Strike ANYWHERE matches...anywhere...please give up your source.

I know where to get the "strike on box" I am talking about the good old fashioned strike anywhere...I prefer the blue tips..lol

I haven't thought about it, but I don't think I've seen any for a while, either.

If memory serves me right the last strike anywhere matches I bought about a year ago was at Menards in the area where they have the camping gear. I have also seen them in some small convenience stores around some of the small rural campgrounds we use here in NW Iowa.

Many states have actually outlawed them and many shippers such as UPS and US post office have declared them hazardous and will no longer ship them so they are getting tough to find rumor has it they can be ordered from Ace Hardware or on Ebay.

Purchased some supposedly strike anywhere matches last year. They were crap and would not strike anywhere like the old phosphorous ones did. I wound up striking them on the box.

Perham's Ace hardware has 'em on the shelf.

Yet another casualty of human stupidity?

quote schweady: "Perham's Ace hardware has 'em on the shelf. "

Are they the vintage ones or "new and improved?" (=worse)

check this out. http://www.amazon.com/UCO-Stormproof-Waterproof-Matches-Strikers/dp/B00773VVHO/ref=sr_1_1/191-7157122-9412653?ie=UTF8&qid=1394564411&sr=8-1&keywords=all+weather+matches

Last package (3 boxes) that I got was at Cabelas in Owatonna.

Meth component?

quote Doughboy12: "

quote schweady: "Perham's Ace hardware has 'em on the shelf. "

Are they the vintage ones or "new and improved?" (=worse)"

Not sure. We were just shooting the breeze at the store one afternoon and it came up. "Right here," Matt said, and held up a box. I didn't buy any, just made a mental note.

I can look next time. How will I know the diff?

quote schweady: "

quote Doughboy12: "

quote schweady: "Perham's Ace hardware has 'em on the shelf. "

Are they the vintage ones or "new and improved?" (=worse)"

Not sure. We were just shooting the breeze at the store one afternoon and it came up. "Right here," Matt said, and held up a box. I didn't buy any, just made a mental note.

I can look next time. How will I know the diff?
"

Printing on the box...or striking on your zipper...;-)
I will be up in a few weeks to do some sapping so I will swing in and look if you don't get a chance.

I had a difficult time finding some last year and found some at Farm and Fleet. I don't go thru them that fast as I used to as I use a lighter more than them, but always like some along for backpacking and canoe trips as another fire source.

most ace hardware stores i have been to stock them.

I get mine at the Ace hardware store here in Wausau. Took me a long time to find them there.

They've been missing from the stores in North Carolina for years.

Bucks Hardware / Gas Station Grand Marais MN

quote gutmon: "Meth component?"

I think red phosphorus from any match is a meth precursor. Naw serioulsy, I read about this somewhere and I can't remember what you do with it, but you put like 1000 match heads in a rock polisher and then you do something else. I don't need to be a meth cook, I live across the river from Arkansas.

as far as I know the "strike anywhere" are no longer sold in this country. There is a newer improved strike anywhere that blows balls.

Huh, the "strike-anywhere" match has a more colorful history than I thought. (I got curious and started reading Wikipedia).

"Unfortunately, those involved in the manufacture of the new phosphorus matches were afflicted with phossy jaw and other bone disorders, and there was enough white phosphorus in one pack to kill a person. Deaths and suicides from eating the heads of matches became frequent. ... he United States did not pass a law, but instead placed a "punitive tax" on white phosphorus-based matches, one so high as to render their manufacture financially impractical, in 1913."

"Two French chemists, Henri Savene and Emile David Cahen, developed a safe match using phosphorus sesquisulfide that was patented in 1898. They proved that the substance was not poisonous, that it could be used in a "strike-anywhere" match, and that the match heads were not explosive."

"The dangers of white phosphorus in the manufacture of matches led to the development of the "hygienic" or safety match. The major innovation in its development was the use of red phosphorus, not on the head of the match but instead on a specially designed striking surface. ... The safety of true "safety matches" is derived from the separation of the reactive ingredients between a match head on the end of a paraffin-impregnated splint and the special striking surface (in addition to the safety aspect of replacing the white phosphorus with red phosphorus)."

quote maxxbhp: "

quote gutmon: "Meth component?"

I think red phosphorus from any match is a meth precursor."

It's true:
"Phosphorus can reduce elemental iodine to hydroiodic acid, which is a reagent effective for reducing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine. For this reason, red and white phosphorus were designated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration as List I precursor chemicals under 21 CFR 1310.02 effective on November 17, 2001."

Given that white phosphorus was apparently phased out beginning in the very early 1900s, I'm curious how matches with it seem to have stuck around for so many of you to have experience with them. Just how old are you guys? ;)

quote tonyyarusso: "Given that white phosphorus was apparently phased out beginning in the very early 1900s, I'm curious how matches with it seem to have stuck around for so many of you to have experience with them. Just how old are you guys? ;)"

Clearly the ones I am referring to and remember are from the 80's
1980's not 1880's lol

quote tonyyarusso: "Given that white phosphorus was apparently phased out beginning in the very early 1900s, I'm curious how matches with it seem to have stuck around for so many of you to have experience with them. Just how old are you guys? ;)"

Older than "safety matches".

I agree-- increasingly harder to find. A local grocery store chain here in IA (Fareway) used to carry them until about 2 years ago. Sounds like they are going they way of the incandescent light bulb....

quote WhiteWolf: Sounds like they are going they way of the incandescent light bulb...."

