# Best way to make kindling



## Bushels20 (Jul 16, 2019)

How are you all making/getting your kindling? 

Seems like every year about this time I contemplate the best way. Hatchet? A bunch of fast pumps on the splitter? Tire and an axe? Just pick up all the splitter scraps and dry them on a tarp?


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## kborndale (Jul 16, 2019)

Bushels20 said:


> How are you all making/getting your kindling?
> 
> Seems like every year about this time I contemplate the best way. Hatchet? A bunch of fast pumps on the splitter? Tire and an axe? Just pick up all the splitter scraps and dry them on a tarp?



I have no use for kindling.  Most of my reloads are on a bed of coals.  If I am starting a new fire I just load in the splits and put 1 or 2 of the rutland firestarting squares in and the fire takes off.  Only place I use kindling is in the chimnea.


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## Sawset (Jul 16, 2019)

Dry wood and egg carton starters here. If I do get into something hard to start, either due to weather conditions or because some of the wood got damp, or because the variety is difficult (locust), then usually (rarely) it's sticks from the wood shop that are used to help it along.  Refuse from the splitter gets thrown in a wheelbarrow and put on the outside burnpile. When I was hand splitting, trying to keep kindling on hand didn't seem to work. Too much effort, never enough, always ended up on an as needed basis, when it's cold and I wanted a fire instead.


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## therealdbeau (Jul 16, 2019)

I just gather small sticks from the wood line surrounding my house. It's a constant battle cleaning that crap up anyway living on a mostly wooded lot. I don't stockpile the sticks though so if it rains or snows that strategy is out the window. Oh and I have a wood shop at work that saves me the odds and ends of the solid wood lumber they cut up. That stuff burns real good.


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## Jan Pijpelink (Jul 16, 2019)

My splitter makes plenty of kindling.


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## johneh (Jul 16, 2019)

Jan Pijpelink said:


> My splitter makes plenty of kindling.


So does mine


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## Dobish (Jul 16, 2019)

i just pick up the sticks from the trees... or broccoli. Yeah, definitely broccoli


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## johneh (Jul 16, 2019)

Dobish said:


> or broccoli. Yeah, definitely broccoli


I find it works much better with a cheese sauce


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## EODMSgt (Jul 16, 2019)

johneh said:


> So does mine



X3.

Toss the splitter bits in three dedicated 33-gallon trash cans that I installed vents on. Plenty of kindling for a season.

Mainly just use a couple pieces of fatwood but it's always nice to have some kindling on hand. Also, since I'm in the middle of the woods, there is never a shortage of downed branches from the wind.


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## webby3650 (Jul 16, 2019)

I bring home small clear pine skids from work, cut them into small boards and split them up. Jotul skids are my favorite!


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## FTG-05 (Jul 16, 2019)

Bushels20 said:


> How are you all making/getting your kindling?
> 
> Seems like every year about this time I contemplate the best way. Hatchet? A bunch of fast pumps on the splitter? Tire and an axe? *Just pick up all the splitter scraps* and dry them on a tarp?



I store and dry my splitter scraps in garbage and 55 gallon barrels.  Got tons of it.


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## xman23 (Jul 16, 2019)

This last year I didn't us any kindling. Just a good cold starting technique. I load the floor with 2 oak splits and a few criss crossed on top. A firestarter and a paper tube between the splits. Starts quickly every time.


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## JohnDolz (Jul 16, 2019)

Kindling Cracker XL, 3 lb sledge and my 11 year old son!

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200676883_200676883


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## bfitz3 (Jul 16, 2019)

When splitting, I watch for rounds that pop apart with the splitter only going into them a couple of inches. I split those into 1 inch thick slabs and set them aside. When I need kindling, it’s really quick/easy work to split off a handful of 1/2 inch or smaller strips. Works great, and it takes very little space, comparatively to store the future kindling.


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## mar13 (Jul 17, 2019)

When desperate, I'd place a hatchet on the end of short 2x4 pieces (resting on some other dimensional lumber to save the hatchet blade) and whack  the hatchet with a small sledge hammer. Hatchets scare me so I want to keep my fingers as far way as possible. I have been gifted a kindling cracker, so I may test that out when I run out of bits that were picked up off  the ground after splitting wood this summer.


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## rwilly (Jul 17, 2019)

I use either cedar roof shakes or get a section of old cedar fence off Craigslist, cut the boards to length and stack next to my wood pile.


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## Simonkenton (Jul 17, 2019)

I remodeled my house, and after the demo came up with a big pile of cedar shingles.  I cut them 8 inches long with the circular saw and split them up small with the axe.  Great kindling.  Also use pine kindling on top of the cedar.


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## Ctwoodtick (Jul 17, 2019)

It’s pricey but I like my “kindling cracker”. Very portable . Can make kindling in basement or garage if need be.


