Cheap Pressies

[Topcat02]

Hi All,

Couldnt help myself yesterday, was in Homebase, and noticed a pair of Walkie-Talkies for about £15.00, and a key fob blue light for just £1.99.

Then filling up with petrol there was a special offer for a twin-jet flame lighter with compass for just £2.99. It even came with a handy alloy tin which could be used for tinder.

I'd been grumpy all day but cheered up considerably with these bargains.

Heres some piccies

 

[running bare]

guess the lighter is for heavy smokers???

 

[Pablo]

Topcat,

Be careful of the lanyard clip. I have a similar one for my USB drive and it wears very quickly if you use it a lot. You might lose the lighter if it wears too much.

Pablo

 

[twelveboar]

I don't mean to burst you bubble as it were, but poundland is doing two key fob leds for....you've guessed it.

 

[Topcat02]

Hi Twelveboar,

Fortunately/unfortunately I dont live anywhere near a poundland! If I did I would probably be in there looking for tea/sugar cannisters to convert into cooking containers.

Anything in there suitable for bushcrafty use?

TC

 

[Topcat02]

Hi Pablo,

I was in on the group buy of quick release key ring fobs, and as I still have a number I havent found a use for, I'll act on your suggestion and use one on the lighter.

Cheers

TC

 

[snake|UK|]

You may want to check the accuracy of the compass as button compasses are inherently inaccurate, please only use it for indication purposes only not navigation. You can get white led lights from poundland. Gas lighters are brill.

 

[Ahjno]

Last Thursday I bought myself some Coghlan containers (you know: the small handy ones): normally somewhere around 10+ Euro, now for only 2 Euro (at Halfords)

Monday we had Saint Nicholas: where it's tradition to give eachother some cheap but usefull gifts (mostly aimed at kids, but us grown ups enjoy ourselves aswell ... I got some bright yelow working gloves (great for shelter making), a folding saw (with double lock thingie) and the latest book by Chris Ryan - "Blackout" (in dutch though).

And in the end it's exactly the same guy as Santa Claus ... Which makes us having Christmas twice a year (no, not a sneaky link to that James Bond movie "The world is not enough" ).

 

[twelveboar]

Hi Twelveboar,

Fortunately/unfortunately I dont live anywhere near a poundland! If I did I would probably be in there looking for tea/sugar cannisters to convert into cooking containers.

Anything in there suitable for bushcrafty use?

TC

I bought a metal file to try to make a steel for flint and steel firestarting.
For cooking containers they have cheap pans!

 

[Nemisis]

I picked up one of the same lighters last night. I looked at the tin it came in and its mesh with a cardboard liner. i've removed that and the plastic window in the lid and looking at trying it out as a small back up stove.

 

[Topcat02]

Great idea,

I thought about using it for tinder, but a cheap cooker would be a great idea. Let us know how you get on.

The container is pretty light and thin alloy, so you'd probably have to be carefull with what you use as a fuel to avoid warping it.

Regards

TC

 

[Nemisis]

Thats why I said as a back up I think it would survive one or two uses. Before I joined I brought a pack of that firegel stuff so might try that in it. If it works then its no size in a corner of a pack just in case is it? I have a trangia SA thats what gave me the original idea incase say I spilled the meths and was in a no fire allowed site that tin as a one time stove would fit inside the SA windshield.
Dave.

 

[Topcat02]

Hi Nemesis,

There was nothing on the telly, so I decided to make myself a cup of tea using the case as a holder for half a hexy block.

Filled the kettle with enough water for a brew, and within 5 minutes had steam coming out of the kettle.

Here are a few pics

 

[Nemisis]

Did it handle the heat ok? any buckling? Thats what I had in mind only I thought using the lid and cutting out that window thinking it might concentrate the heat a little better.Shame we can't sorce the tins we'd make a killing lol
Dave

 

[oops56]

Ok Nemisis here are your tins not round but square they will work

http://www.usbox.com/gift-basket-boxes/mesh_metal_tins.html
This one got round and sq no mesh
http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=33

 

[Topcat02]

Hi Nemisis,

There wasnt any buckling, and the only sign of use was the black residue left by the hexy block.

In reality you'd probably have a hexy burner with you, if you were using hexy as a fuel.

If however you were using the box to carry tinder, then I would think you'd probably get a nice little fire started in it.

It would keep the tinder in one place, stopping it from blowing away etc, allow air circulation, and you could then move the lit stuff to a bigger fire to cook your food/make your tea.

I'll cut up some matchstick size wood this evening, and see how it gets on with that size fire.

TC

 

[Nemisis]

One thing have you tried it outside yet just wondering if any wind would effect it too much like with a hexi stove. I'll try mine later with the firegel if I can get it to light from what i've read on here no easy task lol. I've cut that window out of mine now so tinder box no longer an option but will try with and without the lid see if it does effect cooking time.Pity that link from oops is american looked for uk sorce but no luck.
Dave.

 

[Topcat02]

I've just noticed I've gone from being a tenderfoot to a forager. Yippee

 

[Nemisis]

Do nomads spend less time posting as they never settle in one place long enough?

 

[yowee]

which petrol station had the lighters?

many thanks