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Altoids survival kit (pics)

14K views 34 replies 27 participants last post by  commoguy  
#1 ·
This is something most people tried sometime. Maybe as a kid when camping, or when first getting started into survival and preparedness.

The idea is to fit a number of small items you’d need to survive into the small container, so that you can always have it available during an emergency.

Many of these things I already carry one of everyday, ( lighter, LED, knife, etc) on me or in my bag, but the idea of a small emergency kit is still valid, because you end up including other things you usually forget about, and its also nice to have spares.

There’s are other better containers, but this is what most people use so I got one of these tins down town.
By the way, I paid 3 dollars for this, 10 pesos.

There’s thousands of small kits like this one, some more location oriented than others, and most have a few common items.
Image

Image


Let’s see what I have here.(left to right, top to bottom)

-Home made mini knife
Made using a piece of new steel saw. Made a drop point for this little knife, and left it razor sharp. It also has the original saw teeth left, so it can be used for sawing with a bit o patience.
Handle is made with self soldering rubber.
-Small Bic Lighter.
Red so it doesn’t get lost that easily if dropped in the grass.
-Altoids tin.
Nothing to brag about, but it can be used for cooking small meals, boiling a bit of water, and the lid can be polished and used as a signal mirror.
-Paper matches. For fire making redundancy.
-Ziplock bag
Roughly one liter. Can be used to keep stuff dry. Get condensation out of living plants. Treat water in it using potable water pills.

-2 Hair clips. Various uses.
-Led light. Works for many hours.
-Chinese red tiger and dragon balm tin.
This stuff has been around for over 100 years.
It’s supposed to cure near everything, but I’ve only used it for muscle aches, headaches (using it to massage the temples) , and for using a bit under the nose and chest when I have flu ( menthol)
It’s supposed to cure any disease known to mankind, but I’m a bit skeptical. :)
It does work rather well for the illnesses described above.
The original, genuine Chinese Dragon Balm, a contemporary
incarnation of the Imperial Ointment created so many centuries
ago. Time tested and proven as a superior answer for quick,
effective relief of headaches, nasal congestion, arthritis and
muscular aches and pains. Dragon Balm is manufactured under the
strictest supervision of qualified pharmacists, and exported
directly from the Southern Provinces of China. Dragon Balm is
ultra pure and composed of only the finest ingredients,
containing no animal by products or synthetic chemicals. It uses
menthol cinnamon oil, eucalyptus oil, cajuput oil and camphor to
create marvelously effective, penetrating relief. A truly fine
analgesic from the Orient. Used in Dojos as Martial Arts
treatment. Large 19 gm size.
Ingredients: Menthol, Camphor
scented and colored with natural herbal extracts.
http://vitanetonline.com/description/SU0097/vitamins/Dragon-Balm-Red/


-Small red box with match firecrackers.
These are for signaling, creating a distraction or blowing up small things.
-4 Strong pain killers (ketorolac)
-2 Ibuprofen 600
-3 feet of wire
-Folding cutter blade
-button compass
-Salt. For compensating dehydration, or making saline solution in the bag to clean wound.
-4 bandaids: 2 small, 2 medium size.
-About 5 needles of different sizes
-1 Big button. Fixing pants, bag and such.
-1 epoxy cloth bandaid “Poxita”. Good for fixing a number of things.
-1 Piece of fine grit sand paper. For sharpening the blades included in the kit.
-9 feet of unbreakable black nylon thread.
-9 feet of thread in OD green. Fixing gear and clothing.
-9 feet of waxed dental floss. Also have a big needle to use it to fix stuff in needed.
-4 one peso coins. For phone calls, bending machines, bus, subway.
Four pesos will also buy you a hotdog in some of the cheapo places, or a coke or water bottle.
-50 USD. Some emergency money. Dollars are readily accepted most of the time, or someone willing to change it for local paper money.
Why not include local paper money? Because our peso is much more volatile than the USD ( even with the crisis).
If your pocket allows it, a small gold coin might not be a bad idea (maximum value for minimum size)
Missing in this kit and soon to be added; Potable water pills. Not enough space for a vial, but some can be added to the ziplock bag.
Antibiotics would be a good idea too.

Hope you found a couple ideas for your own little kit:)

FerFAL
 
#3 ·
I have something similar.

In the Altoids tin in my pocket...

