# Strike anywhere matches not what they used to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883 "2014-05-07T12:56:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/1 "2014-05-07T12:56:41Z")
I am on another forum dedicated to topics about camping and one thing that came up was that strike anywhere matches aren’t as good as they used to be. They are now difficult to strike, probably because of some nanny state conspiracy, etc. I wrote this off as nostalgia for the good old days that never were, but then I went out and bought a pack and I have to say that I agree that they don’t work as easily as they used to. Did something change in law or industry practice to make them so? Thanks, Rob ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/2 "2014-05-07T13:03:09Z")
Not an answer but there is some interesting information[here.](http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2009/11/matches-test-best-survival-matches-still-strike-anywhere) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/3 "2014-05-07T13:06:37Z")
Top two likely reasons they would be changed: 1. Liability from accidental ignition 2. Saving on manufacturing costs ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/4 "2014-05-07T13:16:34Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Not an answer but there is some interesting information[here.](http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2009/11/matches-test-best-survival-matches-still-strike-anywhere) That is one of the best comment section I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/5 "2014-05-07T20:24:27Z")
This [site](http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Match.html) does not make mention of any formulation changes to strike anywhere matches in the last hundred years or so: > [@](#): > > In 1831, Charles Sauria of France developed a match that used white phosphorus. These matches were strike-anywhere matches and were much easier to ignite. Unfortunately, they were too easy to ignite and caused many unintentional fires. White phosphorus also proved to be highly toxic. Workers in match plants who inhaled white phosphorus fumes often suffered from a horrible degeneration of the jawbones known as “phossy jaw.” Despite this health hazard, white phosphorus continued to be used in strike-anywhere matches until the early 1900s, when government action in the United States and Europe forced manufacturers to switch to a nontoxic chemical. Facinating article. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/6 "2014-05-07T20:54:27Z")
I had noticed that strike-anywhere matches have vanished from supermarkets, but you still see them in hardware and sporting goods stores. Survival Tip: You **can** light a safety match without the special strip! Any match will flare if it gets hot enough, and with the right surface you can generate enough friction to ignite it. It has to be hard and rough enough to generate enough friction, but not so rough that it just scrapes the match head off. What works well is if you have a ceramic mug or bowl with an unglazed portion- usually the bottom rim where it sat in the kiln. I have tried this myself and can get it to work two times out of three, though I would very much hate to have to do it in the woods on a damp day. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/7 "2014-05-08T01:20:25Z")
The Diamond Brand red-with-white-tip strike anywhere matches were disappeared a year or so ago, have now been replaced by a smaller green tip, thinner stick version. Not nearly as good. They’re harder to ignite and the flimsy sticks break easily, which can be partially overcome by using them two at a time held tightly together. (I don’t know about Ohio Blue Tips, never bothered looking.) The Googleverse told me that it is now illegal to ship the old tried and true good ones in the USA, because of the supposed fire hazard; the changeover is also a reaction to the use of the old-style heads in meth manufacture. That’s what I read. A few months ago I tried googling the old style red tip sa’s, and found them for sale on ebay at impossibly absurd prices. Bastids! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strike-anywhere-matches-not-what-they-used-to-be/687883/8 "2014-05-08T02:09:39Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > That is one of the best comment section I’ve seen. I assume because you enjoyed reading about the match/fire lighting tips. If so, let me ask - do you know about 9V batteries and steel wool? [This two minute YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbwNJhJwnSs) is definitely worth a look if you don’t.