Calling all boyscouts and pyromaniacs, can you help me light my fire?

I would try to start the conventional way: Newspaper covered over by small dry twigs. Light the newspaper with a match.Once the twigs ignite add bigger dry twigs and sticks until you have a nice little fire. Then prop your fire logs around the small fire like a tee pee. The small fire should ignite the logs. Keep adding twigs and sticks to the little fire to keep it going until the logs ignite.

What I did was pour charcoal lighter fluid on it, let it soak in for a minute. Have kindling pieces and newspaper underneath it.
And light!

maybe fan it with a magazine or blower fan if it doesn’t catch.

Do the logs feel damp? If you’re not ready to use them, let them bask under the sun to dry out. Another way to help a log start kindling is to shave notches on the sides of the log that will easily catch and burn.

I did have a good fire of kindling going beneath the log. They are not like duraflames with the paper wrappers. They are like a heavy, dense compressed sawdust with some sort of coating.

The box said to use a hammer and chisel, and hack a few slices off to use as kindling but what a major pain in the ass…..I thought the firestarter sticks would be enough. Well crap..guess I’ll try to hack some slices off and see if that works along with a shot of lighter fluid and extra paper and kindling…jeez…good thing my life isn’t dependent on a fire….haha

You are in trouble if you can’t get a Duraflame to light. I use those all the time. Get a refillable lighter and some butane or whatever gas it accepts and light the bag the log is in on fire in a few different spots. The log will catch on fire on its own. No need for lighter fluid or anything else. If you are outside and it is very damp or windy, just forget it.

@Coloma It sounds like you didn’t buy logs that make fire, you bought kindling material to help get fire started. Read the packaging carefully and let us know. If it is the latter, it will not make a warm toasty campfire by itself.

Hmm…I am reading further down and it sounds like you already know this. Here is a decent article on how to get fire going. If the wood is damp it will be a lot harder.

Jet fuel and a tank of oxygen from a welding supply shop.

@lilikoi

No, they are big heavy synthetic campfire logs, but not duraflames.

The pyrolites are compressed sticks for starting. The package says to slice off peices to use as kindling, then add the half of log plus another one after the first ignites. They are are real pain in ass, trust me! hahaha

I should have stuck with the duraflames but decided to try these, so now, if I can’t find a good methodology I guess I will buy regular duraflames and then see if these will burn on top of those.

Are you talking about the compressed sawdust type logs that sell for $7.99 for 40 pounds?
They must go into an existing fire. They work great in an air tight wood burning stove – once the fire is already going. Until you get the temp up you have to burn conventional material.

what @worriedguy said.

Besides, the real stuff is cheaper and more fun to burn.

@worriedguy

Thats it!

Well shit…I have learned to not buy these logs again. I am trying to start them in a clay kiva fireplace on my deck, so I guess there is not enough heat being generated to light them. I will try to use them on top of the regular duraflames once they are burning well.

They are a great idea if used in the right application. They are clean, take up less space than wood, are insect free however, they have that one little problem…
They usually have some “green sounding” name pressed into their end like: ECO or BIO.
.

I always used wood i split myself, i’m not familiar with these imitation logs. Sounds like moisture. Try putting dry grass or newspaper under the wood and than maybe sprinkle some lighter fluid on top, if its moist it will be tough to start, try letting the logs dry in the sun or some heat source for a day if you have to.