# Lighting matches with a slingshot... possible?



## Bill Hays

Today I took my first attempt at lighting some matches using the Target Shrike outfitted with a SuperSure pouch and TexShooter bands.... was able to hit the matches easily enough, and the middle match did actually get hit on the tip... So I'm thinking that it's probably not possible to strike a match with a slingshot... if it's these green tipped "safety" matches.

After doing the video, I then tried to light these matches with my pistol, and was able to take just a fraction of an inch's worth of material off the tip, and it didn't light.... then I tried simply striking them on ANYTHING other than the box and couldn't get them to light... so this entire experiment today was a FAIL.

I've special ordered some "strike anywhere" matches with the white tips... and will give this a try again when they come in.

Anyway, here's the first attempt.... probably somebody else can take on and accomplish the challenge before my new matches I had to order from ebay come in!


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## NightKnight

Good video as usual Bill!


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## Nigel

I wouldn't even hit that with a shotgun! LOL!
Nice shooting!!


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## pop shot

wrap the strike pad off the matchbox and glue it to the ammo!


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## HopefulHunter

Safety matches only light on the strips made for them.

I am still trying to register the fact in my mind that you are accurate enough to shoot the top of a match head with a slingshot and a pistol without breaking them... That is amazing!

Eddie.


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## slingshot_sniper

Good shooting Bill









and yes I think your right those safety matches will not light on everything...on normal matches all the chemicals are there and they'll strike anywhere however! in the safety match an important element is separated from the match head (phosphorus) which is contained within the strip.


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## Bill Hays

Okay, I had a friend who said it IS possible to light one of the green head matches with a pistol... so I videoed myself shooting my service pistol... it CLEARLY shows that the match will NOT light.

When I get the strike anywhere matches in, I'll try it again... but until then, may as well be shooting at Q-tips!

Check it out, you can even see the glint of the bullet as it touches the match, sun was at just the PERFECT angle!


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## pop shot

you're crazy accurate, man


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## slingshotvibe

Try useing lime stone balls or coat a marble with pva then a coaurse sand for more friction


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## Charles

Nahhh ... those matches do not have any phosphorous ... the phosphorous is on the box. But you can make your own strike anywhere matches:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strike-anywhere-matches/?ALLSTEPS






Lots of other sites on the web ...

Great shooting, as usual ...

Cheers ... Charles


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## NaturalFork

Excellent shooting. I would be lucky to hit a box of matches. And with a pistol it would take me all day.


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## KennyCannon

Nice shooting as usual Bill.


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## slingshot_sniper

easysrike/strike anywhere matches ignite much easier than any other match and your best bet,other matches like Swan Vesta and Bryant still need a lot of friction to ignite if not using the strike plate on the box so don't waste your time with those matches


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## ZDP-189

Swan Vastas non-safety matches can be lit with friction. Not sure about percussion. It helps a lot if thy are dry.

If you're going to reformulate your own match heads, I wonder if you could coat the projectile? That way even I might have a chance of hitting something. Wouldn't be very safe though, firing incendiary ammo.


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## Bill Hays

I think the white tipped matches from penley (sp) should work... and that's what I ordered.
So we'll see once they get here.


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## maljo

Swan Vestas (well known English brand) are what you need - they strike on a strip of rough sandpaper stuck down one side of the box.

I tried to upload an image - it looked fine in the 'post' box but disappeared when I tried to post it ???????

This looks to me like a challenge that could be met by our very own Hawk2009 using his new target holder!


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## slingshot_sniper

maljo said:


> Swan Vestas (well known English brand) are what you need - they strike on a strip of rough sandpaper stuck down one side of the box.
> 
> I tried to upload an image - it looked fine in the 'post' box but disappeared when I tried to post it ???????
> 
> This looks to me like a challenge that could be met by our very own Hawk2009 using his new target holder!


Yes and Hawk will tell you Swan do not ignite being struck with 9.5mm steel.in fact many years ago I tried with a Webley Vulcan .22 12ft/lb @ 70 feet ten hits no FIRE! hmmm! perhaps I angled the shot wrong









[edit] Now i'm going back some 30 years perhaps matches have changed.....I know my eyesight has


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## Charles

In the "bad old days" when I was young, I used a pellet pistol to fire into the end of a box of "kitchen matches". It would almost always set the whole box on fire. The crappy matches they make these days I find almost totally useless. Even the allegedly "strike anywhere" types are hard to light even when I strike them on my steel wood stove.

