Newbie Question -- Super Cedar Firestarters

[Soadrocks]

Dear All:

My wife and I are sick and tired of all the newspaper ashes that float around everywhere and decided to take Thomas up on his 15% off special and bought the 100 pack. How do they exactly work. They look like a circular piece of wood the size of a coaster....do you just lay it down in the middle and then lay small splits on top and whalah....That's it? Is it as easy as I think it is? Anyone that uses these religiously, please chime on on how to maximize their use...I've read before that you only need to use 1/2 at a time. All suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[jmhpsu93]

I absolutely love these things. I use about 1/2 a firestarter to light the wood stove with some kindling and a couple of small splits, let it light with the door open about 5 minutes or until you get significant flame up to the baffle, then close the door with the air open until most of that kindling/small wood is gone.

They work great in my open fireplace, too (oops...we're not allowed to have them on this site).

 

[madison]

They are like "gainesburgers" in size and texture. They can be bent to break, or cut.

I never use paper. 1/4 to 1/2 Super Cedar and a lighter to get it started.

 

[BrotherBart]

I just put two medium splits N/S, light a quarter or a half of a SC between them and lay another medium split on top creating a cave burn and let'er rip. I haven't touched a piece of kindling since I got these things.

 

[LLigetfa]

Ja, they're great! Use a whole, half, or quarter depending on the size and quality of the wood you have. I use quarters along with some kin'lin.

 

[fossil]

http://www.supercedar.com/

See also, for breaking news:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/51132/

 

[spirilis]

I got the sample (you might still be able to get a sample? might be worth trying a sample before going all-in for an order...) with like 3 of the supercedars and one thing I liked about them is how *reliably* they started my fires vs. a piece of fatwood which usually works, but sometimes goes out before the whole thing catches (leaving my wood brick mass somewhat charred but cold). I usually add small bits of StarterLogg on either end of the fatwood to ensure a guaranteed start, but I don't need that with supercedars. My typical usage was 1/4 of a supercedar further split in half with one on either side under my woodbrickfuel teepee, some firestarter gel drizzled between them for convenience (so I can torch the gel at one location through the corner of the teepee using my lighter or flint&steel; and ensure both pieces ignite fully and quickly).

It's cedar sawdust mixed with wax. As I understand it cedar already has a lot of flammable (pitch?) substance in it, so it's like the perfect sawdust firestarter. Burns very quick & very hot.

Note that I'm using woodbrickfuel (similar to BioBricks et al) which itself is compressed sawdust, but it doesn't light on its own with a match or lighter so I still need to use a firestarter of some sort. Normal cordwood may need some kindling but who knows. 1/4th of one of these pucks still packs a lot of heat, I'd imagine a full one could ignite even green wood (lol).

 

[highmark800]

Love these things. We use anywhere from 1/4 to a whole one depending on the size of wood we are trying to light.

 

[hardwood715]

Just adding to the positive posts already here, they work great been using them for a few years now and I couldn't be happier, no more newspaper knots,bark, etc etc. If BB says theyr'e ok well then there ya go!

 

[Pagey]

Okay, okay. You talked me into it. Just placed my discounted order. :coolgrin:

 

[fullbore]

A few days ago, just to amuse myself, I loaded the stove(after letting it die out) with about seven or eight white oak splits. I placed one full SC on the bottom and had the fire cracklin in several minutes. I was tempted to use kindling but wanted to see if the SC would light off a full load. It did without a problem. I just might order another case.

 

[FPX Dude]

YES, go for it...newspaper is a "pain in the ash!" Less mess in your chimney cap as well!

 

[Got Wood]

Got my free samples over a year ago, then placed an order for a box full. Pure and simple, they work.
I actually break them into 6 pieces and find thats about as small as I can get them. the 1/6 piece starts my fire every time - no need for me to use a bigger piece.
I use more of a "middle" start... place a few splits on the bottom, super cedar on top then build up around it with some kindling around the starter and bigger splits on top.

 

[spirilis]

just got my big box this week. First thing I noticed using 1/4 of a supercedar to start my fire vs. 1 or 2 pieces of fatwood, is that the stove seems to heat up noticeably faster with the supercedar quarter piece. Great stuff and I have way too much of it now!

 

[Pagey]

Got mine this week as well. "A little dab'll do ya," as the saying goes. Great product.

 

[ChillyGator]

A few days ago, just to amuse myself, I loaded the stove(after letting it die out) with about seven or eight white oak splits. I placed one full SC on the bottom and had the fire cracklin in several minutes. I was tempted to use kindling but wanted to see if the SC would light off a full load. It did without a problem. I just might order another case.

+1 two splits down, SC on top, two shorties n/s, two splits on top.....let her rip .....up to full tilt less than 20 minutes.

I have free fat lighter...I buy SuperCeaders!

(available for TV & print ads) :coolsmile:

 

[LLigetfa]

Great stuff and I have way too much of it now!

You cannot have too much of a good thing. That'd be like being too rich or too good looking. I'm neither rich nor all that good looking but I'm all set for starting fires.

 

[SlyFerret]

The Super Cedars changed my life!

I've never had to use more than a quarter of one. I bought a whole case at the beginning of the season a year ago, and still have more than half left. By breaking them into quarters when I need them, and lighting off of coals, that case will probably last me two and a half, maybe three seasons.

I load up the stove (I always burn N/S) and tuck a quarter of a super cedar down near the bottom, about three or four inches back into an opening between splits. I make sure that I load the splits in such a way that the fire from the Super Cedar can work its way up through the splits to the top.

From a cold start, I can get the stove up and going with a full load of splits (5 or 6 medium sized) in about 40 minutes, using no kindling or newspaper.

Awesome.

-SF