A Fire Starter With Flare

We've used pine cones as kindlin' for quite awhile now and I just have to say...they work great!  There's just one problem---they go up quick!!  Some times that leaves you with a nice red glowing mass of what was once a stack of the little dudes but without a burning fire.  Solution:  Just add wax and a wick.  Voila!  You now have something that not only starts and burns easily but also has some staying power.  These wax- powered wonders are easy to make and make an awesome addition to your fire-starting arsenal.

1.  Pick up cones in mass.  If you don't have access to them check with friends and family.  If anyone you know has a few pine trees in or around their yard they will more than likely be happy to let you pick them up.  This saves wear and tear on their mower and you'll walk away with bags and bags of cones since pine trees produce and then drop a ton of them every year!

2.  Melt down a candle or two.  The ones that never burned right to start with or the ones whose wicks have given up the ghost are the best ones to sacrifice here.  You might also be able to pick up some spent candles at your local thrift store.  They can usually be bought on the cheap if you can find them.

3.  Make yourself a hook fashioned out of a piece of wire of some sort so that you can safely dip the cones into the hot wax and retrieve them.

4.  When you have your cones ready for dunking and your wax hot there is just one last step--Tying a bit of wick around a portion of the cone. This will give you a fuse to get the little guy started when you're ready for it to do its thing.  Wick material is relatively inexpensive.  It goes a long way, and it can be found at almost any hobby or craft store.

5.  Once you've tied your wick off you are ready for the deed.  Simply hook your wire around the cone and dip it into the hot candle wax.  After a few seconds, carefully pull your now wax-covered pine cone out of the wax and sit it on a safe drying area to cool.  You may find that you will want to do multiple dunks depending on the amount of wax that you want on each piece.

That's it!  Once the pine cones have dried you are ready for action.  Whenever you have the need for a fire starter with a little extra oomph, these guys will fit the bill!!


Fire starter with some kick

Kindlin' in a Cone

Fall and winter are busy seasons on the Runnin' Lean homefront!  Preparations of all sorts have to planned out and then completed before the weather takes a turn for the worse...and then decides to stay that way for a few months!!  One of the most important things to consider (if you're heating with wood that is) is your kindlin' supply!  It's true.  It is something that you can & should continue to gather throughout the burn season as well, but the more you have stock piled from the start the less you have to fret about finding a suitable dry material to use though the rain and snow of winter.  We've tried something new this year that has provided great results . . . pine cones!  A friend of ours has several pine trees on his property which just so happen to be in and around his yard (easy access don't you know;)  The cones are a nuisance to him as they create unwanted debris for him to deal with year after year.  This last spring  we asked if we could pick some of them up to dry out and use for a fire starter.  Without hesitation he said yes.  We promptly picked up a galvanized trash can full of the cones that were strewn around his house and yard.  In no time we had filled the can and were on the road back home with our flammable treasure.  I've used several of them at this point and have to say...they are perfect kindlin'!!!  They burn fast and hot and are so easy to get lit that I can simply put a match to them and watch them go up :)  So pick up some pine cones and bring on Winter!