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## SpaceBus (Jul 17, 2019)

EODMSgt said:


> X3.
> 
> Toss the splitter bits in three dedicated 33-gallon trash cans that I installed vents on. Plenty of kindling for a season.
> 
> Mainly just use a couple pieces of fatwood but it's always nice to have some kindling on hand. Also, since I'm in the middle of the woods, there is never a shortage of downed branches from the wind.



I just let it dry outside and put it in big bags.


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## trguitar (Jul 17, 2019)

Picking up sticks, twigs, and branches that fall from the trees onto my lawn. I need to pick them up anyway. Makes great kindling. I usually end up with about two 30 gallon trash bins of them.


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## barnaclebob (Jul 17, 2019)

JohnDolz said:


> Kindling Cracker XL, 3 lb sledge and my 11 year old son!
> 
> https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200676883_200676883



I've also got a regular sized kindling cracker and it works great.  Its best to use nice clear splits that resplit easily.  I can fill a 10 gal trash can in a few minutes which lasts me a few weeks, I have to restart a fire every day practically.  Watch out for chinese knock offs on amazon of these.


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## johneh (Jul 17, 2019)

When we renovated this old house years ago 
After removing the plaster we were left with the lath 
piles and piles of it . Kept me in good dry match lite 
kindling for many many years Wish I still had some !!


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## Woody Stover (Jul 17, 2019)

I get some easy-splitting stuff like Tulip Poplar or Red Maple, then use a maul to get it small enough to handle with the Estwing Fireside Friend, a sort of hatchet/maul.


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## blades (Jul 17, 2019)

black powder?


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## Bushels20 (Jul 17, 2019)

johneh said:


> When we renovated this old house years ago
> After removing the plaster we were left with the lath
> piles and piles of it . Kept me in good dry match lite
> kindling for many many years Wish I still had some !!




I work in insurance. After a claim, no one ever wants to put plaster back up. Always drywall. Maybe I should start grabbing the lath  .


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## Bushels20 (Jul 17, 2019)

blades said:


> black powder?



Sounds like a God awful idea.


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## rescuejg (Jul 18, 2019)

Northern Tool is running a special on their Kindling Cracker firewood splitter... XL is $87 (normally $130) and Regular is $55 (normally $100)... Apply coupon code 266086 at checkout for an additional $10 off... Select free standard shipping at checkout.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


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## rescuejg (Jul 18, 2019)

Amazon seems to have noticed northern tools pricing.  Now the same price at Amazon.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


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## johneh (Jul 18, 2019)

blades said:


> black powder


Na spreads it over to big an area. Besides it scares the chit out of the dogs


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## JohnDolz (Jul 18, 2019)

barnaclebob said:


> I've also got a regular sized kindling cracker and it works great.  Its best to use nice clear splits that resplit easily.  I can fill a 10 gal trash can in a few minutes which lasts me a few weeks, I have to restart a fire every day practically.  Watch out for chinese knock offs on amazon of these.


I originally got the regular size but my splits are 18" - 20", didn't seem to work well with the regular size.


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## Dataman (Jul 18, 2019)

Why would U make it?   Small branches work great.  Little newspaper in between.  Match, it's going fire.   How I did it for years on my BK King.   Leave door open at 1st, then cracked open, then closed after going.   Load up Wood.   Watch Temps.   When ready leaver it for Cat.


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## HisTreeNut (Jul 18, 2019)

I just have the kiddos clean the yard and stack it near the fire pit.  What doesn't get used for kindling, gets used in the fire pit the spring.

Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk


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## hickoryhoarder (Jul 25, 2019)

I split it with a maul, usually red oak.  I also get a lot of small branches falling from my tulip tree.  These are dead, and make excellent kindling.  Just snap them off at 15" with my hands.


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## Retired Coal Miner (Aug 6, 2019)

Agree with the Kindling Cracker method.  Easy to use the smaller model in a garage or basement if you mount it solidly.

If I ever find a Froe at a yard sale/used tool auction I'm going to try this method:


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## WiscWoody (Aug 6, 2019)

I’m a kindling hoarder. I get it from lawn mower crates that give me red oak, scrap dimensional wood from all over, branches under 1" from scrounge wood processed on my outside chop saw. Also I worked at a outdoor cedar products wood shop for a few years and I boarded all the scrap from there, the stuff is great for starting cord wood but it got to be a obsession. I have a mountain of kindling wood behind my house that’s covered up with a big canvas tarp plus boxes and plastic trash barrels filled and store in the pole shed... can never be too prepared right?   Photo tomorrow.


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## SpaceBus (Aug 7, 2019)

Retired Coal Miner said:


> Agree with the Kindling Cracker method.  Easy to use the smaller model in a garage or basement if you mount it solidly.
> 
> If I ever find a Froe at a yard sale/used tool auction I'm going to try this method:




I got one one Amazon that works fairly well. It could probably use a file, but it wasn't expensive. Timber tuff I thin ?


