After about 5 years of heating only with wood, I've settled on long matches. I don't remember why any more but I must have felt pretty strongly about it because I bought a case of 36 boxes of matches whenever it was I decided on matches. Which do you use and why?
Long lighters is what I use if I have a choice. I'm fine with matches though if that's what I needed to use.
Just use the regular matches and when I use them, I am lighting a super cedar so it does not take much to light them off.
I use the same, but with an electronic igniter....which stopped working last week, and I use a long lighter to light it. All I do on a cold start is rake whatever coals I have to the door, then I wave the torch over them for maybe 30 seconds tops. Then I close the door, and open the ash pan door and go get my firewood. By the time I come back, the coals are already plenty hot to light off the load. Ive only had to use kindling a couple of times this year when there were no coals left as a result of this method. It saves me the steps of splitting and storing kindling. I also bought an adapter so I can refill the little tank off a BBQ tank.
The long lighters are handy and cheap. I use a propane torch occasionally also. I haven't seen any matches around here in quite some time. Although i did get a metal match box out of dad's garage when we cleaned out. Need to hang it up for decoration next to the stove.
Fatwood and a propane torch. This season, I've put a little birch bark in the mix. Basically, we come to a house that's been partially unheated for the week. Our lower level will often be in the mid 40's in the winter. We need heat and quickly when we get up on a Friday evening.
That is the best 15 minutes. Getting that fire started and seeing the temp rise rapidly. Stoveaclaus is in heaven.
Propane torch an kindling for me. I’ve actually had people give me grief about it. Said it was cheating. I told them when you light a fire everyday for 6 months you’ll understand. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Birch bark is where it's at! A few strips.mixed in with a log house of small oak strips, and just a touch of the lighter and you're off! That's how I light my fire pit.
Yeah but, what do you light that with? When you're done doing penance ( I assum that's why you're being so hard on yourself ), you might enjoy treating yourself to an upgrade.
