This WOODSTOVE TRICK blew my MiND!

[@farmer9180]

Been burning wood for 40 years and tried this a week ago makes a big difference. The only way to build a fire. 79 years old and still learning stuff.

[@mikemcgown6362]

My Dad always said "when you stop learning, you stop living!"

[@Paufit]

heats flue and vent faster

[@shashakeeleh5468]

But where did he put the firestarters?

[@douglastiffany9910]

I’m 58, have been burning for 30 yrs. I’m still learning obviously 👍 Great ideas are fun to learn.

[@mikemcgown6362]

@@shashakeeleh5468 watch the video, it's in there.

[@erikasbanys5757]

So I've recently lost my dad and now I have to learn everything, because my dad didn't teach how to start a fire. But he did teach me how to prep fire wood and split kindling. This saves my day. I'm only 16 years old and I have to be the man of the house. You are a blessing for me sent by our creator. Thank you so much for teaching me.

[@phoebelong7513]

So sorry for your loss. Thank you for stepping up and being the man-the responsible one at such a young age. God bless you and prayers for you as you go through this difficult time.

[@erikasbanys5757]

@@phoebelong7513 thank you very much ❤️

[@ballyantonia]

So very sorry for your loss.God bless and keep you.

[@erikasbanys5757]

@@ballyantonia thanks ❤️

[@pmabooker]

Sorry for your loss. Its beautiful that this video gave you what you needed in such a hard time ❤️❤️

[@kbjerke]

I struggled, building a fire the wrong way for many decades! But about 20 years ago, when I bought my first (and last) home, I learned the "top down" method of fire starting. I have never looked back! Spread the word, Wranglerstar!! ❤❤❤

[@lahar2002]

I'm 61 years old and haven't needed a wife. Now I got to get one to save my drier lint.

[@rpaasse6453]

And a dryer. Mayby she will allready have a dryer, thats a win win then.

[@Bodgemiester]

Wanted, wife and dryer. Send pictures of dryer

[@jimfield3347]

I do my own laundry

[@dwoodog]

I've got the wife part, but IMO on 90% of things if you want it done right you still have to do it yourself.

[@crashoverride93637]

@@DaddyBeanDaddyBean I mean if you think your capable of doing it sure

[@ellenj9969]

Great vid! One possible answer to the gray dryer lint question: In the artist’s world, when many colors are combined, we end up with sort of a mud color or gray. So a variety of clothing colors washed together should create gray lint. On the other hand, if you buy a new red towel or bright colored blanket and wash it, the resulting lint will match the color of the blanket or towel because it gives off a lot more lint (of its color) since it’s new. So there you go, lol.

[@MolloRelax]

True statement there. It is hard to wash more than a couple blankets at a time.

[@bobbybooshay8641]

Red towels make red lint? I would have never known.

[@corkyvanderhaven3391]

Uh, no. Paint and light are not lint related but, good effort. Here for the fire go elsewhere for other science, like lintology. Happy winter to all. 🙏

[@twizletv4376]

OK great, why is poo always brown then?

[@LowOutput]

@@twizletv4376 you must be healthy. For some of us, there can be color variations.

[@Pamela-B]

I’ve been saving my dryer lint for several months now. My husband thinks it’s a little odd, but he knows why I do it. Cotton balls dipped in petroleum jelly works well too.

[@fredflintstone6163]

A bucket full of sawdust from chainsaw soaked in deisel or kerosene for starting worked well

[@tutsecret499]

petroleum jelly? Humm, I will add on my preps list.

[@johnnunn8688]

And much quicker and easier.

[@chelseagarrett7142]

Great tip!

[@charlesfoleysr6610]

With the petroleum jelly, you don't have to deal with any wax melting.

[@mikeschneider2161]

Just a heads up to Chock full o’Nuts Company is now making all steel cans available again🤙

[@karlynnelangerak4549]

Thank you!

[@Mr.Schitzengigglez]

Proper measurement markings in the bands?

[@gw10758]

Local coffee brands (IE: Kroger and such) STILL sell coffee in large #10 cans... a few even have larger cans to use.

[@Mr.Schitzengigglez]

@@gw10758 you would hate the stores in the north.

[@lesliewatts2878]

Thank you. All really good stuff. Allow me to say just one thing: I will never again leave a wood stove door open. I was charging ours on a very cold winter day, had cracked the door open a little bit, then got called to the phone. Fifteen minutes later I remembered the open door. I raised down stairs to find my stove heating at 900 F with the chimney red hot ten inches above the stove top. I consider myself and family extremely fortunate to have made this discovery when I did. As a result, a baffle plate in the chamber was warped and never fitted properly thereafter. Door control valves are there to let air in. I concluded that opening the stove door means you are too much in a hurry; never a good idea with fire.

[@goldfern6]

I saw another video like this and the guy left the door open only for a few minutes to get it going quicker and he was there to supervise. Little did I know, that's how I do it for the first few minutes (and it helps). Happy Trails.!!.

[@wesleymartusewicz2193]

These things literally saved my hands from frostbite on a solo backpacking trip in Alaska. I woke up to having the wind rip my tent off of me. It was lightly raining, but the wind was so strong on the mountain I could lean into it at 45° angle. Wearing full thermals and wool top and bottom, face mask, hat and all (in July!) I couldn’t get warm and the wind was just ripping all warmth out of me. My hands were beginning to go dead, when I remembered I had packed a few these fire starters on a whim though was (deep) in a fire banned national park. I found a small nook where I could get slight wind protection, set down a flat rock to keep from burning the tundra, and after struggling with the lighter with my numb, blue hands, I got it lit! It slowly returned the warmth to my limbs and got me through the morning’s extreme wind.

