A primed fuel is manufactured by the application of particles of a combustible primer, such as wax, to a fuel, such as charred wood. In the method and apparatus of this manufacture, fuel is transported through a deposition zone within the apparatus. A liquid supply of combustible primer is provided and formed into droplets and deposited in droplet form onto the fuel, preferably by electrostatic deposition. The primer tends to be preferentially deposited at the more readily ignitable edge of the fuel.