Tiny survival kits

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by Snake_Doctor, Jan 20, 2014.


  1. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    GIFT CARD SURVIVAL KIT (2).

    I made this kit inside a small tin meant for gift cards. They were three for a dollar at the dollar store after the holidays.
    I made it strictly with items I had on hand, I didn't buy a single thing specificly for this project other than the tin, which fits nicely in a shirt pocket.
    The photo was taken without the chlor floc tablets, striker strip and cotton balls to show the layout and contents more clearly.
    The coil on top of the paper matches is the snare, not a wire saw as some have thought. The knife is one of my Altoids designs which a made from the blade of an old hand saw and which, sadly, did not meet my admittedly rigid expectations. It's buried on the bottom of the tin. The magnifier is a lens from a disposable camera and may or may not work as a fire starting device, no I didn't test it,it was cold, frozen and cloudy day. There's no compass, whistle or signal mirror as I did not have any of these items laying around at the time. I considered a strip of aluminum foil tape as a substitute signal mirror but the inside of the lid seems to throw just as much light. I have ben questioned as to why there is both potable aqua AND chlor floc tablets. The answer is twofold: it's what I had. And that ridiculous four hour processing time for chlor floc is fine for overnight sterilizing, but where I tend to hike IF you find water, you might not survive the four hours before you can safely drink it. I'll probably carry it for a few months until I make the next, better, one then toss it in the box with the rest.
    Any comments are welcome, as always.

