survival kit knife design innovation design outdoors Although these are guides, the author does not advise anyone to actually build or even consider building such devices. Read, but do not act upon this information, because the dogs of law lie around every corner, and everyone should just live a quiet, pastoral life, under fear of litigation.
Always try to improve society rather than just take from it. Until then, lawyer stuff. Copying, duplication or transmission of this material whole or in part is not permitted without the written permission of the author. The contents of this text are for illustrative purposes only. Those using this information do so entirely at their own risk. Errors and omissions excepted. Contents subject to change without notice. All material herein is subject to copyright, patent and other intellectual property rights. All rights reserved. Copyright (C) J.Partridge. 1999. 2002. 2003. Have a nice , lawyer free day.

Being just one of the many long term unemployed British science graduates with a strong engineering background in nuclear, military, marine and other spheres, I would like a job. Please consider this and the other monographs as a CV.

This monograph is written because there are few decent survival kits out there and the better kits cost far too much money.
This is for the many Brits like me - living below the poverty level.
Being long term unemployed B.Ed, B.Sc, motorcycle mechanic, technology and science teacher, marine and nuclear engineer and draughtsman, etc, the author would like a job. Being born Anglo-Saxon, British and honest, I claim unemployment benefit, but have received no money for ten weeks, and am now reduced to begging. Blair is a nasty piece of work, getting unemployment down by fair means or foul, often foul.
Please consider this website a rather blatant C.V.

Please note. The following is based upon personal experience and is for guidance only. Because of the plague of parasitic lawyers now set loose in modern Britain, no-one should read this article nor act upon it.
No-one should try outdoor pursuits without reasonable abilities and know that injuries can ensue from the various activities. Those using this information shall do so entirely at their own risk. Fully understand the implications and dangers before use.

To know more about the outdoors, please read my monograph 'how to walk' available on this same website.
Classic Walks on Dartmoor CD, now also available.

This monograph is aimed at those who wish to learn from a hands-on approach using commonly available technology. The intention is to make a genuinely effective survival kit available for all. Attention is drawn to the fact that there are many other reference works concerning the use and application of survival equipment, but few on the design of such equipment. I hope this monograph helps fill the gaps.

Introduction.
When designing and building a survival kit, remember that it is being built for YOU, for a situation you do NOT know, nor when, nor where.
Understanding that you do NOT know some information is the most important information of all.

Not knowing, will impress upon the reader to learn about survival, then practice until proficient.
All too often many people 'have the equipment' and 'read the book'.

Just the simple act of taking a little 'time out' in the country during a walk to safely practice making fire in ten minutes is time well spent. Likewise while on holiday, in unusual places and using the varying materials available. Sitting by the beach, with ice cold drink but bored, is a perfect time to pick up a few pieces of wood and using just a pocket knife, start a small fire. If very keen and fishes abound, then the next step is obvious.

All possible environments must be contemplated and accounted for. This does not mean carrying all equipment for all situations, as a big and bulky survival kit is of no use if it cannot be carried every time it may be required.

There are many approaches to survival. Some purists will say it's a state of mind and all that's needed is sheer willpower. Others may say that a survival kit should be carried at all times. Somewhere between the two lies a happy medium. See beach scenario above. Unfortunately, few have the luxury of being stranded on a warm beach with plenty of food and water.
But at least when you get stranded, you can have the tools and knowledge and the skills for an easier life - because this is entirely up to you and it is mostly free to learn or make.

Most survival situations occur from outdoor activities. The kit described herein is a general purpose kit, aimed for those who are out for a long walk in the countryside, or a flight in a small plane, or an off road excursion in a 4x4 or dirt bike.
Such a kit must therefore have fundamental abilities.

The basics.

There is no point in having a survival kit if it is not to hand just before leaving for the outdoors. Therefore it should be on the same hook as the outdoor clothing, or if forgetful, in the pocket of the outdoor clothing, or strapped across the outside of the rucksack. Where two or more jackets or rucksacks are used, then hang the survival kit so it will be easily seen and grabbed when using any of the outdoor gear. Making the survival kit a bright colour also helps.
(My present survival kit is not much bigger than a large banana and is easily hung across my shoulder. This allows it to be easily grabbed and carried at all times.)
A survival kit you don't carry is not a survival kit.

Few people expect to end up in an emergency situation when off for a nice day, so always make sure this is seen as an important piece of kit. The contents of a survival kit are a prime example of maximum ability in a minimum package which is easily carried.
Mine hangs on a small shoulder strap beside the outdoor equipment.

(Because of a few religous 'nutters', - who always mess up the world for everyone else - it is now impossible to carry a knife as part of a survival kit as personal luggage on many air flights. Therefore any survival kit should be backed up with a knifeless survival kit for personal use, should you think that international flights may need such an item, such as first aid and shelter and ocean survival. There are ways to safely hide a survival knife in airport luggage.)

2. Cost: It must be affordable.
An expensive kit no one can afford is of no use.
Most kits are involved, and although they contain just a few components, some items are expensive or hard to find. The usual major cost is the knife, so I have also written the Builders Guide to Survival Knife Design, based on inexpensive knives I have designed and built over the years, yet are as good as the best and have been used on special forces survival exercises.
The biggest Real Cost is time and effort: So learn to use the kit.
This is book learning to know of the various skills, then practising these skills in the outdoors.
Some skills cannot be practised, such as coping with being lost or real loneliness.

3. It must do the job.
The job of a survival kit is to:
A. Wait unobtrusively, always ready to hand when needed.
B. Be ready to protect the person from further injury, so must not cause injury when carried, and after having survived an accident which caused the survival situation to arise, immediate aid may be necessary. Possibly some way to exit a dangerous situation such as stuck in a tree by a parachute, having to dig out of a rock slide, cut the way out of a sinking aircraft or boat or take immediate medical action.
C. To allow the person to reach a safe position and to take stock of the larger situation. In the dark, a torch (flashlight) may be needed to find safe ground. Perhaps to swim in the dark towards a life-raft.
D. To allow basic emergency medical aid. Such as a cut or heat injury or to splint a broken leg.
E. Once out of immediate danger, to then provide shelter, water and food. This usually means preventing further deterioration of the situation, such as simple shelter to allow drying out wet clothing in a cold environment or improve medical action.
F. Plan and execute a rescue plan. This could be anything from laying out the parachute so others can see it, or conceal the parachute in hostile terrain, to deciding where in the world the person is and develop navigation, equipment and supplies for self extraction, or to decide to stay where you are.

Once you are reasonably safe, you then need to find water, food and shelter and develop a mental attitude or strategy to keep your self calm an collected, with no gradual metal problems which could be caused by the situation. Perhaps you may not like the proliferation of insects in the jungle, so may want to make a hammock, or you may not like the loneliness in the sea or desert and many other problems which must be recognised from the outset and overcome. The most important mental attitude is ensuring you maintain a gentle, but solid positive approach.

Make sure you can get water, for without this you will soon die.
The twelve stages of dehydration.
1. Thirst.
2. Discomfort.
3. Loss of appetite.
4. Nausea.
5. Headache.
6. Dizziness.
7. Speech difficulty.
8. Breathing difficulty.
9. Inability to walk.
10. Failing senses.
11. Inability to swallow.
12. Collapse.

4. The survival kit must have a good shelf life.
A survival kit must prevent unnecessary problems. Finding the survival kit has deteriorated is of no use when it is needed. If a torch (flashlight) battery is dead, the knife blade has rusted and there is no sharpener, the antiseptic has spread all over the sticking plaster, or the matches have got damp.
There are many ways to prevent deterioration.

Once your needs have been decided, then you must decide the type of survival kit.

Kits.

Basic, general and large survival kits.
There are many survival kits, from the single blade pocket knife with a plaster stuck on the side, to the small rucksack expedition types. This depends upon what the user requires. It is not uncommon for a basic survival kit to be added to both day sacks and full expedition packs. These survival kits are often quite different in equipment, but all will have the same purpose.

At the bottom is the basic pocket kit.
The small plastic pouch shown here contains parracord, a couple of hooks, plasters, matches, self - relighting candle, mirror, compass, alloy foil, brass wire, AAA torch (flashlight), tweezers, pencil, paper, and a small folding pocket knife. It is not a real survival kit, but will get you out of may scrapes. It cannot offer direct shelter but is better than nothing.

At the top of the tree is the expedition kit, with medical equipment for minor surgery, a poncho and hammock for shelter, and food and water items according to the specific terrain, be it jungle, Arctic or whatever.

Such kits can be always improved, but will naturally get larger in consequence. Rather than follow this route, this monograph will take a more complete approach, so that some compromise between the larger survival kits and the mini pouch can be tailored for individual needs and potential personal situations.

There are a lot of survival kits that look good in the shop or on the web, but few will help you to survive properly.
The knife is always a weak point in small kits. Some kits have absolutely atrocious knives, pathetic blades set in plastic handles, others are worse. After world-wide searches, none were deemed adequate. Only one kit is worthwhile, a certain lofty British kit in a tobacco tin, but requires a good knife. Never choose a kit that looks good for the sales department. Always choose a survival kit designed to help you survive.
The best kits are self built.

The main problems with survival kits is not having one when needed. As mentioned above, having one to hand is paramount. Therefore all kits must be compact, affordable and effective. For most people, a survival kit is a selection of components deemed most suitable for staying alive.
Staying alive in the desert is very different to staying alive in the Arctic and very different to staying alive in a jungle. You will only have one survival kit and this means compromises. Compromise does not, and must not mean inadequacy.

There are many survival kits which use 'off the shelf' components and many are simply inadequate or incomplete.
Any component that does not do the job properly should be redesigned and tested before inclusion. The kit described in this monograph is of the more serious and complete variety, designed in some cases, around a version of my survival knife. It is common consent that a good knife makes survival easier in most situations. Only in the open ocean or desert is water equipment more important.

There is no point compromising the user in a survival situation with a toy knife. A solid piece of steel, shaped and heat treated as a genuine survival tool is the core of the kit. Without this, the rest is just play acting.
Around the knife are the basics for medical aid, water, food, shelter, fire, signalling and navigation. All items must be well chosen.

A survival kit must not cause problems from a poor shape, sharp corners or other ways to injure the user.

Description of contents.
Before designing or building a survival kit, it is important to know and understand the needs, design and uses of the more common components.
This is based a selection of equipment over the years and the descriptions are merely based on personal experience. Always make your own decisions concerning equipment, after fully testing. It is rare for two people agree on the correct knife nor of the components for survival.
It is imperative that the kit cannot be lost during movement, so must be carried across the chest or as a secure belt or some other easily used, but safe form of retainment. Simply slinging it over one shoulder can allow the kit to be lost in a fall.
(I lost my ice axe falling four hundred of feet in an avalanche and suffered the consequences of carrying equipment, but not being able to use it when most needed.)

The knife.
For many, the survival knife is the prime item of any survival kit. As survival kits are compact, a good knife must be as big as the survival kit can allow. Therefore it is often the main design factor.
I build all my compact survival kits around a decent knife, to the extent that I now have to build my own knives as there is nothing of worth available commercially. To build your own knife for pennies, see the accompanying monograph on building your own.

The picture opposite shows a few choices, from top to bottom, large and medium survival knives as described in my companion monograph on survival knives. A cheap butchers knife with many reasonable attributes when no better choice is available. In the middle is a simple gardeners pruning saw with a protective steel tube, flattened to act as a protective sleeve and as a handle.
Below is the green handled army version of a certain knife with an adequate, large blade and saw from a well known Swiss knife manufacturer. Below it is the world famous pocket type of knife, which is better than nothing. The credit card survival tool in the bottom left is of doubtful use. A simple diamond impregnated sharpening tool is on the left.
As the small green handled knife would be easy to loose, a bright yellow wrist cord is attached.