[@stupiditypissesmeoff330]

Smart

[@rO_x0x_0f1ci4l]

Finally, a justification for my dryer lint collection. NOT SO CRAZY NOW AM I, MARY???????? (Edit : Not to be THAT person, BUT HOLY HELL, I NEVER GOT THIS MANY LIKED AND REPLYS BEFORE-)

[@AndreGomes1987]

Love it

[@brucekiszely2995]

LOL 😆

[@skug978]

@@RrR-xv4ij and earwax too =P

[@petermarriott67]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Oldcoinsandstuff1]

May be the best you tube comment ever!!!

[@raybans4980]

Kindling on top and 'big stuff' on the bottom? Man - I will try it, but I might have to build the fire while standing on my head just so that it looks right. hahah

[@richardwiley5933]

It is contrary to the normal flow of things. Fortunately, humans have a great ability to adapt. 😁

[@danielfard5173]

Tip for anyone watching. Put medium wood below the big logs at the bottom as a spacer from the bottom (more air can reach). Also have a slight gap between the big logs so the coals can drop below. Also be more conservative with your logs when it’s hot, one or two at a time or you’re just wasting wood.

[@safffff1000]

Unless you have a Blaze King with an auto damper

[@elfillari]

Great tip for every logger: put a living proteins among the logs. We all remember the second world war? Pls. do not mind the endless jargon of like "that would not happen never again!" bla bla bla...there was no need for any extra heating on the camps then, so in the forest of Canada the protein will work better than any combination of the pure logs by itself!

[@johnnunn8688]

@@elfillari, please explain, ‘living proteins’?

[@JuddMaltin7]

@@johnnunn8688 I think he's talking about animal protein. The fire is sticky and very hot, smells terrible and if escaping your stove, a horrible mess. Not something very fun. Like burning eggs or a roast.

[@clareswares1]

No grate? Never seen a fire GO without one

[@tshansen]

There is alot of old traditional Scandinavian stuff that works really well. Glad you found out abut this. Cheers from Norway 🇳🇴

[@AooV]

I really Love the automatic refilling humidifier on the top of the stove there! Definitely a mod only a professional home owner would think of!!!!!!

[@joeh4295]

Mine in a 2 gallon copper kettle

[@PatIreland]

How is it *automatically* refiilling?

[@AooV]

​@@PatIreland ahhh you must be one of them east coasters!!! (no hate all love!) (chimney is not sealed yet lol)

[@dgodrummer8110]

@@joeh4295 yep, me too, mine is a big camping stock pot... easy peasy, no extra cost.

[@elvinadhludhlu5380]

The nice thing is that, this method works just as great on a fire pit. You just pile the big logs at the bottom and pyramid it half size upwards from there. The firestarter at the top surrounded by dry twigs, and flammable leaves if the weather is being moody.

[@sikajaperkele]

Not to mention there's a lot less smoke.

[@ericlee8231]

Thats the way my norwegian grandpa taught me to stat fires with the top down method I love blowing peoples minds with it hahaha

[@espears6606]

My Grandmother taught me this way in the 80's,used it every since,I even challenged well seasoned Boy scouts to a fire building contest,blew the minds 👍

[@mattcanfield6384]

Same here this is how I've always done it

[@matthewr2361]

Wish you were around my house in the mornings when I was a teenager, Eric! I used to have to wake up and start the fires on frigid northwest winter mornings. The house was about 40 degrees from the fire being out all night and I always had to stick around the fire for the first 30 minutes to an hour or so before it really got going good!

[@Cementhead48]

I am 72. Have been doing it the old way forever until I learned this a few months ago. Amazing isn,t it?

[@ericphelps1686]

I'm old as well but grandpa tought me this with sawdust & old wax .

[@shashakeeleh5468]

But where did he put the firestarters?

[@Cementhead48]

@@shashakeeleh5468 on top

[@chachadodds5860]

@@crazypeoplearoundtheworld304 WoW! That's just cold-hearted, and cruel, young whipper-snapper. Just wait till you get there; then you'll realize that 72, isn't all that old, out-dated, OR useless. Especially, if one stays active, and lives a healthy lifestyle. You ought to be thankful there are still some old geezers around to teach you how to survive the coming apocalypse... without your phone, to Google the answer.

[@davidfagerberg9283]

@@crazypeoplearoundtheworld304 what a douche.

[@AlbaWeinman]

I’m 65 and have never used a wood stove or fireplace in my life. I just bought a house with a wood stove and the temperature is dropping. I always save my dryer lint in a bag next to my dryer so I’m all set to try this. Thank you!!! I’m so glad that I ran across your video!

[@Dragons_Novel]

When I saw the caption, I had to watch to see what you were doing. I've been making a one-match fire for about 30 years. This is similar to what I do: different size wood all goes in before it's lit. Put the work in at first, then walk away or sit and watch it come to life. My layers are the same except I add another one with larger pieces on top. I keep all my dryer lint for starting fires, too. Why is it grey? Don't know. For hiking, I take along waxed paper instead of lint because waxed paper lights faster than any material I've used. I can ignite it easily with a ferro rod.

[@krustysurfer]

Awesome information thank you

[@sherylhaggerty9770]

Wax paper is fine if your stove does not have a catalyst (which can be poisoned by accelerants, colored ink, etc)

[@pbondcasa]

This video changed my life! 😁 I have not started my daily fire any other way since I watched it. Now, I didn’t use the dryer lint/egg carton addition. However, the stacking method is flawless!!! I work for a flower shop and I use the mounds of newspaper our flowers are packed in each week as my ignition aid. Thank you for sharing!!

