Firecraft Lump

Z_Eggineer · February 2014

Comrades,

Lately, it has been harder for me to get good lump where I live directly. (Fogo is sold out and bad recent luck with RO).

Another egghead were going to split a $100 on firecraft to get free shipping.

http://www.firecraft.com/category/hardwood-charcoal

Has anyone tried any/all of their lump? I like Ozark Oak a lot. Also heard good things on Dragon's Breath, Rockwood, and The Good One.

Opinions/Thoughts/Advice welcome!

hapster · February 2014

Go with OO or Rockwood. I like Rockwood the most

Z_Eggineer · February 2014

Oh crap, says it cannot ship to California... (was going to buy all Rockwood after reading reviews)

alabamatom · February 2014

still a fan of John Henry's hardwood lump. $20 for 20# bag vs $26 for BGE bag at one of the local BGE stores.

bicktrav · February 2014

Rockwood is great, but as you've noticed won't ship to CA. Ozark Oak is also amazing, and will ship, but it's shipped in smaller bags, and in my opinion the smaller bags are more susceptible to getting crushed in handling. Still worth it, but I've definitely gotten a few bags of OO in a 100# shipment that had an unreasonable amount of chips and dust in them.

SmokinDAWG82 · February 2014

Ive been using Rockwood and love it. Have also had good luck with OO

BYS1981 · February 2014

Check out kamado joe lump. Comparable to WGWW. Benicia ace hardware carries it instead of WGWW.

saluki2007 · February 2014

My brother and I always split an order like that. We like OO so we always order a bulk of that and two bags of something new just to try it.

stlcharcoal · February 2014

Z_Eggineer said:

Oh crap, says it cannot ship to California... (was going to buy all Rockwood after reading reviews)

Yeah, sorry about that. Prop 65--hope it working out for you. :(

Z_Eggineer · February 2014

stlcharcoal said:

Z_Eggineer said:

Oh crap, says it cannot ship to California... (was going to buy all Rockwood after reading reviews)

Yeah, sorry about that. Prop 65--hope it working out for you. :(

Do you just have to add the following to the bags? Proposition 65 Notice:

WARNING: This product contains a
chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or reproduction harm through inhalation, ingestion and/or dermal exposure.

I don't agree with the proposition necessarily, but wouldn't it make business sense to add a significant number of customers?

stlcharcoal · February 2014

Z_Eggineer said:
Do you just have to add the following to the bags? Proposition 65 Notice:
WARNING: This product contains a
chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or reproduction harm through inhalation, ingestion and/or dermal exposure.
I don't agree with the proposition necessarily, but wouldn't it make business sense to add a significant number of customers?

Not necessarily.......have you seen the settlements & fines from class action lawsuits by "Consumer Cause, Inc." and other group that prey on businesses? Screw that label up or do not make it conspicuous enough, and you're looking at 6-figure fines if these folks take a liking to you. http://oag.ca.gov/prop6 We would have to keep a CA environmental attorney on retainer to monitor those laws and make sure we're compliant.

Besides that, I do not want the words "cancer" or "birth defects" on the product that we ship to the other 49 states that do not require that frightening, redundant, and ridiculous statement. It's carbon monoxide--it comes out of ANYTHING that burns. That's what the big CPSC required label is on there for.

I wish I had the power like Starbucks to thumb their nose at the law and not put the Prop 65 warning on their coffee cups, but I do not. So, much like Smith & Wesson and Ruger just decided, it's just safer not to sell to CA.

Sorry--I really wish I could help you guys out, but there are some bad people out in CA punishing businesses "on your behalf". Unless you get your share of that dirty money, please write your legislators asking for tort reform and the repeal of Prop 65 (or at least how it wrongly applies to an ALL NATURAL / organic product.)

Z_Eggineer · February 2014

stlcharcoal said:

Z_Eggineer said:
Do you just have to add the following to the bags? Proposition 65 Notice:
WARNING:   This product contains a
chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or reproduction harm through inhalation, ingestion and/or dermal exposure.
I don't agree with the proposition necessarily, but wouldn't it make business sense to add a significant number of customers?

