Of course you meant that “strike anywhere” wooden matches have everything you need to start a fire (red phosphorous on the match).
But, the safer (and equally common) “strike on box” wooden matches work exactly the same way as normal paper matches (red phosphorous on the special striker).
A link is appreciated when you post a reply to an article. It can be done like this What makes tape stick and matches light? You don’t have to be that fancy, simply cut and paste the thread.
Nice observation! I just assumed my wooden matches in the kitchen (for lighting my ancient oven) were of the “strike anywhere” variety. Ready to post a correction to you, I (fortunately) went into the kitchen and looked! Ulp!
Hey samclem, sorry about not posting the link…and thanks for posting it for me!
John: Really? In what US states is it illegal to have a strike-anywhere match? and why is it illegal?
…A claim like that deserves some sort of proof or explanation…
I don’t know if it’s true, but the simplest explanation for “why” is that they might be considered a fire hazard. There’s a reason the safety matches are called “safety”: They’re harder to light accidentally. Is this a good enough reason to ban the other kind? I dunno.
Wow, I had no idea!
I guess I have always taken strike anywhere matches for granted…
It’s good to see that we live in a world where our elected officials spend their time regulating our match usage!
But seriously, I do understand - strike anywhere matches are FAR more dangerous than their strike on box bretheren. Heck, I understand that if you were to drop a box of “strike anywheres” just right, they might ignite - now that IS a safety risk!
