# Kindling tools?



## Lyndenbrook Farm (Sep 5, 2014)

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:


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?


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## fossil (Sep 5, 2014)

Lyndenbrook Farm said:


> 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.


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## pma1123 (Sep 5, 2014)

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.


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## Highbeam (Sep 5, 2014)

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.


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## R'Lee (Sep 5, 2014)

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.


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## WES999 (Sep 5, 2014)

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


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## xman23 (Sep 5, 2014)

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.


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## fossil (Sep 5, 2014)

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


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## R'Lee (Sep 5, 2014)

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.


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## fossil (Sep 5, 2014)

^ 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


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## R'Lee (Sep 5, 2014)

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


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## BrotherBart (Sep 5, 2014)

What's kindling? 

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


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## bigbarf48 (Sep 5, 2014)

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


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Sep 5, 2014)

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?


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## BrotherBart (Sep 5, 2014)

Lyndenbrook Farm said:


> What are the red hockey pucks?



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


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## fossil (Sep 5, 2014)

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


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Sep 6, 2014)

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


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## Jasper (Sep 6, 2014)

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


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## bassJAM (Sep 6, 2014)

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.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 6, 2014)

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.


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## R'Lee (Sep 6, 2014)

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.


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## Elderthewelder (Sep 6, 2014)

fossil said:


> 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


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## BrotherBart (Sep 6, 2014)

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.,


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## EMB5530 (Sep 7, 2014)

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


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## blacktail (Sep 7, 2014)

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.


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## jdp1152 (Sep 7, 2014)

Sawbuck + branches


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## mtarbert (Sep 7, 2014)

I use a Big Old meat cleaver and a Bounceless Hammer.....works great


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## area_man (Sep 11, 2014)

I've been collecting sticks from my yardwork over the last couple of weeks.  I was collecting little twigs for a while until I found out how awesome twigs are as garden mulch, especially with the leaves still attached.  Vines, bushes, pine needles, last year's Christmas tree once it's dried out, I wouldn't want to bust up good splits to make kindling.
There's also my wife's Amazon box habit, a rolled up flat from a cardboard box is pretty good kindling.


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## paul bunion (Sep 13, 2014)

mtarbert said:


> I use a Big Old meat cleaver and a Bounceless Hammer.....works great



Using a knife as a froe.  My uncle taught me that trick when I was a kid.  Very effective at making match sticks.


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## grizzle (Sep 14, 2014)

Doritos work quite well also


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## jebatty (Sep 15, 2014)

> 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.


Same for me plus scraps from my wood working. 

My stovewood is very well seasoned, 2 summers of drying, and it can be practically lit with a match, so about 2-3 pieces of kindling and couple of newspaper knots using the top down method between two splits starts the fire right up.


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## Longstreet (Sep 16, 2014)

Super Cedars seem to have wax in them.  Guessing they are not kosher for a cat stove?


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## BrotherBart (Sep 16, 2014)

Longstreet said:


> Super Cedars seem to have wax in them.  Guessing they are not kosher for a cat stove?



http://supercedar.com/cattest.php


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## JTRock (Sep 16, 2014)

Going to order some Cedars! Make things easier for the misses when I'm not around


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## BrotherBart (Sep 16, 2014)

JTRock said:


> Going to order some Cedars! Make things easier for the misses when I'm not around



Funny you say that. For 20 years my wife would run the stove when I was on the road. Go out and drag up branches for kindling when she came home from work. She is an invalid now and doesn't operate the stove anymore. One night she came down stairs and I was just starting the stove with a Supercedar. She looked daggers through me and said "Where the hell were those things when I was blowing on coals and sticks to start a fire?!".


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## drz1050 (Sep 16, 2014)

I love that video... dude is a pro with that hatchet. 

I'm remodeling a house that was built in 1896 right now... all the walls were plaster & lath. Those 100+ yr old lath boards make great kindling.


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## JTRock (Sep 17, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> Funny you say that. For 20 years my wife would run the stove when I was on the road. Go out and drag up branches for kindling when she came home from work. She is an invalid now and doesn't operate the stove anymore. One night she came down stairs and I was just starting the stove with a Supercedar. She looked daggers through me and said "Where the hell were those things when I was blowing on coals and sticks to start a fire?!".



