Yet another minikit thread

Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
666
My Survival Minikit

I've made one I call :) Bennett's Expedient Survival Tin. :)

This kit is designed to be a 72-hour kit. It is designed to be small and portable, but also to be effective in providing for the Survival "Rule of Threes."

kit-closed.jpg


The basic kit is enclosed in an Altoids tin, wrapped with 10 feet of 550 parachute cord. Note the 3/32" diameter hole drilled in the upper right hand corner of the tin. This kit provides for shelter preparation, fire making, water storage and treatment, signaling capability, basic medical needs and food procurement. 

kit-open.jpg


kit-unpacked.jpg


Contents:

1 Survival Cheat Sheet - the Universal Edibility Test, Body Signals and Ground-to-Air Signals
Shelter
1 large trash bag
1" piece of drinking straw, sealed and filled with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite bleach.
1 rubber glove (it's purple in photo)
1 BSA Hot Spark 
10 matches with striker & cover
2 cotton balls
1 birthday candle
2 bandaids
1 small bolt w/ nut
1 safety pin
1 small SAK
2 jig saw blades
4 fish hooks
2 fishing flies - one wet, one dry
5 split-shot sinkers
15' 15 lb. test line
1 rubber band

Remember the 3/32" hole? The tin is modified to be a handle for the saw. The kit contains coarse and fine saw blades.

kit-saw.jpg


kit-saw-detail.jpg


A slit is milled in the top lid of the tin and has a corresponding bottom of the tin has a channel cut from the wall of the side to allow the tin to close and to add support for the blade. A 3/32" hole drilled in the tin near the same location. A jigsaw blade, similar to that used in the Gerber multitool fits through the slit and the hole in the blade is lined up with the hole in the tin. A screw and nut turn the kit into a handle for the saw blade to make a mini-saw.

The 3/32 hole is also used as a sighting system for signaling. The inside of the tin is shiny. Use the hole to point toward the plane to flash signals to them.
Notes

Water purification - water is stored in the glove. To disinfect, use the bleach. The 1" tube provides about 8 drops of bleach. Puncture it and add 2 drops per quart to sanitize water as per FEMA instruction. Curious note: the Altoids tin filled 8 2/3 times (to the bottom of the hinges) makes about a quart of water.
Distance & Height Measurement - The cord can have a loop in one end and a knot at 36" from the loop. This 3 foot measurement works with the 3/32" hole to form a basic (READ: Good 'nuf) distance/height measurement system. at 100 yards, an image fitting in the hole is 9 foot 4 1/2" tall. 2/3 of the height of the hole - 1/16", is about 6 feet.


Thoughts?

Mike
 
serious Ingenuity!

I bet altoids would love to know all the "weird" stuff we do to those things. it is like a cult following! hey man got your altoids kit!


we never grow up!:D :D :D


michael,
you should have entitled this thread...

"Tricking out your altoids kit"

cool

chris
 
When it comes right down to it, all of out Altoids kits are for holding the basics of survival. Sure, we all have a different idea of what "basics" to cover and how to meet that goal, but the kits are still basically the same. This is the very first time I've ever seen the kit container itself serve a function OTHER than as a container. Ingenious to think of using the can as part of a tool. I carry jigsaw blades in quite a few kits, but have never been satisfied with using them just by hand, and always wanted an integrated handle. Gives me some new ideas to try out, Michael. Thanks.
 
Great kit. Definitely opened some new idea horizons for me.

Two questions. What is a BSA Hot Spark. And is that regular bleach?
 
K,

A BSA hot spark is the sparking rod sold by the Boy Scouts in the US.

The bleach is "regular" in that it can be purchased at most stores. But it contains 5.25% concentration and is unscented.

Mike
 
Michael,

You've got regular liquid household bleach in a bit of plastic drinking straw? Aren't you worried that the straw will fail, leaking bleach into your kit, and then, onto you? :eek:
 
Arma,

I've had a sample stored in the straw for about 4 months now with no leaking. Do you know something I don't (and should?)

Thanks!

Mike
 
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