This is a topic that gets bounced around a bit. We have heard everything from corn cobs soaked in kerosene (don't recommend) to dryer lint in egg cartons. I thought I would throw my starters into the ring.
First of all, I have an old shop stove that ain't pretty and ain't gonna get hurt as my heat source. I simply take and melt the wax in a can on the shop stove and mix it with sawdust to coat. I have two steel plugs (could be wood, plastic, etc) that fit fairly well in a piece of 2" PVC. I put one plug in the bottom and stand the PVC tube upright and then fill with the sawdust mix and pack by hand until full. Take the second plug and place in the top end and then place this fixture in my shop press. Apply the squeezin'. Let cool in place and under pressure. Remove bottom plug and push the sawdust mix out. Cut on band saw.
I do this usually when I am working on another project out in the shop. I don't dedicate time or stove operation to this alone. Each piece will burn a nice hot flame for about 15+ minutes. I have never had a failed startup because of these. They are fairly hard and the edge starts pretty easy with a stick lighter.
Pen is for size reference:
First of all, I have an old shop stove that ain't pretty and ain't gonna get hurt as my heat source. I simply take and melt the wax in a can on the shop stove and mix it with sawdust to coat. I have two steel plugs (could be wood, plastic, etc) that fit fairly well in a piece of 2" PVC. I put one plug in the bottom and stand the PVC tube upright and then fill with the sawdust mix and pack by hand until full. Take the second plug and place in the top end and then place this fixture in my shop press. Apply the squeezin'. Let cool in place and under pressure. Remove bottom plug and push the sawdust mix out. Cut on band saw.
I do this usually when I am working on another project out in the shop. I don't dedicate time or stove operation to this alone. Each piece will burn a nice hot flame for about 15+ minutes. I have never had a failed startup because of these. They are fairly hard and the edge starts pretty easy with a stick lighter.
Pen is for size reference: