Hey all,
I haven't posted for about a year (my first year of grad school has kicked my butt) so I thought share how some of my PSK items have faired.
But First, why do cotton balls need to be soaked in vasoline? untreated cotton balls ignite just fine and for about 20sec. EtOH prep pads burn nicely too.


Arc-AAA flashlight: This is hands-down the best flashlight I have owned. I have beaten the crap out of it and it's still ticking. It has been on my key chain for a year and I've lost count how many times I've dropped it on the pavement.

tip: if your Arc-AAA flashlight is difficult to twist and turn on, simply unscrew the head and screw back in again. I noticed after a trip to high altitude it was difficult to turn on, I unscrewed it and heard a pop sound. I must have opened it at the higher altitude and the pressure difference had an effect.

Gerber Legend: Battery acid, gasoline (which dissolved half the rubber inserts on the handle), some hardcore sawing and filing, and 3 years of carry, and 2 months of being lost in the backyard, have beaten my Gerber Legend up- but it's still kicking.

Problems: The fisker-like scissors finally gave out after 3 years of my children using them during church to cut scratch paper. After the scissors broke my wife offered to buy me a new tool. NOT LIKELY! It only took my 3 hours, but I replaced the broken scissor wire with a piece of a diaper safety pin (same thickness and curve).

The tip of the small flathead screwdriver broke, so I had to file it down to a new tip. [u][/u]

Okay, there it is. As other stuff I own get abused I will report on it. I have to say, I may just purchase a Leather Ti or something, just so I can beat the crap out of that for a few years to see how it holds up.

Dave

Gerber multitools have a lifetime warranty...no receipt required. Just phone their customer service number, send it away, and they'll fix it or send you a new one. I have had my Multiplier 600s replaced twice just because the wire cutter blades wore out.

I think the word we want is "accelerant".

I think the vasoline on the cotton does more than just extend burn time:
1) I've taken WET (not damp.. WET) vasoline-cotton balls, shaken them off, and they started with a spark. Sure... we're supposed to keep our emergency tinder waterproof. But I screwed up, stepped in a hole in a stream, and submerged myself and everything I had with me.
2) vasoline on the cotton ball provides you also with....(er..) Vasoline! Windburn, chapped lips, etc.

Here here on the Arc AAA. Never had one fail me. Simple and durable is a great combination. There is a new version out that puts out twice the lumens with the same runtime.

RE the alcohol pads.....for those not familiar and who haven't had them do it to them....they do DRY UP. In the original packaging, still sealed, they will dry up. Do not know how long it takes (too many brands/sizes) but I found a few in an OLD kit that were drier that the Sahara in a drought! Remember to rotate stock....

I just checked the supply of alcohol pads in the first aid kit. These pads are at least 6 years old and are still very moist. I lit one up with a lighter and it burned up the alcohol in no time flat.

Even though the pads are still good, perhaps it is time to rotate them out..

A cotton ball without the Vaseline is kind of like a candle wick without the wax. Very different critters.

If you like the Arc AAA, have you seen the Fenix P1D CE (Cree Edition) LED flashlight? It puts out an amazing amount of light for such a tiny flashlight. My wife has one on her "barn keychain" which gets an unbeleivable amount of abuse, and it has taken it without any problem.

Its a little fatter than the Arc, but also shorter.

+1 on the Fenix. The P2D can swap between the LxD series to allow you to use AA, 2xAA, or 1x123. Using the LxD head with a P2 body requires a P2 switch. I don't know if the same swap will work with the P1's.