Your in the EEC not the US. They might have some difficulty in claiming copyright on "Ranger Rick" especially if you can prove prior use. A small matter of interllectual property I believe.

Are you sure? I am skeptical. This past fall they introduced yet another case (the M Series Case and Lighter) that uses the mini-BIC, it's featured on their site: http://www.bicworld.com/inter_us/lighters/index.asp

That doesn't sound to me like the prelude to eliminating the product given the million of bucks it takes to launch a new product like that to the consumer market. <shrug>

OTOH, crazier things have happened.

I was in the Ranger Rick club back in 1970, and it was fairly well established at that time. Full color glossy magazine, membership cards, the works.

Better that than the Ron Riley Batman Club (radio station WLS in Chicago) that I was forced to join in '65 (we all were, by our D.I.), all we got was a stupid membership card and a sticker. And I HATED Batman...

If I had to make one observation or raise a reservation, it is the knife in the enhanced kit. Serrations are good, but not as the one knife as they aren't as versatile, can't be sharped with found stones (cheap knifes I've found are forgiving in this one regard), and suck with ferro rods in my experience. Rather than quibbling about a <$4 knife, any chance of getting a straight edged version to replace it?

BTW, thanks for the ammo can BBQ on your website. I used one for about half of my cooking one summer in college, and I still carry it my trunk.

Another Buon Giorno from sunny Italy!

Ok, I just work up, I got my cappuccino right here next to my computer and so let’s see what today’s (or yesterday’s) inputs are…

Someone wrote:

If I had to make one observation or raise a reservation, it is the knife in the enhanced kit. Serrations are good, but not as the one knife as they aren't as versatile, can't be sharped with found stones (cheap knifes I've found are forgiving in this one regard), and suck with ferro rods in my experience. Rather than quibbling about a <$4 knife, any chance of getting a straight edged version to replace it?

My reply:

I agree 100% with you, that having a good knife is extremely important but the problem with most people who are or wannabe survivalists, Johnny Rambos, etc. Is that most of them don’t wanna spend a lot of money on a survival kit.

And so when I decided to come up with these SOS Kits, I didn’t go out searching for some cheap “Made in China” stuff but some reasonably priced and good quality products.

And so the knives that come with my survival kits are hellova lot better than what I’ve seen in some other survival kits. Some don’t even come with knives but instead razor blades. And while some survival kits may come with some really good knives, some of the other survival items in these kits may not be the best quality made products, you know what I mean?

I have a buddy who’s a big time knife freak, he’ll spend BIG BUCKS on all sorts of different knives but when it comes to buying other stuff like survival and outdoor gear, he’s a tightwad.

And so in other words, what I am trying to do is please everyone with my kits, the experienced and inexperienced outdoor enthusiasts as well as the tightwads and big spenders too. You know what I mean?

Hey, I’m still learning about this business, and thanks to you guys I’m learning a lot about other products on the market and so that’s one of the reasons why I joined this forum.

Someone asked:

Are you sure? I am skeptical. This past fall they introduced yet another case (the M Series Case and Lighter) that uses the mini-BIC, it's featured on their site: http://www.bicworld.com/inter_us/lighters/index.asp .That doesn't sound to me like the prelude to eliminating the product given the million of bucks it takes to launch a new product like that to the consumer market.

My reply:

I’m retired and live here in Italy and my supplier use to be my Italian wife who use to work for the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) on the military base (Vicenza – Italy) before she retired two years ago. And she was the requisition clerk there who did all the product ordering for her store and others too.

And so I use to buy all my mini BIC lighters from her store, I wasn’t able to get any special price or deals just because she worked there, I wish. But for about six months the mini BIC lighers were suddenly being slashed and reduced in price and she didn’t know why, and so I just kept gobbling them up.

Then one day there were no more mini BICs on the store shelves and she tried to order more. But the main DeCA office back in the states told her the BIC company discontinued or was getting ready to discontinue making the mini lighters, and even today here in all the Italian stores they don’t sell anymore. And so I don’t know what to tell you, but if they still sell them back in the states….won’t do me any good. Can’t have them shipped here for hazardous reasons, and on top of that shipping and import fees would be too costly. So either way I would eventually have to discontinue selling them, but I still have about 100 or so left if anyone is interested.

Someone wrote:

Your in the EEC not the US. They might have some difficulty in claiming copyright on "Ranger Rick" especially if you can prove prior use. A small matter of interllectual property I believe.

My reply:

Yea, I thought so too. But they claim they have had a federal trademark on the name since (I believe) 1952? I was born in 1954 and so that cartoon is older than me.

I own absolutely nothing back there in the states, no property, no car, etc. Hell I don’t even have a US driver’s license anymore since Sept 11. My state (PA) wouldn’t allow me to renew it because I don’t own any property or a car back there and therefore have no residency and can’t have a stateside driver license, at least not from PA.

