Waterproof Matches

[dcmac214]

Just wondering how others waterproof their matches...when you can find strike-anywhere kitchen matches, which is getting harder and harder every day. IMO all strike-on-box or -book matches are worthless. Yes, you can buy them at Amazon and the outdoor box stores, both kitchen and already-waterproofed matches, but I've got too much financial astuteness to buy them. And there's no romance with butane.

For years I've been using two coats of the cheapest clear nail polish I can get. 1st coat covers head & 1/4" of the stick, 2d coat recovers head and 3/4 to 1" of the stick. Not only does a pretty goo waterproofing job, the laquer is very flamable, making a nice little hot flame.

[2milesup]

Martyn wrote:

pitch wrote:
I'm a butane guy.

Me too. I have way more important things to do than put nail polish on matches!!!! :S

I did too, until DW asked where the nail polish bottle under my truck's seat came from...

:E

[WoodGlue]

Plus you should always be redundant with any kind of fire starter. Never depend on only 1 kind! Always have at least have 2 ways to make a fire!

Here is my vote for a secondary:

BlastMatch

WoodGlue

[westend]

beemerphile1 wrote:


No wax or nail polish needed.

Variety of Flint strikers and magnesium fire starters at this outfit.

[beemerphile1]

No wax or nail polish needed.

[tatest]

We waxed kitchen matches in Boy Scouts (don't know if you can still buy quality kitchen matches anywhere in the U.S.) and eventually got a waterproof match case.

But the match thing went away when I got my first Zippo. It will light in the rain, will light in the wet.

Well fueled, a Zippo will light up just about anything. Burn almost long enough to cook on it. You can still buy a new plain old stainless steel Zippo for less than ten bucks (in checkout line at our local Wmart) though "official" lighter fluid is a little harder to find gasoline worked fine in Zippos for hundreds of thousands of GIs, as will Coleman fuel.

[GaryWT]

I would think a quick dip in candle wax would do the job but as others said, my time is too valuable to sit and paint or dip matches in nail polish. I use a clicker for the most part. Box matches with the scouts but when it is me, quick and easy is what we want.

[WoodGlue]

OP wrote:
but I've got too much financial astuteness to buy them. And there's no romance with butane

So, what? You're saying people who buy waterproof matches are fiscally unsound? Jaysus!

There is also no romance in painting matches with nail polish!

Thanks for the best laugh of the day!

WoodGlue

[robsouth]

Martyn wrote:

pitch wrote:
I'm a butane guy.

Me too. I have way more important things to do than put nail polish on matches!!!! :S

Ain't that the truth.

[Martyn]

pitch wrote:
I'm a butane guy.

Me too. I have way more important things to do than put nail polish on matches!!!! :S

[Jim_Shoe]

You can't beat This deal. They're refillable and keep your hands out of the way.

[endlesssky]

Just put them in a pill bottle.

[pitch]

I'm a butane guy.

[orfsotr]

I also dip mine in a very thin layer of wax (I use an old candle) and store them in an old tea can with a strip of emery board glued to the inside of the top. Been doing this for more years than I care to count!!

[rvten]

When I was a Boy Scout. We used to make our own. Farmer matches (strike anywhere)and dip in melted paraffin.

Used to wrap about 6 in a bundle. Use as fire starters.