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Clay? in my lump

annjamaican
annjamaican Posts: 152
in EggHead Forum
On a few occasions I found little lumps of what looks like clay and one piece that looks like  some sort of igneous rock mixed in with the usable left over lump. Have you had this experience? What exactly is it? So far I've only used Royal Oak and BGE charcoal. Found it after cooking with both brands.

- Jamaican living in rural Western Washington
- Got my first egg (XL) in October 2015
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Comments

  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,169
    It's pieces of the kiln. 
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,454
    That's quite common for me anyway. I've always assumed they are pieces of hardened clay off the wood scraps and ground that got scooped up with the front loader. Lump making is a pretty dirty operation. In case you haven't yet then brace yourself for the rocks you will also find in the future!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • annjamaican
    annjamaican Posts: 152
    Thanks guys. For a while I thought the BGE was falling apart. I literally felt every square cm of the internal Egg surface to make sure I wasn't killing it with my cooking.
    - Jamaican living in rural Western Washington
    - Got my first egg (XL) in October 2015
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  • wlhyatt
    wlhyatt Posts: 7
    I have the same issue with Cowboy brand lump. Never saw these chunks in the Ozark Oak lump, but every cleanout with Cowboy brand has at least a couple of these in them. I've also found metal and what looked like a piece of asphalt.
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  • annjamaican
    annjamaican Posts: 152
    wlhyatt said:
    I have the same issue with Cowboy brand lump. Never saw these chunks in the Ozark Oak lump, but every cleanout with Cowboy brand has at least a couple of these in them. I've also found metal and what looked like a piece of asphalt.
    I learned BGE and Royal Oak lump were made by the same company. I recently started using Rockwood (on my second bag) and haven't seen any foreign bodies but I'm sure if it's part of the kiln, then such a discovery will be inevitable. 
    - Jamaican living in rural Western Washington
    - Got my first egg (XL) in October 2015
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    @annjamaican   All lumps will have some "extras" in them on occasion. Some brands seem to have more. That perception may be real or it may reflect that certain brands sell more so reports of rocks etc are more common. Even Rockwood will include a rock every now and again.  
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,759
    annjamaican said:
     

    I learned BGE and Royal Oak lump were made by the same company. I recently started using Rockwood (on my second bag) and haven't seen any foreign bodies but I'm sure if it's part of the kiln, then such a discovery will be inevitable. 
    You will....nobody brand is perfect.  Hopefully it's rocks instead of chunks of the kiln though--refractory repairs are expensive.  Metal banding is common as well.  It's what holds the slabs together when they're placed in the kiln.  The bands break from the heat and usually come out in a few long pieces, but sometimes they'll break into small pieces and get lost in the lump.
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    I only find diamonds in RW :wink:  @stlcharcoal
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    The Rock in my picture looks a bit like a pre-diamond.  Think if I apply some pressure it will become one?  
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • annjamaican
    annjamaican Posts: 152
    NPHuskerFL said:
    I only find diamonds in RW :wink:  @stlcharcoal
    lol 
    - Jamaican living in rural Western Washington
    - Got my first egg (XL) in October 2015
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    Found a couple of big nails in the bottom of the egg, I figure the only way they got there was with the lump.

    Gerhard
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    probably a chunk from the lining of the retort (or whatever the hell the kiln thing is called).  looks like refractory lining material, or just a rock.

    happens in every brand i have ever tried, one time or another.
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,759
    gerhardk said:
    Found a couple of big nails in the bottom of the egg, I figure the only way they got there was with the lump.

    Gerhard

    Most likely hammered into a tree, the tree grew a knot around them, that knotty piece got rejected by the mill, scrap went to make charcoal.  They were not revealed until after the charcoal burned from around them.  There's not many other ways for them to show up unless they were nailed into a tree at some point.
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 21,673
    This is the weirdest thing I found.  I tossed it in my garden ..


    I would rather light a candle than curse your darkness.

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