I use a firelighter because I’m a lazy sod and don’t read newspapers.

One of those, lattice of decent kindling, couple of smaller, lighter logs, maybe a bit of birch, and it’s roaring within a couple of minutes.

mikewsmith » I’m… terrified by the 6 or 7 paragraph and you tube guides above

I’d steer clear of forums and the internet in general if you’re that sensitive, fella.

Stove completely clean, or with ash:

4 or 5 balls of scrunched up paper (raided from recycling basket), 2 very small pieces of firelighter on top, stack/arrange kindling on top in a vague pyramid sort of shape, match to the firelighters, leave it a few minutes, small log on top, away you go.

It needs marginally more attention if there’s no ash underneath, and will need looking after if the wind’s in the wrong direction.

Pile some kindling on half a fire lighter, set fire to it = job done, 30 secs max – life’s too short!!! 😉

@Saxonrider, shall I drop off some firewood on Saturday?

3 sods of turf plus 3 bits kindling plus fire lighter plu 3 bits of kindling plus 2 sods of turf and away we go.

grum I don’t buy newspapers and I’m not going hunting for free papers just to burn them

No hunting required. There’s loads of ’em about. If you find it too difficult to ‘hunt’ for them then you must really struggle ‘hunting’ down firelighters too. 😉

I’m more terrified by the 6 or 7 paragraph and you tube guides above complete with wood measurements an types listed, it’s just a fire hardly that complicated.

Yeah I was a bit baffled by that too. I think ‘use dry wood’ is the only thing you need to know really.

Also the term Man Skill is very sexist and I’m very offended

I meant man as in mankind obviously!

It’s a fire ffs just use a firelighter and a bit of dry wood.

No one looks at their gas hob and says:

“No, I’m going to use an artisanal match made from hickory struck on a hand crafted piece of 200 grit sand (not glass!) paper”

they just press the button and let the technology work for them.

Well… we use our ash on the compost pile, and firelighters usually contain kerosene and a urea/formaldehyde resin which doesn’t sound like great stuff to grow your veggies with.

firelighters usually contain kerosene and a urea/formaldehyde resin

I’d always imagined those were the bits intended to burn?

Do you only buy wood that’s guaranteed not to have had any animals wee on it during it’s lifetime to avoid unwanted urea getting in your veg patch?

Well it was more the formaldehyde bit I was bothered about but thanks for your concern.

I’m just not sure why I would pay money for something dirty and smelly to light a fire with when I can use something not dirty and smelly for free. Each to their own I guess.

And if you really wanted to just ‘press a button and let the technology work for you’, why did you buy a wood burner in the first place? Central heating or a gas fire are a lot simpler.

No hunting required. There’s loads of ’em about. If you find it too difficult to ‘hunt’ for them then you must really struggle ‘hunting’ down firelighters too.

Well thankfully I live somewhere that has stopped handing out free paper all over the place.

Fire lighters arrive when I tick to box on my internet shopping order.

The amount of ash mine leaves is small enough that I don’t need to bother about composting it.

Empty plastic milk bottle on top of the kindling, works a treat and better for the environment than all that diesel used to cart it to a recycling center. 😀

Seriously though i have a superfire button ignition gas torch next to mine, never any bother to light it with that, instant and no faffing about burning your fingers with a match or lighter.

I had exactly this problem last night. Living in an old farmhouse it can be quite damp at times so I think humidity plays a big part. Add in a cold flue and no wind outside and I need to blow on it for a while to help it along and take great care in how the kindling is stacked to get it going. Newspaper isn’t very good I’ve found as it soaks up dampness easily. Brown paper is brilliant though. I never resort to firelighters, I like to pride myself on being able to start a fire from next to nothing (still use a lighter though, I’m not Ray Mears).

Newspapers are sooo last century. 😆

@Marin_No_8

I will send you an email with my contact details in the next few minutes.