Matches and Lucifers..

[Dated Guy]

As far as I know, we over in Gt. Britain have no match like those shown in earlyish films from America. I was watching the film 'Double Indemnity' tonight. The Barbara Stanwyck version and throughout the film, there are scenes where cigarettes and cigars are lit by a match, ignited by a simple tweak of the thumb. The same type can be found in loads of other films like westerns etc. How is it done, are they still available, are they as dangerous as indicated by Edward G. Robinson in the same film.??????

This may have been asked before, but not by me !!! :eeek:

 

[DNO]

It's been a long, long time since I did that sort of thing but basically:

You have to be sure to have 'strike anywhere' matches, not 'safety' matches. Grip the match in your fist and flick the head of the match with your thumbnail. Used to work just fine...though an odd burning piece of the head could alight on your hand. That could smart a bit.

Judging from my experience in the last power failure, strike anywhere matches are still made but are not as commonly available as safety matches.

 

[Stanley Doble]

You need the large wooden matches known as kitchen matches. Get the "strike anywhere" matches, safety matches won't work. They are about 2 inches long. Hold in your hand and flick the head with your thumbnail. Place the thumbnail where the white part meets the red and snap the thumbnail away quickly.

This is part of the cowboy skill set. You need to be able to light a cigarette with one hand while the other holds the reins.

When you master that skill we will talk about rolling a cigarette with one hand.

Incidentally you can light a paper match with one hand. Do not tear the match off the book. Fold it over so the head touches the striker strip and flick it with your thumb.

 

[GHT]

Stanley, you sound like you had an interesting mis-spent youth. Were you the kid who would light up a gauloise behind the bike sheds, stink the place out and give everyone the impression that it might have been waccy baccy?

 

[Stanley Doble]

When your hand is in a cast and you can't find your Zippo you learn to improvise. I developed match skills before the Bic lighter was invented.

I leaned toward small cigars when I could afford them, hand rolled Players tobacco when I couldn't. Also smoked a pipe for many years.

Gave up cigarettes for the last time in November 1992, pipe and cigars on New Years Day 2003

 

[HudsonHawk]

Strike anywhere matches contain white phosphorus, as indicated by the white tip on the head. They are still perfectly legal in the US (except on airplanes), but there is some debate, as the white phosphorus is an ingredient in homemade bombs and in making crystal meth. They've long been popular with hunters, campers, outdoorsmen, etc., and they're now in hot demand by the doomsday prepper crowd, who are hoarding them tens of thousands at a time. They're in the same boat as .22 rounds these days. They're not illegal, but good luck finding them anywhere.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We used to use Ohio Blue Tip matches to light the kerosene stove -- just striking the match on the top of the stove was easier than fiddling with a box -- but those were discontinued a few years ago and are no longer manufactured. There might be other brands out there, but Ohio Blues were always the most common.

 

[Worf]

Tough guys would use their thumb, the back of their jeans or their front belt buckle.... If they were REAL tough the stubble on YOUR face would do to strike a match!!!! The last was clearly done as an insult and fists or lead would then start to be liberally thrown about. All caused a certain amount of pain if done wrong.

Worf

 

[Stanley Doble]

Did a quick search and it seems the old strike anywhere matches are hard to get these days. Who knew.

For the original questioner, they say Swan makes strike anywhere matches in England, so that may be the brand you need to look for. Tobacconists usually keep a good selection of matches.

Turned up an Amazon ad for $43.95 + $4.99 shipping for 1 box of 250 kitchen matches ha ha ha are they crazy? Last time I bought them they were under a $1 buck at any grocery store or hardware store.

Most popular brand in Canada is Eddy matches since 1851. Their Redbird kitchen matches are the ones I was talking about earlier.

http://www.eddymatch.ca/retail/

Later. Further research turned up the information that the Eddy Match Company was bought up by the Atlas Match Company of Euless Texas in 1998 and the factory shut down. Eddy matches are now made in the US and they are utter crap.

Ohio Blue Tips are much better if you can find them.

 

[Dated Guy]

Well thanks a lot guys for all the answers, if I recall correctly Eastwood flares one up in a film by striking it on his pants leg and that baffled the deuce out of me, I wore out jean legs trying to look tough and gave birth to the HOTPANT myth... !!! Strike anywhere matches, that name now makes perfect sense to me, although the Crystal Meth connection pushes it further from my sensibilities.
I have a perfect Vee shape in my thumb nail profile now, the Swan Vesta match would break before ignition ,or flare as it broke and set little blazes in the upholstery, a wonderful sight but the smell is indescribable and complaints render the repeat performances null.... !!!

 

[HudsonHawk]

Diamond is the biggest match brand in the US. They still make the long "kitchen" strike anywhere as well as the smaller penny size. But they're hard to find, at least on the retail shelf. Online is probably the best bet.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Well thanks a lot guys for all the answers, if I recall correctly Eastwood flares one up in a film by striking it on his pants leg and that baffled the deuce out of me, I wore out jean legs trying to look tough and gave birth to the HOTPANT myth... !!! Strike anywhere matches, that name now makes perfect sense to me, although the Crystal Meth connection pushes it further from my sensibilities.
I have a perfect Vee shape in my thumb nail profile now, the Swan Vesta match would break before ignition ,or flare as it broke and set little blazes in the upholstery, a wonderful sight but the smell is indescribable and complaints render the repeat performances null.... !!!

You may have to glue a piece of sandpaper under your thumb nail ha ha.

To strike a match on the seat of your pants you must wipe the match head across the surface fast. The friction heats up the match head and causes ignition.

Or glue a piece of sandpaper to your bum.

 

[scrawlysteve]

I seem to recall Klaus Kinski playing an evil (obviously ) cowpoke hunchback in something or other and Clint ( wasn't it ? who else could it possibly have been ? ) lighting one on the hump....I think that may have led to trouble....

 

[Zombie_61]

I seem to recall Klaus Kinski playing an evil (obviously ) cowpoke hunchback in something or other and Clint ( wasn't it ? who else could it possibly have been ? ) lighting one on the hump....I think that may have led to trouble....

That was For A Few Dollars More. By the way, I don't mean to ruin the illusion for anyone but movie and television productions usually used a bit of sandpaper strategically placed on the set or on an actor (where it wouldn't be visible to the camera) to ensure the match would light "on cue" and not ruin the take.

 

[Worf]

^^^^^ Spoil Sport!!!!

Worf

 

[PADDY]

We still have the remnants of old painted wall adverts for PUCK MATCHES! Remember Puck was a sprite in Shakespeare's works (a bundle of fire!)