There are many approaches to knives, but the main options are the folding and fixed blades: To choose a commercial folding design of pocket knife, a commercial sheath knife or to make your own.
The first option is to choose a commercial design of knife.
For very compact kits such as those in tobacco tins, a folding knife is the obvious choice. A large blade is not easily available in a folding design, but the options are getting better. If only one knife, then a large blade plus a wood saw blade is far better and easier to use, especially when a three inch folding blade will have problems cutting down small wood for making shelter. Where possible, try to get a knife with a full length saw blade and a lock on the folding knife blade. For larger wood and small trees, a wire saw is a good option. Such knives are now common from a well known Swiss knife manufacturer and others. The other items are up to the purchaser, but too many accessories can make the handle too large when a compact kit should contain more useful items.

For small tobacco tin survival kits, the green mauser style knife shown here offers both compactness and usabilty. I bought mine from an Army Surplus store for a fiver. The later Swiss, red handled knives have a locking main blade, so are even better.

Once your choice is made, then it can be modified.
The green knife in the picture above, bought second-hand for five pounds, has a yellow boot lace wrist cord so it is not easily lost. I have also added a metal abrasive sheet bonded into one side of the handle to act as a strike for matches and to dress hard skin on the feet during long expeditions. As I wear spectacles, a small screwdriver in the spiral cork screw is also useful.

The commercial selection of fixed blade sheath knives is wide, yet I can only find two of any worth. I hope you have better luck finding your ideal design. There are 'Rambo', Bowie, kukris and parangs, but nothing that does it all - and does it sensibly.
Be wary of some cheaper hollow plastic handles with survival components inside, as such knives rarely last long and are inherently weak. A good knife has a full length, once piece of metal for the blade and handle. Weight balance should be good for most uses and have a good sheath.

The third option is to build your own.
The knife described in 'A Builders Guide to Survival Knife Design' is ideally designed for cutting, digging, trapping, sawing and also for general use. Compactness eliminates the luxury of a wooden handle, so a flat handle must be usable from the outset, but allow parracord or cloth to be wrapped around later. The handle must always be part of a single piece of steel. A plastic handle is a poor design and a hollow plastic handle is even worse. A survival knife is not a posing toy, but an honest piece of steel designed to ensure the user stays alive.
In it's compact survival kit form the handle is very basic, allowing immediate use, but can be improved later with the parracord or wrapped in local materials if necessary. This is because the extra room of a handle in a survival kit does not save lives.
A handle may not save lives, but lack of a scabbard can place the user in jeopardy.

The scabbard.
A decent survival knife is a dangerous tool. A scabbard not only protects the knife, but must also protect the wearer from the knife. The scabbard must be carefully designed to allow immediate access to the knife if needed, but otherwise be unobtrusive and safe. The survival kit scabbard considered here is designed to lie in the small of the back, along the line of the belt. It can be repositioned later in the normal manner on the belt, once the user is out of immediate danger. It includes a diamond impregnated sharpening strip moulded into the face of the scabbard, taking up minimal space but ensuring the knife can be kept in good condition.
It is important to decide if a left or right handed scabbard is to be made. If the survival kit is worn elsewhere, such as across the chest, then this may also affect which access path is used. When removed, the blade must naturally be positioned in the hand with the cutting blade facing away. This will decide on which side of the body the knife is positioned and whether the user is left or right handed, so that the blade is easily accessible in the correct orientation, but can also be replaced securely and safely without injury. This means the scabbard should have about half the handle exposed enough to pull it out. Enough to securely hold the handle, and also have enough length in the scabbard to act as a guide for safe replacement. The knife must be able to be used if the preferred hand is damaged, allowing the belt to be re-positioned or slid around, so the other hand can also access the knife in a safe manner. Always practice using the knife with either hand. See builders guide to survival knife design for scabbard design.
Scabbard design should not be underestimated, as in a survival situation the user may be disoriented, exhausted and weak. A badly designed scabbard can cause problems, correctly designed, it will assist the user.

Matches, fire stick, tinder and fuel tablets.
The best firemaking kit is carried in the head. Most human societies have developed fire and more importantly, in a manner that allows only local materials to be used. Practice them all.
The simple act of taking just a little 'time out' in the country during a walk to safely practice making fire in ten minutes is time well spent. Likewise while on holiday, in unusual places and using the varying materials available.
While on holiday, sitting by the beach, with ice cold drink, but bored, is a good time to pick up a few pieces of wood, and using just a pocket knife, start a small fire. If very keen, and fishes abound, then the next step is obvious.
Most methods involve rubbing two pieces of wood together, but the variation on this theme is vast. Two dry pieces of wood (or bamboo) are rubbed together in a very small and localised area until they char and then burn. This produces a very small piece of glowing ember which can then heat tinder. The main problem is ensuring the glowing ember is not damaged during the rubbing process.
Most designs use a small nook in the wood to nestle the ember when it is created. Some designs use a hole in the wood with a pole rotated into it so the ember falls into the tinder without damage or loss of heat. In bamboo, a notch with a central hole in the curved bamboo uses another piece of bamboo in a sawing action in the groove, so the ember falls though the notch into the tinder below the notch.
With flint and steel, the hot strike particles can be used to directly ignite the tinder.
The hot embers must then be cosseted in some very dry tinder and encouraged to catch alight. This is then transferred to kindling and then to larger wood for the fire. Each step needs practice. When the first fire is made, carrying dry charcoal, tinder and kindling will help with the next fire.
Making the first fire is difficult and not always easy in survival situations and is definitely not the time to practice it. Where injury may preclude the normal, local methods of fire making then some shortcuts are possible, such as the magnesium and flint stick. A flint stick is waterproof and totally reliable, but needs practice. Steel and flint are also ways to make burning embers, as is wire wool and torch batteries. The best choice is a flint and steel combination, with a block of magnesium attached. Magnesium is a very light metal which burns fiercely. By carving some magnesium scrapings into the tinder, the spark from the flint and steel will ignite in almost any conditions. Some medical chemicals can catch fire if mixed properly.
Matches are last resort items but always carried, as the user may be too weak to make fire from basics. Matches should be the sort that strike anywhere, preferably of the 'lifeboat' type and have been dipped or rubbed in paraffin wax so they are waterproof. Any wax soaked into the match stick makes the flame last a little longer and prevents moisture passing up the centre of the stick and damaging the tip. If using matches, then always carry a small birthday cake candle, so the flame from the match can be kept alight for many minutes, as not all first attempts at fires are well made or reliable. The self re-igniting candles are better, especially if they are blown out. They may be fun at parties, but extremely serious items for survival kits. A small piece of solid fuel also helps in very difficult circumstances, but should be removed and extinguished as soon as possible for future use.

The picture shows some choices, with British army hexamine blocks in the top left which are waterproof and virtually indestructible for long term storage. The middle top is the US army Trioxane in an alloy foil cover, which must be kept sealed as it turns to a useless mush if left open to the air. Top right is commercial hexamine compact fire lighters. Some strike anywhere matches set in melted paraffin wax, so they are waterproof and can act as minor candles. The orange rectangle on the left is the rarely reliable 'everlasting match', which is a steel strike stick with wick screwed into a petrol reservoir with a flint strike down the side. Its main problem is the need for regular filling with petrol but leakage can contaminate the rest of the survival kit.
Bottom left to right is flint, steel and magnesium block. US army waterproof book matches from an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). Lifeboat matches as found in British army food packs. In the middle are three cheap kiddies party candles which will re-ignite if blown out, and definitely more than fun in a survival situation. Lifeboat matches and strike in a plastic bag. Standard strike anywhere matches.

The flint and steel is shown bottom left with a magnesium block attached for the fuel source, which ensures a fire can be started in almost any situation. Scrape off some magnesium shavings, then strike the flint into the magnesium and it flares up to catch the tinder alight. A cut down version of the flint and magnesium block is the firelighter of choice inside my survival knife handle. The knife replaces the short piece of hacksaw blade.

It will be seen that there are four matches stuck in the end of the matchbox such that their wood ends are pointing outwards. This is standard practice in huts in Arctic environments, as the person may have frostbite and little or no use of the fingers, so must resort to lighting a fire with the matches held in the mouth. So if you leave the Arctic hut, always ensure the next visitor can light the fire with almost useless fingers.
Cigarette lighters are not reliable enough nor fail safe for long term storage. If the survival kit gets damaged, an otherwise prefect gas lighter may suddenly break and leak just when it's needed most.

If petrol is available from the crash, then this is can be used with rubber seats and tyres to make smoke signals. As this leaves a black mark on the ground, also use a piece of wire to drag the smoking tyre to make a large ground signal. A dry fire base, with plenty of fresh leaves ready to add above this for smoke is a natural variation. A smoke signal is of no use it cannot be lit as soon as a rescuer is seen or heard, so a basic fire is kept burning, with the smoke device ready for instant use.

A Single line means 'Need doctor, serious injury'.
Double parallel lines means 'Require medical supplies.'
An X shape means 'Unable to proceed'.
An F shape means 'Need food and water'.
A K shape means 'indicate direction to proceed'.
An Arrow shape means 'Am proceeding in this direction'.
A LL double L shape means 'All is weLL'.
A Square shape means 'Require map and compass'.
A Double V shape like a corporals arm stripes means 'Require firearms and ammunition'.

Alloy foil.
Alloy foil is not always required, but makes a good backup sunlight and heat reflector, a good wind shield for starting a fire, as a wound cover if nothing else available and a marginal means to boil water. A thicker alloy disposable baking dish is best, allowing the user to boil water more easily. Where packaging is needed, both foil and dish materials can be used, to give more survival materials available for use. The ubiquitous tobacco tin is an excellent alternative for boiling water. An alloy container as used for herring or similar is smaller than the tobacco tin and may suffice for the purpose. The container need not be pan shaped, but a tube will do just as well, with the end bent over. If you are boiling water over a small fire, you need a small tin, not a big one.

The tobacco tin.
The classic tobacco tin often comprises the outer case of the smaller survival kits. Getting a suitably sized knife into such a small volume and still have room for the rest is a problem, but can be done. Choosing the largest knife which fits diagonally into the tin can allow a reasonable choice of folding knives. The folding knife can then be modified as required.
The tobacco tin and it's close relatives have the advantage of being able to boil water, especially if a piece of wire is shaped so it clips inside or over the lip of the tin. The tin can be lightly reshaped to accept the spring clip which can be stowed inside the tin with the rest of the kit. I prefer using piano wire from model shops. Nothing complex, just a way to retrieve the tin from a small fire with bare hands without spilling the water.
Boiling small amounts of water may seem a laborious way to make water safe, but a small fire may be all that's available. Also remember that boiling small amounts of water takes less time, so the overall time taken is about the same to fill a water bottle. If it spills, only a small amount of water is lost. A small fire is all that's needed to boil water and cook food safely. The usual vision of a large roaring fire may be great in many cases, but to stay alive, such fires are only applicable where there are large wilds beasts to discourage or cook, or to dry clothing in cold conditions and where there is plenty of wood.
Do not forget to polish the inside of the tobacco tin lid to act as a mirror and heliograph.
When the tobacco tin is not suitable, it is possible to use the thick alloy containers as used for 'take-away' meals. Although not intended for folding, with care, these can be folded around the other components, without compromising their future ability to retain water for boiling over a small fire.

Torch. (Flashlight).
Good eyesight should be able to accustomise to walking on open moorland quite safely in moonlight. Unfortunately, having to wait until moonrise or dawn to find shelter or to bandage a wound, or swimming through the dark to find a life-raft, may cause unnecessary complications. Most torches take up a lot of room, need regular replacement of batteries and difficult to hold when needing both hands. First decide how much illumination is needed. It is nice to have a bright beam for signalling, but the overheads of such a bright light are often too high. It may be better to have a small torch which will illuminate enough for basic medicine and to be able to walk in moonless nights, rather than to 'bulk out' a survival kit. Never fit a torch in the handle of a knife, as the bulb and any delicate switch components will fail with the shocks involved. If you must fit a light into a knife, make it a solid state device such as the LED.

As making small reliable torches is difficult and waterproof reliable torches even more so, it is often best to buy and prepare or modify a commercial design. Where a more standard item is needed, such as an 1xAAA miniature alloy light, always include the spare bulb. As this model is low in battery life, always carry a spare battery and spare standard bulb.

Tying a thin loop of elastic ribbon to the body of the torch will allow it to be held as a head-band for hands free use, as a sweat band and may also hold a bandage or sun-shade in place. Always try to make the torch hands-free, as crawling or swimming while holding a torch in the hand or mouth is difficult. Always replace batteries regularly and ensure the contacts are perfect. Replace the whole torch if in doubt. A spare battery and bulb are recommended on larger survival kits or in winter.
Unless you have poor night vision, then white LED's will do. They are increasingly popular and cheap. I have found six different suitable designs and all for under a quid each, so there is no excuse for reliable replacements. If you are not good at replacing the batteries, then carry two torches.

The 99 pence item shown opposite is not big, nor clever, nor high tech, but what it does so is give a clear white light, without being big. Because it's no bigger than a 303 bullet, then carrying two and the spare batteries is not a problem. As it's an LED, there is no bulb to smash, you could even integrate one into a fixed blade knife. The only faults are that the button is not waterproof until you have squeezed some silicone grease in the hole, and the button can be switched on just by pressing. So in the survival kit, there must be a an easily removable cardboard protecting disc around the button. I have two of these on a piece of knicker elastic, plus a piece of snug fitting plastic felt tip marker body carved so that it protects the button when not in use and can be rotated to keep the light on all the time, thus making it an almost perfect item. The four spare batteries are fiddly to fit, but as LED's run for a long time, this is acceptable. The batteries are stuck together with a little bit of thin parcel tape, for easy insertion and sealed in a plastic tube taped to the knicker elastic.

If the survival kit is to remain sealed for many years, then remove the battery from the ordinary AAA torch after an initial check, then tape it to the outside, so that it can be used quickly. Otherwise a deteriorating battery can damage the electrical parts of the switch and contacts, making the torch useless.
Glass/tungsten filament lamps have been mostly superseded by the latest range of white LED lights now available commercially. Particular mention is of a certain commercially available thumb sized devices which do the job perfectly well. The light is much better than a certain AAA sized alloy lights and the LED device lasts longer and is slightly cheaper. The main aspect is that such designs do the job superbly with a superb and even light pattern, and integrates into the survival kit well. A simple loop of knicker elastic through the rubber hand grip of some designs makes the light perfect as a head strap, to give hands free lighting for survival in the dark, be it swimming to find a lifeboat, or struggling through dense forest. Sliding the rubber off the light body, then adding a couple of turns of tape makes for a backup should the rubber split. This is my survival torch of choice at present. The smallest torch in the picture has such elastic attached and makes simple yet highly effective addition. This assembly can be safely strung around the neck when not in use. The light pattern is acceptable for walking and for minor surgery and other close work.
(I've gripped one of these keying white LED torches in my mouth to activate and direct it and then cycled ten miles in the dark.)
The larger torches have yellow stripes attached, so they can be more easily found when needed or dropped in the dark. The small standard AAA torch has a spare battery, as they rarely last long enough.
If military and operating over enemy territory, then also include a red LED torch, which does not give away your position so easily.
For marine use, petroleum jelly over the internal electrical parts contacts keeps corrosion at bay and also helps to make fires on land.

The picture opposite shows from top left to bottom right:
Stainless steel survival heliograph and the cheap modern alternative, a piece of CD which can be used as a heliograph and mirror. Mag 2xAA torch (flashlight) with yellow bands so it won't get lost so easily in the dark. Silva (tm) compasses, the common one on the left (albeit in mills). For minimal space, just the centres of these compasses can be removed. The black version is the sighting compass which is more accurate and also offers a mirror for a heliograph. A very small version is also available and recommended. If you put a hole in the centre of the mirror, you can also make an accurate heliograph without upsetting the original use of the mirror. The 1xAAA mag torch with spare batts. An excellent white LED torch with spare batts sealed against moisture and attached to the elastic headband. At the bottom are a basic button compass (oil filled) and a standard safety whistle.

The main let-down of white LED designs is the need for three very small batteries to give the 4.5 volts needed for the whiter light. Batteries such as SR41's, which although they may last ten hours, are very fiddly and thus difficult to replace in the dark. The micro LED torch in the picture has three such batteries and these are taped together, ready for use. Therefore it is very important to prepare the set of three by using small strips of thin adhesive tape to stick the batteries together along their sides, creating a prepared set. I use parcel tape as it is very thin and does not obstruct replacement. This is still fiddly, but much better than having to mess about in a survival situation. It is also advisable to do the same to the set supplied within the torch. The spare set can then be sealed in a tubular roll of plastic such as a large plastic straw and the ends sealed. Make sure the batteries cannot rattle as this may cause the tape to be compromised over many years, so always add a little cotton wool or make the tube a snug fit. You could use foam if you wish, but cotton wool makes good emergency tinder. This sealed spare set being small, can then be taped to the elastic head band for easy replacement. Running the elastic, or a small loop of cotton through the wire key-ring loop will also prevent the end cap being lost while replacing the batteries in the dark.
As the batteries are retained in the torch for immediate use, but are likely to corrosion of the batteries with time, the electrical contacts are given a coat of silicone grease to protect them should the batteries leak over many years of non use.
Integration of a torch into the survival kit is as mentioned before, to allow the headband to be slightly exposed for immediate access, possibly with a dab of red felt marker or a cloth pull tab. This ensures the torch and headband can be accessed immediately for use, but not accidentally removed, nor upsetting any other item in the kit. The elastic headband can also help retain a wound pad or head cover as needed.
The owner of a good survival kit services it yearly. At 99 pence each, a cheap plastic or metal bodied, white LED torch is simple technology. Do not just change the batteries, but also look for the beginnings of any corrosion on the metal contacts, replacing the whole torch if in doubt.

The compass.
Navigation is important if intending to walk out of a situation. If intending to stay put, then knowing the direction of any rescue teams will also be helpful. This can help the user to position the signals such that they have maximum effect, both from direction, but also any sunlight and shadows which can highlight the signal. It may be very misty during the first stages of the emergency, but there is no need to waste energy walking the wrong way or rearranging signals if the direction is known. There are many compasses available, starting with the sun, lichen on sides of trees, direction of plant growth and the stars.
A button compass as shown in the picture above is useful, which should be liquid damped, but not water which can freeze. Check for a suspect design by placing in the deep freezer compartment. It should be securely mounted on a strong neck cord, so it can be referred to constantly during undergrowth and desert use, but away from any metal. It should be painted bright yellow or orange, as they are small and difficult to find if lost. The example is stuck to a yellow piece of plastic for tying to a neck cord. Check the accuracy of the device with another of known accuracy, or with the stars.
No small compass is accurate, so the accuracy is improved by making a long sighting, so that the furthest distant point is decided, then walking to that point before another sighting. This way, compound inaccuracies will not cause the user to walk off course too much. If expecting to aim for a known way-point or refuge, possibly on a river or coastline, then aim to one side of the position, so that when the river, coast or other sign post is found, you will know to which side it is, so can walk confidently in the correct direction towards the way-point or refuge.
The type of small compass with integral folding mirror in the lid will help improve accuracy. The black plastic 'sighting' compass in the picture above folds so the integrated mirror can be used for accurate sighting.
The classic orienteering compass with a magnifying lens may also be useful for making fire, but don't count on it, as it may be cold, winter or cloudy, or night time. Far better to remove the basic oil filled compass unit and save the room for more matches.

Reflector / plastic mirror.
The reflector is a basic heliograph with the ability to use the power of the sun to signal to others. In the picture above, a part of a CD as shown, or even a piece of polished alloy foil on a flat item can make cheap and effective options for a small pocket survival kit. Always look for CD's with a decent mirror finish, or buy a plastic mirror. Heliographs are ideal for deserts and at sea. When used as a heliograph, use a sighting point ahead of the mirror, so the reflection is well targeted. Ideally, the mirror will have a central eye hole and the user places a small finger at arms length between eye and rescuer, so the reflection is onto the finger as a sighting device. For extreme accuracy, scratch cross lines which pass through the eye hole, and either use your finger or make a little white wooden target with a hole in the end. The cross lines when shining on the target can be lined up to accurately target an aircraft or ship much further away. This allows the reflection to be flashed with a noticeable pattern. In the top left hand corner is an old British stainless steel heliograph with these features. Try to make striking flashes at the rescuer, so they are not confused with regular reflections on the sea. They also make a good mirror for personal hygiene and to look around unsafe or hostile corners.

Bin bags and space blankets.
Shelter/weather protection is done by the users clothing. Unfortunately, this is not always suitable. Being able to carry clothes in a survival kit is not possible. The nearest ultra compact equivalents are the bin bag and the space blanket.
Bin liners make basic waterproof clothing, suitable to keep dry for a few days or more. When one bag is pushed inside the other and stuffed with dry grass, this gives a basic sleeping bag. If not punctured, two or three bags inside one another can also be secondary water containers during the day.
Bin bags are not very strong, so must be looked after carefully. Three thin ones used as a water carrier are not so likely to have leaky holes in the same place as one thick bin bag, so carry three thin bin bags, placing one inside each other for a more reliable water carrier.
As waterproof clothing, their purpose is to deflect the rain, which they do well enough if protected from branches, rocks, fire etc. The problems of avoiding branches is much easier than avoiding rain drops.
Maintaining good body temperature in cold or wet climes is important. Do not confuse wearing a bin liner as a means to staying warm. The build up of moisture from the body can cause damp clothing. Always remove excess clothing in cold weather, especially during heavy work, so that body moisture can evaporate. Never allow clothing to get any wetter than absolutely necessary.
If having to cross a river in cold climates, strip down to minimal clothing, bundle the rest in the bin bags to keep them dry, and to act as extra buoyancy. You are going to get cold anyway, but at least make sure you can get warm on the other side of the river.
Space blankets are usually stronger than bin bags and can be used as sun shades in deserts, or for waving at sea. They are easy to roll into for a sleeping bag, but always allow some ventilation to prevent excess moisture build up. Can be used for carrying water if folded well. It is very useful to apply a few strips of re-usable adhesive tape near the edges of the space blanket prior to packing into the kit, which can act as puncture repair for water carrying, or to seal the edges to make a sleeping tube.
For both bin bags and space blankets, the packaging must be such that the water carrying properties are not compromised by damage. Always fold the plastic so the central sections are folded inside, with the outer layers outside to protect its water holding properties should it be ripped or punctured. This way, only the outer edges may be damaged without upsetting its main qualities. I prefer to tape the space blanket into a sleeping bag, as it can be easily opened up if needed, but harder to turn into a sleeping bag, especially if raining.
For general use, one space blanket and one big and one small bin bag may be employed to advantage. In cold, wet climes, the space blanket as a wrap, the small bag as a hood and the big bag as a waterproof skirt from knees to chest.
If possible, making a poncho from a couple of space blankets should be seriously considered if your fabrication skills are good.
Slitting a small bag for head cover are notorious for flapping around and not keeping the rain out of the neck area, then when in the survival situation, consider tying three small stones in the base, so they fall to the back and either side of the face at the front for minimal hassle and stop the rain running down your neck.

Clear polythene bags make great solar stills if you are suck on a raft or an land with no fresh water. See the companion monograph on my web page for making your own ocean and land solar stills for pennies.