[@wranglerstar]

You and me both Paula, this is the only way to start a fire,

[@pamelaporter3683]

I reuse my egg cartons instead I use empty toilet paper rolls packed with dryer lint and wax. Thanks for the video, I intend to surprise my husband with this new method. Will no longer need to save paper mailers from grocery stores or buy fatwood. Looks like there's no smoke this way also. Awesome, thanks!

[@evelynmahoney3569]

This blew my mind too. Same as you, i was SO Stoked* after 5 days in a row and no fails! (*No pun intended! Lol.) It's been about a year now. 100% counter-intuitive. Totally Amazing.

[@tettivestberg2989]

I’m from north of Sweden and learnt this method as a child. You never fail, my granny used to take a pice of a candle in a pice of paper as a fire starter. Your idea was brilliant 🤩

[@computerjantje]

Yep we in The Netherlands call this the Swedish method :)

[@davidrice3337]

learnt ? that's how we say it in Ky - who knew ?!?

[@davidrice3337]

@@computerjantje I thought weed was legal over there - yall should have plenty of sticks and stems ...

[@anthonyspadaro7731]

An easier way to split those logs is use a hatchet and a 3lb mini sledge hammer. I just position the hatchet where I want the split and tap it in with the hammer. Once it is started it doesn't take much pounding. That way you have precision sizes you want, it's safer than holding the log while get that first hit if it wasn't cut straight and you don't run the risk of it slipping off and hitting a boot or shin. Just a quick tip I learned for my wood stove.

[@Sadowsky46]

I learned that hitting an axe with a sledgehammer will open the eye

[@ajizum82]

Haha, just look away, wear glasses, and yell highhhh-ya to deaden the "PING"

[@Sadowsky46]

@@ajizum82 indeed! I just realized that my sentence has two meanings 😉

[@ajizum82]

@@Sadowsky46 very nice. Lol

[@celt3965]

Dont EVER do this. That axe will send off metal fragments. A guy I know lost an eye...shard went clean through. If it hits you somewhere else it is similar to being shot. Do NOT do this.

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

In scouting this type of fire starter [& others] is taught to the kids/boys and I hope some of them still have a few in their patrol boxes. Birch bark has enough flammable oil in it to act that way on its own..even if wet. Only thing is to avoid ringing the tree when harvesting the bark ... cut smallish vertical strips so the tree can recover. The small fire working from bottom up was used for cases outdoors where wind or air moisture could extinguish the small flames; also when wood on top needed a little drying out. With a wind and moisture proof environment like your stove the top down method makes a lot of sense. The Swedes also use a car tire to hold their log sections together while splitting. Nothing jumps away needing pickup pickup pickup. They sit the tire on top of tree sections to begin with to avoid all the wasted energy kneeling, bending up and down etc.

[@eatwhatukiii2532]

I have been doing fires this way for years, with small on top, big on the bottom, and a simple wadded up newspaper as fire-starter. A wood stove owner should know how to start a fire from any direction, top down, upside down, sideways, whatever. A little note here about kindling is that if you harvest your own trees, when you are cutting the tree up into stove-length pieces, continue cutting the skinnier branches as well (a kid with some bush cutters can do this) and stack them to dry for kindling. No need to split up a good chunk of firewood on a cold morning to get a fire started, and it helps eliminate the huge pile of branches left behind. The smaller twigs can even be composted or used as fill for low spots on your property. Waste not, want not. What exactly is a “professional home owner”???

[@lukequigley121]

For kindling ,i go around my my 5 acres n pick up down branches 2in down to 1/4in 4,6,8 ft. long and chop saw them to length..Makes yard cleaner looking, cheap also..

[@anvilsbane]

A professional home owner is what he is. A guy that explores different ways to do things around the place, and shares what works for him on KZbin. It’s literally his job. And he’s been VERY successful.

[@robjohnson5833]

For me the branches are essential, if I wanna crank up the temperature I just put a few handfuls in

[@iceeman32y]

I consider myself a HOME MOANER!

[@anvilsbane]

@@iceeman32y A house is a full time job, certainly.🤣

[@cutlerylover]

I learned about the "upside down" fire a few years ago getting into all the bushcraft stuff and most fires I make for fun is this style they work very well :)

[@muncieboy68]

this is how i start all my fires now ( heat my house with wood ) and if i dont have any small kindling i just make sure i put a large piece of wood on the bottom of my fire starter and it builds a nice big bed of coals so anything you throw in lights right up and theres heat below it. works great

[@colingomez8949]

Hey Jeff.

[@sandywieringa4434]

Upside-down fire. My favorite fire lay.

[@iansmith2921]

Your great

[@Kevin-hc2zl]

I was just going to write that and saw you had already done so. I love to watch the Bush craft vids!

[@jonathansturm4163]

Another little trick I discovered in my 40 years of cooking on a wood-fired stove. Place a folded sheet of newspaper on top of your stack of kindling. This keeps the initial heat where you want it, in the skinny “morning sticks”. When the newspaper catches fire that creates a strong rush of air up the flue increasing the rate of burning just like blowing air into the stack of kindling.

[@699hazard]

I used to do this when I was a teenager. Cody you should get one of those self powered fans that you sit on the fireplace they run off the hot air.

[@thomaslindroos1667]

They run of the heat difference between the top aluminium finned piece and the aluminium bottom plate

[@tnt666tnt]

I have two and they're a novelty

[@699hazard]

@@tnt666tnt so they don't move much air?

[@modifiedchevy]

@@699hazard the one I had was a joke as far as air movement. Not enough angle to the blades and if you bend them more it doesn't have the power to spin them lol

[@CJINW]

Ben LePage do you use one that you like?

[@stoneinthefield1]

Old school coffee cans were used for everything like survival cooking, disposable cook pot, nail & screw storage etc. I would like to see them come back. Great tool.

