Small Business Spotlight: Operator Survival Tool (OST)
Welcome back to TFB’s Small Business Spotlight! In this weekly article series, we talk about small firearm-related businesses. In today’s edition, we’ll take a look at Operator Survival Tool (OST), a manufacturer of an AR-15 maintenance/survival tool and other accessories.
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Business Name: Operator Survival Tool
URL: www.operatorsurvivaltool.com
Years in business: More than five years
About Operator Survival Tool
I was working as a Deputy Sheriff in the jails on the night shift with nothing to do while the inmates were asleep, so I created my first product. It was a survival multitool that could clean your AR-15, start a survival fire and sharpen a knife, all while being the size of a Chapstick! After getting a utility patent on it and learning how to run a small business (one-man show), I have since created many more firearms cleaning tools, including the smallest and lightest field cleaning kit and the most efficient star chamber brush on the market. I also created some shooting target stencils designed to save people money on quality training targets as well as a 3D target for shooting and moving that was awarded a patent as well. I also have a whole new line of products coming out soon that solve a problem I have been having for years.
What makes Operator Survival Tool unique?
OST is all bout solving problems through simple innovation. My goal is to provide simple, quality-built products that solve problems and add value to my customers. Basically, I'm a really average guy. If I have a problem in the firearms space, and the market hasn't solved it yet, I look to solve it. If I have a gripe about how someone else solved a problem, I'll try to make it better while still being simple.
Pictures by Operator Survival Tool
Managing Editor Being a lifelong firearms enthusiast, Hrachya always enjoys studying the history and design of guns and ammunition. Should you need to contact him, feel free to shoot him a message at Hrachya@TheFirearmBlog.com
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Both this and their survival version have the bottle opener opposite sharpish edges. Why put the can opener edge where the heal of your hand would be when opening that beer? First thing I saw. 'Course, I'm an old fart. And I like my beer!
I always look at tools like this and wish it they didn't have half the things, but had:
long flathead on the grip for removing grip screws (needed to remove most safeties)
1/4" bit adapter and a T10/T15 double sided leatherman bit for scope mounts and 1/8" and 9/64" allen bit for MLOK attachments. The bits should mount in slots on the tool, a simple O-Ring retains them.
Buffer tube castle nut wrench.
Barrel nut wrench (both Milspec and a 1-3/16" wrench for low profile barrel nuts)
Small flathead for adjusting the little red dot windage and elevation screws.
This would allow me to mostly disassemble and adjust most anything on and AR in the field. Right now I carry 4 different tools to do all this.
Paper towel cleans the entire BCG just fine since everything has started being Nitrated, but for field "cleaning" if you actually shot 1000 rounds all you need to do is add some oil to everything. I've never had to scrape anything on an AR due to carbon buildup in the field. If I was planning on firing 2000 rounds suppressed in a day I'd bring an extra BCG instead of a scraper...