Wire saw.
Being flexible, a wire saw can be connected to cord and thrown over a tall branch, which can then be cut down with ease. Likewise, if in hostile territory, it can also be connected to cord and used for cutting a fence post at ground level, while remaining at a safe distance. Rub any white cord in dirt to prevent it being seen when in escape and evasion, or when used in animal traps.
The loops in the wire saw can also be used as traps, usually as snares for trapping animals in runs. Always make sure the other end is fully secured, so the wire saw is not lost if the animal escapes.

Belt.
The belt is mainly a means of ensuring the survival kit remains with the user for the one occasion it may be needed. It should be hard wearing, but compact, allowing it to be used all times and still be of use later. Belts are used for holding the scabbard, but also for holding splints, tourniquets and as stretchers.
Most belt buckles use plastic clips which may be acceptable for most rucksacks, but probably not for most survival belts. If in doubt about the longevity of the plastic clip on thin belts, include a secondary metal buckle or the dual D ring which is vastly stronger.
The excellent old design of Burgbuckle as used on Berghaus rucksack waistbands, and a length of car safety belt make an excellent, if rather wide belt.
As carrying extra string is bulky and as most nylon is far stronger than needed, consider using small belt material and doubling it. In some cases, thin nylon tape can be sewn to make a wider belt. This can then be deconstructed to give a spare lengths of tape or single strands if needed.
The soft nylon webbing used in climbing tapes and securing straps on suitcases can be deconstructed into finer cord for fishing, snares and making bivouacs.
If making the ultimate survival belt, then lightly sew thin strands of parracord together to make a belt from one long line of parracord which can be unravelled. This will still give enough parracord for a more basic belt, but leave plenty of cord for other uses. See builders guide to survival knife design.
My main kit does not have a belt, but a parracord shoulder strap which can be deconstructed so the internal strands can be used for shelter and fishing.

Water.
One of the main requirements of staying alive is water. After immediate danger, water is very important. Finding and preparing water is a very serious part of survival. In some cases, walking beside a pure stream can have few problems other than falling in, twisting an ankle, getting wet and hypothermia or drowning. Other means of getting water can be difficult. In deserts, being able to use variations on the solar still is possible, but does not always supply sufficient water, although a bin bag and alloy foil cup may help. Finding stagnant water then processing it will give the quantities required but can cause medical complaints. Filtering then boiling water is the standard method of making water drinkable (potable). In frozen climes, melting is necessary to make ice drinkable. Blue sea ice is best.
Once water is available, it may be necessary to carry it until finding the next safe water location. In deserts, this often requires carrying a great amount of water and all possible innovation must be used to ensure maximum storage. See bin bags and space blankets.
Normal water carrying can be accomplished with basic folding plastic water containers. The US army MRE poly bag makes an excellent water carrier when fitted inside a British army DPM jacket. Cut the top of the bag just enough to remove the contents, then fold over into the button flap. Where water leaks out of the top, it dampens the outside of the pocket and helps keep it cool on hot days. In winter, water is less of a problem.
It is easier and safer to filter water before boiling, so use a gypsy still or filter through trousers, hanky or whatever is suitable before boiling.
A survival water bottle can also the outer container for the survival kit itself, if it is not punctured, by containing all the components in a single metal container. (Manufacturers please call). A tobacco tin allows small amounts of water to be boiled. A simple wire handle which folds inside the tin, makes transferring the water from the fire to the bottle much easier.
A survival kit water bottle must be compact, so the flexible plastic fold-up type is best. The screw cap type takes up far too much room, so always use the plastic 'zip' re-sealable type or make your own.
Modern plastics and melting using a soldering iron with a spatula tip can offer many options. If making strong, primitive water bags, simply make the opening necked narrow and long, so that it can be rolled to give a good seal. Do not make it too narrow, so that it can allow cleaning. The opening can also be funnel shaped to assist filling.
Plastic bags must not get damaged, so always take care when making the kit, packaging and during use. Always make two more water bottles than needed, then test the worst two. This ensures reliability and helps the user learn to maximise the use of the design and how to take long term care of them. If using a survival kit cover, design it to slide over a belt, to become a basic water bag holder.
If using condoms as water carriers, they should be replaced regularly along with the torch batteries and any medicines. A good survival kit should be serviced yearly.
If not making water bags, two or more cheap, strong bin bags allow the user to carry many litres in each jacket pocket and may often be more efficient than one good sealed expensive water bag. In winter, where water is not such a problem, just one sealable bag is often quite good enough, allowing the other bag to be a waterproof jacket cover or improvised hood.
In generalised survival situations, then always go for the most widely usable option, which may be one strong water bag and two large bin liners. This strategy allows one or more bags to be damaged, yet still retain water carrying capacity. Two damaged bags can be slid inside another to give an adequate water carrying ability. One quality bag that gets damaged does not offer any backup.
It is difficult to boil water without a metal container, although bamboo can make a good steamer. Dropping hot rocks into the water can be used raise the temperature. With no metal container, then alloy foil is the next option, but it never manages to retain its pristine condition.
If using a small steel container, such as a small tobacco tin can be carried, then do so, as even boiling small amounts of water will take less time and so be easily capable of filling a water bottle compared to a larger boiling container.
If boiling water, this should be done near the water source. If not possible, then having more than one bag is useful, as one can contain suspect water, and a second bag is ready for the boiled water. This reduces cross contamination of very bad water. The contaminated bag can then be cleaned and sterilised later.
Some of the larger pouches as used for dehydrated camping food make adequate water containers if a minimal opening is made. Many have the advantage of a base design which allows then to stand upright by themselves.
Finding a water container which can be folded up small and do the job is hard to find. Recently a sweet bag with the following attributes was found wile shopping. It is strong by using modern plastic and a fully welded seam, folds up to no effective room, contains 550cc of water, is sealable, stands upright by itself, does not leak when held upside down with the seal at the bottom when full of water, costs just 80 pence and comes complete with sweets. This makes an excellent part of a survival kit, as water can be carried in a jacket pocket easily, yet takes up little room. So keep your eyes open, the equipment is out there somewhere and it is not all at ridiculously high prices.

Always filter suspect water before entering the bottle, even a few folds of a hanky is better than nothing.
If digging for water, then always try to make a pool, then gradually empty this until the water seeps clear, whereupon the surrounding earth becomes the primary filter.
Sea survival has its own problems with water. When making a sailors grab bag, it is highly recommended to include a few bottles of water and a bin bag to collect rain water. If possible, add a reverse osmosis pump or a solar still. These can make fresh water from sea water and priceless in open oceans. See below.

If stuck in the middle of an ocean far from shipping lanes, or on a small island with no fresh water, then a solar still is important. A couple of large clear plastic bags and a length of tubing will be important. See my companion webpage on making your own solar still for more details.

Purifying tablets.
Ability to boil suspect water is important. Being able to purify water where boiling is not possible is a real problem. Until the survival situation has stabilised to the point where suspect water can be boiled, water purifying tables may be needed. Some can be used as antiseptics, but will depend upon type and use. Do not use purification tablets too often, as this can damage the bacteria in the human gut, needed to process our food. Use water purification tablets rarely and preferably only in emergency.

Hanky.
Not to be forgotten, with many uses from straining water as a particle filter, an emergency bandage and for all hygiene including washable toilet paper. The finer the weave, the more dirt it will filter.
If a sterile package, a hanky is a bandage, with a wound pad and two metres of light gauze as a securing bandage, it can act as a basic field dressing. The hanky can later be used for less important items, once healing is adequate. Always make the pad with a breathable plastic film, such as a melamine (tm) pad so the hanky can be removed, leaving the wound with a plastic skin. See later.
A hanky can also used for waving as a flag, so choose a bright orange hanky for boats, ice floes and in jungles.

Parracord.
Parracord is small kermantle style of cord, where the main strands for strength are surrounded by a woven outer sheath. Often recycled during survival training by the military from old parachutes, but now commonly available from various sources. The advantage of parracord is strength and that the centre fibres can be teased out for fishing, sewing or tying, without loosing the whole strength. A long length of parracord can be wrapped around the survival knife handle as the grip, so that in emergency, there is more parracord available. See survival knife and belt.

Bits and pieces.
These are the usual accessories which are useful for survival kits. Plastic whistle. Fishing kit, selection of hooks, trace line and weights. Also consider using a piece of alloy foil for a lure, and include a yellow feathered hook so the fishing can begin immediately. Adding unfinished hooks and lines is a missed opportunity, so always prepare the kit as much as possible for ensuring better survival.
Sewing kit of two needles and some strong thread can ensure your clothes keep you warm and dry, or create a sun visor from a collar insert etc. A small pipe or straw for extracting safe water from hard to reach areas can be useful. The centre of a ball point pen may suffice. A length of brass wire can be used for many unusual purposes including snares and belt buckles, and takes up little room.

First Aid Kit.
There are two types of first aid kits, those that do the minimum, and those that work. You need one which works.

In really bad cases, the patient should NOT be moved, such as when suspecting head or spinal damage. In such cases, a paramedic will use a stretcher and spinal supports prior to moving to hospital.

Combat troops carry emergency wound dressings, either on their helmet, shoulders or chest so that it is available immediately. Do not use your own wound dressing, but use theirs, as all members must retain their own safety items.

In use, a wound dressing should be well protected from the elements, but then be easily opened up, with the wound cleaning items first to hand, then the sutures, then the would pad and retaining bandage and safety pin, then any waterproof cover. This must all be possible in a poor environment, yet keep all the items easy to handle yet sterile. Therefore the would pad should be Very Carefully prepared in the way it opens up and presents itself to the user and preferably free of the ground. See later.

If you have a small scratch or cut, then a plaster may suffice. If you fall badly and gash your hand or arm or leg or head, then a plaster will not do. Therefore a decent wound dressing, rather than a few plasters is always the best way to go.
The wound must be kept clean and the plenty of blood will start to do its job. Removal of potential disease particles such as gravel or mud should be washed out, but unless a sterile saline wash is available, then a few sterile alcohol wipes make a passable substitute.
Then the wound is closed to reduce bleeding, and then normally off to the car then off to Accident and Emergency, or the nearest first aid post or if really bad, the to the nearest main road while phoning for a paramedic or ambulance, depending upon the severity. In a survival situation, the would may have to heal itself, so it must be pampered and protected both physically and medically.
Subject to anything really serious, the wound should be closed and covered with a lint free padding such as melamine pad from a sealed, sterile package, and this is restrained in position with a standard bandage wrapped around to keep the wound closed and sealed until a doctor can see it.

Therefore the first aid kit should be along the lines of a large and medium 'melamine' pad in sealed packages, plus a few sealed, surgical alcohol wipes and some white open weave bandages. Add to the bandage a safety pin and for general uses some paper based medical adhesive tape such as the brand 'micropore' tape.
This is not unlike the field dressing used in war zones, where a bad injury is expected.
The army version is designed to be ripped open and placed over the wound and the integral bandage wrapped to keep it in place. This has the dressing with an absorbent pad to keep slight compression and to reduce bleeding. The army and press usually carry these on their helmets or their shoulder for instant access.

Such a first aid pack should be able to handle all sizes of cuts, from small cuts closed with the tape, to medium gashes. If you have to use the medium melamine pad on a small cut, then the larger one is still available should another injury occur. The pads can be cut down to size if needed, or folded over to fit. You must always be able to apply a wound dressing immediately without need to find a pair of scissors or other implements.

If undertaking climbing or other rough pursuits, and suspecting larger gashes or other injuries, then add larger bandages and pads.
Carrying just a few plasters and antiseptic wipes is not really recommended. The pads and bandage will cover many more injuries and does not cost very much money, but will pack down to about the size of a small fist.

The main wound pad should present itself to the user in a fail-safe manner, it should open and all the items retained from falling on the ground. In an ideal situation, the pack should be easily opened and the alcoholic wipes be used first then some antiseptic cream, the thin plaster strips to close the wound, then covered by the melamine pad and retained by the absorbent, compressive pad and finally the bandage.
Finally, package the first aid kit in a strong polythene bag and seal it against the air and water. Then pack it where it is easily available, and preferably marked from the outside, but so that it will not be damaged over a year of hiking and rough handling.
Always replace the first aid kit every year.

