Kindling tools?

[Lyndenbrook Farm]

So I am a wood-stove noob, hoping to keep my family cozy this coming winter at our new (to us) horse farm: 7 acres, 11 stalls, and a used Hearthstone Heritage.

So as I try to prepare, I am wondering why there are not more tools specifically for making kindling around. Knowing nothing, I had the thought that a fixed blade you could pound the wood onto would be a good way to go.

The second method demonstrated here is what I am talking about:

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Obviously I am not the only one to think of this, but the only tool out there designed to do this (that I can find on the market) is WAAAAAYY overpriced. (And yes, I have searched all around this super-awesome forum)

I know that there are plenty of you who have been using a hatchet safely to split kindling since before I was born and still have all nine fingers, etc., but why is there nothing out there at a reasonable price designed to work this way?

 

[fossil]

I know that there are plenty of you who have been using a hatchet safely to split kindling since before I was born and still have all nine fingers, etc., but why is there nothing out there at a reasonable price designed to work this way?

No demand. Probably because we've all just been using hatchets since before you were born.

 

[pma1123]

I used the hydraulic log splitter to bust up small piles of pallet wood into kindling sticks.
It was kinda like using a sledgehammer to drive a finishing nail, but I had a pile of little hardwood sticks in no time.

 

[Highbeam]

What else is a hatchet good for?

A kid, a coffee can for nails, a hatchet, and a pile of cedar shingle roof tearoffs explains a large part of my childhood spare time.

These days I use a regular full size axe and hold it right near the head and simply drop the axe onto the splits to make kindling. Still make mass quantities at a time.

 

[R'Lee]

I use the hatchet to sometimes "finish" the split of very stringy elm/mulberry/white oak. It's actually a half hatchet; has the hammer head too (old roofing hammer?) Have an extra I keep with me for bucking wedges.

 

[WES999]

I use a channel lock to hold the wood and use an axe or hatchet. That video looks like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[xman23]

Safe or not, ever year I split a few boxes of 2X building scraps, using method 1. I wear leather gloves, hold it low, and have a consistent swing. I think I could take a glancing hit, but the good news is it hasn't happened yet. It's fast, I can make a big pile rather quickly.

There are a few issues with method one. Swinging the ax the average I get is 1" or larger pieces. Actually last year I took the pieces and split them again in the other direction. But you want the slimmest slivers possible. So I'm wasting kindling and the larger the piece, the less effective it is getting the initial fire going. Although method 2 looks slow you get a lot more control of the size, and I guess some will say a bit safer.

I have always thought of making a table top reciprocating motor driven splitter, but have not found the time. I believe we have seen some here, but can't say we ever found the source. Love to have one.

 

[fossil]

I used to split my kindling down to (what I now consider to be) ridiculously small pieces. I've found that using ¼ of a Super Cedar, as is my method, I can quite easily start with kindling that's at least 1" x 1"...quite often somewhat larger...and just a few pieces of that, then larger splits on top. Always takes right off. Full disclosure - I burn almost exclusively softwoods out here in the PNW. Rick

 

[R'Lee]

To be honest, I just gather up the remnants that lie on the ground near my hydraulic splitter and toss them into a box made from old pallets to cure/dry. Most of it stringy hardwood slices.

 

[fossil]

^ Yeah, splitter trash makes great kindling. Only when I'm running out of that do I think of making some kindling from splits. And I use kindling every morning during the winter in my shop stove...because I don't spend the night out there. Rick

 

[R'Lee]

Dried noodles from the the splits make good fire starters too. What works really GREAT(!) is cotton balls soaked in 2 cycle oil or, for that "matter" (*pun) dryer lint... awesome stuff Just stuff them in pint jar that's sealable and pull them out as needed

 

[BrotherBart]

What's kindling?

Haven't used any since I discovered the little red hockey pucks.

 

[bigbarf48]

As others have said, splitter trash works great. Even better is super cedars. Those things are great

When I do have to split up kindling I do it like he did it first in that video

 

[Lyndenbrook Farm]

Thanks all for your input. I have a trash can full of scraps but most of it is pretty thin, so I will still need something of an intermediate size to start up. I kind of like the idea of splitting just a handful when I need it.

What are the red hockey pucks?

 

[BrotherBart]

What are the red hockey pucks?

Supercedars. Since I finally started using them, I don't remember where I put my kindling hatchet.

 

[fossil]

http://www.supercedar.com/

Send Thomas an e-mail w/your name & mailing address, mention Hearth.com, and he'll get a couple of free samples to you ASAP. Best thing since split wood. Rick

 

[Lyndenbrook Farm]

Thanks guys! I will check those out.

And yet, something in me wants to go without starters and newspaper and cardboard.

At least for now

Until I get practical

 

[Jasper]

Estwing Fireside Friend is great for splitting kindling and larger splits.

 

[bassJAM]

I make kindling using the method in the vid from about the 10-15 seconds mark. Place the hatchet on the piece of wood (you don't have to strike it in like he does), and then lift both together, and drop them on a stump. It's the safest way to split small wood even smaller. I typically use about 4 splits and a handful of noodles for each fire.

 

[firefighterjake]

I often use the hydraulic splitter to make kindling . .. otherwise use a hatchet in the conventional manner . . . no issues . . . although my friends all call me Stumpy for some reason.

 

[R'Lee]

The first time I saw a simple cotton ball soaked with two cycle oil burn, I was amazed. It even scored the cement sidewalk. I keep a film canister full of it when I am camping. It will start about anything.

 

[Elderthewelder]

I used to split my kindling down to (what I now consider to be) ridiculously small pieces. I've found that using ¼ of a Super Cedar, as is my method, I can quite easily start with kindling that's at least 1" x 1"...quite often somewhat larger...and just a few pieces of that, then larger splits on top. Always takes right off. Full disclosure - I burn almost exclusively softwoods out here in the PNW. Rick

I used to use a 1/4 super cedar as well, Last couple years I started to brake them down to eighths and take a couple splits of fir out of my stacks and make small kindlin with my X25.....works good for me

 

[BrotherBart]

I have started just putting half of a Supercedar in the thing and going. Cheap, hot and fast.

Too old to fuss with kindling anymore.,

 

[EMB5530]

Never used super cedars but if they work anything like cedar kindling then its gotta work good cuz cedar starts right up and how

 

[blacktail]

When I was a little kid, my grandpa gave me a hatchet. Then my dad would have me split up kindling and bundle it up to give to my grandpa for christmas. I still use the same hatchet for my own kindling. One of the things I love about firewood is that it's so simple. Get wood in rounds then break it into smaller pieces to burn.