What are these clinkers in my Napoleon.

[Tom123]

Several times while shoveling ash and coals out of the stove I have noticed chunks of stuff roughly the size of a bar of soap and a grayish brown color. It is always near the front where air comes in. Is this some kind of mineral formation? I wish I took pics.

 

[begreen]

They're "clinkers" formed from melted silicas in the wood, especially the bark.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/biggest-clinker.79475/

 

[weatherguy]

Yeah they're what BG says, used to get them with the blaze king once in a while and often in my old pellet stove.

 

[begreen]

Burning doug fir I get more clinkers than ash.

 

[realstihl]

Seems like when I burn elm, I get more clinkers.

 

[Tom123]

I have been burning allot of elm and cherry.

 

[Highbeam]

Common and nothing to worry about. Here's mine.

 

[realstihl]

Common and nothing to worry about. Here's mine.

Are those edible?

 

[Highbeam]

Are those edible?

Sure! not much flavor though.

 

[firefighterjake]

Common and nothing to worry about. Here's mine.

I think I passed something like that once through my urethra . . . or at least that's what it felt like.

 

[Tom123]

I think my brain has felt like that a few times, especially in my youth!

 

[Windjammer]

Moisture in the wood

 

[begreen]

Nah, you can have damp wood and no clinkers and very dry wood that produces clinkers. It is the silicas in the wood. Some species uptake more than others.

 

[Deano31]

I have had them with burning loads of maple weird how people get them with different kinds of wood from different areas of the country