It is too late to practice first aid when it is needed. First aid training is best done at night school, where professional training is available and will ensure the skills are correct. A first aid kit about the size of a fist is commonly carried by most walkers. If in doubt, purchase a good first aid book, such as by the St Johns, or similarly respected organisations. Practice is important, as when an accident occurs, the reactions should be instant and natural, without unnecessary delay.

So always carry enough for a bad gash, such as after a fall. A small roll of open wound bandage and a medium or large would pad in a sealed paper package. Some first-aid items such as a clean hanky can be used as the absorbent compression pad.

Surgical blade. The blade is kept separate from the emergency would pad as its not needed in most emergency gashes. It must be a surgical item in its sealed sterile package for minor surgery. This blade must never be used for any other uses, as contamination of a cut in a survival situation is dangerous. When boiled with the needle and thread, basic wound repair is possible, but adhesive sutures are preferred.
Plaster strips. Basic waterproof adhesive cotton plaster should be capable of acting as plasters for blisters and also as sutures. Natural staples can be used by really skilled people, to close surgical openings such as using the heads of some ants.

Medicines.
This is a tricky area, as the best medicines are only available on prescription. Conning your doctor to supply a series of general antibiotics is possible by pretending to be ill, or actually being ill, but keeping them for the kit. They must be carefully looked after.
A course of anitbiotics is a single item. - Never fail to finish a course of antibiotics. Millions of f*****g idiots not taking their whole course of antibiotics has led to many major problems in global antibiotic impotency.

Pills must not rattle around in their container, nor get damp. So either use the smallest screw cap bottle with cotton wool padding, or seal each tablet hermetically with a plastic bag sealer, ensuring no contamination of the tablets and that all air is removed before sealing the bag. Sealing each tablet separately will ensure they all remain ready for use. Food quality plastic packaging can be made into a small tube, then tablets inserted and a soldering iron or kitchen sealer used to seal each one. Mark all medicines with their instructions and warnings.
Add some paracetamol but real pain killers are not normally available, so the strongest available without prescription must be used, so carry a reasonable number. Choose those in bubble packs, then fold them back to back, so the foil does not get damaged.
Insect bites are annoying and a little tea tree oil will often suffice.
Morphine and amphetamines may help in some circumstances, but can be very dangerous.

If dangerously allergic to bee stings or other problems, ointment and any personal items such as spare inhaler should always be carried. I still remember the inhaler seen left behind on a rock on Dartmoor in the height of summer in a place of wide dry grasslands with almost no wind. If suffering hay fever or athsma or other problems, then you should add the relevant items.

Containing all these pills and oils is problematic for a compact kit.
Antiseptic cream and oils can be carried in plastic tubing, plugged with a bung at one end and heat crimped at the other. As squeezing antiseptic cream is difficult, it is much better to simply partially empty a standard plastic tube of the stuff and cut the cap down to the minimum.
For compact survival kits, squeeze part of it up the standard plastic tube container, then heat crimp off this small amount as a sealed item, cut off and seal the cut with a soldering iron. These can make a one shot item and easily carried. Some of the stronger drinking straws are food quality plastic and can be heat crimped to seal the contents, to create a long string of one-shot capsules. Try it, as you will be pleasantly surprised how compact and applicable the humble drinking straw is for survival kits. Larger options include the 'ice pole' kiddies frozen drink, which offers heat sealable tubing in food grade plastic, but only after it has been washed and dried thoroughly.
For a stronger package, it is also possible to heat crimp the bottom of a tube of antiseptic cream, such that it becomes a sealed blister pack without the screw top end, but the section will have to be cut off, then edges cleaned for heat crimping and the antiseptic cream kept free from the area to be melted. When antiseptic cream is used in such a home made heat sealed sachet, this can allow the capsule to be crimped with an extra tab with a hole. This securing hole will allow it to be lightly attached by a thread or the safety pin to the wound pad for immediate use.
Done well, a set of small containers in polythene can be made for some medicines, but can be difficult to make well. Test them vigorously to check they stay intact. If roughly handled, or badly packaged, then oils, creams and powders can be carried in a much stronger plastic tube, such as used for car windscreen washer piping, then the ends plugged or heat sealed. These methods are fairly robust and often better than disposable sachets which may tear or leak, so they should last for a year or so.

Potassium permanganate can be used for water sterilisation and for sterilising wounds. It can also assist fire lighting. It should be kept free of air, so seal the grains in small usable amounts, by sealing in plastic bags or preferably thick plastic tubes which do not deteriorate from the chemical.
If using iodine, first check that you are not allergic to it.

Rather than ordinary plasters, paper based adhesive medical tape (such as micropore (tm)) is very compact and ideal backup when wrapped onto a suitable item in the survival kit.
Wide traditional cloth plaster strips as large as possible can later be cut into narrow strips or square patches as needed. Therefore also carry the large size of strong adhesive cloth type of bandage, as this will solve most minor problems, and they tend not peel off like most ordinary plasters. As this zinc oxide type also comes on rolls, it may be preferable to transfer this to low adhesive paper, such as used with adhesive stickers. Peel off the stickers or labels and fit the plaster. This lies flat and is usually much easier to pack if wanting a very compact survival kit. Then place some adhesive strips with the field dressing for easier retainment, plus adding a small roll of the paper adhesive strip for emergency sutures.

Designing the kit.

Some larger knives, such as the superb Oakwood, shown here, are just too big to become part of a compact survival kit. I've designed a folding version of this bases on my Mk6 knife, but even then, it's just too large to be carried around in case of emergencies. Therefore the survival kit must be made as compact as possible, so that it is indeed carried always, and yet, nut not be intrusive to daily life. Therefore two types of kit are considered, the pocket kit, and the outdoor kit. the outdoor kit is considered here, with the smaller kits considered later.

Packaging of a survival kit is often thought to be an art form of getting everything into as small a package as possible. This is quite sensible for many cases, but in real emergencies, basic problems will occur.
Simply opening a survival kit to get at the bandage, - only to loose the fishing kit and compass is a dangerously poor design.

I believe a good survival kit must always present the items as and when required.

Presentation in the true sense of the word is not easy for a survival kit. But if done with a little thought, - the sequence of immediate use, then safety, then long term survival, - can be devised and arranged to good effect.

When weak, disoriented and badly injured in the rain, cold or dark, the survival kit must ALWAYS help you, not hinder.

Consider the following.
Most survival situations occur from accidents or escape. In accidents, often in bad weather or poor visibility, perhaps a crashed plane, boat or off-roader, or perhaps just wandering just a little too far in the forest. In many cases, this could be in the dark, injured and possibly disoriented.
In an emergency, any bad wound must be stopped from bleeding, and perhaps immediate extraction from the scene is often paramount. Possibly both at the same time, especially if explosion is imminent from a crashed vehicle with damaged or blocked exits.
Therefore the knife and bandage may need to be ripped out and used with extreme intent.
The rest of the survival kit MUST remain securely, but unobtrusively with the user.

Once at a safe distance, the situation can be more carefully assessed. It may be necessary to return immediately for useful items.
If in the dark, the torch may well be needed. With both hands desperately needed, the torch must be secured elsewhere.
If preferring to wait until rested or until morning, then the poly bags or space blanket may be needed if it is raining or cold or windy. (Many people dress for the holiday jaunt, whereas real bikers dress for the crash, not the ride.)

The compass, fishing kit, water bag and many other items are not yet required, but must remain secure until needed.

Hierarchy.

I'm not talking about any old ordinary survival kit which is just a package of bits and pieces. - I am talking about an interactive kit which is there from the outset, ready and appropriate for all situations.
The following is personal design only, some differences are probable for other people who may react in different ways. The following is my own general purpose design, for both military style and civilian survival in purely generalised form, adaptable for most parts of the world.

1. Easy grab for carrying every time the owner walks out of the house or camp.
2. In emergency, immediate access to the field dressing for wounds, the knife to assist extraction, and the torch if it is dark.
3. Once in a safe position, then basic shelter by space blanket or poly bag.
4. Then time to think, as the brain is the main part of the survival kit.
5. After getting fully organised, use the other items as required for longer term survival and the best route to safety.

A simple belt or shoulder strap with a survival knife in a scabbard, ready to use.
Even though a survival kit should be compact, the knife remains a large item, as this is often not negotiable. My knives are coated in wax to prevent rust, and the sharp edges covered in masking tape, to minimise sparks during initial extraction, assist chopping and prevent damage in a rubber raft or to the user. The wax can be removed later for use as a candle.

To create a compact kit, the knife can lie along the length of the belt or in a shoulder strap. I prefer designs such that they can be both slung over the shoulder or lie in the small of the back. The blade can be removed by the right hand, cutting edge facing downwards. If the right hand is damaged, the belt can be slid around the waist or across the shoulders and the knife then accessed by the left hand.
The minimalist scabbard forms the literal and metaphorical backbone of the survival kit packaging. The minimalist scabbard can be removed from the kit later and hung on the belt in the normal manner for constant use, once out of immediate danger. I always include an immediately usable wrist cord as I may be weak or swimming. This allows the knife to be attached to me BEFORE it is removed from the scabbard. (I won't forget loosing my ice axe for want of a wrist strap after falling 400 feet in an avalanche.)

On the package is the immediate use hanky or wound pad in a sterile package. This is accessible from the outside of a compact survival kit and folded to form an emergency bandage, similar to an army field dressing. The thin, white open weave support bandage is large enough to wrap around the chest.
Only the knife, torch and hanky are not sealed in the main survival kit. See later. The hanky for easy access as a bandage, the torch for easy access and also to check and replace batteries yearly. None will disturb the rest of the items.

ALL survival kits should be rebuilt yearly, preferably by enacting a survival situation and using it to test for any problems. Check using the 'wrong' hand and minimal strength.

Positioning.
Because the knife is long, the survival kit is long and thin. This allows the hanky to be part of one end, and the torch at the other for easy of access. This also allows the kit to be stuffed down the side of a rucksack, under a jacket or around the waist, to remain easily accessible.
Then the space blanket or bin bag is made accessible, laid flat between the end pieces as it may be raining.
The rest of the kit is packaged carefully and can be accessed with care when needed.

Good design means that some of the kit must be easily removed and used without disturbing the rest. Removing the knife from the scabbard is simple, but the wound pad must remain safe and sealed, yet easily detached from the secure main package when needed.
The rip tab is a good method and allows the item to be easily pulled off, by breaking only the restraining device, with ONLY the required item ready for use. For both the hanky and the torch, this is easily accomplished by placing them as end pieces, allowing easy access and removal. As they are at the end of the package, they are prone to snagging or catching, so should be rounded or tapered when folded, to retain good protection when not needed. Bright yellow or red or green tags allow others to access these items if the user is unconscious.
There are many other compact items which make acceptable emergency field dressings. If helping others, always use the wearers items, so that your own are not compromised. It is for this reason that many soldiers and news teams in combat zones wear field designs on their webbing, ready for others to apply them easily.
Making a hanky sterile is difficult. First use surgical gloves and an alcohol rub on the needle and thread to sew the light gauze bandage onto the hanky, so that they are less likely to fall onto the ground. Then boiling and drying in front of a fire or ironing destroys most contaminants. Ironing ensures a neat, compact package. A thin core of cotton wool and a thin surgical surface pad in its sealed package such as melamine (tm) added to the wound face. Keep the paper film sealed and sterile. The gauze bandage wrap is then wrapped around the pad and all wrapped in plenty of cling film to keep it waterproof. This is wrapped so it can be easily removed and re-used, as cling film can also make a waterproof cover for the bandage when on the user, especially if in muddy or swampy conditions. Carefully folding the edges of cling film over a bright strand of rip cotton will make life easier.

Packaging.

