So many toys, so little time!!

[jwhf]

I am so chuffed as today I became the proud owner of a bit of kit! Its amazing, a 'tool kit' from www.woodlandorganics.com which has got a wood saw, blastmatch and some amazing stuff called wet fire tinder.

Thanks a million to Woodland Organics for their prompt and speedy service and for all the help answering my inane questions!

All I've got to do now is find the time to start playing with it all! Which bit to start with???

Cheers again and well done to Woodland Organics.

Jonny

 

[jwhf]

Hiya

Just wondering if anyone knows the best and most effective way to use the 'star flash' signal mirror.

It came with my ultimate survival deluxe tool kit which I bought as above. the blastmatch, sabre cut saw and the wet fir tinder are no brainers, but am struggling to understand bets practice for the star flash so if anyone knows , do please tell!!!! (might help if we get some sun as well though I guess!)

Cheers

Jonny

 

[theknight]

Hi JWHF.

What is a star flash mirror?

 

[clcuckow]

JWHF,

Aren't the instructions printed on the back?

If it is like heliography's I have used before with the sun in front of you, you look through the hole in the back at your target and 'twiddle' it till. There is a reflective coating on the front of the heliography and this will 'flash' when it is correctly aligned e.g. flashing your target. You flash like hell to attract attention or dig out your morse and send a messages.

 

[sargey]

not all signal mirrors are created equal, IIRC the star flash is one of the better ones according to the reviews over at www.equipped.com

some of the better ones will show up a sort of "fireball" when you look through the hole and you get the angle right. this fireball will obscure the middle of the picture you see through the hole in the mirror. once you've got your fire ball you move it across the target (whoever you want to signal) and you can be sure that they'll notice it.

with other signal mirrors or things like CDs used as mirrors, hold the mirror in your right hand, stretch out your left hand holding up two fingers framing the target, you can then aim the reflection onto the backs of your fingers with a high level of confidence that the reflection will hit your target. the problem is that some of the reflection will be obscured by your left hand.

i have a stainless steel mirror that has a set of crosshairs etched on it and a small lollipop device for aiming, the lollipop is smaller than your fingers and so obscures less of the reflection.

the little square bcb mirrors are pretty poor.

cheers, and.

 

[Gary]

Remember if you have a mirrored sighting compass you can use that too.

 

[jwhf]

Now it all makes so much sense ( I think!!).....the instructions on the mirror arent as idiot proof as they need to be with me, but with some basic instruction(for which I thank you) I feel I could blind a 747 crew at 30k ft!!

Thanks for all the help

Jonny

 

[sargey]

Remember if you have a mirrored sighting compass you can use that too.

yeah, i have a cunning plan to score a couple of crosshairs across the mirrors on my compasses and use aiming techniques similar to the s/steel compass. but about three years since i had the idea and it's still not come to fruition.

some of the mirrors have the natty stuff round the middle but they just don't work. i had a real glass mil spec one, it was great, till i dropped it anyway but when it was time for the kids to stop surfing and get back to the beach, it saved me a loooong walk and swim!

cheers, and.

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Another advance with starflash mirrors is the ability to do it one handed. I own a Rescue Refletor made here in Texas. These are virtually hand made affairs with superb optics. Anyone using a glass mirror should buy two. One should remain packed and untouched. When you have a real need having a pristine unit may make a huge difference. The second unit of course is to PRACTISE,PRACTISE,PRACTISE. Most of our kit is open to individual tastes and budget.Dedicated "OH-OH, I am in real trouble" stuff should be worthy of a Bentley toolkit or Holland &Holland shotgun case.