[@davidwevans4132]

I have been using the Folgers coffee red plastic coffee cans for storage of nails, screws, hardware, among other things. The so- called 3 lbs coffee can is now a 2 lbs, 1.9 oz can. They hold up pretty well, and have a snap on lid. The 1lb can, Now 13 oz, is also useful. They don’t rust. Also, Don Francisco coffee comes in a 13oz steel can, with a plastic lid. Also, Chock Full of Nuts, comes in larger can, with plastic lid (as someone earlier in the replies has stated). Don Francisco coffee cans I use, but don’t care much for Chock Full of Nuts Coffee.

[@jcdines8864]

from Mike Schneider 8 months ago Just a heads up to Chock full o’Nuts Company is now making all steel cans available again

[@greybone777]

Libbey County gravy and chip beef can be ordered in no.10 steel cans.

[@stoneinthefield1]

@@greybone777 good to know. Thanks.

[@cayankeelord3730]

For fire starters, go to your local thrift store and get an old metal perk coffee maker and buy old used candles. Melt the candles in the coffee pot and pour from it. If you can, go to a cabinet or carpenter's shop and get a trash bag full of wood shavings. Pack those into the paper egg cartons then pour some melted wax onto the shavings. I've found that one half of an egg carton cell is more than enough to get a fire going.

[@IsraelistheJewsland]

In my area we catch our own eggs and store them in styrofoam and some times plaster molds, with this swapped ingredient change anything?

[@motzmare1]

I usually start fires like this even outside because it gets the fire off the cold wet ground

[@lcsshoop]

Cody, can you also go back to the wall tent fire and let us know how that little box did on warming up the tent in an hour? I’ve got a bigger box for a smaller 10x16 tent and sometimes we gotta open the flaps and go outside because it will heat us out even when it is only 10 degrees outside.

[@ONEIL311]

If u don’t have saw dust, dryer lint or a egg carton. The cardboard tube in the middle in toilet paper roll mixed stuffed with paper towels works great

[@hannibalbrennum4425]

There is another advantage: this method will grow hot at the top right away burning off the particles coming from below. This means venting a lot less particles to the air (something your neighbors might appreciate)

[@itsa67]

Thanks for sharing this - like you I can’t believe I’ve never thought of this! Just did this today in my shop - what a difference. I loaded it up and didn’t touch it for about two hours - perfect low maintenance heat!

[@bigboss-tl2xr]

Excellent! 50 years of building fires and never did one upside down, now it's my preferred way. Thanks for a new technique Cody!

[@andrewblankley8115]

No, you were burning upside down for (0 years now you are burning the right way up! 😂

[@bigboss-tl2xr]

​@@andrewblankley8115Right!? Hahahahah😂

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

That’s a good method. I haven’t had to “start” my fire for a week. I have welders gloves and to metal buckets. I let the fire slow down in the late afternoon. I scoop out a good amount of coal base and put it in one bucket and it goes outside. I scoop the rest of the coals and ash into the second bucket and it goes outside. I clean the tray and sweep up. Bottom pieces go in then the coal base goes on top. Kindling goes on top of that and it lights up. Works great, no smoke from the coals and less kindling to split

[@winstonsharpe4080]

couldn't be without my welding gloves next to the fire and mine doesn't go out often either and if it does I just drop one fire lighter in the middle and cover it with a layer of charcoal and in no time I have red coals, dont even have to split kindling anymore!!

[@sheenavaughan2717]

I use damp slack. Just a small shovel of it in the evening and it merrily simmers all night. Also if I don’t clear the ash out, I’ve discovered that the wood burner keeps hot for 2 days and warm for a further 3. After 5 days I was able to clean the burner out but only into a metal bucket as the ashes were still warm. I left the bucket in the kitchen and used it for heat rather than turn the radiator on. Love frugality lol

[@F-15spec]

Learned this on my own about eight years ago. From a cold start, I can achieve 575 degrees Fahrenheit in my wood stove between 15-20 minutes. Basically got it down to a science. My first two years with a wood stove was a different story, with much frustration and trial and error. Love your videos, and the sacrifices you and your family have made throughout the years. God bless you.

[@mesenteria]

A decent fire, started slowly, gets up to that temperature inside of 4 minutes. What you DO NOT want to do is to get a raging fire started in a metal stove. Like the boiler on a steam locomotive, you need to let the welds and thicknesses of metal, which do vary BTW, accommodate the ranges of temperature...over time.

[@F-15spec]

@@mesenteria Thanks for the advice!

[@michaelwalsh9145]

@@mesenteria do you mean cast iron stove? Cast iron will crack if it cools too fast.

[@redwood7121]

You don't want your fire to get to hot to quick. You will Crack your bricks and can warp your fire box.

[@GregGonzales-qf4mr]

LOVE IT. Been lighting my soft stone Vermont Woodstove for 20 years and been doing it wrong. Just learned something new today. A great tip for our Canadian frigid winter.

[@baul0010]

I can't stop looking at the water on the floor now. You shouldn't have told us about it!

[@ryankimball6030]

That's crazy, I didn't notice the whole video. Read your comment, went back to look, and couldn't believe I missed it. Crazy.

[@SkiB84]

when did he tell us? i saw the water but never heard him talk about it...

[@terrymacleod6882]

@@SkiB84 last video. no roof flashing . been too rainy.

[@SkiB84]

@@terrymacleod6882 Thanks Terry, I actually just finished watching that one. now i know what people meant :)

[@Scotty_in_Ohio]

@@terrymacleod6882 thanks - I remember now I was thinking that there was water entering from around the foundation.

