The other day I was working on my survival kit and realized that all of my strike anywhere matches were no good. Over time the match heads absorb humidity and get mushy. Mushy match heads don’t light.
So, I went out to buy some new ones. I have not bought strike anywhere matches in quite a few years. I usually buy high quality cigar safety matches for around the house, but for a survival kit, strike anywhere matches make more sense. I went to three different stores, and many more in subsequent days, and could not find any.
What are Strike Anywhere Matches?
Strike Anywhere Matches, also known as friction matches, are a type of matchstick that can be ignited by striking them against a rough surface. Unlike safety matches, which require a specific striking surface coated with a chemical compound, Strike Anywhere Matches can be lit on almost any rough or abrasive surface. This unique characteristic has made them a convenient choice for many, especially in situations where safety matches are not readily available.
These matches consist of a small wooden stick with a combustible head, typically containing chemicals like phosphorus sesquisulfide, potassium chlorate, and sulfur. When struck against a rough surface, friction generates enough heat to ignite the chemicals in the match head, producing a flame.
So are they legal?
As per my normal routine, when I couldn’t find any locally, I looked online. Believe it or not, they are hard to find online. A few sellers on Amazon had them for ridiculously high prices. $10 a box after shipping. I finally found some on Ebay for about $2.50 a box.
A quick search on the internet provided me with hundreds of forums, blog posts, and question / answer sites proclaiming that strike anywhere matches were illegal in the US. They said you should buy as many as you can. One forum had a thread where people were stockpiling cases of them. Cases, not boxes.
Some said they were made illegal by a Patriot Act, others said it was because you can use them to make Meth, still others claimed it was because you could make bombs with them. None of these sites had a link to an actual law or even had a link to any news or encyclopedia article on this. It was all heresay.
Well after doing some extensive research and even speaking to the manufacturer, I’ve found there are currently no laws in any state prohibiting them. If the manufacturer doesn’t know about any laws like this then you can be reasonably sure it is not so. Why are they hard to find in my area? Simple economics. The demand is not high enough for the stores to make a profit stocking them. Most people want safety matches. They are safer after all.
Here is a neat trick. To waterproof regular matches just dip them in candle wax. Make sure the heads are only lightly coated and that they are completely coated. Be sure to practice lighting them. The wax coating makes them a little harder to light.
Smooth