Their availability seems to be regional. If you have Albertson's or Smith's grocery stores you might try there. I am a believer in matches for some situations and I have always treated my own to waterproof them. But I have got to echo the recommendations for the REI Stormproof style. Their advantages vastly outweigh the small inconvenience of packing the striker. Since buying the Stormproofs I got rid of all of my SA's.

I'm not sure I miss sitting in front of that big ole wooden cabinet radio, the one with a dial, twelve knobs, and one speaker, listening to The Shadow, and The Whistler. Used to scare the you-know-what outta me!!!

I like REI's storm-proof matches too, but some of the REI outlets also carry Diamond strike anywhere mathces. I just looked on their website - no luck. But about a month ago I was in Albuquerque at REI and they had them on the shelf. Like you, I'm always complaining about their lack of availability - I don;t know why I didn;t get a couple of boxes!

Independent grocery stores and hardware stores are your best bet. National chains all seem to be run out of nanny states and nanny cities.

This has happened over the past 4 or 5 years. It is much harder to find SAW matches in stores. I have had the best luck finding them in small mom & pop stores and in shops near park/recreation areas. The last box I bought was from the little "store" in the rangers offfice at a state park. They are hard to find. Just keep your eyes open and stock up when you find them.

Just like you , I had a tough time finding them. A few weeks ago I bought some at my local ACE hardware store. Seems like this is something the carry pretty often. I found them in the BBQ supply section of the store.

Thanks all for the info. I have been feeling under the weather for the past few days and haven't been able to get out and look.

Today, I needed more flu meds so off to the local strip mall for drugs. In the corner is a Ace hardware store so I popped in and bingo! there they were, on the shelf. By the case if you want. Only .99 a box of 250. So three dollars later, I have enough to last quite some time.

I am a firm believer in matches. Obviously for starting fire, but if you've never HAD to use them, things are different. Maybe someday when I'm feeling better, I'll relate my own personal survival story and one that happened to my brother, and how things were changed dramatically, just with fire...

Cheers for now, and thanks all for the help

DLR

hey DLR , i also live in the phx. glendale area....try fry's food stores...i have seen s.a.w. matches in the past before...but i have not looked lately...they still may carry them.....vince g. 11b inf....

Well, here in Delaware plenty of SAWs! The trick is to find a place where there are Amish! The stores they frequent always have them! Comes from dependence on kerosene rather than electric - or is that dependence the other way round? <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Locally, I've only seen them at Ace Hardware and Publix groceries. I wouldn't stockpile dozens of boxes of them, just from a legal standpoint.