Books of Matches - the most important thing in the world?

Hi all,

I've done a good bit of research on survial, camping and all that and I now truly think the most important thing you can stock pile is BOOKS OF MATCHES.

If America turned into a 3rd world country tomorrow the most important thing is CLEAN DRINKING WATER. Food is everywhere, birds, squirrels, etc. Clean water is not. The only cheap, easy and sustainable way to CLEAN WATER is to boil it for 3+ minutes.

You can buy allllllll the little water cleaning kits / filters you want but guess what, they will wear out and clog up AND you might not even know if they do and you'll be drinking bateria infester water - this can turn deadly FAST.

Books of matches are :

- small
- cheap
- easy to store
- easy to water proof
- easy to transport
- non-explosive
- non-toxic (vs other methods)
- has multiple uses

Say each book of matches has 32 matches (I think) - if you work it right 1 book of matches can last for ONE MONTH (1 match per day). You can easily obtain THOUSANDS of matches for VERY VERY low cost.

Just a thought.

[edit on 1-5-2009 by autsse]

[edit on 1-5-2009 by autsse]

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[edit on 2 May 09 by Gools]

Wile I do agree to a point.but to do one better is what ever means to use to keep them dry..

you can easily water proof matches by coating them in candle wax

I can light my lighter more than 32 times AND its more or less waterproof(it won't light if the flint is wet but will light again once dried out).

vas

opps, my first double post..


[edit on 1-5-2009 by Vasilis Azoth]

I subscribe to the idea of having a bunch of "Bic" (must be Bic) lighters over matches.

But I would want some matches too. The idea is the same, yes we need fire.

reply to post by autsse


Matches ARE good to have, and it is easy to "make-shift" waterproof them. But, you still have the chance they could be made useless, or the waterproofing was not good enough.

Its always safer to have a back-up plan.

Honestly, for your money, invest in a couple of Firesteels.

They last for at least 12,000 strikes a piece, will spark under any condition (try keeping those matches dry in the pouring rain or lit in serious wind) even completely soaked.

They come with a striker to use, but you can use just about anything with a hard flat surface... the back of a knife works extremely well.

Where as you would have to keep some kind of large bundle for your hoarded matches, 2 Firesteels in your BOB weighs next to nothing.

Just my 2 cents.

With respect, boiling water does not remove heavy metals or chemical contaminates. Your assumption is a little missleading to any newbie and potentially dangerous.

Books of matches get wet, soggy and don't work. A fire steel works when wet and if it is good quality will light thousands of fires.

Rgds

reply to post by Redpillblues


yes i do know that..and i also know you can make 1 match into two..

a match isnt a end all sacred peice of gear..Plenty of other ways to make a fire just as or more reliable to make a fire..i can make a fire with a shot gun and a dried birds nest too..

reply to post by autsse


"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

Never a truer word spoken.

For those who think cutting a match in two doubles your chances of lighting fires please reconsider.

It is not practical, not advisable. Please engage brain. Better have one substantial match that works than two that are too frail to work at all.

Do not rely on matches. Use firesteels, learn at least three other ignition methods. Matches count for bugger all in the end equation.

The point has officially been missed.

1. matches are easy to get :: you can get them at nearly any corner / grocery store
   
   
2. matches are cheap :: VERY VERY VERY cheap, firesteel and other options can not possible be as cheap.
   
   
3. if you get a few books of matches and lose 1 or 2 no biggie, if you lose, break, etc your firesteel (etc) you are now officially screwed
   
   
4. lighting matches in the rain is not nearly as hard as you think, it's called "get under cover". furthermore, if there's a downpoor firesteel wont help because whatever your lighting will be soaked with water as well ... unless its UNDER COVER which renders the entire "but its raining" point moot
   

I never said or assumed that boiling water removes heavy metals or chemicals, im mainly addressing viruses and bacteria.

Check it, go buy a firesteel or one of those fancy filter kits. But when you lose your 1 firesteel or the filter on your little what-cha-ma-call-it gets full don't expect to run down to walmart in the middle of Some Random Emergency to get a replacement.

firesteel : expensive, lose it and you're in a bad spot, not AS easy to find (ive never seen one)

bic style lighters : more expensive than matches, subject to explosion or mechanical failure (im a smoker for 10+yrs)

zippo style lighters : the fuel LITERALLY evolporates out of the lighter, this has happened to more than one of my zippos on several occasions

[edit on 1-5-2009 by autsse]

reply to post by autsse



A book of matches, just like a lighter, eventually runs out. Why not have a proper flint and striker that would outlast both? Or better yet, 2.

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[edit on Sun May 3 2009 by Jbird]

Originally posted by king9072

A book of matches, just like a lighter, eventually runs out. Why not have a proper flint and striker that would outlast both? Or better yet, 2.

I've never seen a striker and flint in a store. NEVER EVER. This means they are not as easy to find as matches.

The point is matches are so cheap even poor people can buy hundreds, or thousands.

If I ONLY spent 5 dollars on matches and each book comes with 32 matches thats 1600 matches at 10 cents per pack (a common price ive seen even when NOT buying in bulk).

Even at an irresponsible rate of 5 matches per day thats 320 days worth of fire.

VS say, a bic lighter which retail for $1 or so a pop - thats 5 lighters and let me tell you, if you think 5 plastic lighters are going to give you 320 days of fire / ~1600 strikes I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

I prefer my Swedish firesteel. Each family member has one in their BOB.

reply to post by autsse



What happens, when your drunk one night cause your so depressed the world is ending, that you leave your box of matchs out in the rain and they all get ruined


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[edit on Sun May 3 2009 by Jbird]

Good old magnifying glass give you years of fun

jus a thought

reply to post by autsse


If you cant find Firesteel, then you are not looking.

There are at least 8 different stores here that carry them, and not all are "outdoorsman" type stores. Plus, the are easy to order online.

There is a reason these are used by the military.

Your argument about losing it... I would rather keep up with one or two Firesteels than try to keep up with and keep dry, a large bundle of matches.

Keeping some matches is a good idea yes.. but putting all your eggs in one basket with only one fire source is not.

-edit- We can argue the "points" all day long, but you ask someone who is truly out braving the elements what they use to start a fire... matches usually are not mentioned in the list.

Just because something sounds good in theory, does not mean it will be great in practice. The people who think they have "everything" figured out, are usually the ones that freak out first when their only plan fails to succeed.



[edit on 1-5-2009 by TwiTcHomatic]

im with the firesteel group on this one. its true all the points that you make about matches but in an actual situation, i find them to not be to reliable. heck, if you breath the wrong way you lose a match. the average person would use way more than one match a day, because the average person is... well, to be frank, stupid. firesteel is the way to go

reply to post by Seany


That's exaclty what I was thinking......plus you get to burn ants all day

Top choice: Firesteel

2nd: magnifying glass.

3rd: matches

any good out doorsman will tell you to have 3 ways of making fire in your kit....
just to clarify,I would never split matches to light a fire to warm my wet bones on a fridged night..Looking in a pack of matches and seeing one left and having to light my cig, oh hell yes..Paper matches split better..wood ones fall apart

zippos can use anything flamable to fill them..
why would i worry about an explosion hazard if at the time the most important thing i have to worry about is having to boil water?

If im on the move i dont wanna have a case of matches on my taking up space..

matches are past there prime in the BOB scene..a few yes but like said dont count on them when you need them..a fire steel is 100% goof proof..

have you spent any time in the wilds being self sufficiant?


[edit on 2-5-2009 by Redpillblues]