So this really little package shows up...

And inside it is my new 4Sevens Quark Mini 123.

There was obviously a tremendous amount of marketing detail that went into making an exceptional and professional first impression. Hell, I have purchased jewelry for my wife that didn't come in quite that good of a box (not the hard case, the actual box)...not this Walmart junk either...I mean good jewelry. It even comes with a battery. Too cool.

I am really likin' the hidden blinky stuff that I NEVER use...nice that it is there, but I don't want to have to cycle through it to get where I want to go. Really keeps interface to a simplistic level.

Just a really great little light. I am very impressed. For the extra $15, this blows the LED out of the iTP A1. Now I know why there is so much talk about the Quark Mini 123.

For size reference, those candles in one of my kits are .44 Magnum casings filled with wax and a wick. :thumbsup:

Awesome, enjoy the light & hope nightfall comes sooner than later so you can play.

Did you get it in neutral, cool, or warm? Definitely a nice little light. I really like your candles! Also, what is that metal twisty object with the bear paw print?

...as I pondered your fire starting kit a bit longer I figured out that it is maybe flint for that rock?

It's a hard steel for striking with the rock...flint.

The wooden pieces are fatwood, out of the heart of a pine.

The long straight metal piece is ferrocerium...it makes sparks (pre-flashlight content).

The hardwood-handled , misch metal (?) striker is nice, but the one on top gets a big WOW! You can probably tell by my screen name what my favorite method of starting fire is

I have a very similar setup. Good call on the fatwood too, I love that stuff!

P.S. Congrats on the Q-mini, it's a ton of light in a little package. You won't be disappointed.

Thanks for the answer Nasty. You can tell I flunked out of Boyscouts at an early age.

All of that fire starting stuff is great, but what do you use to get the ember started Flint and steel? Char cloth? If so, I will one up you. That baggie is holding charred cottonwood bark. Between that and some dry grass or jute/hemp twine, that is old school at it's finest.:thumbsup:

Having shaken Nasty's hand and talked many an hour on the phone with him, he is another fella that might know what he is doing if given a flint rock, knife and stretch of paracord and asked to bug out a while. :thumbsup:

If you ever want to talk about Khukuri's, I can think of no other more educated man to teach you well about them. I know this first hand.

Oh, this little flashlight is really great too.

Yes sir, char cloth that I cook myself. After catching the spark, I put it in a "bird's nest" of jute, blow until I get a flame, followed by cedar bark, then fatwood, then twigs, and so on til you're burning bright.

Nasty sounds like a cool dude

I got to play with a pair of Q mini 123's (neutral) prior to gifting them to my niece and nephew for their b-day last month. I'm content with my A1, but they really like the strobe (as a good uncle figured they would) :devil:

The little MiNi123 is a nice light. I just got one with a neutral tint. Beautiful output and brilliant on a 16340! Twisty is a good, reliable switch, but I find it slow and cumbersome to use compared to a clicky.

Much as I like my MiNi123, I must admit, though, that the really tiny Preon 1 with clicky tailcap that I got in the same box with my MiNi123 is by far my favorite. My poor MiNi123 has been mostly ignored due to the charms of the Preon 1 which is just as bright running on a li-ion. You should check out the Preon 1 as well... with a clicky tailcap and 10440 li-ion... AMAZING.

Your little emergency kit is awesome. I love the .44 mag casings turned into candles. I've got some .454 Casull and .45 Colt cases I think I may follow you with. Great idea.

That ain't my emergency kit...that's my "any time I go out in the woods and make a fire" kit.

Here is a shameless post of a video I did for a friend and owner of an online knife and outdoor business with a flint and steel...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEl2ObWIHvU

Wanna hear something funny? Those are indeed .454 Casull casings. I recall picking up 10 of them at the local range I am a member of one day:thumbsup:

Regarding the 4Sevens Mini, I hear ya on the clicky vs twisty. I am a bigger fan of the clicky than the twisty, but have no problem sacrificing the size requirements that the twisty offers. Matter of fact, I just bought a Lumapower V3 CPF edition on CPFM and I am quite certain it is a clicky. I am also looking to buy a JETBeam E3S which is also a clicky. I totally hear the argument.:thumbsup:

TwinBlade said:

There was obviously a tremendous amount of marketing detail that went into making an exceptional and professional first impression.

Click to expand...

Yeah, my favorite light just came in a cheap plastic bag.

Hobbs said:

Yeah, my favorite light just came in a cheap plastic bag.

Click to expand...

You use the light, not the package. Every penny saved on extra plastic wrappers and junk is a penny that can be put into making me a better flashlight. Bring on the baggies.