Match cases

I personaly never did use the nail polish. Even if i were mentioned on here before. I also found that it works great if you dip the matches in Wax about 3\4 of the way. I did notice that with wax they tend not to go out as much in windy days and the flame a bit hotter. Now thinking about it i should do the other two bottles same way.

Sasha
 
sasha said:
I personaly never did use the nail polish. Even if i were mentioned on here before. I also found that it works great if you dip the matches in Wax about 3\4 of the way. I did notice that with wax they tend not to go out as much in windy days and the flame a bit hotter. Now thinking about it i should do the other two bottles same way.

Sasha
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Yeah wax works well, just takes up a bit more space.
 
I am a SCUBA instructor. I also just received a KM match-case as a Christmas gift. I was interested in the waterproofness of the case, so I tested it. The shop has a depth tester for water pressuring testing dive computers and depth-gauges. I performed 2 tests.

First, I fitted a new O-ring to my plastic Chinese orange, whistled match case with compass. I placed the case full of matches into the water, weighted it down with a lead bag. Next, I simulated 20 feet of water and immediately brought it back up. It leaked like a sieve. Matches were soaked. The compass was fine.

Next, I calculated the KM match-case guarantee of 2000PSI to feet of water. Each foot of water is equivalent to .445PSI. The pressure-pot gauge only goes to 230 feet. Nowhere near the over 4000 feet the case is guaranteed to handle! The case however did readily handle 230 feet for 30 minutes without a hint of a leak! Likewise the compass was fine too.

Since I always seem to find water when I am out in the great outdoors I demand waterproof gear. The KM is up to the task.

Might I suggest adding a few needles wrapped in thread to your match-cases.
 
Next, I calculated the KM match-case guarantee of 2000PSI to feet of water. Each foot of water is equivalent to .445PSI. The pressure-pot gauge only goes to 230 feet. Nowhere near the over 4000 feet the case is guaranteed to handle! The case however did readily handle 230 feet for 30 minutes without a hint of a leak! Likewise the compass was fine too.

Since I always seem to find water when I am out in the great outdoors I demand waterproof gear. The KM is up to the task.
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How tight is the lid. I'm really wary of the top getting knocked off since it is not screwed on. In a pressure situation its no big deal, but what about getting knocked around in a pack where the case isn't under pressure.
 
I use the 24 Hour rule when choosing a Match Case

Fill the case with cotton baton, no need to waste matches and seal it up and place it underwater for 24 hours. Take the case out and if the cotton baton is dry then the case passes and should be used in the woods. The only cases that have ever passes this test all have rubber o-rings. Coglans produces a cheap plastic one available at Walmart that passes the test and only costs a couple of bucks. I put a piece of sandpaper inside the top as a striker and take along a piece of tinder in the top to stop the Strike Anywhere Matches from igniting as well as giving me a better chance at lighting a fire in poor conditions.

wscs-critical-items.jpg



Bruce Zawalsky
Chief Instructor
Boreal Wilderness Institute
boreal.net
 
Troop said:
He liked the plastic match cases, his reason being, if you're behind the eight ball, and already suffering from hypothermia, you may not be able to unscrew the top of a match case.
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Negative. I learned from an almost SAS Trooper Sir Edward Grylls that the right thing to do if you are really cold is just take off your clothes and wipe your body with snow. That should help. Then you can just twist off the matches case cap.
 
Just as a warning to anyone who uses nail varnish on their matches. When constructing my first psk someone told me to use wax but then someone said that nail varnish worked better so I gave it a try. Until recently I unpacked that old kit to make my new PSK and when testing out the storm matches, I realised that now I had a whole lot of matches stuck together and when you pulled them apart some of the red stuff will break off. And when you try to light it the varnish gums up the striker pad and when it does burn its a very weak flame.
Then again this might of just been something i did wrong but I think its still better to just get a waterproof container.
 
nemoaz said:
Negative. I learned from an almost SAS Trooper Sir Edward Grylls that the right thing to do if you are really cold is just take off your clothes and wipe your body with snow. That should help. Then you can just twist off the matches case cap.
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Really?!?!?!
I will try that if it ever happens to me.
Also, should I attempt to free climb down a waterfall or try to hike around it?

1 question about the metal ones, do they float?
I use the orange coghlans plastic one to hold a bunch of fatwood splinters and wood matches. The O ring is really just a flat washer, I should replace it.