~1 tsp iodine for water purification (includes dropper) and wound care
1 signal mirror
whistle
1 fresnel lens (helps these tired old eyes if I lose my glasses) - can be used to start fire I think
1 Cricket butane mini-lighter
2 bandaids
2 alcohol pads -- wound cleaning and firestarter
4 quarters
1 $10 bill
2 $5 bills
30 ft dental floss
50 ft monofilament fishing line (10# test)
4 fish hooks
split sinkers
Altoid's tin -- boiling water/cooking
button compass
3 sewing needles
20 ft thread
5 safety pins
12" Vet Wrap - (self sticking ace bandage)
1 sqft shrinkwrap black plastic (like used to keep rain off goods on a pallet)


Allan
 
#8 ·
Thank you guys. I am working on an ultra-mini hold out kit too.

some more thoughts... wrap the edge of the tin with three our four rounds of black electrical tape... this will seal the tin and provides you with tape. add a few slips of paper and a stub of pencil... for notes or messages.

what do you think about including some aluminum foil?
 
#9 ·
thats an excellent lil kit you have there i like the lil knife made from a hacksaw blade... might have to make some of those myself lol

This is something most people tried sometime. Maybe as a kid when camping, or when first getting started into survival and preparedness.

The idea is to fit a number of small items you’d need to survive into the small container, so that you can always have it available during an emergency.

Many of these things I already carry one of everyday, ( lighter, LED, knife, etc) on me or in my bag, but the idea of a small emergency kit is still valid, because you end up including other things you usually forget about, and its also nice to have spares.

There’s are other better containers, but this is what most people use so I got one of these tins down town.
By the way, I paid 3 dollars for this, 10 pesos.

There’s thousands of small kits like this one, some more location oriented than others, and most have a few common items.
Image

Image


Let’s see what I have here.(left to right, top to bottom)

-Home made mini knife
Made using a piece of new steel saw. Made a drop point for this little knife, and left it razor sharp. It also has the original saw teeth left, so it can be used for sawing with a bit o patience.
Handle is made with self soldering rubber.
-Small Bic Lighter.
Red so it doesn’t get lost that easily if dropped in the grass.
-Altoids tin.
Nothing to brag about, but it can be used for cooking small meals, boiling a bit of water, and the lid can be polished and used as a signal mirror.
-Paper matches. For fire making redundancy.
-Ziplock bag
Roughly one liter. Can be used to keep stuff dry. Get condensation out of living plants. Treat water in it using potable water pills.

-2 Hair clips. Various uses.
-Led light. Works for many hours.
-Chinese red tiger and dragon balm tin.
This stuff has been around for over 100 years.
It’s supposed to cure near everything, but I’ve only used it for muscle aches, headaches (using it to massage the temples) , and for using a bit under the nose and chest when I have flu ( menthol)
It’s supposed to cure any disease known to mankind, but I’m a bit skeptical. :)
It does work rather well for the illnesses described above.

http://vitanetonline.com/description/SU0097/vitamins/Dragon-Balm-Red/


-Small red box with match firecrackers.
These are for signaling, creating a distraction or blowing up small things.
-4 Strong pain killers (ketorolac)
-2 Ibuprofen 600
-3 feet of wire
-Folding cutter blade
-button compass
-Salt. For compensating dehydration, or making saline solution in the bag to clean wound.
-4 bandaids: 2 small, 2 medium size.
-About 5 needles of different sizes
-1 Big button. Fixing pants, bag and such.
-1 epoxy cloth bandaid “Poxita”. Good for fixing a number of things.
-1 Piece of fine grit sand paper. For sharpening the blades included in the kit.
-9 feet of unbreakable black nylon thread.
-9 feet of thread in OD green. Fixing gear and clothing.
-9 feet of waxed dental floss. Also have a big needle to use it to fix stuff in needed.
-4 one peso coins. For phone calls, bending machines, bus, subway.
Four pesos will also buy you a hotdog in some of the cheapo places, or a coke or water bottle.
-50 USD. Some emergency money. Dollars are readily accepted most of the time, or someone willing to change it for local paper money.
Why not include local paper money? Because our peso is much more volatile than the USD ( even with the crisis).
If your pocket allows it, a small gold coin might not be a bad idea (maximum value for minimum size)
Missing in this kit and soon to be added; Potable water pills. Not enough space for a vial, but some can be added to the ziplock bag.
Antibiotics would be a good idea too.

Hope you found a couple ideas for your own little kit:)

FerFAL
 
#15 ·
I tried an altoids tin in Iraq "lord knows we had enough of them" I was never happy with the space. Just a Big compressed bandage takes up 3/4 the tin. I settled for a little pelican case and put in what I needed. I thought the contents were realistic.

