[JON MATH]

Being kind of old fashioned my preferred method of fire making is a wooden match I just find it almost spiritual seeing a strike anywhere match come to life. I carry other tools to light a fire, and I can rub sticks together if I have to too. While I’ve never had my match safe fail to keep my matches dry I’ve always wanted to be double sure. Having read a few places that coating a wooden match in nail polish will waterproof them I decided it was time to try for myself. I picked several of the best looking matches from a fresh box. Matches are not what they were some have really small red heads, others have almost no white tips; you really have to be curt in selecting ones for survival. I gave the chosen few a good coat of Sally Hanson’s brand “Tough as Nails” clear finger nail polish, let that dry and recoated them a second time. I left them to really set up overnight, before soaking a couple in a glass of water for several minutes. Both matches were struck on a slate floor tile and both burst into flames, first try. I’m impressed; not that I never trust what I read, still it’s nice to test it out for myself. I’ll still carry multiple ways to get a fire going, but matches are still number one with me.
Jon

 

[Diddy]

Did you coat the match head also?

 

[invalid-IP]

Did you coat the wood also?

 

[JON MATH]

I coated the entire match head and stick.
Jon

 

[Mr_AK]

have you tried coating the heads of the matches in candle wax ? as this works very well as well ...

 

[Rascal123]

That's good to know, but it seems like it would take a LONG time to paint a whole box of matches. If the wax works, it might be quicker... IDK though.

 

[JohnP]

Wax may not work so well long term. Check this thread:

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=82787

~JohnP

 

[JON MATH]

I selected about 25 of the very best matches from a new box of Ohio Blue Strike Anywhere Matches. I lined them up in a block of polyfoam and just dipped them into the bottle of polish, by holding the block of foam and running the march into the bottle. It took about 10 minutes tops. I re-dipped them about an hour latter, and then flipped them all over and dipped just the tips that was in the foam the first time around. I did not want water wicking up the exposed wood ends to the match head. It might not, but better safe than sorry. I also did not want to triple dip the heads for fear that they might be to hard to strike.
I’ve heard (but never tried) wax works very well too, might be a bit messy, and might not be that good in hot areas.
Jon

 

[Hubb]

That's good to know, but it seems like it would take a LONG time to paint a whole box of matches. If the wax works, it might be quicker... IDK though.

Couldn't you add the nail polish to a bowl and dump the whole box in it? That would make it faster.

 

[Texas Pete]

That's good to know, but it seems like it would take a LONG time to paint a whole box of matches. If the wax works, it might be quicker... IDK though.

The Wax works. I did that as a Boy Scout in the 70's we also rolled up 1.5 inch strips of newspaper and dunked the roll in parafin for firestarters. I never failed to start a fire. We used Ohio Blue Tip strike anywhere matches. It really does matter that you use a strike anywhere match. They are harder to find thse days but it is important.

 

[vatrader01]

Any trouble finding strike anywhere matches in your region? Some states have banned the sale of them. It appears the majority of wooden "farmers" or "kitchen" matches sold these days are safety matches requiring the strike surface on the box to strike-light them. Last spring, I came upon some young adventurers that had wax dipped their matches, only to find that they were not strike anywhere matches. I left them some of mine.

Growing up, a few of our out buildings did not have power running to them, and we lit them with kerosene lanterns. The local hardware stores and seed / feed dealers gave away gravity fed dispensers for wooden matches that were nailed to the wall just inside the door, about where a light switch would normally be found. The matches would absorb moisture, and could become hard to light, if they lit at all. The process we used, and I still use, was to pour a few inches of turpentine in a coffee can, dump the box of matches in, and let soak overnight. Then, the matches were spread out on a newspaper on the bench and allowed to dry. Just another method that is less labor intensive. The matches will light after sitting in a jar of water overnight. They don't flair up like matches coated in nail polish, or drip hot wax like matches coated in wax. That hot wax would mess up the wick on the lanterns, and the flash-flare from the nail polish coated matches would spook the critters in the barn. Seems a box of matches and a gallon of kerosene lasted forever.

 

[Texas Pete]

A recent search of the internet has revealed to me that Ohio Blue Tip dosent make a strike anywhere match any more. Diamond is the last manufacturer that makes a strike anywhere match. Our litigeous legal system and overregulation is reportedly responsible for this. The Strike anywhere type of match is not availabel in all states.

 

[JohnP]

Ace Hardware usually has them in the Bar-B-Q section...

~JohnP

 

[JON MATH]

A recent search of the internet has revealed to me that Ohio Blue Tip dosent make a strike anywhere match any more. Diamond is the last manufacturer that makes a strike anywhere match. Our litigeous legal system and overregulation is reportedly responsible for this. The Strike anywhere type of match is not availabel in all states.

I'm at work right now, when I get home I'll check the box, but I'm almost positive mine are Ohio Blue Tips. Strike anywheres are tough to get, sometimes you have to ask at the counter, they often have them but don't display them everywhere.
Jon

 

[vatrader01]

Couldn't you add the nail polish to a bowl and dump the whole box in it? That would make it faster.

When you remove the matches from the bowl, you would need to position each match to dry in a manner that would not allow the match head or stem to touch anything else. If any of the nail polish where to stick the touching surface rather than the match, you would not have a waterproofed match. "Bare spots" would allow moisture to enter.

 

[Texas Pete]

When you remove the matches from the bowl, you would need to position each match to dry in a manner that would not allow the match head or stem to touch anything else. If any of the nail polish where to stick the touching surface rather than the match, you would not have a waterproofed match. "Bare spots" would allow moisture to enter.

Wax Paper is the way to dry them if you use this method.

 

[JON MATH]

I checked the matches. My mistake mine are Diamond Brand not Ohio Blues. They are indeed strike everywhere matches. You really have to pick through them, some are really poorly made with small heads and little to no white tips. Those would be fine in a controled kitchen, at the fireplace etc; but I would not trust them in the woods.
Jon

 

[Wheelgunner]

Here I go again...

Okay

I too am one of the people who has always been fascinated by matches and any other means of producing fire.

Forty years ago I carried strike anywheres in my pants pocket till one night I was playing table tennis.
I reached close to the net to slam an easy point and the matches lit up my night.

Thirty years ago I coated some strike anywheres with wax and when I tested them they worked fine.
When I tried them months later, none of them would light.

I kept them in a military surplus waterproof match case.
It was bulky for how many matches it held.
Also, the striker on the bottom of the case fell out and was lost.

When I was a kid (seems like a hundred years ago) I saw an actor on TV light a wooden match using only his one hand.
I broke many wooden matches learning that skill.
I had to learn to hold the match between my four fingers and press hard on the match tip with my thumbnail.
Getting the knack of it gave me a lot of satisfaction.

Bics are great if the wind isn't blowing and Zippo's are great if it is, but Zippo's have some difficulties of their own.

But, there's a warm feeling I get when I hold out my hand with a wooden strike anywhere and light it for someone.

 

[Peter]

I recently tested both wax and clear fingernail polish methods of waterproofing matches..I was in the process of updating my wilderness survival kit (10 essentials plus). I made up test batches of both and found the fingernail polish worked best. While both worked, I found the ignition of the nail polish matches was more positive and robust...YMMV

 

[horatioo]

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