Events: Security Expo 2015

I had the good fortune to be invited to attend the 2015 Australian Security Exhibition & Conference a couple of weeks ago, which shows it pays to stay in touch with local industry events, so I took a long lunch one day and attended.

The Security Exhibition Conference is the most highly recognized security industry event in Australasia. This year was its 30th anniversary.   The event is billed as the must-attend event for all security professionals from installers and integrators to end users. It's not exactly my comfort zone, and it was great to see what other new industries show themselves to their peers.

The Security Exhibition showcased  170 leading brands in one place and allowed visitors to identify the newest and brightest industry innovations. My best explanation for what I saw, is that there were cameras. Lots of cameras. 3/5 of the expo was camera or camera related.

Thermal cameras, low light cameras, super hi-def cameras. Cameras in does, cameras on poles, cameras on drones. All the downstream systems to process all of that, facial recognition systems, networking, storage, scanning systems. A lot of camera stuff.

About 1/5 of the expo was access-control: ID badges, doors, code-pads, RFID scanners, readers and writers, and the like. Some locks and barrier systems too.

One thing I noted that was curiously absent, from my way of thinking was any counter-technology. There were no lock-picks, code-breakers, spoofers or any other sort of bypass tools, but I suppose that kind of thing might be at an even more secret expo.

Even then, getting into the Security Exhibition & Conference isn't that easy. I had media-type entry, but otherwise they accept professionals in the security industry and end users responsible for sourcing the latest products, services and technologies to manage security threats and protect vital business assets. Entry is otherwise restricted to industry professionals only. People not in this category are not be admitted at any time. Proof of identity and industry involvement may be requested at the door, I had my patches on, and cards at hand, but wasn't challenged, having been invited.

It was a very interesting event to visit, and I made a couple of contacts that I will be following up, such as with Defence Systems Australia, so stay tuned for a post about them. If you are interested and actively in industrial and corporate security I'd heartily recommend attending.

Probably not too useful to the backyard prepper and urban scavenger, unless you're into grey-hatting.

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: Boker 343 scalpel folder

A while back I added a couple of new folders to my collection of pointies. Folding knives are easy to carry, easy to pack and easy to deploy. I've had little folders, from Swiss Army knives, to a more traditional liner lock pocket knife my cousin gave me and I lost in the deserts of the Arabian peninsula.

This delicate and swan-necked blade is the Boker 343, as far as I can tell, a little hard to tell for sure as it seems to be a discontinued line, although it is very similar to the current  Boker Urban Survival knife

This full gray titanium coated, 440C stainless steel blade features ambidextrous thumb bolts for ease of opening. The 5.6cm edge is straight and scalpel shaped, and only 1.9cm at its widest. The long straight edge makes for easy resharpening, although I haven't found I've needed to do much to keep it keen.  This is a paring knife, not a machete, that's for sure.

Featuring a pocket clip on one side, the textured aluminium alloy scales are well formed and fitted, sitting nicely in the hand.

The liner lock has a smooth finish, with little to no wobble to the blade when extended, or when sitting folded. The bolts holding the piece together are very neatly set, and tie the whole look together very nicely.

I liked the feel of the blade in the hand, and the scalpel like wield it offered. Again, this is a precision cutting tool, not a hacker, or slasher.

Slightly too big to fit easily in PALLS/MOLLE webbing, this blade does however sit very unobtrusively and nicely in the pen-slot of admin pockets. The biggest problem I have with it is the slightly awkward opening and closing arc the swan-neck affords when you engage the liner-lock.





For what it is, this is an elegant knife, and sits without drawing attention to itself in my day-bag, waiting for a time when I might need a cutting tool more suitable than the knife in my multitool.

Review: QuickLock

There are times when you really don't want to be walked in on: when rifling through a filing cabinet at the Watergate Hotel, getting a couple of hours rest in a cubicle hotel in Bangkok Airport or trying to stay away from the prying eyes of toddlers having well deserved intimate moments with delicious company, or just don't want to be disturbed whilst having a movement...

Sure, door locks are good, but there are any number of ways to slip around them. Sometimes a little bit more security is needed when you are distracted or otherwise engaged and not ready to repel boarders. Especially when it's not your own home and castle.

I saw these on the get a cheep-cool-thingy site, Zazz, and gave them a try. This is the QuickLock, and it is a remarkably simple piece of pocket privacy protection.

The idea is simple. You slot the long face of the mechanism into the door frame, with one of the "tongues" fitted into the recess where the latch (the bit that sticks out of the door) and strike plate (the metal plate fitted to the wall the latch fits into).

You then fit the accompanying steel bolt into the closest arm of the ^ shape opening, slide it as far down (and thus, close to the door) as possible.

This then makes a wedge that holds the door in place, preventing it from opening inwards, even if the handle is turned and the latch is let free, the tongue holds against the strike plate and door-frame, and the bolt snags the door.

This would  work for most if not any inwards opening hinged door, and is designed to work left or right. I found that depending on the thickness of the door, an distance to the latch-hole of the strike plate, there may even be some wiggle left in the ft, but it held even with some serious jiggling and shaking.

I'd not trust this against a solid boot, and any MOE tools other than lockpicks but for a casual traveler, who worries about someone else with keys coming in to a room you are sleeping in, or "taking a shower"
this might be just the ticket.

It folds up into a slightly more than credit card sized, but totally pocket sized kit, at 86 x 45 x 10mm and fits, without marks, in seconds. 

Certainly adds a modicum of security to hostel, motel or bathroom visits you may have, and would even give the velociraptors a hard time.