Hey all,

Hope this isn't a dupe. I searched and didn't see anything...

I just bought an ESEE 5 with the survival tin pouch on the front. I'm trying to come up with the items that I will put in it...

Here's what I have so far:

Fishing Line
Fishing Hooks
Wet Tinder
Swedish Fire Steel
Waxed Thread
Large Needle
ESEE Arrow Head
Brass Wire
Rare Earth Magnetic Rod

What else would you guys add?

ETA: A picture of the tin & sheath.

I use an old Kodiak can to keep a 9v battery and some steel wool as a fire starter.

The Kodiak can would be more water resistant I think, smaller however.

Can you even get film cans anymore?

That's an Altoids mini tin.

I bought that from an Ebay seller for $7.50 shipped.  They're $7.95 now.  It might give you some ideas, as everything is taped into place, or fits perfectly.  It's actually pretty ingenius.

I have a bigger Altoids tin and I'm wondering what it'll be good for.  Right now, it's looking less idea than a basic zip lock baggie.

Mini Fishing kit

Chris

I like the eye hooks and L hooks to make a rod and reel.

You should see the guy's survival paracord bracelet.

Click on the link and go to 'sellers other items'.

I don't have $30 bucks to spend on snaring animals, but it's pretty nifty.

Chris

How about a few ibuprofen? Sheet of tin foil?

If you have room i cant recommend a Fenix E01 flashlight enough. Its a single AAA light with a long battery life that fits in an Altoids tin perfect.

Heres one for size reference.



The ESEE pouch is also big enough to fit more than just the Altoids tin too. I have 1 that holds the tin, 10 feet of paracord, and an 8x11 aloksak just fine.

I have one with a flat roll of duct tape and a good length of 80lb dacron fishing line.  ANother carrying spare AA batteries, and another one with salt, pepper, and plastic bags.  

Thin plastic bags like the liners for office trash bins are worth their weight in gold.  Keeping dirty clothes or food out of the rest of your stuff or protecting gear from the elements or transporting food, collecting water etc.  Maybe some ziplocs or a large trash bag.

I have never seen the use of packing fishing gear.  Dad had to have a small trunk worth of gear to go catch fish wherever we went and he still never had the right stuff when we needed it.  Unless you are near the coast and can hope to get some bottom fish you are likely not going to have the gear you need to get anything worth a damn. In a survival situation I am not going to be playing with hooks unless they are snagging hooks during salmon runs or setting anchored lines out on tidal flats for bottom fish.  Again plastic bags would be a good friend here as you could fill them with some intertidal goodies.

Those cans will rust badly in a moist environment.  Just a heads up.

Sand the can and spray with an automotive paint primer. DONE!

I have several different kits made up. I also use pill bottles and film canisters for items. Here is a first aid kit.





RLTW

I have a small button compass in mine because I cant figure out which way is which ever.  Even with my watch, I always expect it to go dead the moment I need it the most.  If you have a watch that you rely on for direction or whatnot, maybe a spare battery for the watch...

I also carry laxative pills too, because when shit really hits the fan, your body will hold waste for weeks because of the stress your body undergoes and the rapid change of diet your body has to get used to.  Never hurts to have water purification tablets either.

Here is what I run in my Altoids Mini-Kit:

Quick tenders (x5)
Photo squeeze LED light
single sided Razor blade (taped into bottom of tin with 2x2 duct tape)
#11 exacto blade (secured with tape as above)
2ft heavy duty aluminum foil
2 alcohol prep pads
2 butter fly strip bandages
Mini-strike mag-flint with striker replaced with hacksaw blade
Fishing kit (6 small hooks, 6 small swivels, 6 split shot weights in small tube)
20 repackaged portable aqua tabs
6 life boat matches (in small zip lock)
packet of Neosporin
10 feet of waxed nylon line (artificial sinew)
4 small safety pins
Grade AA liquid filled button compass
birthday candle (the trick re-lighting kind)
Fox 40 micro whistle
Fresnel magnifier (4 power)
cut down oven bag (small oven cooking bag marked at the 1 quart line for use with portable aqua tabs)
20ft of 2olb fishing line on sewing bobbin
Wire saw
10 ft of brass snare wire

wrapped at lib edge with ranger bands (bicycle inter tubes) and then around the lid itself to hold shut.

For me this kit works, but is weak in the areas of first aid, tools, and shelter.  

Every one I've ever seen around here had either weed or paraphernalia in it.

I went a different route with mine.  Used a jewelry case to store mine.









 
 

I avoided the Altoid tin due to rusting as well.  I opted to use the Otter or Pelican small cases...I like them better because they are waterproof.  Not as small or inexpensive, but I like the waterproof feature.

In a fit of silliness, I sandblasted, parkerized, Moly-resined, then lightly oiled an Altoids tin.  Unfortunately, I've never gotten around to deploying it so I can't say how rust proof it is, but I fully expect the hinge to rust as if nothing was done to it.

 

County comm has stainless steel "altoids" cans

Poke small holes in them and they are great for making char cloth for firestarting too

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Good idea.  I have a tin with paperclips and one with bandaids.  They are in my desk drawer with tins of actual Altoids.  I end up opening every one of them to find what I need.



A label maker helps too..........

When I do these small kits, I think "what would kill me the fastest if I were lost stranded in the woods" and what I come up with are these:

1. exposure
2. dehydration
3. traumatic injury

given that what I focus on are fire/shelter and water. I then try to add a couple of things to make life a little easier/assist me in making fire/shelter and water. For the traumatic injury I don't think you can put a very useful trauma kit into an altoids tin. So here's what I have in my kit.

storm proof matches in small plastic bag, small bic lighter, jute twine soaked in melted gulf wax, small folding knife, two band-aids, two 12 oz gerber breast mild resealable bags, four katadyn water purification tablets, two antacid tablets (for my heartburn) and two benadryl tablets (in case someone I'm with has severe allergic reaction to insect bite), streamlite nano light.  I then use thin gorilla tape, about 2 feet, to tape the tin closed around the edge. Then I use two ranger bands to secure a packaged emergency blanket to the tin. This, however, will not fit into the esee pouch. You might see if you can somehow secure the e-blanket or a contractor bag and some cordage to the sheath elsewhere.

For me, I want to address the most dangerous environmental concerns immediately. My personal opinion is that fish hooks or snares just aren't going to help me survive a freezing, wet, couple of nights out in the bush and that I'd be better served with making damn sure I've got something to warm myself with and to get some water to drink. I do have the band-aids and duct-tape in there t take care of annoying, minor injuries that might hamper my shelter building or whatever. YMMV, Good luck!

This for sure.

Bandaids and fishing line and such aren't going to save you from stuff that will actually kill you - dehydration and exposure.

Here's an otterbox setup for warmth with an emergency blanket and fire building stuff:



Here's what I keep on the knife, a bit different, but what I need to build a shelter in the dark, keep my knife sharp, and get a fire going (I took the fishing line and hooks out and replaced with a small roll of thread and needles):

What knife and sheath is that?  I want!

Esee 5 is what he has. I have a few of them myself and cant stop buying them. They are a good company too.www.eseeknives.com They also have a great fourm to read.

Food for Thought, .mil kit contents






Link

I have the same case.  Can you list what you carry in yours?



 

Wrap the tin can with wax paper. It will offer some water proofing, weights nothing and is the best fire starter I ever used.