Is it just me?

[Chris]

Chemicals used in them were banned in the EU which we were still part of at the time(if this is tempting you to be political, just don’t, I am merely stating the reason) in 2018 and they’ve stopped making them altogether across Europe and the UK.

In the US they have Diamond brand Strike Anywhere matches but they are very expensive. Like £7+ per pack if you can find them.

 

[Tengu]

Is there any particular advantage of strike anywheres?

(Except the obvious one)

 

[Toddy]

In some circumstances that utter reliability, and that includes that even if they get damp, and are dried out, they'll still strike, is a good thing.

The world changed though. Most folks no longer smoke, most folks don't light the fire every day in life, many don't even need a match to light the gas cooker.

The safety ones work, even if they are a bit naff, and not as reliable as the strike anywhere, on pretty much anything, ones.

 

[oldtimer]

I still keep matches in the house, my pack and the van but I very seldom use them. It occurs to me that as matches superseded flint and steel, matches have been superseded by reliable lighters. I don't smoke and have piezoelectric ignition in the van but I always have a minibic lighter in my pocket along with a small ferro-rod. Another lighter and a full-size ferro-rod are in my possibles pouch. They don't get used often but have been vital when needed.

i also have lifeboat matches paired to a strip of striker paper from a Bryant and May safety match box.

 

[Chris]

Is there any particular advantage of strike anywheres?

(Except the obvious one)

The only thing I've found is that I often wear through the striking strip before I get to use up all of the matches, especially on the smaller boxes. Though I very, very rarely use matches anymore. Lighters just do the job better in almost all circumstances.

 

[John Fenna]

We have matches at home - lighting the woodburner and the Rayburn (oil) stove are much easier with "Cooks" matches than the lighters I have in every jacket and bag I own...

 

[oldtimer]

I still keep matches in the house, my pack and the van but I very seldom use them. It occurs to me that as matches superseded flint and steel, matches have been superseded by reliable lighters. I don't smoke and have piezoelectric ignition in the van but I always have a minibic lighter in my pocket along with a small ferro-rod. Another lighter and a full-size ferro-rod are in my possibles pouch. They don't get used often but have been vital when needed.

tengu' query reminds me of the story my grandmother told me about an old Cornish woman she knew of in her youth who was given a box of these new-fangled matches to replace her accustomed tinder box. She was distrustful of them so decided to test every match in the box to see if they worked. They did, but she was disappointed although not particularly surprised when none of them worked the second time she struck them. She went back to her tinder box.

 

[slaine_23]

In one of the older bushcraft books (Kephart?Mors?) there’s mention of the dangers of matches, non-safety, igniting in people’s pockets with a claim that one person per year in the US would meet their fate in that way. There’s a lot to be said for lighters.
That said, esp as an ex-smoker, have you watched the state of people these days trying to light and keep lit a match? A lost art. Would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.

 

[HillBill]

That said, esp as an ex-smoker, have you watched the state of people these days trying to light and keep lit a match? A lost art. Would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.

Yeah, no clue how to strike or shield. Holding them near the end, and letting them fizz off into the air. No pressure behind the head, no cup, no box shielding. Pffft.

 

[Broch]

We have matches at home - lighting the woodburner and the Rayburn (oil) stove are much easier with "Cooks" matches than the lighters I have in every jacket and bag I own...

Agreed, how many people have burnt their thumbs on BIC lighters trying to reach in to get a stove lit?

 

[HillBill]

Agreed, how many people have burnt their thumbs on BIC lighters trying to reach in to get a stove lit?

I use one these (well, same sort of thing) One is always in my pack, house or workshop for the woodburner. (since i quit smoking anyway lol)

https://www.diy.com/departments/diall-long-flame-gas-lighter/1274234_BQ.prd?storeId=1093

 

[Falstaff]

I now have to show my customers how to light a stove without burning themselves with said lighter. Amusing seeing their lightbulb moment...

 

[Barney Rubble]

The good ol' one match fire is still a great skill to practice from time to time.

 

[GreyCat]

I use matches every day for the woodburner or Rayburn. Usually the long cooks matches, but also have some extra-long ones. Recently bought a "zip" long refillable butane lighter in the local Tesco (other half always has butane cans about for his portable soldering iron), it is brilliant for lighting the wood burners.

Matches are an art, and so are some of the "eco" firelighters (the ones that look a bit like chocolate blocks). Wood wool ones light more easily- I use those for the wood burners- but I prefer the old-fashioned smelly paraffin based ones for lighting the coal fired Rayburn. Different lightings styles too- top down for wood, bottom up for coal.

Sorry, I appear to have meandered off on a little side path.....

The extra-long matches i have (they are about 20cm long) are "strike anywhere" type.

GC

 

[slaine_23]

Yeah, no clue how to strike or shield. Holding them near the end, and letting them fizz off into the air. No pressure behind the head, no cup, no box shielding. Pffft.

make sure not to strike it in towards your body in case you go on fire!

 

[Tengu]

Shut the box first!

 

[Pattree]

Pedantry Warning!!!


This is from the opening sequence of every Maigret episode starring Rupert Davies.
He has just appeared out of the dark by striking his match against a brick wall - something he couldn’t have done in 1960’s France as all matches were safety matches there after WW2.

It was the black and white equivalent of Shatner’s split infinitive at the start of Startrek.