[@KinderYacht]

My Dad taught me this, but he laid the medium down first, Big next, Medium, then kindling. That allowed the coals to fall down and air to go under the bottom row. Pretty much same technique. We had a huge fire place, so maybe that was needed for that vs woodstove? Love your content. God bless you brother

[@joh22293]

Nice demonstration. I'm still a bottom-upper and probably going to stay that way as my methods produce the exact same result for the exact same effort 100% of the time, so why change. The key to any fire is setting light to the small stuff, that being surrounded with medium stuff, and then that lights the big stuff and you can construct a fire in one go to do this, reliably and without it needing attention, whether it's top-down or bottom up. One suggestion, a froe with a mallet is a slightly quicker, much safer and definitely more precise way of producing kindling/sticks and I just keep a chunky hunting knife by the fire to make the shavings that get everything started.

[@lindalepage2302]

That's a lot of kindling for one fire. I use dryer lint stuffed in TP rolls or a it of news paper and way less kindling. But we also use the upsidedown method

[@durtykimmi9579]

You can lay two or three solid pieces of wood on top of the kindling. Thats how i do it and you can make it last over two hours that way. Just a tip.

[@thebrowns5337]

Why are you guys doing that! Have you wife build the fire...

[@426superbee4]

Your need a iron stand to put your logs on. I love my log grate, It helps the logs burns. Another thing a must to have is? A Bellow! helps giving it air to start. 1 More Tip. Never set fire wood next to a wooden wall or your wooden HOUSE! REASON? The logs still holds on Insects. Like Termites and Carpenter Ants. Set the fire wood next to any wood. They will go to it as well. Next thing you know 👀 NO MORE WALLS

[@MarkRVillano]

I love watching channels like this one, and Off Grid Homesteading with "The Boss". It's like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood for adults.

[@Bushkangaroo59.]

I use “birch bark” for kindling, it gets a fire 🔥 going quickly!

[@beebob1279]

Oils in it really get it going

[@polarbear4612]

Makes a ton of creosote and will gum up your chimney.

[@Polydeukes68]

@@polarbear4612 That is why you throw some pine and/or spruce in there once a while. They help to keep the chimney cleaner.

[@RobertsMind]

This is almost spot on how I do it with my stove. I do a mix in our camp fire. For my camp fires I do the large and medium then build the Teepee ontop of that base. We also always have a grocery bag or two full of dryer lint. We take it with us when we go hiking or camping since even the two stick friction fire starter is easier with dryer lint. Great video. Keep the awesome and educational content coming.

[@koorbloh]

I do the "upside down" fire like that in my soapstone stove. It's really handy and I find it way more fool-proof on starting fires for when I was learning to use a stove. I used to fill my living room with smoke and my wife was NOT happy, but with this method, and a little extra work in the kindling department, my fires are a one match affair.

[@prdoohan]

I do an upside down-upside down version. I place a scrunched piece of newspaper and kindling between the large logs on the bottom, then fillet-stack kindling across them and then fillet-stack the slightly larger "second wood" on top. My theory being that heat and flames rise, so the energy from the kindling might as well go upwards and directly into the seconds wood, which then burns through and drops down into the pre-heated large logs at the bottom.

[@wobblysauce]

@@prdoohan That is a way to do it if you don't have fully dried wood.

[@danijelvalentic]

Been using the top-down method in my open fireplace for years and it works really well for all the listed reasons (heating up the chimney, low maintenance). If you can fit it try to squeeze in more layers of bigger wood in the bottom (e.g. between your first and second layer) and place wood closer together. This will give you even more burning time since layers will ignite one after another and not so much all at the same time

[@MsSawfiler]

Ive had woodstoves for 35 yrs in Northern Canada, i only use 3 pieces of kindling, place them as an x then the final piece in the middle accross the top of the X. then, one piece of hardwood on each side but be sure the split edge is facing the x, the outside of the tree (sapwood) is harder to catch fire even if its dry. Finally i put a wedge shape on top with split side pointing at the top of the X. I just light with a torch, paper is optional, this pattern creates a tunnel for the fire to travel the full length of the wood, with the door slightly open.

[@lindsayheyes925]

My favourite household firelighter is a handful of paper from my office shredder. I never throw it away, just keep it in poly bags that hang in my coat cupboard until I need it for a fire, whether indoors or out. Thanks for this technique, we're decorating a new staff room for my business, and it has a wood burning stove for that homely touch.

[@ironrose888]

Yes we use our old bills and junk mail. I find it more secure and satisfying 😆

[@johnnunn8688]

How about putting it in a paper bag, then don’t have to remove it, just put the whole lot in; no mess, no bother.

[@lindsayheyes925]

@@johnnunn8688 I can compact it in a plastic bag.

[@hattman2010]

Me: carefully waiting for the subtle trick to start a fire. Author: pulls out MAPI torch and blasts away. :-)

[@jamesfloyd1864]

That's my secret, too. Don't fool around wasting time.

[@louismccloskey]

Lol I thought the same thing!

[@patricke170]

Haha yeah a road flare works too. It’s a big 15 minute match.

[@vincebennett8460]

Yeah i just use a torch on some kindling.

[@phredphlintstone6455]

Ground flowers...the firework that spins around. Just angle it so it wont spin. Or those little flashy ones...the ones that look like a welders flash.

[@davidbertrand9958]

I dig a narrow trench in the ash, from the front to the back, of the stove. In the trench, I place a small 1" cube of fat pine. On top of the fat pine, I place small pieces of wood kindling that I know will catch fire easily. I then place my split wood chunks on top of that. I light the fat pine with a propane torch. Once I know it's burning well, I shut the door with the damper fully open. The split wood has a nice hot fire under it and it easily catches. I use way less split kindling wood than in the video and I dont have to worry about coming back in an hour. I like the dryer lint idea and will use it when/if I run out of fat pine.