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## Kevin Weis (Aug 8, 2019)

Between twig drops in the yard and scrap 2x4 pieces, that enough for me.  I use "fat wood" starters now that I buy and that lowers the need for some kindling.  If your in town I could see the need to "make" some I guess.  I'd make that out of poplar or pine that would find here or there.


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## Orerockon (Dec 3, 2020)

Just something wacky that I've been doing for years. My daughter was "into" candle making for like 2 weeks so I bought a electric fryer and 40 pounds of candle wax. Then she got "into" perfumes & lotions so now I had a fryer that I wouldn't have a use for and 35 lbs. of wax. I was sick of the egg carton start and splitting little kindling up so this is what I came up with. Chainsaw a log down to a nub and bag the shavings. Going with the grain you can get big peels that are perfect. Throw a block of wax in the fryer (how much takes a little practice). When it's melted turn the fryer off and add shavings. How much depends on the next step. Which is use a baking dish (I have some nonstick dishes that I stole from my wife) lined with saran wrap. Scoop the shavings out of the fryer, be sure to get some wax with them. Dump them in the dish and smush them smooth with the spoon. You want 1/2-3/4 inch thick. It shouldn't be so waxy that you can see it on the top, but not so little wax that it can't be smoothed out. Looser is better as long as it doesn't crumble in your hand. Too much wax and it's hard to light off. Get a nice layer then put more wrap on top and do another one. When it's completely cooled you can lift the layers off one by one, I score them with a bread knife and break into 3" squares. They burn hot and slow, I can light a couple 2x4s with one. Sound familiar? Yes it's the cheap way to make the ridiculously expensive starter bricks. I can do a 2 year supply in a couple hours (with 3 baking dishes). That takes a big bag of shavings and maybe 20 lbs. of wax. I've been using my planer lately and saved the shavings, gonna have a go at that soon. I'm out of bricks from 2 years ago


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## NickW (Dec 3, 2020)

Splitter scraps & bark as it falls off splits. 

4 or 5 pieces of bark and some kindling really heats things up quick and goes to coals quick for a hot reload.


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## Dataman (Dec 4, 2020)

Trees come with natural kindling. They call them Branches.


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## Grizzerbear (Dec 4, 2020)

Just splitter scraps over a season makes a pretty good stash of it. I dont really use kindling much but I always keep some around.


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## RandyBoBandy (Dec 4, 2020)

Kindling is really only necessary during shoulder season.  Like many have said it’s a natural byproduct of simply running the splitter. However, not everyone runs a splitter. A lot of people buy their firewood. And to be honest I’m kind of lazy when it comes to picking up splitter scraps and saving them.  I keep roughly a face cord in my garage at a time with a chop block next it. So if I need kindling I just take some of the shorter splits and make a bucket of kindling with my Gransfors small splitting axe which also hangs right next to my wood rack in the garage. All the scraps and slivers from this process is saved for tinder so I don’t even buy firestarters.


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## Orerockon (Dec 4, 2020)

Dataman said:


> Trees come with natural kindling. They call them Branches.


I come with natural no space to cram a bunch of branches into :D


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## Sawset (Dec 4, 2020)

I finally split up a bunch of basswood logs into kindling.  Just as a joke, I filled the stove, then a couple basswood sticks on top, and put the lighter on just the sticks - dang if they didn't light off by themselves.   They make matchsticks out of basswood.  This pile should last 3 yrs or more.


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## Orerockon (Dec 4, 2020)

Sawset said:


> I finally split up a bunch of basswood logs into kindling.  Just as a joke, I filled the stove, then a couple basswood sticks on top, and put the lighter on just the sticks - dang if they didn't light off by themselves.   They make matchsticks out of basswood.  This pile should last 3 yrs or more.
> 
> View attachment 268426


I had some fatwood that was free with a fireplace tool set I bought. I think I could have lit that stuff with steel and flint :D


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## stoveliker (Dec 5, 2020)

Stormy here today - kindling gathering tomorrow 

And splitter scrap (for lack of improving my aim with the splitting axe...) provides kindling and tinder. (1/20 inch oak works well; does light easily when dry and does not burn out as fast as paper).

I split about two cords of oak by hand this spring, and the scrap will get me through this burning season.


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## Corey (Dec 5, 2020)

Splitter + trees + sticks, here.  Usually round up 3 or 4 large trash bins full of kindling every fall and its almost work to get rid of it all by spring.


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## MMH (Dec 5, 2020)

I do the same as some, splitter scraps; went and bought 2 garbage cans and drilled some vent holes (if I remember correctly I got the idea from here as usual). Works good, started this when I got the stove (early 2019), filled up the 2 garbage cans and haven’t even come close to using it all.


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## KindredSpiritzz (Dec 6, 2020)

Never quite understood having to make kindling. Theres always a ton of suitable scraps after splitting laying around that i put in a few mail carrier baskets i acquired which go in the basement til needed. They are thin enough they dry out fast without any help.  Theres also usually enough loose scraps on the splits i can pry off to get a fire going. I really dont use a lot of kindling since i burn 24/7, just a few pieces to get it going again in the morning and evening when i get home. Then theres always scraps of lumber from shop projects so i never had to actually create kindling.


