Safety matches stricking other than on the box?

[scottishwolf]

Hi guys, been a while since I've posted and been out and done anything due to health but i'm heading up to Loch Etive for a few days fishing with some mates and was wondering........


I've made a few of them cartridge match cases over the past few months and it seems like an impossibility to find strike anywhere matches to put in them. All we have is waterproof tesco safety ones and was wondering if there is any other way to strike safety matches other than on the box they come in???

 

[scottishwolf]

Basically, waterproof matches are great unless the box they come in gets wet then you're stuffed.......As far as I know.

 

[Mike Ameling]

I've made a few of them cartridge match cases over the past few months and it seems like an impossibility to find strike anywhere matches to put in them. All we have is waterproof tesco safety ones and was wondering if there is any other way to strike safety matches other than on the box they come in???

The basic answer is no. Modern strike-anywhere matches have two different chemical compounds on their tips - thus you see that white end and a blue or red main part. It is a combination of those two chemical compounds that ignite when the heat of friction is applied. "Safety" matches have only one of those compounds on the match tip, with the other chemical compound being on the striking strip on the box. You see the same thing on matchbooks. They only ignite when you scratch one against the other.

Some people have gotten around this problem with carrying safety matches in a match case by cutting off a section of that "striking" strip from the box and gluing it somewhere on or in the match case.

Strike Anywhere matches were pulled by many retailers because of ... alleged ... fears that kids were cutting the heads off to make things that go boom. But walk into any grocery store and buy three (or 4 depending upon formula) common household items and you can make a bigger/better b*mb than you might ever be able to make from stick matches. Classic over-reaction by politicians trying to prove that they are actually doing something for their job.

I can still find them here, but I live in a pretty rural area. You might try looking in at the local farm supply store.

Just my humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[andy_e]

I'm sure you can still buy Swan Vestas.

 

[ANDYRAF]

Try the safety matches on some glass I heard somewhere that they do sometimes ignite.

 

[Tengu]

There are plenty of swan vestas about.

(or put the saftey strip in the case. it needs to be dry anyway.)

Some match strips work better than others. you will have to experiment

 

[crazydave]

try supermarkets or places like wilkinsons if they have those up north as they tend to sell multipack boxes of swan v's

if your carefull you can glue safety strikers to the outside of a case if you peel the cardboard off the back carefully and use a waterproof glue.

 

[Mesquite]

(or put the saftey strip in the case. it needs to be dry anyway.)

If you do put the striking strip inside the case just make sure you put in such a way that the match heads don't rub together of you might end up with a mini bonfire when you least expect it!!!

If you look in British army ratpacs you'll see that they are sealed seperately