Willie, You got me to thinking and I do not know of any way to really preserve the matches. They all seem to have a shelf life and over time go bad. After reading your post I took my box of Blue Tips out to the garage and tried to strike a few on the floor, none worked. I tried a few on the striker on the box and had 66% success. 2 out of 3 actually lit. These have to be 20 years old. They will not strike anywhere, so I never carry any Blue Tips in the wilderness, always use fresh matches! More importantly have more than one method of firemaking with you! I use a Swedish FireSteel, a Scripto lighter and an old Boy Scout matchsafe with some fresh Penley matches in it. Most fires get lit with the lighter! Cheers!

I'll start with an introduction since this is my first post. My name is Jack and 30+ years ago I was a US Marine. I've been interested in survival/preparednes issues ever since.
I really like the articles on this site and was very impressed with Mr. Ritter's "Why this is not a survivalist website" essay.
It's a shame that the term survivalist has taken on a negative conotation, but that's just a reality of language.

At any rate, I too have been looking for strike anywhere matches, which are still manufactured by Diamond Match.

None of my local stores have them, and I must confess I have not yet ordered any but I did find a website that sells them.
I hope this is os use to someone out there.
Jack
http://www.emergencyresources.com/er_p11.html

I was right, they're called "Redbird". I didn't see them in Safeway but Mountain Equipment Co-op had 10 boxes of 30 each for $1.25 (Canadian, of course).

Most camping stores in Calgary seem to carry them; I don't know about other places.

Seems like us US Citizens have to go north of the border to buy all of the products our government prohibits to protect ourselves. Obviously, you Canadian must be dying off by the thousands becasue of Strike Anywhere matches and lower priced prescription drugs. <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Sounds like we need to rotate stock on our matches in the PSK as well as the drugs. Thanks

C'est incrediblement!!!

Do you mean that the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia actually allows an ordinary and morally acceptable product** like Diamond's Strike Anywhere Matches to be freely and readily available for sale when they are prohibited or restricted in other states. I'm awestruck. Clearly the state government has somehow overlooked this matter.

** Note: This should not to be confused with those products generally deemed illicit or immoral elsewhere which may be found readily for sale in the PRK)

John

>>Seems like us US Citizens have to go north of the border to buy all of the products our government prohibits to protect ourselves. Obviously, you Canadian must be dying off by the thousands becasue of Strike Anywhere matches and lower priced prescription drugs.<<

Don't forget that the Canadians have no fresh water because of their silly insistance on keeping toilets that flush properly in one try... that's something else we can thank thank our government for protecting us from.

Of course, there may be a downside. I'm told that there's now a flourishing business in smuggling toilets across the border for people who don't want to pay a half-million to build a house where the toilets don't work. If it's a business, it's organized, and since it's illegal, that makes it "organized crime".

Having learned nothing from prohibition, it seems we're determined to create a Toilet Mafia...

I wonder if they have a manufacturing plant there, which would eliminate intrastate transportation regulations.

A quick internet search re Diamond Brand Matches has revealed only their Cloquet, Minnesota corporate address. Presumably, their manufacturing is done there.

They also list a help phone number: (800) 777 - 7942. Perhaps they may be of help to those who cannot locate strike anywhere matches.

Good luck,

John

Interesting little site. Did you notice the Strike-A-Fire firestarters? Here's their description,"Strike-A-Fire™ is an innovative new product from Diamond Brands which combines the convenience of a fire log with the fire starting ability of a match. Essentially, it's a 12-minute match!

Strike-A-Fire™ is a superior fire starter for lighting charcoal or wood fires in just one step requiring no fluid, lighters or kindling! It is made of non-toxic sawdust and wax - making it the safest, most natural way to start any fire.

Diamond Strike-A-Fire™ comes in retail packs of 8 or 48. Ask for it by name!"