We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:53:19 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification ...and resist the temptation to spend all the time googling Bill's thrice-dam*ed "Whazziss?". I hate it when John whines. He never serves the proper cheese... *segue* ...cheese, you guys were woefully shortchanged during your survival training (you prolly drew the SEAL for an instructor--they have a tough time with the concept of "fire" as something you make, as opposed to something you call for). "simple, it's a butain lighter from a survival kit"--Mudpuppy1975 got it! Lighter, butane, refillable--the firestarter kit from the SRU-21/P Aviator's Survival Vest. Bigger pic (easier to see the details, not necessarily higher resolution. John doesn't call... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html Thu, 11 May 2006 01:24:57 -0600 All I'm gonna say is there's a reason Zippo's been in business for almost 75 years. Damn good lighters. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45187 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45187 Sat, 13 May 2006 07:06:45 -0600 One of the few nice things about the .38 is the plentitude of wadcutters available for feeding the cute li'l thing. "Honest, sir, we were on our way out to the berm for some practice on a couple of C-rat cartons when these guys came under the wire with a satchel charge. Yessir, I'll get some paper towels and clean up the mess before Group Six gets here..." I've got a hunch that a Zippo wrapped in cellophane (*not* a ZipLoc baggie) then duct taped along the seam will retain enough fluid for a whole bunch of lights, even after six months or so. If not, you can still pull out the cotton wadding and throw sparks on it until it catches. Zippos were great for lighting off the little stoves we made out of c-rat cans. You can praise MRE food straight to heaven--although even Natick Labs won't do *that*--but you still can't make anything usable out of the packaging... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45165 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45165 Thu, 11 May 2006 21:58:45 -0600 Of course not, JTG. *She's* not subject to the Conventions. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45159 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45159 Thu, 11 May 2006 18:38:11 -0600 Chief(ret.), I hope my sweety doesn't read what you wrote above. She carries a .38 J-frame. Of course, hers is loaded with Gold Dots, not the insipid inaccurate incompetent silly ball rounds issued by the .gov. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45154 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45154 Thu, 11 May 2006 17:25:19 -0600 Ah, I think I made some chaos on the original thread about these objects, which I made worse when trying to clarify what I wrote. I was yelling at JoA to put that foot up, dammit! To get back to what you just said; Those were some expensive complicated govt. solutions to a problem already solved by the Zippo people years and years ago. I mean, anyone can buy multiple Zippos, and stash them all about his person and equipment; surely one or two will survive the horrible crash? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45152 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45152 Thu, 11 May 2006 16:55:34 -0600 Jtg - Unfortunately, the WTFs leaked regardless of temperature--it was a combination of O-rings from the lowest bidder combined with an original fill of something like 0.00003psi above ambient--there just wasn't enough *shove* from the inside to make a tight seal. I spent a fruitless half hour a decade ago trying to replace the O-ring in the MkI with a thicker one, on the theory that tightening it during reassembly would create a better seal. Exercise. In. Frustration. BTW--*what* foot comment? I miss a lot these days. AW1 Tim - I hope you packed the matches head-down. That sandpaper on the inside of the cap can turn a match case into a pipe bomb if the lucifers aren't stored properly. And, IMHO, you made an excellent choice of sidearm--about the only way to hurt somebody with a .38 is to pistol-whip him with it, especially if he's pumping adrenalin. I left the one I was supposed to be carrying in my dufflebag, wrapped in an oiled rag... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45150 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45150 Thu, 11 May 2006 16:29:11 -0600 V29 beat me to the obvious "Boys and girls, can you say Zippo?" comment. I quit smoking a coupla years ago, but still keep mine handy and full. It's, like, *low-tech* and hence always works. I reckon you could put one in a Ziploc (of course!) baggy to slow evap in hot climates. If they won't allow it in an airliner, it's obviously something you need to have. Oh, BTW, the foot comment was directed at The Armorer. P.s. I still have my ancient chrome-plated brass Boy Scout match safe, and lots of strike-anywheres. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45149 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45149 Thu, 11 May 2006 15:00:38 -0600 Comrades, Nice to have a lighter. The USN issued me one of those OD plastic matchsafes and stick matches with my LPA. Also had pencil flares, knife, shroud cutter, dye marker, salt-water activated strobe light, and other odds and ends. They gave me a .38 revolver as well. I asked them if I had to take it, and they said no. I was more worried about hurting myself with it than anyone else. The .38 I replaced with my own .45 M1911. Memories....... Respects, AW1 Tim http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45140 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45140 Thu, 11 May 2006 08:36:19 -0600 No flashbacks in a long time. Just some scary memories that time seems to age and soothe as it passes. Life is but a dream.......... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45138 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45138 Thu, 11 May 2006 07:51:28 -0600 V29 - M1911 with extended mag, sawed-off M2 and General Buck (he of the long, sharp tooth). You shoulda kept the Zippo in your shoulder pocket (I kept a Vu-Lighter in the kangaroo pouch and--geez, I got a great TINS about that one. Speaking of TINS, I found a decent map of that area west of Moc Hoa where the Mike-boat got popped with the RPG. I'm including it in the story, if it won't send you into flashback mode... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45135 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45135 Thu, 11 May 2006 07:11:18 -0600 Well Bill, in a hundred years I would'nt have gotten that. Wear a vest? Shoot I don't even remember seeing one. My survival kit comprised one ea., .38, grease gun and big honkin knife. BTW, smoked back then, so had my own Zippo which was also refillable and which the Ruff Puffs insisted on stealing from the console. I must have gone through about a doazen of them. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45134 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/05/whatziss_is_ziss.html#comment-45134 Thu, 11 May 2006 06:54:21 -0600