Signal/Fire Dog Tag

Survival kits these days have huge signal mirrors that take up so much space, and matches or fire-starters that eventually run out. Well, magnifying glasses don't run out for starting fires, and a necklace doesn't get in the way. Plus, dog tags are just awesome, right? Well, combine all three elements for a great mini-survival-tool.

Step 1: Materials

I used a plain CD which makes a cool rainbow reflection, but I am planning to remake it using the metal disc inside of a computer hard-drive. The disc in a hard-drive is thicker, stronger, and more reflective than an average CD, but harder to come by, and harder to shape.

Step 2: Cut Out Dog Tag

Draw the outline of a dog tag on the disc and cut it out. I used a bench grinder to shave out the piece form the disk. This completely destroys the entire rest of the disk and leaves nothing left. I recommend using a dremel cutting disk to just cut out the shape from the disk. Cover the non-reflective side of the dog-tag in duct tape, and then tear it off to remove any design and make both sides reflective.

Step 3: Shape Magnifying Glass

Plastic magnifying glasses are easier to shape as they will not chip, but glass ones look and function better. If you're making your dog tag out of a CD, use plastic magnifying glass. If you're making you dog tag out of a metal hard-drive disk, use glass. Shave down the glass with a grinder until it seems a good size to fit in the bottom half of the dog tag. 

Step 4: Add Magnifying Glass and Finish

Shave out a circle at the bottom of the dog tag to fit the magnifying glass. Make it a bit tight. Super glue it in and wait for it to set. Then you can add a silencer and chain or whatever if you want.