Has anyone done any self waterproofing of their strike anywhere matches?? I have some from about fifteen years ago that i dipped in wax when i took my hunter safety course in Maine. But then again I was 10 when i took that and probably screwed them up as they don't light at all now. I have read about the Lifeboat matches that are hand lacquered and was wondering what may be used as a home project. I have and do carry match safes but extra protection couldn't hurt.
I have actually found a store that sells SA matches still. they carry the Penley boxes of 32 matches for .10 and i found two of the 250 ct boxes of Blue Diamond the other day for .79
I pick up a dollar's worth of Penleys every time I go in the store.

Thanks in advance for any insight you may share with me about this

kirby

Matches have a limited shelf life, I rarely hang onto them for more than three years. I generally dip strike anywheres in shellac, a double coat. I've done the wax dip for years, but it wasn't as successful as shellac has been.

I used to use wax, but now I use just clear nail lacquer, the cheap stuff, but the oldest are only a year old or so. I've never tried shellac -- just happened buy a can of it for another project... strike while the brush is wet!

Sue

I have been using shellac for the past year or so with far better results compared to wax. The amber sticks are Penleys dipped in Bullseye shellac.



I have tossed shellac coated matches into a bucket of water and lit them right up after several minutes. It seems wax tends to degrade the matchhead over time.

Thanks for the info. Those match safes are awesome. Where can I pick up one of those??? Thanks also for the name of the shellac that you use. I'm really not in the financial situation for trial and error so you have helped out a lot as I was going to ask the others for a few more specifics. Are there any shellacs that you have found to be detrimental to the matches??

Apreciate everything

Kirby

E mail Schwert and ask him if they're still available. He's the one for the K&M matchsafes they're about 20 bux or so if I recall.

Leemann

RDog, you can email me at rlschaffer@gmail.com for matchcase info...there are some threads here explaining...do a search on Matchcase in the last 6 months in the campfire forum.

I have only ever used Bullseye shellac. I bought a pint can at a local home improvement store....enough for an eternity of matches. Shellac is alcohol based and dries very fast. I just did a single dip and then laid the matches out on a couple of bamboo skewers overnight to dry. It is far easier to do than wax, the matches take up much less space in the matchcase and is seems to make the matches nicely waterproof....good all around. I do not imagine that any brand of shellac would be much different.

I generally waterproof most of my matches even though I carry them in the cases....open the case on a rainy day or handle with wet hands and a bit of extra protection seems prudent.