[@derwoodff64]

Not trying to start anything here but at least us “east coasters” could split a piece of fir! 😁😁😁

[@T.Dubya311]

And we Hoosiers know a knotted-up piece of firewood when we see it (-;

[@derwoodff64]

@@T.Dubya311 haha yeah but I’m not giving him any slack!

[@paulpysher11]

Actually, us east coast Pennsylvanians use anthracite...but that's toooo hot for a west coast man!! 😊😊

[@T.Dubya311]

@@derwoodff64 I'm just being facetious. I enjoy watching his videos.

[@derwoodff64]

@@paulpysher11 I’m an ex pennsyltuckian, moved south years ago. But yes we burned coal also when I was living at mom and dads. Funny thing when I moved out they switched to NG. Dad said it was easier!! Haha

[@jermball12345]

In boy scouts we made Fire starters with egg cartons saw dust/ wood chips and wax

[@beltrams]

Top down burns much cleaner from the start. When you put the big pieces on top (the "regular way"), the small fire below struggles to heat the big ones too early, and a lot of smoldering happens. That creates extra creosote in a cool chimney. It also smokes up the yard and neighborhood. Top-down doesn't rush to heat too much wood, too, soon, before the fire is ready and, thus, doesn't make a smoky mess inside and out.

[@MartinFluteCompany]

Hint, if you see a knot on the outside of a piece you're chopping don't cross chop it. Strike it from the bark side of the wood to the center of the knot hole and it will split around that deep branch root buried deep into the tree. That mean one you mentioned would have been cake. Same thing with the one you gave up on, see the knot, go with it not against it. After heating my 1893 two story Victorian house with no insulation using ONLY wood, a person learns a trick or two. Also put a ceiling fan above your stove it will distribute the heat much better.

[@sweet65mustang]

Yeah, you'd think he'd be more aware of stuff like that but as much of this stuff as he does, he always seems like a novice.

[@jakebredthauer5100]

@@sweet65mustang He is always trying new things.

[@sweet65mustang]

@@jakebredthauer5100 tell me you've never split wood without telling me you've never split wood.

[@jakebredthauer5100]

@@sweet65mustang Is that a question or what?

[@sweet65mustang]

@@jakebredthauer5100 you don't know that meme? I was saying that your comment made it sound like you have never chopped wood. Chopping through a knot is not something new to try.

[@darkoflight4938]

Greetings from Sweden! Yep, this is how we have done it for for ages. It takes care of it self and meanwhile you can take care of wild animals, brown or black bear, elk and crazy women.

[@shashakeeleh5468]

But where did he put the firestarters?

[@elizdonovan5650]

@@shashakeeleh5468 watch at 6:35 and you will see where he places the fire 🔥 starters. Hope this helps. 🌲🌝☘️

[@shashakeeleh5468]

@@elizdonovan5650 I replayed and saw it. Thanks!

[@lostinmyspace4910]

I said it 11 months ago, and am coming back to see the video again. People, do not cut/chop wood on a concrete floor, and DON'T do it inside. You will produce so much sound bouncing off the walls, that it will impair your hearing. You WILL develop tinnitus in your ears. Either wear ear protection, or do it outside with ear protection. Little by little, your hearing will lessen, and you'll get constant ringing in your ears like I have developed. So I can talk, because I live it...and it's not worth it. Either foam ear plugs kept in your jacket, or buy a set of sound suppressors and keep it with your ax at all times. Good luck.

[@normalguydoesitall]

Hey, i've started a fire like this for years, greetings from Estonia.

[@RogerRabbit342]

I moved to estonia but used the same technique at home in the UK

[@beebob1279]

I guess as Americans we somehow lost our immigrant learnings.

[@stealthmaster2020]

Great video! I've seen two people cut themselves swinging at wood with a knief or axe. For the most part you pulled your hand away fast. If you are in a stressful situation you may miss. As you said "use a choping block" and always baton your kindling. I watched a person cut thru their tendon below the tumb which reqired surgry and they were miles away from a doctor. Place your blade on the wood and then use another piece of wood to hammer the blade thru the wood.

[@AK88.]

What do you mean by baton your kindling? L

[@mortsdans]

@@AK88. he means you place the blade on the wood, then smack the blade into the wood with a piece of wood. Like using a wedge and hammer, but improvised. It works well, good advice. For very small pieces you can baton with a sturdy knife too.

[@mortsdans]

@@HenrikBSWE it's easy to do especially when the wood you're trying to split won't stand up. Best to never have your fingers under the blade

[@edwilliams4793]

A bungee cord around a vertical bundle of wood will hold it upright while you split it.

[@igelkott255]

I made firestarters a long time ago. I filled egg cartons with sawdust from the shop and then melted wax into the cups. Works well.

[@erinraymond7168]

Just bought my first woodstove a couple weeks ago, this is how the manual recommended starting the fire. I was skeptical but it worked like a charm. I've only had a few fires so far but it's worked great every time so far. Pays to read the manual I guess, no Scandinavians required.

[@neilramseyer5348]

Never let fire go out. Then never need to start again :)

[@williamauger-h8o]

hi its Stevie. if you put thick logs at the bottom of your wood burner then kindling the same width then place a fire lighter down the right side of the heap. near the stoves side. then light the edge of the heap .the wood burners side creates a power full chimney. and the flames go right and the logs act like a aeroplanes wing. inviting the wood very fast

[@mr.redneck2715]

I’ve been starting fires for 70 years, Dry wood and a propane torch is all you need. If spend 5 minutes I wasted time!

