Stability, Safety, and Versatility for Open-Flame Cooking
Why inventor Andrew Lemmer built a better way to hang a kettle over the fire.
Outdoor cooking enthusiasts have long made do with balanced rocks and bent grates. The results are predictable: unstable cookware, tip-over risk on uneven ground, and the constant danger of reaching over an open flame to stir or serve. Add the hassle of hauling a bulky rig to the campsite and it is clear the category needed a purpose-built answer.
That answer is Forged n Smoke, a portable campfire cooking assembly designed by inventor Andrew Lemmer to hold a kettle securely over an open flame and swing it safely away when needed. The system uses a two-pole stand connected by a rear-mounted pin hinge. The lower pole drives into the ground with a built-in spike for rock-solid stability, while the upper pole supports a cantilevered arm that holds the included frustoconical steel kettle. Dual cradle arms wrap around two-thirds of the kettle's exterior to keep it centered over the heat, and an angled brace reinforces the support arm to handle the weight of a fully loaded cook pot.
What sets Forged n Smoke apart is a set of deliberate design choices that work together in the field:
- Hinged Swing-Away Design - a rear-mounted pin hinge pivots the kettle away from the fire for safe serving, stirring, and refueling without reaching over open flames.
- Ground Spike Anchor - the lower pole drives into a spike that locks the whole assembly firmly in place, eliminating wobble and tip-over risk on uneven terrain.
- Tool-Free Modular Assembly - the upper pole, lower pole, support arm, and kettle separate into compact parts that pack flat and reassemble on-site without tools.
- Braced Cantilever Support Arm - an angled steel brace reinforces the two-foot arm for reliable load-bearing strength with a full kettle of food or liquid.
- Wraparound Cradle Arms - dual arcuate arms encircle two-thirds of the kettle, cradling it securely for even, centered heat from the fire below.
"I built Forged n Smoke because every campfire cooking setup I tried was either flimsy, dangerous, or a hassle to transport," said Lemmer. "This design solves all three problems - it's stable, it swings away from the fire for safety, and it breaks down flat for the trail." Constructed from durable steel with a protective finish, the assembly is built to withstand repeated use over direct flame and breaks down into modular components without tools, packing flat for transport to any campsite, hunting camp, or backyard fire pit.
Forged n Smoke is ideal for campers, hunters, outdoor cooking enthusiasts, emergency preparedness, and off-grid living. The patent-pending product is currently seeking manufacturing, retail, wholesale, distribution, and licensing partners to bring it to market. To discuss a partnership, get in touch through the contact page.