They're filling them with inert gas to make em last longer? All kidding aside, you're right. I remember seeing these in stores as a kid back in the late 80's early 90's. I also seem to remember hearing about them being made illegal although the reason I remember hearing was that you could scrape the heads off and make a powerful explosive with the scrapings. Either way, I hadn't seen them anywhere until recently although I'd be guessing as to where I saw them. I always remembered them as having green heads instead of red.

Red phosphorus is a regulated chemical and the mere possession for non-licensed use of it is illegal and will also put you on a DEA watch list.

White phosphorous is not the chemical you are seeing on the end of a match. White phosphorous will spontaneously combust in the open air which is why it is stored under water. Red phosphorous is indeed used in the manufacture of methamphetamine and was also popular in old fireworks.

If anyone wants to give it a shot, I have the formulas for making your own strike anywhere matches but it will require you to get a basic understanding of explosives.

Tom

Odd thought: is there any reason for concern with these lighting (striking each other) while still in the box if in packs that were treated semi-roughly such as on a canoe trip? a pack that's pulled in and out of canoes, tossed onto the ground at portages, etc... (not saying that's good practice, just worst-case hypothetical...)

quote schweady: "Odd thought: is there any reason for concern with these lighting (striking each other) while still in the box if in packs that were treated semi-roughly such as on a canoe trip? a pack that's pulled in and out of canoes, tossed onto the ground at portages, etc... (not saying that's good practice, just worst-case hypothetical...)
"

Highly unlikely Schweady. The new strike anywhere matches require quite a bit of pressurized friction to ignite. I have the Blue Diamond brand and it takes so much pressure to strike them, the stick frequently breaks before I get it to light.

Here is a good article on these Matches

quote schweady: "Odd thought: is there any reason for concern with these lighting (striking each other) while still in the box if in packs that were treated semi-roughly such as on a canoe trip? a pack that's pulled in and out of canoes, tossed onto the ground at portages, etc... (not saying that's good practice, just worst-case hypothetical...)
"

True story: Scout leader on a 150 mile canoe trip day 3. Slips "into" the canoe with a thud. We all laugh being a group of teenage boys. Next thing we know his pack is smoking... You guessed it, the matches had caught fire. Had to go the rest of the trip with smoke in his shorts...The pair he was wearing had more than smoke in them... lol

The reason I asked about them is because I dug out my old metal case with the knurled side. I put some of the new and improved ones in it and off I went. Got to camp and tried to light one on the side, nothing...on a rock, nothing...on a, well you get it.
Back at home I read on the box, "strike on box." Now what the... I thought all matches were made equal.
See what you get for taking a decade (or two) off from "real" camping.
Like this one.

quote Doughboy12: "Strike ANYWHERE matches...anywhere...please give up your source.

I know where to get the "strike on box" I am talking about the good old fashioned strike anywhere...I prefer the blue tips..lol"

Ace Hardware and Menards both have the strike anywhere Blue Diamond(green head) in stock in Minnesota. If Menards says they don't have them they are with the grill parts not with the regular matches or camping stuff.

There are a bunch of them on Amazon.

Another Ace Hardware recommendation here. It is the only place around my area that carries them.

Ouch Maxx, that almost hurt! But then again, I am not located in eastern Arkansas... Even though Meth is everywhere now a days!

Bruce

I can still buy them at home town hardware stores. As a kid I had some in my pocket to light the punk as we were lighting off firecrackers. They started on fire in my pocket. Not a good sight of a kid with no pants on running down the street screaming in pain. Lol

Last time I remember seeing them was February of 2012 at L & M Fleet Supply in Hibbing, MN. Bought 3 boxes because I knew they were a rare commodity.

Not certain where you live at Doughboy but my wife and I were at our local HyVee grocery store today and they had them for sale there.

Our local Runnings (farm and fleet type place) has them. I don't like the small ones. Usually don't work except on the box. I like the big stick matches. I buy the big ones in 3 packs.

quote mr.barley: "Our local Runnings (farm and fleet type place) has them. I don't like the small ones. Usually don't work except on the box. I like the big stick matches. I buy the big ones in 3 packs.
"

My brother in law works part time at the Runnings you refer to, and he vouches they still carry these matches. Personally, I do not care.

quote Doughboy12: "Strike ANYWHERE matches...anywhere...please give up your source.

I know where to get the "strike on box" I am talking about the good old fashioned strike anywhere...I prefer the blue tips..lol"

Recommend these. Not quite as good as the Ohio Blue Tips, but the best brand currently being manufactured, work well. http://www.ebay.com/itm/UCO-Strike-Anywhere-Matches-250-Count-New-in-Box-/191077090671

I used to process(cut and price) grocery loads as they came off a truck for a grocery company. If a case of those matches happened to fall off a pallet or someone unknowingly threw the unopened case with moderate force onto a hard surface they would frequently start smoldering. I don't blame the USPS and UPS for not shipping them. Not the safest product.

A couple of years ago I bought some Diamond brand at the Ace Hardware in Maple Grove, Mn. I have to bring about three times as many as I need because about 2 out of 3 either don't light or snap off. The Diamond matches back in the 80's were much better.

eBay Strike Anywhere Matches

I found a nice size tin canister with fitting lid full of old strike anywhere matches at the dump. I'm keep them high, dry and safe for the woods.

quote tonyyarusso: "

quote maxxbhp: "

quote gutmon: "Meth component?"

I think red phosphorus from any match is a meth precursor."

It's true:
"Phosphorus can reduce elemental iodine to hydroiodic acid, which is a reagent effective for reducing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine. For this reason, red and white phosphorus were designated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration as List I precursor chemicals under 21 CFR 1310.02 effective on November 17, 2001.""

And people put this crap manufactured by "Gomer" and "Goober" in their bodies? Never ceases to amaze me. But, back to the topic, I've bought them from Cabelas within the last year or so.