Keep this under your hat!

[EmsRescueGuy]

Great Idea

How about a small ferro Rod in their

I wonder if yyou sealed a zippo how long the fluid would Last ??

 

[mtnfolk mike]

that's it ... i think i need a a vaccum sealer....

i don't know what's taken me so long to get one....

 

[Buddiiee]

I dont play with vac sealers but (id love to have one though i tell ya that) how did that hot 'sealer' bar, not ignite that matchead?

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Neat idea. would that new glad wrap that binds to itself be any good for this? I don't have a vacume sealer.

Wash out an empty milk bag, insert whatever, fold a piece of aluminum foil and insert the edge of the bag to be sealed (in between the sides of the folded foil) and 'press' the folded foil (with the edge of the milk bag inside) with a hot iron (the kind of iron people use for pressing clothes). I can't remember what setting the iron should be on - you'll have to experiment. I used to know, but I, too, have a sealer.

Doc

 

[billy_cee]

One of the best ideas I've seen in a long time, I'm going to copy it. The thing is, I'm sure I'll end up wanting to vaccum seal everything, as I do a lot boating and wet gear is a real pain.

 

[M.TEX]

ok that's good idea.....but i've beem doing this for year now....

 

[ejes]

Great idea. There's a little pocket in my Tilley that could go in...

 

[peripatew]

I really like the idea of packing extra clothes this way. I always want to take some, but they usually take up to much space. Now, to find someone with one of these.

 

[Dahsyat]

Great idea! :thumbup:
What kind of vacuum sealer did you use? Any link?

 

[DaggerBlade]

I have matches I sealed in Seal-A-Meal bags in 1970. I used to carry them on my boat. I opened a bag a few weeks ago and was amazed to find they still strike.

 

[intjMastermind]

Good idea, until your head catches fire!

Just kidding!

 

[RokJok]

Flix, nice tricky idea.

How did you get the machine to seal so close to the match? Our Food Saver is an older model, so that might make a difference. Is each match individually vacuumed into its own compartment? Or are they not vacuumed -- just sealed to be water-tight? But I still wanna know how you got the machine to seal so close to the object.

Seal up a Bic lighter, too!

SkunkWerx, when I first read that I thought the lighter would rupture (not necessarily in a fireball) due to pressure difference between the butane pressurized at or above atmospheric pressure inside the lighter and the vacuum created around the outside of the lighter. Or at least cause the butane to leak back out through the valve.

As an experiment I tried it with a Mini-Bic. No problem! The lighter didn't explode and there was no aroma of butane when I opened the little min-bag I'd made of the vacu-bag material. So I don't think it caused any leakage.

After the vacuum experiment, I resealed the min-bag without vacuum (thereby waterproofing the lighter) and tossed it in a kit.

 

[Pritch]

Flix, nice tricky idea.

How did you get the machine to seal so close to the match? Our Food Saver is an older model, so that might make a difference. Is each match individually vacuumed into its own compartment? Or are they not vacuumed -- just sealed to be water-tight? But I still wanna know how you got the machine to seal so close to the object.

Rokjok, I couldn't get the FoodSaver to seal close enough to do individual matches with them inside, so I made several seams about a half inch apart, then ran a seam across one end, making several small pockets. I stuffed matches inside, then vacuum-sealed the remaining open end. (I hope this makes sense!)

-- FLIX

 

[RokJok]

Flix, Okay... now I understand. Thanks for explaining that. It was driving me nuts trying to figure out how you did that.

For the rest of the crowd, if you don't have a vacuum sealer, look into them as a way to waterproof a lot of kit items. The packaging is particularly useful for items that won't see regular use and only get used when you're really in need (like Flix's "in the hat" fire kit). The bag material (especially the Food Saver brand IME) is fairly heavy-duty sturdy and the seal withstands pretty rigorous handling.

I've read of hikers vacuum packing a spare pair of socks, watch cap, etc as backup to use if their regular gear gets soaked via falling in a river or from rain. Wiggy's even vacuum packs emergency sleeping bags for stowing aboard bush (or other) airplanes where space is at a premium.

 

[will62]

It is a great idea. Have done it before with strike-anywhere matches and Vaseline impregnated cotton balls.

 

[Troop]

Great idea! I should have thought of this already!