    COMPACT DISPOSABLE LIGHTER WITH BLUE DUCT TAPE WRAPPED AROUND IT
    POOR MANS SPARKLITE
    LARGE WOODEN STRIKE AMYWHERE MATCHES
    SMALL WOODEN STRIKE AMYWHERE MATCHES
    WATERPROOFED PAPER MATCHES WITH TWO STRIKER STRIPS ATTACHED
    BIRTHDAY CANDLES
    TINDER CUBES
    COTTON BALLS
    LARGE STRIKER STRIP
    LONG FISHING MONOFILIMENT 15# TEST
    FISH HOOKS ASSORTED SIZES
    SINKERS SPLIT SHOT
    PLASTIC LURES
    CEAPPIE JIG
    SNARE
    LONG STRONG NYLON STRING
    DENTAL FLOSS
    LARGE NEEDLE
    SMALL NEEDLE WITH LONG THREAD
    SAFETY PINS
    ROLL OF RED DUCT TAPE
    SINGLE EDGE RAZOR BLADE
    FLAT SAWBACK KNIFE
    SCALPEL BLADE
    ALEVE PAIN RELIEVERS
    BAND AIDS
    BUTTERFLY CLOSURES
    TWIST TIE
    WATER BAG
    CHLOR FLOC TABLETS
    POTABLE AQUA TABS
    RED MARKER RIBBON
    SHEET OF ALUMINUM FOIL
    OUTSIDE SEALED TIN DUAL, OPPOSING LAYERS OF JUTTE TWINE FOR CORDAGE, ONE CONTINUOS LENGTH
    I am currently working on the next, improved kit. Improvements to it include:
    BETTER FIXED BLADE SURVIVAL KNIFE OF MY DESIGN
    MINI BIC IN HIDH VISIBILITY ORANGE INSTEAD OF LARGER, LESSER QUALITY LIGHTER
    UCO STORMPROOF MATCHES
    SAFETY PINS
    MODIFIED MINI MULTI TOOL WITH EXTRA CUSTOM KNIFE BLADE, SAW BLADE, REAL TWO SIDED FILE AND HIGH CARBON MULTI FUNCTION BLADE WITH SCRAPER FOR FIRE STEEL
    FIRE STEEL WITH ATTACHED MAGNESIUM AND FACTORY STRIKER, REMOVED FROM HANDLE
    SMALLER TINDER CUBES TO CARRY MORE, THE BURN TIME IS AROUNF FIFTEEN MINUTES ON FULL SIZE ONES, NORMALLY FAR TOO LONG FOR FIRE STARTING EVEN WITH DAMP WOOD
    SAFETY PINS
    BUTTON (CAN BE SUCKED ON TO STIMULATE SALIVA PRODUCTION)
    ANOTHER LARGE BANDAGE
    TWO MORE BAND AIDS
    WOUND WIPE
    TRIPLE ANTIBIOTIC SALVE
    ASPIRIN
    IBUPROFEN
    IMMODIUM AD
    BENEDRYL
    DEMEROL 100 MG
    MORPHINE SULFATE 30 MG
    FLEXERIL
    CIPRO
    ZITHROMAX
    TWO SMALLER, TOUGHER, WATER BAGS WITH TWIST TIES, EAH HOLDS ABIT MORE THAN PNE LITER,THE BAG ON THE PICTURED KIT HOLDS ALMOST THREE LITERS BUT IS LONG AND AWKWARD, INVITING DROPPING AND DAMAGE
    ADDITIONAL WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS
    EXTRA SHEET OF FOIL
    ROUND, SLIM, EXTREMELY SHRILL WHISTLE FROM AND JUNGLE KING KNIFE KNOCK OFF
    PAPER SIGNAL MIRROR WHICH THROWS A SURPISING AMOUNT OF LIGHT, MORSE CODE AND GROUND TO AIR SIGNALS ON BACK
    TINY INK PEN REFILL WITH SEAL ON BALL
    PAPER
    MICRO FLASHLIGHT MODIFIED TO SAVE SPACE, LI-ON BATTERY
    SCISSORS FROM SMALL SWISS ARMY KNIFE
    TWEEZERS FROM SWISS ARMY KNIFE, MODIFIED
    BETTER, SELF ADHESIVE STRIKER STRIP
    LONG TWIST TIES, PAPER REMOVED TO SAVE SPACE
    PAPER CLIP HOW MANYUSES CAN YOU THINK OF FOR A SHORT, STIFF PIECE OF WIRE?
    $20 BILL TO PAY FOR RIDE TO TOWN (A LOT OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS POOR BOY EVEN A STRANDED PERSON AND WILL ONLY HELPIF THEY PROFIT FROM IT) OR FOOD AND BUS AND TRAIN HOME IF I REACH A TOWN
    OLD STYLE BRAIDED NYLON FISHING LINE
    ARTIFICIAL SINEW FOR SEWING AND CORDAGE
    SLIP OF PAPER WITH MY ID/MEDICAL INFO, CALLING CARD AND DEBIT CARD INFO FOR A SMALL ACCOUNT I NEVER TOUCH, ENSURING A BIT OVER ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS IF NEED BE
    COLOR PHOTOCOPY OF CURRENT DRIVERS LICENSE
    SMALL BUTTON COMPASS, LIQUID FILLER
    TWO BOULLION CUBES
    MULTIPLE VITAMIN/MINERAL TABLETS
    OUTSIDE I WILL ADD DUAL, OPPOSING LAYERS OF NYLON KITE TWINE (AMAZINGLY STRONG), AND DUAL, OPPOSING LAYERS OF JUTTE TWINE
    Yes, it will all fit in there, years or practice and an almost savant like gift for packing huge amounts in tiny spaces. It may take several attempts over a dayor two, but I will get it all in there witm most items in the old kit. Yjeshallownes of the tin is a bonus when it comes to plucking out items in the field.
    The biggest problem I see when I look at the bag of contents waiting to be packed isthe signal mirror. A silvery surface on thick paper it is easily scratched, so I put them face down in the bottom of kits to protect them, BUT that means I'd have to unpack everything to get to it, possibly in a hurry, making a mess and long repack in the field, under an already stressful situation. Idealyit should be on top, readu for instant access. I'd welcome any thoughtson protecting itin that position.
    Thanks for taking the time to read this long ramble.
    Snake
     
    gunbunny and chelloveck like this.
  2. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Simple. Fit if to the inside of the lid, cut to fit, and with a tab made of tape. (Like the removable seal on squeeze bottles. (Shiny face toward the lid) it takes the same space, top or bottom.
     
  3. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    true. That's usually where I tape the sharps. But the mirror is important and that would be a fast retrieve, Thanks.
     
    kellory likes this.
  4. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    For the same thickness, your mirror could be stainless steel, brass, or chromed. Sharpen one edge would give you a larger length of blade, a dead bic lighter, will still throw hot sparks, but if you cut off the bottom, it can hold matches, or tinder.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2014
    chelloveck likes this.
  5. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    Thanks for the mirror tip. Sharpening would be a great idea. My poor mans sparklite is made from dead lighters, but I go to the extreme and cut away every bit of plastic not needed for it to function, leaving me with a reuly tiny unit. I sometimes list them as a spark device but they are standard equipment in every kit I make. Tearing them down this way saves a huge amount of space, I'll post a pic of one soon. Thanks again for the tip.
     
    chelloveck and kellory like this.
  6. Snake_Doctor

    Snake_Doctor Call me Snake...

    012 (191).

    This is the smallest kit I have made to date. It's a small box which held automotive fuses.
     
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