The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-07-20
MATCHES OF OLD TIMES.
Securing IL Light With IA Flint Was
Tedious Process.

Securing Light With II Flint Was
Tedious Process.
Few persons living today remember
when the finder box was a necessity.
But these few are the only ones who
thoroughly appreciate the convenience
of matches With the aid of finder
box one sometimes obtained a light in
less than two minutes, but If the con-
ditions were unfavOrable one might
spend half hour or more before get
ting from the reluctant finder box the
spark which would kindle the fire.
The process sounds simple. The lid
of the box was removed and q bit Of
candle stuck in the socket. Next the
flint, steel, matches and damper were
taken from the box, one match being
drawn from the bundle and laid ready
for immediate use. The handle of the
steel was grasped firmly In the left
hand and the flint her. between the
thumb and forefnger of the right hand.
Nine inches was considered the proper
distance between the steel and the tin
der This was measured roughly in the
dark by placing the tip of the little
finger on the rim of the box, spreading
the hand upward and placing the bot
tom of the steel on the tip of the
thumb. The flint was then struck
sharply with the steel several times,
obliquely and downward.
The impact caused the steel to give
off sparks, really minute globules of
molten steel, at temperature of sew
cral thousand degrees, and these, fall
ing upon the finder, soon set 1t alight.
The box was then taken in the hands
and gently blown 10 cause the smolder-
Ing finder 10 glow more brightly, and
to this glow the point Of sulphur
match was quickly applied. The fame
Of the burning sulphur quickly kindled
the wood Of the match, and 1t was then
easy to light the candle or morning
fire.
Although the process was not diff
cult for an expert under favorable cir
cumstances, it was at best slow and
tedious. One might strike 100 modern
matches, one by one, In less time.
The flint commonly used in the TIN
der box was such as might be picked
up in any flint district All that was
necessary was that 1t should be so
shaped that it could be held easily be-
tween the fingers and should have
sharp, clear edges. These were CON-
monty sold in the streets Of London for
a penny and are still manufactured in
Brandon, England, for export to Spain.
Italy and the east. The matches then
ignite spontaneously when struck.
Originally match was any sub
stance which burned readily and slow
ly The bit of slow burning hempen
rope STEPPED in a solution of saltpeter,
which the ancient gunner carried in
order to discharge his arquebus, was a
match" 1t burned at the rate Of
about three feet in an hour. The old
sulphur match was intended not to
produce but to convey fire. In London
matches We're commonly sold by the
poorest and raggedest class of street
merchants, who lived in dirty lodgings
In the poorest districts, where they
made the matches, carrying them
about in a basket for sale. Few houses
with any pretenSion escaped without
at least one call day from these vend-
ers as long as the trade lasted.
The great difficulty was to find dry
finder Naturally it was very ready to
absorb moisture, and when allowed to
become damp the difficulty Of obtain
ing light in the morning was great.
To avoid this trouble the finder box
was usually kept in a specially dry
place. Often there was a small niche
made on purpose in the brickwork at
the back of the large open hearth
place. Often the box was placed in
the evening on the hearth close to the
fire and at bedtime was carried up
stairs warm and dry and placed be-
meath the pillow.