I have a number of various methods depending on materials available and conditions, but most commonly I use a sheet of newspaper, a dozen or more cedar or pine staves 1/4" or less in cross section, and half a dozen more that are from 1/2" to 1" cross section, all roughly a foot to 18" long. I'll form an inverted cone with the smallest staves, inside which I will put the crumpled newspaper and light it afire. As the wood catches and the flame envelops, I begin adding the bigger staves around the cone. While these are catching fire, I will build a square around the cone with pieces two to four inches cross section, by the time I have the square built to the top of the cone, the bigger staves have caught and are just starting to ember and I will lay some choice pieces across the top of the square enclosing the cone. I try to keep the cone built about 9" high to start with, and will use the big pieces to brace the bottom of the staves so they don't tumble around too much as the pile is consumed.

I have reasonably good success with this method, and will substitute douglas fir or hemlock for the cedar and pine kindling staves if need be with fairly consistent results. I've seldom needed more than one piece of newspaper. Of course, this take a bit of prep to cut the kindling and lay out the materials and get the cone just so, but most often I am at leisure when I am doing it, so there's no urgency. If there is, then I typically use some sort of accelerant, like charcoal lighter fluid, or dry fir needles, or pitch or bacon grease or what have you. I am then not as meticulous about making kindling and constructing the perfect cone.