Tips and opinions gleaned from the internet…
* purpose of paper is to prime the flue, or create an updraft in the chimney, which supplies oxygen to the fire
* Leave some ash in the bottom, helps fire start easier
* Dried potato skins help clean creosote from the flue. Just dehydrate and toss on every fire. (Remember, these are tips and opinions I’ve found online. I have no idea if this is true or even safe.)
* Dried leaves and grass with dry, thin twigs in a t-pee. Thicker twigs on top of that, with larger branches and pinecones on top of that. Keep the vent open till the fire gets going, then shut the front down till almost closed. Also close the pipe vent a bit. Each stove is different, so you have to experiment till you learn yours.
Vaseline on a cottonball
Cardboard egg cartons filled with sawdust, covered with wax melts
Charcoal / matchlight
Dryer lint and wax
Pinecones (has creosote)
Pinecones with wax (has creosote)
Kindling
Paper towel used to wipe oil/grease from cast iron skillet
Twigs in an empty toilet paper roll
Used, dry teabags dipped in wax, store in canning jar
Hand sanitizer on a couple paper towels
Doritos chips
Frito chips
Lard
Fire starter sticks from Walmart, etc
Pine needles
8” slice of a stump that’s oozing pitch
Dried leaves
Auto-start, handheld torch
Paper trash, like cereal boxes and junk mail
Old bark
Butter wrapper
“fat wood”
Dried sweet gum balls
Sprinkle rubbing alcohol on some wood, let set a minute before lighting
Tree bark, particularly birch, cedar, cottonwood, and sassafras
Handful of folded straw
Steel wool
Twisted newspaper
Eucalyptus leaves (might have creosote)
DIY: round cotton pads, kerosene, dip in wax, dry and store in a canning jar
Maple Creek Farm PNW 