Lazy man’s way of starting fires in stove or fireplace

[2strokeNorthstar]

Did someone mention "Lazy"...?

View attachment 189643

Guess I'm double lazy. I use the torch to start the fire blocks

 

[michael007]

Recently took a risk trying out these ethanol fire starters with a bulk order. I go through a ton between the wood stove and charcoal chimney so the gamble paid off.

Went looking for something better because:
-The sawdust/wax ones didn't burn hot enough if the wood wasn't dry.
-The brand OP shared had a perfume smell. I read these brands frequently use leftover wax from factories and something more natural is preferred for the bbq.

 

[Skippy722]

We liked using fat wood. It’ll light easily with a regular lighter. My wife combines lint from the dryer with candle wax and I’m amazed at how well that works.

 

[skyactiv]

I wonder how our ancestors did it.

 

[andrew_j]

Did someone mention "Lazy"...?

View attachment 189643

My wife has one of those to start her bee smoker and occasionally uses on our wood stove if we lack fire starters and definitely kindling as she does not touch axes/hatchets.

She got this mini version to start ours:
https://a.co/d/eeF55tV

 

[4WD]

I don’t bother chopping kindling any more. Instead I use these simple wax and sawdust squares and place them between two pieces of wood. Works well and cheap enough. Enjoy.

View attachment 189633View attachment 189634View attachment 189635View attachment 189636View attachment 189637

Yep - use them for the fire pit - and the tumbleweeds for coals …
(don’t buy lighter fluid) …

 

[Urshurak776]

In the first two pictures, I show crumpled up paper to aid the process, however the logs are fairly large in diameter and I find paper is apt to go out. No kindling here. By the way, where can you get newspaper these days?

Agree. When I was a kid, we had stacks of them, so thats what we used. I have a gas fireplace now.

 

[dlundblad]

Fat wood. A company mom bought a garden wind driven ornament from accidentally sent a box of the stuff. Going on my 3rd season with it. 2 sticks seems to do it.

 

[2005jettatdi]

In Boy Scouts, clear back in the 60s, I learned to split kindling real fine and start fires with up to two wood matches. Pretty easy. A trick not mentioned is to soak a tampon (new, not used) with vegetable oil and use it for a fire starter.

 

[y_p_w]

We always just used crumpled up newspaper. Works fine.

I wasn't familiar with setting up a fire when camping and a neighbor saw me using lighter fluid where it would eventually just peter out and leave the kindling somewhat charred. He asked if I had any newspaper or any kind of disposable paper and showed me how to crumple it up so that it burned slow enough to keep the kindling on fire.

 

[dumkid]

Fritos (yes, the chips) burn pretty good but they take a few seconds to light. They're basically sawdust and grease and they taste alright too. I've used them and bunches of pine needles to light many fires

 

[Pablo]

I wonder how our ancestors did it.

Raw meat!


I just like that there fancy French writin' on the box.

 

[honeeagle]

I use fireplace logs cut into 3 or 4 pieces ,firewood supplied in campgrounds is so green it would grow if you planted it.

 

[DwightFrye]

I lay a couple of pieces of those firestarter products on the bottom of the grate and build the logs above them in a well spaced pyramid. Just like I learned back at YMCA day camp although without the firestarter aids.

But underneath the log grate I stuff a few handfuls of paper from my paper shredder wastebasket. That's a good way to get rid of all that shredded paper. A touch with a butane fireplace lighter gets the paper shreds going, they ignite the firestarter pieces quickly and then it's time for a Scotch on the rocks.