matches

[270man]

Most outdoorsmen I know now depend upon BIC lighters or other fire starters as opposed to the lowly kitchen match. However, I still find them useful although I don't depend on them exclusively (I usually carry 3 or 4 types of fire starters when out in the wilds).

Here's my question: Have matches been changed in their chemical makeup or in some other way? My trailer is always stocked with a couple of boxes of the Diamond brand "strike anywhere" matches. In days gone by I could strike these matches on my jeans (under the upper leg when stretched tight), on a metal zipper, on a rock, etc. Some brave souls could even strike them on a tooth or with a fingernail! The current crop of matches will barely light when raked across the striker on the side of the box. Sometimes, I have to use 5-10 matches to light my camping lantern.

Many years ago, OSHA proposed to force match makers to treat their matches with a chemical retardant which would extinguish the flame in 15 seconds. This was to prevent us poor, incompetent yokels from burning ourselves. The plan was supposedly squelched, but sometimes I wonder.

Yes, I know that the solution is to buy the specialty camping matches advertisted as both windproof and waterproof. However, I wonder if any others have fought this same problem with the old standard kitchen match?

270man

[GoodOlBoy]

Two words. . . . FLINT AND STEEL

Anyway back to matches. This has been a growing trend lately in the "strike anywhere" matches. Blue tip is still the best, but yes they have gotten noticeably harder to light. Like you said I use to light them with a thumbnail.

GoodOlBoy

[skeet]

The day of the good ol Lucifer is gone. They;ve really gotten hard to light anymore.

[270man]

This is a follow-up to my first post on standard kitchen matches.

I carry a zip lock bag of fire starting materials in my hunting pack. Items included are: standard kitchen matches, book of paper matches, one or two BIC lighters, a magnesium stick (including steel to generate sparks for lighting the metal) AND some miscellaneous fire starters (both homemade and store bought). The material I now have is some stuff I picked up years ago and I have no idea what it is. However, it does burn for a while and will get small sticks to burn. I've experimented with paraffin-soaked dryer lint in cardboard egg carton sections as well as rolled-up newspaper strips soaked in paraffin. All these work but nothing seems to stand out as the "best". Highway flares are great for starting fires at base camp, and might also be okay for carrying in a day pack.

I'm curious about what everyone else carries for fire starting. Recently, I saw an article that recommended a Cabelas windproof/waterproof survival lighter. These are very small and light, have piezoelectric ignition and burn pressurized lighter fuel. Mine doesn't work reliably and can't be trusted so it will soon be returned.

Anyone else have recommendations on matches, lighters, starting materials, etc.?

Happy New Year,

270man

[gumpokc]

Like you i carry several different types.
bic lighter, zippo sometime, wooden matches, papr matches, F&S,
magnesium stick, are my standards.

have also used, the parfin soaked paper, "firepaste", home mixed firestarter powder, 2 "D" cell batteries and fine steel wool, magnifying glass, etc etc

lots of options available, all work, some better than others but all work if you practice.

[FIJI]

see here

http://www.outdoorsafe.com/


I took Peter Kummerfeldt’s wilderness and outdoor safety courses as part of an 8 day AWLS -American Wilderness Leadership School- in Jackson Hole. When I came home after field testing equipment with Peter in real life conditions I threw out MOST of the survival gear I had carried for many years.

Take time to check out his entire site. There is a wealth of FREE info here that actually WORKS. (including the ONLY matches I'll ever carry afield again !)

Part of Peter's bio:

Peter Kummerfeldt is the owner of, and chief instructor for OutdoorSafe Inc — an organization that conducts outdoor safety skills seminars, survival training programs, disaster preparation and travel safety seminars throughout the United States. Peter grew up in Kenya, East Africa and came to America in 1965 where he joined the Air Force. He is a graduate of the Air Force Survival Instructor Training School and has served as an instructor at the Basic Survival School, Spokane Washington, the Arctic Survival School, Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Jungle Survival School, Republic of the Philippines. He also served for twelve years as the Survival Training Director at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He retired from the Air Force in 1995 after 30 years of service. In 1992, concerned with the number of accidents that were occurring in the outdoors each year and the number of tourist traveling overseas who were involved in unpleasant and sometimes life-threatening incidents he created OutdoorSafe

[Rancid Crabtree]

The Blast match is about the easiest methods to use for one handed fire starting. Position your steel wool nest into your bundle of tinder and push down with one stroke of the blast match to ignite the wool. You will be amazed at the amount and heat of the sparks generated by the blast match. Blow on the steel wool and add tinder and you will have a fire in no time.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/blastmatch11.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/ani2-blastmatch.gif