I got my PSP at last. Questions about compasses.

I got my PSP at last and I like it.

I have questions about the compass though. I walked from the store (I live close to it) and it took me about 20 min at a temperature of -10° C (14° F) so the compass developed a bubble which disappeared in my apartment at room temperature. I am concerned about liquid compasses used in the field at extreme temperatures. Wouldn't they become completely frozen? I have an eye on the brass Pyser-SGI FB-1605 15mm dry NATO compass sold by TADgear but it would cost me at least twice as much money as the whole PSP. So I have to make sure that it would work in extreme temperatures like -40° C/F (That's the idea).

By the way I'm curious to know what brand it is. All it says is "made in China". I checked out the Sun Company web site http://www.suncompany.net/ and they are a lot alike except that the dial isn't luminous, is it? Does your experience tell you that a luminous dial is a useful feature?

I like the Spark-Lite which is orange in color as expected. I lit up a coton ball in no time. No problems. I'm still wondering if I can find Spark-Lites separately in Canada. And NATO matches for that matter. I'd like to have some but I don't want to bother ordering them every time from the US because matches are "deteriorating items" and I would prefer them to be easily found and purchased.

Thank you

By NATO matches, I assume you mean the life boat matches with the big 1" head on them?

If that's the case, I've had some that are easily thirty years old and they are still fine. Every few years I have cause to use one and they don't crumble, light up as they are supposed to.

Who knows maybe the quality of them was better back then. But in all, they have not deteriorated to any appreciable degree.

As to where to find them in Canada, hhhmmmmhhh. I think I may have noticed them at Pay-More (Save-More) in Toronto a while back. Not certain though. Have you tried all the surplus stores in Montreal?

Wow, 30 years... I just read Flipper's note : "Never had a problem with NATO matches personally as long as they are dry, mine are 20 years old and work fine." So I guess it's the same compound as back then. Okay I'm sold. I should order them along with other items.

Frankie

The sample compasses have been personally tested to -20F. I would expect it to work at lower temps, but it has not been tested any lower by me.

I am not at liberty to reveal the manufacturer, but it does not come from Sun. As you note, the Pyser-SGI FB-1605 15mm dry NATO compass costs more than the whole rest of the kit. I will readily admit that the compass we use is not as good as that compass or some others we have looked at, but it is adequate for most circumstances, better by far than others we examined that cost the same or less or which are used in competitively priced and sized kits and the cost is within the limits necessary to keep the kit affordable. Anything else we have seen to date that is noticeably better in any respect is a mutlifold increase in price and would significantly adversely impact the cost of the PSP. We continue to search for better at an affordable cost.

Hope this answers your question

Thank you very much for answering. That's what I wanted to know about liquid compasses. I guess mineral oil doesn't freeze easily and I guess they add alcohol to it too. I'm far from complaining about the package which is really smartly designed and I'm pleased with the compass now that I know that it has been tested to -20F. You've done a great job and I'm very thankful for it. I don't often buy products and ask questions to the designer. That's wonderful.

I don't know much about compasses in general. I'll try to read some documentation about dry compasses versus liquid compasses.

Thank you
Frankie

In the same idea as the Coleman's Zipper Pull Thermometer/Compass business, does anybody know if it's possible to remove the compass from the Brunton's Micro Pull Tab to put it in a PSK?

http://www.brunton.com/catalog.php?item_...d_category_id=4

BTW It seems the Pyser-SGI NATO compass was swallowed by military pilots during capture so that is could later be used as an escape compass (during WWII)

Very interesting!

Does it mean it comes in different flavors you can choose from ?
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Geesh!:

Swallowing a compass would take a lot of intestinal fortitude going in a non-linear route so that you could later find your latitude after bearing down during bowel movements so that you could find your bearings.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Well, I know from personal experience that if you put the Coleman zipper pull compass/thermometer, clipped to your parka, in the dryer for about 20 minutes, it all comes apart just fine ... and do NOT ask me how I know that.

Compasses like that are usually anchored by double-sided tape and can be removed by pulling them up forcefully. Pliers help. If that doesn't work, you can break apart the base.

Making good small compasses appears to be quite difficult. The cheap keychain ones don't work very well and the nice NATO ones are very expensive. The issue may be that a small diameter needle simply can't produce much torque given the earth's weak magnetic field. So a bigger compass (say 1" diameter) works much better than a tiny one.

I have a Brunton GITD compass that cost $5 and is about 1.5" in diameter. It's not absolutely tiny but should fit in most kits. It would be marginal for an Altoid PSK and too big for a mini-Altoid kit, but ok for anything larger than those. It works much better than the little keychain and watchband compasses I've tried.

Over the years I have bought lots of cheap small button type compasses. After a while, about 80 percent develops a bubble or for one reason or another loses accuracy. There is one type manufactured by Recta that is perfect. I’ve got one for about fifteen years and it still works like a charm. I’ m talking about the Recta DW.

http://www2.recta.ch/FMPro?-db=recta_pro...1&-find

When you have trouble finding this type look for shops where they sell Victorinox SAK knifes. Victorinox puts the DMT and DM models in their survival pouches and you can also buy them separately. The three models are identical. This compass is sturdy and very reliable and already has a bubble when you buy it so you can use it as a level. The dial is “glow in the dark” and has a jewel bearing. They are quite cheap although I don’t know the exact price.

I've carried the same Suunto Clipper on the last two watches I owned -- that's over three years in city and in forest -- and no bubbles or problems.

For use in a kit the compass module snaps easily (and reversibly) out of the plastic housing. I also use the velcro strap that comes with the compass as a closing strap on Altoids tins.

Bear

Last year I bought two Suunto Clipper compasses (wich are identical to the Recta Clipper: I am not partial to a brand) and now they both have bubbles. The Recta DMT, DM, DW are just the best you can find in that size and for that prize.

Recta has excellent customer service, should it be needed.

I had to return my DS40 due to a bubble; they had it back to me in a couple of weeks. Not bad, considering it went from Tennessee (USA) to Switzerland & back.

David

There is a cool little compass from tru-nord from tad gear . I have the 200c I like it lot. http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/compasses%20main/tru-nord.htm

PRECISION MILLED FROM SOLID 1.0625" BRASS ROD
DRY jeweled movement floats on a polished tapered pinnacle, and the brass ring is then threaded to the brass case making a watch-type seal
WATER AND SHOCK RESISTANT
LUMINOUS TIPPED DIAL
COMPASS = 1" DIAMETER X 0.4375" THICK
CLIP = 2"
Tru-Nord Compasses are compensated to provide a "Grid North"
MAY BE ADJUSTED FOR DIFFERENT REGIONS BY MAILING THEM BACK TO TRU-NORD FOR CALIBRATION
Lifetime Warranty
AVAILABLE IN BRASS OR BLACK FINISH