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## Highbeam (Dec 6, 2020)

I split a lot of wood and don’t get all of this waste you folks talk about. It all ends up as firewood. Maybe it’s our PNWwood species. If it’s too big I split it and then have two smaller splits. No waste. 

I use a lot of kindling due to our warmer climate. I just grab a nice straight split of wood and split it into kindling on the splitter. You get good at it after a while and can split many slabs at a time. It’s fun and fast. Gets a little fuel used in the splitter to keep things fresh. 

I fill a 4 foot diameter hoop about twice per year. It’s a work of art.


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## John Galt (Dec 6, 2020)

Yeah, we have to be careful handling dry fir, if you drop a round it'll split by itself. Straight grain - it'll split wherever you hit it.


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## Sawset (Dec 6, 2020)

John Galt said:


> Yeah, we have to be careful handling dry fir, if you drop a round it'll split by itself. Straight grain - it'll split wherever you hit it.


Current woodwork project is out of doug fir. Truely strange stuff. Straight grained, +/- 1/8 over 10ft. Dark growth rings extremly hard, lighter very soft, chips and splinters, tough to machine, beautiful finished though.  Darkens with age, like cherry does.  Rift sawn exposes the grain. And the scraps are fantastic kindling.


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## MoDoug (Dec 7, 2020)

Sawset said:


> I finally split up a bunch of basswood logs into kindling.  Just as a joke, I filled the stove, then a couple basswood sticks on top, and put the lighter on just the sticks - dang if they didn't light off by themselves.   They make matchsticks out of basswood.  This pile should last 3 yrs or more.
> 
> View attachment 268426



Last year I found some mystery driftwood that is light yellow, extremely light in weight and I can make 1/2" splits easily, it just pops off the splitter. It makes great kindling, I wonder if it's basswood, it's native to the whole state of MO?


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## neverbilly (Dec 7, 2020)

xman23 said:


> This last year I didn't us any kindling. Just a good cold starting technique. I load the floor with 2 oak splits and a few criss crossed on top. A firestarter and a paper tube between the splits. Starts quickly every time.



I don't know what you mean by paper tube but otherwise, I do the same. A small firestarter cube, alone, works for me.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 7, 2020)

Highbeam said:


> I split a lot of wood and don’t get all of this waste you folks talk about. It all ends up as firewood. Maybe it’s our PNWwood species. If it’s too big I split it and then have two smaller splits. No waste.
> 
> I use a lot of kindling due to our warmer climate. I just grab a nice straight split of wood and split it into kindling on the splitter. You get good at it after a while and can split many slabs at a time. It’s fun and fast. Gets a little fuel used in the splitter to keep things fresh.
> 
> I fill a 4 foot diameter hoop about twice per year. It’s a work of art.



Perhaps it is the size of the trees. We are always left with a pile of "chaff" left behind after splitting Balsam Fir and Red/Black Spruce. The very limited maple and birch we have usually splits well without leaving behind stringy torn out pieces like spruce. Even on the mill I get loads of "feathers", some several inches long, when I'm cutting spruce with a really sharp chain. Seems like how people describe splitting elm, but probably not that bad. Sometimes the Fir has tearing issues around "eyes" or where old limbs fell off, but generally if you can cut between the eyes the pieces split very easily. I just bust up kindling in my house by breaking down straight pieces of fir that don't have any eyes on them with my nice carving hatchet.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 7, 2020)

MoDoug said:


> Last year I found some mystery driftwood that is light yellow, extremely light in weight and I can make 1/2" splits easily, it just pops off the splitter. It makes great kindling, I wonder if it's basswood, it's native to the whole state of MO?


Driftwood in MO?


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## MoDoug (Dec 7, 2020)

SpaceBus said:


> Driftwood in MO?



We live by a Corps Of Engineers flood control lake that they left a lot of standing timber in when they built it. This lake raises and lowers a lot every year, when it's in flood stage there's a lot of timber floating around and gets left behind when the lake drops. The boat ramps have to be cleared. It's freshwater, and is dried out by the time I scrounge for anything useful.


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## NickW (Dec 7, 2020)

The ash and maple I get often get small partially fractured off pieces during splitting that I rip off that are perfect kindling size - 1/4" x 1 1/2" or so. Don't like the way it stacks when I leave them on - makes the stacks less stable. Elm and stringy pieces of oak, maple and ash they don't always rip off well. Beech, cherry, birch and softwoods don't seem to get as many fractures.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 7, 2020)

MoDoug said:


> We live by a Corps Of Engineers flood control lake that they left a lot of standing timber in when they built it. This lake raises and lowers a lot every year, when it's in flood stage there's a lot of timber floating around and gets left behind when the lake drops. The boat ramps have to be cleared. It's freshwater, and is dried out by the time I scrounge for anything useful.


