Duct Tape Keychain Fob

The other night, I couldn't sleep.  While tinkering with my box of odds and ends, I came up with the idea of making a fob that carries duct tape so that I could have it wherever I go.  It partially came from the fact that though I have items that I EDC, duct tape was the one item that would have come in handy at that morning's photoshoot, but wasn't on my person.

On the far right is the final product!  I'd wrapped 3 feet of duct tape around the barrel of a pen, then scored and broke the ends off with a razor blade.  I then looped gutted paracord through, attached it to my carabiner, and knotted the ends so that it wouldn't fall off.

I'd felt like a genius until I started searching around, only to find that I wasn't the first to think of this.  ITS Tactical had written a post similar to this back in September 2011.  There was also a YouTube video of some fella who did the same.

HOWEVER.  The difference between mine and both of theirs is that my duct tape is free-rolling on the pen barrel.  Theirs is directly taped on to the paracord, which I thought was... inconvenient.  I like the way my duct tape comes off the roll.

Why do I do it this way?  I try to keep my wallet with only the bare essentials - some form of payment, driver's license, school ID, and some bandages.  That means the flattened "wallet" carry with duct tape wrapped around an old card is out.  I didn't want to carry any loose rolls, so just carrying around a mini roll (unless it's in my backup kit) is out.  That little keychain rides on my belt loop daily (or jacket pocket).  This just seemed like the more practical way for me to carry duct tape.  Girl pants don't offer versatile ways of carrying anything, really.

**BONUS CONTENT**

haha As a bonus content, here's a shot of my electrical tape "pills."  That's two feet of electrical tape wrapped around empty ballpoint ink barrels.  These get thrown into Altoids kits and my schoolbag EDC.

Pentel R.S.V.P.

I love this pen. Probably even more than the Bic Cristal 1.6 mm that I normally recommend for ballpoint pens.

They come in a very nice fine point and in plenty of colors to choose from. They always write smoothly and always start up without a hitch.My only wish is for these babies to come in the 4-color clicky type pens so that I can happily take notes with then during lecture. The refill's barrel opening doesn't fit a regular Bic 4-color, so that mod is out of the question.These RSVP refills will, however, fit a Hi-Tec Coleto. But that will cost me about  $15 up front for the mod since the 4 and 5 click bodies cost $4 and $5, respectively.Then I'll need to grab the original pen fills, which cost about $2 each so that I can salvage the clicky parts and replace the ink barrels with that of the RSVP's.

Maybe one day. Good thing these RSVP pens cost only $0.50 each on a normal day and a little over $0.20 each when Staples has the 5-packs on sale for $1 and tax.

Meritline "Fauxton" Keychains

As you may or may not know, I love getting random little "toys" from Meritline.  Their items come within 3 weeks from China (?) to CA and are only a couple bucks.

This time around, I got "fauxtons" (photon lights) for $1.29 shipped, for a pack of 5 (assorted, random colors).  It was brought to my attention on EDCF and BLF forums on 27 March 2012.  The product was bought that same morning and here I am now, the afternoon of 13 April 2012 with the items in my lap.

I like them a lot considering the cost, brightness, and size.  I love that for a keychain light, these things don't get in the way.  I used to carry a MagLite Solitaire on my keyring, but it proved to be a wee bit too bulky for my liking and not at all bright, even on a brand new battery.  I think the best part of it all is that these fauxtons have actually got an On/Off switch, whereas most similar products have momentary On/Off switches (you have to continue to hold down the pressure in order to keep the light on).

These items don't feel particularly flimsy, but not exactly "robust" either.  But at the cost of what, just a little over $0.25 each?  I'm quite happy.  You can't get too much with a quarter these days.  The reviews on Meritline said that some of the customers' lights came DoA (dead on arrival), but all of mine worked perfectly fine.  Let's see how they hold up.

I'm kind of glad the majority of my colors are white though; it's easier for me to hand these out to friends with such a neutral color.  I hope these go on sale again soon!

Happy One Year, G.I. Joe Search and Rescue!

I wanted to give a quick shout out to the G.I. Joe Search and Rescue team for making it through their one year.  :)  Here's to many more years to come.

