Super Cedar Review (My 2nd Batch)

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Used a chunk top down in my new offset meat smoker today. No surprise, perfect.
 
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When were the softer ones first shipped? My last order was for 100 on 10-31-15. So would that make those the softer variety? If so, I don't really have a problem with them. I like to break mine into smaller pieces (like 1/8) and put two in different locations for a more even and faster start. Sometimes I will accidentally crush the smaller chunks but not that often. I think what I have now (probably the softer) makes this a little easier and the dust isn't really much of an issue.

I may still get a small quantity of hard ones just to see, though.

Thanks for clearing it all up.
I get ready to receive the hard/soft requests every fall so around Sept. I st. I received maybe 20 requests this past season for hard SC's from Hearth members as this is my way to compromise. My standard would be the softer SC's. I need a heads up for the harder ones.
Thanks again and you will be seeing the SC's in Walmart this spring!
 
haters aren't hating anything. I was just trying to figure out why something changed, and now i know. Thanks for the clarification Thomas. Anyone have some tips for breaking the softer ones cleanly?
 
haters aren't hating anything. I was just trying to figure out why something changed, and now i know. Thanks for the clarification Thomas. Anyone have some tips for breaking the softer ones cleanly?
Wonder if freezing them would help? Or maybe the opposite? Set them in a sunny window for a bit to soften them up. Worth trying both but the freezer bag above sounds like a good idea too.
 
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haters aren't hating anything. I was just trying to figure out why something changed, and now i know. Thanks for the clarification Thomas. Anyone have some tips for breaking the softer ones cleanly?

Sorry. I figured starting a sentence with "as Taylor swift says" would lead everyone o understand what followed was a joke. Didn't mean to offend.
 
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I think my batch is the softies. In a yr or two ill order another 100 and may request the firm ones?? I just break off a piece and go. Dust gets used as another starter every time I refill this container. No mess at all. Some pucks give me 3 start ups. Some 6 - just depends on how and where they break. If I wanted perfect clean, dust free heat I would turn the dial on the wall.
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I think eventually someone is going to ask Thomas to come over and start their fires and clean up after. We have a US based company that caters to its clients and people still find reason to complain. Geesh???
 
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Anyone have some tips for breaking the softer ones cleanly?
I leave the pucks in their plastic wrapper and use a Fiskar's hatchet (which is pretty sharp) to score. Break while still in the plastic to contain crumbs. Works but now I'm not sure if I have the hard or soft version. I bought a case and have had them for about two years. Will need to buy again to get me through next season.
 
I think eventually someone is going to ask Thomas to come over and start their fires and clean up after.
Do you think this would work??

Dear Thomas.....

;lol;lol;lol
 
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After reading this post, I had to break into the new batch I just got and see how they were. Un-wrapped box of 72. They seem a little softer but not a lot. Breaking them apart with my bare hands, I crushed one chunk. Then I used my usual method...
First, I score the puck with a utility knife...
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Then I break the puck into three pieces, and score the side pieces in half, the center piece into thirds and break into chunks. You can see there are a couple chunks with a more irregular edge than I am used to, but I didn't end up with more dust than I did with the harder pucks. I then slide the chunks and dust into a gallon ziploc bag.
P1030454.JPG
Over the years I have gotten harder ones and softer ones. I attribute it to how long they have been sitting on the shelf. When I break them it is in a coffee can so I don't care if there are crumbs. Those crumbs I call "Pixie Dust" and that stuff is magic for dropping on a little bit of coals left after the night burn and getting that morning load rocking in a heartbeat.
With the hard ones I would sometimes just break them by hand inside of the gallon ziploc bag, but I think I'll score all of these softer ones. I have a little 1/3-cup plastic scoop in the bag. When a bit of dust has built up in the bottom of the bag, I'll use it to light loads in a cold stove. I load the back of the stove (E-W loader,) then put a flat split in the front of the load, on the floor of the stove. Then I scoop couple piles of dust on the flat split, light them, and add some kindling, filling in the front row with a couple more medium splits when it gets rolling. I have yet to see if these new softer ones burn any differently. I'm assuming that the harder ones have a bit more wax.
Ain't seen my kindling axe in six years.
I know right where my mini-maul and my hatchet are. I've got a stack of Pine and Tulip kindling. Lasts a long time, though. Going on three years since the last time I re-stocked it.
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I keep mine in a zip lock freezer bag and break them in the bag. Direct from the bag to the stove after a shake shake to get rid of excess crumbs. For the crumbs I crumple up bow tie fashion in some newspaper and use to light. I too prefer the harder puck and will request them when I reorder...... After next season. Still love them though. Have yet to use any kindling in three winters of burning. I use them in my Big Green Egg too.
I do the exact same and the bag works great. Break them into 5-6 pieces usually. They work great I really like them and don't know any better than having harder ones.
 
Posted this in another thread, but it seems to be worth saying again... I tried a few supercedars, liked them, but not the size. It's stupid easy to make your own, and they work just as well. Take some small wood chips/ chainsaw chips and fill up a cardboard egg carton. Melt wax and pour it in until it's almost full. Rip off an egg at a time when ready to use, light the cardboard and it burns for over 10 mins.

I do the same thing, except with dryer lint instead of wood chips. Plus gives me a use for all of the kids' broken crayons!
 
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If you prefer SC, then just break 3-4 at a time them inside a brown paper bag. When they're all gone, ball up the bag and use it as a starter.
 
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BB, glad to hear you used SC's in your smoker. We have been lighting a lot of BBQs, smokers and pizza ovens the past few years.
I used a small piece to start my Primo smoker, it worked like a charm! It took a very tiny piece to get it rockin! Unfortunately it was the last little bit of the puck that came with my Blaze King.

With every BK I install I show them the SC and tell to bust it up into a few pieces. People love em, One problem is that the wrapper just says Blaze King, nowhere does it say Super Cedar. So I have tell them about your website. Maybe you could sneak your web address on the private labels somewhere?
 
I used a small piece to start my Primo smoker, it worked like a charm! It took a very tiny piece to get it rockin! Unfortunately it was the last little bit of the puck that came with my Blaze King.

With every BK I install I show them the SC and tell to bust it up into a few pieces. People love em, One problem is that the wrapper just says Blaze King, nowhere does it say Super Cedar. So I have tell them about your website. Maybe you could sneak your web address on the private labels somewhere?
Blaze King applies their own label at their cost. I will suggest this again to them. They should at least have them available for customers to purchase.
Thomas
 
Blaze King applies their own label at their cost. I will suggest this again to them. They should at least have them available for customers to purchase.
Thomas
Thomas,

We do make them available.

Chris
BKVP
 
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I get ready to receive the hard/soft requests every fall so around Sept. I st. I received maybe 20 requests this past season for hard SC's from Hearth members as this is my way to compromise. My standard would be the softer SC's. I need a heads up for the harder ones.
Thanks again and you will be seeing the SC's in Walmart this spring!
Congratulations
 
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