Thanks for this link. I've been wanting some of these but I was put off by the higher prices. This price point seems just about right.

I'm interested in the contents of the mini-EDC pictured. I've never seen a cutter like that. Where does one acquire those? Also, the same for [what appears to be] the very thin pencil. And what are the rectangular object under the LED light, and the round white thing on top the screw driver?

I don't suppose anyone has a source for these closer to the UK?

Actually not polyethylene (recycle codes 2 and 4), but poly(ethylene terephthalate) which is abbreviated PET and is a polyester not a polyolefin as polyethylene is. PET is recycle code 1. PE is almost always opaque unless in film form, while PET can be produced to be transparent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate

Ouch, Steve Spangler! $11.95 was the cheapest shipping option for 30 to South Carolina! Great product price, but I'll have to pass. Though I'd love to have some for small parts in the shop...

Also available at Lake Charles Manufacturing (http://www.testtubesonline.com/)

Tubes $0.50 each:
(http://www.testtubesonline.com/XL_Baby_Soda_Btls_Giant_Test_Tubes_p/207-0037w.htm)

Caps $0.14 each: (http://www.testtubesonline.com/Caps_for_Baby_Soda_Btls_Blue_p/210-0015w.htm)

- B

I did a quick search and found them for $0.50 without caps at the following:

http://www.testtubesonline.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=207-0031W

It's another $.14 for caps each, but they can easily be scrounged from recycling

The shipping is $12 via UPS, but if you order 15 you can use USPS for $9 instead. Still a lot for that, but almost offset by the cheaper price. Almost.

@Lee: the blade in the picture was reviewed here before:
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/003661.php

They look awesome, but the shipping is almost as much as they are. Yikes! Too bad there's no cool tools discount. I hope they're worth it.

This isn't the first time coolt tools has posted a great little item that costs more to ship than the item. These places that charge exorbitant shipping for small parts should really rethink that policy. They might get a lot more business, I'm saying this incase any of them happen to read this blog.

Maybe CT should make it policy that shipping rates are included when prices are given. This site seems surprisingly influential with buyers, so maybe that would put some pressure on.

http://www.teachersource.com/Chemistry/PreformsAndSodaBottles/SodaBottlePreformsandCaps_30pk.aspx

30 + caps for 19 + 8 shipping = slightly cheaper than getting caps and tubes from the .50 place

@Ezra: I see shipping costs as convenience fees. I just paid a couple dollars more than the purchase price for shipping on an inexpensive eBay purchase. But the flipside is that I couldn't have found what I was looking for anywhere else.

Shipping for small companies can be time-consuming and expensive, and it's reasonable to pass those expenses on. Other than splitting an order with a friend or neighbor, Amazon Prime is one excellent way to save on shipping for at least some web purchases.

@ Davey: It would indeed be useful if we could include shipping costs in addition to item prices, but tough to execute.

@ Patrick: Thanks for sharing that link. CT readers are resourceful.

Of course, the funny thing about these is that they most likely cost Coke & Co less than a cent per- it's too bad we can't buy with the same mega-quantity benefits.

So far no luck in locating a UK or European source :( If you think shipping inside the US is bad, try international, with customs slapping on VAT and handling fees.

My kid's EpiPens come encased in something remarkably like this. The pens expire after about a year, so if you know someone who carries one you might be able to get at least a couple for free.

Spangler also sells a jumbo version: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/1673 .
They measure 18 cm (7") tall, 4.5 cm (1.75") in diameter and hold 240 mL (8 ounces) of liquid.

Yet another doodad to pick up at County Comm!

@lee in comment #2 the cutter is from countycomm, check out http://www.countycomm.com/edc.htm and be sure to bring your wallet :D

I get mine from Steve Spangler's site. I like supporting an educational website, and I am usually ordering other things as well from there. I don't mind paying the shipping fees to an educational site, because I know of all the other things Steve Spangler does to make our children's education better.

I use the baby soda bottles when I fly; the security checkpoint people are kind to them! They're strong and waterproof and hold almost anything.

Thanks everyone for finding a better source for these tubes (and for correcting my chemistry).

@Lee here's what's in my tube-kit: cheap LED keychain flashlight ( http://countycomm.com/light10.htm ); pocket straight razor ( http://countycomm.com/straightrazor.htm ); Band-aids; safety pins; jeweler-sized screwdriver; pen (liberated from a Swisscard); pill towel ( http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/japanfan/b235/ ); USB drive. The flashlight is at the bottom and has some dental floss tied to it, so you can easily extract the contents. Not pictured, but recently added: two hard candies, for the Pacification of Children etc.

@Elon, CountyComm is an Internet only business, they specialize in all kinds of small parts and tools, that is their business, how does it make sense that they're charging a convenience fee? I would call it customer service, to offer a reasonable product at a reasonable price. You can't even opt to drive there and pick something up. I will never buy anything from CountyComm ever, unless they offer me free shipping for life. Maybe their business model works for them and you, but I'm voting with my feet and refusing to pay their crazy high shipping prices. They could offer an option to throw small parts in an padded envelope and ship for actual postage and envelope costs like so many GOOD e-sellers do.

For everyone who is looking for those razor cutters I bought some here http://guthook.com/pocket-skinner.htm for $1.50 each plus a quite reasonable $.30 shipping.

In the plastic molding industry these are called "preforms", look up email addresses for plastic bottle companies and even companies that make the molds themselves. Maybe a nice email or call to a place will get you a few or even a box. I used to work for a mold manufacturing company and we boxes of these sitting around everyone's desk.

@Ezra:
I wasn't commenting on County Comm specifically, but rather small
businesses in general, and the nature of buying things on the web. I don't
know how CC runs their business (have never purchased from them), but
it's fair to assume that a small business will charge what it needs to for
shipping and not more, at the risk of alienating customers precisely as
you are in this situation. If they charge excessive S&H fees, then
customers will be turned away, as you (and others) have obviously been. Perhaps their business model is based on bulk orders or larger items, and it's not profitable for them to sell these small items without making it up on the S&H end. I don't know. You've decided it's not worthwhile for you to buy small things from them, and that makes perfect sense.

And I didn't mean convenience fee from the business' standpoint, but from
the customer's. How much are you willing to pay for S&H to buy something
on the web that you haven't been able to find locally, or anywhere else? Obviously not what County Comm is charging in this case.