Match case & matches reviewed.

[mirage]

Seeing Andylaser's thread here about matchcases, I decided to order two for my kit.

Having had the opportunity to play with them for a few days, here are my observations so far:



My cases are in blackened aluminium. The finish is excellent; even and unmarred. There are a few trifling machining marks inside the sealed end of the tube, but as I had to use a Surefire torch to find them, they're barely worth mentioning!

An empty case weighs 1 1/8oz or 32 grams. Overall length is a shade under 4", diameter is approximately 0.85" There is a 1.3" band of aggressive knurling round the upper end of the body to assist grip.

The internal length of the tube is about 2.6". Of this, about 2.2" is useable space as the stopper protrudes about 0.4" into it when the match case is sealed. An AA cell placed inside the match case rattles slightly when the sealed tube is shaken back and forth.

The internal diameter of the tube is approximately 0.8" (we're moving house & my micrometer is packed away...) It just fails to accept a 1p coin.

At the closed end, there is an protrusion with a lanyard hole for the supplied green synthetic cord. The cord extends about 11 1/2" from the lanyard hole and ends in a pre-tied loop.

Around the protrusion is the manufacturer's details: " K&M ELK RIVER ID USA."



At the open end of the tube lies the stopper which prevents the entry of water. The grip cap of the stopper is 0.4" deep and knurled. The lanyard cord passes through the neck of the stopper. This allows a simple but clever "locking system." With the stopper pushed firmly into place, sealing the tube, merely rotate the stopper about 3/4 turn. This causes the lanyard - which is fixed at both ends - to twist around the body. This torsion locks the stopper in place.

Pulling out the stopper reveals that a watertight seal is provided by two synthetic O-rings set into grooves machined into the stopper.Two spare O-rings and a spare lanyard are supplied with each case.



The internal end of the stopper is left uncoated and machined roughly; this is intended to allow its use as a striker for matches (more on this later).



The outer end of the stopper contains a small compass made by the respected manufacturer Suunto. A swift look at the site suggests that the compass is the type fitted into their Gem, Comet and Clipper models. If this is the case, it's merely described as "a liquid filled capsule and rotating dial." As best I can determine, it works fine.



The compass end of the stopper can be protected with a snug-fitting black plastic cap (supplied).

I don't have any pressure-testing kit, but a casual immersion of the match case in room temperature tap water revealed no ingress of water.



Just to be on the safe side, however, I cut some bicycle inner tube to length, then used it to make a sheath for match case, covering it from the rubber compass cap to below the knurling.



A pair of good mates for the woods!

OK: matches! A quick check showed them being offered for sale by Penrith Survival at £1.50 for 25. I ordered two boxes which, with postage, came to exactly £5.



On arrival I noted that the box bore the firm's former name, "Survival Aids." (I wonder why they changed it? ) Hmmm. How old are these matches?



The firm's proud boasts.



The familiar "vitamin pill bottle" seal.



Tearing open the box revealed 25 of these, so the count is accurate. There is no extra waterproofing inside the sealed box, so - once opened - you have to provide any extra protection yourself.



I did this by placing 12 of the matches inside a 2" x 2" ziplock bag, available from Staples. I fastened the ziplock bag with three "Ranger rubber bands" cut from bicycle inner tube. This keeps the package small and - more importantly - provides extra tinder in the shape of the rubber. This burns long and hot, even when wet. (Thanks, Ray Mears!)



Why 12? Well, twelve plus wrapping fills the tube comfortably but not too tightly.



Waterproof? Let's see. This one I immersed in room temperature tap water. As you see, it floats head-down. More on water proof qualities later.



The end of the box bears a striking surface.

Now to test the matches. I struck one on the striker provided on the lid of its box. Ignition took two or three tries due to the small width of the roughened surface, but was accomplished with no problems. The match "flared" for nine seconds with a fierce heat.

I then tried a second match on the roughened surface left inside the match case stopper: No joy. Despite repeated tries, it didn't even look like trying to catch. Ah well. To prove that it wasn't the match to blame, I struck it on the box from which it had come. Pow! Rapid ignition followed by an 11-second "flare."

Now the acid test: The immersed match. Having left it in the water for exactly an hour, I removed it and examined it. I was slightly perturbed to see that a 1/8" section of the burning compound had "lifted" off the wood, and that a tiny bubble was protruding from under the "scab." Hmmm...

I struck the wet match on the strike from its own box to give it a fair chance. Nothing!
Despite trying until the wood broke, the match resolutely failed even to sputter. By the end, cinnamon-coloured mud (a paste formed from the ignition compound) was soiling my finger & thumb and the compound was crumbling soggily from the wood. Abject failure.

In conclusion: the match case is excellent kit and - in my humble opinion - well worth the asking price.

