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.