The material in the matches is a decent dessicant- your Ohios are going to be a bit older, they haven't been made for a while. So they've probably absorbed enough moisture out of the atmosphere to render the tips inert. Damp proof means they can take a little moisture, but without being an air tight container or given a coat of shellac, they've sucked too much water out of the air.

I buy the Diamonds when I find them, then I dip them shellac, two layers, and store them in an air tight container. I've got some Ohios that are ten years old that I did this with and they light up pretty regularly but even with the moisture proofing they are getting flaky enough to retire to woodstove detail.

As for a striker, try a metal nail file. I also cut a strip of striker off and tape it to the inside of the match case, facing the sides of the case. But since I don't like being cold and wet, I always have a lighter or two and at least one ferro rod along with at least one match case.

True strike anywhere matches have been long gone. The original formulae was used in improvised explosives. Then matches were foolishly declared a HAZMAT item with prohibitive shipping that reduced the availability.In an ancient post I analysed a box of Diamond Brand. Out of 250 you could glean some very robust match heads, some relegated to home use and no few utterly useless. That was before a recent drop in quality as noted along with supplemented match imports from Red China. Matches in concept as a ready source of ignition over flint and steel have truly been replaced by disposable lighters, another ready source of finite lights. If you want matches as an option Lifeboats with their own quirks are the answer. The sealed containers and handmade laquered matches have a very good shelf life. You must sacrifice a container becoming comfortable lighting them, and a secondary striker surface is mandatory as the cap top affairs quickly deteriorate. In the real world today several disposable lighters equal a supply of matches and a metal match the older flint and steel sparking strategy. And for shear 'stick it in your pocket and forget about it' 100% reliability and virtual lifelong shelf life get a SPARKLITE.

This is great information. Thank you very much to all. I have since noticed that the larger heads light with better consistency.

My dad and I tried to light some brand new light anywhere matches last night. We tried every viable surface we could think of and couldn't get a single one to light. Even with the tips scrubbed off they all lit on the box just fine.

I have a couple of boxes of strike anywhere matches that have been vacuum sealed for probably five years. I wonder if they are the "old" type, and if being vacuum sealed has helped preserve them? Might have to open one and give it a try I guess...

Always cherry pick your matches- weed out the ones with small tips, mangled heads and funky stems. I should have mentioned that.

Go through an entire box and practice lighting them with your thumbnail. You'll break a lot of matches and burn yourself a fair amount, but when you're done, you'll never be without a striker and you'll be a lot more familiar with how a match lights.

And you'll look like John Wayne to boot!!!

This is awesome information. Thank you all!!!!!

(emphasis added)

PIEZO WARNING:
A lighter with a piezo-electric ignition can be a great thing, but they are unreliable at altitudes above about 5,000' and typically useless above 10,000. As I recall the White Mountains in AZ are quite high.

I was taught the above in a Mountaineering class. I can personally vouch for not being able to use my Windmill piezo-electric at 8000'.