Kind of a fun practice thing that I've been doing for the past several years that I thought I'd share.

Sometimes I'm lazy and do things the easy way, but I always like to practice more primitive methods, and what better time?

Ferro rod with mag shavings, ferro rod with cotton ball/Vaseline, etc.... This afternoon I got one going with my flint/steel kit and some old char cloth that I made a few years ago. It's been awhile since I used this method and thought I could use the practice. It is a perishable skill.

Just something fun and educational to do. You just never know when that skill will come in handy.

Or, you could just pull out a blow torch and some diesel. Either way...

I'm pretty lazy but not torch lazy. Wax fire starters and a match. Usually the same ones I use for the Weber.

A handful of the Kingsford Match Light charcoal briquettes. It also worked for starting our coal stove back when, but more that a handful.

Some crunched up paper, a few strips of cardboard, a handful of dried sticks topped with a couple small split pieces of firewood, works almost every time for me.

Corn cobs are very good also.

Back when I had (and used) a woodstove, I scrunched up newspaper under a stack of kindling wood. It's been so long now since I've bought a newspaper that I wouldn't be able to to that now. These days I'd go with the wax/parafin fire starters and a long-shanked butane lighter. That works really well for starting my charcoal grill.

My grandfather always had an old coffee can full of sawdust that he'd mixed with coal oil or (I think) diesel.

Near & dear to my heart, a big woodstove user. I have access to kindling made from Northern White Cerdar, among the best. I just cut from fallen trees at our camp property.

That said, I hardly used any this season. I’ve been using strips/panels cut from clean cardboard, shipping boxes. A 4” x 18” strip of cardboard, more or less, takes the place of a kindling piece.

Under that I use newspaper or junk mail, dry smaller wood on top.