Am I the only one?

That's how I started too, using candle wax. But I found the paraffin wax used for canning is very inexpensive and works great,

 

Thanks!
These were decorative candles, the kind you look at and don't ever use that my sons girlfriend found in a Goodwill or something like that store. Cheap.

Just stopped by to visit a buddy yesterday and he tried making them over the winter. He will be using what he called trappers wax.

 

Once in awhile I will use the torch when I don't have very many coals I put some kindling in the front and Light It Up.

4 cold starts though I use Rutland Fire Starter squares 12 bucks for a 144 squares lasts all year, a little paper or cardboard in between the splits, one or two pieces of kindling on top of the splits to build the heat in the top of the stove

 

Trappers wax is a scent free, high quality, granulated paraffin used to make waxed dirt, it is used in making sets in cold weather so they don't freeze and render the trap inoperable.

 

Exactly what he told me!

 

My dad has used the propane torch method for years, but when I was a kid it was kindling and newspaper. I've used the wax firestarters too, but I keep going back to the kindling and newspaper method. A lot of the kindling I use comes from workshop scraps, and the newspaper comes from the weekly sale flyers I get in the mail; so it's free and helps rid me of both.

I like to load my stove the way Timberlake0377 suggested. I rake the coals and ashes to the middle, and then lay 2 large splits E-W in front and behind the pile. I put a couple of the smallest kindling bits on top of the coals, a piece of crumpled newspaper on that, then larger kindling on top, running N-S, forming a "bridge" over my "wind tunnel". At this point I'll usually light it, and then continue adding the next layer of splits N-S, and the next E-W again. Close up the doors and off she goes. I can usually light it with one sheet of newspaper even from a stone cold stove this way. Really the only time it doesn't work is when I've got too much ash built up, preventing the 'wind tunnel' from working.

 

When I'm done running the splitter the ground is littered with bark and chips, and thin strips of wood. I rake that into a pile with an iron rake, and that kindling goes into 4 or 5 milk crates that are never never allowed to get wet. We simply grab a small hand full of that stuff with our small kindling splits add a piece of newspaper and fire is born. Well, you need a lighter too. Wife does it this way too with no problems. In 39 years of lighting stoves we've never used a torch or any kind of fuel other than wood to light.

 

The torch is bad azz right. I use one piece of paper, roll a cardboard starter in it and throw on some dry kindling. Most days I have a ton of coals, so it is s non issue. Torch away if it works for you

 

When I load my stove or start a fire I'm not looking for a merit badge I'm just trying to heat my house

 

Not trying to hijack the thread but Backwoods if I had known that you can get four out of 1 I would have purchased some a long time ago but thought it was to expensive. I have a bad batch of fat wood right now so Im not to happy. Ive never used a torch either.

 

One White Birch split on the bottom, load the rest of the stove with regular size splits usually Spruce, light the birch bark with a match and we're off to the races, no paper, no kindlin, no fire starter...the wood must be dry though.

 

Got to be a million ways to start a fire, but not quite as many ways getting a fire started in an EPA stove, building heat fast! and getting it up to operating temperature and cruising.

 

dry pine branch fire here
usually with one or two knotted newspaper
or 8-1/2X11 paper destined for the shredder balled up

I once went and filled three garbage bags with pine cones because they were supposed to be so great as fire starters.
Some freaking wise azz squirrel came and shredded every single one of them leaving me a wicked pizzah mess to clean up in the garage.

interesting: the forum nanny changes p i s s a h to pizzah

 

You know that's funny but it isn't

 

Even north of that pesky boarder? Ill look into it. Thanks!

 

I have not tried the torch method, super cedars here and I rarely start from a cold stove. 1/4 of a super cedar and my regular splits and presto, the fire is roaring in no time! My Fireview will hold red hot coals for 12 hours so my super cedars last a very long time.

 

Thank you gentlemen for all the responses! The torch works very well for me and my wife! I am glad there is more out there that also use this method. I did read some other great ways to start a fire in this thread. Pine needles are something that are plentiful and I have never used as a firestarter.

 

Ah ha! So...you are feeling guilty for "cheating" huh? The board is calculating your demerit points now.....