Again, when I was a young man, a favorite flashy trick was to strike a match on my jeans ... just take the match close up to the head, jam it into your thigh back around your butt, lift your knee up to tighten your pants across your thigh, and strike vigorously toward your knee. The match would light without even burning your pants. I do not think you can do it with the matches they make today. Too bad ... it was a cool trick.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Bill Hays

The UPS guy got here just before dark.... delivered some G10, and my strike anywhere matches!
Took one out and tried to light it right away.... got some smoke!


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## Charles

The trick is going to be to graze some of the white so it lights but is not knocked off ... all right to knock off some of the white, but not all of it. But you are the man!!! I would not be able to see that much detail at that distance. As I have said before, you must have crosshairs etched into the lenses of your eyeballs! Good luck with it tomorrow!

Cheers .......... Charles


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## Rayshot

One thing that keeps me from being discouraged yet enjoying and impressed with witnessing your exploits is a quote from a very good shooter; "He's a freak of nature." Of course that is meant in a complimentary way.

The other thing is seeing the dents in the clips holding the match. Don't tell me they are ones from 1000 ft shots, even if it's true, because then I might get discouraged.

Look forward to the next video and the fire!


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## Bill Hays

Yeah, the camera makes it look a lot more light than it was, I could barely make out the white from 35'... so when I do it tomorrow it should go better. The biggest problem I think I'm going to have is that grazing thing... just never practice barely touching something, it's always hit in the center not scrape the edge.

And yes Ray.... I've done more than my share of misses as well... all one has to do is look at my poor catch box! It started out looking really nice, now it looks like it's been through a couple of wars... I think I have a fun idea that may happen to it though... believe me, it'll be an interesting surprise!


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## Dayhiker

To me it just doesn't seem possible to make a shot like that. It's like either I'm impaired in some way or you're superhuman. There is just too much of a gap between us.


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## hawk2009

I see Bill was trying to light a match I have also tried to do this in the past and hit the head but the match did not light so I tried again today with the only match I had so had to be careful, I hit it but got the same result as bill and removed the sulpher from the head. I have an idea on how to make it light when hit, and will set it up next week when I have more time enjoy the video.


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## Charles

Very nice shooting.







I would have to try my childhood technique .... put a whole box of matches down, with all the heads at one end, and shoot the end of the box! If I were to light a single match with a slingshot, it would be pure luck!

Cheers ..... Charles


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## NaturalFork

How are you liking the TBG? More fond of it than tubes now? Or just trying something different?


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## hawk2009

I find thera band easy to draw and as easy to aim and shoot, but for me the chinese 1745* tubes out last flatband by a long shot I find the four strand 1745* set up to have everything I need I like everything about them. And so much more reliable than flatband that's my opinion though.


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## Bill Hays

That's some good shooting Hawk.
I'm going to give it real effort to get this done sometime this weekend. The UPS guy delivered 6 boxes of the Penley strike anywheres... and from the first one I pulled out and how smoke was achieved... I think this shot is totally doable with a slingshot.
But right now I've got a bunch of custom slingshots that need to be made... not to mention needing to finish lunch!


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## hawk2009

I found a box of safety matches in the house here is how i tried to light it.


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## hawk2009

Bill Hays said:


> That's some good shooting Hawk.
> I'm going to give it real effort to get this done sometime this weekend. The UPS guy delivered 6 boxes of the Penley strike anywheres... and from the first one I pulled out and how smoke was achieved... I think this shot is totally doable with a slingshot.
> But right now I've got a bunch of custom slingshots that need to be made... not to mention needing to finish lunch!


 Yes know what you mean Bill all work and little play


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## KennyCannon

Just hitting the match is a great shot.


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## slingshot_sniper

KennyCannon said:


> Just hitting the match is a great shot.


I was just about to post the very same,good shot Bill


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## Charles

Good try, Hawk. I am sure you will get one eventually. Clever way to try it with the safety match.

