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Fire Starters

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BlueSmoke
BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I picked up a package of Western brand "Red Hot Fire Starters" at my local WalMart for $1.47. package of 4 blocks. It looks to me like I'll be able to divide each block into 4, for 16 blocks total - compared to $5 for a package of 12 cubes.[p]Has anybody used this product, or is it another case of "you gets what you pays for"?[p]Ken
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  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
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    BlueSmoke,[p]Ken:[p]I haven't used this one, but I regularly use the Diamond "Strike-a-Fire" starters and I do the same thing with them. They're about $1.79...I get 12 to 15 fires from a box. Work great![p]Mike
    [ul][li]http://www.rei.com/product/652.htm[/ul]
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  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
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    BlueSmoke,
    I forgot that there are 8 in a pack....make that 16 to 20 fires.[p]Mike
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    BlueSmoke,
    this is a case of wax-and-sawdust is basically just wax-and-sawdust.[p]there is no 'premium' wax block starter. get what's cheapest.[p]i went so low as to buy a stoooopid fire LOG, and broke it up with a flathead to give me great little nubs and tears that light real quick. plus, i can use three or four or five for a sear-level fire quite quickly without feeling like i'm wasting $.[p]the cheap logs don't have any 'color chemicals' in them like duraflames, but even if they did (and all of that is diffsalts), that stuff is long burned off before any meat sees the grill.[p]
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • hayseedpaddy
    hayseedpaddy Posts: 9
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    BlueSmoke,
    I tried alot of fire starters. I think the iron or a charcoal starter is the way to go. You can be up and cooking in 15 minutes on just about any temp. Just my 2 cents worth.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    BlueSmoke,
    I use the Eco-Lite green gel and it works great. A little dab will do you. I think all it is , is alcohol gelled with a liquid soap (Napalm is gas with saop). Whole Foods carry it. I am going to try the gelled alcohol though.
    360 guy--gary

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  • billyg
    billyg Posts: 315
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    Blue Smoke
    Sorry guys, but I use a Weber chimney. I bought it because it was the largest one offered. I have decided the real trick to my success with this is that I use the weekly Food section from the paper to start it. Great results, usually roaring within ten min.
    Bill
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    BlueSmoke,
    I bought some of those recently as well. They work just fine. I cut them up into roughly 1x2 inch squares. Don't know how many that makes out of a block but it is a bunch.

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  • NCEgger
    NCEgger Posts: 67
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    BlueSmoke,[p]At first I used an electric starter. It worked well, but I needed to stir it to spread the fire out. For my birthday I was given a benzomatic torch. I love it. Not only do I get great fires that are evenly spread, but it is extremely quick to get up and running.
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  • Sigmore
    Sigmore Posts: 621
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    BlueSmoke, Ace Hardware has a box of 144 firestarters for about 10 bucks. Thats what I use all the time.

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  • Trouble
    Trouble Posts: 276
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    Sigmore,
    Can I ask you to elaborate a little? I use a MAPP torch, but I might like to try other methods with Wicked Good because it takes a lot of torch time to get a fire going. So, how many of those do you use to start your fire, and have you tried lighting a really dense lump like WGC with them?[p]Thanks much.
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  • Dos Huevos
    Dos Huevos Posts: 368
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    Sigmore,[p]The torch (lighter part) comes in a kit with a can of fuel for $39.95 and that can will last the regular user anywhere from 9-15 months. The starter should get you 100,000 lights, and the replacement tanks are only 6 bucks. [p]I have had my egg(s) since june of 2004 and I am still on my second tank. With those (or any) cubes, I had to use two or 3 per start. I haven't done the math, but I'd rather torch light based on that any day. [p](besides, the torch is handy for other stuff like lighting fireworks or if your brother in law is drunk he can try to light the inside of your mini-jack-o-lanterns on fire, even though he knows that a candle won't burn the inside so why should a torch?[p]I've used my torch since before I converted to wicked good, and I wouldn't change for anything but fishlessman's weedburner. LOL
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