And so yea, it would be kinda hard for that law firm and the US Forestry Service to take me to court and try to sue me. For what? I don’t own anything back there, so what would they get outta me? You know?

But I gotta come back to the states sometimes to see my 80 year old mom and some of my old Army buddies too. And due to computer technology, it would be just my luck as soon as the custom officer typed in my name his computer would tell him I’m on the “most wanted list” for violating the USFS’s Ranger Rick copyright/trademark. You know what I mean? And so I agreed to this compromise.

Ok guys, that’s about it for today, my cappuccino is now finito, and so I gotta go now. Thanks again for your input and for allowing me to post my comments here and see ya all later, take care for now.

I haven't read every work in this thread, so I apologize if this has already been mentioned.

The knife that comes with the necklace can't be a terribly stellar example of cutlery. It's listed as being sold seperately for $3.50. I realize that cost cutting is a part of this offer, but that cut might have been a little too deep (pun intended!)

I can handle Photon Light clones or lesser quality signalling mirrors to save money, if it means the difference between being equipped with something vs. being totally unequipped because you couldn't afford the necklace. My personal feeling is that you can't do this same cost cutting on a knife (at least not all the way down to the $3.50 price point).

I would suggest a basic necklace model without the knife, or an expensive model (probably twice the cost) with a decent knife. Not expensive, just decent. Spydercos are good, and so are a lot of other brands. They all cost more than $3.50 though.

Please take no offense at my suggestion. I just think a cheap knife is more dangerous than any utility that might come from it could justify.

Hi guys & gals, (if there are any here).

Well today here in Italy it's a cloudy day, I haven't had my cappacino yet, ran out of it and so I gotta go down the street to get one. But before I go, let me reply back to someone's latest input & comments.

Someone wrote:

The knife that comes with the necklace can't be a terribly stellar example of cutlery. It's listed as being sold seperately for $3.50. I realize that cost cutting is a part of this offer, but that cut might have been a little too deep (pun intended!)

My Reply:

Survival knives are like cars, guns, computers and women, whatever your taste is and can afford to pay and dish out, is up to you.

The $3.50 price you see listed on my site for that knife is NOT the best quality, but it's NOT the poorest quality knife neither. Beats using some sharpen tin can lid, Fred Flintstone rock knife or a couple of razor blades stuffed inside some really cheapo survival kit, you know? A low cost knife is better than not having any knife at all when you really need one, wouldn't you agree?

Same person wrote:

I can handle Photon Light clones or lesser quality signalling mirrors to save money, if it means the difference between being equipped with something vs. being totally unequipped because you couldn't afford the necklace. My personal feeling is that you can't do this same cost cutting on a knife (at least not all the way down to the $3.50 price point).

My reply:

The reason why I sell these items separately is because I was receiving too many inquiries from people. Too many of them were asking if they could buy one or two things that come with my survival kits instead of buying the whole thing.

And so like I mentioned in my earlier posting, I listen to my customers and so I started selling these items separately. It's what they want and not necessarily what I wanted to do.

And so that price you see listed on my website for that knife, I gotta order a "zillion of them" to get'em at a decent price and to sell them at a fairly decent price. I was originally gonna sell'em for the suggest/recommeded retail price of $5 each, not including shipping.

But after looking over the knife and putting myself in the customers shoes and asking myself... "Would I pay 5 bucks for this knife?" And so the price you see listed is what I think it is worth and what I myself would pay.

Same person wrote:

I would suggest a basic necklace model without the knife, or an expensive model (probably twice the cost) with a decent knife. Not expensive, just decent. Spydercos are good, and so are a lot of other brands. They all cost more than $3.50 though.

My reply:

Like I state on my website, if you were to buy all these same or similar survival items somewhere else you would pay about twice the amount of money and probably more if you added in the shipping & handling charges.

Figure out your saving and you can use that other money that you saved to buy yourself another knife if you're not happy with the one that comes with my survival kits.

Same person wrote:

Please take no offense at my suggestion. I just think a cheap knife is more dangerous than any utility that might come from it could
justify.

My reply:

Hey, no problem, no offense taken at all, I perfectly understand your point. Really! As I state on my website, I, too, own several different types of knives myself and I don't leave home without one of them.

Do I pack & carry the same survival kit that I sell on my website along with that same folding knife?

Yep, I sure do, but along with some other additional survial stuff like some fishing line, hooks, snare wire, etc. Which I'm working on right now to add to future survival kits.

As for carrying that same knife...no, not all the time. Because like most outdoor enthusiasts I, too have a favorite knife that I like to carry with me all the time when I leave home. Which I talk about these knives on my website on my "Paracord Knife" page.

Anyway, again, if it's just the knife that you don't like...then just remove it and carry the one you like. Everyone has their taste and style, some of us like Italian wine and others like German or American beer. The choice & selection is yours.

Okey-dokey?

Ok, I'm dying for an Italian cappaccino, gotta get outta here and go down the street to get one, thanks for your input.

Caio for now!