Couple of more tips, stack 1/2 the matches upside down, that way the heads wont rub together and ignite.
Try using shellac, a few coats allowed to dry should be good. A bit tougher then the wax.
 
Troop said:
...He stated that with the plastic case, you could just smash it open with a rock, if you had to.
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Just curious but, after you've done that, how do you strike the matches without trashing them ? A well-known Jack London story comes to mind here, albeit a work of fiction...

BruceZed, I like the way you think. Personally, I like toilet paper for testing gear's water ingress because it breaks down in water which is REALLY easy to see
 
STAGE 2 said:
How tight is the lid. I'm really wary of the top getting knocked off since it is not screwed on. In a pressure situation its no big deal, but what about getting knocked around in a pack where the case isn't under pressure.
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I have never had the top on my K&M come off.
 
STAGE 2 said:
How tight is the lid. I'm really wary of the top getting knocked off since it is not screwed on. In a pressure situation its no big deal, but what about getting knocked around in a pack where the case isn't under pressure.
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It has a simple, yet novel lanyard system that is pulled snug, then the cap is twisted. This stretches the lanyard cord tight over the knurled body. Even if I pull strongly on the cap it will not separate, yet a gentle twist and the cap can then be pulled open. I have been caring the case in my pocket for days with no loosening of the case plug. In a pack or pocket I would say it is a non-issue.
 
Wow, I ordered a K&M match case a few days ago and just found in the mailbox. I've never seen one face to face-- these things are COOL. 1.2 ounces with the cap (no matches) and this is the long one that will use the REI stormproof matches; it's about 4.5" overall. It has a great little Suunto compass that is on the money. You can see the hard-knocks design work-- all business, no frills and well made. One little touch is the way the lanyard threads through the body and cap-- the direction of pull pushes the cap in harder. Me likum! It's a keeper :D

LongREI4254714.JPG


https://www.kmmatchcase.com/index.html
 
Being new to this game, this thread frustrates me to an extent - in a good way I guess:). As I do not yet have a match case, I add an item to my wish list, then change it, then change it... I guess there are quite a few quality match case products out there.

Max
 
maxkimber said:
Being new to this game, this thread frustrates me to an extent - in a good way I guess:). As I do not yet have a match case, I add an item to my wish list, then change it, then change it... I guess there are quite a few quality match case products out there.

Max
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Ah, Grasshopper, the ways are many and the road is rocky and steep. You will reach perfection in your PSK someday, but there will be suffering along the way :)

The $2 plastic ones are perfectly fine and a darn sight better than none at all. Make sure you have multiple ways to make fire-- matches, butane lighter, and firesteel. Carry tinder, and make the effort to learn how to make and use a fire bow.
 
DaleW said:
Wow, I ordered a K&M match case a few days ago and just found in the mailbox. I've never seen one face to face-- these things are COOL. 1.2 ounces with the cap (no matches) and this is the long one that will use the REI stormproof matches; it's about 4.5" overall. It has a great little Suunto compass that is on the money. You can see the hard-knocks design work-- all business, no frills and well made. One little touch is the way the lanyard threads through the body and cap-- the direction of pull pushes the cap in harder. Me likum! It's a keeper :D
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Dale, how loose is the cap when the lanyard isn't tightening it down? Any chance of it shaking off if not tightened?
 
STAGE 2 said:
Dale, how loose is the cap when the lanyard isn't tightening it down? Any chance of it shaking off if not tightened?
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Nope. Its tight like a cork. These are an excellent pieces of kit. K&M matchcases have been used by the military. Stay away from the Silva's I have one that leaks like a sieve.
 
STAGE 2 said:
Dale, how loose is the cap when the lanyard isn't tightening it down? Any chance of it shaking off if not tightened?
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No, it is like assembling a hydraulic cylinder-- nice and snug. I've seen a lot of machine work in my day and this is right. The last thing I want to have happen is to need fire and find a cylinder full of soggy matches. I hike through mud about 10 months of the year-- it's wet here!

kmtop.jpg


You can see there are two o-rings nicely seated in machined grooves. You brakes are built about the same way. The lanyard setup is clever-- pull on the lanyard and it just snugs down tighter on the case and the cap. When you pull the cap out, you get a nice pop-- it is airtight-- and it takes some reasonable effort. There is no way this thing is going to shake loose. FYI, the case is supplied with a spare set of o-rings too.

You could add a ranger band, which would give you a little tinder too. I just tried that and it makes a quick and dirty failsafe.
 
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