Cheers ....... Charles


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## Ry-shot

i tried shooting side style today , dont like it , it takes too long , i like draw , let go fast ! u should shoot a aerosol can with a lit candle next to it


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## Ry-shot

just use a lighter to light it lol


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## hawk2009




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## Charles

Very good shooting indeed! This is prooving to be a toughie. I thought you would have had it on that third one. Maybe if you sand off some of the stuff from the strike area on a box wet it, and coat a ball with it, it might work. Or maybe those steel balls are too smooth. As I said elsewhere, I used to do it by shoothing the end of a full box of matches with a pellet gun. I wonder if you could light one match by shooting it end on??? Of course it would smash the match to rat shyt, but maybe we could see the smoke. Just a thought.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Bill Hays

Got back from town and thought, what the heck... I'll give it a go.
An about perfect shot that produced really good smoke... tried it a few more times after this attempt but all were about the same result... no point in posting.

Next time I post on this subject it will be success... or I'll move on to another challenge.


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## Dayhiker

Hawk, to me this proved that your shooting is up to the challenge, but also there is a bit of luck mixed in as well. Not purely a test of skill therefore. Amazing accuracy, though.


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## Dayhiker

I think the onlyway to beat you in a shootout is give you a slingshot made of kryptonite, Superman!


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## slingshot_sniper

Great tries Bill,It maybe the only way is to glue sand to the ball


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## hawk2009

Charles said:


> Very good shooting indeed! This is prooving to be a toughie. I thought you would have had it on that third one. Maybe if you sand off some of the stuff from the strike area on a box wet it, and coat a ball with it, it might work. Or maybe those steel balls are too smooth. As I said elsewhere, I used to do it by shoothing the end of a full box of matches with a pellet gun. I wonder if you could light one match by shooting it end on??? Of course it would smash the match to rat shyt, but maybe we could see the smoke. Just a thought.
> 
> Cheers ..... Charles


 That's a good idea Charles if the weather holds out and the wife gets me some matches I will give it a go on thursday thanks for the idea head on got it.


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## Charles

I really though you had it that time. There was smoke at the match after the initial "departure" of the rest of the head. I agree with above comment that the ball may be just too smooth, although you would think impact would light it.

I suggested to Hawk that he try shooting the match head on ... of course it will knock the snot out of the match, but it might just light it. I have said before that I used to shoot a box of matches in the end with a pellet pistol and set the whole box on fire. So maybe if you smack the match head on it will light, rather than stripping off the tip.

Anyway, great shooting as always!

Cheers ........ Charles


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## hawk2009

Ooh almost.


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## Bill Hays

Okay, I've got to come up with another challenge... this one is driving me nuts. I can take just a tiny bit of the white off and make the thing smoke when it's held in a clamp, but no fire. I can hit it dead end on while in a clamp and no fire....

So I had the idea of tying the match to a string, suspending it flat and then shooting it... that way it won't break off so easy and maybe then it'll light... no joy there. Then I positioned the match so that it's end is facing me and tried to light it by impact... I can get smoke about every other time... but again, no joy of fire...









Here's my last attempt, if you have any suggestions please let me know... oh, and yes these are definitely strike anywhere matches and can be lit with a pistol... in the normal way... and can be lit on a variety of surfaces rusty metal included.
Therefore, logically speaking a nice rusty ball should do it... but after many attempts I wasn't able to do it.


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## flippinout

You will find a way if anyone can. If my grandpa could only have seen what you can do with a slingshot....(he was a pretty dang good shot)


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## Wingshooter

Use 60 grit sand paper and make a scratch surface on the ball. Or a file.


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## Charles

I am chuckling away here ... I was going to suggest putting a bit of gasoline on the stem of the match! But you are right ... it would seem to be a bit of a cheat.

If hitting it bang on the end does not light it, I do not know what will at the moment. Seriously, put a bunch in a match box and try shooting the end of the match box, just to see what will happen. I really used to do that as a lad with a pellet pistol. So if the box does not light when you shoot the end with a slingshot, I just do not know what will work.

