MinWax stain and cat stoves

[Ashful]

So, I have miles of leftover floor joists and cross-bracing lumber left over from my barn framing project, but they're all stained with MinWax wood finish, Early American color. Any opinions on using this stuff for kindling in a cat stove? Any heavy metals in MinWax stain???

 

[Oldman47]

Stain by its very nature contains minerals to make each color. The specific minerals for your color is, who knows? If you want to use it for kindling try splitting off the stained part. Stain penetration is usually quite shallow. It could be removed with an ordinary wood plane in just a few strokes to leave you with bare wood.

 

[Ashful]

Judging by the off-cuts, this penetrates 1/4". No matter... I'm not going to start planing for kindling! They're going in the outside fire pit, I guess. Thanks!