Surface to strike a match


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Old 12-04-22, 02:30 PM
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Surface to strike a match

Wasn't sure where to post the question, but in my case it involves starting a fire in a wood stove. Sometimes the rough surface on the box of matches seems to deteriorate, making it hard to light a match. What other kind of surface could be used? I've tried sandpaper without success - but may the grit value was too rough and I should try a finer (higher number) grit.
 
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Old 12-04-22, 02:32 PM
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When I was a kid, we struck the match on the zipper of our jeans... or the mortar between the bricks.
 
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Old 12-04-22, 03:24 PM
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I have bricks and mortar around the fireplace - I'll try that.
 
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Old 12-04-22, 03:37 PM
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Are you using safety or strike anywhere matches?
 
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Old 12-04-22, 03:42 PM
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It would be more effective to buy "strike anywhere" matches.
There is a phosphorus on the tip that lights that match.

Safety matches have the phosphorus in the strike paper.
 
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Old 12-04-22, 03:56 PM
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Are you using safety or strike anywhere matches?
I guess not strike anywhere! Just checked the box, says Strike on box matches. I wonder if the longer matches typically for fireplaces and wood stoves are strike anywhere?
 
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Old 12-04-22, 08:08 PM
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Most matches, even the long ones for fireplaces are safety matches that must be struck on the box. So, make sure you buy strike anywhere if you are shopping. And, most safety matches' heads are all one color. Strike anywhere match heads are usually two colors.
 
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Old 12-05-22, 05:42 PM
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Thanks for the tips/suggestions. No luck with the brick mortar. Next time I'll see if I can find strike anywhere matches, It may seem like a trivial thing, but there's times when I've ended up having trouble lighting them with only half of the box gone. There must be something unique in the striking portion of the box, or the material itself.
 
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Old 12-05-22, 05:48 PM
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Next time I'll see if I can find safety matches
​​​​​​​Just to be clear, you already HAVE safety matches.

Sounds like you want strike anywhere matches.
 
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Old 12-05-22, 05:57 PM
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​​​​​​​Just to be clear, you already HAVE safety matches.
My bad - corrected my post. And I see PJmax mentioned, there's phosphorus in the strike paper.
 
 

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