Try bundling a bunch of matches together with a rubber band and shoot the heads bang on, like you did with the single match. It may be that what is needed is more of the chemical components than what are contained in one match.

If you have a pellet gun, put a match, head out, in the end of the barrel and fire it at a stone or some concrete, just to be sure the things will light under impact. I used to do that as well, and they would light most every time. In fact, we used to make little "snap shooters" from a spring clothespin ... required re-rigging the spring in a way that is hard to describe. We loaded the thing with a match. When fired, the spring would strike the end of the match, lighting it and propelling it at the same time. If you know how to rig such a device, then try it with the matches you have to see if it works. I am starting to think there may be something wrong with the matches.

And another thing to try is to sand off some of the strip on a safety match box, dampen the powder with a bit of water, and then smear it on some ammo. Once it is dry, it should adhere. That stuff contains the chemical needed to make a safety match light. It could be that the matches they are making these days are pretty wimpy and need a bit more. You could also try smearing that stuff on the head of your allegedly strike anywhere matches, just to give them a bit of a boost ... directions are in the video to which I referred before about making your own strike anywhere matches (youtube).

Just a few suggestions ... in your copious spare time .... I know this must be frustrating as all heck!

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Bill Hays

Yeah... I think I'll try banding a few together and hitting those end on... these are Penley strike anywhere matches, and according to the "experts" the best bet for this purpose... I'll do what I can without resorting to cheating... but if I simply HAVE to cheat to get it done I'll announce it in the video.
And yes I am fustrated... I probably took 10 breaks today from making slingshots (you can tell from what I was wearing) to go over and give it another try... just not used to failing at stuff like this... maybe it can only be done with higher velocities... anyway, I'm sure we'll come up with _something_ to get it done!


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## slingshot_sniper

I did suggest glue and roll the ammo in sand,let it dry.I don't know how this would affect accuracy though


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## Beanflip

How about stones?


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## hawk2009

I really don't think it is possible to light a match without cheating so I put a piece of sandpaper behind the match head for the best chance but even with the hit full on it still did not strike. Bill has done it on several occasions with a gun and I think the heat generated from a bullet would alone be enough to ignite the match as for slingshot ammo generates very little or none.


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## Dayhiker

Well, I'll scratch them plans, lol. If it were possible I'm sure you could do it Hawk. Great shooting. And thanks for the entertainment.


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## Charles

Well, that was a very good series of tries. There must be some little trick to this stunt and perhaps someone will hit on it before long.

Cheers ....... Charles


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## Jacktrevally

Just a thought.

Store the matches in the fridge for a few days. This will drive moisture out of the head. Try to lit a match stored in a fridge. It does work here as we have relatively high humidity.

The striking surface of both strike any where matches and safety matches contains glass.

Actually if you want to light a safety match you could do it on a sanded glass surface.

Bryant may do good strike anywhere matches which I use to buy in Tesco.

Isn't marble made of glass


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## -SRS-45-

I'd love to see the fire brigade report.... 'so what were you doing sir when the fire started'

'.... wellll....'


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## -SRS-45-

Could you wrap a large marble in fine sand paper??


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## Jacktrevally

Sanding the marble out with 50 grit paper to have a rough surface.


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## Hrawk

Hmmm, I have some ammo here which is alumina oxide grinding media. Rough surface and harder than glass. Might work, feels similar in texture to the striker on a matchbox.

I got mine from http://unionprocess.com/grinding.html

You may be able to talk your way into a sample or two otherwise its about $13 a pound.


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## Henry the Hermit

I'm betting your problem is not the ammo, but the matches. Today's strike anywhere matches are much harder to light than the ones made in the 50s, when I was a kid. I remember lighting them by drawing my thumbnail across the head, one-handed. I'd bet money you can't do that with today's matches.


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## hawk2009

I had to have another go I hate failing to be able to do something, so tried Bill's idea of one match behind the other as the matches were different to his but got the same result. it's guy fawkes tonight I never thought I should have bought some sparklers and gave them a try if anybody out their has got any save one and give it a go.


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## mckee

if you sand the bals giving them a rough feel will that not help?


