New toy, kindling cracker XL

Different strokes for different folks. There's no one right way to start a fire.

 

I thought someone else must be doing starters that way also. Been doing these for years for bonfires at the cabin. When doing them I'll get a 12 pack, start a bonfire, use the tripod grill and sit at the fire all afternoon and do 20-30 dozen at a time. Good way to spend a day sitting at the fire. And everything is free...except the 12 pack of porter.

 

I would see the 12 pack as part of the cost of doing business.

 

The Kindling Cracker was invented by New Zealand teenager
Ayla Hutchinson, who developed the idea at age 13 after seeing her mother get injured while splitting firewood with a hatchet, creating a safer cast-iron device that splits wood by hitting it with a mallet onto a stationary blade, turning an old problem into a global, award-winning product.

 

I can't say I don't have a good scar on my left middle finger from a hatchet. At least I know what not to do. Lol

 

Hands down the way to go, I make the same firestarters and haven't used much kindling since. But the kindling cracker is still nice to have around for the odd chunk that you want to reshape

 

For starting fires, these are what I use. I get a box of 72 for 10 bucks and end up cutting each one in half. Just under 7 cents per start.



I made my own fire starters years ago so I do know what all is involved in the process.

99 lbs is pretty much the "keeper of the flame" when it comes to the fire pit and she uses these exclusively.

I'm really surprised that I haven't heard of anyone else using them.

 

Regarding the kindling cracker XL, I bought one years ago. I enjoy using it and have no regrets.

 

I use very little in a year in the woodstove as there is generally coals and dry wood lights and burns rather easily. Heck I think so far this season I have only used 3 matches so not much.

However, I use a lot in spring, I am not dragging branches too far; 1 big fire or a bunch of small ones by tree cut.. need kindling

Kids wanting cook outs marshmallows they have to gather branches.. 12 year olds wanting to burn my 3 year old dry splits … Hell no! Go to the woods

this time of year friends that have fireplaces get gift bags of paper grocery bags (I got a source) filled with kiln dried hard wood. One widow who gets one every year with 2 dozen small splits. She pays me with warm M&M cookies right out the oven

 

The Kindling Cracker was gifted to me a few years back by my Mother - in - Law. (As a quick aside she's about as cool as it gets. She always has a boatload of the beer I drink at her house... and this might not be for this website- but one year she gave me a bag of something that could have passed for oregano... I won't admit what it was, but I think it's pretty clear.)

Anyhow- back to the Kindling Cracker- it think it's great. Wonderful way to get splits down to the size you want and keeps your fingers away from the business side of whatever you're splitting it with. My kids are way too little to get splitting on their own, but this was an awesome way to introduce them to it.

 

I made one and it worked OK, gave it away. The cutting edge was a bed knife off a reel greens mower, super hard metal and sharp.

Noodles are the thing for starting fires. Crazy flammable and you can make a feed sack full in a few minutes.

 

We’ve had one of these for several years and use it frequently. It was a gift from our oldest son. Highly recommend! You can sit down and make several boxes of kindling in no time! Wife even likes to use it….Win Win

 

Oh no!

Not another advocate for sitting down while working!

 

I use no kindling either.

 

What are they called? I’m interested. I use fatwood but sometimes nature leaves a little to be desired. Some batches don’t light as well as others.

 

I bought some when yooperdave recommended them a few months back. Have tried them yet...

 

Not sure why the link won't show up properly. Here is a screenshot from Amazon: