Best Firestarter?

[BamaScroungr]

You folks have probably hit this subject before, but I've never seen it discussed here. How do you start a fire?

I use a blowtorch to light a pine cone or two under a stack of kindling. I've used sticks of a product called Fatwood derived from pine as well. I've heard pine kindling is excellent too.

What do you use?

 

[littlecmonkey]

I split white cedar in very thin sticks approx 10". They're light as a feather, and with a fine edge catch fire quite easily. They easily light with a lighter, and stay lit plenty long to catch the hardwood.

 

[drz1050]

I mostly use kindling and a little newspaper.. Supercedars are super popular on these forums.

Once the stove is burning though, it stays burning here... so a box of those would last me forever. I've also made my own little batch of supercedar ripoffs at home- take a cardboard egg carton, fill up the slots with wood chips, then melt some wax and fill it up. Break off one egg at a time, and it'll burn for about 10 mins.

 

[Wawa Coffee]

I use kindling or fatwood with some newspaper. Working on building up a bigger supply of my own cut kindling.

 

[BamaScroungr]

I mostly use kindling and a little newspaper.. Supercedars are super popular on these forums.

Once the stove is burning though, it stays burning here... so a box of those would last me forever. I've also made my own little batch of supercedar ripoffs at home- take a cardboard egg carton, fill up the slots with wood chips, then melt some wax and fill it up. Break off one egg at a time, and it'll burn for about 10 mins.

That's a cool idea. Does that take a lot of wax? Candle wax? I've burned some eastern red cedar, but didn't think it was a great firestarter. You probably have a different species.

 

[CheapBassTurd]

Luckily we have 6 pine on the property plus the pieces from the local pallet factory.
Torch n' go. No problem.

The key is small dry kindle.
(splitting debris is good too)

 

[drz1050]

That's a cool idea. Does that take a lot of wax? Candle wax? I've burned some eastern red cedar, but didn't think it was a great firestarter. You probably have a different species.

I used mostly small pine chips, some hardwood ones in there too.. no specific ratio really. I didn't have many old candles laying around, so just went to a hobby store and got a block of paraffin wax, don't remember the cost but it was pretty cheap for a big sheet of it, and I still have many blocks left over.

 

[dafattkidd]

I've used super cedars and they are great. I also use newspaper balled up and construction debris cut into 1 inch strips. The real key to this equation is dry fuel. Having dry splits mixed in with your fire starting materials will make wood burning a pleasure.

 

[Jay106n]

I use the junk newspaper that gets thrown in my driveway once a week and whatever dry wood is in reach. It always lights.

 

[firefighterjake]

The only two words you need to know when it comes to the best fire starter:

Super Cedars


That said, I have been known to try a variety of things . . . including the "traditional" crumpled up newspaper and kindling, making my own out of melted wax and pine shavings, other commercially made fire starters, lint, birch bark, pine wood, etc. However, when I need to bring the heat and need it now, Super Cedars are my "go to" source for making fire quickly and easily.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

I've used several brands of firestarters and by far the best have been SuperCedars.

 

[Hasufel]

I've used several brands of firestarters and by far the best have been SuperCedars.

Are SuperCedars anything more than just plain cedar? I've got some scrap 1/4" cedar planks (closet liner) and was planning to split them into strips for kindling...any idea how they'd compare to SuperCedars?

 

[MaintenanceMan]

Like other firestarters, they have paraffin or wax binding sawdust together. Cedar planks would make great kindling and probably good firestarters too. But compared to other firestarters that are similar in every repect to supercedars, they tend to light off faster I think.

 

[Lcback]

Last year I used news paper and card board. Didn't work to well on my chimney that doesn't have a high draft. This year I'm using split up 2x4 scrap and pallets invetween two big splits. Then medium stuff on top. No news paper or fire starter, just a propane torch on the bottom until it looks like charcoal


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[warno]

Here's what works for me

1) wad up a few pieces of newspaper place in bottom

2) a few pieces of cardboard, 2" X 12" straps. I use our shear at work to cut it.

3) some pieces of pine lumber scraps spilt up with my hatchet.

4) some small pieces, 1-2" rounds out small splits

5) some splits and larger rounds on top

6) open ash pan door

7) light newspapers and let fire grow until cardboard is going

8) shut feed door and listen through open ash door for a roaring fire. Then shut ash door.

Takes about 5 minutes to fill the box and get the fire roaring. Hope this helps.

 

[Vikestand]

Newspaper and the woodshop teacher keeps the scraps for me. So all kiln dried wood. Just light it, keep the ash door open a bit and it will be going in no time.

 

[Vikestand]

If you guys have a chop saw. Do yourself a favor and just buy a 2x4. cut it to 12" pieces and use a hatched to get your own kindling. Stuff works great and is easy to do.

 

[BamaScroungr]

Once upon a time I used newspaper to start fires. Then one day I happened to walk into the front yard as I was starting a fire and I saw a flaming piece of newsprint come floating out of my chimney. It landed in the yard, glowing at the edges, but not burning. That spooked me and I stopped using newspaper immediately.

 

[Vikestand]

Once upon a time I used newspaper to start fires. Then one day I happened to walk into the front yard as I was starting a fire and I saw a flaming piece of newsprint come floating out of my chimney. It landed in the yard, glowing at the edges, but not burning. That spooked me and I stopped using newspaper immediately.

Spark screen all but takes care of that. Plus the newspaper is buried in the pile.

 

[BamaScroungr]

Spark screen all but takes care of that. Plus the newspaper is buried in the pile.

Shows you how much I know. I've never heard of a spark screen. I just got schooled!

 

[Vikestand]

Shows you how much I know. I've never heard of a spark screen. I just got schooled!

I'm no expert, far from it. Google it and you'll get a lot more info than I will ever know or care to!

 

[webfish]

Custom Supercedars.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/super-cedar-40-discount-for-hearth-members.155618/

 

[Jags]

Tried virtually every starter on the market. Even made my own. Kindling. 2 x 4" split down. Fat wood. All of it. Then Thomas (from Super Cedar) sent me a couple of free samples (I still believe they will do this if you send them your addy).

That was it. Hooked. I had hit a new high. A high that was never duplicated by another product. Several minutes of elation with each light up. I have told myself that I can stop being a user anytime I wanted. It was a lie. The only side effect was a warmth that washed over me for hours. Quite pleasant, actually.

I have no affiliation with the product or company, just a hugely satisfied user (Junkie).

"Super Cedars - the crack of the wood burning world."

"This post is the opinion of the poster himself and is not intended to represent the opinion of this website, its owner or its owners dog (or any other dog for that matter). Please consider the mental state, lack of knowledge and general buffoonery of the poster before making decisions based off of the content of his posts"

 

[Lcback]

Can someone describe why the super cedars are so good? Is it long a long burn time? Hot flame? Do you just stack regular splits above it? Or are you still using kindling?


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[Jags]

Yes, Yes, Yes - no (optional).