxy. Under 20 pounds you can carry a forge with one hand or set it up outside, and the same outdoor spacing rules we use for propane fire pits in a backyard apply to any open-air forge setup. Between 25 and 35 pounds is a moveable shop unit. Above 40 pounds, plan a dedicated stand and a fixed position. Buyers frequently underestimate how much they will move a forge and how quickly that becomes annoying.
Accessories that change the experience more than weight does: a regulator with a manometer so you can read actual gas pressure, ball valves for quick burner control, a heat guard for the side you stand on, and included rigidizer so you are not waiting on a second delivery before you can fire.
Brands worth knowing about before you buy
The trust question comes up constantly in forums, usually phrased as how many companies do not hold up. The honest answer is that the category divides cleanly. Models from a single brand can differ enormously because so many of these forges are produced by the same factory and rebranded, which means the model number matters more than the logo on the box.
Community sentiment on r/Blacksmith leans toward the idea that the best forge is the one you can afford, and that is sound advice for a hobby. On the budget imports, forum users defend them as a reasonable entry point while questioning reliability outright, so the pattern is consistent: good value, verify the liner and the seams before you rely on them.
Two build-versus-buy points are worth weighing. Building your own from a side-arm burner kit is a genuine option, with forum builders describing kits that are inexpensive and workable with a drill press and a couple of good taps, and a 30 pound propane cylinder often used as a forge body. Buying a cylinder style body saves you that build time and gives you a known-good chamber. The forums also note that a 20 pound cylinder is a little too small for a serious build, which is worth knowing before you plan one.
On the premium end, specialist US makers listed on retailer sites like USAKnifemaker and Gasforges USA anchor the top of the price ladder, and Diamondback Ironworks is named on IForgeIron as a reasonably priced option for knife and spur work. Those are the ones to look at if you want a welded body and a liner that will survive production schedules.
Propane Forge Safety and Ventilation in a Home Garage
Ventilation is the first requirement, not an afterthought. A propane forge produces carbon monoxide, and a garage with a closed door is the exact scenario where that becomes dangerous. Run the forge outdoors or with the garage door fully open, and keep a working carbon monoxide detector inside regardless of how well ventilated the space feels.
Keep a Class B fire extinguisher within reach but not so close that you cannot back away from it. Wear a face shield, flame-resistant gloves, and sleeves that cover your forearms. Have a water bucket or a sand bucket for scale and small fires, and know that propane is heavier than air, so a leak collects low along the floor before you smell it.
Check fittings with a soapy water solution before every first light of a session. Propane is not something to smell for. Finally, close the cylinder valve when you finish, not just the burner valve, and disconnect the hose if the forge will sit for a while, since residual heat cooks rubber whether or not the burner is lit. If you also run any other propane appliance in the same space, the same inspection routine we use on home propane smokers is worth copying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a 100lb propane tank last for forging?
A 100 pound tank is a full season or more of hobby forging rather than a single project. Forging typically burns 2 to 4 lb per hour depending on burner count, so a 20 pound grill cylinder covers roughly five to ten hours of active work and runs out mid-session, while a 100 pound tank carries you through weeks. That assumes you are not firing continuously; most smiths work in cycles and idle between heats, which cuts consumption substantially.
What are the disadvantages of using a propane forge?
The main drawbacks are limited peak temperature compared with coal, no ability to easily build a solid fire for larger work, the cost and logistics of refilling cylinders, and the fact that most budget models need liner work before they are ready. Propane cannot reach true coal forge temperatures for heavy hot cuts, and the flame is less forgiving if you need to soak a large mass. Carbon monoxide also makes indoor use a genuine safety concern.
What is the best propane forge for beginners?
The Nelyrho 1 burner propane forge kit is the best starting point for a first knife. It is an 11.88 pound stainless steel body rated to 2600F, holds a 4.6 star rating across 312 reviews, and brings small blanks to forging temperature quickly with modest gas use. The one extra purchase is rigidizer and refractory coating, which is needed before the first firing.
What is the best shape for a propane forge?
For knife making, a chamber with a moderate depth and an open-ended throat is the most useful shape, because it lets you feed long bar stock through and work either end. A shallow open-face chamber heats faster but only holds a short blank at a time. The key is to compare lined interior dimensions, not exterior size, since firebrick and blanket reduce usable height noticeably.
What is the best design for a propane forge burner?
The best practical design is an atmospheric venturi burner with a flared air intake and an air choke or secondary air adjustment, paired with a ball valve per burner. The flare and choke matter more than the headline BTU figure, because a burner with a small punched intake cannot move enough air to deliver its rated output. Blown burners with forced air reach higher temperatures but add cost and complexity.
What are people saying about the VEVOR propane forge?
Owner feedback on the VEVOR double burner is mostly positive on heat performance, with forging heat reported after roughly three minutes of preheat and strong appreciation for the pre-installed hose, regulator and fire brick. The recurring criticisms are weldless joints that can develop air leaks over time and burner back-pressure that causes flashing at low gas pressure. Users on r/Blacksmith commonly describe it as a reasonable budget entry point while questioning long-term reliability.
The Verdict: Where to Start With Your First Propane Forge
For most people reading this, the best propane forge for knife making is the Simond Store single burner portable forge. It has the largest owner review pool in the category, a 4.5 star average, real burner control, and a chamber sized perfectly for a first blade. Buy the rigidizer, coat the lining on day one, and it will serve you well.
Start smaller and cheaper with the Nelyrho single burner if you want the least commitment, and step up to the VEVOR double burner once you are forging full-length blanks. When you are ready for real blade steel and forge welding, the SIMOND Store triple burner with its 24 inch chamber is where the capability jump happens. Check the current listing for any of them before you commit, and revisit our broader blacksmithing forge guide when you start adding general shop work to your blade list.