re: Pine knot is amazing stuff

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In my neck of the woods we call that "fat lighter" but it is usually a sap hardened stump.

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So how does one harvest it? Cut a chunk of the trunk off?

Was introduced to this by my father-in-law. He calls it fat pine. Always keep some at home to start fires.

usually you can pull the whole stump out or break a big piece off.
or you can find long limbs or trunks that have rotted down to the heart

I have old pine stumps all over my property I just go break a piece off when I need it. You guys that are burning a bunch of it in your fireplaces (like I do) should make sure and get your chimney cleaned every two years or so

yes older than that.
most of the stump will be rotted away leaving the sap hardened core.

go take a stroll thru any pine woods and you’ll find some. Bring an axe and a pick or drain spade. If you don’t want to work too hard look for very old fallen trees with just the skeleton of the heart left

My sister's boyfriend from Dallas was looking for some when they visited. Walked behind my mother's house about 50 yds. and got a bucket full. He was fascinated at that.

now we just need them to bring back pine oil and dipping vats

My grandfather and I used to walk in the woods looking for " Lighter Pine" when I was a child. Some we could drag out by hand, some we would have to fire up the old Ford 8N tractor. Great memories

Seen quite a few like that on the way down to the creek bottoms.

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yes older than that.

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Not necessarily. I had a sand pine taken down and the lower sections made good lighter just a year or two later. They weren't the dark orange/yellow color but you could light them with a match. No doubt the old stuff is better, but 5 years old can be perfectly functional.

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Greatest free fire starter ever. We always had a pail of cut up slivers ready for use.

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Dryer lint works pretty good too.

But nothing beats diesel.