Survival Tins
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Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I don't have an SAS survival tin but I do always have my tinder-box always on me, in one of my jerkin pockets.
a baccy tin + a little wee pin tin
the little tin has charcloth in it. the inside of the lid is very shiny and can be used as an emergeny mirror. My whistle is in another pocket of my jerkin.
the baccy tin has my favourite fire-steel plus long matches and a lighter for the odd times I can;t do the fire-steel. and my favourite starter of vaseline-cotton-wool balls.
I use my response pack for more survival kit, along with the other pockets in my jerkin. The stuff includes ...
water + purification tabs,
my meds & some mossie cream,
head-torch,
metal cup to boil water/drinks
some emergency food,
a metal and a wooden spoon,
my Honey so I can make fire without damaging anything
my mini folding sh**t-shovel
my knife + small basic sharpening kit
a small tarp strapped onto the pack
lengths of paracord wound into the lacing
my mossie-head-net
some glow-sticks
I don't feel any need for - nor abilty to use - hunting and fishing gear, nor sewing although I have considered a tube of superglue in case of a really bad cut. I'm usually wearing a narrow light scarf that will do well as a sling or tourniquet. and I carry my walking staff always which will do all sorts of other jobs too including be a prop for the tarp.
ther jerkin pockets have ...
money & debit card
driving license
keys
notebook + pen
phone
survival bag
hankies
gloves
warm hat
more meds !
prob some more food &/or a water bottle
So far, this all seems like a useful bundle to have with me when I go out - any suggestions gratefully received
a baccy tin + a little wee pin tin
the little tin has charcloth in it. the inside of the lid is very shiny and can be used as an emergeny mirror. My whistle is in another pocket of my jerkin.
the baccy tin has my favourite fire-steel plus long matches and a lighter for the odd times I can;t do the fire-steel. and my favourite starter of vaseline-cotton-wool balls.
I use my response pack for more survival kit, along with the other pockets in my jerkin. The stuff includes ...
water + purification tabs,
my meds & some mossie cream,
head-torch,
metal cup to boil water/drinks
some emergency food,
a metal and a wooden spoon,
my Honey so I can make fire without damaging anything
my mini folding sh**t-shovel
my knife + small basic sharpening kit
a small tarp strapped onto the pack
lengths of paracord wound into the lacing
my mossie-head-net
some glow-sticks
I don't feel any need for - nor abilty to use - hunting and fishing gear, nor sewing although I have considered a tube of superglue in case of a really bad cut. I'm usually wearing a narrow light scarf that will do well as a sling or tourniquet. and I carry my walking staff always which will do all sorts of other jobs too including be a prop for the tarp.
ther jerkin pockets have ...
money & debit card
driving license
keys
notebook + pen
phone
survival bag
hankies
gloves
warm hat
more meds !
prob some more food &/or a water bottle
So far, this all seems like a useful bundle to have with me when I go out - any suggestions gratefully received
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
no it wasnt it was discovered during WW2 wile looking for something to nmake clear gunsites aim poiints it didnt work as it stuck to the moulds and was largely forgotton
it was trialled in the vietnam war for wound mainly covering large raw areas as a replacment skin to stop bleeding but not pursued
was used as a veteentary glue but not for humans till relativly r ecently and het medical grade is diffent mainly to stop heat build up when it reacts
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
One thing that comes incredibly hand in my tin is a Stanley blade (takes up no room at all, I blu-tac it to the inside of the lid.) And part of a snapped hacksaw blade.
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Survival tins are a pet hate of mine.
When I was starting out and knew next to nothing, I was quite intrigued by the idea of a tin and like many before have posted, had a go at making my own up and enjoyed the process of doing so. Then as my knowledge, skills and experience grew; I found myself thinking such tins where actually a waste of time, for anything other than them being an exercise in identifying useful, minimal kit.
You can tie yourself in knots with 'What if?' thinking, but in my experience, in Britain, even in the remotest areas, you are rarely more than a days walk, hobble or crawl from help. And, if you are injured to an extent you can not even crawl to that help, then you are not likely to be in any fit state to catch or trap, let alone kill, prepare and cook anything either. A space blanket and Poundland survival whistle would serve you better
Some of the items carried in a standard tin, can be used for none survival purposes, e.g. fishing line as thread for repairs, but a lot of folks anticipate as many scenarios they may encounter as possible and choose the kit they carry to cope with such eventualities.
Proponents of the tin usually pip up at this point and argue 'What if you loose your pack and all the gear in it?' which is a very good point. If for some reason you became separated from your pack, the contents of a tin may prove useful, but only if you carried the tin on your person and not in your pack with the rest of your gear, as a lot of folk do, making the tin both redundant and unnecessary weight.
