Signaling mirror. Crap quality or design feature?

[Antonymous]

I took delivery of a signaling mirror today, and while relatively cheap (£3 I think) I was surprised to see my reflection looking like one of those “hall of mirrors” fat/thin weird mirrors.
I know I’m not a handsome man, but this distortion was disappointing.

First thought was how will this reflect sunlight accurately at distance.

Second thought was perhaps the distortion is to spread the light further giving a greater radius of reflected light, or would this reduce the intensity of reflected light to the point of ineffectiveness?

So my question is: Crap mirror or design feature?

Thoughts?

 

[C_Claycomb]

When we talked signal mirrors with Mors Kochanski, he would often show the special calibration mirror he had, something of exceptional flatness and polish. I would want something as flat as possible. Light spreads plenty from even a mirror that doesn't look like it distorts your reflection.

 

[TeeDee]

I took delivery of a signaling mirror today, and while relatively cheap (£3 I think) I was surprised to see my reflection looking like one of those “hall of mirrors” fat/thin weird mirrors.
I know I’m not a handsome man, but this distortion was disappointing.

First thought was how will this reflect sunlight accurately at distance.

Second thought was perhaps the distortion is to spread the light further giving a greater radius of reflected light, or would this reduce the intensity of reflected light to the point of ineffectiveness?

So my question is: Crap mirror or design feature?

Thoughts?

ALL men are handsome. Don't let anyone ever make you lose your sparkle!

 

[TeeDee]

I took delivery of a signaling mirror today, and while relatively cheap (£3 I think) I was surprised to see my reflection looking like one of those “hall of mirrors” fat/thin weird mirrors.
I know I’m not a handsome man, but this distortion was disappointing.

First thought was how will this reflect sunlight accurately at distance.

Second thought was perhaps the distortion is to spread the light further giving a greater radius of reflected light, or would this reduce the intensity of reflected light to the point of ineffectiveness?

So my question is: Crap mirror or design feature?

Thoughts?

I've just today added a Small Credit Card Mirror to my wallet - good mirror like reflective quality - maybe just a case of paying a little more?
I would think anything that can focus the beams consistently would be better.

 

[Jared]

It's probably crap, maybe not totally useless but it's range and efficiency is not going to be the best.
You can probably make a better one, with retroreflector for around £3.

rafowell has a video on it over on his channel

Doug Ritter said a few years back that there wasn't any good plastic signal mirror makers anymore, when he moved to puting the classic SI Howard glass ones in his aviation survival kits.

 

[forrestdweller]

It's probably crap, maybe not totally useless but it's range and efficiency is going to be the best.
You can probably make a better one, with retroreflector for around £3.

rafowell has a video on it over on his channel

Doug Ritter said a few years back that there wasn't any good plastic signal mirror makers anymore, when he moved to puting the classic SI Howard glass ones in his aviation survival kits.

iirc there's also a YouTube clip where mors kochanski basically said the same (about plastic mirrors)

 

[Kav]

I don’t know what UK forces issue?
5col survival in North Carolina USA sells the excellent US military mirror. They are not cheap. BUT, if you think enough about having one ( I do) get the best.

 

[C_Claycomb]

@Jared
I would think that gluing something like clear polycarbonate board to the back of that DIY mirror would be good so that if dropped all the pieces would remain together and useable.

 

[SCOMAN]

I did this about 10 years ago. I used them in accordance with the relevant instructions. The military glass mirror, I didn't have at the time, is good but I always feel it's fragile. The Starflash wins in my books.

 

[Jared]

@Jared
I would think that gluing something like clear polycarbonate board to the back of that DIY mirror would be good so that if dropped all the pieces would remain together and useable.

Yeah, have thought the same thing. Also thought of a phone case with a space in the back for the mirror.

 

[Jared]

I don’t know what UK forces issue?
5col survival in North Carolina USA sells the excellent US military mirror. They are not cheap. BUT, if you think enough about having one ( I do) get the best.

They are available over here, heinnie.com has them iirc. But if you think they're not cheap over there, well...

Howard Glass Signal Mirror

S. I. Howard is a specialist glass manufacturer based in Massachusetts. The signal from this clever device will be clear as flawless glass they have produced.

heinnie.com

 

[Grebby]

Would a hard disk platten work?
Just take an old HDD apart and you would have multiples.

 

[SCOMAN]

They are available over here, heinnie.com has them iirc. But if you think they're not cheap over there, well...

Howard Glass Signal Mirror

S. I. Howard is a specialist glass manufacturer based in Massachusetts. The signal from this clever device will be clear as flawless glass they have produced.

heinnie.com

This is the one I have. I put bump pads on the mirror to protect the corner. I’m afraid it sits in a drawer nowadays.

 

[Kav]

A woman successfully signaled using her credit card. Of course, she had a lot of experience flashing—it.
Funny, people can justify spending serious cash on our inner Walter Mitty knives etc. but for a tourniquet, signal mirror type purchase it’s how cheap can I go?
IF you do use these items that translate life or death BUY THE BEST

 

[Jared]

Depends on the risk, if going out to sea in small boat of some kind then the cost consideration is negligible. Also believe it's a requirement for small boats to carry a signal mirror that meets certain requirements. Though have to pay $150 or something for the spec.

There was a rescue triggered by a mirror (not clear if it was improvised or an actual signal mirror) early this year.

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/19/1150179665/sailor-rescued-caribbean-adrift-survival

 

[Mesquite]

I did this about 10 years ago. I used them in accordance with the relevant instructions. The military glass mirror, I didn't have at the time, is good but I always feel it's fragile. The Starflash wins in my books.

That was a good demonstration of the different types.

It'd be good to see how they perform over a greater distance though as more realistic test of what they look like then. You'd probably be able to see a greater degradation of the light intensity between them

 

[Broch]

My understanding (from what I was told a long time ago by a bloke that trained remote survival) was that it's not usually the light intensity that's the problem (unless the light is poor) but the aim, i.e. finding the target accurately enough. He claimed that the very best signalling mirrors were SLIGHTLY convex and could therefor cover a wider target. I have no experience of using them in anger but I can see his point.