First-- If you got "exacto" blades in your kit how are you going to utilize them?
How about an aluminum exacto handle cut down to about 3 inches or so?
Next--Military trip wire is very strong yet flexible and is what they taught us to use for snares in survival schools. And it works.
Now, if you got monofilament fishing line in your kit, have you tried to "unwind" it yet? Having been an avid fisherman all my life I would suggest Braided Dacron. Strong, no memory when you unwind it and can be used for other stuff.
Also, if you got a "fishing kit" in your gear, how about some bait? Berkley makes a large selection of artificial smelly soft plastics. Even a bigger bait can be cut down to smaller portions. But, these MUST be kept in a worm proof air tight container. The oils can melt a lot of plkastics and they can smell up your kit, too.
Again, if you just have to have those lead sinkers, that's personal preferance. But, I can catch just as many if not more fish without sinkers.
Oh, how about a pair of those little scissors you get in a first aid kit? Great for cutting that snare wire.
My personal favorite, a saw blade. 6 inch reciprocating saw blade, fast cutting, and the tip has been sharpened to be used as a spear. About 7 of the bottom teeth are ground away and in that section the outer casing of para cord is wrapped to form somewhat of a handle. You use the saw to cut about a 3/4 in limb, then you saw a "split" in the end to accept the blade, then use the para cord to wrap the blade tighly like primitive spears or arrows. A short handle makes a great saw and several feet make a good spear for fish or whatever looks appetizing. Make the blade however long or short you like.
Well, anyway, those are a few ideas I've had. Thanks for reading.

Oh, for got a question. I you use the lid of your tin as a signal mirror, do you have a hole drilled in it for aiming? If not how do you aim? Just something that's got me in a tizzy. <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Hole? What hole? We don't need no stinking hole! (paraphrase of the best movie line ever). You can aim quite effectively by picking up the mirror beam on a near by surface and then moving the mirror to your target area. If nothing is close at hand (a rare situation), extend your index and mid fingers in a V to use as an aiming point. It is easier to demonstrate than to describe. Take a mirror out and play with it a bit and you will quickly get the hang of it.

The center aiming point does give more precision, and this is important in military situations where you want extremely precise aiming and where you want to NOT signal the bad guys. This consideration will not apply to most of the survival situations discussed on this list. In fact, random flashing of the distant horizon, without any known target, is recommended to call attention to your plight.

<<First-- If you got "exacto" blades in your kit how are you going to utilize them?>>

Good point. Start here. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The pics I originally posted somewhere later in that thread were toasted when my ISP changed hands, but I can re-post if you like. Run with the thought, modify/make something, and let us hear how it works! The one I made up works great, works as an awl, and has a blade guard (a small bit to lose easily, but so far...) It's just a bit of gadgeteering in the end; I'm not hard over for a PSK vs what I already carry, but that's another (more recent) thread...

Regards,

Tom

I cannot edit the post that originally had the pics in it, so here's a facimile:

<<The darned EzAwl needles are longer than I remembered, so I had to modify on the fly. One consequence was that I used the scrap of cut-off handle as material to make a hollowed, knurled cap. Not much room for me to slip a lanyard in the cap now, but it's possible.

Added info: Tossed these on the balance. The blade collet and collet sleeve are not altered - "factory weight". Cap and body are machined from original handle.

Cap - Aluminum, 24 grains (1.6 grams)
Body - Aluminum, 112 grains (7.3 grams)
collet - Aluminum, 41 grains (2.7 grams)
sleeve - Steel, 87 grains (5.6 grams)
saw blade - steel, 63 grains (4.1 grams)
guard - Aluminum, 14 grains (0.9 grams)

Total - 341 grains or 0.78 ounces Av. (22.1 grams)

As I said, fairly lightweight. I imagine that two blades and the needles will bring total weight to about one ounce (28.3 grams) or a little less - I will post final weight later. TGA

Here are a few pics for now - these should give the general idea of where it's heading>>

Razor blades and x-acto blades are problematical without a handle. Instructor Chris Janowskie jokes they are usefull for slashing your wrists when all the other stuff fails <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />. Our "mental template" of a knife includes a handle and this chunk of steel with a point for piercing. Lets examine a razorblade and it's ancestral lithic scrapers, scribers et al. We are looking at a plane scraper ( wood,hide,plant fiber.) Rotate the axis and our razorblade is a cutting tool, sans point. Now, in spite of calling everything older than last weeks cell phone or ISP version "primative", our ancestors didn't fumble around with edged tools lacking handles either. Heres the secret, straight from an archaeological site preserved in a mudflow. First take a small bit of branch. You can use your SAS wire saw or just snap the thing off. Now split it @ halfway. Slip the razor into the split and secure with your dentalfloss, superglue or ductape. You hold it like a toothbrush and make your precision cuts and scrapes. It won't split wood billets. It will make fuzzsticks,process vegetable foodstuffs, mend clothes,butcher small game and help make you presentable for the rescue helicopter ( using the altoid tin signal mirror to shave in <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> )

Tom, I think Chris Reeves wants to discuss his AVIATOR patent with you <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />. That is the neatest thing since dehydrated survival water <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My current PSK, based on the smaller tobacco tin, features a small Douk-Douk, a Swisstech Utilikey, and a BCB deluxe wire saw with the split rings removed as the main tools. I figure I can use the Utilikey and my Inova microlight as handles for the saw if necessary.

The Douk-Douk is the small one with the 2 1/2 inch blade. Folded it takes barely more space than a stick of gum. Yery sharp, the blade is made from carbon steel. There's no lock, but the slip-joint spring is very strong and the joint end of the blade is squared, so there's little risk of the blade closing on your hands. And you can bend the wall of the handle if you really need a lock.

$15 + ship from Szabo Inc.