Last year we helped Aunty Biscuit collect pinecones which I thought was just because she likes them or she had plans to turn some of them into Christmas decorations.  They are now opened out and dried out but it turns out that some of them were earmarked as kindling for the fire.  Apparently, some people tie a bit of string to them and coat both elements in wax then they can use it as a firelighter as well.  It remains to be seen whether she gives this a go, although she does have a candle making kit to try somewhere so it is possible that when she finally does that there may be some leftovers that she could use.  For a small fee (a sprat or piece of doggie sausage each} Harrier and I are prepared to fish one of our dogfood tins out of the recycling to be used as the inside of a double boiler should it be needed.