Picture of a coal mouse

With all the talk last season about a coal mouse on the forum, I thought I would post a picture of what they look like.

I don't see Mickey, what are we looking at?

The ones I used to get actually looked like a mouse - you would light his tail!

can you use these to light nut anthracite?

On these you just light the fuse that is sticking out, and they burn very hot for about 10 min. I would think you could light any coal with one. $1 each and no smell.

I have a gallon container of barley size coal just for starting and cover my mouse with a little , after the mouse has been burning for five min I add a little rice coal on the fire and within 30 min my stove is running full force.

i use to use paper and wood for mine and it was tricky. i asked my dad what he used and he showed me this little bag that you would get for penny candy. he gave me some of them to use. i ripped one open and it was filled with tinder and some other finely chopped up stuff. when i went to light the fire the next time i put a bed in the stove threw the bag on top and lit it. to my amazement all it did was smolder and smoke up the basement and it did nothing. when i called him i told him what happened and he laughed at me. what he didnt tell me was that after lighting the bag i needed to cover it lightly with coal and turn the fan on. as the coal starts to ignite throw some more coal on and that was it. by using these bags now its about 10 minutes and the fires burning. i asked him what they were called and he said "stoker starters" and you can buy them at ace hardware. i think they are just a local thing since we are located in the heart of coal region. i will try to get some more info on them and see where they are made and marketed.

yeap they burn super HOT.. Dealer told me once that when lit they burn around 3000 degrees.I have used them to start a old hand fired stove..Placed the mouse on top of some nut coal then some rice coal over the mouse. With in 10 min had the coal burning

Here is a link to an ebay auction for coal starters.


http://cgi.ebay.com/Rice-Coal-Stoker-Fi ... dZViewItem


Greg L

Thanks for the picture of the mouse. I'm having an awful time starting my new Alaska 140, and from what I read here, the mice are for me. But where do I find them. I can't find them on Google.

Try eBay - there is usually an auction going for them - search under 'firestarter rice coal' or something like that.

There's also another thread on here about starting a stoker in the stoker forum - good stuff there. I just use lump (natural) charcoal and 20 seconds of a propane torch on it.

it's easiest to just not let the fire go out

Thanks, europachris

I'll shop for lump charcoal is I can't find the mice.

Here is a good source, although I prefer the plain old charcoal as Chris stated. Just read the thread on lighting a stoker and you will find plenty of experience represented.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rice-Coal-Stoker-Fi ... dZViewItem