You're right about the Fox 40. I put one on my wife's keychain, and need to upgrade from my sporting goods aluminum model as well. I see the regular Fox 40 all over the place, but haven't found the "mini" model anywhere. I'd love a glow-in-the-dark mini, but don't know if one is made.

Yep, I'm in the market for a good locking folder. Can't really finance something of Sebenza caliber, but maybe a Benchmade or SOG. My price range is about $75. Ideas?

How do you carry the 550 for EDC? I have a 100 ft. hank I take backpacking, and its in a monkey fist.

A threader is a dime-sized piece of thin stamped aluminum with a diamond-shaped wire loop attached. You push the wire loop through the needle and use it to pull thread through the needle. Advantages are that you can thread a needle one handed, with gloves, with numb fingers, and pull thicker thread through than would normally fit by pushing the thread alone. Its thin as paper and virtually weightless.