The matches? I would charitably describe them as damp-proof at best. When dry, they performed very well. When wet...

mirage

[narsil]

I've never been a big fan of lifeboat matches. the biggest problem is actualy trying to light things with them. The flare pattern of the flame seems to spread the heat out. For the size of a pack of matches I'd rather go for a fire steel and a lighter.

On the other hand the match case looks like an excellent bit of kit, I think that there would be quite a few uses for that apart from storing matches.

[Stew]

Mirage, how about using normal strike anywhere matches on the roughened surface of the stopper?

[MotorbikeMan]

I've never been a fan of lifeboat matches either, finding them hard to light at the best of times. We always used to set the heads into a block of wax shaped to fit the container we were carrying them in. That way we always had dry matches and some wax to help the fire lighting. Always seemed a bit of a pain though considering the matches were supposed to be waterproof

[grummit]

i have some of these cases to and find them to be fantastic and the swan vesta type match will strike on the cap bottom
or the knurling (of the brass one )

[narsil]

how easy is it to open, in an emergency, with cold, wet hands that might be an issue?

[Basemetal]

Oooh I like that and want one (at least!) Where did you get it?

Lifeboat matches are safety matches and can't be lit on a rough surface -they need the "other" chemical in the striker paper that comes with them.

One other waterproofing option is to varnish them -nitrate cellulose dope -as for model aeropolanes is good. But wax should be more than enough. You could glue a disk of the striker onto the inside of the cap.

In use the original packing -the vitamin pill container-is excellent for absolute waterproofness and it floats (does yours?). If you think one light per box they are great for emergencies.

Must admit I've never had a problem using lifeboat matches or the windproof ones. But I rely on having something good to light -meths/petrol/hexamine/esbit. They must be awful for cigarettes and I'd never use them in a tent....

[narsil]

Oooh I like that and want one (at least!) Where did you get it?

They must be awful for cigarettes

You got that right, you only try it once.

[Basemetal]

One survival tip: if your careful you can strike ordinary (strike anywhere) matches on a knife edge. Practice a little and concentrate on not cutting the matchhead but rather running it along the blade to generate a very intense heat spot. It does take a little practice though.

[mirage]

Mirage, how about using normal strike anywhere matches on the roughened surface of the stopper?

Stew,

Unfortunately I didn't have any to hand when writing the review. If I remember, I'll try to get hold of some.

"How easy is it to open, in an emergency, with cold, wet hands that might be an issue?"

narsil,

Very. The knurling is well-done and grippy.

mirage

[mirage]

Oooh I like that and want one (at least!) Where did you get it?

Via Andylaser on Bushcraft Forum. Here's the thread.

mirage

[Hoodoo]

I never did much care for those matches. I think the best way to light them is not to strike them across the striker but to drive them into striker. Sounds weird but it works. IIRC (and I may not), this is described somewhere on Doug Ritter's site, Equipped to Survive.

The absolute best wind and waterproof matches I have ever found are sold by REI. They are just super. I bought some recently and noticed they were heavily discounted. I hope they are not dropping them from their line.

Coughlin's wind and waterproof matches are actually pretty good as well. The green headed waterproof matches are not so good imo.

[Little claw]

I alway assumed that when they said "wind and waterproof" they meant once you've lit them. You have to keep them dry but you can use them in wind and rain where they burn reliably for about 10 secs.

If you light them you can immerse them and they'l keep burning.

[Schwert]

Mirage,

Great review....I was sweating there hoping the conclusion was going to be good.

Keith Lunders has been making these K&M cases for over a decade. For about 2 years he had to stop as he could not source a decent compass. But a few months ago he was able to get his hands on these very good Suunto compasses...these are actually jeweled ones, and he is back in production.

I personally feel these are about the best matchcase I have ever seen or used. I am happy that Keith is back in production.

Just so you all know I am assisting him with the sales so have a vested interest in this review.....and future orders.

Thanks Mirage.


(BTW that link over to BCUK is very long....sales info is now near the end and on page 17.)

[Basemetal]

#Just re-read your excellent review M, and was wondering about the level of waterproofing you're seeking. You've got an o-ring sealed waterproof matchcase, inside a rubber sleeve and you've taken nominally waterproof matches and wrapped them in a ziploc bag...

I'm about to get a pair of these cases from the redoubtable Schwert and have been thinking about what I'd put in them. I'm coming down on strike anywhere matches (Scottish Bluebell) lightly varnished (cellulose dope), one cake candle (the kind you can't blow out), and for waterproofing/emergency tinder - a lightly Vaselined cotton ball to pack any space before the cap screws on. I'm hoping to be able to place my trust in the matchcase.

As a youngster - often drenched through for some odd reason, I used to carry a snuff tin with strike anywhere matches completely set in a block of paraffin wax. To get a match could be fiddly as you had to break/cut them out of the block. But they were never wet.