as usual,I am late to the party. just going to add my nickels worth.
Charcoal briquets - I use a chimney deal, we found some that have a latch on the bottom to just drop the lit briquets out instead of pouring them out of the top. I didn't like the flying embers when pouring out the briq's on the first chimney I was gifted, but finding the drop is easier on me.
lighting them I use some of the same finely shaved cedar I use on starting my wood-stove mixed with very small kindling, and very seldom have any issues. I very seldom use anything except a stick match on the charcoal lighting.
on the other hand, I enjoy lighting my fires with the "old" methods. I grew up with a very old, very big wood cook-stove that also heated the house.
as a very young person, around 10 years old I was "assigned" the chore of ALWAYS making sure there was a few days worth of kindling in the bucket for lighting the stove.
at 12 I was running a small chainsaw and was told to make sure we had this huge area filled with firewood before I could go play on summer vacation. That huge area was probably 4 cords, but I am guessing, at that point in my life I wanted to be out in the woods playing, and it seemed to take forever to cut enough wood for it.
It apparently didn't make me hate wood heat, I actually can't tolerate anything else for heat with for very long. the feel of it, as well as the ambience will keep me burning until I can't light a fire anymore.
Current house: 25 years ago I put my first brand new stove in. house was almost two years old.
so now I usually start my fires with a spark or ember - I have even practiced using a bow drill outside, getting my ember, taking it in and getting the stove lit.
this is easier because of how dry I get my wood before putting it to work. I have notice that 4 months in the high desert we are moving to drys out the split wood to under 10%. I stacked up some fairly green splits on a summer morning over there, was working nearby, and could hear he splits cracking as they dried.
Ferro rods - we compete for 1 shot fire status guru. I have lit with a fire piston for months at a time - it makes an ember a person just has to build from.
Bringing it to life that was has been a very rewarding experience for me. I collect cedar anytime I find it - as I cut it into smaller pieces, and then using a decent knife, I shave thin strips of it as the major portion of my smallest tinder. then of course very small fir, and move into tending a full fire.
I have learned through the years - along with a moisture meter - where I live takes a minimum of 2 years for cut and split firewood to fully dry/season. logs can be down for many years, some will rot before they season out inside. very dry wood works better in any stove - moisture takes the heat up the chimney, and helps build up creosote - and we all know that is not a good thing.
Another thing I have found is even worn out cotton clothing is sometimes hard to make good char-cloth from. it appears that federal government has required fire retardant on even our clothing - I knew about furniture, but I learned about the clothing about ten years ago. char cloth with whatever nasty chemical they use doesn't take a spark well. I am hoping that it mostly stays on the cloth and isn't what has made me have to deal with skin cancer.
I spent a year in the city with electric heat and didn't care for that entire experience. I would rather live outside, and thankfully I kind of do, but I am domesticated enough to own a house.
and as a side note, I am planning on using solar water heat along with 100% solar electric, and use hydronic floor heat - but will still have a wood-stove for "backup" and Christmas eve, - just for the ambiance.
