Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 4 of 5 < 1 2 3 4 5 >
Topic Options
#170563 - 04/03/09 06:50 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: KenK]
SwampDonkey Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/08/07
Posts: 1268
Loc: Northeastern Ontario, Canada
Hi all,

I started using a Silva Ranger 15 compass 30 years ago and I have used it over hundreds of miles of bush travel. I currently have 4 of of these compasses but only one is functional. Three have large bubbles in them due to damage (cracks due to impacts), do you think it is worth sending them back to Silva for repair?

Who in Canada is Silva again, I am confused?

Mike

Top
#170564 - 04/03/09 07:05 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: SwampDonkey]
KenK Offline
"Be Prepared"
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/26/04
Posts: 2208
Loc: NE Wisconsin
Yes!!! E-mail them first.

Silva/Brunton most likely - for sure if its 30 years old.

You might contact Brunton at support@brunton.com as a start. That's what I did.

Top
#170565 - 04/03/09 07:05 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: SwampDonkey]
Andrew_S Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 01/09/09
Posts: 59
Well, I got the answer to my question and that may help to unconfuse you, Mike.

Seems Silva in Canada is Johnson Outdoors. That is, Johnson does sell compasses here under the Silva brand, which they couldn't if Silva held the trademark. (But I don't know about 30 years ago.)

I have seen the Rangers marked "Finland" in the past (meaning Suunto, I guess), but I confirmed that they're currently made in Indonesia. Rumour has it they are not the same quality as the Finnish Rangers.

Top
#170567 - 04/03/09 07:21 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: Andrew_S]
Schwert Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/13/02
Posts: 905
Loc: Seattle, Washington
Johnson Outdoors 30 years ago sold REAL Swedish Silva's....

Their relationship with Silva Sweden went sour quite a while ago, but I am pretty sure much less than 30 years ago.

It really is a crazy mess...but I don't buy Silva branded compasses in the US....and now it looks like North America anymore because you really have no idea what you are getting.

Suunto/Recta are my prefered brands....


I really like the matchbox type compasses for compact fully-funtional instruments. These seem to be overlooked by many, but they are worth seeking out.

My old Recta...in the bottom right corner of this old image, goes with me loads of times. It is not quite as easy to use as a baseplate on a map, but otherwise most of the Silva system uses apply.



These can be found with a Global Needle and make for an excellent EDC type compass. The mirror on the bottom limits the usefullness of the mirror for other uses, but it a nice sighting option.

Top
#170568 - 04/03/09 07:43 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: Schwert]
KenK Offline
"Be Prepared"
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/26/04
Posts: 2208
Loc: NE Wisconsin
At least in the U.S. its pretty straight forward.

Look at http://www.brunton.com plastic baseplate and mirrored compasses. If it is green, its made by Brunton. If its an Eclipse (809x) its made by Brunton. The rest is made by Silva of Sweden.

Not sure if the Brunton-made compasses are made in the U.S. or some Asian country.

No clue about Canada.

Top
#170575 - 04/03/09 09:11 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: KenK]
SwampDonkey Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/08/07
Posts: 1268
Loc: Northeastern Ontario, Canada
Well thanks for the help fellows, I will look on the compasses to see where they were made (Finland or Sweden I would guess), then send off some inquiries via e-mail.

Schwert, my father did a lot of prospecting in Northern Ontario and used a match-box type compass as seen in the image you posted, I think it was a Silva (but I could be "off course here")?

I have recently been using a Suunto Compass (MC-1) in "Mils" instead of "Degrees", it is hard to change your brain to think in a different format.

Mike

Top
#170599 - 04/04/09 04:26 AM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: ]
comms Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/23/08
Posts: 1502
Loc: Mesa, AZ
Well I used some dividends and picked up a Suunto A-10. What the heck, I can always uses a new compass.

I had my Brunton 8096 Adv. Racing compass with me and boxed North next to several other models. The bubble in the 8096 did not affect anything.
_________________________
Don't just survive. Thrive.

Top
#170604 - 04/04/09 06:41 AM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: comms]
Tom_L Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/19/07
Posts: 690
Quote:
I really like the matchbox type compasses for compact fully-funtional instruments. These seem to be overlooked by many, but they are worth seeking out.

My old Recta...in the bottom right corner of this old image, goes with me loads of times. It is not quite as easy to use as a baseplate on a map, but otherwise most of the Silva system uses apply.


The matchbox compass does have a few advantages. I almost bought one of those matchbox Recta models a couple of years ago but after some serious consideration and hands-on practice I've also noted a few problems.

First, the folding mirror is really fragile. I don't think it would stand up to any kind of abuse. Then the bezel is small. Sure thing, the Recta is very compact but a small bezel means you can't take such an accurate reading easily. Also, any compass with a baseplate is going to make life a lot easier when you with work with a map.

IME a matchbox compass is a good choice when compact size is really important. But for serious work nothing beats a sighting compass w/ baseplate. The best of both worlds. smile

Top
#170615 - 04/04/09 03:12 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: KenK]
lifeview Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 05/09/06
Posts: 80
Loc: Nashville,TN USA
Quote:
Fiskars, who owns Gerber, now owns the Swedish company named Silva, which in turn owned the U.S. company Brunton. They are all one big company now.

Check out http://www.fiskars.fi/business/index.html

Johnson Outdoors owns the U.S. registered trademark for "Silva". This trademark ownership does not impact labeling outside of the U.S.

I don't know who makes the U.S. "Silva" compasses. Some have said it is Suunto, but I've seen no proof of that.


Ken-
I stand corrected and a still little confused. I'm going to have a chat with the sales rep for Silva/Johnson Outdoors for additional info.

BTW, Most, but not all, of the Silvas on our shelf are manufactured in Indonesia according to the package.

Thanks.
_________________________
Mike
LifeView Outdoors

Top
#170622 - 04/04/09 08:23 PM Re: Do I need to replace my compass? [Re: Chris Kavanaugh]
GradyT34 Offline
Member

Registered: 02/14/09
Posts: 118
Up until about 30 years ago there was a surveyor in my area who did more than his share of surveys. Funny thing about him though is that his transit didn't have cross-hairs. He was kind of proud of this and he would let anyone who was interested look though his transit while he was in the field on a survey. (As a child, I was one of those persons.) He'd go out to survey a tract with a survey crew and equipment, but then would just ask the landowner where he wanted the lines and corners to be. He then placed his survey monuments (pipes) after having the landowner show him where the landowner wanted them. The rest of any of his on-site work was only for show. His final plats were gorgeous, but his bearings and distances and acreages shown on his plats had nothing in common with reality or the legal description at the courthouse. His middle name came to be "where-do-you-want-the-line". He truly messed up goodly portions of a number of parishes. Many of his surveys have been contested over the years, and the cost of fixing problems caused by his work has been enourmous and on-going.


Edited by GradyT34 (04/04/09 08:39 PM)

Top
Page 4 of 5 < 1 2 3 4 5 >



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 269 Guests and 21 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.