I would suspect you could also go to a local college book store and buy scalpel handles in the biology gear section. At least back when I was in school they had them.

So has anyone ever actually tried using a bare scalpel blade in a real or simulated survival situation?

Also, has anyone ever tried improvising a stick handle for such a blade?

Alex

I took apart an old X-acto #3 (I think) and put the "chuck" in my PSK. That gives me a little bit of a grip for a scalpel blade if there are absolutely no sticks to be had. I also carry a wood screw to start a hole in the end of a stick that I can then screw the x-acto chuck into. If I could get a chuck screw with a wood screw in it, I'd love it, but they weren't made for such things.

Of course one might be tempted to think I need my Leatherman for the wood screw, and at that point I must have a knife, so why would I need the scalpel blade? The srew has an eyelet just big enough to grip with my sausage-like fingers... LOL

Truthfully though, unless your packing a PSK in a small tin or case, which a lot of people do (me lol), a stainless steel scalpel handle is only about 6" x 1/2" x 1/8" in size (estimate) plus the size of a set screw if you choose to go that route and only costs about $2.50, so that's an option as well.

With all of that said, and as others have noted, carry a good knife, the scalpel blades are there just in case. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Scalpel, no, but the larger xacto and razor blades many times. Never been cut, but you do have to be careful.

I usually keep a couple of #11 blades (w/clay handle) in my pocket kit. They are useful for digging out large splinters and lancing abscesses. I even know how to use one to perform a last-ditch emergency tracheotomy, if needed.

They're no replacement for even a small knife, but I'll keep a couple around, just the same.

Sue

I added a very thin 2-bladed alox Victorinox SAK to my Ritter Kit in addition to the scalpel blade. I think this was the Pocket Pal but in red alox rather than plastic. The alox is quite a bit thinner than the plastic scaled model.

Any decent univerisity bookstore should have plastic or metal scapel handles. The plastic ones could easily be trimmed to fit the pouch and weigh almost nothing. Adding another scalpel blade would also be a good idea.

For that mater, the slimmer X-Acto handle (the number 1, uses #11 blades) is only as thick as a pencil. They are soft aluminum, so you can trim to fit. The bigger handles, the #2, is the same material, but a bit chubbier- I'd say it was worthwhile to use that, and the bigger/longer blades.

If you already have a pencil in your kit. Make the scalpel holder slot in the other end so its ready to be used when you need it.

But...but...I might need an eraser to erase something I wrote! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Nice idea, though. <thumbs up>

http://www.archaeologiemuseum.it/f01_ice_uk.html clik on The Iceman, click on Tools and click #3 <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />