Why rake forward?

Most wood stoves introduce heated air at the top of the firebox which washes across the glass door (to help keep it clean) and then into the coals. So, maximum air introduction/concentration is where the air finishes its door wash and sweeps back into the firebox. Raking coals forward places them right in the air path, causing them to burn more completely and quickly.

along with what jebatty said I'd add if I didn't rake forward to keep an even bed they would pile up in the back.

Don't forget to add to get more radiant heat from the stove!

Always depend on the exact stove, but I find some of the benefits the same as mentioned above.

Allows the combustion air to direct hit the coals and 'fan" them, which ignites the wood load

Also allows the load to burn slower and move evenly, because instead of the whole load being on fire at once, about 1/2 or 1/3 of it is - especially in "north south" stoves - like the Jotul box stoves. They used to call this the "cigarette" burn.

See Type 2 stoves in this article:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/tending_a_wood_fire

What stove tool do you rake with?
My shovel and poker both do a mediocre job.
An actual rake would work better, I'd think.

Mr.M2 said:

What stove tool do you rake with?
My shovel and poker both do a mediocre job.
An actual rake would work better, I'd think.

Click to expand...

Something like this would work best.

Another coal placement question.

I know about raking forward but when I am letting the coals burn down completely it seems like they burn more completely it I rake forward and rake them into the middle of the stove rather than spreading them out. Anybody know why this is?

Again, that positions the coals right in front of the air input. I pile mine up in a mound in front of the air input. It actually creates a coal fire and blue flame. They burn down in a couple of hours that wayl.

Raking forward seems to get my glass a little warmer for more radiant heat.

plus you burn down those coal chunks and therefore do not have to clean out the stove as much.