[@wesbaumguardner8829]

It definitely takes a lot less thought and effort to use a torch. By the time he gets done splitting all that wood, he probably has to go outside to cool off.

[@grinchyface]

Dang we've been starting fires 1.7 million years before the propane torch, wonder how they did it

[@jameskrug9938]

I love it! I'm crowding 70 myself and I'm always amazed by the efforts young-uns go to starting a fire. Personally I use sawdust mixed with a little waste oil and she gets hot quick.

[@mr.redneck2715]

@@jameskrug9938 as we age we get work smart!

[@jonrosenow5812]

Exactly, for the last 45 years that’s all you need.

[@MrFatherT]

I’ve been doing the upside down fire for a few nights now, and it hasn’t failed me yet.

[@josephbnd974]

Years ago after we bought our first fireplace heated grate system. The people we bought it from advised us to preheat the chimney. By making a funnel with a page of a newspaper. Leaving approx. 8" +/- opening and folding over the opposite narrow end. Of course the wood had already been placed on your grate prior to this point. Then simply light the edges of the wider opening end and hold it up the chimney until the paper burns down until you can safely place it under the grate to start your kindling. Essentially poking a hole through the cold air sitting in your chimney, and this will start your draft up the chimney. Don't wait too long as we don't want to burn our fingers. I can't wait to try this top down system as it looks pretty reliable.

[@HandyMike78]

As a "professional homeowner" I appreciate the wet floor.

[@jamesolveda2202]

No need to worry about regulations the already wet.

[@MARKE911]

That is a Cardinal rule of being a “Professional Homeowner” if your floors aren’t wet you just a Novice.

[@jdub7771]

Lol best comment!

[@bigharrybushcraft8364]

Ember suppression systems come in many forms...this being the most tried and true.

[@jarkkopalosaari9825]

Noticed the Water on the floor..and the darkened lower panels parts In the wall..usually not good thing 🤔Imo.

[@brianfackrell4139]

Cotton ball and vasaline wrapped in tinfoil is my go to firestarter.

[@mikemcgown6362]

Good idea, too!

[@dimmacommunication]

True :) or a drop of Veg oil

[@shashakeeleh5468]

But where did he put the firestarters?

[@davidlipke6530]

I use dryer lint on camping trips . I put the lint in a Ziploc bag so I can light up my charcoal, which I also use the then hot coals by transferring them to a fire pit. I bring a garden mini shovel for making a fire pit and cooking grate to straddled the pit sometimes and use the fire pit for cooking . After dinner I already have a readily available camp fire. The lint is especially exceptional for back packing and trail blazing trail headers, since the lint is light in weight and natural kindling isn't always dry enough to insure ignition.

[@pmabooker]

To the trash bag of dryer lint that I've been collecting for years: You have found your purpose for such a time as this!

[@richardwiley5933]

Well said! 👍

[@skynjaydensdaddy]

And homemade fix a flat

[@wrenchandrip]

i love the big window on that stove, just being able to look at the fire like that makes it feel 20 degrees warmer

[@incredifunk]

I never let my stoves get cold. There was always hot coals in the bottom I just stacked the wood on top.

[@programmingguy6081]

I usually make my fire starters out of cotton or dryer lint with some petroleum jelly mixed into it.

[@mikemcgown6362]

I want to start by saying thank you for mentioning God and prayers. That seems to be going away now days. I'm an "old school Boy Scout" that's been building fires forever. You taught me a lesson here! I always built fires from the bottom up. Top to bottom seems like the way to go! For fire starter, you can wad up "junk mail" and stuff it in empty TP rolls. Thanks!

[@VanV0rtex]

I make firestarter out of heavy sisal rope and wax. I take the entire spool and put it in a pot and then melt wax into the pot until the rope absorbs the wax. I keep it going until the rope is completely soaked. Then pull it out to cool and put it in a gallon zip lock. When using, cut off about 4-6 inches of rope. Take about half of it and pull it apart and get it to shred into a ball of fluff. Leave a good 3 inches of solid rope. Set this under your kindling and light. The shredded will burn quick and the non-shredded will burn long.

[@kenbellchambers4577]

If you don't have old candles, it might work well to use old cooking fat instead. Just keep an egg carton with dryer fluff handy and pour a bit of hot fat on it when you are finished cooking. I will be trying this method next time I light my stove. BTW, if you gather the sticks that are lying about when you are collecting firewood, they are kindling already nearly the right size, just need to be cut to length. I kick myself for all the years that I chopped kindling when the sticks work perfectly. I even save the tiny sticks as they light so easily!!

[@mattf2545]

Bacon flavored fire starters mmmmmm 🤗

[@brianlamberson8032]

Put some sticks in paper bags you get from supermarkets, fast food, or any other source. Use twigs to sticks, and just light the bag.

[@thelazypanda1232]

New drinking game: take a shot every time he says professional homeowner

[@vincefenton]

Is Cody being ironic when referring to himself as a professional homeowner? If he’s not, what on earth is a professional homeowner 😊

[@somekid6718]

@@vincefenton it’s a joke I believe

[@vincefenton]

Some Kid - cheers for that 😊. I’m from the U.K. so what do I know 😉

[@JohnDoe-lg8sq]

I can't afford that much liquor.

[@gkarp2169]

Homesteader is the term. Hahahaha

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Great fire starter tip. This top down fire building method also works for burning piles of green brush - put a bit of dry brush on top & the fire will burn down into the greener brush in your pile.

[@theBrightman]

Once I had twin daughters, my dryer lint turned a distinct pink.

[@thecatguy4301]

Absolutely amazing. Why the hell didn't I think of this, like 40 years ago.

