First time Super Cedar user

[kayakkeith]

So how much should I use to strata fire in a Woodstock Keystone? Is half of a round okay or less? Seems using the whole round may be to much

 

[etiger2007]

I just got my free sample of Super Cedars this summer and it only took a quarter of one to start a fire in my insert.

 

[Jack Straw]

I haven't tried mine yet, but it's my understaning that 1/4 is all you need. I do plan on buying a bunch soon!

 

[pen]

I cut mine into 1/4's and find that is plenty.

pen

 

[Swedishchef]

1/4 seems to work very well for me. The flame reaches 6-7 inches and it will burn for 15-20 mins. I gotta get another box for this winter..no more messing around with paper and kindling!

Andrew

 

[etiger2007]

Im not taking anything away from Super Cedars, but TSC stocks a Rutland fire starter thats under twenty bucks for 144 squares. It only takes two of them to start a fire. If your ever in a money pinch or need some right away.

 

[fossil]

Well, OK, whatever...but your TSC Rutland's look to be about $0.27 per start by your numbers, while I figure my Super Cedars run around $0.15 per start. But hey, who's counting?

 

[etiger2007]

Well, OK, whatever...but your TSC Rutland's look to be about $0.27 per start by your numbers, while I figure my Super Cedars run around $0.15 per start. But hey, who's counting?

I was just throwing it out there in case you couldnt wait for shipping. Not a bad alternative.

 

[fossil]

I didn't say anything was good or anything was bad...just pointed out another factoid about the subject at hand. I was curious, so I ran a few simple numbers and decided to report back. The Super Cedar cost I posted is based on buying a box of 100...(that's 400 starts the way I do it). If you buy in smaller quantity, it probably pushes the cost upward slightly. No big deal either way, I just like numbers, I guess. Rick

 

[etiger2007]

I didn't say anything was good or anything was bad...just pointed out another factoid about the subject at hand. I was curious, so I ran a few simple numbers and decided to report back. The Super Cedar cost I posted is based on buying a box of 100...(that's 400 starts the way I do it). If you buy in smaller quantity, it probably pushes the cost upward slightly. No big deal either way, I just like numbers, I guess. Rick

lol thats cool and by the way I could probably get away with one square lol. Do they charge for shipping?

 

[fossil]

Nope, shipping's all wrapped into the price. Thomas, the owner, is a member here, and an absolute Prince of a guy. Send him an email with your address (mention Hearth.com), he'll put a couple of free samples in the mail to you. (No, I don't work for Thomas). Rick

http://www.supercedar.com/

 

[etiger2007]

i did and he sent me some samples and they worked great. I would love to be able to stop by a store on the way home from work and pick some up. I will buy some because i do like them, they make my storage area on the side of the fireplace smell great too.

 

[BrotherBart]

I mostly use one quarter but if I sleep late, privilege of retirement and the cat hates me for it, and need to get a big kick start even with coals I put one 1/4 on each side of the center split in a N/S load and it is off to the races by the time the coffee is ready.

For 30 years I had never used a fire starter and held off on the Super Cedars until year before last. What the hell was I thinking? I have said it here before. I don't even know where I put my kindling axe now.

For many years my wife ran the stove when I was away. She can't anymore. One day I showed her a cold stove start-up with Super Cedars and she said "Where the hell were these when I was blowing on those damned coals and kindling? And out in the woods in the dark breaking up sticks?".

 

[pen]

i did and he sent me some samples and they worked great. I would love to be able to stop by a store on the way home from work and pick some up. I will buy some because i do like them, they make my storage area on the side of the fireplace smell great too.

Here in Pa, supercedars are sold as "zippo" firestarters at tobacco shops. The economics don't support buying them there for shoulder season use, but thought I'd mention it in case someone was in a pinch.

The neighbor's kid and daughter in law decided to do a night under the stars for their first anniversary. I saw them pull in and take a 4wheeler and wagon with their supplies up on the hill. I didn't think much of it and was bs'ing with the neighbor when the kid pulled back down the hill asking for some gas to get their fire going I told him to give me 1 minute and I came back with a super cedar. Considering it was fairly dry and he couldn't get a fire going, I knew he was new to the camp fire game. I told him to split it in 1/2 and that should get him going, and use the second 1/2 in a worst case scenario. I also made clear that if both halves were used, and he didn't have a fire, that he had no business trying any further.

Knowing I'd bust his ass if he failed, he begrudgingly took it and gave me a half hearted thanks. The next day I saw his mother who informed me that her boy proclaimed the inventor of that product to be a f-ing genius. Guess it worked

pen

 

[fossil]

Maybe the younger men should always keep one in their wallet...just in case the need (opportunity) arises.

