[Gear Jammer]

Has anyone done anything with mini kits? If so, what would you put in it so you can have it on your person?

Mine is as follows:
1.5 oz glass vial with screw cap
10 yards of 12 lb test Teflon fishing line (wrapped around neck of bottle)
fishing tac
Fire Steel Mini (fits inside)
Small blade (I take heavy "break off" blades, break a section off and use it)
2 storm matches with striker board (taped in half to prevent accidental striking)
1 Sewing Needle
1 Sewing Pin
1 compass disc broken out from inside of the cheapest/tiniest button compass
(balance it on top of the pin or float it on water, fits in bottle!)
1 small wad of treated cotton fire tinder

Note: I'm looking for an adequate replacement for the glass vial because I already broke one while carrying it. In retrospect, and after cleaning the broken glass from my pocket, I wonder how I ever chose glass in the first place except that the size and shape was perfect. The exact same thing in plastic would be ideal. It could double as a fishing bobber!

[Screaming Eagle]

I'd add a magnesium firestarter ($3 at Harbor Freight) and some cotton balls laced with petroleum jelly as a backup.

What were you using the glass vial for?

[Celticwarrior]

Package of 6 Katadyn MicroPur water purifier tablets, thread and needle, small (eyeglass repair style) or flat fresnel lens magnifying glass, flat pea-less whistle, 2 or 3 boullion packs from Ramen Noodles, 25' of fishing line, single hooks and sinkers in small jeweler's ziplock, 4-6 waterproof/windproof matches with small striker strip, mini-bic lighter, Heavy duty aluminum foil square (cooking, water boiling, signalling, containers, etc.), quart freezer-weight ziplock or boiler bag, non-lubicated condom, 1 or 2 birthday candles (trick re-lighting ones are best), extra bootlace or similar sized piece of paracord, pulsar or other keychain LED light, package of 3 (fishing lure style) mini-cyalume lightsticks.

Hope that is a good start for ya, in addition to the items you have already listed and others have contributed. I'd use an altoids or tobacco tin, or one of the plastic 2-part slide style camp/first aid kit style cases, or perhaps a beltloop-held small camera case for holding the kit out of the way but accessable.

[stillscout1]

You may look into fishing/hunting license holder. They are a little larger than a credit card and zip lock shut. There are good ones and cheap (w mart) ones , i had to a search online for them several years ago but dont remember where I got them. I keep a few bandaids in mine also. Good luck.

[Gear Jammer]

Screaming Eagle said:

I'd add a magnesium firestarter ($3 at Harbor Freight) and some cotton balls laced with petroleum jelly as a backup.

What were you using the glass vial for?

The vials were on sale or clearance or something. You don't notice them in your pocket until the glass breaks.

I have some plastic "bead" vials on order. The cap has a loop to hang it by and the opening is strait. Not necked down.

[Screaming Eagle]

Help me understand what you were using the vials for. What was in them?

[snowshoe67]

S.E I use these Vault's from www.countycomm.com work great

[snowshoe67]

S.E I carry one w/ T.J balls,and other tinder,also one with a Fishing gear in it! They are Great!!! and price too.

[sypher96792]

i use one of those belt camera holders like cw mentioned...i am lucky to live Hawaii so i carry in it mini firesteel,30 gal garbage bag,1 foot of jute twine,2 tampons,6 feet of duct tape,it all kinda just barely fits,but hey...that's for SHTF EDC,not camping gear...we don't have lake's or rivers to really fish from so i never got the habit of carrying hooks

[Larry Wayment]

Gear Jammer said:

Has anyone done anything with mini kits? If so, what would you put in it so you can have it on your person?

Mine is as follows:
1.5 oz glass vial with screw cap
10 yards of 12 lb test Teflon fishing line (wrapped around neck of bottle)
fishing tac
Fire Steel Mini (fits inside)
Small blade (I take heavy "break off" blades, break a section off and use it)
2 storm matches with striker board (taped in half to prevent accidental striking)
1 Sewing Needle
1 Sewing Pin
1 compass disc broken out from inside of the cheapest/tiniest button compass
(balance it on top of the pin or float it on water, fits in bottle!)
1 small wad of treated cotton fire tinder

Note: I'm looking for an adequate replacement for the glass vial because I already broke one while carrying it. In retrospect, and after cleaning the broken glass from my pocket, I wonder how I ever chose glass in the first place except that the size and shape was perfect. The exact same thing in plastic would be ideal. It could double as a fishing bobber!

