Let's see your tinder bundle.

[Jags]

Whatever gets the fires lit, gents (and gals). I personally use Super Cedars and have tried virtually all of the others on the market and even some homemade stuff:

That is my "outstanding Oak" version . It worked, but the SC still kicked its butt. For less than $20 per season (year) for no fail, paperless, no kindling start ups I will put the newspaper in the recycling bin. But I am getting old, and lazy, and grumpy and whatever makes it easy...

(Durn kids, get off my lawn...)

 

[NWfuel]

I suspect the warning is more for the large pressed wax logs that some folks use in fireplaces . . . the small amount of highly refined parrafin used in the SuperCedars should not be a concern for any stove. Way back when some folks with cat stoves were concerned about the effect on the combustors, but if I remember correctly (and I could be wrong) one of the big cat stove players was including Super Cedar samples with their stoves. I am pretty leery of what I burn and don't burn . . . I would have no concerns with using a Super Cedar or similar product in my stove.

Firefighterjake is correct that the Super Cedar is safe for cat stoves. Blaze King includes a free sample with their stoves.

 

[Jags]

It never occurred to me to buy something, when I have an axe, dry seasoned wood, & free newspaper...... and that works every time.

Different strokes..... It don't make one right and one wrong...as said above, whatever gets the fire lit, but after doing this fire stuff for many years, I haven't found an easier (or faster) way.

 

[BobUrban]

Free is certainly nice but my time comes with a price tag and being able to put a small piece of SC in with a load of full size splits or even rounds and light it once is a blessing. I can't think of any reason why I would go back to wadding up paper. I buy them by the box of 100 naked. I get 4-6 starts per SC. If I never used them whole to start brush piles or give them away a box would last many seasons. Made in USA. Can't beat that

 

[MarylandGuy]

I used to use a soldering torch to get my stove lit. Not any more.

Load my stove with dry poplar, bank some charcoal (left over from a previous burn) at the end of the splits, point my harbor freight electric heat gun on the charcoal. A minute or two later the charcoal combined with the heat gun air creates a blast furnace. It always amazes me that a cheap $15 heat gun can start a fire so quickly. No open flame or accelerant needed.

 

[Woody Stover]

Fire starters mean more $. Paper from junk mail is free.

Manual advises against any colored paper in a stove with a catalytic combustor, it could poison it. Strictly black & white newsprint.
I score and break the SuperCedar puck into seven pieces so it comes out to about ten cents each. I use two per fire. But I don't cold-start all that often. I bought a box of 100 SCs three years ago, and it's about gone now but I gave maybe 25 of them to the in-laws.
I just looked, and we have a bunch of paraffin. I wonder how a little chunk placed on top of 1/4-sheet of crumpled up newspaper would work...would enough of the paper stay intact, and the wax stay contained, or would it melt and run away? I also have a bunch of Pine kindling...maybe I will tough it out with newspaper and Pine.

 

[Woody Stover]

View attachment 173960being able to put a small piece of SC in with a load of full size splits or even rounds and light it once is a blessing.

Not to mention how much fun it is emptying the Daisy Sour Cream container!

 

[jetsam]

I just looked, and we have a bunch of paraffin.

I bet if you melted a little in a pot and stirred in lots of shavings and sawdust, you'd have super cedar dough. Now you just need a muffin tin!

 

[Woody Stover]

I bet if you melted a little in a pot and stirred in lots of shavings and sawdust, you'd have super cedar dough. Now you just need a muffin tin!

We've got a muffin tin, but I was hoping for something a bit less work-intensive.

 

[DUMF]

Northern fire starting:
1. Cut dead standing cedar, usually found with wet feet
2. Split above into kindling size pieces ~ 1"- 3" thick.
3. Read the WSJ then crumple up two sections..your choice ( we do Financials).
4.Place two (2) smaller splits of hardwood on the grate.
5. Soak cedar kindling in Extra Virgin Olive Oil ( romantic aroma as outlined in another Hearth section).
6. Place crumpled WSJ on top
7. Light said WSJ.
Enjoy.

 

[CheapBassTurd]

So far I'm using a few twigs and the torch.
Simple and fast.
The heat gun idea is VERY cool. Used one at a roofing job to fuse n' seal
vinyl sheets. If I moved too slow it would smoke, then start to burn the vinyl. Duh !!
Plus it's moving air but not blasting strong enough to smoke out the house.

