News Paper, noodles, kindlin', bark, splitter trash, fire starters (homemade or commercial)... blaa... blaa... blaa... I'm too old and ornery for rubbin' sticks together.
This is the 21st century... can't figure why anyone wouldn't take advantage.
I open the door, load the box with full-size splits, poke a tuft of dryer lint between a couple of the lower ones (a piece of greazy shop rag or a chunk of old sock works also), squirt the lint ball with a tablespoon or two of liquid fire accelerant (diesel, fuel oil, used oil, charcoal lighter fluid, whatever... not gasoline), flick a 99¢ Bic Lighter, slam the door, walk away. Presto‼ Fire‼ The lint ball (or chunk of rag) acts like a wick... burns long and hot... never fails... been doin' it that way since the 19th century. It takes me all of what?? Sixty seconds?? Maybe less to load and start a fire.
For "portable" fire starting I saturate cotton balls with petroleum jelly (yeah... Vaseline) and pack them into a container such as one of those old 35mm film containers (you'd be surprised how many you can pack in one of those). Fire-up one of those cotton balls (might use two if the wood is a little wet) with a Bic Lighter and... presto... campfire without kindlin' and rubbin' sticks together. Even works in rain.
It ain't that I can't start a fire by rubbin' two sticks together if required... I just don't need the practice... my Cub Scout days are ancient history.
Oh... by-the-way... those Vaseline saturated cotton balls come in handy for more than starting fires. They can be used for quick lubrication on stuff, first-aid, coat your hands before field dressing a deer (the blood wipes right off), makeshift water proofing, etc., etc., etc... use your imagination. (Keep it out'a the gutter boys
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