This is my P.S.K. it might all fit into an altoids tin. hopefully, if not i will go to SAS tin. some items haven't been purchased yet. please comment.

1. Altoids Tin or SAS Tin.
2. Pocket Survival Tool or Swiss Army Knife Card
3. 5 "Lifeboat" Matches.
4. 1 sq. ft. of Aluminum Foil
5. Boullion Cube (beef)
6. 4.4 yds. Unwaxed Floss (w/o metal container)
7. 2 Small Tungsten Fishing Weights
8. 4 Size 4 Fish Hooks
9. 6 Asst. Safety Pins
10. P-51
11. 10 ft. #550 Para-Cord
12. 1 Qt. Zip-Lok Bag
13. 3/4" x 3" Cloth Bandaid
14. 3, 3/8" x 2"
15. 2 Butterfly Closures
16. 3 ft. Duct Tape
17. 1 Triple Antibiotic Ointment Foil-Pak
18. Rescue Flash Signal Mirror 2" x 3"
19. Fresnel Magnifier 2" x 3"
20. Blaze orange Bandana
21. Small Tweezers
22. Large (3 3/8" Sewing Needle & Small Sewing Needle
23. 2.5 ft. Electrical Tape
24. 3" x 1/4" flint bar
25. 6 Water Purification Tablets
26. 4 Tinder Quik
27. Micro L.E.D.
28. P.S.P. Survival Instructions
29. 2 ft. Brass Snare Wire
30. Unlubricated Condom
31. 1 Brass Swivel
32. 15mm. Compass
33. Small Button
34. 2 sheets 2" x 3" Rite In The Rain Paper
35. Fox 40 Rescue Howler
36. 11" Small Dia. Tubing
37. Cable Saw (W/ Finger Loops)
38. Small Pencil
39. #22. Scalel Blade
40. Extra Large Hook (Gaff)

Please comment and voice your opinion about my P.S.K. Sorry no pics, need tin and some more unpurchased contents. thank you!

oh. wel ill see if i can get a tobacco tin or SAS tin. i just want to know how big the fox 40 howler is from the widest part oc curves and its length. a pic would help but is not needed.

No way you'll get the rope or bandana in. I wrapped cord AROUND my altoids, it barely makes it better. Maybe you can tuck wrap the bandana under the rope to secure it?

The mirror and condom are actually thicker than you anticipate, as is the SAK card. Minus those, I think the rest would fit in. I'd post mine if I could find pics, but no way am I unpacking it! I doubt I'd fit it all in together again.

haha! yeah i know how it is. i am gonna try to wrap the bandana around the tin like wrapping a present. thanks for the update.

I hope Ritter sees this and comments. hopefully he can see if everything fits in whatever tin. please Mr. Ritter?

Just as thought; maybe look into the smallest Pelican case, a Case Logic hard drive case like ironraven uses, or a small digital camera case.

Standard Disclaimer

My $.02

Good list. My suggestions:

Drop the fishing kit (I know its small but imho really low priority)
Drop the condom (you already have a plastic bag which is much better)
Forget the swiss card or survival tool and replace with the small ritter fixed or a SAK (I have a model with a blade, saw and bottle opener / screwdriver - with the scales cracked off it is very thin but very handy and totally legal most places)
Bandanna is likely to be bulky and I might think of a disposable poncho or space blanket as higher priority (they have their problems but an instant layer of waterproofing can be a genuine lifesaver and they pack down very small)
I might want a bigger piece of foil

Basically sound though. I don't what else you edc - you might consider the knife, light etc to be carried separately, or you might not - just a thought

Has anybody seen Dave Canterbury's clip on EDC? He states that Altoid kits are useless. I would like to hear your comments.

Compared to nothing, I will take the "Altoids Tin" kit hands down. It will at least give me something to start with....

Hi, if you use the "where do you want to go on ets" at the top of the page and select dougs kits you'll see three kits he put together for his own use.

A large personal kit in a fly box, a small kit in a large tobacco tin (the 3x4"ish size) and a mini kit in a Altoids size tin.

You might want to take a look at the contents list's for idea's.

Good Reply Bigreddog.

I have a question for you, does taking the scales off a SAK reduce the strength or in-hand comfort much?

Thanks,

Mike

Comfort yes, no sign or a problem with strength I've seen (but I don't use it much)

Thanks for the info BRD,

I will pry the scales off a old SAK and see what it is like, it would sure fit in a mini-kit better.

Mike

Why not go with a alox sak? I find the cadet is a good model to fit in smallish kits.