 

[fox9988]

Here in Pa, supercedars are sold as "zippo" firestarters at tobacco shops. The economics don't support buying them there for shoulder season use, but thought I'd mention it in case someone was in a pinch.

The neighbor's kid and daughter in law decided to do a night under the stars for their first anniversary. I saw them pull in and take a 4wheeler and wagon with their supplies up on the hill. I didn't think much of it and was bs'ing with the neighbor when the kid pulled back down the hill asking for some gas to get their fire going I told him to give me 1 minute and I came back with a super cedar. Considering it was fairly dry and he couldn't get a fire going, I knew he was new to the camp fire game. I told him to split it in 1/2 and that should get him going, and use the second 1/2 in a worst case scenario. I also made clear that if both halves were used, and he didn't have a fire, that he had no business trying any further.

Knowing I'd bust his ass if he failed, he begrudgingly took it and gave me a half hearted thanks. The next day I saw his mother who informed me that her boy proclaimed the inventor of that product to be a f-ing genius. Guess it worked

pen

Immaculate conception

 

[fossil]

Ignition., not conception...immaculate ignition...that's what Thomas offers to anyone who simply asks.

 

[fox9988]

Ignition., not conception...immaculate ignition...that's what Thomas offers to anyone who simply asks.

There may have been Ignition AND conception

 

[DexterDay]

I have used them for Woodstoves, Pellet Stoves, Outside fires, and Grilling. A Great product..... I bought 100 last season and after using 1/4-1/2 a Cedar, I think I could make it another year. but I will be ordering mine soon...

 

[firecracker_77]

Supercedars when quartered are cheap. I probably go thru a puck to a puck and a half each week. Hopefully, you get some coals on your overnight burns most of the time. Burning season is about 6 months. That's about 24 - 30 pucks annually per stove. We're not talking about alot of money in the end and they are alot more convenient. I still put kindling in. Usually like to get rid of that stuff.

The harder part is getting those really small splits for start-up. Takes a little more effort than quartering a Super Cedar

 

[firecracker_77]

For getting a good fire going, go to the lumber yard / Lowes / Home Depot and bring yourself home about 10 full length pine 2 X 4s. Cut these with a circular saw into 8 inch lengths. Put a quartered super cedar under a few 2 X 4s cut to size and then a few well split pieces of hardwood. Leave your air control fully open for a half hour or even leave your door open (side door preferably if you have one) for a half hour. You will have coals pretty quickly from that pine and a hot fire in no time. If all the kindling is dry and kept indoors, that would work fine too. Preparation is everything. Gathering snow covered kindling from a brush pile is a nightmare. I did that for a while before I got a little smarter about it.

 

[fossil]

There are as many perfectly satisfactory ways to start a fire as there are people who do it.

 

[DexterDay]

For getting a good fire going, go to the lumber yard / Lowes / Home Depot and bring yourself home about 10 full length pine 2 X 4s. Cut these with a circular saw into 8 inch lengths. Put a quartered super cedar under a few 2 X 4s cut to size and then a few well split pieces of hardwood. Leave your air control fully open for a half hour or even leave your door open (side door preferably if you have one) for a half hour. You will have coals pretty quickly from that pine and a hot fire in no time. If all the kindling is dry and kept indoors, that would work fine too. Preparation is everything. Gathering snow covered kindling from a brush pile is a nightmare. I did that for a while before I got a little smarter about it.

Just regular sized splits. I may pick a smaller one or 2, but a 1/4-1/2 a Cedar and it will get even large splits rolling very quickly.

My outside fires are the same way, no special treatment. Just wood and Super Cedar, light, and walk away

There are as many perfectly satisfactory ways to start a fire as there are people who do it.

Yep... Different strokes for different folks

 

[ddddddden]

I didn't say anything was good or anything was bad...just pointed out another factoid about the subject at hand. I was curious, so I ran a few simple numbers and decided to report back. The Super Cedar cost I posted is based on buying a box of 100...(that's 400 starts the way I do it). If you buy in smaller quantity, it probably pushes the cost upward slightly. No big deal either way, I just like numbers, I guess. Rick

I'm a big comparison shopper. . .I did't find the starters at Lowe's/HD to be significantly cheaper.

i did and he sent me some samples and they worked great. I would love to be able to stop by a store on the way home from work and pick some up. I will buy some because i do like them, they make my storage area on the side of the fireplace smell great too.

Hang tight. Thomas will probably be offering us a 10-15% discount any day now.

 

[BrotherBart]

I'm a big comparison shopper. . .I did't find the starters at Lowe's/HD to be significantly cheaper.



Hang tight. Thomas will probably be offering us a 10-15% discount any day now.

The discount code "facebook" get's ya ten percent off right now. He posted it here in July. Still works today.