Making a kit which will remain effective over many years is difficult. Both compactness and effectiveness must always be used to good effect if the survival kit is to be truly effective.

The knife must be able to be stored for many years in all situations, from salt water, ice to steam and dust. I prepare my knives by carefully sharpening according to the blade position and use, (see knives monographs) then coating in paraffin wax from a standard candle to prevent corrosion. This is then further protected on scabbard blades with a few layers of masking tape over the sharp edges, partially to protect the blade and to further reduce corrosion, but also to protect the user. A few layers of masking tape can be easily ripped of if needed, but can remain and be used to chop your way out of a situation. When digging in soft sand, the masking tape will protect the sharpness and if in a rubber raft, then the masking tape will prevent obvious problems.
If making a very compact survival kit, then the masking ape can be considered as eliminating the need for a scabbard. although s minimalist HDPE scabbard just to protect the blade is worthwhile.
The prepared knife also had a lanyard to the kit belt, so it does not get lost scrabbling around, or swimming or when used with weak or damaged hands or limbs. The lanyard can then transfer into a snug fitting wrist cord if needed.

Make the scabbard so the knife lies along the belt, as it will hopefully never be needed, so can be kept as compact as possible to protect itself and the wearer. There must be no rubbing of sharp edges, as the kit will be worn and ignored for many years, and so the belt loops must remain secure. The knife blade must be fully waxed and be able to be easily removed, but retained by some safety clip or strap or cord. The handle should not be waxed, but painted with epoxy resin to prevent corrosion. I prefer to have a little sand included with the paint to give a slip-free surface. (See builders guide to survival knife design for further details.)
As the user is likely to be disoriented or weak when requiring the knife, a small safety retaining cord should be loosely coiled in the hollow of the knife handle. This retains the knife to the belt, so the knife is not lost should the users hand slip. If the user is weak, then the knife will not be lost. If the user is suitably capable, then the cord can then be repositioned to the wrist. A light wax sealing around any gaps will prevent accidental blade removal and also help reduce rusting.
It is also worthwhile for the scabbard to be designed such that it can be easily re-positioned to any of the common survival or jungle positions, once the survival kit is re-distributed upon the person.

If the kit it to be regularly carried on a holder strap inside the jacket, then it should be designed to be a wider, flat package which does not interfere with daily life.

Package up all the small items, ensuring the fishing lines do not get tangled by securing with masking tape which can be easily pulled apart by including folded over tabs and make sure the water containers are folded with very gentle curves to prevent creasing which can lead to leaking after use.

When using large knives, the kit may evolve into a long thin package, with the kit packed around the dimensions of the knife.
As the kit may be positioned along the side of the scabbard, the small components can be fitted together as a long, thin, rounded item. The water containers are wrapped around this to reduce sharp corners which can wear and thus lead to leaks. The small hollow at each end of the package can be used to contain the torch, the other end for the wound pad, which can be pulled out of the central package.
Then alloy foil is then wrapped around the water containers to protect them from punctures. If preferred, a careful unfolded disposable thick alloy foil cooking pan (e.g. from a take-away restaurant) can be used as this can later offer a minimalist water boiling container. Then a thin piece of waxed cardboard is wrapped around this as the last layer of protection. Waxed card is easily damaged and will show if any untoward damage has occurred. The cardboard should be printed with survival instructions, and can be used as kindling and a candle. Printed with First Aid guide, 1-2-3 survival actions boldly emblazoned on the outside, with details of finding rescue, water, shelter, food etc on the inside.

If the user has not had much time to practice the necessary survival skills, then a variation on a piece of card is several layers of waxed paper, which holds more information, especially coloured pictures of poisonous and edible plants and animals. Even if well practised, it is worth printing the information should the user be disoriented or confused. Waxed paper also makes emergency kindling. Where any single sheets of paper are used instead of card, they must be waxed or otherwise waterproofed, preferably usable for firemaking. Waxed sheets must always be separated with cling film or alloy foil for ease of separation, similar to slices of processed cheese.

The ends of the cardboard are then shaped to accommodate the hanky or wound pad and the torch, and then the whole is lightly wrapped around the scabbard and belt, using fishing line or parracord, depending upon your normal environment. This will be strong and also give more fishing line or animal snare. Do not attach a hook to this line.
If predominantly in a marine or steamy or wet environment, then the whole of the paper packaging can be sealed with a light waxing followed by warming near a flame to improve waterproofing and assist strerilisation.

The wrapping of the loose bits in the cardboard is prone to easy loss in use. The small items are therefore best retained in a folded thick aluminium foil cooking dish, similar to that used for take-aways. This allows the central package to be very compact. It also allows two foil containers to be used as the volume is small and adaptable and offer the ability to boil water, make a heliograph or as fish lures.

As the fingers may be burnt or frost-bitten, fishing hooks and sinkers should be pre-tied with lures and held between two pieces of drafting tape to prevent damage to the user. Drafting tape is a weaker version of masking tape, allowing the fishing line to be terminated with an easily removed piece of drafting tape containing the hook already for use. Covering in a folded piece of tape, with the ends folded over which is easy to peel apart, will also reduce accidents when rummaging around in the tin or pack and more importantly, prevent punctures in a raft in rough seas. Details again.

It is vitally important that items are removed from the survival kit in the best possible manner.
The hanky is folded and sealed so it will remain sterile and fit inside the larger hollow end of the survival kit. A long, thin piece of red ribbon is placed inside the hollow and the sealed hanky pushed into the hollow. This is then held with a piece of thin cotton tape or gauze which is waxed to the main pack. It should be able to be pulled away using the red tape and the red tape retain the component.
With careful design, the wound dressing should be made such that the red tag can be held in the mouth, while the cling film is removed, to offer the user a sterile application and to prevent it from dropping to the ground. The sutures and antiseptic capsule will be retained by an adhesive strip near the mouth tag, then the pad will unravel for easiest application to the prepared wound.
The sealed alcohol cleaning pads can also be used for starting fires in emergency.

A similar removal arrangement for the torch (flashlight) is positioned at the other end. As torches are not always like a ball of cotton, silk or pertex which can be teased into a hole, the end of the package needs to be modified slightly. There may be room for a spare battery.
The torch should be secured as part of a neck cord or elastic head band. This head band is also the end of the red pull-tag, allowing the torch to be pulled out and slipped over the head, using a simple loop of knicker elastic which is securely bound to the torch, allowing both hands to remain free.
Always make sure the items remain attached to the red tag strips, as this is what the user will then be holding.
Knicker elastic allows for a simple headband for hands free use at different angles or other places, and it's cotton fabric cover is easier on the skin for long periods.
Any space blanket is then neatly refolded to lay compactly along the package, laid outermost for immediate shelter, secured with rip tabs. Simple masking tape with the ends doubled over to make pull tabs can secure the space blanket. When folding the space blanket, ensure the centre is folded to lie protected against the package with the outer edges of the space blanket folded to the outside of the package. This way, any damage is less likely to compromise it's water carrying ability. Add some adhesive tape to the edges of the space blanket to allow it to be configured into different items.

The whole survival kit can then be wrapped in a bright yellow, nylon cover. This allows for inspection, but mainly as an abrasive cover to protect the survival kit during general non-survival use. When positioned on the survival kit, the overlap fold is at the front, as it must be torn open in emergency. The front can be lightly glued and sealed with contact adhesive and a few lightweight 'chicken rivet' cotton stitches. The split point must be smooth to prevent accidental opening in general non-survival use. The opening can be marked with a bright red permanent felt tip marker, with 'Open Here', or similar, should the user be unconscious. The torch and emergency field dressing should be similarly marked as appropriate.
I've seen some survival kits covered with lots of gaffer tape (Duck tape), - the fairly strong, fabric backed, two inch wide industrial tape, which certainly protects the package, but which can be difficult to access. If using this tape, then ensure the internals are secure, then run the gaffer tape lengthways such that it can be peeled off in one pull to reveal the immediate use items. If you wish, then a strong cord can be laid inside which will allow the tape to be ripped open, not unlike the easy open strips often found on biscuits and cheese wrappers.

Carrying the cover merely as a cover is a wasted opportunity. Using thinner, double thickness nylon material, the cover can be sewn such that the protective cover splits into two pouches which can slide over the belt to carry and support the small poly bags as water bags. The bag is wrapped around, then lightly retained at the rear of the kit by easily torn cotton stitching to prevent its loss while accessing the contents. I would design the cover such that it immediately presents storage for the items to prevent loss at a time when they are most likely to be lost. - preparation and details before the situation arises is always recommended.
If you wish, then the cloth outer covering can be made to look like another piece of discrete clothing by adding a badge from a disused rucksack or jacket, or camera bag or whatever, or to blend in with your usual clothing.

Kiddies steel pencil cases.
One other cover I have discovered, is the cheap kiddies stamped steel pencil case. Choose the type without the hinge, but has the decent sealed fit with rolled edges. The advantages of some of these is that they will take a moderately decent sized solid knife blade and also make adequate cooking pans and frypan in the lid. Admittedly they are not big, but far better than nothing and will cook an egg and boll water. Check them out and decide if you want to make a knife for such a long, thin and compact tin. If so carry just the tin around with you for a day and se it it's acceptable. I acceptable, then you can polish off the paint from the inside of the steel to make acceptable cooking pans. Then apply silicone grease to prevent rust. Do not burn off the paint as they distort easily.
A possible variation on this theme is to solder the lid in place and cut the top off to make this initial packing unit to become a water carrier and scabbard, but this will depend upon your lifestyle and habitat, as to whether you want water or cooking as the primary component. If using as a scabbard, then always add a piece of hard wood in the base to prevent the knife point from puncturing the tin.

Carrying.
At present, I use a very simple belt made from parracord to allow it to be a primitive shoulder strap, so the kit can be easily slung across my chest, back or under my arm when on the way out of the door, or when away from camp with the toilet paper, or simply out to check the scenery.
It is imperative that the kit cannot be lost during movement, so it should ideally also be able to be carried across the chest and as a secure belt. Simply slinging it over one shoulder can allow the kit to be lost in a fall or when swimming - it must be across the chest or securely around the waist.

At this stage, a reasonable survival kit is made.
It has not proven itself yet and cannot be trusted at this stage.

Once complete, the survival kit should be thrown around and dragged through rough terrain, then wearing it while struggling through many gorse bushes, rivers and such like.
Kick it around the kiddies sand pit for five minutes.
Douse it in water and place it in the freezer compartment overnight, then check it is still usable in an emergency.
Wear it swimming (or in the bath or shower) then plunge it into lightly dyed salt water for an hour before disassembly and inspection.

When confident of it's integrity for long periods then it may be considered ready for use. See testing, later.

Packing II.
An excellent alternative to a central wrap on smaller kits with small knives is the ubiquitous tobacco tin.
Either the tin is a stand alone pocket item or included as part of the larger kit described above. Retaining the tin to a belt is again done with cord or using a pouch. Any cords must be protected from abrasion on the sharper edges of the tin, usually the lid., so a pouch is better as it allows faster access.
If the tin is part of a kit with a large knife, then place the tin with the lid away from the scabbard, so the water boiling base of the tin does not get damaged or punctured in a bad fall. Other details include being able to loosely wrap the extra fishing line inside the tin so it lies around the inside edge of the tin. This reduces the bulk of the usual neatly looped bundle of fishing line and gives a less tangled or springy line. Room inside the tin is at a premium, so use it to its fullest ability. Always add a small handle made from piano wire (from model shops) to make the base into a mini cooking pan. The wire can also be used for trapping or belt buckle repair.

Additional components.

