Homemade firestarters

The wax burns up? Ok for cat stoves?

 

I've been curious why I haven't seen anybody mention pine knots as a firestarter. When I looked up fatwood it is the same thing. It works great. I got two feedbags full of them.

 

Wicker baskets work well too, but are cumbersome to store.

 

Welcome to FHC nobody! You will find the people here friendly, helpful and full of knowledge. I had to chuckle when I saw your screen name. Ive actually never heard of pine knots as a fire starter. My first thought on it though would be that they sound difficult to acquire in any great quantity. Do you use them often?

 

Welcome to the forum nobody. Pine knots, fat wood, are also popular but not everyone has easy access to them. In about 60 acres of woodlot, I have zero pines at all so it is not an option for me. I do have a few planted Norway spruce and one of them has fallen so maybe I can find something on that tree but I am not too hopeful. It is a spruce, not a pine so the chance of it having a high concentration of the pine sap with it's turpentine content is not good.

 

Thank you for the warm reception! I did some work for a man and he was pretty sure he needed to pay me something for it and I was paid with pine knots. I got probably 50# of them. I split them up into about 1/2 x 1 x by whatever length (usually about 5") and they will easily get a fire going. They certainly do smell like turpentine.
My screen name is because I was thinking of running for president and noticed all the "Nobody for President" signs. I was thinking it would be a good move seeing how so many people would vote for me and the campaign signs were already made. ☺

 

My woods are full of pine knots. I don't have to look hard to find one. I did get lazy last year though and tried the SC. Both do great but you get more burn from the SC

 

Weird! I wonder why I dont see any laying around? Maybe Ill have to open my eyes a bit! I got all excited about finding fat wood in the old stumps in the bush but never found the mother load.

 

Oh yeah, wax burns good.

As far as cat stoves, I'm not certain. I would think it would be fine.

I used a starter for tonight's fire from a cold stove. It worked great.

 

I made some starters last winter.
Also used the cardboard egg cartons. They work well but I think I may have put too much wax into them as they are harder than heck to cut in half or quarters!

I melted the wax in an old pan on top of the woodstove and then added the sawdust to the pan (which is not recommended if the sawdust is moist) and then formed the mix into the egg cartons.

 

Yes, I poured the hot wax into my sawdust filled egg cartons. Cutting the "egg" would be very difficult the way I made them.

 

Hey----I work at a lumber yard and we have boxes of sawdust ---should I start a fire starter business on the side? Anyone want a box for FREE?

 

My buddy in college had a band called "Free Beer"...they sucked and there was never any free beer so it didn't last long

 

False advertising?

 

That's what we have been using. Works great.
I never would have guessed you could light the so easy.
Wife buys them at one of the big box stores.

 

It's all about free boys....again...if I have to buy it I might as well turn on the gas and save the trouble....

 

Like I said if I have to buy it I might as well turn on the gas.....is there life out there?

 

Commando?