Not necessarily.......have you seen the settlements & fines from class action lawsuits by "Consumer Cause, Inc." and other group that prey on businesses? Screw that label up or do not make it conspicuous enough, and you're looking at 6-figure fines if these folks take a liking to you.   http://oag.ca.gov/prop6 We would have to keep a CA environmental attorney on retainer to monitor those laws and make sure we're compliant.
Besides that, I do not want the words "cancer" or "birth defects" on the product that we ship to the other 49 states that do not require that frightening, redundant, and ridiculous statement. It's carbon monoxide--it comes out of ANYTHING that burns. That's what the big CPSC required label is on there for.
I wish I had the power like Starbucks to thumb their nose at the law and not put the Prop 65 warning on their coffee cups, but I do not.  So, much like Smith & Wesson and Ruger just decided, it's just safer not to sell to CA.
Sorry--I really wish I could help you guys out, but there are some bad people out in CA punishing businesses "on your behalf". Unless you get your share of that dirty money, please write your legislators asking for tort reform and the repeal of Prop 65 (or at least how it wrongly applies to an ALL NATURAL / organic product.)

Thank you for the prompt and reasoned response. I do appreciate it. I definitely think people should work hard for their money and I know your company does. It would be interesting to see the amount of economic damage (-GDP) lawsuits/lawyers/bad laws cause the country, but that is another topic.

Maybe I will pick some up next time we are in Nevada (Do you sell in Tahoe or Reno?)

I do not get any of the money and they better not ever tell me not to egg on a "spare the air day", though the last bag of RO did anything but for well over an hour.

jimreed777 · February 2014

I ordered Rockwood from Firecraft and had to send them this note:

When the order was delivered by FedEx, I was sitting in my office on a client call and watching out my office window. The smaller of the two boxes was carried and placed on my porch.

This is one of the five bags of Rockwood Charcoal I received as part of this order:

It was packaged with the looftlighter in the smaller box and is in excellent shape.

Then the FedEx driver went back to his truck...lowered down his hand truck...and instead of using it for the 80 lb box with the other four bags...rolled the box off onto the bumper and then let it fall to the ground. Then, instead of sliding the hand truck under the box and wheeling it up the sidewalk and up the four porch stairs, he proceeded to roll the box end over end down the sidewalk...up the stairs and onto the porch. Not at all carefully either.

I opened the box and the inside of the box and the bags were black with dust.

The bottom of one of the bags was ripped open:

And another was slightly torn.

This is the inside of the box

I have ordered wicked good charcoal online for years and had it shipped my local dealer (ace). I have never had an issue with broken or beat up bags.

I read good things about both Rockwood and Firecraft on the Big Green Egg forum I frequent. With the free shipping, the price per pound was almost the same as the WG so I figured I would give you guys a try. As a bonus...you had a great price on the looftlighter so I grabbed one of those as well. Assuming this Rockwood is as advertised in terms of burn time, smoke neutrality, etc...I plan on becoming a regular customer of yours for lump.

Based on the review I read here: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpdatabase/lumpbag102.htm

I was expecting packaging like what was in the review picture of how the bag arrived.

Please consider some padding in the box next time to cut down on the broken bags and charcoal dust everywhere.

jimreed777 · February 2014

I am satisfied with the response and I am sure they will figure out a better way to package and still keep costs low on shipping:

Hi Jim,

First, let me apologize for the condition the box and your charcoal arrived in. We’ve had this problem with certain types of charcoal more often than we’d like and even though Rockwood is typically not one of those brands, it clearly is still an issue. We’ve recently met with our box producer in order to try and resolve this issue and will hopefully have an alternative packing method soon. In the meantime, we are simply hoping that the folks involved with delivering boxes of charcoal try and take a little more care. Again, we apologize that your bags did show up damaged but greatly appreciate that you’ve chosen us as your charcoal provider.

Rockwood is definitely a product worthy of the reviews its received on NakedWhiz.com which is part of why it was one of our best selling products and I think you will enjoy the quality it brings to your grill. Thank you for taking the time to document how your order arrived so we can continue to try and prevent that in the future.

If you have any more questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call or email us so we can help you resolve those issues.
Thanks again,

-Brad

www.firecraft.com
1-800-745-6109

stlcharcoal · February 2014

@jimreed777

You're bringing tears to my eyes with those pictures. :((

Sorry this happened. This is the main thing I was scared of when Rockwood started leaving St. Louis. We lost the quality assurance and quality control by letting the freight carriers touch our product. Before that, only 2-3 known people handled those bags--from the plant to the stores. Now there is "umpteen" people in the middle--none of which we can control. Seeing that picture hurts......knowing my pride and joy is getting treated like that, and is presenting itself that dirty, ripped, etc.

The ones you saw one Naked Whiz was shipped via FedEx Ground direct from us--it's one of the few bags we have ever shipped. Unfortunately, no matter how thick the box, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts are, the agitation and shocks are still going to break it down.

