Cheap gadget mini-reviews

Cheap gadget mini-reviews - Reusable match

Written by Ken Sunday, 15 February 2009 17:52

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Steel reusable match

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19144

$1.88 – about £1.30

 

Steel reusable match
Steel reusable match
Fire is one of the most important things to have in a survival situation, which is why I usually try to carry a cigarette lighter (it saves mucking around rubbing those sticks together!) The downside with normal butane lighters is that you have to keep your thumb on the button, in close proximity to the flame, while you try and light your fire, which usually results in singed digits.

 

The reusable match is a pretty simple idea – it’s basically a zippo lighter turned inside out. A container full of wadding which you soak in lighter fluid, a steel “match” wrapped with a wick which picks up the fluid from the wadding, and a flint strip down one side on which you strike it. The sparks from the steel/flint reaction ignite the fuel on the wick, and presto, you have a vigorous flame on the end of a short stick which can be used to light your fire.

 

A very respectable flame!
A very respectable flame!
Although it looks nice from a distance, build quality on this example is pretty poor – there’s a very cheaply moulded plastic container (complete with imperfections, rough edges etc) around which a thin sheet of shiny metal has been wrapped, leaving edges that while not actually sharp are still a little unpleasant. The keychain clip is cheap metal and doesn’t look trustworthy, and the rubber seal that stops the lighter fluid leaking out is slightly misshapen and probably doesn’t provide a perfect seal. All that being said, it certainly performs its job, creating an admirably big flame (usually on the second or third strike).

 

Despite is poor build quality, the product works as advertised, and since its about half the size of a zippo lighter (and a twentieth the price) it makes a worthy addition to a survival tin. Just remember to keep it topped up with lighter fluid!  6/10