How to Make Sharps Cartridge Boxes!

The always elusive Sharps arsenal pack is no longer a mystery.  Capt. Whitehall and I have been researching these for some time now.  After re-reading Bill Skillman's detailed article on making these, I thought I'd put the Company D spin on it.  Armed with my cartridge tin, I hit the craft stores.  Pasteboard boxes are commonly discussed and the Skipper had been talking about using jewelry boxes recently.  I quickly gave up on the bulkiness of pasteboard boxes that never quite fit and hit the jewelry section of Michael's.  In just a few minutes, I found a four pack of jewelry boxes that fit my tin perfectly.  The boxes were also paper-wrapped much like the originals and cost only $3.99.  If you pull up your 40% off Michael's coupon on your phone, they're even cheaper!   Here's what you'll need:

• A brown paper grocery bag/lunch bag for your hinge.
• Sharp Xacto knife
• White glue 
• Sharps cartridge box label
• Ruler
• That's it!

Here's how to do it:

1. Cut one long side off of the lid.  Removing the bulk off the back of lid helps the box slide in and out of the tin much easier.  Cut carefully and don't try to cut all the way through at once.  Multiple passes make for a cleaner cut.  Then put the lid back on and check the fit.  You want the lid to fit flush against the back.
2. Using a large Popsicle stick, like I do, or using a ruler, cut a roughly 3/4" strip off of your grocery bag.  If you're making several, cut a long piece.
3. Butt one end of your strip up against the inside of the back of the lid and using your Xacto knife cut the hinge to length on the inside of the other side of the lid.  You're going for an inside diameter fit.
4. Fold your hinge length-wise taking care to make a very crisp fold.
5. Using white glue (or glue stick, or other gluing method) use just enough to evenly coat the inside of the hinge.  Spread evenly with your finger.  You don't want any puddles or squeeze out.
6. Put your lid on the your box and apply the hinge.  Aligning it carefully, smooth the hinge to remove any air bubbles that may have snuck in.
7. Let dry.
8. Apply Sharps cartridge label and enjoy!

Using this method, you can manufacture your box any way you like.  You can add an additional strip with a string glued inside so you can open the box like it was brand new.  This auction site link: HERE shows how the arsenal packs were wrapped.  There is variety in construction.  Some are stamped with the label, some have pasted labels, some are white boxes, and some wrapped caps in light-weight brown paper. Remember, Sharpshooters used these boxes a lot and there are many accounts from Sharpshooters using these in combat.  In less than 10 minutes, you can really improve your impression and make your life a lot easier while shooting prone or from cover.