Fire starters

[cigarman20]

I've read this on this site before but never tried it... I usually buy fire starter cubes as I'm no a fan of the newspaper method.

However, I ran short today and my box of cubes was empty.

I remembered an old post about a vegetable oil soaked napkin working well.

Gave it a roll and I'm sold!


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[Foster Dahlet]

Great method for firestarter.... I typically use dryer lint soaked in rubbing alcohol.  I'll try the vegetable oil sometime

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[bbqking01]

Sounds like a good method. I use these little grass/straw bundles. Works good and doesn't leave paper scraps on the grate to clean up.


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[Stoneage]

I make my own!
Mostly for free.
take a paper mache egg carton (not plastic)
stuff 2 cotton balls into each "pocket"
I just buy candle wax, but source it however works best.
Melt in a double boiler, I use old cheap beat up saucepans from yard sales.
Fill big one 1/3~1/2 way with boiling water & lower small one (small enough to fit inside the big one) with candle stubs chopped up old candles, whatever.
When its melted, pour over the cotton balls till they're mostly saturated & set aside to cool.
You can add "starter wicks" if you like made from short pieces of twine, just dip one end in the melted wax & let it wick up.
Simply cut or tear single cup file with cotton ball & wax off & light it.

You can also use corrugated card for the "fuel holder, just cut into strips of the right height, trim to length & curl up tightly & pour wax over that.

[AZ2FL]

@Stoneage
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

[tellurian]

I've been using cotton balls soaked with 90+% rubbing alcohol for a long time (less than 90% alcohol won't burn). When the pandemic was in full swing, all the high proof alcohol disappeared from the store shelves. It is available again. Now, I'm back to keeping a glass jar full of extra large cotton balls saturated with alcohol for lighting briquettes. They are cheap, clean, and efficient fire starters and leave very little residue. A word of caution: alcohol burns with a blue flame that is hard to see in bright daylight.

[stillgriller]

I posted a time-lapse video called 'Firestarter Showdown' to Facebook in the Weber Kettle Giants group as well as to a few others:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/209313286320816/search/?q=Firestarter%20showdown

I compared a tumbleweed, a starter cube  and a homemade PTO (paper towel and oil). The PTO lasted about 50% longer, at over 11 minutes, though they were a bit tougher to start. The time varies depending on how saturated the paper towel is. I've since used less oil, which cut the time down to about 7 minutes, but was easier to start. I can make a dozen in about 5 minutes for under a dollar. Some folks posted that they tried and liked them. Of course, I got some negative replies from the haters. What can you do?

[cigarman20]

I like napkin or paper towels and oil route. Newly rediscovered in my my house but very economical and effective.


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[bamakettles]

Twisted the knob on my Summit Charcoal Grill tonight lol.....


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[michaelmilitello]

The main reason I bought an old SSP was the five pound tank.  Even cooking 5-7 nights a week, I only refill it once 4-5 months.  4-5 minutes of gas per use. 


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[bamakettles]

I use refillable LP canisters that I can refill with a regular size tank I keep.  They work well for our tabletop fire thingy too.


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