Pine Cones - nature's Super Cedar or Satan's snare?

[slindo]

I notice a lot of mention here over the years about using pine cones for fire starters, but there seems to be an unresolved question as to whether they might not be too sappy and hence mess up the stove or the flues. So I didn't use them when I had a cat stove, but am thinking about it now. Anyone know anything definitive on whether then are a good or bad idea?

 

[aries339]

Wow good question - I'm interested in the answer too. I have a bunch of pine trees and never thought of using the cones as firestarters...

 

[cre73]

Use them all the time when we have an over abundance of them.They work great. Can't believe you could use enough of them to cause any issues.

 

[SteveKG]

Couple weeks ago, I was gonna order some SuperCedars. Before I got around to it, I drove past an area near here with a very large patch of pine cones, stopped my pickup and filled a bucket with some. Just because I do stuff like this, I decided to experiment and bought a big block of candle-making wax for half price, ten-pound block, and melted some and dipped some pine cones in it. I have only used three of them to date, but so far the results are quite good. One cone started a fire last night in my fireplace without kindling.

Now, I have tried SuperCedars and they work great. Plus, you can break them into small pieces and get good "economy" and you cannot simply break the pine cones, or not so easily. I suppose one could take a Sawzall and cut them up.... But so far, the pine cone idea is just another option. You gotta do the labor of melting the wax and fooling with dipping the cones, after you've purchased the wax. It could well turn out that buying the ready-made starters is no more expensive. I just wanted to give this a try for fun.

I have not tried plain, unwaxed pine cones.

 

[katwillny]

Interesting post, meanwhile at the bottom of the post there is a huge advertisement for SuperCedar. I have used them in the past and they worked great for me. I purchased some supercedars last year and still have most of them plus some other starters.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Pine cones work just fine. Once the door is closed the snappyness will no longer be dangerous.

Matt

 

[raybonz]

I am loaded with pine cones but I like the Super Cedars and have found I can cut one into 6th's and they still start a fire with no real kindling. I am spoiled for sure! Occasionally I use newspaper with a little kindling for the fun of it too..

Ray

 

[bostock]

my mom uses pinecones all the time, swears by them. She has never noticed any problems with buildup or sap.

I recently moved over to Supercedars (from duraflame) and all i can say is WOW they are fantastic.

 

[firefighterjake]

Seems to me if you can burn pine in your stove . . . you surely can burn pine cones.

Like anything else, as long as they're "seasoned" . . . which in the case of the pine cones isn't a helluva long time you should be good to go . . . but even this is a no-brainer since burning "fresh" pine cones will more or less be an exercise in futility as they will not stay lit.

Burn away . . . and sleep easily at night.

 

[Treacherous]

I am loaded with pine cones but I like the Super Cedars and have found I can cut one into 6th's and they still start a fire with no real kindling. I am spoiled for sure! Occasionally I use newspaper with a little kindling for the fun of it too..

Ray

I hear ya... I have enough pine cones lying around I could make wood piles out of them. I still prefer the Super Cedars above anything else though.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We usually have more pine cones that Carter has liver pills and yes, we've used them in the past. I prefer the Super Cedars though and no, they won't harm your stove or chimney. Of course, if one was to throw in a bucket full and light it off......well, it might get interesting to say the least.

 

[gerry100]

Pine cones wrapped in Birch bark the best natural starters.

 

[Pallet Pete]

Soak them in gasoline and see which one burns hotter

Pete