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NRA Survival Kits - anyone tried them?
- Thread starter thatmguy
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
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- 18,423
When their on sale they are hard to beat, you can't buy the individual items for the price of the kit.
I got three last week. $59.00 inc shipping by UPS which took only a few days. HM Customs & Excise and Royal Mail (TWATS!) hit me with tax and release charge of £20 but still a very good buy.
I ripped the foam lining outta the box, cleaned off the adhesive residue & packed the box with lots more survival goodies. Im even gonna use one of the boxes as a "beach-box" to stop sand & sea getting to my wallet, Mobile phone etc.
A very good buy, they cost £50 each over here, altough that does include the saw. That said, otterboxes alone are £16-20.00 so the NRA kits are worth $13.00 just for the boxes, the Mirrors are great, the whistles are good (IF abit big for a survival kit!) & the Blasmatches work well too.
I ripped the foam lining outta the box, cleaned off the adhesive residue & packed the box with lots more survival goodies. Im even gonna use one of the boxes as a "beach-box" to stop sand & sea getting to my wallet, Mobile phone etc.
A very good buy, they cost £50 each over here, altough that does include the saw. That said, otterboxes alone are £16-20.00 so the NRA kits are worth $13.00 just for the boxes, the Mirrors are great, the whistles are good (IF abit big for a survival kit!) & the Blasmatches work well too.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2005
- Messages
- 405
Yeh, but I think The "ultimate survival Kit" has the "SABER CUT SAW" in addition...Or, maybe that is just the"deluxe kit".Temper said:
http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme gear/ultimate_survival_kit.htm
What does anyone think about that hand "chain saw"...the reviews I have seen seem to suggest it is pretty good.
some of what I found:
Hardcache case 4 3/8" x 2 7/8" x 1 3/8" = $12.75
Hardcache case 6 1/2" x 3 7/8" x 1 5/8" = $12.75
Blast Match = $17.95
WetFire Tinder = $5.35 for 8
JetScream Whistle = $6.95
I am interested in this kit only for the blast match and the box...can you remove the NRA insignia? Is it really the same box?
Cliff Stamp
BANNED
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- Oct 5, 1998
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- 17,562
Those saws are usually highly overrated, mainly because they are never compared to an actual saw and thus you can't tell how they are performing. You can watch one being used in the Hood video "Survival camping", the performance is horrible compared to a small folding saw, plus it takes two hands to use it well, and a *lot* of force. It is similar to comparing a small fixed blade like the Deerhunter to a bolo for clearing brush. If you only have the Deerhunter then you make do, and it is better than nothing, but it is a large ways away from what you would actually want to have.
-Cliff
-Cliff
Here is a review from a pretty balanced chap regarding the saw.
http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=146
http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=146
I own the saw and must say it takes a lot of effort to cut a live hardwood tree with it. That said it will cut it. Because the teeth are so spread apart on this saw it vibrates horribly in the hands on hardwood and makes my teeth grind haha.
The only advantage this saw has over a smaller folding saw is its ability to cut much larger diameter trees.
With two people operating it, it is much better.
Its small and packs nicely in its own case too but weighs a fare bit more than a folding saw like the Gerber Sportsman model.
It is a very well made saw and can be used for very hard core cutting with alot of effort, its doesn' cut nearly as fast as the above mentioned review leads you to believe.
Scores 6.5 out of 10 in my book.
Skam
The only advantage this saw has over a smaller folding saw is its ability to cut much larger diameter trees.
With two people operating it, it is much better.
Its small and packs nicely in its own case too but weighs a fare bit more than a folding saw like the Gerber Sportsman model.
It is a very well made saw and can be used for very hard core cutting with alot of effort, its doesn' cut nearly as fast as the above mentioned review leads you to believe.
Scores 6.5 out of 10 in my book.
Skam
Cliff Stamp
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The saw should never be used to cut wood of a size that you would have problems with with a folding saw. Felling of such trees with one straight cut is highly irresponsible and the equilavent of running out blindly in traffic. Large wood needs a directional notch (some times more than one) and a back cut to guide the tree and prevent kickbacks.
There are also numerous other issues such as one hand free gives the ability to steady a tree in rocky soil which those type saws do nothing but pull the tree around. They however do work well for odd cuts such as roots as you can loop them under the wood and pull up, that is difficult to cut with a straight saw. They are also fairly durable, a novice could easily break a quality folding saw but using it incorrectly, especially if under stress.
-Cliff
There are also numerous other issues such as one hand free gives the ability to steady a tree in rocky soil which those type saws do nothing but pull the tree around. They however do work well for odd cuts such as roots as you can loop them under the wood and pull up, that is difficult to cut with a straight saw. They are also fairly durable, a novice could easily break a quality folding saw but using it incorrectly, especially if under stress.
-Cliff
Agreed,
Felling a large tree with a saw like that is asking for serious trouble.
Cutting up a tree on the ground or one blocking a road is another potential use for this type of saw but that has dangers in of itself as well.
I guess if you pays your money you takes your chances
.
Skam
Felling a large tree with a saw like that is asking for serious trouble.
Cutting up a tree on the ground or one blocking a road is another potential use for this type of saw but that has dangers in of itself as well.