Ponchos and Bashas.
This is a classic piece of design but far too large for a small survival kit. The US army lightweight ripstop design is a fine poncho, tent and general purpose water proof.
Some ponchos, especially the disposable cheap type can fold down very small, and with some judicious use of protective alloy foil a knee to compress the package, and judicious sticky tape, can be part of a larger belt system. When folding, always ensure the outside of the poncho package has the corner ends of the poncho on the outside of the folded package, so any damage is to less important areas rather then hood and shoulders and will also help the poncho remain usable as a water carrier. This may be a small point, but lots of little improvements can make the difference between struggling and staying on top of a survival situation.

As ponchos are rather bulky, then for survival, a piece of bright yellow or orange siliconed ripstop nylon wrapped up tight can help a great deal in deserts, jungles and snow. Eight foot by six foot is ideal, but six foot by four is common size for a small 'bashsa'.
If large enough, such as used in larger survival kits for groups, the poncho's close relative the basha, can also make a basic coracle if there is sufficient foliage.
The very cheap disposable ponchos, being made of thin polythene, are often capable of being folded incredibly small. If the only commercially available ponchos are too bulky, and not wishing to use cheap polythene or a bin bag, then try using ripstop nylon as used for kites, available from model shops and in excellent lurid survival colours. As this is not waterproof, you can use liberal amounts of silicone spray, as used for waterproofing cheap tents.
Alternatively, if wanting a more robust waterproof seal, lie the cloth on a kitchen worktop or other smooth surface and squeeze some silicone bathroom sealant or (orange) car instant silicone gasket or (clear) silicone sealant as used for sealing glass fish tanks, across the cloth. Then, using a plastic credit card or similar, firmly scrape the silicone into the cloth to give a very thin layer of silicone between the fibres. Remove as much silicone as possible and scrape it firmly into both sides so that it bleeds through and remains secure, remove excess while still wet and allow to dry while hanging on a washing line. Dust with a little talcum powder to remove the sticky feel. For safest compact folding without sticking, add a layer of cling film to both sides, prior to folding, but only after the silicone has fully dried.
For a central head cover, a little sewing is possible using similar material, or if the hood is not used then a small flap or fastener to close the head slit can be employed when used as a tent.
The poncho should be considered as a dual personality design. For wet weather as a shelter and for dry conditions as a water carrier or sun shade.
As space is a problem, then a humble and cheap disposable 99 pence poncho is a good choice over nothing. It folds up very well and if treated with care, will do many jobs well.
If space is non existent, then the large bin bag (trash can bag) is the smallest option. Carrying a few will allow you to experiment on the next wet walk, to get the design finalised for survival kit and general use. In non windy areas, silting one side and slipping it over the head and shoulders, with the front exposed may suffice, whereas in windy areas, then a head slit and low mounted elbow arm holes keep most of the rain out in concert with a hat or poly bad head cover and can help reduce the wind chill as an outer windproof membrane, but must not be allowed to flap or rip.
Two long bin bags, one inside the other, with straw or grass can make an adequate sleeping bag for cold environments.

Food and water.
Neither food nor water are needed are needed in a kit, as the person should be well fed and have plenty of time to find water. If the survival kit is the only kit being carried on a two day, food free hike, then add a water bottle and poncho. Some experts say that no food is needed for the first day or so, as the last decent meal may suffice for a while and some body reserves are possible. Never allow yourself to be starving before finding oneself in a survival situation.
If it is common to rush out without a good meal, then add a few goodies to eat the following day if things get bad. Never eat them that day.
Any small gaps in the survival kit can be filled with micro sweets, small sachet of curry powder or some chewing gum. Goodies help morale. Gum can help patch leaking water containers.

Optics.
Magnifying glass is a classic way of making fire, but if other ways are practised, it does not need to be used.

If you have sight problems, it is often much better to carry a spare pair of plastic prescription lenses, but radically cut down to fit reasonably comfortably when held with a piece of knicker elastic. Plastic lenses from old spectacles can be removed from their frames, cut down to useful but compact, and then holes made in the sides to take knicker elastic. and a string and foam nose piece. Make sure the lenses are protected in some paper kitchen towel or preferably in a few folds of lens cleaning cloth. See also my website for how to make your own minimalist designer spectacles.

A mirror is used as a signalling heliograph, so a small plastic mirror is needed in any kit. Protect the mirror surface with a piece of soft card, preferably with some survival advice. Add a small hole in the middle of the mirror to act as an accurate signalling heliograph. Alloy foil over a piece of card, or the polished inside of the lid of a tobacco tin are also reasonable mirror substitutes.

That's about it.
Many will make a different kit for their own used, but as a general purpose survival kit, the above can be used to maximise the options for survival in most situations.
(I'm sure the reader will note something I have left out, so please email me at jhpart@btinternet.com, so I can update the monograph.)

The above illustrates just one way to make a survival kit.
In this particular case it is based on a generalised variation of my 'quick grab' kit using a bare form of my mk4 survival knives, but the nato modded knife is also a very close option. This is aimed mainly at the outdoors person who is often close to potential danger in remote or isolated areas.

Testing.
Always test the survival kit before considering it ready for use.
Wear it, then crawling and rolling through undergrowth using just one hand and a leg, to see if it stays intact. Then make sure the knife, or torch or first aid kit can be removed easily with the other hand and used or applied. Then make a waterproof cover and wear it for a ten or twenty mile wet weather walk, while also carrying two litres of water using just the kit. Then make a basic shelter.
It is under these circumstances that MANY modifications and refinements are made - some to the kit, many to your ways of using it !
So go for a favourite walk, using just the kit.
It is always too late to make changes once you are in a survival situation, as this applies not only changes to the kit, but also to the way you use it.
Test and modify the kit BEFORE it is needed.

Once complete, the survival kit should be thrown around and dragged through rough terrain, then wearing it while struggling through many gorse bushes, rivers and such like. Then kick it around the kiddies sand pit for five minutes.
Place the kit in the freezer compartment overnight, then check it is still usable in an emergency with bare hands.
Wear the kit when swimming or having a bath, then use. If this is not possible, then leave the kit in lightly dyed salt water overnight before disassembly and inspection.
Take the kit to the beach when swimming, to see if it works adequately and if the knife cord is long enough to be able to stab a fish for supper without loosing it, then make a fire.

Yearly maintenance.
Many armed services consider survival kits disposable close to their use by date, so hand out the older items for survival training. You should always do the same.
When it is time to maintain the kit every year, first start by taking it, unmodified, out into wet, rough ground, then enacting a survival situation. Then take the last half day of the hike to test the kit. Check if the pack or field dressing leak under water. Check if removal and especially the replacement of the knife is dangerous. Check if the torch can be used easily - put your hands in cold water for a minute, then try to change the batteries. Dig for water, then carry two litres of filtered water. Make a fire. Make a waterproof clothing and make a bivouac. This will ensure the kit is tested properly - without any other assistance, and only after many months of waiting patiently to be used.

It is in times like this that you realise that it is the details that always count, just the simple expedience of using a neck loop of strong sewing thread around the torch, compass and mirror will prevent them getting lost. Having the loop long enough to place them in a breast pocket makes them even safer.
Finding you cannot easily remove the knife or first aid kit with your other hand may also come as a surprise. Get it right before you need it.

Smaller kits.

To make sure everyone can carry a survival kit, it may be necessary to carry a smaller kit, but always make sure you carry the one designed for saving your life.

One step down from making the above kit is to make a 80 or even 70 percent sized knife, and build a similar selection of items about it.

The next step down from an 80 percent kit is to use a folding knife as a part of a 'large pocket kit'.
The best knives must have particular design features. Strength, reliability, and the ability to make shelter. As the blade will be unable to chop wood, then a wood saw blade is important for branches to make shelter. A locking knife blade is important. A certain Swiss army style knife with large locking blade is recommended, although there are other choices.
Around the smaller knife can be designed a smaller survival kit.
A single water pouch, or omitting this, just a single bin bag for either shelter or water use. The normal selection of cord for sewing / fishing. shelter building along with needles and hooks and some waterproof matches. A single white LED torch is simplicity.
First aid cannot be compromised, and a large wound pad must be included, although the bandage can be compromised with lightweight open weave bandage. Adding some tape, and a single alcohol wipe to act as a temporary wound pad plus safety pin is also needed. As the bandage need not be sterile, just the sealed wound pad, then the bandage can be refolded to lay flatter along the smaller kit. As always, a plastic layer for waterproofing and a layer of alloy foil for protection. This is then taped up to make a very compact kit. Mark it with a red or green cross.
The kit is then designed to fit onto a pocket or on a belt or otherwise securely carried at every opportunity.

The smallest possible kit for a real world survival is purely in the mind, but barring total 'super man' status, then at least something must be carried.
A reasonable knife, bin bag and melamine pad, alcohol wipe, safety pin, sew kit with (magnetised and waxed) needles and hooks plus some waterproof matches and an LED torch. This cannot be made interactive, but folded such that it is self protecting and compact above all, so it is there when needed.

Long term kits.

The daily needs of water and cooking take an a more pragmatic form, but this need not be larger items, but still remain compact in form. Daily cooking may be meat or fish based, where boiling of water may only be needed for drinking and perhaps the occasional vegetable and meat stew to make the most of a meagre natural larder.
At the other end of the scale, the hiker may prefer not to damage the environment and live off pre-packaged or even dehydrated foods, where a means of cooking over a fire is mandatory. In such cases, then the cooking pot must be designed to fit with the lifestyle, where it is important to search out the perfect cooking pot, then buy a spare, as they are often very hard to find.
For some specialist survival kits, I've had to make my own pans.

Make your own pans.
It's not just a knife the can be important, but after shelter, humanity has been living with cooking pots for thousands of years, and for a good reason, we like cooked foods. Cooked foods are also safer foods and also a good way to use boil water safely and to cook vegetables.
There are many ways to make a pan, but alloy is usually the easiest to work, unless intending to weld or hard solder the design, when steel may be preferred. Copper is also possible, but is potentially poisonous, heavy and tends to deform too easily.
For a simple pan, such as my favourite which fits around a pack of eight solid fuel tablets, I began with a small pan nearest the size. Then I marked it with soap, heated it over a flame until the soap turned brown, then plunged into cold water. This alloy is now soft enough to beat into a new shape. Ideally, specialist coppersmiths wooden shaped mallets and a sand filled leather pouch are preferred, but the small engineers ball pein hammer will suffice. This is then beaten to shape on the end grain of a soft block of wood, preferably pre shaped to help form the pan, or onto a sand filled, leather pouch.
It is fairly easy to stretch the metal, but very difficult to make it smaller, so a slightly smaller pan is preferable.
The alloy will gradually work harden, so will need to be softened again using soap marker, a flame and cold water, until a reasonable finish is attained.
Making a handle lug or bracket can be riveted in to place with softened alloy bar if no rivets are available. Welding is possible, but if the weld breaks, you cannot repair it. If a rivet loosens, you can tighten it again in the field, using a couple of suitably shaped pebbles.

If two suitable container shapes are made using steel, these can be hard soldered with bronze or welded together to make a water bottle. A screw cap can be salvaged from a similar item. Petrol tanks for old motorcycles have been hard soldered since the earliest times, but the lead in the solder may not be politically correct, and may fail when trying to boil water in the heat of a fire. Alloy must be welded using mig, tig, or in some very skilled cases, with a flame.

The above is given for anyone who wishes to take responsibility for themselves. - Others may find a mobile phone a suitable survival kit. - It all depends upon the person.

The Authors kits.
Despite the above guidance, there are some who do not wish to, or find it difficult to build their own kits.
The mk3 and mk4 knives are matched to personal preference using an outline of the persons hand, and stamped with the owners name or a reference number, so can always be serviced with confidence. Here are my home made knive.

Standard 4 series. This is a standard heavy knife, shown here with wooden epoxied handle. Without the wooden handle, it forms the core of the larger survival kits. If you wish to build your own, a simple and cheap version is described in detail in the authors 'Builders Guide To Survival Knife Design'.

Compact 4 series. This is a smaller, sensible size for a more compact version of the standard survival kit. It has less weight and makes use as an axe less easy. It is the most popular knife and forms the basis of the survival kit described earlier.