If I were a fighter pilot of special forces operative, flying over or infiltrating enemy territory, then I can imagine several scenarios where a survival tin carried on my person could save my life. But as I am neither, I am struggling to envisage a single scenario where a tin would be remotely useful, while hill walking and wild camping in Britain.
Survival tins are, in my opinion, useful for teaching purposes and making one up can be an entertaining way to focus the mind, but beyond that, the bushcraft equivalent of t:ts on a bull.
When I was starting out and knew next to nothing, I was quite intrigued by the idea of a tin and like many before have posted, had a go at making my own up and enjoyed the process of doing so. Then as my knowledge, skills and experience grew; I found myself thinking such tins where actually a waste of time, for anything other than them being an exercise in identifying useful, minimal kit.
You can tie yourself in knots with 'What if?' thinking, but in my experience, in Britain, even in the remotest areas, you are rarely more than a days walk, hobble or crawl from help. And, if you are injured to an extent you can not even crawl to that help, then you are not likely to be in any fit state to catch or trap, let alone kill, prepare and cook anything either. A space blanket and Poundland survival whistle would serve you better
Some of the items carried in a standard tin, can be used for none survival purposes, e.g. fishing line as thread for repairs, but a lot of folks anticipate as many scenarios they may encounter as possible and choose the kit they carry to cope with such eventualities.
Proponents of the tin usually pip up at this point and argue 'What if you loose your pack and all the gear in it?' which is a very good point. If for some reason you became separated from your pack, the contents of a tin may prove useful, but only if you carried the tin on your person and not in your pack with the rest of your gear, as a lot of folk do, making the tin both redundant and unnecessary weight.
If I were a fighter pilot of special forces operative, flying over or infiltrating enemy territory, then I can imagine several scenarios where a survival tin carried on my person could save my life. But as I am neither, I am struggling to envisage a single scenario where a tin would be remotely useful, while hill walking and wild camping in Britain.
Survival tins are, in my opinion, useful for teaching purposes and making one up can be an entertaining way to focus the mind, but beyond that, the bushcraft equivalent of t:ts on a bull.
I worked out that they where just a bit of fun years ago, but I very much like the for mentioned challenge
of trying to live for a period of time off one. could be a bit of fun, I need too loose a few pound.
of trying to live for a period of time off one. could be a bit of fun, I need too loose a few pound.
I think it has been mentioned previously that these tins were in the SAS Survival handbook, which was a part of the instruction manual that John Wiseman wrote for the training of SAS personnel and the tin then became part of a Special forces soldiers personal kit, and would have been made up of kit useful to the soldier carrying it. The book came out after John left the Regiment and after he got permission to do so from those senior to him in the Regiment, the training manual it came from was not originally for civilian use, nor for the ordinary soldier/sailor/airman. I find it quite amusing that many on here seem to criticise the concept without, apparently, understanding the full story behind it. 
I am sure when I see John in the next few days he will find it amusing as well.
I am sure when I see John in the next few days he will find it amusing as well.
and heres the one put together By the Guys at Survival Wisdom John who runs it IS also Currently the Chief Survival instructor (@ D(SERE)TO) and mentor to UK forces SERE Instructors and Rewrote the UK forces Survival manuals for all arms.
based in a small mess tin and the Full size Wisdom Edge ( By me) the Knife had to be as big as possible and just fit in the tin the OA of the Knife is 6 3/4" without the sheath (they don't subscribe to a half razor blade will do)
Smarty the Main link for the knife was also a long time served Instructor @ DSTO and is currently working for the Saudi air force training Pilots on desert Survival once shot down this type of Tin is the one they train with
I will ask and see if John has time to get a Video on setting up a Tin
most Forces and SF etc wouldn't really use a tin the kit is dispersed and hidden about the body and kit as they are in an E&E situation where you don't want some people to find you now called SERE
based in a small mess tin and the Full size Wisdom Edge ( By me) the Knife had to be as big as possible and just fit in the tin the OA of the Knife is 6 3/4" without the sheath (they don't subscribe to a half razor blade will do)
Smarty the Main link for the knife was also a long time served Instructor @ DSTO and is currently working for the Saudi air force training Pilots on desert Survival once shot down this type of Tin is the one they train with
I will ask and see if John has time to get a Video on setting up a Tin
most Forces and SF etc wouldn't really use a tin the kit is dispersed and hidden about the body and kit as they are in an E&E situation where you don't want some people to find you now called SERE
and heres the one put together By the Guys at Survival Wisdom
Ok I'll bite, so what kit is in this tin then?
May one suggest this as a suitable alternative?
http://www.mensgear.net/2013/03/gentlemans-survival-kit.html
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