fire up pine blocks hexi alternatives

[spiritwalker]

okies after my original post regarding using these instead of hexi blocks i dipped into the coffers and bought a couple of bags to try. They are pine blocks with no additives and used like a firelighter but i thought they would make a good alternative to hexamine blocks due to the price. They retail at £2.99 for a pack of 72 compared with approx £2 for 8 hexi blocks.

http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx109/gjcroft/DSCF9307.jpg

please note my cup on the swiss volcano is always sooty (prior to the burn ;-0 )

They will not light from a ferro rod directly so they either need a squirt of alco gel or use matches/lighter to get them going, from which they light very easily.

http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx109/gjcroft/DSCF9309.jpg
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx109/gjcroft/DSCF9311.jpg

they burn for approx 10 mins and easily brought my cup up to the boil.
Whilst burning they put out a little bit of black smoke but nowhere near as much smoke as my previous burns with collected twigs. The water did not pick up any taste taint (which i have had with using sticks)

I used 2 blocks which pumped out enough heat to obtain a rolling boil in approx 7 mins and the blocks where still burning strong when i had finished.

To sum up i love hexamine blocks for no fuss little smoke cooking but these babies cant be sniffed at for the price...

Cheers for looking and maybe someone can resize my pics lol

[Shewie]

They look very similar to the Zip Natural firelighters I use for my stoves, I split them down with a knife into 1/4" thick slices and fold them in half for lighting.

£2.99 is a bargain for all that lot, where did you find them ?

[dave53]

where can we get them from spirit walker regards dave

[spiritwalker]

you can buy them from clas ohlsen
http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/Product/Product.aspx?id=156008407

[spiritwalker]

also they do kick out a little soot (doesnt bother me i tend to leave it on the pot to gather character) you can compare my pot at start of review to this one after the burn
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx109/gjcroft/DSCF9318.jpg

[Shewie]

you can buy them from clas ohlsen
http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/Product/Product.aspx?id=156008407

Excellent, I'm in Leeds tomorrow so I'll grab a couple on the way home.

Any other goodies in there at the moment ?

[spiritwalker]

i went to the liverpool one for mine, it may be worth a note that they where not on display had to ask for them from the stores guess they come out for summer stock as people use them to get bbq started

[Shewie]

Grabbed a couple of bags today thanks Spiritwalker

Along with a LMF Scout, a magnifying glass in a leather case, and a Mora Viking for messing about with.

[spiritwalker]

cracking stuff handy for getting the woodburner going too. After some more trials ill get a few more packs in case they disappear. I am also keen to get the match head ones saw them once in a supermarket same sort of affair with a giant strikeable head on them


Grabbed a couple of bags today thanks Spiritwalker

Along with a LMF Scout, a magnifying glass in a leather case, and a Mora Viking for messing about with.

[gsfgaz]

no stores in Scotland

[Survivalmike]

Great idea to use those blocks instead of the hexi tablets!
I tried this and I have to say I´m impressed!
I could start them with a ferrorod by scraping the surface with my knife to make it "fluffy" on the top......after that the Ferrorod could do the job also!

thx for sharing this
cheers
Mike

[spiritwalker]

ill have to give them a shot with the ferro rod now :-D

[Survivalmike]

Just another news about this blocks:
I found them in my local store with a wax coating! They sell them for the BBQ as a "tinder" or better said to lit the charcoal blocks easily!
The waxed ones are also great.......
1.) they are water resistant
2.) by scraping the surface with the knife you can also lit em with the ferrorod
3.) burntime is longer (up to 20mins.)
4.) a bit more expensive (but you need less of em because of the longer burntime)
5.) same size

A great oportunity too!

cheers from Austria
Mike