We had a great social at The Pint House of Fullerton, CA to celebrate this momentous occasion.  It was wonderful getting to know those of the community who have supported us since GIJ was first established.  Even great still, was being able to introduce and gain the support of new faces.  I know that we will only grow from here, and GIJ will always be there to help those who need it.

Congratulations on such an accomplishment to the entire team.  Thank you to The Pint House for having us, to Mr. PR for setting up this event, to the leadership team for all that they have done in the background, unseen, and to all who have expressed their support to the mission of G.I. Joe Search and Rescue.

Joe, I hope that you are proud all that we have attained in such a short time.  <3

99 Cent Only Fiinds (05 April 2012)

My friend and I made our way through to the local 99 Cent Only store.  I was looking for small items to include in gift basket.  I didn't find anything of that nature, but I did come across some interesting things.

Firstly, "Water PIlls."  I haven't got a clue what these are for, but I'm assuming it's a diuretic...

Iron Chef America wipes.  Really?  :P

Keep Right!  But go toward the left if you would please.

The best find of the day?  :D  Reflective bands!  :)  2 in a pack and they're the fun little slappy type too.

Altoids Survival Kit Items (Extensive List)

I'm always looking for items to add to my EDC or kits (First Aid, Altoids, Go-Bag, etc.).  Most people only post what they keep in their kits and because of the vastness of the interwebz, everything gets jumbled and lost.  For the sake of keeping things a bit more organized and to refer back to in the future, I wanted to make a list of everything I've read that has been kept in an Altoids tin (survival/EDC based).  So have fun with it and pick and choose from the list as needed to create YOUR Altoids Survival Kit!  :)

FIRST AID/HYGIENE/COMFORT:

• bandages (various types and sizes)
• tampon
• can also be used as a fire starter - that stuff is dense!
• gauze pads (2x2, usually)
• medical tape
• butterfly stitches/closures
• super glue/Nu-Skin (Dollar Tree has the super glue in packs of 3 and Nu-Skin in packs of 2)
• medications (prescription if you need them)
• allergy medication (Benedryl)
• acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil; Dollar Tree also carries these individually wrapped in 3 sets of 2 tablets - six tablets total)
• aspirin
• anti-diarrhea would be good (Pepto chewables are pretty awesome)
• multivitamins
• Emergen-C packets
• alcohol wipes (great for cleaning up your knives on-the-go)
• wet naps
• hand sanitizer
• sanitizing wipes
• tweezers
• antibiotic ointment (small "doses" can be made with straws, as shown by Brian)
• burn gel
• hydrocortisone ointment
• Tiger Balm
• eye wash/saline
• poison ivy pre/post wipes
• sunscreen/sunblock packets
• first aid literature
• sting ointment
• insect repellent wipes
• cotton swabs, cotton balls
• lip balm (Minimus has a couple different brands in "single use" packets!)
• Vaseline/petroleum jelly
• nail clippers
• nail file
• iodine
• floss/floss picks
• Colgate Wisp
• latex gloves
• IMHO, nitrile would be better, as you never know if/when you encounter someone with a latex allergy
• Celox/QuikClot
• extra set of contact lenses
• contact lens/saline solution (0.6mL)
• essential oils (see comment by Daniel Felsted)

KNIVES/TOOLS:  

(MT = multi tool; the brands and models listed seem to be most popular amongst the interwebz)

• Spyderco Bug/Honeybee/Grasshopper
• Victorinox Classic
• various other models will fit as well
• 11-in-1 survival card tool (usually $1.00 shipped from various sites)
• Victorinox SwissCard/Tool Logic one
• Leatherman Squirt (MT)
• Gerber Paraframe Mini
• Gerber Clutch (MT)
• Gerber Suspension (MT)
• Gerber STL 2.0/2.5
• razor blade (this folding straight razor from County Comm is pretty cool)
• piece of hacksaw blade
• Boker Keycom
• Boker Gnome
• CRKT Shrimp
• SOG Micron
• P-38 or P-51 can opener
• small screw driver/flathead
• Spyderco Dragonfly (I think that fits.  I've seen people mention it, but I don't own one to know for sure.)
• SRM 605
• Leatherman Micra (MT)
• credit card knife of some sort (SpyderCard, Boker Plus Credit Card Knife...)
• lock picking tools
• CRKT RSK mK5 (it is designed to fit into a kit such as this and actually comes in its own tin!  :D)
• scissors (they have folding ones out there)
• mini screwdrivers
• scalpel
• utility blade (the type that breaks off to reveal a sharp point when the first gets dull.  Like on a box cutter)
• tiny monkey wrench (I've got one that's about 3" long)
• mini pry bar
• Swiss Tech keychain tools