I guess if you pays your money you takes your chances
.Skam
Cliff Stamp
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Yeah there are a few times when you can one cut a tree in one pass, however if a tree is that large that you can't actually move it by hand, then you want to be careful unless it is just straight on the ground, any angle is a potential for a snap. But in general the whole idea of cutting very large wood is just silly, what are you using it for, even a medium sized tree, say 8" across can weigh 350 lbs with dense wet wood, you really want to try fooling with that in an emergency situation.
I have spent the last few weekends hauling wood from 8-12" thick, usually you only need to carry them maybe 50 to 100 feet to load them on to a truck, however even when cut to length (8-12 feet), they are very heavy, you stumble with a log on your back of several hundred pounds and it isn't going to be a happy day. For shelter building and fire burning you don't need anything beyond 2-4", even if for some reason you have to cut large wood, you can do this easily with a smaller folding saw using notch relief, which you want to be doing anyway for directional control.
The only real use of those saws is that they allow you to store a saw pretty much anywhere you can basically carry them in your pocket. Just realize what they are and what they are not. I can carry a piece of sandpaper in my pocket as well, but it isn't the same as a set of files, hones and a strop.
-Cliff
I have spent the last few weekends hauling wood from 8-12" thick, usually you only need to carry them maybe 50 to 100 feet to load them on to a truck, however even when cut to length (8-12 feet), they are very heavy, you stumble with a log on your back of several hundred pounds and it isn't going to be a happy day. For shelter building and fire burning you don't need anything beyond 2-4", even if for some reason you have to cut large wood, you can do this easily with a smaller folding saw using notch relief, which you want to be doing anyway for directional control.
The only real use of those saws is that they allow you to store a saw pretty much anywhere you can basically carry them in your pocket. Just realize what they are and what they are not. I can carry a piece of sandpaper in my pocket as well, but it isn't the same as a set of files, hones and a strop.
-Cliff
crossada
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- May 16, 2004
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- 2,714
here is my experience with link saws.
way too much physical exertion for a survival type saw.
bind easily when taking down 3"-5" trees requiring a knife or hatchet to finish the job which you might not have with you in a survival situation.
slow for sawing of fire logs compared to a good folding or bow saw.
two people using this is still awkward because you can't create enough space between you to generate any real force
the only advantages i have seen in mine has already been mentioned. they are compact and can be used to cut right off the ground.
way too much physical exertion for a survival type saw.
bind easily when taking down 3"-5" trees requiring a knife or hatchet to finish the job which you might not have with you in a survival situation.
slow for sawing of fire logs compared to a good folding or bow saw.
two people using this is still awkward because you can't create enough space between you to generate any real force
the only advantages i have seen in mine has already been mentioned. they are compact and can be used to cut right off the ground.
The NRA kits are great deals – some of the components sell for more than the whole kit.
The BlastMatch and Starflash mirror work very well.
The Jet Scream whistle is OK, though not as loud as some of the other survival whistles.
The Wetfire packets are also OK, so long as the are kept sealed in their foil wrappers.
The box is nice, but a bit overkill for the kit contents. I would use something lighter and less bulky for the kit and keep the box for something that needs the protection of a sturdy water proof box.
The only thing that I don’t like is that the box, whistle and Blastmatch are all black instead of a more noticeable color such as hunter orange.
- Frank
The BlastMatch and Starflash mirror work very well.
The Jet Scream whistle is OK, though not as loud as some of the other survival whistles.
The Wetfire packets are also OK, so long as the are kept sealed in their foil wrappers.
The box is nice, but a bit overkill for the kit contents. I would use something lighter and less bulky for the kit and keep the box for something that needs the protection of a sturdy water proof box.
The only thing that I don’t like is that the box, whistle and Blastmatch are all black instead of a more noticeable color such as hunter orange.
- Frank
Unreinforced plastic is often weak.
The otter box latch broke in the
middle, not at the hinge. I know
I can repair and strengthen it with
epoxy and cloth.
The latches are hard to work, and even
after they are open, the box itself is hard
to open. This could change with use, I
do not know. Critical fire starting equipment
needs to be protected yet accessible,
with cold hands. Not easy to do or have.
I have used Blastmatch previously and like it.
Some people have accidently broken the
latch while plunging it; take care, here.
Mirror and whistle seem OK, no field test, yet.
This was not meant to be a full kit, everyone
will supplement, mix and match. I will try to
find a use for the otter box(es). For what
they hold, they seem too heavy to pack.
fnc
The otter box latch broke in the
middle, not at the hinge. I know
I can repair and strengthen it with
epoxy and cloth.
The latches are hard to work, and even
after they are open, the box itself is hard
to open. This could change with use, I
do not know. Critical fire starting equipment
needs to be protected yet accessible,
with cold hands. Not easy to do or have.
I have used Blastmatch previously and like it.
Some people have accidently broken the
latch while plunging it; take care, here.
Mirror and whistle seem OK, no field test, yet.
This was not meant to be a full kit, everyone
will supplement, mix and match. I will try to
find a use for the otter box(es). For what
they hold, they seem too heavy to pack.
fnc
Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
witchhunter said:
Especially considering use in a emergency kit. The folding saws are also way more versatile, you can cut ropes, plastics, cardboard, sheets of laminate, even bones and in an emergency soft metals, though some of these will heavy blunt/damage the teeth. You could also just grind the blade down and turn them into decent knives/machetes for a long term perspective. They also have *MUCH* better edge retention.
-Cliff