Looking for Source: Tactical Handle Beads

[Alex]

Can someone please provide me with a source for the following beads used in these products?

http://www.tacfloat.com/products/detachable-modular-flotation-system

http://www.first-spear.com/product.php?productid=17555


Thanks,
Alex

[Ren]

They might be line or rope stopper balls, tie balls or halyard balls.

Examples here

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/sea-sure--line-stopper-balls--P002_065_006_026

[gearmaker.org]

Nice!

A little more digging revealed two retail sources-

http://www.apsltd.com/c-1523-colored-stopper-balls.aspx

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/sea-sure--line-stopper-balls--P002_065_006_026

They might be line or rope stopper balls, tie balls or halyard balls.

Examples here

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/sea-sure--line-stopper-balls--P002_065_006_026

[gearmaker.org]

Manufacturer-

http://www.sea-sure.co.uk/products-sku?populate=stopper&page=1

[Alex]

Gents, thanks for the leads!

I'm still looking, I forgot to mention that I need a berry compliant solution.

[WPJ]

Let us know what you end up finding out.  I would like to try them out on my quick release plate.

[Martial Concepts]

Alex, did you have any luck with the Berry compliant beads?  I need them now too.

[Martial Concepts]

BTT.

[Alex]

Yes, this one was not easy to find a berry compliant source. There is also soon to be a second source through National molding. James at National showed me the prototypes for their upcoming beads at SOFIC. Hopefully they'll be available later this year.

I bought red, green and coyote beads from Kurt at combatsystems. He buys them from the manufacturer, capewell aerial systems.

If you buy them from Kurt, he'll mark them up a bit but you wont' have to have a massive minimum quantity to order. I've been buying bags with 500 beads of one color at $0.68  cents a bead! Hopefully national will get that price down to under a few cents per bead.

You can try to go direct to Capewell but I don't have a direct POC there and I think they may require high minimums but you should try.

If you go through Kurt, please mention that I referred you (Alex Gallo):   kurtm (AT) combatsolutions.us

Capewell Aerial Systems LLC
TEl: 276-952-2006

Part #s
975AS122-AFG, INFLATION BEAD, FOLIAGE GREEN PLASTIC, UNPOLISHED
975AS122-1R, INFLATION BEAD, 12282 RED PLASTIC, UNPOLISHED, OPAQUE
975AS122-1CY, INFLATION BEAD, COYOTE

[Martial Concepts]

Excellent information, thank you.

[TwoWayTrauma]

I have seen those beads mostly on military "quick inflate" gear, such as the para rescue vest, and something we used to call the "peshi pouch" which were two pouches you would attach to your body armor, that you could pull the beads if you got thrown into water, and it would inflate.  I'm not sure where to get them.

Depending on your application, and your current relation to anyone in the military, I may have another suggestion for beads.  The M-81 igniter is a piece of the "Modern Demolition Initiator" line of explosives stuff that mainly replaced electric demolition systems in the military.  If you take apart an M-81, and pull the components apart, there is a rubber grommet in there that is about 1/2 inch wide, and maybe 3/16 tall.  The hole in the middle is a challenge to jam a double strand of 550 cord through, but once it's on there, it's on there. 

I have made a bunch of pace counter bead sets out of these.  the rubber is sticky, and the beads don't slide around when running.

Just an option I thought I would throw out there.  If you need pics, let me know and I will dig through some of my old stuff and try to find my pace counter. 

Man, that thing has hundred of miles on it.

Chuck
www.twowaytrauma.com

[Martial Concepts]

I found a couple of manufacturers. I ended up using the POC  Alex provided.  They are expensive but are what is required for my current kit. I got coyote and red.  I'll post some photos when they arrive.

[gearmaker.org]

If someone nearby has a lathe with a bar puller, perhaps they'd turn and center drill a few sticks of these cast acrylic rods for you.  It's available in a coyote color (dark tan), red, yellow, orange, etc.  The material is made in IA, USA.

Link to manufacturer