*Simple Handle For Scalpel Blades In Survival Kits*
By: MoDOC
31 December 2017

I learned this trick today and thought I'd pass it along. Nothing spectacular, but might be handy-

I've seen several minimalist survival kits with a scalpel blade, not to do surgery, but rather to have SOME SORT of blade if all else is lost. I'd rather have a regular pocket knife or something like the RSK mk5 survival tin knife, but a scalpel blade is better than nothing, and takes up no space or weight.

One problem with them, though (in addition to the fact that they dull quite quickly), is that they're so small that at best they're hard to grip comfortably, and at worst you risk slipping and cutting yourself severely.

You're unlikely to have an actual scalpel handle in a minimalist kit, but it turns out you can make a pretty functional handle from the foil they're packaged in. Just PEEL the foil open just enough to remove the blade (this is how most are designed to open anyway).

If necessary, reverse the blade and carefully stick it back in the foil, leaving as little of the non-working body of the blade as possible. Fold the ends of the foil straight back.

Bend one side of the foil laterally towards the other side, wrapping the body of the blade tightly.

Repeat by bending/wrapping the other side of the foil around the body of the blade. This provides a surprisingly secure grip on the blade, but if desired, the bottom of the foil can be bent towards the front for more stability and bulk.

In the end, you should have a larger, more comfortable, and stable gripping surface making use of these "last ditch" blades safer and more practical, without taking up any extra room in the kit.

Good luck; I'm sure someone can figure out how to make it work better.

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