The recent thread ( https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/91067/ ) concerning the Amish man that was killed by using kerosene to re-start his wood-stove fire prompted me to relate my own experience on using flammable liquids to start a fire in a wood-stove. I most certainly sympathize with the family of this man. It was a terrible accident.
Some years ago, my deer hunting buddies and I would rent a U.S. Forrest Service cabin at Kook Lake located on Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska. This particular cabin, like many other Forrest Service cabins, came equipped with a Yukon wood stove. For those that don't have experience with a Yukon wood stove, view this link: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/military-style-swedish-yukon-wood-stove-black.aspx?a=759104.
On my first trip to Kook Lake, the senior member of our hunting party suggested that he was going to start the wood stove using white-gas that we had brought along to fuel out Coleman lanterns and cook stove. I thought to myself, "Is this guy nuts?" He opened up a small can of tuna fish and emptied its contents. He then filled the can with small beach gravel gathered from the lake. Then he put enough white gas to fill the can 1/2 to 3/4 full so that no gas was showing at the top of the can. He placed the can in the stove, placed kindling on top of the can and lit the gasoline filled tuna can off. I was watching from a safe distance outside the cabin. The tuna can made a small flame, but did not explode. However it did manage to start the wet kindling burning. You have to remember that 1) Southeast Alaska is very wet, and so is the firewood; and 2) he was using this method from a cold start, not from a stove that had hot coals or embers.
I used this same method many times to light similar Yukon stoves in other cabins around S.E. Alaska. But I warn you, "Don't Try This at Home."
If you are interested in renting a South East Alaska Forrest Service Cabin, see the following link. It is a great experience - a salmon with every cast - no joke.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/cabins/sitka/kooklk.shtml
Some years ago, my deer hunting buddies and I would rent a U.S. Forrest Service cabin at Kook Lake located on Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska. This particular cabin, like many other Forrest Service cabins, came equipped with a Yukon wood stove. For those that don't have experience with a Yukon wood stove, view this link: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/military-style-swedish-yukon-wood-stove-black.aspx?a=759104.
On my first trip to Kook Lake, the senior member of our hunting party suggested that he was going to start the wood stove using white-gas that we had brought along to fuel out Coleman lanterns and cook stove. I thought to myself, "Is this guy nuts?" He opened up a small can of tuna fish and emptied its contents. He then filled the can with small beach gravel gathered from the lake. Then he put enough white gas to fill the can 1/2 to 3/4 full so that no gas was showing at the top of the can. He placed the can in the stove, placed kindling on top of the can and lit the gasoline filled tuna can off. I was watching from a safe distance outside the cabin. The tuna can made a small flame, but did not explode. However it did manage to start the wet kindling burning. You have to remember that 1) Southeast Alaska is very wet, and so is the firewood; and 2) he was using this method from a cold start, not from a stove that had hot coals or embers.
I used this same method many times to light similar Yukon stoves in other cabins around S.E. Alaska. But I warn you, "Don't Try This at Home."
If you are interested in renting a South East Alaska Forrest Service Cabin, see the following link. It is a great experience - a salmon with every cast - no joke.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/cabins/sitka/kooklk.shtml
