Factory flat

See flat.

Firelighter Matches / Firestarter Matches / Strikeable Firelighters

Firelighter matches (Firestarter Matches / Strikeable Firelighters) are made of a mixture of wooden chips and paraffin wax, and have a match composition head. Typically 40% wood and 60% wax. The carton or box having a safety match striking surface. Recent innovation, c1980s.

These packs are not yet thought of as in the mainstream by matchbox collectors, but there is likely to be an increasing interest in these cartons by collectors. They could form an interesting specialist collection. Collectors could arrange them in two categorises, the firelighter/firestarter packs themselves and matchboxes that have included in their design advertising for “Firelighter/Firestarter” matches.

Firemaking appliance

Strictly any device designed to make fire. However, the term is used in phillumeny to categorise any firemaking appliance that is not a match, matchbox, matchbook, match holder, matchbox holder, matchbook holder or match striker and therefore is used to categorise firemaking appliances outside the scope of phillumeny despite some phillumenists will possess some firemaking appliances for their inherent interest.

Flat

A matchbook cover before bookmatches are attached and formed into a matchbook. Flats can have a striking surface and score lines for folds. If there is no evidence of it being formed into a matchbook nor having bookmatches attached it is considered a flat. The majority of phillumenists do not keep flats and consequently are considered to have little or no financial value.

Fliptop

A type of matchbox, made of card, where access to the matches is achieved by pulling back the top that is attached to the box.

Friction match

A Friction match is either Strike-anywhere or Safety.