[@johnhire1774]

I was scrolling through videos the other night and saw this one. I was so intrigued I started a fire in my woodstove to try this out. It works for sure. I doubt I will be starting fires bottom up again. Thanks for sharing this technique.

[@OpieDogie]

I’ve had a wood stove as a primery heat soarce for yrs and have never done this, sure will try it now tho

[@jimbutler7122]

With that amount of kindling and firestarter, I could light my stove every day for a week.

[@marylewis3311]

Where has this been my whole life. Awesome. Light it and walk away. Many thanks keep the fire burning 🙏🔥🙏

[@bignose880]

This is good ole fashioned diy/howto content that brought me to this channel years back. Really happy to see it. Thanks !

[@saltyrebel2037]

Never heard it called a "top-down" fire starting method. We've always done the same technique but down here we call it a "cabin hatch" fire build.

[@jsymanzik]

One thought occurred to me while watching this video. Often times (most of the time) I'll build the typical ' log cabin' base as level and wide as I can so I can carefully place a few larger pieces on top to try and keep the heavier top logs from falling off when the kindling burns away underneath. Of course the screen or the door keeps the log from falling out of the stove or fireplace and setting your house on fire but it's a bummer when you come to check on the progress only to find that your fire burnt out because the logs fell off before they had time to catch. Always a drag.

[@franklegerski9682]

I've been doing this hack for 30+ years! You don't need lint. Just fill the egg carton with melted wax and let it cool. Then do it like you just did. Light the egg carton. Love your down-to-earth, honest videos.

[@mountainliving514]

Hmm.. I use paper and some sticks to start a fire, in a few seconds. The lint/egg carton/wax looks like a lot of work compared to grabbing a random pile of sticks from the box.

[@clydemcghee5631]

I'm with ya on that. 4 pieces of newspaper crumbled up and some kindling. I'm good.

[@arlenmargolin1650]

I think you guys are missing the point the point is that you don't have to slowly build up your fire and keep tending it this is a one stop shopping spree you just said it and forget it

[@thebrowns5337]

My mum taught me a trick her grandmother taught her for making kindling from newspaper - roll a full sheet tightly into a ribbon about anminch wide and then weave that ribbon on itself...right over left left over right etc until it's a shorter denser stick of paper. Make a few. They still light easily asmtheybare paper but they last a while in terms of burning.

[@deborahduthie4519]

I put the lint out for birds to take for nests or it just mixes in with the dirt, the egg cartons are only two per year and my candles get used down to the metal holding them. $2 for a box of 24 fire starters, so I think my time is better used in other ways. I keep the fire ticking over for three or four weeks non stop. Make some wood the right size and weight out of wax and cabbages, I’d watch that.

[@clydemcghee5631]

@@arlenmargolin1650 I only go back to put full sized logs . Usually 15 minutes or so later.

[@segua]

My wife from Manitoba has been doing this method for years minus the lint starter but uses sawdust/shavings with wax. Says First Nation people do this up north to keep them longer but with more heat as the big blocks on bottom provide a ton of more air for your big guys you throw on. Awesome someone has time lapsed it. Never got to see it, go like this. Awesome.

[@charliesprojects63]

Cody, you had mentioned before if you were starting over and just had bought acreage for the first time that you would buy a utv before you bought a tractor. You started that conversation, then got side tracked. I would be interested in your opinion on this topic.

[@chrischristenson4547]

From central texas My experience is a small tractor (20 hp to 40) or so with a front loader and a 3 point hitch is really hard to beat. I can drive about, pick up stuff, dig, disk, have an auger etc If you go with reasonable used equipment your initial cost is pretty manageable (new is pretty expensive) There is little I would trade for a front loader and a 3 point hitch

[@charliesprojects63]

@@chrischristenson4547 those were my thoughts exactly. More expensive than a used utv...but so many more applications. The utv seems like a nice to have.

[@XA-JJKILLERs]

@@charliesprojects63 that small 4x4 tractor will go more places and do more work

[@Lowellian1]

I think it would matter whether theres a lot to do (tractor-wise) on the acreage first.

[@chrischristenson4547]

@@Lowellian1 did you ever see a time when there wasn't a lot to do ;pulling carrying digging ...

[@michaelthomas4156]

I just bought a 1955 house that came with two woodstoves. Both systems appear to need a look-over by a pro. Thank you for your tips!!! - michael

[@therajuncajun6487]

Do research on parts for those stoves and replace parrs yourself.....this will save you a plenty money!

[@chrisstokley7687]

The best fire starter is : Wood chips from the chainsaw.. dried and add candle wax= buy alot big candles for cheep at used flea market shops.. 2nd hand.. crush dried mint/ or spearmint= makes whole house smell wonderful and helps with colds .

[@derek876544]

Newspaper split sticks on top small logs on top never fails me lighting mine most days

[@tylermccomber1284]

I tried that method this morning to start the stove in my small garage.Worked great lol

[@filipmatek]

If you're already using small kindling you don't need the starters, if you use more wax the starters will burn long and burn the medium log with a couple of papers on the base. Also small sticks under the big logs to add more airflow.

[@andrewblankley8115]

A couple of things, don't leave the door open for that long (as soon as the kindling is lit, close the door all the way) and don't overload with logs. It can be a problem allowing the fire to burn too hot as well as too cold. I live in rural South West France and wood is used by most people I know. There is another thing that people sometimes overlook and that is the total burn time. Usually a fire has a recommended time it should burn for and then need to cool down. As you know all metals are affected by heat and leaving running continuously could be harming your fire. Contact the manufacturers. I always burn top down its definitely the way to go good luck.

[@derrickp]

Wood stoves at least in the US are built to heat. You can burn for days on end without stopping