Nice. You are a blessed man.

 

It seems like all matches are garbage nowdays. When you light them they go out before you can get to whatever you wanted to light. And don't even think about lighting one and throwing it at something you have soaked with boy scout juice.

 

About the only way I can keep the "Strike-Anywhere" matches working reliably over a longer period of storage is to dip them in melted paraffin. Keeps them from absorbing humidity, I reckon. Usually, while I am at it, and have the paraffin melted, I will also whip up some cotton balls. Using an empty egg carton, bundle up two or three cotton balls and leave a stringer of it hanging. Place them in the empty egg carton, and pour the melted paraffin over them. Makes for some little fire starter "candles", complete with their own wick.

 

Yeah - better to pack the magnesium starters - they work even when wet. Strike anywhere's aren't bulletproof - they absorb moisture from the air and then tend to be kinda fizzly. If you ever made a pea shooter from a clothespin they shoot those matches just dandy. We used to tape a "June Fart" (aka ladyfinger firecracker) to the match and make grenade launchers. The firing pin can be attached to trip wires. Would make a helluva burgler alarm - make them ruin their pants likely.

How to make a match/pea shooter

 

Even the good old Diamond matchs aren't what they use to be. The Zippo still works just fine.

 

I've got some that are old that still seems to do pretty good, but they've been wrapped in plastic for the better part of the past twenty years.

I've paraffin dipped quite a few and that does seem to help them last longer.

But nothing beats good old ferro rod fire starters and/or a wind proof zippo.

I do remember those days though IrvingD, when you could flick the tip with a fingernail and fire-one-up. Saw my grandpappy do it many times lighting his rolled cigs or a pipe. You never forget the smells, from sulfur to the Prince Albert to the Captain Black Gold on a good day ... otherwise it was Prince Albert in the zig zags and the pipe.

 

Matches is something I noticed were of higher quality back home when I came to the US. Swedish matches are of very high quality and rarely fails.

Ofc these are safety matches so maybe this is a useless post.

 

Matches is something I noticed were of higher quality back home when I came to the US. Swedish matches are of very high quality and rarely fails. View attachment 57730 View attachment 57731 Ofc these are safety matches so maybe this is a useless post.

I saw the "How It's Made" episode where they made matches in that plant and it was very interesting. They make both strike anywhere and safety matches.

 

I gave up on the matches, and rely on a bic lighter or my magnesium stick and my knife.

 

Diamonds and Ohio Blue tips were the staple in my time. Always had metal holder hanging on the wall near the wood stove. Times changed and Bic lighters came into being. Paper matches well protected in separate containers are still viable.

Learn to use a flint and steel if you want to impress any youngster.

I keep three small road flares in my pack.

Bottom line you should have brought a BIC for backup, add a common sparkler and you have a firestarter.

 

great ideas guys ! thanks for the reminders!

 

I miss the Blue Tips. I think Wadsworth still has the Blue Tip parade. That's where the factory was and the close by small city we went to for groceries and stuff. Not to long ago the local hardware still had a few boxes. I don't know how much it took to get any. They were part show I think. That store is gone now thanks to big box. I don't know what they took out of matches other then the life of 'em. One more part of the wimpy modern EPA and made in china world I guess.

 

I would give anything to of had a son to spend time like that with. God surely smiled on you the day that boy was born.

Remember when I was a boy scout we took a string and wrap up 10 always strike matches and dipped them in melted wax put them in a medication bottle. They taught us to water proof matches. I was only 11 or 12 when we did this. I am now almost 70 and have never forgot it. I know you son will never forget what you shared with him either. More over he will always remember having the fire and time with his dad. Way to go Man way to go :congrats:

444GS2

 

. Thanks He isn't mine but after four years I do my best to make up for the rough life he started off with. His mother was a victim of domestic violence and the only memory he had of his father was of him trying to kick down the bathroom door to get to his mom until the cops came.
The boy and his mom have had a rough life so I try to make up for it.

 

You can still buy strike anywhere???????????????????????????????????????? I haven't seen a box of those since the mid 90's. I used to try the seat of the pants thing and I think I only got that to work once or twice. I miss then darn things.

 

There were classified as hazardous materials a while back. Making them fall under stricter shipping and storage laws. They're nearly impossible to find in some areas, common in others.

 

I hear ya, matches these days suck. remember lighting them on your zipper? Might I suggest good fireplace matches that are cut to length. They have a big enough head to strike on brick or mortar like old times.
Zippos work well if you have a ziplock to put it in plus a tin of fluid. A 4" piece of candle works well for light, tender and heat.
I wish the pelican travel vault people would make an air (fuel) tight zippo case.

 

Best matches I ever seen is the little paper pack that come in gov.MRE meals. I have some on the deck by my grill that have been wet then dried 5-6 times, they still strike.

 

I have about 5 or 6 boxes of the strike anywhere matches. Get them from Rayles here in CA, went and checked a box and they are made in Chilie(sp). Figgers.

I also married a gal with 2 kids. Girl 14 and Boy 13. Their father ran off with some gal. This happen when the kids were 7 and 8 latter he would say he was going to take them someplace or do something but would never show up. Things were rough for them, I came along and they figgered I would have all kinds of rules. The only rule I had was dont bring drugs inside the gate. I earned their respect because I would keep my word on things I said I would do. The Girl is 33 now and the boy will be 32 in a couple mos. They both call me dad. I have been their thru a couple hospital trips for both of them due to car accidents or falling and splitting a head open (the boy), 3 grand kids with the daughter and 2 grand kids with the boy. Their father lives in the area and if he shows up at the same time I do our conversation is limited to about Hi and Bye. Have never degraded him in front of the kids.

Gun Runner

 

When I go out hunting or camping I always take a couple bic lighters

 

I'm not sure why but when I was a kid everyone called them "farmer matches".

 

I do not think the new strike anywhere matches are a sensitive as they where in the past.

 

For easy to light tender raid the dryer lint trap and stuff it in a ziplock baggy. Lights off very easily and is light to carry. Take care, John.

 

I bought one of the wicked step sisters (Rem M 14 in 32rem) of GB last month. Taking the stock off I found the hole for the screw full of stick matches. Don't know how long they were there but butt they wouldn't lite. I guess some one thought if you shot it you could cook it and not starve. The rifle came from Oregon, no barrel code so older than 1921. No finish to speak of but is tight and has a good bore. we will have to see how it shoots. WW

 

they are not what they used to be....I used to make those clothes pin guns myself---and darts, with a needle in the match stick...probably go to jail for that stuff today...you can cut a piece out of a small dia bicycle tube, gives you a thick rubber band, that will fit around a zippo, keeps the fluid in a lot longer, --- thats a thanks to the backwoodsman mag--

 

They sell the waterproofed strike anywhere matches in the sporting good stores and Wally Mart.
I keep them in the blaze orange screw cap waterproof survival container I carry with me anytime I step past the tree line.......in fact it is attached by a strong nylon cord to my belt.
If the cord becomes detached the blaze orange container sticks out like a sore thumb even in thick foliage & shrubbery.
The cap of the watertite container contains a compass and the other end is a whistle.
Could be a life saver if you wander off the trail and lose your bearings.......you say "not me"........famous last words.........bin there dun that.
The high pitched whistle carries a lot farther than the unaided human voice.

 

As far as I know they don't make strike anywhere matches anymore,they call em safety matches and you have to use the box to strike em.

 

NOPE!......they still make em.
You can strike them on a wall, the heel of your boot or anywhere that's dry.