I want to pick some brains.

I just ordered 2 BCB wire saws and when I got them they have hand loops which I removed and they have a plastic coating on the loops where the webbing handloops are attached too. The plastic loops are big enough to put a stick in to use for handles. My ? is, does the plastic coating have any function other than protecting the webbing hand loops from abrasion?

The reason I ask is the plastic coating adds considerable bulk and makes it difficult to fold coil it for the altoids tin. I saw pics of other BCB sire saws that did not have this feature it must be new. They are easily cut off.

? #2 I am torn with the descison of which photon light to put in the EDC kit. I have an orange photon 3 i realy like but its not that bright. The yellow is the brightest 120 hr burn time color but the white is brightest but only 12 hrs I think. What do you all use and why? I don't think white is a long enough burn for my survival goals.

?#3
I am not familiar with potassium permangenate. I have 2 providone Iodine wipes in the kit but the are bulky an only go so far. How much PP should you carry and how much is used for say wound cleaning and or water disinfection and what container should be used? I understand the different color concentrations but how much is needed for such uses and how many kicks at the can do you get for a certain amount of PP?

?#4
The spark lite tinder. It looks sneakily like wax earplugs I used to use while swimming when i was a kid but with less wax absorbed in them. Has anyone tried the spark lite with these ear plugs fluffed up, you can find at any pharmacy for a lot cheaper?

?#5
What meds do you all put in your PSK EDC, I like Doug's antibiotics and pain killer idea and I actually own a food saver so I can shrink wrap them as well. What do you all use and why?

Thanks,

Flip

In regards to the Photon question, I carry a white Photon III on a neck lanyard with a dogtag ID daily. Additionally, there's a red Covert Photon I on my keyring. Although there is NO Photon in my PSK, the PSK is stocked with spare batteries for each EDC light. The Photons are just too handy to keep buried in a PSK ...

M

They are small enough to take both + extra batteries...
so you will have about 24h hours of white light and 240 hours of yellow light.....

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=316&highlight=wire Stuart is a mod @ Bushcraft and designed this latest version. It would be best to ask him. My version is the earlier unit with swivels and split rings. Battery life should always be measured by use. Lets go on the 72 hour to rescue average. Remember perhaps 24 hours will be devoted to sleep and 36 are daylight. That leaves 12 hours of twilight, dawn and midnight latrine visits. So, unless your navigating by night or performing an urgent task the photon has a fair life with carefull conservation. The medical professionals on the forum have stated in many threads that Betadine etc. may actually be counterproductive and simply flushing with clean water is effective. Remember the first rule of first aid "Do no harm." I carry some basic antibiotics and both aspirin and non aspirin pain meds ( remember the dangers to young children.) and Martin's Burn away.

Thanks for the link Chris it cleared up some ?'s

It seems the new model I have would be more bulky as the crimp end loop minus the webbing straps is bigger than the older swivel ring setup not to mention the shrink wrapped coating on said loops.

I think I will cut off the shrink wrapping and deal with the extra bulk of the longer loops.

I am leaning towards the yellow photon freedom for the EDC tin as you confirmed a 12 hr burn time is not adequate with the white light.

Flip

Any takers on the potassium premangenate ?

Flip

Again, think in terms of what your PSK realistically can and should do in the short term. For that is what a PSK is. Your wire saw isn't going to notch logs for a winter cabin and odds are PP used for every conceivable use; firemaking, water purification, wound cleansing and signal marking would be as backup rather than sole strategy for all 4. For example,my tiny vial of water purification tablets holds nearly 40 odd of the larger factory bottle's 50. Will I need that many, especially if boiling with my ample and redundant firemaking supplies makes them a valued reserve if boiling becomes impossible?No, but the small volume makes redundancy possible vs carrying 6 survival knives and 2 belt axes. Again, if you acquire PP, and surely it will be in a quantity exceeding any supply carry experiment with it.This isn't a bad idea in a conrtrolled exercise given it's potential hazards. Make a few fires, sterilize water and dye your sidewalk red. Balance this with your alternative kit for these needs and see how much will last another 72 hour or longer period.

I would consider the Gerber (formly CMG) Infinity Ultra in white. I would load it with an Energizer E2 Lithium AA (L91). The Infinity is very sturdy, is waterproof, and gets long runtimes.

If you really want a ultra-small light, consider an Arc AAA with the new Energizer E2 Lithium AAA (L92). It is also very sturdy and waterproof.

-john


Check these runtime graphs:

Craig's Ultra Review


Craig's Photon 3 Review


this_is_nascar's Energizer L92 runtime tests

In response to PP. I had similar questions earlier on in my first posts. I carry a small of PP in a container exacty like the ones Doug uses for his PA Tabs. If you search out my posts, you will find links to those discussions on PP and concentrations, or do a search for PP. If you don't have any PP and want some, let me know. I have a bunch and will send it your way if you like. That goes for anyone else as well.

Maybe I am just so used to being out in the bush in the dark that I dont need a light on all the time, but I wouldnt think that you would need more than 12 hours. Are you planning on having it switched on all the time? Or will you use it for short durations, ie looking for something you dropped, or as was stated before, going to the head. Even if you are signalling with it, you wouldnt have it on continuously.

In my PSK I have a princeton tech squeeze light that I got for around five dollars. No constant on mode, but I knid of like that as it will force me to ration my batteries.

Garrett