KNIFE/TOOL MAINTENANCE:

• strop
• old leather belt cut to size
• paper loaded with stropping compound (I use Porter Cable's #4 and #5)
• oil
• DMT Dia-Sharp card(s)

FIRE:

• BIC Mini
• matches
• waterproof matches + striker
• strike anywhere matches
• regular matchbook
• storm proof matches
• fire steel (I get mine from Meritline for $1.60 shipped when on sale)
• tinder/fire starter
• cotton/dryer lint + petroleum jelly
• I like making these and stuffing them into drinking straw containers (Google:  "FireStraws")
• Tinder-Quik
• WetFire
• Coghlan's Fire Paste
• candle (don't leave in the heat)
• birthday type - the core of the "trick" type help the flame to stay when there is a bit of wind
• small emergency
• tea light
• small bit of magnesium 
• block or slivers/shavings
• split pea lighter
• fresnel lens or magnifying glass

LIGHT:

• Maglite Solitaire
• photon keychain lights (or "fauxtons" from DX or the like)
• Fenix E01
• Streamlight Nano
• mini glow stick (doesn't give off much, but still better than none)
• Maratac AAA
• LED + 3V button cell battery (works like a photon, but takes up less space)

WATER (collection, purification...)

• collection
• non-lubricated condom (water collection - can hold a few gallons)
• milk bags
• heavy duty zip lock bags, marked to 1L for water treatment
• purification
• iodine tincture
• bleach
• tablets (Katadyn, Aqua Mira...)

"FOOD":

• condiment packets (whatever floats your boat!  This list is just for your to get your creative juices flowin'.  I pack condiments that will compliment the emergency foods that I pack)
• salt - very important for rehydration
• pepper
• sugar
• ketchup
• mustard
• honey mustard
• barbeque sauce
• hot sauce (Tabasco, Tapatio, Taco Bell stuff...)
• soy sauce
• mayo
• relish
• honey
• dressings (make sure refrigeration is unnecessary)
• instant coffee packets (Starbucks VIA, Trader Joes...)
• make sure to pack sugar and creamer if you don't like black coffee
• teabags
• candies (peppermint, jolly ranchers, tootsie rolls...)
• gum
• mints
• chicken bullion packet
• drink mix (Crystal Light, Hawaiian Punch, Kool-Aid, etc...)
• small spork (CRKT Eat 'n Tool is fairly compact and inexpensive)
• coffee filters

REPAIR/STICKY STUFF/TIES/FASTENERS:

• sewing kit
• thread
• dental floss can work in a bind
• needle
• safety pins
• threader if you need it
• buttons
• tape (usually a couple feet rolled onto itself or wrapped around an old credit card...)
• duct
• electrical
• gaffer
• blue painter's tape
• glue (if necessary, make straw containers!  :D)
• super glue
• white school glue
• wood glue
• hot glue stick, cut down to size (use your lighter/matches/fire to melt and glue)
• ties
• twist ties
• bungee cord
• 550 paracord
• whole cord 
• just the guts, if you're tight on space
• (jute) twine
• nylon cord
• zip ties
• Nite-Ize Gear Ties
• hair ties
• steel nail
• small carabiner
• fasteners
• paper clips
• bobby pins
• binder clips
• rubber bands/ranger bands/cuts of bicycle inner tube
• small bit of Velcro
• eyeglass repair kit

ELECTRONIC:

• SD/micro SD card or USB flash drive with encrypted important information
• emergency contacts and allergy information is good too if you don't go with the paper route
• extra batteries
• for your phone (charged)
• AA / AAA for flashlights and other devices
• button cells
• ear buds

WRITING:

