My GF was a girlscout leader for years and makes these when we have enough egg cartons. We use them for the charcoal as well.
Ive used bacon/animal fat grease soaked paper towels & newspaper from cooking. Dont know if this is good or not, but its better than down the drain or stinking up the trash
I use what I’ve got. Pine cones, fatwood, little splits and scraps. Sift the ashes for coals/ charcoal. Fat drained off the cooking. I’ve used paper but I don’t love it. Commercial fire starters are sure easy. But nothing makes me more satisfied than using whatever my land has to offer and figuring out how to make it work.
We got a dusting of snow overnite. Gone in the sun already. Surprised as it wasn't forecast. Not surprised as, well, it's Spring !
i use the grease more so in the summer to start the charcoal. I roll it up and put it in the smoker/grill til ready for use. There's several in there now.
Wouldn't it be better to leave ashes in the stove? Even when we clean the ashes (when they are about to fall out the firebox door), we still leave an inch or two of ash in the stove. It helps the stove and the fire both.
I lay 2 splits bark down on the bottom. Then 1/4 of a super cedar. Sometimes a bit of kindling on that then a couple more splits. Done. I used paper for many, many moons but began to dislike it when they started using so much colored ink and glossy paper. Then when I bought a cat stove I quite using paper altogether. Super Cedar (Thomas) was sponsoring on another forum and I asked for a couple samples. Was sold on them right away and have always used 1/4 per fire.
I start my fire in Oct and let it go out in May the following year so starting the fire is only a annual thing up here.I empty the ash when needed and there is always enough charcoal left to start up with little issue.
Same as Warner, torch is nice with a few pieces of small kindling, when i cut dead standing pine ill just cut off where dead branches were (collar cut) and they are filled with fat wood so if i have some of those juicy nuggets ill throw one on. I do make egg carton fire starters with pellets and my wifes old candle wax. I save those for her if im not around she can get a fire goin easily, but she has gotten over the fear of lighting the torch.
For those who use newspapers, if you roll a few sheets long ways and tie it in a knot they burn longer. I have even put a finger wad of vaseline in the paper before i roll it and that makes it burn even slower. My sister used that trick when my brother inlaw Wasnt Home, i had to teach her over the phone she was getting all upset. Now she does it all the time.
