Is there any reason why...

I shouldn't use a pine cone as a fire starter?
Dropped some in the fire pit over the summer and they burned fast, hot and put out some flame for a while.
Dropped one i the old stove this morning and the fire started right up nicely.
Opinions?
These are plentiful up here in NH and the price is pretty good too.

I hope not, as I use them for fire starters all the time.

I pick up a few handfuls every year when walking in certain areas near home.Use them all the time.Works great & wonderful smelling.

sounds like a plan....mix a little paraffin on them and i expect they'll really take off.

cass

I picked a bag full and i cant get them to burn,i guess they are not all the same. They are very dry,just wont burn.

I sure hope there isn't any reason not too. I'm surrounded by big white pines. Have an unlimited supply of cones. For most cold starts I just throw in 5 or 6 with the kindling and newspaper, and whoosh. I get great starts doing this. I don't get too concerned with technique, gee am I building the right pyramid, should I do a top down start... It ain't that complicated

My 8 yo neice likes to throw them onto the coals when I'm reloading. It's neat to see them burst into flames.

............and so it begins....the grooming of another future forum participant.

cass

Definitely use 'em . . . they're Nature's Original Super Cedars.

In fact, I've been using them for the past couple of weeks as I figured I would hoard my supply of Super Cedars . . . well that and I disovered two large trash bags full of 'em on the second floor of the garage while cleaning it out a few weeks back. I had collected them on Fall and forgot about them. Oddly enough, haven't noticed a banner year for pine cones this year though.

I typically load up the splits, toss in some kindling and then place 2-5 of them on top of the kindling. The dried sap lights up pretty easily with no paper or cardboard needed.

Cant figure out why mine wont burn ,i think they are fro a fir tree. White pine may be better.

Around here you could tell pretty quickly as white pine cones (the most common) are 4-6 inches in length . . . fir are 1-3 inches in length.

I assume the cones you have are dry and have "opened" up . . . if they're not dry or if they haven't opened up they will not light up as easily.