Survival, frontier family and their genre' have one redeeming grace. Somewhere, somebody watches and remembers getting stranded with a disabled car or similar misadventure. They go online, search "survival" and buy a tin of peppermint Altoids that afternoon at the deli ;O)

Chris:<br>I purchased a threepack of Altoids at the local wally world and it came with a complimentary 4th TINY tin of altoids. I had never seen this before. I am going to send it to you Chris. I am really going to be interested in what kind of survival kit you will be able to get in that. Watch the mail (sending % ETS).

The altoids tins we get over here are about 9cm by 6cm, err about 3 and a half inches by 2 and a quarter. I find it OK for firelighting stuff but imagine that you guys in the US get a bigger version, am I right?<br><br>After posting this I did a search of the archives and found that you get exactly the same size tin we do, I'm impressed that you get so much stuff in them, compared with the tobacco tins which are a lot bigger.<br><br>Justin

Is it small enough to swallow? I don't want some Idaho separatist survivalist interrogating me with a patriot's SKS!

Robb,<br><br>I'm sure that Chris will come up with something better for the tiny tin, but have used one for awhile to carry around prescription meds (I've had a bad three weeks: I sprained my shoulder two weeks ago-don't try to catch a full wire cart when it falls off of the forklift. I threw out my back last week picking up a BUNGEE CORD--required hospitalization; DO NOT twist and bend at the same time, your spine will thank you. And just today I was back in the emergency room getting stitches--I broke a glass washing dishes). It keeps the pills from being crushed, and fits easily and comfortably into any pocket. <br><br>I've toyed with the idea of throwing survival stuff in there. A vial of potable aqua, a mini-fishing kit, a sparklite and some tinders will probably fit in it. I think a button compass MIGHT fit also; if I ever get one I'll let you know. The tin with the above mentioned stuff, and my EDC (extensive, as I have lots of pockets, and working construction, no dress code. My EDC was bad to begin with, got worse when I joined the forum, and gets even worse whenever Tom Ayers makes a post) easily exceed what I can carry alone in a Altoids tin based PSK. And...since it fits into a pocket so easily, I'm more likely to have it.<br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy

Andy,<br><br>Gadzooks! Want me to drive out and shoot you? Seems like that would be kinder than what you're doing to yourself...<br><br>I think I posted this before, but: Those tiny tins are nifty for carrying cottonball-based tinder. Can use them to make/carry char in also, but those are pretty small pieces of char - about .22 cal cleaning patch size.<br><br>Regards, Tom

Tom,<br><br>You're more than welcome to drive down. I'll put you up for the night and my wife will feed you (we're having fried chicken tonight --yummy!!!). Please hold off on shooting me; I made it through the whole day so far without hurting myself. I want to see if I can go the whole week.<br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy<br>

I'm not sure why you guys have to carry all that stuff around in the first place. I wear my button compass on my neck with a teeny weeny swiss knife. It's amazing what you can do with a 1" knife and a 1" scissors.

Yeah<br>but think of all that stuff in your handbag! ;-)<br><br>Justin

Well there is a mega size industrial pack of altoids that is about 1.5 inch deep, 9 inches long and 5 wide. This is being sold in the price clubs. I see them less and less becasue people can't carry them around as with small tins. But at one point every secretary had a "mega" tin on her desk .