Review: TacticalKeychain - TiMaG Paracord system

Not only do I love titanium, and magnets, but also paracord, so when Brad Martin of Tactical Keychains put up a KickStarter project that combined all three, I jumped onboard. I have been collecting the Tactical Keychain range for a while now, with the classic WTF tool (and its variants) as well as the larger cousin, the Large WTF but also the very functional TiKeY key-keeper set, the very crafty TiPiK lockpicks and most recently the also magnet equipped TKMB pen.

The TiMaG project however has been one I haven't reported on for some time, even though I've had these little magnets on my person for quite some time (as astute readers may have noticed, as they sit on my pocket-keychain tool ring).

Billed as magnetic push-pins, and even as "the most overbuilt magnets in existence", these little milled Grade 5 titanium plugs, each with a 2.5kg (5.5lbs) draw neodymium-iron-boron magnet built into the plug. Three channels cut into the sides of the plugs allow you to grip, or or even fit them with o-rings (7/32" ID x 11/32"OD x 1/16"C) for even better grip.

As push pins, they work fantastically, fridge-doors, white-boards, car body. Metal surfaces are just the ticket.

 The standard TiMaGz have the magnet's polarity set in one direction so they repel each other, for ease of manufacture but the Paracord system TiMaG's are created with 50% N 50% S polarity, so they will stick together. (just like the unfortunately fictional MagHook) .

Where the TiMaG's come in handy in a survival situation might seem a little obscure, but with some lateral thinking, a myriad of options arise: Dead drops of keys, papers and the like, either held by the magnet, or attached through the drilled paracord channel.

 I have one threaded through the steel cable of my bundle of pocket keychain tools, meaning I can stick them to a surface and access them, or have my Jil Lite Constel lantern light up my space. I've used the paracord loop to allow me to dowse for dropped items, screws, bolts, knives, needles. 

All manner of ferromagnetic needfuls of a certain weight can be "harvested". The key thing is your imagination, and the contact area you can manage with the TiMaG. Even though the magnets are rated at 2.5kg, I found that the sides and even top of a 450g can of spaghetti needed some finesse to retain a positive lock.



For simple packages, like papers, a spare key, or even say a Oscar Delta - Deep Carry Tube these are an excellent system for anyone. More advanced uses, well, you take your chances, but they are a damn well made set of mini-tools, and I love the aesthetics.

Be sure to check out Mike's NEW Kickstarter, the all new, updated WTF2.0 and TiStiK combo, I'm already a backer, and looking forwards to seeing what they're like to use.

Review: Tactical KeyChain - TKMB

Here is another addition to my EDC out of my pal Brad's workshop. I have a couple of other fancy pens in my collection, with the S&W Tactical Pen, and the Cybernetic Research Labs Tactical Pen. (I also have one of the very fine EDCPen's reviewed, pending release on another site .. .watch this space...). This is a great addition to my collection of titanium tools from Tactial KeyChains, such as the indespensible WTF tool, the very nifty TiPiK lockpicks and the eminently practical TiKey key holder.

This is the TKMB: Precision Machined, which is a small, comfortable, well-balanced, lightweight, strong milled titanium pen.

The TKMB is just 12.5cm (4.9") long and is milled from titanium rod. The tip is milled as well, and press-fitted into the barrel. I tried for ages to dislodge mine, and could not. Brad finally smacked me up-side-the-head and reminded me that the back-cap unscrews to gain access to the insides to refill the pen.
 
Empty, the pen weighs a slight 12g (2.14 US Quarters in weight), and with a refill a mere 17.5grams (3.12 US Quarters in weight).

The working end and tail are machined with threads to take a similarly highly engineered cap, (with or without a magnet, guess which I chose?).


Interestingly, Brad designed these pens to be as slim as possible (thanks to the tremendous machining available to us in the modern equipped world) and to be able to take the "Fineliner" and "Rollerball" refills perfectly, along with Parker, Fisher, Schmidt, Monteverde, Mont Blanc, Caran D'Ache, Cross. I bought and fitted a Parker "Space Pen" refill to mine,along with the included rubber tubing spacer, and the additional 8 mini-magnets.

What's with all the magnets, you might ask?

Between the magnet in the end cap, and the internal magnets, which can be placed in a couple of different configurations, you have the ability to both pick up ferrous materials (dropped screws anyone?) and also being able to place stow and store the pen. I also found that I could retain the clip on the side with the magnet.

Magnets are awesome, and I love it when I can add some to my kit. Another great element of these pens are the groves milled into the sides of both the working end and along the caps. Using the included o-rings, you can customise the grip and balance of the pen. Brilliant for those of us with big hands, and giving you a better fit, in case you are stowing yours in PALS/MOLLE like I do.

 

I have been really pleased with this as both an easily carryable pen, and also the added utility of the magnets, both for picking up items and as a means of placement.

As with all of Brad's work, its highly engineered, thoroughly tested and fir for purpose, and in this case, came with a killer custom anodizing job, (thanks for that!). I even got a second one to give to my partner, because having a reliable pen, is essential, and the titanium body, Parker Space Pen combination was too good not to share!

Update: WTF mini wrench and pry bar

A little while ago I reported on my pre-release WTF Ti mini-pry bar that I managed to sweet talk Brad of TacticalKeyChains into sending me, as it was a second. Just recently my full order from the Kickstarter campaign arrived, and thought I should show off the pre-production version against the production models.

 I ordered both titanium and the chromium/molybdenum  chromoly 4130 steel "stealth" version which has been Parkerized for shine and corrosion resistance. The main physical difference between the Ti and chromoly is the machining, in that the face of the pry-edge of the Ti versions is textured from the machining, where as the chromoly  version is smooth finished, due to the requirements for working the different metals. I like them both, and have had no discernible difference in performance when prying, they both bite nicely.

I had the production WTF anodized to a rose-gold colour, as it was going to be a gift for Omega (which she put straight onto her key chain, along with her NuKo Tool TiGBi Skully ). The only real difference between the the production version of the Ti WTF, and my "seconds" version is the lanyard hole is not quite centered in the second. In theory this might weaken that end, but I can't imagine putting enough force on the lanyard hole to make that an issue.

The Ti WTF's (made of Ti-6Al-4V) weigh 7.8g and the Stealth WTF (made of AISI 4130) weighs more at 11.5 grams, which is a small price to pay considering the benefits.

Brad has kindly provided some metallurgical stats on the materials he uses for the WTF's. The Ti-6Al-4V - has an Ultimate Tensile Strength of 138,000 psi and an elasticity modulus of 16,500 ksi, which means it is very very resilient, and springy. It will flex under stress.
TheChromoly 4130 has a Ultimate Tensile Strength - 97,200 psi but has an elasticity modulus of 29,700 ksi meaning it is not quite as resilient but VERY stiff.
Compare that against the aluminium 6061-T6 used for the basic WTF's which has an Ultimate Tensile Strength of only 45,000 psi and an elasticity modulus of 10,000 ksi  which is to say, relatively soft.

The cromoly WTF has the advantage of being ferromagnetic, and the wrench bits will not "give" when working stubborn nuts.  I really like my WTF's, i wear the golden "second" around my neck as a part of my EDC, and the chromoly version has found a place in my ZuluNylonGear CAOS admin pouch. These are brilliant little tools, and I'm glad I made the investment.