How long can a PSK survive?

[tedw]

About 30 years ago, when I first took the Queen’s shilling, I made myself a PSK modelled on the Lofty Wiseman combat survival kit then being sold by Survival Aids (now Penrith Survival). I could not afford the commercial kit, so made do with what I could get hold of myself. Since then the PSK has lived untouched in pouches, pockets, the bottom of rucksacks, drawers and attics in a variety of climates. So I thought it was about time I found out what condition it was in and if it was still worth carrying. I thought you lot might be interested in the results. On opening, the tin was dry inside but full of fine grey dust; I thought this might be mould at first, but found no evidence of damp so I think it’s something else. Anyway, here’s a photo and a list of the contents and their condition:

Survival Aids Survival Aide Memoire – good
Single edge razor blade wrapped in card and bodge tape – some surface rust on the blade but perfectly useable
Cotton wool balls (used as packing) – dusty but useable
3 safety pins – good
Broken hacksaw blade - some surface rust but perfectly useable
Needle and thread – a little surface rust but perfectly useable
Assorted fish-hooks – good
Mini-compass – a bit sticky on the pivot but works OK
Windproof matches in a sealed plastic bag and the striker from a matchbox – worked perfectly first time
Puritabs – one tablet was crushed but the others seemed fine; no use by date on the packet so maybe past their best
5M of nylon string (from a stunt kite I think) – good, still strong
Squared-off candle – good although it had obviously been softened by heat at some point
Brass snare wire – good
Pencil – good
Condom – good, appeared in perfect condition and still held water under pressure (amazing, good old Durex!)
Fabric plaster strips – badly contaminated by dust and the adhesive had failed
Wire saw – one of the key rings was de-laminated and rusty but and there was some rust on the saw itself, but otherwise it appeared sound and perfectly useable
Fire starter – useless; this was the only real disappointment. It is (was) a small block of wood with a piece of hacksaw blade in one side and a strip of artificial flint (?) down the other to strike sparks from. The striking material had utterly disintegrated and I think this was the source of all the dust. Junk!
Tobacco tin, sealed with bodge and dayglow tape and with 2 holes drilled in the lid for signalling – still completely sound but a bit grubby and the bodge tape had left a sticky residue. Even so, it could be cleaned up and made useable without too much effort.

So, I was very pleasantly surprised how almost all the contents had survived and were still in a useful condition. Had I been in a survival situation I think it would have made a real difference, especially in the first 10 years or so after I made it. Now I would have a slightly different selection of kit, probably chosen more carefully and spending a bit more on the quality of the individual items. Will I re-make it? Maybe…..

Ted W

 

[capacious]

That's pretty interesting, how the fire lighter disintegrated. I've heard of that happening in damp conditions, but that tin sounds like it was pretty well sealed. I wonder how long the modern fire steels would last? Hmmmm...... a long term experiment there, methinks

Jake.

Edit: Perhaps it would be a good idea to wrap the fire steel in clingfilm or cover it in vaseline. That should prevent any moisture getting on it and corroding it... Hmmmmm, another long term experiment there, methink

 

[bambodoggy]

I know the Matchless firelighting kits that BCB makes for the British Military have a rough shelf life of about 6 years. As they have the same flint and striker as you had, cotton wool, a tampon and a few firelighter blocks sealed in plastic my money would be on the "flint" being the thing that fails first sometime after said shelf life is used up.

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[PC2K]

i have two of those Matchless firelighting kits from BCB, they are certainly older than 6 years. Btw the 6 year life span only applies to one of the 2 version, not sure which one. It's either the normal or nato version.

 

[bloodline]

I used to carry a similar kit for camping canoeing etc. I left it unchecked and unloved and I too found the fire steel had disintegrated it was the type that has a piece of hacksaw attached with a piece of nylon string. I had let it get damp and hadnt checked and updated the contents like Lofty had instructed. The other bits were a bit rusty but uesable apart from the toffee chews I had wrapped around the inside of the baccy tin. The fire steel had about 10mm of material left on it and could still produce sparks .

 

[Goose]

The problem now is getting hold of the baccy tins, not seen them in years and the ones you buy just arent the same quality as the Golden Virginia ones!

 

[bambodoggy]

i have two of those Matchless firelighting kits from BCB, they are certainly older than 6 years. Btw the 6 year life span only applies to one of the 2 version, not sure which one. It's either the normal or nato version.

I've only seen the issue ones Mate so I'm presuming that it's the NATO one. I have no idea if they will last longer than 6 years (I'd guess they might) but just that the NATO label says 6 years

Bam.

 

[bloodline]

Im such an old boy Ive still got 3 Golden Virginia ones left ones a bit burnt and battered as I used it for making char cloth (unsuccessfully) but the others are the dogs

 

[innocent bystander]

The problem now is getting hold of the baccy tins, not seen them in years and the ones you buy just arent the same quality as the Golden Virginia ones!

You can get plain ones here :

http://www.pazyryk.co.uk/Plain_Tobacco_Tins.html

£1.76 for a 2oz tin - trouble is the minimum order...

 

[ozzy1977]

It might be worth trying a proper tobbaconist, or get one off those hippy stools at the local market. I have one in front of me at the moment and it is just as good as any old holborn/ golden vaginia ones

 

[Great Pebble]

Mine extols the virtues of Jack Daniels on the lid.

 

[ilovemybed]

It might be worth trying a proper tobbaconist, or get one off those hippy stools at the local market. I have one in front of me at the moment and it is just as good as any old holborn/ golden vaginia ones

Phew - I had to double check your spelling of Virginia there

I'd be careful about the ones from the hippy stands. We used to sell them and I was embarrassed about the poor quality - the lids were ill fitting and the seals dried up and were useless.

Old fashioned sweet shops might have what you're looking for. I think the US tins for Altoids are popular for this kind of thing.