Tiny signal mirror?

R

Return of the J.D.

Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Messages
887
I think someone here recently linked to a dealer who sells tiny--by which I mean, 2 inch x 2 inch--sightable lexan signal mirrors. I'm interested in checking one out for a micro / carry-it-everywhere kit. Can anyone remind me who the seller was?
 
I'm intrested in such a thing too.

Remember though, when it comes to signal mirrors size does matter. I once signalled many, many miles from a mountain top to my father in law back home. He had a bathroom cabinet door and his mirror flash looked like an explosion. I signalled back with a 4x5 inch mirror and he said I was a pinprick of light.

I carry a Starflash mirror in my Altoids tin. It just fits and stays protected that way, though it is a little thick. Mac
 
I have a plastic Gerber signalling mirror which is pretty small and light. I bought it many years ago but I think they are still available.
 
I got one like this. Not Coghlan's brand, but i imagine same manufacturer.
http://www.campingsurvival.com/sursigmir.html

2x3 is credit card sized.

Real glass and real silvered mirror, no lexan with polished metal reflector.
The glass is thick, would take a real hard knock to break it.

I think if you are serious about it, having the mil-style sighting circle is important. As well as quality glass and "silvering" on the mirror.

Mine came in a closed cell foam sleeve for protection.
less than $10USD
 
kenk said:
http://www.countycomm.com/signalsmall.htm

Not very light, but a very high quality 2"x3" glass mirror with an available case. I like this one a lot.

For a lighter-weight mirror I'd probably go with the2"x3" AMK Rescue Flash mirror (the one sold in Doug Ritter's PSK). It is available at http://www.basegear.com/rescueflash.html and a lot of other places.
Click to expand...

THAT's IT!! that's the one I have. exactly.

I'm ordering that case, that is nice... $3 is a bargain.

Thanks Kenk!
 
I've carried a small mirror for a couple years. I got one of the signal mirrors in a trade, but since I doubt I'll ever need it for signalling, I don't carry it. I carry mine mainly for actually using as a mirror. There's times when being able to look behind things comes in handy.

My mirror... I have a buddy who has his own business creating and installing custom shower doors. He also installs mirrors. He'll give me a call every couple months when he has a mirror that's 4 feet wide and 8 feet long and needs help carrying it. (Or when he has a shower door that weights 150 pounds...:eek: and he has to carry it up 3 flights of stairs and hold it up while putting the screws in the hinges)

I was in his shop one day after helping him and I remembered my "unbreakable" plastic mirror (which was in two pieces in my wallet) I asked him, next time he has a scrap piece, can he cut me a credit card-sized mirror? "Next time, hell", he says... he gets a piece of 1/4 inch out, traces some lines and starts cutting, ignoring my protests. The first two, he wasn't happy with, the third he liked. Took his belt sander and beveled the edges for me, then duck-taped the back, just in case it snapped.

I've had it in my back pocket, wrapped in a bandana ever since (going on 6-8 months now). I've squatted and put the heel of my boot on it and it's still perfect. Sat on tons of stuff and not even a scratch. I don't think I need to wrap it, but it gives me a perfect reason to carry a bandana. Plus, my buddy told me with a laugh :"You break that... let me know... I'll make you one of of 3/8 that's coated with acrylic!" He had a huge smile on his face as he told me that, almost daring me to break the one he gave me.
 
I bought the Adventure medical Pocket Pack which has the rescue flash miror in it. This is a neat little survival kit and mirror I have tried it for signaling and it is very effective. the kit is now a part of my edc.



The newer Ranger Rick survival neclace comes with a really small oval lexan mirror but I was looking at some in a store and several of the display models were already cracked.
 
Coldwood said:
Here's another small one with a sighting hole:

http://www.bestglide.com/maydaysignal_mirror_info.html
Click to expand...

Excellent! Thanks--that's the one I was after. Yeah, I'm way in favor of the bigger ones, the ones made out of glass, and the bigger ones that are made out of glass. I keep ones like that in my family's vehicles, etc.

Right now, though, I'm trying to assemble an as-small-as-possible micro-kit for possible cord-over-shoulder-and-kit-under-arm carry, and I think the 2x2 would be a much-more-practical size for this than the 2x3.

Incidentally, this over-the-shoulder rig is something I'm trying to develop as a potentially safer version of the ever-popular cord-around-your-neck rig, which makes use of sometimes-braided paracord with a vastly-greater test strength than the user's neck. :eek: For the cord-around-neck rig, I hereby propose the name "Barzan Ibrahim Hassan rig", with reference to the following incident:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/15/iraq.executions/index.html
 
Coldwood said:
Here's another small one with a sighting hole:

http://www.bestglide.com/maydaysignal_mirror_info.html

I'm big on recycling everyday objects, so I'm wondering if anyone has considered using a woman's make-up compact mirror? It comes in a nice folding plastic case. Maybe the powder inside is good for tinder :)
Click to expand...

That one looks just like the proper milspec 2x3 , it has the sighting hole and the lanyard hole. I would suspect it has the real glass and the real mirror silvering too.
That one looks great for a minimalist PSK! Just wrap it in a little foam, or in some kind of ..... kydex sheath??? maybe?????

Hmmmmm...... I'll be back.
 
If you look at the specs on that 2x2 may day signal mirror that I linked above, it says that it floats and is far lighter than glass...so I guess that means its plastic or mylar or something. Still, I might try one if I can't scam my wife's compact mirror.

Also, I would like to know how that sighting hole works...anybody?
 
I have the inside of my PSK tin polished to a mirror, that way I will always have it with me and it doesn't take up any room. Chris
 
Sighting hole is simple, you will see when you hold it up to your face the first time. It gives you a little bit of visible light, back to you, so you can tell where it is reflecting, it's kinda like point and shoot.

Not easy to explain, but, as long as the sun's out, you'll figure it out in about 2 seconds.
 
ck314_lg.jpg


I bought this and several other plastic mirrors. They are all junk! Only the one in the Doug Ritter PSP is a good plastic mirror. The problem is they do not reflect much light and the aimer does not work.

The glass mirrors are the way to go. I do keep a credit card size pieces of REI feather light plastic mirror in my billfold as a last ditch mirror. My Camelbak has a mil spec 2"x3" glass mirror with a proper aiming hole that shows the fireball.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top