You Know You Are Old When

[JasperFrank]

When you know how to fold a match and light it with one hand. Remember the match companies all had to put the striker on the back side.

 

[Eagle1]

When you know how to fold a match and light it with one hand. Remember the match companies all had to put the striker on the back side.

Was there another way to light it....

 

[JasperFrank]

Was there another way to light it....

Earlier match packs had the striker on the same side as the matches. So it was a simple fold and strike. The newer ones, you had to bend the match all the way to the back, and still do it with one hand.

 

[MossRoad]

 

[MossRoad]

 

[Jstpssng]

Earlier match packs had the striker on the same side as the matches. So it was a simple fold and strike. The newer ones, you had to bend the match all the way to the back, and still do it with one hand.

Still doable, although it's been many decades since I tried.

I've also heard of the match folding back up and lighting the rest of the book on fire.

 

[WinterDeere]

I remember my grandfather explaining safety matches to me, the reason all stick matches in the 1980's had that white dot on the tip. He told me about the time he was getting a spanking, and the box or tube of old strike-anywhere matches in his pocket caught fire! I wish I could remember the whole story now, as I imagine that if the spanking was for playing with matches (or lying), having his pants on fire probably didn't help his cause.

We used to buy and carry strike anywhere matches for scouts, and I still try to buy them when I can find them, but they're not as common to find anymore. Also, not as easy to light as the old ones, when you do find them.

 

[scootr]

I remember my grandfather explaining safety matches to me, the reason all stick matches in the 1980's had that white dot on the tip. He told me about the time he was getting a spanking, and the box or tube of old strike-anywhere matches in his pocket caught fire!

We used to buy and carry strike anywhere matches for scouts, and I still try to buy them when I can find them, but they're not as common to find anymore. Also, not as easy to light as the old ones, when you do find them.

Strike anywhere and waterproof ! $1.51 box of 40

https://www.grainger.com/product/3W...oCeonnw-ktZlhGnXwRxoCeBoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[sixdogs]

You are old if you ever wore a pocket protector.

You're double dog old if you carry a small notebook and pen in your pocket. Mentioned it for a friend.

 

[sixdogs]

100 yrs ago people could change their ancestry just by saying so .... my grandmother did that. She was born in 1896 or 99 depending upon which story you believe. We only found out the truth when my sister did the genealogy and DNA tests. She lived to 92 yrs telling the lie.

My family was never the age anyone said and we later learned all of their birthdays and dates were fudged. We figured they were afraid of being tracked down by the government for some invented reason and deported.

They also only spoke English in front of the kids for fear the government would find out and deport them for not being loyal Americans. Such was the desire to live in the land of the free and home of the brave.