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## Bill Hays

I've got one last idea to try with this before a cheat has to be employed... I've ordered some sealed vintage Ohio Blue Tip "strike anywhere" matches (that cost me!). I _think_ that's the brand we used to use when I was younger and did this shot with my guns.... oh I tried it with my pistol again using the Penley strike anywhere matches... absolutely no joy, perfect shots and still no flame.... so the "quest for fire" continues!


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## hawk2009

Bill Hays said:


> I've got one last idea to try with this before a cheat has to be employed... I've ordered some sealed vintage Ohio Blue Tip "strike anywhere" matches (that cost me!). I _think_ that's the brand we used to use when I was younger and did this shot with my guns.... oh I tried it with my pistol again using the Penley strike anywhere matches... absolutely no joy, perfect shots and still no flame.... so the "quest for fire" continues!


 Good luck with this one Bill I just want to see them light up.


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## Charles

Keep it up, guys. I am anxious for you to succeed!

Cheers ...... Charles


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## slingshot_sniper

I believe the Devil is at work here,he's P***ing on your matches when you turn you back


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## Charles

Well, folks, I wish I could claim sucess for this, but I cannot. After all the failures reported, I began to suspect there was something amiss with the matches, rather than with our super shooters who have been trying. So I went down to the store and bought a couple of boxes of "strike anywhere" matches. These were Redbird brand. The box is labeled Eddy Match Company Limited, Pembroke, Ontario ... but it also says "product of the USA". You can read a bit about Eddy Match Company here:

http://en.wikipedia....y_Match_Company

The company has apparently now been merged with Atlas Match of Euless, Texas. So no doubt these are the same matches that you will find for sale in the US, although probably under a different brand name. Here is some interesting history about matches:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match

Anyway, back to my matches ... as a kid, I used to use a pellet gun to light matches by firing them at a dry stone or slab of concrete. I also used to shoot the end of a small box of matches with a pellet gun, and it would ignite most of the matches in the box. I decided to try these things with the matches I just bought. I used a .22 caliber pellet pistol which fires pellets at a velocity over 400 fps.

http://www.dlairgun....Black_Star.html

For my first trial, I cocked the pistol and inserted a match into the breech, head foremost. I fired a match pointblank onto fire brick with no result. I then fired several pointblank onto a piece of steel plate. In these cases, the match head shattered, and a small bit flared, but the main match stick did not light. I suppose it is possible that the match was fired at too high a velocity, but basically, I rated the experiment as a failure.

For my second trial, I bundled 10 matches with a rubber band, with all the heads together. I then fired a pellet pointblank into the bundled heads. I tried this three times. I got a bit of smoke, some shattered matches, but no flare or flame. In all cases, only the match directly hit was affected. Once again, I rated the experiment as a failure.

For a third trial, I used the striking surface on the side of the box. Even though these are "strike anywhere" matches, the box comes with a striking surface on the side. I used the pellet pistol to fire a match pointblank through the striking surface. There was NO indication of any burning at all. The match head appeared completly unaffected.

Note 1: I did NOT try these experiments with a slingshot.

Note 2: I also tried striking these matches with my thumbnail, but was unable to do so. The best I could get was a wee bit of spark. I also tried striking these matches on the seat of my pants, but was completely unable to do so. I used to do both of these things when I was younger as a sort of "show off" thing.

I have concluded that there must be a significant difference in the matches available today from those available 50 years ago. No doubt there are various reasons why match heads may have changed ... economics and safety both come readily to mind.

Soooo, I do not think the failure to light matches with a slingshot is due to any fault of those giving it a try. I think the "strike anywhere" matches available today are significantly harder to light than those available 50 years ago. (I must say, it really pains me to think that it was 50 years ago that I was doing these things ... I am getting old ...)

Cheers ....... Charles


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## Hrawk

Great research Charles.

Hey, you're only as old as the bands you shoot! Slingshots keep the inner child in me alive


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## Henry the Hermit

Whew! I just finished merging 10 separate topics on lighting a match with a slingshot. Some of the topics had only 1 or 2 posts. Come on folks, let's try using existing topics instead of creating duplicates. Try using the Search function before creating a new topic.


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## treefork

Five years ago this thread . Interesting to see peoples perceptions and opinions then and now .


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