I was with my girlfriend in a scrapbook making store (apparently this is enjoying a resurgence in the US, this place was HUGE) and being somewhat out of my element, started looking at what was offered there with an eye toward survival kit uses. I found:
- Beaded chains, in a variety of lengths and weights, good for attaching small things together so they don’t get lost or separated.
- Assorted split rings, also good for attaching things.
- Heavy-duty paper sewing needles, that looked robust enough to use in a PSK and with a big enough eye to take any type of normal or improvised thread.
- Razorknife blades in a variety of sizes, including the sawknife blade.
- Heavy-duty thread, for sewing scrapbook pages together, or lots of other things.
- A soft-sided razorknife blade holder that looked like it would be a lot easier to cut down to fit into a small kit.
- Fresnel lends magnifying sheets, for all you closet pyromaniacs out there.
- Some neat small tin boxes, I guess for storing scrapbook bits, but I thought of some more practical uses <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> .
All in all, I was surprised but what I found that was of interest to me. My girlfriend, who knows me well, rolled her eyes as she went to the checkout.

Maggot, I know the feeling of being dragged into a place or something similar like that. Definately out of the element range for me too! Just because someone is good at crafts doesn't mean I want to participate. I hope she did not make comments to you like mine does me...I followed you into Sportman's Warehouse or Home Depot even. I was looking at covers for my GPS just the other day and she makes the comment about going around the corner to the craft store. Fine, bye! I continued the usual routine of OOOOOHHHHH AAAAAWWW (I should visit these places doped on Atropine, but that is another story) and finally I do my best Tim Allen routine OOOOHHHHHH???? A little later she joins me and literally drags me out the door in protest of course and she then informs me she has some material and will make a GPS case for me. Think of all of that money you just saved. HUMPH (here is where I insert the ol' foot) just because I saved money in there doesn't necessarily mean I am taking you to dinner. Next time I'll be polite and look for the things you mentioned.

I don't know if they are a national chain, but "The Rag Shop" has much of the stuff you mentioned, I've gotten some stuff there.

One thing I just did (like just finished three minuted ago) was to re-pack our 72hr + emergency kits using these clear plastic bags that they pack bed linens in. They are super-thick plastic (I'll guess 16 Mils or so) and have a zipper (not Ziploc, an actual zipper) clossure.

I'm posting about the plastic bags to the main forum...

but a linen store was not my first guess at a gearshop!