The humble Altoids Tin.

[Paul]

Small, airtight (ish) and I was wondering how many you have and what do you use them for?
I'll start:-
1. Spirit Burner.
(Fibreglass mat, tea strainer wire mesh on that, and 1cm grid galvanised wire to hold it in place.)
2. Camp Candle (6 wicks).
(Melt 6 tea candles and pour into the tin on top of the wicks you saved from the original tea candles)
3. Combined fire starting & Tinder Box.
(Fire steel, 'zippo', spare flints, cotton wool straws, rubber strips, safety pins, joke (can't be blown out) birthday candles, wire wool straws)
4. Sewing Kit.
(sewing, canvas, and curved needles. buttons, wool card, hard backed razor)

[Tonka]

I use mine to keep my Altoids in... the peppermint helps with my digestion.

I also use one for slugs ... sorry Skean, I mean airgun pellets. For when I don't want to have to keep unscrewing a lid and putting it somewhere (or dropping it somewhere) when loading.

[Nemesis]

You can make a stove with these small tins, I know I do talk a lot about stoves, I guess that’s even worse than train spotting, but yeh a stove, the design is along the lines of what you said Paul with the 2. Camp Candle but instead of wicks you use rolled cardboard, I am in fact in the process of making one at home, only it’s in a round sweet tin.


Clean water in an emergency.

Make char cloth.

Signal mirror.

Distraction.

[Scythe13]

I plan to use mine as a system of bribery, on the off chance the person I'm dealing with is a collector of Altoids tins. I'm using a similar technique for if I get attacked. The offer of an Altoids tin might sway the odds greatly in my favour haha.

In all seriousness, I'm currently chomping through 2 Altoids tins, because WnC mentioned something about living from a survival tin. I've never been a fan of them, they always seemed to be a gimic to me. However, the challenge is always worth a try.

[bigpaul]

i use 'baccy tins..both the 1oz and 2oz size! get them cheap on ebay.

[Paul]

(2 May 2012, 18:25)bigpaul Wrote: i use 'baccy tins..both the 1oz and 2oz size! get them cheap on ebay.

I've still got my 2oz baccy tins for the important things in life like loads and loads of tea bags so I don't rely totally on the Altoids tins.
Problem I've always found was the lids on the baccy tins get loose and pop off usually distributing their contents inside my bag or better still all over the ground. Burst tea bag in kit bag is NOT NICE!
"Use an elastic band" I'm hearing. I do ,did, or what ever.
Then it's dark, cold, wet, and the elastic band snaps, or wings off into the bush. (ever noticed how it's always a nettles or bramble bush?)
The little Altoids tin has a lovely little hinge. As soon as baccy tins have, I'll swop completely.

My little Altoid stove is brill though. Runs off any liquid fuel AND dead easy to "snuff". Problem is it's all or nought heat. Still perfecting a simmer control i.e. a slide on semi perferated sheet but can't seem to get it quite right. You experts probably use Trangia stoves though or something equally posh.

I'm curious though, how many of you use penny stoves or have even tried them?

[bigpaul]

i think your baccy tins must be old and loose Paul i bought some new ones off ebay some time ago, and i've got to fight with the damn things to get the lids off!

[Paul]

(3 May 2012, 11:44)bigpaul Wrote: i think your baccy tins must be old and loose Paul i bought some new ones off ebay some time ago, and i've got to fight with the damn things to get the lids off!

And at first your quite right bigpaul.
They are air tight, real struggle to open.
Old my tins are especially as everything has to wait until I've made a brew.
(And i drink loads of tea!)
But tight lids actually adds to the problem at night, when it's difficult to see what you're doing.
Too tight, struggle, lid pops open suddenly, all important teas bags or contents go flying.
Add a bit of cold and wet and your grip might not be too good either. Same result.
Wearing gloves doesn't help and invaribly makes life a bit more interesting.

But the 'umble Altoids tin is hinged, has a good lip to get your thumb under and being small, if a disaster happens, I don't lose a lot of content.

[bigpaul]

i have nothing against the Altoid tins but i have always considered them too small, thats why i go for baccy tins.

[00111001]

(3 May 2012, 21:17)Paul Wrote:

(3 May 2012, 11:44)bigpaul Wrote: i think your baccy tins must be old and loose Paul i bought some new ones off ebay some time ago, and i've got to fight with the damn things to get the lids off!

And at first your quite right bigpaul.
They are air tight, real struggle to open.
Old my tins are especially as everything has to wait until I've made a brew.
(And i drink loads of tea!)
But tight lids actually adds to the problem at night, when it's difficult to see what you're doing.
Too tight, struggle, lid pops open suddenly, all important teas bags or contents go flying.
Add a bit of cold and wet and your grip might not be too good either. Same result.
Wearing gloves doesn't help and invaribly makes life a bit more interesting.

But the 'umble Altoids tin is hinged, has a good lip to get your thumb under and being small, if a disaster happens, I don't lose a lot of content.

I had a 3 oz Rizzla baccy tin that was hinged. Nice big size, could get silver king skins in there, a loads of fags / baccy and whatever else I used to carry in it Not seen one for ages though.