Battenkiller said:I make my own fire starters. They're similar to SuperCedars except I use pine sawdust. I call them "PowerPines". :cheese:
I have an old stainless steel 3-quart saucepan that the handle fell off. I put it on the stove and put in a pound of canning wax (I have a lifetime supply). While it is melting, I fill a 9x9" disposable aluminum baking pan to the brim with dry pine sawdust. When it is melted and good and hot (do not walk away from this), I grab the pan off the stove and use a stick to mix in the sawdust. After it is thoroughly mixed, I use a piece of plywood the same size as the pan and pack it down good to get as much air as I can out of it (actually, I stand on the plywood).
When is has cooled, the whole block will just pop out of the pan. I then use an old 12" butcher knife to cut the block into squares about 1 1/2" wide. They work just about as good as a quarter of a SuperCedar.
Oh... I use a "strike anywhere" match to light them.
I also make my own firestarters with egg cartons, wood shavings, and old wax. I find that they work better than any of the commercially available brands. I have tried sawdust, but find the planer shavings from my woodshop work the best....coarser and are easier to light. I never use kindling anymore.....one firestarter will start my smaller splits (2-3" in diameter) easily. My only problem is finding cheap wax. Have posted want ads on Craigslist, but no luck. bob