The challenge of lighting a matchstick without a matchbox
Matchsticks are a staple of fire starting, but what do you do when you don’t have a matchbox? Maybe you’re out camping, or you forgot to restock your matches at home. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of ways to ignite a matchstick without a matchbox. In this article, we’ll explore a few of them.
The classic strike-anywhere match
One of the easiest ways to light a matchstick without a matchbox is by using a strike-anywhere match. As the name suggests, these matches can be struck on any rough surface, making them incredibly versatile. They’re small enough to fit in a survival kit, and they’re relatively inexpensive.
Magnesium and a flint striker
Magnesium is another versatile fire starter. You can find magnesium blocks in camping or survival stores. To use it, shave some magnesium onto a dry surface and ignite it with a flint striker. The sparks from the flint will ignite the magnesium, which will then ignite your matchstick.
A battery and steel wool
If you have a battery and some steel wool, you can start a fire without matches. Place the steel wool on a dry surface, and then touch the battery to the steel wool. The electrical current will ignite the wool, which will then ignite your matchstick.
Rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball
Finally, rubbing alcohol can also be used to start a fire without matches. Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and place it on a dry surface. Then, ignite the cotton ball with a lighter or a spark from a flint striker. The burning cotton ball will ignite your matchstick.
