What do you light your fire with?

[xman23]

I had a nice refillable butane long stick type lighter...... But it's gone, lost from last year.

What are you guys using?

 

[Simonkenton]

I've got one of those long stick butane lighters. Works great.
I have lucked out, I remodeled my house 2 years ago, and came away with a big pile of cedar shingles. I've got it in the basement, dry as a bone. Split that stuff small and it is easy to light the Jotul.
I have about an 11 year supply of cedar.

 

[Blazing]

Propane torch and super cedar 5 second job.

 

[Squisher]

I use one of those longish barbecue lighters too.

I now light with AW Perkins firestarter cubes and just some smaller splits out of the pile. No more kindling. I've found I can mostly just light those little firestarters, close the door and walk away. The fire doesn't snuff out with the weak initial draft because it's not trying to burn like crazy like when newsprint is used. The firestarter starts slowly so doesn't overwhelm the available draft/air and as it gets going draft starts to increase and everything just builds with the door closed. I've found this very convenient.

This only works with well cured wood. Forget even trying it with higher moisture content wood.

 

[electrathon]

Propane torch. I don't use any kindling. Just set the torch aiming at the wood for a minute or two and it is going.

 

[WES999]

This^ TS 800 heavy duty model. Sometimes I will use a fire starter and some kindling.
If I use small twigs and sticks, I can just use the torch to light the kindling. Nothing better IMO.
Also you can use the torch to preheat the flue to get the draft going if necessary.

 

[begreen]

Right now I use yesterday's coals to restart in the morning. I had a refillable butane lighter, but it was a piece of junk. Leaked when filling and the trigger got stuck after just one refill.

 

[WayneN]

A simple bic lighter like this does the trick for me. Never had any issues. I keep the scraps from splitting in a bucket. A few small scraps and slightly bigger stuff on top does it every time.

 

[ddddddden]

Matches.

$2.44 for two boxes of 300 kitchen matches at WalMart. I've seen them at Lowe's a lil' cheaper ~ $3 for 3 boxes. They never fail to light. Of course, like firewood, they must be kept dry. In this humid climate, that means stored in a tin or a ZipLock bag, at least for the off season.

+1 for BiC, if you want to use a disposable lighter. Just look at that beautiful ergonomic design! I believe the BiC I used actually ran dry without breaking too.
I've used some of the other disposable BBQ lighters. They generally suck. Kinda like the Scripto type cigarette lighters. Mechanism usually fails before it's empty. The safety latch/button is a PITA.

. . .+1 for twigs and sticks, because I have an unlimited supply. I might be better off perpetually feeding a rocket stove. No more worrying about how dry my wood is.

Sometimes I use 1/4 SuperCedar, but this makes it so easy that it kinda feels like cheatin'.

So for me, it's usually tinder/twigs/sticks/scraps in front of the glass where the airwash will hit it, the same spot I rake hot coals to. Burns like a blow torch after I close the door. Sticks/scraps on top of the load too, toward the front.

Of course, that's for cold starts, otherwise

. . .I use yesterday's coals to restart in the morning.

+1

 

[jotul8e2]

My late father-in-law collected matchbooks. I have a gallon pickle jar full of them.

These last eight years I have used three books.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I use the propane torch and the top down method. Really dosent take long.. i may run the torch for like 20 seconds
On the small stuff and off it go's

 

[RobbieB]

I use a medium output swirl type propane torch too. I preheat the top for about a minute to insure a draft and then hit the crumpled paper with the flame and close the door.

 

[Squisher]

Living where I do I burn mainly doug fir. So often I can get my hands on pitch soaked nuggets. Even completely cured and dry the pitch will be solidified on and thick at times from a wind shook tree. Those pieces I save for when I need to 'force the issue' on days of warmer weather start ups.

 

[firefighterjake]

Matches . . . and a hunk o' Super Cedar.

 

[edyit]

mostly with coals from the previous burn cycle. the initial start is top down with a propane torch to get things started. not a lot of cold starts here we exercise the oil furnace in shoulder season

 

[mountain man 2]

Mostly coals....if not....long neck butane lighter w/ super cedar n some kindlin.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

On cold starts I put three medium splits one the bottom then a mix of two pieces of fatwood and kindling followed by three more medium splits. Ignite with a long march.

On reloads the coals do all the work. I do keep a tinder jaw for when there are not enough coals to get some kindling burning.

 

[xman23]

I have piles half dead Bic type long neck lighters. They have fuel, but It takes trying five of them before one might light. Is there a brand of these that works?

 

[yooper08]

You guys and your torches, compensating any?

+1 for matches or a BIC lighter. Whichever of the two are closest on the mantle.

 

[begreen]

I have piles half dead Bic type long neck lighters. They have fuel, but It takes trying five of them before one might light. Is there a brand of these that works?

We currently have Crocs Clink N Flame for the stove and camper. They seem to work reliably.

 

[RobbieB]

I learned to use a torch the hard way, by filling the house with smoke. Sometimes it will draft just fine w/o any help. And other times it seems that the flue is just plugged with cold dense air that is slow to rise and resists the heat. Result is smoke goes in the house which is never a good thing.

So I use the torch mostly to insure I have a draft started

 

[venator260]

Propane torch with some kind of dried pine stacked in a log cabin style. I never have newspaper around and like to be sure it gets started quick. A few smaller ( about 2 inch) splits atop the log cabin ensures I get good ignition.

With my fp25, I can hit this with the torch for a bit and shut the door. The 30nc in the basement needs the door to be cracked for a bit first.

 

[blacktail]

Cheap bbq lighter and either a homemade fire starter or one piece of cedar kindling. I keep a knife on the mantle and have started using it to split one piece of kindling into pieces about the size of a pencil or smaller. Stack those between a couple of north-south splits with some east-west on top and just light the cedar.

 

[T-roy_]

Propane torch and forget it. It always lights and it’s easy to re-fill!

 

[Rangerbait]

I've got a 30 foot, 8 inch flue that could suck a golf ball through a garden hose...from a dead cold start, 3 wads of newspaper packed in a firebox of full size splits yields a roaring fire within a minute. Amazing what a great draft and dry wood can do!