Which matches do you use?


Plainsman

Plainsman

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Ive taken a liking to UCO matches of late. They have waterproof in boxes, stormproof i cases and Titan in a larger case.

Ive been using the boxed matches to light fires and they work well. The stormproof burn quite a bit longer and have a larger flame. I havent struck a Titan yet, but am chomping at the bit to do so.

What matches do you use?
 
Plainsman said:
Ive taken a liking to UCO matches of late. They have waterproof in boxes, stormproof i cases and Titan in a larger case.

Ive been using the boxed matches to light fires and they work well. The stormproof burn quite a bit longer and have a larger flame. I havent struck a Titan yet, but am chomping at the bit to do so.

What matches do you use?
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I have UCO matches but have only used them to for a few tests. They are in the plastic match safe or in the pack of extra boxes I vacuum packed.

The matches I have at home that are what is left from more than 20 years ago normally won't strike. I have an electric arc lighter, and I light those matches with those rather than attempting to strike them. I also have some book matches that came in the humanitarian aid food that I bought.
 
I use mostly cheap wooden matches and some I have got at estate sales. I have the Zippo matches , UCO, and other brands of weather proof storm matches. I keep a assortment of cheap and the storm proof matches in my kits but reach for the cheap ones mostly, I wish match books was around like they were when I was a kid I haven't done a split match fire in a long time.
 
As a kid, books of matches were literally everywhere; on the table, in the kitchen, in the living room, in every vehicle, my mom’s purse, my dad’s shirt pocket. They both smoked like chimneys so they always had to have a light.
Two or three boxes of book matches were always on hand in a kitchen cupboard accordingly.

Matches were the only way I started fires or lit the propane torch, not to mention the Coleman camp stove.
It was nice when we had access to strike anywhere matches. Hence, my liking to these new, bigger, more robust stick matches.
 
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Ordinary kitchen matches, and the slightly longer variant.

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Strike anywhere matches hasn`t been sold here in my time.

I store them in an aluminium match safe.
 
Plainsman said:
Ive taken a liking to UCO matches of late. They have waterproof in boxes, stormproof i cases and Titan in a larger case.

Ive been using the boxed matches to light fires and they work well. The stormproof burn quite a bit longer and have a larger flame. I havent struck a Titan yet, but am chomping at the bit to do so.

What matches do you use?
Click to expand...
I as well use the UCO brand for outdoor stuff. I recall as a kid the standard Diamond stick matches burned very well but now they seem a little less. Maybe it is just me.
 
honestly I have given matches up mostly for the following reasons. They get wet. They are finite, you use one and it’s gone. I can’t trust them to strike or stay lit. Far better is a bic ez reach or two. Add a zippo and a little tin of fuel and you can run for years. Under optimal conditions a box of matches might last s few years but then again if they get damp all bets are off. I am not willing to take that bet any more.
 
The Diamond brand strike anywhere matches that are made in Chile are fairly decent. Not nearly as easy to strike as the old Ohio Blue Tips, but will light off of most rough surfaces. The old Blue Tips would light off of most anything!
Of note, the smaller penny-sized ones seem to be much more consistent than the kitchen-size ones.
My local Rural King store regularly stocks both sizes as well as Diamond paper match books.
 
Here you can't buy the Diamon blue tip strike anywhere matches as the metheads were using the blue heads to make meth. Next time I go to Mexico I plan to stop at the grocery store and see if they sell Diamon Blue tip strike anywhere kitchen matches. A three box pack should last me the rest of my life. I dip the heads in wax just like we did in boy scouts.
 
Young Blacksmith said:
Diamond SA Kitchen matches. Humidity kills matches here in about 10 years, so I purged all the old stuff last year and picked up some. They work well, not as well as they did in the 80's, but I can still get consistent lights on rough surfaces.
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I have got some very old matches it's very humid here in Pennsylvania I definitely don't store matches in my basement, it is a stone foundation and gets damp. I have never heard of matches get ruined even if they get wet in the rain I have dried them out and they work again, I have had strikers get ruined and after they dry out the striker rubs off each time you strike one.
 
hello,
Silverman's Ltd of London brand of Lifeboat matches. The sealed plastic containers I EDC'd a few of these for years between the 1980s - 1990's when they were produced by the original Survival Aids Ltd of Morland Penrith Cumbria (England) & their store in Glasgow (Scotland). One opened the seal held, or you could add a small Ranger band or electrician's insulation tape to prevent any water seepage inside the container. I might just buy a few of these for the containers, a little EDC nostalgia. ;)

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RavenLoon said:
I'm still working on my stash of Ohio Blue Tip matches bought in the early eighties.

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I have not seen those in a long time. You could probably get a nice return on that investment if you decide to sell. The new style strike anywhere are disappointing having used the real deal that you could strike with your finger nail.
 
DavidJAFO said:
hello,
Silverman's Ltd of London brand of Lifeboat matches. The sealed plastic containers I EDC'd a few of these for years between the 1980s - 1990's when they were produced by the original Survival Aids Ltd of Morland Penrith Cumbria (England) & their store in Glasgow (Scotland). One opened the seal held, or you could add a small Ranger band or electrician's insulation tape to prevent any water seepage inside the container. I might just buy a few of these for the containers, a little EDC nostalgia. ;)

View attachment 2072483
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You should look a the Zippo Storm proof matches I believe they sell just the Match Case it's a little pricey to buy it loaded with matches. The matches smell like lighter fluid and really burn.
 
hello,
@bush-hunter these aren't as far as I'm aware available in the UK, & due to Border Controls/Import Rules can't be shipped. BTW I was offered sometime ago by BCUSA Clubhouse member to send me the match case only. I did EDC the original Survival Aids Ltd of Cumbria lifeboat matches during my Service years & on Civvie street, those small plastic containers were very useful. As said, a little nostalgia. :)
Regards
David

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DavidJAFO said:
hello,
@bush-hunter these aren't as far as I'm aware available in the UK, & due to Border Controls/Import Rules can't be shipped. BTW I was offered sometime ago by BCUSA Clubhouse member to send me the match case only. I did EDC the original Survival Aids Ltd of Cumbria lifeboat matches during my Service years & on Civvie street, those small plastic containers were very useful. As said, a little nostalgia. :)
Regards
David

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It's a robust case not really a pocket carry item but the striker is well protected by the cap on the bottom. I have the other match cases with the striker on the outside and always carry a extra striker tucked inside. That's a ashame you can't get those in the UK , I like trying the fancy matches and those Zippos burn like a road flare!!
 
Most of the old ones I've had would just rub off the heads after a few mis-strikes. Occasionally they would have a little spark, but mostly just duds. Wonder if new striker paper was needed?

They were mostly Diamond safety matches though, not SA's. I store them now in a ziploc bag with desiccant packs.
 
I mentioned this before, but an excellent expedient matchsafe can be made from one of those screw-top fish food containers and a bit of electrical tape. I always put in a "cushion" of paper towel and the striker. You can do the same with an Altoids or similar tin.

One of the taped fish food containers was with me thru a major dunking. The matches, paper towel and striker were quite dry.
 
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