For the last couple decades we have been unable to buy quality strike-anywhere, matches for starting a campfire or survival. My favorite was always the Ohio Blue Tip.

Has your government over-protected you or do you have good matches available yet?

I use Redbird* strike anywhere matches but would rate them fairly poor quality..
I use them almost daily as I fry on a burner attached to a 20lb propane bottle..
Funny thing on the back of the box it sez that they are a "Product of U.S.A."

*Eddy Match Company Limited, Pembroke, Ontario

I visit Canada, not a Canadian, but the Eddy Redbird matches seem to be good. I think the Eddys are owned by the Diamond company of the U.S. You are right about the old Ohio Bluetips. Those things would light on a pant leg, or using a thumbnail. Of course, the first time I tried that, I had burning sulpher under the nail. Maybe Randy, or Keith will help here.

I buy mine at Canadian Tire and they are called RedBird. Made by Eddy Match Company of Pembroke, Ontario. Also says product of the USA. A steel zipper in your jeans works good if the striker gets wet, as will a piece of wood. 250 in a box, and sold as a 2 pack.

A good match in Canada.....Would be a fight between me and that cowardly Dewey Riesterer.

Redbird too but I always have a flint and steel in my survival pack. Old bird nests as tinder and of course a little black powder goes a long way.

I am not kidding, the flint and steel always works.

VernAK;
For awhile in our part of the world it was a little tough to find strike anywhere matches, but lately the aforementioned "Redbird" by Eddy have been available most everywhere.

The one thing we've noticed about that brand is that they seem to be susceptible to absorbing surrounding moisture more than other wooden match types. Any exposure to moist conditions seems to degrade the match tip very quickly, so storage of an unwrapped box in a zip-lock type bag might not hurt.

As well, the match heads aren't as robust as some brands available in my youth, so zipper strikes will sometimes result in a broken head, but they can certainly be lit on the inside steel door frame of a wood stove like I did this morning - and every morning at our house from September to April.

Anyway, in our part of the Okanagan they are available at most grocery stores and Canadian Tire carries them as well. Strangely the local Walmart has no matches except the Coghlan's Waterproof or Windproof ones.

Hopefully that was some use to you sir. All the best to you and yours.

Regards,
Dwayne

He's probably kick your arse. ;-)

My whining has paid dividends......a friend has a cabin in YT and he brought me a box of Red Birds and today I was telling another Geezer about the matches and he came up with a full box of Ohio Blue Tips that he had vacuum sealed years back.....I tested em and teh Blue Tips are the better match and I now have enough to carry through my remaining years.....Thanks all!