# Cape Cod Fire Starter



## soupy1957 (Jan 9, 2012)

Anyone purchase this or have any experience with this type of fire-starter?  First impressions of mine are:

A) looks messy.  I note the liquid dripping down the rod and laying on the lid of the stove, AND the floor.
B) I think "I" would just put the whole rod in the fire and leave it there until I was done burning, and when 
     cool, would THEN remove it from the stove.

Your experiences?  Your thoughts?

-Soupy1957


----------



## Village Idiot (Jan 9, 2012)

Agreed, what a mess. Even if it worked really well, I think the kerosene stench given off when snuffing the starter in the pot would keep me from using it for anything other than a decorative piece.


----------



## firefighterjake (Jan 9, 2012)

Think I'll stick with the Super Cedars or resort to the old kindling and newspaper.


----------



## billb3 (Jan 9, 2012)

Kerosene is cheating.

You want lard oil in that old pot.


----------



## PapaDave (Jan 9, 2012)

I don't like the idea of a flammable liquid near the stove. I can sometimes be clumsy enough that I'd knock the whole thing over.
He's got it on the ash lip and there was still a bit of flame in the pot after the thing was "extinguished".
There are better methods for starting a fire.
I can (as can many here) start a fire with dry wood and a small bit of newspaper.....usually.
Living in 1910 in soooo passe.  :lol:


----------



## firefighterjake (Jan 9, 2012)

billb3 said:
			
		

> Kerosene is cheating.
> 
> You want lard oil in that old pot.



Or better yet whale oil.


----------



## soupy1957 (Jan 9, 2012)

Was wondering about the burning of Lamp Oil or Kerosene, in terms of its effect (if any) on the chimney (build up) and also the toxicity or smell.

Safety of a wet liquid product in close proximity to the stove concerns me, and also what the flash point of Lamp Oil or Kerosene might be, if an errant spark were to land in it.

All in all, not necessarily something I'm seriously considering, but it was an idea I had not heard of or seen prior to today and figured I'd ask.

So.........nobody here used it, or uses it?

-Soupy1957


----------



## wetwood (Jan 10, 2012)

What about the kerosene running down the handle and all over the outside of the stove. That looks safe.   :smirk:


----------



## LLigetfa (Jan 10, 2012)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Think I'll stick with the Super Cedars or resort to the old kindling and newspaper.


+1

Or a big propane tiger torch.  That's how I light my brush piles.


----------



## stejus (Jan 10, 2012)

Who in their right mind would purchase something like this... This is an accident waiting to happen let alone an air quality issue.  Kerosene dripping on the ash lip evaporating into the air space, nice!  Pot gets knocked over and Kerosene all over the place, priceless.


----------



## Remmy122 (Jan 10, 2012)

I would totally buy one!

 and let it sit empty on the hearth as a decoration!

I dont see what he accomplished that some dry wood and a newspaper knot couldnt do.

That whole system is just crazy to think about using in todays world.


----------



## FanMan (Mar 7, 2012)

My father had one when I was a kid... as I recall it worked great; in fact I finally found one in a fireplace store just last weekend, and bought it... we'll see this weekend.


----------



## billb3 (Mar 7, 2012)

Remmy122 said:
			
		

> I would totally buy one!
> 
> and let it sit empty on the hearth as a decoration!
> 
> ...



Back then newsprint was saved for more valuable uses, like toilet paper.


----------



## backpack09 (Mar 7, 2012)

I saw one of these in an anique store in plymouth a couple of weeks ago.  Wierd.


----------



## ScotO (Mar 8, 2012)

They used these firestarters back in the Victorian Era, pretty sure they used whale oil, rendered fat and/or bacon grease in them........definately not practical in today's world...


----------

