While I was in Japan, I was stuck in my room due to a typhoon and I went through my larger PSK. I opened up my match safe and saw that my Strike Anywhere Matches were safe and sound without any wear on the heads. I took one out and ran it along the striker pad and......the head came apart! I tried several others and all but one had the same results. So I had a piece of sandpaper clogged with matchhead material and dust and no good matches.

I know I should get some NATO matches or something, but I really liked the idea of just using SAW matches, especially since I have about 2000 of them.

Is there anything else I can use to protect the head/prolong the burn time of these matches?

Just wondering,

Garrett

You dipped them in wax? I've heard something about that, I think in Cody's book, that wax-dipped matches degrade in about a year or so. They don't degrade if you don't dip them, but then they aren't waterproof. Personally, I just keep them in a match safe, and don't dip them. They seem to be OK for years.

A VERY LIGHT dip in nail polish has worked fairly well for me in the past.

Troy

I've had the same thing happen. I use paint laquer (its to apply either a gloss or dull coat) where I can't just use a match safe or for the plastic case. Its available in smaller bottles at hobby shops in the model paints.

I have had super success with the coghlan's $2/box windproof/waterproof matches. You really can dunk them in water while they are burning and they will continue to burn and so far I have seen no degradation over time.