I use an Altoids tin to hold my small personal survival supplies. I was wondering if anyone could tell what I should do to the tin before I use it? How should I take the lettering off? Should I polish it?

Why take the lettering off at all? Unless you intend to polish the inside of the top lid, which in extreme measures could be used as a signalling device, I have left my tin, as is, on the outside. Then again, I have para-cord and black electrical tape wrapped around the outside of my tin, so not much lettering is visible anyway! (I copied the look of Mr Ritters PSK and said "Hey, that looks effective, let's copy it".)

i agrea with YBZ, why should you remove the letters ? wenn i used to carry a altoid tin as mine PSK i only put tape on the side to make it waterproof and left the top and bottom uncovered. This way it's "camoflaged" so you won't get to much comment. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> now you just have to defend it from annoying little children ! <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

now days however i carry a bigger PSK based on a tabaco tin, fully taped. ( no paracord because i find it to bulky )

For my normal PSK I carry a tabbaco tin like PC2K's with electrical tape but no paracord, but I also have an urban PSK which is in an altoids tin with the paint removed and pollished on the inside. I just think it looks better that way.

actually i use "weather resistent" gaffer's like tape in 1.8cm and 3.8cm width.... i find it more usefull than electricial tape.

this is how mine retired ( left ) and current PSK ( right ) looks like
front:


and the sides

I don't do anything to mine. Seems to attract less attention that way. I do hold it shut with a bit of clear tough packing tape, but that is practically invisible.

Hate to say it, but these days, carrying anything that can not be readily identified by PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. will raise an eyebrow (or phone handset). Call it protective coloration.

I have two tins that I carry regularly; one is let's say "stock looking" that is for urban situations, and the other one that I carry into the wilderness that I painted the outside fluorescent orange. The orange painted wilderness-Altoids tin has one side of the outer hinged lid covered with 3M Scotch-lite (I find it useful to peel little pieces off for trail markers for night time travel, signalling, and finding it in the dark) and the bottom half I drew an improvised sundial for the sake of just having it there. Plus it works fairly well.

Hi yall
I think the only defrence is that it looks beter.
personely I the tins with the paint off. But it's just easyer to leave the paint on
Teen Suriver

I gotta ask...

Dude, what's a "Suriver"?

I thought it was just a typo, but you even sign your posts that way. What's the deal?