Don't know if this has been posted before or if most people know about this, but I learned this long ago in boy scouts.

Making your matches waterproof

Note: be careful Wax is Flammable do not over heat it!!!!

You will need wax, matches and a double boiler

Melt a small amount of wax in the double boiler over med-low heat. A litte wax goes a long way, I use 1/4 of a 1/4 lb slab. Use an old bowl or tin can to hold the wax. Do not let the water boil or it will get in the bowl/can. When melted dip match heads in the wax, dip at least 1/2" of the match. I dip one at a time(wood matches) but you will find what works best for you. I have used this for paper matches but I don't realy know how water proof they are. I put the matches back in the box, or in small plastic bottles. These matches can be dipped in water and will still light, and the wax makes them burn hotter. These are way cheaper that buying waterproof matches, but not as good as NATO Survival matches. I've thought about rolling wood matches in a fine smokless powder and redipping them in the wax but have not tried it yet. While you have the wax melted you can roll up small pieces of paper and dip them to, these make great waterproof fire starters. And on the subject of fire starters, Here in the northeast you will find the best firestarters on pine trees. Look on the lower branches of a white pine for the small twigs that line the branches. they are about 1/16th to 1/4 in size, Any time of year in any weather they will burn. I've camped out year round in the Northeast and never had trouble lighting a fire, even after a week of rain.

-- Greenthumb G.I. (greenthumb@i.g.i.), July 09, 1999

Answers

Birchbark is even better. I've pulled bark from trees that are rotting underwater, and the bark will light without being dried off. Got lots of oil in the bark. Rip the outer bark into little white strips and there you go.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), July 09, 1999.

We dipped the matchheads in nail polish. Works great!

-- Palavia (Get@way.net), July 09, 1999.

I have a stupid question. How does the match strike when it's got wax (or fingernail polish) on its head? Do you remove the covering first? Okay, you can all laugh at me now.

-- Mommacares (harringtondesignX@earthlink.net), July 09, 1999.

Mommacares

The wax coating is very thin if the wax is hot when you dip the match, you use these like any other match. If the layer of wax is thick you will want to scrap some away as it will clog the striker on the box after awhile. It does not matter with Strike anywhere matches.

Does anyone know a store or chain that carries strike anywhere matches in New England? I've read that they can be ordered from diamond match CO. but as I recall it's got to be a large order. I'm looking of the Ohio Blue Tip Brand.

-- Greenthumb G.I. (greenthumb@i.g.i.), July 09, 1999.

With fingernail polish, you strike as normal. It burns for a long time. The polish seems to give more fuel to the fire. We just dipped the heads in the bottle, and stood upright (maybe stryofoam) to dry.

-- Palavia (me@home.com), July 09, 1999.

I've been dippin matches in wax since I was a Cub Scout, and most of them have been good years later. This works for Strike Anywhere matches best, but for Kitchen Matches (Strike on Box), it is better if you peel the wax layer off the head before striking, and the box striker lasts longer (won't get clogged with residual wax).

BTW, I've noticed that Strike Anywhere matches (wooden) are nearly impossible to find these days. Is this a local problem? I live in central Florida.

-- Spindoc' (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), July 10, 1999.

I dip the whole damn box in parafin....with 200 boxes,I can afford to risk one box getting wet

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), July 10, 1999.

The contents of a whole box of matches (either Strike on Box or Strike Anywhere) fit nicely in a one-pint mason jar. Be sure to also include the strikers from the sides of the box. Well sealed, this will protect your matches not only from moisture, but also from accidental strikes, from droppage, rubbing against one another in an earthquake, or from gnawing by rodents. I suppose an oxygen absorber would remove all possibility of their burning, but that seems like overkill to me. Larger mason jars can hold multiple boxes, box and all. Wash out your jar afterwards, and you can re-use it for its original intended purpose. I'm storing all kinds of things in mason jars. Sure, they're expensive, but you're going to be needing them anyway. Wax the individual matches for ones that will be used in your bugout bag, where you probably shouldn't be carrying glass. Can you spell anal retentive?

Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr, from near Monterey, California

-- Dancr (minddancr@aol.com), July 11, 1999.

I forgot to mention... The mason jar then needs to be protected from breakage, itself (doh). If it will be on a shelf it could be quake proofed with a strap or velcro underneath. Bubblewrap would protect it if boxed with other items.

What I do is surround it with soft necessities such as: travel packs of kleenex, individually wrapped maxipads, green scouring pads (needed for cleaning water filters), coffee filters (for pre-filtration), small boxes of tampons, no-water soap, regular soap, sponge cloth, handiwipes, travel packs of baby wipes, granulated superchlorinator in a film canister, or food packed in tough plastic such as peanut butter.

Most of these packing materials are non-perishables, so if they turn out to be in excess of the quantity needed, and you can't use them to barter right away, they can be used or bartered later, or reuse them to pack the next "care package" that gets rotated into your storage.

-- Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California (minddancr@aol.com), July 11, 1999.

I recently picked up Ohio Blue Tips as Lehman's. First time I'd seen them in years, and I live in Ohio!

-- yerfdog (yerfdog@qwestinternet.net), July 12, 1999.

Also-- try www.y2kmatches.com. They sell Ohio Blue Tips, but only by the case (app. 9,000 matches per case).

-- yerfdog (yerfdog@qwestinternet.net), July 12, 1999.

It turns out a whole box of matches can easily fit in a half-pint mason jar, if you're careful to keep them all lined up like sardines. They should be all standing on end. This can be accomplished smoothly by taking as many out of the box at once as you can possibly do, and inserting them into the mason jar in one fell swoop.

You can even fit a half inch layer of dryer lint in the bottom of the jar (since it compresses). Cut or rip a jar sized circle from the lint. This will keep the matches from rattling around, and also give you some tinder if you're desparate. You'll need to plug another hunk of scrap lint or additional matches into a small bit of left over space on the side, too.

Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California

-- LiteDancr (addy.available@my.webpage.neener.autospammers--regrets.greenspun), July 19, 1999.