well ironravon I was hoping to make it stand alone with everything but if it works better as a supplement to EDC knife light and fire that could be the way to go. I guess the real trick is finding the essentials that are small or in this case mini. A light and whistle could be very hard to find with in the space constraints

Susan one mini altoid tin only fits in a standard tin. Using it to compartmentalize is a good ideas but maybe in a larger tin or container. To me I think it would waste more space than make a benefit to an altoid kit.

hikermor has a point it would make an excellent fire kit. I dabbled with that idea as well as a fishing kit. I plan on making one of each I just am really enjoying the challenge of making it a survival kit.

1 Safety razor blade ...clean fish/game, strike firesteel, shave tinder.......
button compass...navigate
'mouse' firesteel section...heat, light, signaling
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2
10' monofilament. fish, sew, lash
2 #10 fish hooks...fish, snare, hang
2 butterfly bandages..wounds, blisters, minor repairs
2 sewing needles...repair, pin, splinter removal
2 pk ibuprofin...pain relief

I used one of those for a fishing kit. I have a much bigger PSK, and that fits in there nicely and keeps everything together.

I think Byrd_Huntr nailed it pretty well...if he has room for a couple of ClO2 water purification tabs and aspirin tabs that would be a plus

down here water transport is high on my list...if you allow an MRE hot beverage bag or home made vacuum sealer bag to be folded on the outside and retained with a bike innertube (which will slip off easily) and a couple of feet of duct tape around the innertube and not make access that difficult...

a Leatherman Squirt PS4 with scissors and pliers and Fenix E01 would make a good pair of minimal sized accessories

Water is high on my list. In southwestern heat, sometimes your survival kit is your canteen(s). It is that simple. Condoms and la-ti-da plastic bags just don't cut it.

Ergo, your "survival kit" is unavoidably heavy and tends to bulge a bit. A few items can be tucked away in cute little tins, but sometimes you simply must scale up and carry a PSK equal to the environment.

Dido to you LesSnyder Byrd_Huntr has a really complete survival kit. I would also consider adding a cotton ball that's been cut in half, just a little tinder.

NightHiker the kit could be for either urban or wilderness. Heck one of each would be possible. I just like putting them together.

I think this is definetly the way to go.