I would agree, a candle, especially the "no snuff" variety would start a fire just as well, but they don't work as well for zipper pulls or shoelaces. I am sure a candle will melt and degrade if used to wrap the handle of a knife, although I have not tested that proposition.

The point is that if you are using pcord for stuff like ZPs, it might as well be the stuff with the pretty red strand inside, because you then have more options for starting a fire. I definitely keep the fire starters formerly present in my kit -you cannot have too may options when it becomes vital to start a fire - voice of experience speaking.

And when you need to have a fire and warmth or signaling or whatever, you can be sure that you will need to start this fire under exceedingly unfavorable conditions. Stack the deck in your favor.

Since I am foaming at the mouth in my ecstatic praise of this stuff, I should add that I have no commercial interest, not even a little bitty emolument, involved in this product.