Oh, didn't think about a lake! Can't use sea drift wood due to the salt content. I bet that lake driftwood is awesome and I would really like to run some driftwood on my mill.


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## MoDoug (Dec 7, 2020)

SpaceBus said:


> Oh, didn't think about a lake! Can't use sea drift wood due to the salt content. I bet that lake driftwood is awesome and I would really like to run some driftwood on my mill.



It probably sounds better than it is, most of it is inaccessible and most of it has been floating from one spot on the lake to another for a long time and is less than ideal. With that said I still manage to score some good stuff now and then.


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## NickW (Dec 9, 2020)

Selected splitter scraps for kindling. NOT  saving the bark in the background! I have 2 crates and 6 boxes of bark and kindling in the garage. I too am a hoarder, but I probably have 4 or 5 years worth already... Gotta keep the splitter scraps because it's so good, but bark takes up a lot of space and is constantly falling off pieces as they season... it's always available.


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## CatfishHunter (Dec 10, 2020)

About 20% of my kindling comes from the scraps of wood splitting, but I make the remaining 80% of my kindling. It's relaxing on a nice winter day. I split firewood on a big tree stump next to my woodshed. For kindling, I put an old round on top of the stump for better height. With 5 gallon buckets next to me, I start splitting. With each piece that I split, the smaller of the two halves goes into the bucket. The bigger piece gets split again, with the smaller of those two halves going into the bucket, and so on. When my sharp little hatchet can no longer make a piece of wood any smaller, I start over with another big round.

I do make emergency fire starters out of paraffin wax and wood shavings, but mostly start fires with birch bark and tiny kindling. Then I work my way up through the bigger pieces. I enjoy it. Every once in a while I'll build a top down fire just to keep my skills sharp, but mostly enjoy building a fire from scratch.


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## RandyBoBandy (Dec 11, 2020)

CatfishHunter said:


> About 20% of my kindling comes from the scraps of wood splitting, but I make the remaining 80% of my kindling. It's relaxing on a nice winter day. I split firewood on a big tree stump next to my woodshed. For kindling, I put an old round on top of the stump for better height. With 5 gallon buckets next to me, I start splitting. With each piece that I split, the smaller of the two halves goes into the bucket. The bigger piece gets split again, with the smaller of those two halves going into the bucket, and so on. When my sharp little hatchet can no longer make a piece of wood any smaller, I start over with another big round.
> 
> I do make emergency fire starters out of paraffin wax and wood shavings, but mostly start fires with birch bark and tiny kindling. Then I work my way up through the bigger pieces. I enjoy it. Every once in a while I'll build a top down fire just to keep my skills sharp, but mostly enjoy building a fire from scratch.


This is very similar to my routine as well.  I will often take a large marble sized ember I find in the ash and work that back to a fire by simply using the tinder produced from hand splitting kindling.   I enjoy the whole process and don’t see the need to rush it with fire starters or torches.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 11, 2020)

RandyBoBandy said:


> This is very similar to my routine as well.  I will often take a large marble sized ember I find in the ash and work that back to a fire by simply using the tinder produced from hand splitting kindling.   I enjoy the whole process and don’t see the need to rush it with fire starters or torches.


Agreed, if there are a handful of coals I don't have to use the torch. Sometime I do anyway if I am in a hurry.


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## RailProf (Dec 12, 2020)

I have a kindling cracker that I really love. I'm in the Missouri Ozarks and have a lot of cedar around my property that I cut up and split for kindling. It's not great firewood but good kindling in the mornings. And I echo those who use the chips and such from splitters. Lots of good small stuff there.


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## sweedish (Dec 12, 2020)

Typically it’s either off cuts from woodworking projects, I also have a stack of off cut old barn wood in my garage left here by previous owner.


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## Purodude (Dec 13, 2020)

I use wood pallets. Here on Vancouver island there is very little manufacturing so skids are a plenty. in Canada well at least on the west coast skids are heat treated only so no chemicals.  I make a log cabin out of kindling put a small piece of Birch bark light it and close the door.


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## stoveliker (Dec 13, 2020)

That makes me remember I cut up the pallet on which my BK Chinook came.
@BKVP , is that pallet (when all metal is removed) ok to burn in the BK? 

I'd hope so, given who shipped it...


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## BKVP (Dec 13, 2020)

stoveliker said:


> That makes me remember I cut up the pallet on which my BK Chinook came.
> @BKVP , is that pallet (when all metal is removed) ok to burn in the BK?
> 
> I'd hope so, given who shipped it...


Good to go!


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## Wood1Dennis (Dec 14, 2020)

I always have some white cedar down in the woods. Always. I don't heat with it, better to saw it into boards, but I always bring in one UTV load of cedar. I split it into small pieces, maybe 1 1/2 inch max. and stack it up in the wood room. I can hand split the straight grained pieces into nice small kindling pieces in no time. Works great! I posted in another string about Super Cedars. Never tried them, I have all the cedar I need!