You have a good selection of entries that would be very useful for a PSK although I didn't see the striker pad mentioned anywhere for the Lifeboat matches. Without the striker pad, Lifeboat matches are pretty useless. I would also up the number of matches as well. 5 Lifeboat matches would be pretty limited because they would probably be the most reliable means in you kit of getting a fire going in difficult conditions. You may also want to add an Ultimate Survival Wetfire Tinder as well as this tinder works in wet conditions.

The Fresnel lens had limited use for the bulk it will take up in your PSK unless of course your eyesight is poor. You can also get a much smaller compass which works just as well if not better by specifying a Silva Luminous SERE 40 at 8mm in diameter.

The Fox 40 Rescue Howler whistle is just to large for a Altoids tin sized Tin. A much smaller metal whistle such as the Lifeventure Mountain Whistle is a good alternative considering the size reduction. Even smaller is this Titanium Whistle

Rather than specify a CR2032 type LED light etc something like the Maratac AAA flashlight would give the option for much improved night time signaling capability especially when used with an Energiser Lithium AAA cell.

I would forget about the Victorinox Jelly Swiss Card, you can get the replacement toothpick and tweezers as Victorinox spares and takes up much less room.

I would also add some additional medications, i.e. Some Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Codeine phosphate, Diphenhydramine and a sachet of Oral Rehydration powder.

You may want to add some additional water puritabs and some aftertaste tablets (which can be important to get rid of the taste and help improve hydration)

Is the 3" x 1/4" flint bar a Ferrocerium i.e. a cut down Swedish Army or Scout firesteel? You will need a cut down Bahco Hacksaw blade as well to act as a striker.

Replace the small pencil with a Fisher Space Pen refill as it will last a lot longer than any small pencil.

I doubt you will get the more bulky items into the tin i.e. the Paracord and Blaze orange Bandana. I would also replace the OXO cube with a cut down Citronella Candle but still keep the fish hooks as they weigh almost nothing and are hard to replicate and could potential get you a tasty free range meal (fish and poultry). A couple of additional larger hooks might be worthwhile.

You can also rap you PSK in a section of rubber bicycle innertube, which can also be used as excellent tinder.

A small knife such as the Boker BK-B0530 could be useful for a PSK or at least as some form of backup for an EDC knife.

Hi Kris,

I am a big fan of the Alox SAK's, the Farmer is my favorite because of the functional wood saw, but wish there was a second blade. A small gutting blade would be great and would work well on rope/seatbelts also. I found one that added a second blade, but at the cost of the can opener.

The removing of the scales is to try and get the SAK as thin as possible to fit in a small kit.

I added a SAK to a kit today, actually it is a GAK (German Army Knife), it is the backup knife in my hunting kit. I really need to give this kit a complete overhaul, I keep adding to it and it is getting too large/heavy.

Mike
(Leaving for a week of muzzleloader deer hunting tomorrow!)

Mike...

No worries, I tried to remove the scales of an alox cadet once then was worried if 1. if its possible then 2. what would you actually gain from it. I did do the scale removal of a traditional SAK (red scales but can't remember the model) to get it to fit in a kit back when I was in the scouts. The comfort wasn't worth the space savings IMHO. Thats when I got hooked on the alox models.

There are things I miss about Canada, hunting is one, but just being able to go off hiking is another. On this island, its just too small to be able to do that, besides its illegal to camp here (unless its easter weekend then you can camp out on the beach). Northern NB and western NS use to be my favorite places to play.

I'm looking forward to the move to England in the new year. Not use to wetness factor and I imagine that will take some time to get use to. Hoping my lovly wife who lived in BC for a few years can teach me stuff even though her idea of camping is staying at the Holiday Inn!

I'm looking to create a new 'urbanish' PSK/FAK kit for my EDC in the UK, one that I can fly with so it has to be TSA safe. Its going to be based on the waterproof wallet you get off of www.bepreparedtosurvive.com and will be in my jacket that will be on me ALL the time!

Thanks Izzy... I've been carrying the PSP like this for international travel for a bit (the PSP minus the blade). Though lately i've been playing around with a few other things that I seem to need (i.e. two of the small night ize figure 9's with paracord makes a good clothes line in the hotel, using a chap stick cap over a fenix LD01 (i think thats the model) for a diffuser when working at night on a computer, etc). Not really survival items but it keeps me employed!

Thank you much for the info!!! i need to know more people like you! BTW, how thick is the PSP mirror? the whistle i won't change out though. i was debating on the boullion cube though. takes up 1 cc. so ill get rid of it. thanks! 777.