i realize a similar question was asked recently, please bear with me.

i have been all over this city looking for ohio blue tip, strike anywhere, matches. i can't find them. diamond makes a strike anywhere match and i am VERY DISAPPOINTED in them, they are junk. and i do NOT want the strike on box matches.

does any of you actually have access to buy the ohio blue tips? and where? i want to buy some but i need help. i did a web search and did not find a satisfactory answer.

also, does anyone know, based on experience and not guessing, how long matches will last stored in the kitchen cabinet?

thanks and have a great day

gene

-- gene ward (gward34847@aol.com), August 29, 2001

Answers

I can find the diamons,, and one other brand,, not Ohio,, so I buy whatever is cheapest

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 29, 2001.

We have always stored our matches in glass jars.

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), August 29, 2001.

I have boxes of Ohio Blue Tip matches, box says strike anywhere, also damp proof. HOWEVER, they are made by Diamond Matches. Maybe they've changed the formula from what you remember? Have you done a web search to see if you can locate Diamond Matches? They might have contact info that could tell you where to buy them in your area. I bought mine at a grocery store, comes in a packet of two boxes of matches. Don't remember the price, because it was awhile ago (bought several at once). Sorry I can't be more help.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), August 29, 2001.

BE EXTREMELY CAREFULL HOW YOU STORE THESE MATCHES!!!! A good friend's house burned down because of improper storage. They kept them in a drawer in the kitchen...the old " junk " drawer, and the constant opening and closing of it caused enough friction on them to ignite them. They were gone at the time, so they weren't hurt, but they lost everything!

-- Uncle Jake (lulafred@cs.com), August 30, 2001.

Diamond Brands makes Ohio Blue Tips, contact them and ask them where you can find them locally or order direct from them.

http://www.diamondbrands.com/diamondkitchenmatches.html Customer Service: (800)777-7942 email:info@diamondbrands.com

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), August 30, 2001.

this company was selling them online $3/box, might want to inquire Folks@riverjunction.com http://www.riverjunction.com/ http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/saloon/matches.html

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), August 30, 2001.

Ifind them at camping stores, for R.V.'s

-- Dave Rissel (Ohioan@backpacker.com), August 30, 2001.

Havent seen Ohio matches for long time. But until this year, store in small town close by carried "Fire Chief" brand strike anywhere matches. They were just as good as old Ohio, or old Diamond matches. If you cant find any alternatives, buy the lesser quality strike anywhere diamond brand that is sold now. They are generally not real bad when fresh, but deteriorate quickly from age and humidity. Coat them with paraffine wax like old trick to make waterproof matches for camping. This should help them stay in fresh usable state.

-- hermit john (hermit@hilltop_homestead.zzn.com), August 30, 2001.

Yeah,I haven't seen those trusty'ol Ohio blue tips in quite awhile myself. Though I saw a Hannaford grocery carry some once last year(wish I'd got some...damn),I still haven't seen the damn things in good,commonplace supply in several years...I know they used to be made by the defunct Ohio Match Company but were picked up by Diamond after that. Heck,the box looked EXACTLY the same after the matches switched companies! I now have some Diamond red-and-white tip strike-anywhere's that arguably are at or just about as good as OBT's yet I still long for the OBT matches,as they just serve pretty well for a fit of nostalgia! Also,I've really noticed a sharp decline in most retail stores carrying the strike-anywhere matches in recent times;many now choose only to stock those damned "safety" matches("strike-on-box" & paper),though an occassional "'ol fashioned" small country grocer may have 'em...I got my matches from ACE Hardware for a little over a buck a box(250). I even tried to ask a clerk there if they could "special order" the OBT's(since they had the Diamond brand in-stock);he told me the Diamond's are the only one that gets sent to them(Curses! Foiled again!). However I should still nevertheless be happy for getting ANY of these friction matches these days(great for camping,other uses). Shoot,I wonder if the Blue Tips are even still made or not(I saw a survival gear website;don't have the address,but it said that Blue Tips are no longer manufactured...hmmm)...if anyone can please tell me how to get any OBT's,please respond on here or e-mail me at purpleowl_millennium@yahoo.com...thanks,y'all!

-- frank durham (purpleowl_millennium@yahoo.com), October 16, 2001.

The strike anywhere matches are gone because the tips when put in a small glass or metal container can be used to make a bomb. I used to duct tape a stretched rubber band across the hole in an empty spool of thread and shoot them and they would ignite when they hit anything hard.

-- Doug Bernars (x123456x@webtv.net), November 17, 2001.

Well I know I've previously written on here regarding the Ohio Blue Tip(OBT)matches & where to TRY to get 'em. I've been told they're no longer made(boo!)yet even provided that I'm still able to find some strike-anywhere matches under Diamond name;why,I even saw SEVERAL STACKED BOXES at a Harris-Teeter grocery in Raleigh,NC(not my fave grocer but shoot they're good for something!). Plus I saw a few "small-town" grocer's in Eastern NC carry Diamond SA matches but still no OBT's...curses,foiled again. Well I'm just obsessive for OBT matches as I've used them in younger days('80's mostly)but would just be a cool thing to still have 'round after so many other things have changed...well I'm happy with Diamond SA(beats "safety" matches!)but I wonder why Gene on this board dislikes them so! They've not been that bad with me(yet),but anyway...plus every ACE Hardware store I've been in in Eastern NC still carries Diamond SA's but was just surprised to see some in a major chain grocery(not Food Lion or Winn-Dixie,though).They still are apparently made;just not the OBT's.

-- frank durham (purpleowl_millennium@yahoo.com), December 14, 2001.