We know about ancient ways of kindling fire mainly from the history and descriptions of travelers who observed them in the camps of the so-called backward tribes. Themselves long ago used to use matches. It should be noted that in recent years lighters and auto-ignition on gas stoves have been added to them. However, matches to this day have not lost their relevance. But how much do we know about them? Do people often look at such familiar, everyday things?
Matches are different
Even the simplest, "home" matches are conceived quite cunningly. The main secret is in their heads, which satisfy two almost opposite requirements: the tip of the match should not fall off the stick when ignited, crumble during storage, and the stick will go out almost instantly when it burns out a little.
Even more difficult are the tasks that hunting matches must perform. They are charged with the obligation to burn much longer, they must give a large and hot flame, and they must be lit in the wind and rain. As a result, hunting matches below the head are coated with an additional compound and can burn for 10 to 20 seconds - this is what you need when you make a fire in "non-flying" conditions. Coating the head with a special film prevents it from getting wet. So a quality product can ignite even in the rain.
Storm matches are even more “weatherproof”: naphthalene and starch are also included in their coating, so even a score of 12 wind is not an obstacle to their ignition.
For those who rarely use such incendiary sticks, we note: it is undesirable to use them in an apartment (house) - they have too much flame, and they smoke with a pungent and unpleasant odor.
Best known method
Hunting matches can be bought at any specialized store for fishermen and hunters. However, if this is not observed near your home, and you go to look for laziness, then you can handle it yourself. Most often, do-it-yourself hunting matches are made from the usual ones with additional substances: silverfish, nitro-varnish and ammonium nitrate. Serebryanka is mixed with saltpeter in equal amounts, varnish is added to them. Everything kneads like dough, until it starts to resemble it. The resulting "plasticine" is thinly rolled out (it is better to use a glass bottle, which you do not mind throwing out afterwards). Damn is cut into the narrowest stripes, not wider than a couple of millimeters, and better - even narrower. These ribbons are wound on a match spirally, from the head to the middle of the stick. Almost ready hunting matches are left to dry, after which the wound strips are painted with varnish. In no case do not varnish the head - without sulfur the match will not be lit. Of course, the work is painstaking, almost jewelry, but in the country, on a hike or fishing you will not be left without fire.
Can be done differently
Less well known is another way of making a hunting match. Instead of the above components, cotton threads and paraffin are suitable. Threads are tightly wound on household matches, preferably in more than one layer. The head naturally remains open. Paraffin is melted, and billets are dipped into it. It’s easier to just throw matches in it, and then catch it; but, in order not to wait for the excess "wax" to drain, it is better to take each with tweezers and dip into the melt.
But no matter what method you make hunting matches, do not forget to take care of the dry “cherkach” (or “stripper” - call it what you want). Without it, the most water-resistant matches will not light. The easiest method is to keep it in a tightly tied condom.
Will be useful on holidays!
Craftsmen believe that such a hunting device is appropriate not only in hiking conditions. If you add a few small sawdust of iron to the composition that matches are processed in the first production option, then when burning you can observe a beautiful spark firework similar to that given by Bengal lights. In bad weather, you don’t want to cancel the holiday, and not every factory product “agrees” to work in damp. So you can please children with safe homemade products.