:)How about an aluminum vial of comparable size and volume with o-ring seal? We could probably make one and put a compass of 20MM, or larger even, imbedded in the cap like in the Generation 2 FireSteel tubes. Keep watching FireSteel.com for the Generation 3 tubes:eek: that may give some ideas. Larry

[tarditi]

You could eplace glass vial with either film cannisters (some people still use film!) or perhaps a plastic cigar case - could even cut the case down in size if it's too long.

[Gear Jammer]

Larry Wayment said:

:)How about an aluminum vial of comparable size and volume with o-ring seal? We could probably make one and put a compass of 20MM, or larger even, imbedded in the cap like in the Generation 2 FireSteel tubes. Keep watching FireSteel.com for the Generation 3 tubes:eek: that may give some ideas. Larry

I think that is a good idea. A specialized container holding whatever small essentials each survivalist feels they need. My aim is to come up with something that people will carry all the time without being too bulky. Something that could be used as a key chain and still be small enough to remain comfortable in your pocket.

Note: Mine are only half of an inch wide by two and a half inches long. The little plastic bead vial holds all of my kit and you can see everything in it. It can attach to a key chain. It's strong but I just don't expect the vial to last if it is used as a key chain.

[Larry Wayment]

I think (once in a while:eek:) that in order to hold much of anything, an aluminum tube would have to be about 9/16 to 5/8 OD although we can make smaller ones. They just won't hold much due to the necessary wall thickness because of the threads for the cap. If the threads are on the outside of the tube and inside the cap the walls can be slightly thinner gaining some interior volume. The 0-ring groove affects the thickness of the walls too.

I think that 5/8" OD would still work on a key ring though. I carry a Ranger in my pocket all of the time and don't really notice it. That's the dia. of the Ranger tube.

Let's take a vote. All in favor of 5/8", Or not?? Let's hear from you.

[snowshoe67]

I like the 5/8" size that sounds good How Long Larry?

[snowshoe67]

Also the Paracord on the Firesteel is great would be nice to Add to the Mini Kit Tube,and a DRY compass.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

You could use an old Chapstick tube!Or an empty Tylenol pocket tube!

[Larry Wayment]

Well, I don't know how long yet. Probably 3 to 4 inches. Probably not longer than the Ranger. It would be hard to carry in the pocket if it was too long. Possibly hard to get stuff out of too. I wonder about making it double ended although it would be more expensive that way. Need to keep the price reasonable to have universal appeal. Your thoughts?????

Do you mean to wrap paracord like on the generation II FireSteel tubes??? If we keep the wall thickness as thin as possible, I don't think we could reduce the diameter much in the middle.

The larger double ended tubes will most likely have paracord wrapped on them. I just don't know about this one.

[Larry Wayment]

pocomoonskyeyes said:

You could use an old Chapstick tube!Or an empty Tylenol pocket tube!

You are right Poco but what fun would that be???? Aren't we looking for ways to spend all that extra cash we all have now?

[kiadsho00]

I carry a Aaron Chang camera bag for my mini kit. Its measuerments are about 4x4x6 and it is totally waterproof, breathable, and it is very light. it has a shoulder strap or you can put it on your belt and it even has a handle to carry it with. The bag has plenty of roon in it to put all you stuff in it plus more. I will list what I carry in it.

• Coleman emergency poncho
  
• 56"x84" survival balnket
  
• 3yds x4yds of all purpose drop cloth
  
• large peice of heavy duty aluminum foil
  
• assorted bandaids
  
• fire steel
  
• 3 coffee filters
  
• misc first aid supplies
  
• waterproof matches
  
• 25 ft of paracord
  
• 2 tea light candles
  
• 4 zip ties (75lbs test)
  
• trail marking tape about 20 ft or so
  
• small fishing kit (60lbs test spider wire)
  
• needles
  
• Q tips
  
• 2 zip lock bags (1 qrt)
  
• 1 bottle polar pure
  
• and 3 days worth of food @ 2 meals a day
  
• and honey and tea bags
  
• and what ever multi tool I put in it that week

there is more then that but you get the idea. you have to make the most of the space that you are given. I you have any questions ask!

[Boy Scout Survivor]

I have in my coat in a 3"x5"x2" waterproof metal case:
3" lock blade knife
1 garbage bag
1 quart ziploc bag
20 feet of tape rolled around the outside
2 saftey pins
1 magnesium flint bar
20 inches of aluminum foil
10 feet of 10lb test fishing line
3 fish hooks
small compass
whiste
5 strike anywhere matches
instant coffee
beef bulibon cube
p-38 can opener
1 salt and pepper packet
single mirror
2 bandaids
5' medical gauze
some tylenol
10' twine
bit of lint in crevices
The case is packed solid with no extra space. I also usually carry the following in my coat or pants lighter or matcehs, knife, gloves and a hat.

Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best