Haha! Your wife did more than mine would. The 1st time the fire would go out she would just turn the furnace on or take the kids and go to her parents


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## BobUrban (Sep 21, 2014)

I have an axe head mounted to an 18" or so handle.  Plenty of heft so the tool is doing the work.  Although kindling is not my thing with SC's available.  I just use it to split a slit or two now and then for various reasons.


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## WiscWoody (Sep 28, 2014)

I'm lucky to have a cedar bird feeder shop here in town and he piles up his scrap cedar all summer long for anyone to take free. That and dead Birch bark works good.


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## Danno77 (Sep 29, 2014)

If I must make kindling, I just grab an axe and a good looking split and split until it won't stand any more, then I can tap the axe onto the split while holding (carefully) and then when the wood is stuck to the axe, I just tap until the axe goes through. Never ever take a good swing at something you are holding with your hand. A sharp axe works best.

Otherwise, I just buy firestarters and use them in the shoulder seasons. In the winter the fire never goes out!


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## Adios Pantalones (Oct 1, 2014)

I'm a "splitter trash" and "hand tear pieces off splits" guy.


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## maple1 (Oct 3, 2014)

Fiskars X25.


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## brian89gp (Oct 3, 2014)

Rip up the lid of a paper based egg carton into pieces and put it into the bottom half.  Fill with old candle wax.  The egg carton acts as a wick to keep it burning and the wax melts and starts everything it melts onto on fire.

Fiskars X11 otherwise.  And a bunch of cut-offs of 2x4's and whatnot from remodeling (easy to split and already usually kiln dried  )


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## Danno77 (Oct 3, 2014)

I never understand the "old candlewax" suggestions. When I burn candles the wax goes bye-bye. When that candle is gone, then I buy a new one.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 3, 2014)

Danno77 said:


> I never understand the "old candlewax" suggestions. When I burn candles the wax goes bye-bye. When that candle is gone, then I buy a new one.



I know. Earwax and belly button lint sounds like a better fire starter.


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## Danno77 (Oct 3, 2014)

Earwax, now see, that's something I'm always making more of and haven't a use for!


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## Charlie2 (Oct 3, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> I know. Earwax and belly button lint sounds like a better fire starter.



    The good thing about that recipe is you can save it up during the off season. I like to keep it neatly rolled in a ball, then just slice a piece off when needed.


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## maple1 (Oct 4, 2014)

Not to mention what can be harvested from friends & family who don't burn wood....


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## midwestcoast (Oct 4, 2014)

I've been all over the place with kindling.  I grew-up using newspaper & cedar kindling (helps to have your own swamp…)
Newspaper now hardly burns. 
Since I started scrounging I've used: 
Unpainted wood from home/fence demo (good stuff)
Kindling split from whatever I was burning (Slow & annoying to make & never burned that well).
Fatwood (Works okay, not cheap & not easy to light)
Several other fire starters from the box store (none worth the money)
Lightning Nuggets (awesome, like a smaller, lighter super Cedar, but you can't break them smaller. 1/2 Super Cedar is about same price, 1/4 SC saves you 50%)
Super Cedars (even more awesome, I use 1/4. If the wood is damp I use 1/2)

From all of this I've learned that no matter the method/materials used for starting a fire, the easiest is starting with really dry wood! It almost doesn't matter what you use, when your wood is bone dry it lights off fast & easy.


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## bobdog2o02 (Oct 4, 2014)

These are my home made kindling convectors, self named.  I used trash cans from home depot and drill a few 1/4" holes in the very bottom to allow any water that got in to get out, and 15 1" holes around the top edge and 10 1" holes around the bottom edge.  I filled them with debris from the hydraulic splitter and X25.  Most of what i put in was fresh cut white/red oak from a log load.  The logs were around 55% when i bucked them.   I've had the cans sitting in the driveway in full sun since march.  This morning i was reading this thread and got curious,  ive been using this kindling for a few shoulder burns so i know its realllllly dry, but just how dry.  Well it appears we have gotten WAAAYYYYY past equilibrium.  I split a few of the larger pieces and found that i'm around 5-8%.  My infrared thermometer was telling me the contents were at about 105 degrees late afternoon middle of august........   This stuff is like match light charcoal, i just hold a grill lighter to any bit of it an off it goes.