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## EddyKilowatt (Dec 15, 2020)

Eucalyptus bark, and cut-and-boxed sticks and branches from doing fuel reduction in the chaparral lot next to us.  We frequently start two fires a day so we go through a bunch of it.


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## Cluttermagnet (Dec 16, 2020)

Orerockon said:


> Just something wacky that I've been doing for years. My daughter was "into" candle making for like 2 weeks so I bought a electric fryer and 40 pounds of candle wax. Then she got "into" perfumes & lotions so now I had a fryer that I wouldn't have a use for and 35 lbs. of wax. I was sick of the egg carton start and splitting little kindling up so this is what I came up with. Chainsaw a log down to a nub and bag the shavings. Going with the grain you can get big peels that are perfect. Throw a block of wax in the fryer (how much takes a little practice). When it's melted turn the fryer off and add shavings. How much depends on the next step. Which is use a baking dish (I have some nonstick dishes that I stole from my wife) lined with saran wrap. Scoop the shavings out of the fryer, be sure to get some wax with them. Dump them in the dish and smush them smooth with the spoon. You want 1/2-3/4 inch thick. It shouldn't be so waxy that you can see it on the top, but not so little wax that it can't be smoothed out. Looser is better as long as it doesn't crumble in your hand. Too much wax and it's hard to light off. Get a nice layer then put more wrap on top and do another one. When it's completely cooled you can lift the layers off one by one, I score them with a bread knife and break into 3" squares. They burn hot and slow, I can light a couple 2x4s with one. Sound familiar? Yes it's the cheap way to make the ridiculously expensive starter bricks. I can do a 2 year supply in a couple hours (with 3 baking dishes). That takes a big bag of shavings and maybe 20 lbs. of wax. I've been using my planer lately and saved the shavings, gonna have a go at that soon. I'm out of bricks from 2 years ago



I got a few good ideas from your post- even though I have experimented in the past
with candle wax, old vegetable oil, shavings, sawdust, and such. I have a box of fatwood
here but rarely need it- mainly for faster restarts if the fire burns down too much.

I have an older stove. Every session is a relight, pretty much. So I use a fair amount of
tinder and kindling. Splitter scraps are one good source. I always save them. Also use a
lot of branches and break them down or saw them. A little wadded newsprint helps,
and I like to use pine cones soaked in kerosene to touch the match to. That gets all
the other stuff going fast and reliably.


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## Orerockon (Dec 17, 2020)

Cluttermagnet said:


> I got a few good ideas from your post- even though I have experimented in the past
> with candle wax, old vegetable oil, shavings, sawdust, and such. I have a box of fatwood
> here but rarely need it- mainly for faster restarts if the fire burns down too much.
> 
> ...


I'm typically chasing down free or you cut firewood on Craigslist (haven't paid for wood in quite a few years now) so if I'm getting less than a truck load I try to get free lumber if it's nearby to top it off. Then I cut them to 1 foot lengths and split them twice on the splitter. I have a hay feed box in my barn (but no cows) so I pile it up to the top with them. The hayloft is now for lumber storage. Simple dimple :D


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## Rusty18 (Dec 20, 2020)

I don’t have one yet or have any idea where to buy one but one of these will be in the garage before next winter.  Every fire is a cold start for me so a bucket full of inch pine splits makes life easier.


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## BKVP (Dec 20, 2020)

Rusty18 said:


> I don’t have one yet or have any idea where to buy one but one of these will be in the garage before next winter.  Every fire is a cold start for me so a bucket full of inch pine splits makes life easier.


When you do locate the source, please share!  I'm going to guess, based upon design and cleverness,  Sweden, Finland, Norway manufacturer as source.


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## johneh (Dec 20, 2020)

*Stikkan Kindling Maker*
Lee Vally is out of stock but expects some in January.
They are costly in Canadian dollars


			https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/home/fireplace/wood-splitters/71432-softwood-kindling-splitter?item=65U1510


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## BKVP (Dec 20, 2020)

johneh said:


> *Stikkan Kindling Maker*
> Lee Vally is out of stock but expects some in January.
> They are costly in Canadian dollars
> 
> ...


Thank you....


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## stoveliker (Dec 20, 2020)

BKVP said:


> When you do locate the source, please share!  I'm going to guess, based upon design and cleverness,  Sweden, Finland, Norway manufacturer as source.











