Improving... <gulp>... Super Cedars?

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I have a desk with a fairly sharp edge. I leave the super cedars in the package, snap them in half on the edge of the desk, rotate 90 degrees and snap again. I then open the package in a plastic bag.to save any droppings.
 
I put them on the table and look real hard at them and say BREAK ! Then my wife breaks em lol she is much better at it than me !

Pete
 
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I honestly set them on the butcher block and take an 8" Santuko to them, usually do two at a time, store in a ziplock.
 
Just set the damn thing on the floor and stomp the snot out of it!
 
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Like others I've broken them by hand and also have used a junky knife as well to make deeper score marks (I like to break into 1/6th). I generally do about 6 or so at a time to filly my container and I then sweep the crumbs into said container.

When I use the last piece I mash the crumbs into one more soft piece and use it as well. It is interesting how even the crumbs work well - I once spread a line of them along a split and put a couple splits above (like a tent) and that started the fire rather nicely, sort of a fuse effect as I lit just the end near the door.
 
i put mine in a 5-gal bucket with a lid (from chlorine tabs) and crack them on a the edge like crack'n an egg into quarters.
 
I got some free samples of SuperCedar. They do work well with just a quarter disc to start a fire. I am more impressed with Zap starters, and also my homemade starters using clothes dryer lint stuffed into a cardboard egg carton, soaked in wax works just as well using things I already have.
 
I would like to see some deeper score marks. I'm not sure if they're not deep or non existent, but i cant see any on marks on mine. I thought at one time i saw some, which eased the breaking. Its not that they're hard to break but some can be so brittle that the marks helped make less of a mess. If BB is right and the marks are under the label, the marks should be on the opposite side so they can be broken while in the wrapping, again easing the mess.
 
I got some free samples of SuperCedar. They do work well with just a quarter disc to start a fire. I am more impressed with Zap starters, and also my homemade starters using clothes dryer lint stuffed into a cardboard egg carton, soaked in wax works just as well using things I already have.

I have a case of SC's that I am working through, but I also use dryer lint, old candles, and egg cartons as well, but I also add pistachio shells. They work great.
 
With a cold stove, I use 1/2 a cedar. With a warm stove (but not enough coals to re-light, or I don't want to wait....), I'll se 1/4 of a cedar. I put 4 of them in a gallon zip lock bag, then break the over the edge of a counter in the bag. 2 I'll break twice into quaters, and 2 I'll break once into halves. Now it's all (includign crumbs) in one nice bag. When empty, just repeat...

But I would LOVE to see them make 1/2 size super cedars. Or even make them as long sticks (maybe 4" long x 1" wide), that would make it much easier, and you would not have to break them at all.
 
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I hope this doesn't seem out of line... just asking...

I think it'd be great if Super Cedars were scored across the face for easy splitting, since it seems most folks start up with 1/4 of SC anyway.

Does that add too many manufacturing steps?

I break mine into 5 or 6 pieces. I've never had to use as much as 1/4.
 
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I break mine into 5 or 6 pieces. I've never had to use as much as 1/4.

You must use some kindling with it then, right?

I just put one or 2 small strips of kindling over the 1/4 or 1/2 super cedar, surrounded by two splits (one in back of stove, one in front of stove), then load whatever load I want to burn on top of that.
 
I would LOVE to see them make 1/2 size super cedars. Or even make them as long sticks (maybe 4" long x 1" wide), that would make it much easier, and you would not have to break them at all.

I think they're the perfect size, and don't find them that difficult to break into whatever size I need. The full-sized puck is the ideal size for lighting outdoor brush piles, where there's wind and unseasoned wood to contend with. Four quarter pieces will burn too fast, but a full puck lasts long enough to get the pile going good. I have used more for outdoor burn piles than for lighting my stove, as the stove has only required a re-light once in the last month. I also break either 1/2 or 1/4 pieces to light charcoal in the chimney on my Weber grill.
 
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I also break either 1/2 or 1/4 pieces to light charcoal in the chimney on my Weber grill.

Best charcoal starter ever. Don't have to worry about wind scattering incandescent pieces of newspaper over flammable surroundings.
 
I got some free samples of SuperCedar. They do work well with just a quarter disc to start a fire. I am more impressed with Zap starters, and also my homemade starters using clothes dryer lint stuffed into a cardboard egg carton, soaked in wax works just as well using things I already have.

What are Zap starters?
 
What are Zap starters?
I don't know! I meant Zip starters, sorry. They aren't made from sawdust, at least don't appear to be. I did find an MSDS from UK(England) that lists 75% kerosene, >1% hydrochloric acid, >1% sulphuric acid, no mention of the other 23%. I found them at Walmart and was very curious why I couldn't find anything on Zap firestarters myself.
(my bad, zip, zap, something like that). Well, they are called Zip firelighters actually. Made in Ireland. They are quite curious. They put off a dark black smoke that seems to stick to the wood, then ignites, spreading out the firestarter flame area. I have never tried a firestarter without kindling, but the box says just put one between a few logs. I am a top down fire builder. I like my dryer lint and wax starters just fine, they're almost free, I can make a lot quickly, faster than driving to the store and back! I put a few big logs in the box and cover them with kindling. Stuff a dryer lint homemade starter just under a few pieces of kindling and a long burning fire results. Top down also helps keep the bureaucrats away on no burn days, much less smoke if any at all. I even had a neighbor ask why I wasn't burning all that wood in my yard, he never sees or smells smoke from my chimney. I just laughed and assured him there was a hot fire going as we spoke.
 
I figured they were something named after hearth.com member Zap. That being the case, I had imagined something involving high voltage and extremely volatile chemicals. No, wait... that's Jags. ::-)
 
You must use some kindling with it then, right?

I just put one or 2 small strips of kindling over the 1/4 or 1/2 super cedar, surrounded by two splits (one in back of stove, one in front of stove), then load whatever load I want to burn on top of that.

I dont use kindling per say. I use smaller cut pieces of softwood. I put down a regular sized split, then the SC on top of that, then I put a few pieces of soft wood across the SC. Catches every time with 1/5 or 1/6 of a SC...
 
I don't know! I meant Zip starters, sorry. They aren't made from sawdust, at least don't appear to be. I did find an MSDS from UK(England) that lists 75% kerosene, >1% hydrochloric acid, >1% sulphuric acid, no mention of the other 23%

Acid???

The MSDS for super cedars state that you should eat no more than two at any sitting:p . Pretty natural stuff and high in fiber.;lol
 
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