• paper (Rite in the Rain is awesome, though a bit pricey)
• folded up sheets of Post-It notes are useful
• writing utensil
• Fisher Space Pen
• grease pencil
• wax crayon (don't leave your kit in the heat)
• chalk
• modified BIC mini
• mini Pilot G2
• golf pencil ("IKEA" pencil)
• Don't forget that in a pinch, you can use shavings from the pencil as tinder.  :)
• Sharpie Mini
• Inka pen
• your favorite pen refill, cut down to size
• telescopic Zebra pen

OUTDOORish type things:

• safety whistle
• small thermometer
• button compass
• snare wire
• signal mirror 
• Tops has the smaller dog tag styled ones that are pretty neat
• foil
• wire saw

OTHER:

• toothpicks
• toilet paper
• toilet seat cover
• ear plugs
• fishing kit
• fishing line, dental floss
• hooks
• sinkers
• bank line
• currency
• coins (parking meters, pay phones ???)
• bills (usually a $10 or $20)
• pre-paid debit card
• pre-paid [international] phone card
• emergency contact information (laminated would be great!)
• and allergy information, for that matter
• morse code card
• picture of your loved one :)
• sand paper (good for quick 'n dirty sharpening of tools and knives)
• survival literature (found a great one, but lost the link!  Will update when found)
• knot cards
• small watch (no band)
• ceramic sharpening sticks
• hand cuff key
• small ruler
• compressed sponge
• paper towel "pills" (I've seen them at Asian stores and a few times at the Dollar Tree; they're slightly larger than an Altoid mint.  You add water and poof!  It becomes a paper towel.)
• reflective bands
• simple door alarm
• cheap 'n easy, quick n' dirty "trip" alarm type of deal
• balloon
• forever stamp
• extra house key

FOR THE KIDS: (since some of us have to keep kids entertained...)

• crayons (just don't leave it out in the sun)
• folded sheets of coloring pages
• activity print outs (tic tac toe and stuff)
• dice
• mini cards
• stickers
• random toys from the party favor section works great!
• balloons

Some Notes:

• A lot of these "single serve" items can be made via the straw method (demonstrated by Brian), purchased from sites such as Minimus, or begotten from fast food joints (please be courteous, though).  Again, use your imagination!  I've seen people use the straw method for dry items such as spices for camp cooking, to storing a small bit of oil for lubricating tools on-the-go, to even toothpaste, soap, and needles.  Do be careful with certain solutions that may disintegrate the plastic though (such as WD-40).
• many of these items can be salvaged from things around the house or from the local dollar store.  
• Again, this is just an extensive list of things other people have included in their kits.  These will NOT all fit into a single Altoids tin.  Pick and choose the items that work best for you.  I've seen some people make separate kits rather than an "all inclusive" kit (i.e. one tin for all first aid items, another for fire making, a different one for food items...)
• Many items are multipurpose (ex: dental floss can be used as emergency fishing line or sewing thread)

SOURCES OF [Altoids-like] TINS:

Just in case you can't get Altoids locally, you can always buy them online.  But sometimes the shipping doesn't justify the purchase, right?  So... here are some alternatives!  :)

Locally:

• Sucrets (cough drops)
• Fisherman's Friend (also cough drops)
• Newman's Own Organics mints (the ginger one has a neat dragon on it!  :D That's what I've got.)
• 365 Peppermints (from Whole Foods)
• VerMints

Online:

• if you MUST have a blank one, County Comm sells 'em.
• CRKT RSK mK5 (comes with the knife + tin)

** This post will be updated as I find new items.  :)  Enjoy!  Don't forget to post a picture of your kit.  :D

One Year

It's been one year since I'd lost my buddy, Joe Le.  I miss him dearly and from yesterday's potluck, clearly all of our friends do too.

As I had written in my journal just recently, though I would love for him to be back here with us, he's also now free.  So it would be a bit selfish of me to want him back just because of my own reasons, right?  But I do miss him a lot.  I also thank him for what he has given me - a new outlook on life.  I won't go into details, but Joe is a freaken genius and that's all there is to it.

GIJ formed on his behalf, based on his simple morals that we should help one another whenever possible and act in such a way that we would be proud of ourselves.  Because of these simplistic ideas, I again have a purpose in life, whereas before this incident occurred, I felt as though I had hit rock bottom.  With GIJ now thriving, I am well on my way of achieving my life goal - being able to bring forth all of my strengths and serve something much larger and greater than myself.

Joe Le, you are missed.  <3