the slow match concept

[Wave Man]

OK I have been researching this a bit, and it has an interesting history, dating back to the matchlock firearm and connonire days.

The slowmatch uses a 100% cotton rope treated in saltpeter (AKA potassium nitrate, which as you can imagine is difficult to acquire as it is a primary ingredient of gunpowder ) and burns slowly hence the name, basically you light the end of the slowmatch and it slowly smolders (and because of the treatment of potassium nitrate burns evenly and won't easily go out despite rain or adverse conditions) and can be easily blown into an ember as required which is used to 'touch off' whatever needs to be 'fired' (such as a cannon or matchlock firearm) or in the case of a bushcrafter a tinder bundle/birdsnest.

here it is working in the field

 

[Wave Man]

I have found a slow match supply, one who makes a proper slow match treated with potassium nitrate. I contacted BlackThorne-USA about postage and it seems reasonable.

A order of a slow match and 5 refills (cost of (US$22 and postage US$17.25) does come to about AUD$60 but that is because the Aussie dollar sucks at the moment.

I will eventually get this exact order as I don't want the hassle of having to try to find out where to get potassium nitrate.

http://blackthorn-usa.com/product/slow-match-with-snuffer/

http://blackthorn-usa.com/product/slow-match-refill/

 

[Wave Man]

slow match (the proper ones, treated with potassium nitrate), finally arrived from BlackThorne-USA, have yet to test them out, will do this afternoon, a bit smaller than I imagine, but I have the slow match and 5 refills so plenty of it to fool around with.

I also got some more lamp wick (the good stuff from Germany) and made up my version of a slow match using some 3/4" copper tube an end cap and 3 lengths of lamp wick. I have a heap more lamp wick and more copper pipe so I can make up more of these slow matches as well but I have several now so I don't see the need.

showing how my new slow match works