 

[Woody Stover]

Northern fire starting:
1. Cut dead standing cedar, usually found with wet feet
2. Split above into kindling size pieces ~ 1"- 3" thick.
3. Read the WSJ then crumple up two sections..your choice ( we do Financials).
4.Place two (2) smaller splits of hardwood on the grate.
5. Soak cedar kindling in Extra Virgin Olive Oil ( romantic aroma as outlined in another Hearth section).

Sure, a guy who reads the WSJ and has made a killing in the markets can afford to soak his wood in premium oils, but what about the rest of us??

 

[Squisher]

Anyone use the 'break and burn' aw Perkins fire starters?

 

[MarylandGuy]

The heat gun idea is VERY cool. Used one at a roofing job to fuse n' seal
vinyl sheets. If I moved too slow it would smoke, then start to burn the vinyl. Duh !! Plus it's moving air but not blasting strong enough to smoke out the house.

My chimney, even when clean is notorious for a poor draft when cold. The heat gun brings everything up to speed in a hurry. So if I get any smoke in the house on startup, it's minimal because of how fast the firebox heats up. It works infinitely better than twigs and a torch.

If I had a good draft when cold, I would probably opt for firestarters. But my system works for me.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

I earned my "can build and light a fire from scratch" merit badges L O N G ago.. Now I am just heating my house. I load the stove as full as I can with full sized splits, stick a quarter or half a SC wherever it will fit, light, ignore until time to turn the air down. In a normal year, we go through a dozen or so SC's.. I can live with that. No struggles, no frustrations, no failures to catch, no babysitting.

 

[Zkx14]

This evening was 2nd time I did top light. Lit a few small bits of 2x with torch.

About 15 minutes

Half hour

I should have let it go a bit longer before closing bypass. But, I needed to go upstairs and did not know how long I would be. So it was nearly a half hour later. I did not have much flame when I returned. The kindling had burned away and there was a nice red glow between the bottom pieces. I added a couple pieces and gave it more air. Been burning great since. Other than adding wood, I have not messed with it. And there was barely any smoke the whole time.

 

[jetsam]

Sure, a guy who reads the WSJ and has made a killing in the markets can afford to soak his wood in premium oils, but what about the rest of us??

It's back to stolen, used 10w30 for me.

 

[DUMF]

Sure, a guy who reads the WSJ and has made a killing in the markets can afford to soak his wood in premium oils, but what about the rest of us??

No stinkin' killing on this end......yet.

 

[firefighterjake]

Firefighterjake is correct that the Super Cedar is safe for cat stoves. Blaze King includes a free sample with their stoves.

Good to see I am not completely losing my mind then . . .

 

[BKVP]

Good to see I am not completely losing my mind then . . .

Self diagnosis can be hazardous!

 

[westkywood]

Super Cedars all the way baby. I can get 6 fires started with one wafer. Use small splits and dry wood.

 

[westkywood]

Super Cedar? Interesting.

It never occurred to me to buy something, when I have an axe, dry seasoned wood, & free newspaper...... and that works every time.

When it comes to easy stuff like this, a little effort and free is hard to beat.

Guess it boils down to convenience. If ya don't want to have to wash as many dishes, ya buy paper plates. In Ky we have a lot of mild days during the winter so I have to start a lot of fires. I figured out it costs me about 8 cents per fire.

 

[Woody Stover]

In Ky we have a lot of mild days during the winter so I have to start a lot of fires

Especially when we get a winter like this; A lot of almost-cold starts this year. Not complaining, mind you; At this rate, I'll only use a half-year's worth of wood! Lotta '8 cents' saved.

 

[osagebow]

Relighting on coals tonite, but this is my usual bottom light trio. 2 decent sticks and a hunk of fatwood from a big shortleaf pine I cut 3 years ago. Still have enough for next year. Will also use a smaller piece of fatwood with a handful of shake from the splitter.
Top down starts have a smaller pieces added to the mix. This would be for a rare cold start and a stuffed firebox.

 

[St. Coemgen]

Manual advises against any colored paper in a stove with a catalytic combustor, it could poison it. Strictly black & white newsprint.

Absolutely agree. Excellent point of clarification. And everyone should read their manual on how to properly light and maintain their stove.

FWIIW (for what it is worth): Most junk mail here is on normal paper or newsprint. That is what I use and was referring to, but I admit that was not clear and so very much appreciate your comment.

The slick paper junk mail fliers I receive from "Staples" et al, go into the trash.