Fat Wood

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Years ago we used some fatwood. Wife seemed to like them but I never did. Too many times it took several matches just to get them started. I could just do that with dry kindling wood if I wanted. When we learned of the Super Cedars and Thomas' generous offer of some free samples, we sent for some. We broke them into quarters (they are scored) so got 8 starts from the samples. Since then that is all we've used for starting fires.

For those who have catalysts: Do not use fatwood!
God Bless and I see you have over 23,000 posts so you must know what you are talking about for sure. I pulled the trigger last nite and bought a 25# box of the fat wood, I will continue to make nice kindling throughout spring and summer and I will be able to fireup the stove in seconds during the next burning season. By the way I will be using the fiskars x7, gotta watch the fingers, do you know what I mean?
 
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My thumb can attest to that. Nicked it good while sharpening this weekend.
 
My dad gave me a bag of sawdust from his woodworking projects and my mom gave me a bag of candles found at garage sales. I combined them with some cardboard egg cartons I'd been saving and made a bunch of fire starters. Pretty sweet. Sometimes I'll get a a batch of real pitchy fir or pine that works well, but whatever is free is cool.
 
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God Bless and I see you have over 23,000 posts so you must know what you are talking about for sure. I pulled the trigger last nite and bought a 25# box of the fat wood, I will continue to make nice kindling throughout spring and summer and I will be able to fireup the stove in seconds during the next burning season. By the way I will be using the fiskars x7, gotta watch the fingers, do you know what I mean?

I'm not a fan of the Fiskars but for making kindling it should be okay. If you want to make kindling really fast, try it with hydraulics! I may make a video or two sometimes when I do it just for kicks. Usually I'm splitting wood now or even have it done by not but not this year. One of these days though we'll get started...

As for knowing and the 23,000 posts, that just says I'm windy. ;)
 
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I'm not a fan of the Fiskars but for making kindling it should be okay. If you want to make kindling really fast, try it with hydraulics! I may make a video or two sometimes when I do it just for kicks. Usually I'm splitting wood now or even have it done by not but not this year. One of these days though we'll get started...

As for knowing and the 23,000 posts, that just says I'm windy. ;)
The fiskars rocks my man! As far as kindling goes, I get solo many pieces out of a say 1x1 piece of wood, it's crazy and I love it, you just really got to watch the fingers
 
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Tried one of them Ram. Can't see why anyone gets excited about them. One day a friend brought one over and I thought, good. Now we'll see why folks get so excited. Ha! Didn't even split white as worth a hoot. Usually I find that it is the fellows with not too much experience in splitting who seem to be drawn to them. I can split as well with any old single or double bitted axe.
 
Tried one of them Ram. Can't see why anyone gets excited about them. One day a friend brought one over and I thought, good. Now we'll see why folks get so excited. Ha! Didn't even split white as worth a hoot. Usually I find that it is the fellows with not too much experience in splitting who seem to be drawn to them. I can split as well with any old single or double bitted axe.

Maybe it was April 1st.

Sorry, I got 3 kids here that tried to trick me this week.well I tell you, I uses 2 and the kindling thAt I make with th x7 andi have an instant fire, I couldn't be happier
 
Tried one of them Ram. Can't see why anyone gets excited about them. One day a friend brought one over and I thought, good. Now we'll see why folks get so excited. Ha! Didn't even split white as worth a hoot. Usually I find that it is the fellows with not too much experience in splitting who seem to be drawn to them. I can split as well with any old single or double bitted axe.

And by the way... I've been splitting 30+ inches of fresh cut oak the past few days. A friend told me to go get 2 five pound wedges, so I did, and again, works like a charm...... We all need to live and learn my friend
I'm just sayin, I love to split, thata all...
 
Thanks
 
Lighter pine is can be easier to find than making your own fatwood. You'll see what's left of the pith of a pine tree in rotted away blow overs laying in almost any mature wood stand.
Any recent blowovers that look punky and rotten at the base it's easy enough to knock the rot off with a maul and keep the rosin cured pith to split up later on
This is out of a smaller - much slower growing long leaf pine
img_0042-jpg.83467
 
I love it...
 
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