						Stikkan USA - Softwood Kindling Maker | Product Information: United States
					

Product information on the Stikkan - a cast iron hand tool designed to make softwood kindling. 10 year warranty.  Now available in the United States.



					www.stikkan.us
				




Edit: Hm, I see I'm too late already...
Made in Sweden

Edit 2: knock off here: 
Amazon product


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## Tar12 (Dec 20, 2020)

I just go to a local saw mill and get free hardwood board trimmings...mainly oak...I made a jig to hold a bunch of this to cut at one time...the yard guy got a little crazy on me this time and loaded me pretty heavy...lol...I wont have to go back for a very long time! lol


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## Orerockon (Dec 20, 2020)

BKVP said:


> When you do locate the source, please share!  I'm going to guess, based upon design and cleverness,  Sweden, Finland, Norway manufacturer as source.


Google wall mounted kindling splitter. Just a guess but I would think you need a very easy to split wood for that. Like fir cottonwood etc. One of the google results even says softwood. I don't see where you can apply any significant leverage. You can get this for $100 on Amazon looks like you need a sledgehammer for it
*Kindling Cracker Firewood Splitter*


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## johneh (Dec 20, 2020)

Orerockon said:


> You can get this for $100 on Amazon


The one on Amazon is a knock off and of poor quality.
The real thing works well on straight graned softwood
It is not intended to split logs. My Brother has  one loves it


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## EPS (Dec 22, 2020)

I have lots of white pine on my property and process plenty of it to sell as campfire wood.  I don't sell the splinters and scraps that come with splitting, so I collect all of those and place them in pourous bags that are stored in a woodshed and an old dog house that our dog won't use.  Those scraps, along with anything (non-glossy and/or non-colored) paper acts as great fire starters.


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## Firewood Bandit (Dec 23, 2020)

Ctwoodtick said:


> It’s pricey but I like my “kindling cracker”. Very portable . Can make kindling in basement or garage if need be.




I have some scrap steel and a whole pile of bed knives off reel mowers.  I am going to make "kindling makers" as that might be a trademarked name.


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## MoDoug (Dec 23, 2020)

Firewood Bandit said:


> I have some scrap steel and a whole pile of bed knives off reel mowers.  I am going to make "kindling makers" as that might be a trademarked name.



The Kindling Cracker was invented by a 13 year old girl, it started out as a school project.









						About Ayla
					

Ayla Hutchison is the young inventor of Kindling Cracker! Learn more about how she came up with the idea for a safe, simple way to chop wood for kindling.




					www.kindlingcracker.com


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## MainePatsFan (Dec 23, 2020)

JohnDolz said:


> Kindling Cracker XL, 3 lb sledge and my 11 year old son!
> 
> https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200676883_200676883



Yes, basically this, they sell these many places.  I have this on my porch in a plastic bin.  I grab a regular split and I turn it into kindling with nearly no effort.  The bin contains all the refuse that results.

Sorry I didn't realize this thread was over a year old.


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## walhondingnashua (Dec 24, 2020)

I made a kindling cracker from 10" long piece of scrap I beam.  Sharpened the center of the beam and welded a cage around it.  I can set it on my splitting log.  My 8 year old and a plastic mallet will go to town splitting.  

Pallet wood makes good kindling and I keep a lot of the bark off of the dead ash trees I cut.  When it dries, the inner layer is like shredded paper and works great.


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## chipsoflyin (Dec 25, 2020)

swing by the local cabinet shop


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## enduring (Dec 26, 2020)

I just ordered the XL Kindling Cracker from Northern Tool, advertised as cast in Australia. I think it looks just right. The splitter shown on earlier posts, mounted on then wall, with a swinging knife did not look like something I'd want to use. I didn't read much about it and it may be fine. The mounted Cracker just looks ideal and safe.


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## Orerockon (Dec 26, 2020)

Using some old cedar fence boards from my Craigslist special scrap lumber hoard now. Wow. Good thing I've never tried to light my fence on fire


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## Scottybdiving (Dec 30, 2020)

I saw the Kindling Cracker on Amazon. How does it work with a very hard wood like Live Oak? I know my Fiskars splitting maul just bounces off of it sometimes. I realize that I would need to use splits but do you think it can handle the job?


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## WES999 (Jan 2, 2021)

I use sticks and twigs I pick up from the yard, and cut up  pallet wood.
I hold it with a channel lock pliers and chop it with a small Axe.
You can go through a piece pretty quickly with a bit of practice.


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## MoDoug (Jan 2, 2021)

The other day while scrounging for wood it suddenly struck me that I was standing in all the kindling I could ever use. The electric company brings in boom mowers and shreds trees back from the power line right of way, leaving a LOT of shredded wood laying on the ground, for miles..

Edit: and speaking of power line right of ways, the electric company came through our neighborhood clearing trees and running them through a chipper. Some nice size trees. I approached them about keeping the trees from my property, and they wouldn't do it. I called the electric company, and they said they chip it up and provide it for parks and such. I complained that I should be able to keep the wood off my property, they claimed it as a right of way. Pissed me off!


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## osagebow (Jan 9, 2021)

I fill a tire with splits and go to town with the x27. Add results to the splitter trash. Burning some oak now that has a lot of stringy stuff i can pull/hatchet off as i use it.