1 compressed olive drab bandage
2 bandaids
1 tube of anti biotic ointment
2 anti diareah tablets
2 vicadin
1 dera safe razor
4 safty pins
1 pair tweezers

1 photon light
1 sailing needle
10 feet of 50lb test nylon string
1 bottle of water pure pills
3 fish hooks
20 feet 8lb mono
4 split shot
1 ferro rod
1 signal mirror

couldnt put that in a tin and I feel thats a pretty basic/minimum kit. Ive used most the stuff in there at one point except the mirror and giant bandage.
 
#19 ·
I can't speak for everyone, but I look at my Altoids EDC kit as a solution to common, everyday aggravations more so than a "hey I'm lost in the woods" kit (though some of the stuff is targeted at that possibility too) therefore I have safety pins, needle & thread, pocket change etc...

Allan
 
#23 ·
I don't have room for 10 $1 bills...but the 2 $5 bills fit nicely....

OBTW for those looking for a small container to put tincture of iodine (water treatment) ask anyone who's diabetic for the container their glucose meter control solution comes in. The control solution only lasts a few months and you'll never use the entire contents during that timeframe. The container with built-in dropper fits nicely into the Altoids can...

Allan
 
#21 ·
this is my kit I carry everyday.
Image

Image


This includes:
a small knife
utility knife blade
coins taped to top
sewing kit with cloth and duck tape
fishing hooks line weights
a couple of band aids
Lighter
fero rod and striker
4 strips of cloth coated with wax for fire starting
$20
snare wire
pepto and pain tabs
p38 can opener
in a mink oil tin that can be used for cooking or making char cloth
 
#24 ·
the start of mine

First time attaching pictures to posts but here it is. this is the start of my altoids PSK

so far contents include
2kleenex
p51
mini bic
approx 6 feet of thread
two needles
one pin
2 safety pins
3 buttons
approx 50 feet of 10# fishing line
2 smaller hooks and 2 larger hooks
5 split shot sinkers

Just a start
 

Attachments

#28 ·
Keep in mind I’m in Argentina and there’s no machines that take Usd bills.
I’m including a 50 USD bill because it’s a lot of money here ( somewhat the equivalent of a 150 USD in USA) and it would be used to buy supplies ( USD are accepted at supermarkets) buy a long distance bus ticket or pay for a room.

For bending machines, subway, bus, a hotdog or coke, I’d use the 4 pesos in coins.

FerFAL
 
#26 ·
Thanks for starting this thread as I am loving the ideas here.
I have made three of my own out of Altoid cans- got the idea from the book "Battle Rattle" by Hans Halbertstadt. It has a couple of good color photos. I cannot expand or add to what I have seen posted, only to say thanks for all the great ideas that I can incorporate.
I did get a USAF survival kit box off ebay for $3 which I plan on making up. It's a fatter box than the Altoids tin and fits in the pockets on survival vests. I figure it might be a good option when finished since it is still somewhat compact.
 
#27 ·
instead of thread and fishing line and snare wire i would recommend using spiderwire or similar fishing line wrapped in a sewing machine bobbin. you can fit a huge amount and the 80lb test is as thin as #17 mono line. if you go with a lower strength you can get stuff as thin as #10 line but stronger and usable for more. you can fit about 50' of 80lb test on a bobbin. i would imagine you could fit at least 80-100' of the stuff equivelent to #8 line(which is the spiderwire 30lb test stuff.)

the spiderwire is woven line and therefor usable for many things, even dental floss. it ties more easily than mono line and canbe used for sewing pretty well, i have used it a few times. it can also be used as an emergency shoelace too but you pretty much have to cut it to get it off again. but with 100' who cares? its cheap too, about $12 for 150 yards of 30lb test up to $15 for 80lb test.
 
#32 ·
...instead of thread and fishing line and snare wire i would recommend using spiderwire or similar fishing line wrapped in a sewing machine bobbin...
Instead of a bobbin I pulled about 30' of 10# mono into a 3" length of a plastic drinking straw. The idea is that the line is out of the way AND I have a short drinking straw to suck up some water if I have to AND it doesn't take up as much room in the little Altoids tin...

Allan
 
#30 ·
so i had a brief revalation yesterday about teh altoids can survival kit. if you work at a place that no doubt has metal detectors maybe you should try using a travel soap container. Its roughly the same dimensions, actually slightly larger and its plastic so you can take it more places. just a thought