Again, sorry......I'm at a loss as I do not know how to fix this. :(

jimreed777 · February 2014

I had no idea there was a rockwood rep on the forum. No need to apologize. I watched what was likely 80%+ of the damage. The fed-ex guy was being lazy and didn't give a crap. Padding would have helped...but ignorance like that is a special kind of stupid.

For what it is worth...the bag that was not bounced around looks great and the lump looks in quite better shape then the wicked good I have been buying that I thought was the primo. Another heartening sign for rockwood in my esteem is that the sparking was nearly non-existent and the white smoke period was way less then with WGC. If I want smoke...I have tons of white oak, pecan, cherry, mesquite, hickory, whatever that I can add. I like my lump as smoke neutral as possible because the wife does not enjoy smoke flavor at all. When I do yard birds, turkey, fish etc...I want no smoke flavor or very little at all.

stlcharcoal · February 2014

@jimreed777 .... We're everywhere.

You made me think of this clip that had everyone cringing a few years ago (FedEx throwing the computer monitor over the gate/wall): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKUDTPbDhnA

I doubt you would make every evening news station for charcoal though. $:\$

SWVABeanCounter · February 2014

I'm shocked that there is a firecraft rep on here. If you read this, in another thread someone mentioned there is no price discount if you pick up the product at your warehouse. I understand we'd have to pay sales tax, but it would be nice to know we'd get some type of discount if picking up locally. I drive by your location once or twice a year and would love to stock up on lump. There is no selection where I live.

Letz4wheel · February 2014

Thats not a Rockwood rep....thats Mr Rockwood hisself

Now if he would get the Mavricks in

stlcharcoal · February 2014

Letz4wheel said:

Thats not a Rockwood rep....thats Mr Rockwood hisself Now if he would get the Mavricks in

Yeah, no kidding......been wanting one for myself every since September when they were announced. I'm more impatient that you, so sit tight I'll get them as fast as I can!!!!! :-\"

tjv · February 2014

you might checkout Lazzari lump. It's produced in California with good recommendations. t

jimreed777 · February 2014

Rockwood imparted no smoke to my turkey cook last night. That is perfect for what I want. I need to see how well it holds up on my over nighters...but so far so good.

stlcharcoal · February 2014

jimreed777 said:

Rockwood imparted no smoke to my turkey cook last night. That is perfect for what I want. I need to see how well it holds up on my over nighters...but so far so good.

Those small pieces burn just as well as the large ones, provided the air can get to them. Do you have stock fire grate, or have you upgraded to a higher flow stainless steel one? If you're running one of our stainless steel ones you should be ok.

jhl192 · February 2014

I bought 5 bags of Rockwood from Firecraft a week or two ago and shipped it to CT. The box was delivered with minimal damage and there weren't even any tears in the bags. I have used it several times I have to say it lives up to its accolades. If it would warm up and stop snowing I could use more of it!!

jaydub58 · February 2014

Z_Eggineer said:

Oh crap, says it cannot ship to California... (was going to buy all Rockwood after reading reviews)

@Z_engineer, you could order enough for free shipping shipped to me in Oregon. For just one bag for me, yuoiiu could come up here and pick it up, if it's not too far.
:-h

YEMTrey · February 2014

Had the same experience with Firecraft deliveries. I believe it has more to do with the delivery services.

I ordered some bags of Rockwood, Ozark Oak, and a bag of Dragons Breath. A nice sampler to try out some new lump.

First off, the FedEx guy didn't even want to deliver it. He knocked on my door and asked me what I wanted to do with the box. Huh, deliver it! So I proceeded to walk outside and help the delivery guy carry the box to the edge of my driveway. He wouldn't take it any further. (I only have a two car driveway, ~30ft.)

When I opened the box, there was dust and some chips everywhere. It was the Dragons Breath bag that had ripped on both sides and was leaking all over the box. I emptied the box outside and then carried the bags in. I used the Dragons Breath last weekend for some ribs. Burned fine and did fine. Can't wait to try the Rockwood and Ozark here soon.

Duranhler · February 2014

Wow, I was going to order 5 bags of Rockwood from Firecraft.
Having second thoughts now. :-w

NPHuskerFL · February 2014

Found your delivery guy!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q6_9A90cUk

Z_Eggineer · February 2014

jaydub58 said:

Z_Eggineer said:

Oh crap, says it cannot ship to California... (was going to buy all Rockwood after reading reviews)

@Z_engineer, you could order enough for free shipping shipped to me in Oregon. For just one bag for me, yuoiiu could come up here and pick it up, if it's not too far.
:-h

Where in Oregon do you live? I have a friend in Salem and we go up to Eureka about once a year.

Firecraft Lump

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