Before I throw my two cents in... my girl was looking over the shoulder when I was looking at your water carry option. Took me a minute to explain. After that she tells me that probably to save money you have to buy them in bulk and I said yes that's probably it. SO she said that if business in good and you place frequent orders the distributor must think you are quite a stud. LOL. Anyway...

I’ve been lurking at your web site for a long time. Personally I hate stuff dangling around my neck. It has nothing to do with choking just a personal preference. Your safety feature dog tag break away chain is the weakest link and putting all this weight on it may cause you to spill the content all over. Happens all the time with my dog tags after wearing them for a while. Also how does such a big bulk fit if you need to use a chest strap on your pack? Having said that I find your keychain solution an excellent alternative.

I didn't like the small bics. The fire starter you are using now is a very good replacement.

I think that you faced same thing that I did when trying to put together a small commercial first aid kit for sale and it is choosing brand name product vs generic brand products and saving money. I personally in a survival situation wouldn't care if my light is photon or my knife a fancy brand knife as long as that thing is with me. I wouldn’t have any problems walking into the forest with just your kit being pretty confident in the fact that I got my basics on the equipment covered. They may not be my best choices but little knife is better than no knife, fire starter is better than nothing and one led is better than none. I don't like the necklace idea but like other options and between your product and ETS kit thrown together into the pouch and my life vest or a pack I should have multiple angles covered.

OK, I'm back again. I not only had one cappaccino but two, so now I got that "caffine kick" in me.

Someone wrote;

Before I throw my two cents in... my girl was looking over the shoulder when I was looking at your water carry option. Took me a minute to explain. After that she tells me that probably to save money you have to buy them in bulk and I said yes that's probably it. SO she said that if business in good and you place frequent orders the distributor must think you are quite a stud. LOL. Anyway...

My reply:

Yea, good point. But I buy'em from a condom company who make & sell only condoms and not from a local grocery store. And so they are use to people like me buying'em in large quantities.

No, I wouldn't dare buy condoms from a local store here where I live because not only are they a lot more expensive. I would be a bit embarrased to go into a local Italian store here in my little town where everyone knows me. And so I wouldn't want rumors spreading all over the town that I'm a STUD and they can't keep enough condoms on the store shelves here for me.

Not only that, my wife is 60 and so people here would think I'm cheating on her left & right with some younger Italian girls too. Yea, LOL

Condoms have been carried inside military survival kits and used as improvised water containers as far back as 40's, or so I have been told while I was in the military. And almost every commercial survival kit that I've come across also had condoms inside them too. The use of Gerber baby plastic containers are new to me and so I will test them out when I find them or receive some.

Someone wrote:

I’ve been lurking at your web site for a long time. Personally I hate stuff dangling around my neck. It has nothing to do with choking just a personal preference. Your safety feature dog tag break away chain is the weakest link and putting all this weight on it may cause you to spill the content all over. Happens all the time with my dog tags after wearing them for a while.

My reply:

That's why I came up with seveal ways in how you can carry and store these items, as I state on my website not everyone will feel comfortable wearing my SOS Necklace around their neck.

Some will prefer to carry it like a key chain in their pocket and others will like carrying the items inside one of those plastic "Can Keeper" containers and wearing it on their belt. You can then use this container to scoop up water to fill condoms, drink from it like a cup and if it falls off your belt in some water....it'll floats too. At least the experiment that conducted did.

Someone wrote:

Also how does such a big bulk fit if you need to use a chest strap on your pack? Having said that I find your keychain solution an excellent alternative. I didn't like the small bics. The fire starter you are using now is a very good replacement.

My reply:

The reason why a few customers said they didn't like my four-finger-fire starter is because they could not fit their finger inside the split-ring loop and so they had a hard time holding onto it to flick the wheel.

The soluation to this is simple, all you gotta do is place a wooden inside the bottom and you'll be able to hold onto it much firmly. I have small fingers and so I have no problems placing one of my fingers inside the wire loop, and so I can undertand people with big fingers might have problem with it.

It works, just like the sparklite. But now I am convince (but I'll admit I wasn't before) the magnesium fire rod is a better choice. Because if you have problems finding some tinder to ignite, the mag shavings will do the trick and in all types of weather conditions too.

Someone wrote:

I think that you faced same thing that I did when trying to put together a small commercial first aid kit for sale and it is choosing brand name product vs generic brand products and saving money. I personally in a survival situation wouldn't care if my light is photon or my knife a fancy brand knife as long as that thing is with me. I wouldn’t have any problems walking into the forest with just your kit being pretty confident in the fact that I got my basics on the equipment covered. They may not be my best choices but little knife is better than no knife, fire starter is better than nothing and one led is better than none. I don't like the necklace idea but like other options and between your product and ETS kit thrown together into the pouch and my life vest or a pack I should have multiple angles covered.

My reply:

Roger that, there you go, I agree, there's nothing more that I can add to your statment, you said it all.

Thanks, appreciate your input and comments, take care for now.