Tritium Glowring Keychain

What are your thoughts about attaching these to your PSK or survival knife sheath so you can find them in the dark?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6830

What are the radiation risks?

This one looks better.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11428

I lusted after a tritium glow stick for quite a while and had to have one. There are some funny laws regarding them. You can't buy them in the states and they are difficult to ship in to the US. However they can be used as novelty items (keyring) in some interpretations. There is no danger of radiation poisoning as tritium, even if spilled directly on the skin, doesn't have the power to penetrate the skin. See Tritium Danger

After a lot of research I purchased from this guy Glowring Sales for $22 and have been very satisfied. I bought a clear tube, green glow stick about two years ago. He doesn't have a web site but operates through email and that CandlePower web site. But he has a long good track record there and my transaction was painless. It shipped to my house in a padded envelope with no problem.

I've used it on my backpack to help find my hammock site at night, on my survival knife, and most recently on my ResQMe in the car. It is amazingly bright and has the cool factor.

Oh yeah, I've had it through airport security loads of times with no problem (along with my Doug Ritter PSK, sharp removed).

Correction: Just re-read some of the posts on CandlePower and the tritium in the US CANNOT be sold for frivolous uses (like jewelry, but apparently keyring lights are OK). Anyway, somehow this guy is able to ship them to US customers.

+1 on CPF source. I've bought four over past two years. Good product. Despite small size, I can easily spot my keyring with dark-adjusted eyes from 25 feet away. Here's another link/thread to same seller. Greatest perceived brightness = green.

When you compare sources, besides (obviously) price, compare dimensions of actual tritium vial and not just the plastic enclosure.

The Dealextreme Tritium Glowrings are actually way to expensive.

In the UK, the equivalent DX model for $35 is available here for about $14. They make for excellent kit markers in the dark.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nite-glow-keyring-illuminates-colour/dp/B000EXZNA0/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

The tritium glowrings don't register above background radiation levels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmf7uyncw9E

I think that DX are charging a premium for these due to the difficulties of importing them into the US from other sources.

I've used these for many years. Attached to my flashlights (figured if I can find my flashlight in the dark.. I'm good from there on!), and my keys. I like!!!

Unfortunately getting them in the US is problematic: regardless of how cheaply one can find them in the UK, you can't get them HERE or shipped here easily. Certainly you can't get them legally.

The measurable radiation exceeds US regulations. Period. I've tried to get an import license and submitted a letter from a biomedical nuclear medicine specialist, to no avail.

The last batch I got were sent to me as a "gift" from "somewhere in Europe". I'm curious to see if the DealExtreme delivery even takes place.. but I just ordered a few.

I've had one for more years than I remember. It's only a couple of inches long:

Small glowstick by Civilized Explorer, on Flickr

It's small, thus handy to carry around. I have very bad eyesight, but I can easily see the glow in the dark and find whatever it's clipped to. I clip it to a flashlight and whistle when I'm in a hotel to I can easily grab the stuff if I have to evacuate in the dark. When I'm camping, I clip it to whatever I'll need in the dark if I have to leave the tent. I haven't needed my survival knife at night, yet. :-> Just the toilet paper.

$35.00 Bucks for the big one. WOW. Looks Cool though......

Such a very amazing link! Thanks you for the post