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## Firewood Bandit (Jan 17, 2021)

Made this a couple weeks ago, finally got around to posting some pics.

On the first run the opening was too big, so the last pic is when it was cut down to a better size.


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## Caw (Jan 17, 2021)

I bring my 5 year old outside with a second hatchet. We grab like 5-6 nice dry logs that are a little shorter than ideal (my stove will take 17.5" so I grab the 14-16" ones...I despise wasted space in the stove!) or some scrap 2x4s and go to work for an hour. He has a blast and we end up with a full box of kindling.

I figure he can put in some work to help keep everyone warm as payment for being created.


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## Isaac Carlson (Jan 17, 2021)

I scored a few nice cedar stumps this year.  I cut em into 4-6" cookies and busted em up.  A good cord and I haven't even used any yet.  My wife gets after me for having a pile of kindling next to the stove and not using more than a couple pieces.  I can make a 5 gallon pail last all year.  I'd feel kind of bad about using it like candy....


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## Orerockon (Jan 18, 2021)

MoDoug said:


> The other day while scrounging for wood it suddenly struck me that I was standing in all the kindling I could ever use. The electric company brings in boom mowers and shreds trees back from the power line right of way, leaving a LOT of shredded wood laying on the ground, for miles..
> 
> Edit: and speaking of power line right of ways, the electric company came through our neighborhood clearing trees and running them through a chipper. Some nice size trees. I approached them about keeping the trees from my property, and they wouldn't do it. I called the electric company, and they said they chip it up and provide it for parks and such. I complained that I should be able to keep the wood off my property, they claimed it as a right of way. Pissed me off!


Our electric co. is the same, they cut and left some BIG firs by the road after a windstorm, I called they said you can't touch them (they're in the county right of way so I doubt that).


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## NickW (Jan 18, 2021)

Kind of curious to the true legality of that... It is your property and therefore your tree's. They have the right to run power through it and maintain the area to allow them access, but do they own the tree's? Does the right to take down the tree result in ownership by them? 

I have a right of way through my property in northern WI and they have been pretty good about it...


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## MoDoug (Jan 18, 2021)

Orerockon said:


> Our electric co. is the same, they cut and left some BIG firs by the road after a windstorm, I called they said you can't touch them (they're in the county right of way so I doubt that).


A call to the county may be worth it.

We live next to Corps of Engineers public land that has power lines running through it. I talked to the Corps last year about cutting some downed trees near the power line right of way. They said they, the Corps, owns the land with the electric company maintaining the right of way. Long story short, I was given permission to cut firewood in the right of way. This was in their firewood cutting season, with a permit.

On another note, the Missouri Department of Transportation was doing similar maintenance next to a small highway. While stopped for equipment to move around, I asked about cutting what they left behind. They said it was ok, just to stay off the highway and be safe.


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## MoDoug (Jan 19, 2021)

NickW said:


> Kind of curious to the true legality of that... It is your property and therefore your tree's. They have the right to run power through it and maintain the area to allow them access, but do they own the tree's? Does the right to take down the tree result in ownership by them?
> 
> I have a right of way through my property in northern WI and they have been pretty good about it...



Last summer I had an oak that died and I wanted to cut it down, but was hesitant because it was near the power lines. I called the electric company, explained it and said I wanted to keep the tree for firewood, they came and cut the tree down and left it. The company that cut down and chipped up the trees were contracted to do it. I guess the contractor had some sort of agreement. I was clear about my displeasure with the contractors, and the property owners not being able to keep their own trees. But I also said thank you to the woman at the electric company for looking into it. I wasn't happy, but I also do not want to be on the electric company's $hit list.


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## Isaac Carlson (Jan 19, 2021)

They clear power limes here all the time.  The wood never has a chance to sit because locals show up and scrounge it.
Nobody around here would let the power company take their trees anyway, lol.


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## stoveliker (Jan 19, 2021)

Isaac Carlson said:


> They clear power limes here all the time.  The wood never has a chance to sit because locals show up and scrounge it.
> Nobody around here would let the power company take their trees anyway, lol.



The locals - i.e. the smart folks that get it before it rots (as one signature says on this forum) or at least before it's chipped up...


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## Marine woodsman (Jan 20, 2021)

I always seem to have boxes of it from splitting wood.  During clean up after splitting a couple cords I just pick up all the thick to thin slivers and put them in the out building on a big piece of cardboard to dry out.

Once it dries, I stack it all in small 10x10 boxes.  As winter rolls through I bring in a box for the week.  Honestly though, if I start a fire in October the stove usually burns non stop until March.


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## Rusty18 (Feb 6, 2021)

I stole your idea, had the piece of I beam laying around for an “anvil” and used a grinder to sharpen one end of the web.  It serves two purposes now!  Like you all have said keep an eye out for the stuff that’s easy to split and just smack it with another piece of firewood and instant kindling.

it also works good to shave off the point of a wedge shaped split to get it square ish.


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