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## jillybeansisme (Oct 5, 2014)

I have lots of old pine cones I plan to use  . . . I also have a whole bunch of shims -- bet those will work too.  When I was a kid, my Mom (RIP) saved dryer lint to stuff toys with, but I will save it to light fires with (thanks to Hearth buds info!).  And, of course, there will be alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll those moving boxes in two (2) months (not that I'm counting)!  I will use a box cutter or scissors for that stuff.


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## brenndatomu (Oct 5, 2014)

Danno77 said:


> Earwax, now see, that's something I'm always making more of and haven't a use for!


Ha, there it is! Been right in front of us all this time! Q-tips, wax covered cotton balls on a stick...fire in the hole! Now, anybody know the address for the patent office? 

I had a 5 gallon bucket full of saw chips that I poured a pint or so of fuel oil on after changing the furnace fuel filter, after setting over the summer the oil had gently soaked down through almost the whole bucket, a small scoop of those chips would light up green Oak I believe!


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Oct 10, 2014)

Still interesting to follow this thread.

Does anyone know what supercedars are made with (besides cedar, of course)?


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## fossil (Oct 10, 2014)

Lyndenbrook Farm said:


> Does anyone know what supercedars are made with



Thomas (the guy who makes them) knows, and he'll be happy to tell you.  He's even got some video of the process and the machine. Visit his website.  Send him an e-mail.  Ask for a couple of free samples, he'll get them right out to you.  Mention Hearth.com.

http://www.supercedar.com/

Best thing since split wood.  Rick


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## bassJAM (Oct 11, 2014)

fossil said:


> Thomas (the guy who makes them) knows, and he'll be happy to tell you.  He's even got some video of the process and the machine. Visit his website.  Send him an e-mail.  Ask for a couple of free samples, he'll get them right out to you.  Mention Hearth.com.
> 
> http://www.supercedar.com/
> 
> Best thing since split wood.  Rick



After hearing all the rave reviews, I'm starting to consider these.  Although a part of me takes pride in starting a fire from scratch (must be from my Boy Scout days) those sure look like a light it and leave it solution.  After the Super Cedar, how small does the wood you're lighting with it need to be?


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Oct 12, 2014)

So I take it that whatever wax or paraffin is in the supercedars, it does not bother a modern stove. What about "do not burn anything besides wood?" 

Or is it just that a small amount will not affect the stove?  As opposed to regularly burning demolition debris like a dummy

Has anyone had a bad result from using a small amount of waxy starters?


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## Alan W (Oct 12, 2014)

I remember those days. But since I installed my green start I don't even have matches any more. My only issue becomes when I go camping!!


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## Prichan (Oct 13, 2014)

Lyndenbrook Farm said:


> 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.
> 
> ...



Nice video. I personally use cedar for kindling, I am lucky to have a veritable unlimited supply where I am in Maine. I just use my log splitter to do the kindling. When I do use an axe or hatchet I use a Fiskars, and when I am freehanding it I support the piece I am splitting with another piece of wood to protect my fingers.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 14, 2014)

bassJAM said:


> After hearing all the rave reviews, I'm starting to consider these.  Although a part of me takes pride in starting a fire from scratch (must be from my Boy Scout days) those sure look like a light it and leave it solution.  After the Super Cedar, how small does the wood you're lighting with it need to be?



You still can . . . just the nice thing is you can do away with the newspaper, cardboard, etc. I generally use 1/8th of a Super Cedar and using the top down method have it just under or on top of some kindling . . . but other folks here say they can use the Super Cedar and just some small splits.


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## smokedragon (Nov 1, 2014)

Jasper said:


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


+1 to that.  If I fear they might quite making them, I may go get a second one.  I LOVE this little mini-maul.


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## pcc2826 (Nov 2, 2014)

I have two big bins I built in my barn and every year I spend a day running logs through the splitter until I get pieces that are about 1"x1"x18".  I then take all these pieces and put them in black garbage cans to sit in the sun all summer.  Then transfer them to the bins in the barn.  They are very dry from sitting in the sun all summer.  I light a small piece of newspaper with 2 or three of my splits in the stove and that will light the big stuff.  Works great and I never use any sort of pre manufactured fire starter.


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## smokedragon (Nov 2, 2014)

Here is my kindling setup.  I take straight grained pieces right off the wood pile and split off smaller as needed to start a fire.  I use an Estwing fireside friend and a gum tree round that is now 6 years old.


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