Folding large mk6. This is on the same scale as the standard knife, but folds. It is not included as part of any standard survival kit, but a two part outdoors compact kit on a specially designed belt system for minimalist life styles. The blade pivots on a Honda wrist pin and is held in place without play, with a tapered slide lock which cannot shear. The mechanism is self adjusting to ensure a firm blade under all circumstances. The flush fitting safety end catch must be pulled out to retract the blade. Can be stripped and reassembled in the field without special tools.

Examples of smaller kits.
Such a kit based around a decent survival knife may not be suitable or wanted by all people.
Some would like a smaller kit which can be carried in the pocket, possibly on a small aircraft, or for general or urban survival. The smaller kits use a minimised blade, or the Swiss army 'Mauser' and locking knives. Mauser is designed for the German army, but made by Victorinox. A superb survival knife, insofar as a pocket knife can be. It allows an effective, yet very compact survival kit. A Mauser knife based pocket package based on the tobacco tin format for general purpose use from wilderness to inner-cities with compact belt and pouch.

Differences in equipment equals versatility.
You will have noticed that I have mentioned the bin bag, the space blanket and the poncho, which all do the same essential job of shelter, emergency waterproof and water carrying. The reason why I've mentioned variations on each theme rather than just one idea item is that there is no ideal item - When carrying a small package, then the bin bag is best, but when stuck in a rain forest, then the basha is best - you will just have to decide which suits you best, which is the optimal trade-off between usabilty and ease of carrying. Another main factor is that I believe the best survival kit is carried in the head, and therefore almost any half decent items, be it a bin bag or disposable LED torch for just pennies is always better than nothing. So there is no real excuse for not affording a truly useful survival kit. Keep your eyes open - have a go and see just how little it costs to make a decent survival kit.
A cheap survival kit can cost under a fiver, with a second hand mauser knife, or perhaps twenty five pounds if you build your own specialist survival knife with all the best items. (Best does not mean the most expensive.)
As to the one big item, you can also make your own knife for a lot less by reading my companion knife monograph.

Other uses.
When the user leaves for the outback with minimal equipment, then the survival kit can become an active component. In some scenarios, the main pack is kept in reserve and just the knife is required in an active role. The other accessories are a robust metal water bottle and robust, adaptable shelter. Such survival kits then become the core part of a general use belt system.
Water bottles are normally alloy or stainless screw cap designs, preferably kidney bowl shaped, to wrap around the wearer without obstructing arm movement. Modern plastic materials allow for flexible bladders in hardwearing modern materials, but these can puncture and cannot be used to boil water. Good water bottle designs are hard to find, and I have had to resort to hand-making a few suitable designs in alloy or stainless, depending upon the design of kit.

Water bottles.
No commercial water bottle has been found which is good enough to recommend. If any stainless steel or aluminium manufacturer wishes to contact me, please do so, as a selection of superb, effective designs are available for serious consideration. The nearest I have found to date is the Chinese made Sigg oval 0.6litre plastic bottle with integral stainless cup / pan which is a replica of the Swiss 1941 design.

Summary.
A decent survival knife and basic, safe scabbard. Field dressing. Hanky. Water containers/shelter/waterproofs, such as three thick polythene bags which can fit in jacket pockets. Fire kit of waxed matches, magnesium striker, tinder, small party candle, fuel tab. Mirror reflector. Parracord. Wire saw. Small torch (flashlight) and spare battery. Ready to use fishing kit. Whistle. Plastic mirror. Alloy foil. Space blanket, bin bags. Compass. Purifying tablets. Needle and thread. Surgical blade. Medicines.
Half a survival kit is better than none: If this is too big, then make a smaller version bases on a knife similar to the mauser and just one bin bag, LED torch and such like.
All wrapped up to be easily carried and packaged so that it presents each item as and when needed, but without loosing items under the worst emergency conditions. Waterproof, rust proof and ice proof.

When making a survival kit, design it for personal use.
Everyone has a different way to tackle an emergency and everyone lives in different parts of the world. As to what style of survival kit, then it's up to the user. It's probably all been done before, from pocket knife with plaster stuck on the side and parracord strands wrapped in the corkscrew, through tobacco tin kits to full mountain rescue packs with ski-stretchers. What is important is getting it right for you.

So, if you should find yourself half alive, badly cut, hanging out of a burning or sinking plane, at night, in the middle of nowhere, with your best hand damaged, then make sure your survival kit is accessible and ready to help you with minimal hassle.

You do not have to be some social hermit to enjoy the countryside and the superb scenery and hiking on this fine planet. But you must take sole responsibility for your actions, and thus be prepared.
Going for a walk, be it for ten minutes or ten weeks is a wonderful thing, so enjoy your life.
If you take a big rucksack, it may not be so pleasant. If you live closer to nature, it may be less luxurious, but easier and lighter going in many ways.

Start with a simple survival kit, probably less than a tenner, then go for a decent walk. If the weather is nice, perhaps you may walk from a restaurant to a pub, then sleep under the stars with a poncho, doing this for many days until you decide against it or perhaps to do this far more intently and become a traveller rather than a tousist.
Life is for living.

I hope this has been of use.

J.Partridge. B.Ed. B.Sc.
Gizzajob.

Email jhpart@btinternet.com

Please read 'The happy Traveller; A guide for poor men, by Rev. Frank Tacthell.
Written in 1923. Via my website.

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A recent knife modification. Feb 2004.

The above knives were built years ago and I have not modified them much after many years of testing.
Recently a friend dropped by and said 'what can you do with this?" - It was a standard issue Nato pattern British survival knife. I dunno if the public can still buy such equipment from army surplus, but if so, it's a damn good starting point.
The knife is unexciting as a good survival knife should be: honest, solid and reliable.
I would far prefer this humble and unpretentious knife to ALL the fancy American and Asian knives to be found on the internet which purport to be survival knives.

The standard handle is deliberately oversize, simply to allow the user to shape it down to a more comfortable size and shape. This is common with military equipment, where each person normally fine tunes their equipment. The standard knife has nice chunk of plastic for a handle to shape to fit, which can be shaped without splitting or breaking. In Belize or hotter climes, it will not need gloves, but if in Norway or similar, then shaping the handle to be more comfortable in gloves is also a good move.
If keeping the original scabbard. I'd also add some petroleum jelly in cold weather and or candle wax in hot climes to the dot fastener and inside the leather scabbard.

To show what can be done, this knife is given a full rebuild.
The knife will be used as an example of my preferred survival kit, to become the main part of this kit, therefore modified to get the most from its potential.
First, the knife will have a different purpose rather than the general purpose knife. As a pure survival knife, it will become part of a minimalist survival kit. It will become an emergency item, but capable of daily use. In this design the knife will be part of a first use survival kit and this means compactness.

The first step is to remove the handle which is unnecessary weight and also allows access to loose yet more weight without compromising the design, while also allowing further improvement of the design. The handle area can be reduced, but the outside works quite well for my hand, so the metal will not be reduced much on the outside and merely rounded to make a comfy grip, should there be no handle in the field of use.

Stage One : Mr Knifey goes on a diet.
The basic knife has excess weight. Survival equipment need not be heavier than necessary and this knife can loose some. Not only is lighter better, but if the lost weight is from the correct places, it allows room to hide bits and pieces which is yer classic survival mentality.

The rivets holding the sides of the handle were drilled out and the welds holding the finger guard sawn until it too could be slid off. The handle area was then drilled with holes until a hollow handle could be created. Alternatively, buy a cheapo angle grinder with a grinding and a cutting disc for metal. Make a couple of slots a little more than a quarter of an inch from the outside of the handle, then gradually remove the centre. Because this blade is properly hardened, the metal was often cooled in water during the process so that it did not need rehardening. This was then filed to a strong shape and smoothed. The upper and lower faces then lightly rounded and smoothed.

Take your time and ALWAYS wear goggles, breathing mask and ear defenders. Secure the blade firmly in a solid engineers vice. If no vice, then it's also possible to nail the blade to a large plank to allow this heavy grinding to be done.
Attacked by grinder from both sides, the hole is dressed to be nicely shaped, without reducing the thickness nor strength of the handle. The handle needs only be three times stronger than you. If you think you are going to be levering on the knife with a scaffold bar, then make the handle sides a bit thicker.

The eyelet hole for the lanyard was opened out, chamfered and smoothed to prevent abrasion of cordage.

The finger guard was then welded up to make a longer guard and then filed to a good shape.

Stage two: Mr Knifey gets more cutting edges.
The sawback was now initially made. This involved making almost vertical saw cuts to set the distance between each tooth, followed by the undercut saw cuts. This is best done with a knife edged file, but a hacksaw will also do, if you take your time. The cutting edge was not taken to a fine sharp edge at this stage.

Stage Three: Mr Knifey gets smart.
I would like to have kept the original black finish, but the next weight reduction process involves hollow grinding the flanks of the main blade to reduce weight and reduce sticking in wood. For this, I marked the extents of grinding I wanted the hollow grind to be, and then used an angle grinder at a shallow angle to tease the flanks concave until suitably ground. This is not so easy as it seems and involves laying the grinder disc at an angle to show the depth of hollow, then changing the angle of attack of the disc to indicate the grinding makes to help ensure you are grinding evenly along the flanks.
Finally, the cutting edge was given a slight hollow grind from about 2mm from the cutting edge to the flank edge of the chamfer.
At no time was the metal, and particularly the cutting edge, allowed to get hot.
The blade was checked for weight and balance and overall feel in use, then modified until it felt good.

The area in front of the saw blade was chamfered to allow a shaper point to the blade and to help digging and spearing.
The saw blade is then finished into a cutting edge.
The cutting edge was then dressed with a fine oil stone to give a strong cutting edge on the forward cutting edges for chopping and hacking, with a much finer, sharper cutting edge on the rear, for whittling.

The point and cutting edges are purely personal, some preferring a sharp cutting edge for skinning animals and general butchery, others preferring a more robust edge for chopping down trees, digging and general use. The finest edges of the blade are usually closer to the handle for more delicate work, and the more robust cutting edges where you would chop down trees, and on the tip. For butchery then a sharper edge either side of the point is often used.

The whole blade was then linished with a fine disc on the angle grinder, polished then cleaned.
The saw blade area is then finished by draw filling with a flat file over the tips of the teeth to make a flat line which reaches across the whole width of the blade. A piece of fine wet and dry wrapped over a flat block of wood will also do. Once the cutting edges are levelled, then the undercuts can be dressed down to almost touch the cutting edges.

The blade is sharp, shiny and prone to rust. This is not stainless, so a layer of hard candle wax is rubbed over the blade and then gently heated so it flows fully and cleanly over the whole knife. This would protect it from rust and also allow it to slide easier in wood when cutting. If used in icy water, the wax would help release the blade from the scabbard if frozen. The wax could be scraped and melted into paper as fuel or a small candle or to help a difficult fire. For wet, especially sea use, the wax may seem a bad idea, but surfers use the same materials to prevent slipping in extremely wet conditions.

The best alternative is to epoxy the handle, then wax only the blade. Clean then coat the handle area in epoxy resin with a little sand to make a non slip area. For most uses, yellow enamel paint with sand will be easier to see if lost. Although the handle will be covered in parracord later, this remains a good idea, as the parracord may later be needed for many emergency uses.

As this knife will not be used for years and then perhaps in a rubber boat, or in the ice, then the cutting edges and saw blade must be protected with a couple of layers of masking tape to keep them sharp, clean and prevent it cutting the owner or any rubber survival raft.

Stage four. Mr Knifey gets clever:

Shelter, food and water:
Into the hole in the handle is placed water purifying tablets, two different sized fishing hooks, one large, one medium needle, a strong thread, a small kiddies party self re-igniting candle, some lifeboat matches and a thin piece of strike. The needles