Strike Anywhere Matches in New Jersey

A

Adair

Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
27
I am a Virginian who has lived in New Jersey for the last ten years.
It isn't a state that is friendly to knives---some folks have been arrested for possessing a simple pocket knife! Even campsites prohibit pocket knives. (The Mob, of course, can destroy towns and kill people, but God save you if you carry a pocket knife!)
Today I went in search, quite innocently, for some strike-anywhere-matches, because I'd run out of them. I stopped in at a local tobacconist and asked if he carried them. I wasn't asking for vintage Ohio Blue Tips or anything. The simple and mediocre Diamond brand would do. He looked at me like I was nuts. "They've been illegal in New Jersey for the last forty years!," he cried.
WHAT???
Are there other states where such a simple joy is illegal?
I pity New Jersey boys who have never known the delight of striking a match on your jeans or cowboy boots...
Not only that. Strike-anywhere-matches can save your life in the woods if the striker on your matchbox goes bad. Without a striker, traditional safety matches are useless.
 
I grew up with them as a kid. Watching the cowboys light them on their teeth, zippers, and thigh of their bluejeans. The best trick is to pop the corner of your thumbnail on the head of the match to light it. Miss them.
 
Sad but true, just like the world moved away from the fire piston because of the strike anywhere match, the world is now leaving the lucifer behind. Either risks to kids (the reason they are not allowed here in Australia) or meth production, their time has past. One of the reasons that most woods kits feature a Bic and a firesteel instead of a mables match-case these days.
 
I used to shoot them out of a pellet gun to light the BBQ. They still legal here.
 
I always find these posts strange. They are still a standard item in my local food store here in Washington state.
 
I bet there are places you can't buy a can of calcium carbide these days as well.
 
Lucky for you, Sidehill. I took it for granted that I could just buy them at any local grocery or tobacconist too. Not the case here! I'll have to wait to find some when I make a visit home. All of this has lead me to do a little more research. I've found out about Red Bird Strike Anywhere Matches from Canada, which come in a very beautiful box. Has anyone tried them?
 
Took it for granted they still existed here, but I use lighters. Looked up the classic Swan Vesta and yay 33p a box in Tesco. I just said to a mate that I was reading a thread on a US forum and some of you are having difficulties so I looked up whether Swan Vesta had been banned here, and he just handed me a socking great big box of The Original Cook's Matches with long shafts. I only knew of the Bryant and May S Vestas. These are better, and by appointment to the queen no less, w00t w00t. Cheers, I just found an upgrade.

I would never have thunk that.
 
Hard to find but still legal in Ar. for now....
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Adair said:
Lucky for you, Sidehill. I took it for granted that I could just buy them at any local grocery or tobacconist too. Not the case here! I'll have to wait to find some when I make a visit home. All of this has lead me to do a little more research. I've found out about Red Bird Strike Anywhere Matches from Canada, which come in a very beautiful box. Has anyone tried them?
Click to expand...

yup. there's always at least one box in the kitchen. another in the garage, but i can't find either when i need to light the bbq.
 
I wouldn't take his word for it. Store clerks are not reliable sources of legal information.

They're not illegal here in Massachusetts but they're hard to find, and a lot of people think they aren't manufactured any more.
 
Looks like Redbird and other strike anywhere matches are available on that site named after a big river in South America. John
 
So I bought a box of the green head strike anywhere matches at the grocery store today. You are certainly right the head is about half the size of the old style. I then went around the house striking matches on any surface that caught my eye. No failures. I suppose that might not be true if they have a chance to soak up a little moisture from the air so I will keep experimenting.
 
Huh. Maybe they aren't illegal here after all, just hard to find and their use discouraged...
 
I have some and see them online. Next time I go to the store I will look.
I know they are getting smaller.
I like to keep them handy but rarely use them.
 
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