I have been reading and browsing this forum for a couple of weeks, and have found it informative, quite educational, and very interesting. I highly compliment Mr. Ritter and salute the many members for their contributions and knowledge!<br>Now for my present inquiry; I am in the process of assembling "on person" wilderness survival kits together with my two sons (they are scouts and I'm one of the troop leaders. We are having difficulty finding appropriate tins (roughly 4" x 6" x 1.5"). Does anyone have any suggestions where we might find this item (already tried tobaconists)? Also, iodine (not tincture) for water purification appears to no longer be a shelf item anywhere. Any suggestions (we could go with the tablets, but prefer liquid for durability)? Appreciate any feedback and advise!<br>Thanks again to all of you. I have found this forum my Number One education and information source in this arena.<br><br>

On 3/28 Poeson wrote about the tins located on http://www.clubthings.com/gear_tins.html Check out page 6 below for more information.<br><br>

4x6x1.5 is bigger than my suggestions but...<br><br>Shoe polish tin (kiwi)<br>Altoids mints<br>Bandaid box<br><br>For a rigid, watertight, plasic box look for military surplus first aid kits. They are about the diminsions you are looking for and have a matching fabric pouch with ALICE attachments. I am not talking about the small first aid/compass pouch but rather the larger first aid kit.<br><br>You might also check in the crafts section or at yard sales for decorative tins. Often time the outsides are painted with seasonal or cutesy scenes but a little spray paint can remedy that. I like safety orange or royal blue. Royal blue is only found nature as a water color in the Carribean. Think about how annoying those blue tarps stand out. Orange can blend in with fall leaves or red clay soil. Why not paint it half orange and half royal blue with a piece of reflective tape. <br><br>There has been some discussion of using Betadine single use first aid packets as a water purifier. Reportedly a single use packet will purify 1 qt. That way you have both first aid and water purification in a single product.<br><br>Also you might try surfing by<br>http://ubb.plainsmanscabin.com/cgi-bin/ultimate.cgi<br><br>There are good suggestions and discussions about mini-kits.<br><br>You might also re-evaluate your size. That is bigger than most pockets except the thigh pocket on BDU's. It is too big for most people to feel comfortable carrying all the time. If they aren't carrying it, then it is useless. <br><br><br>

http://ubb.plainsmanscabin.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000046.html<br><br>Above is a link to a kit that they built using an old anti-perspirent container.<br><br>

www.MajorSurplusNSurvival.com has heavy aluminum boxes close to your dimensions,6 for $10.00. Go to the equipment section,military surplus,ammo boxes.You can acquire iodine via veterinary or feed-tack store outlets.<br><br>

I have seen similar tins to the size you mention, but are usually packaging. I had one about this size which contained a Barbour Repair kit (Barbour - an English Wax Jacket).<br><br>Tins, beside those designed for tobacco, are difficult to get in singles. I think that most people buy an off the shelf survival kit with a tin and adapt it to their needs. <br><br>Otherwise, if metal container is not important (How practical is it to boil water in a small tin? - never mind getting it off the fire) you could look at the Otter waterproof boxes - their 2000 version has dimensions of <br><br>Inside 6 X 3-3/8 X 1-1/4 <br>Outside 6-1/2 X 3-7/8 X 1-5/8 <br><br>which is close to your requirements and can usual be bought for less than $15. They last a lifetime, are virtually unbreakable and come in various colors and sizes - see otterbox.com for more details and online dealers.<br><br>Hope this helps.<br><br>