The best Bitcoin cold storage?

[Tacticat]

I'm planning on getting one of these:



The ones offered on this website are supposedly survival-proof, airtight and also a tad expensive.
http://www.jazebra.com/pill-fob.html

You can get them from Deal Extreme for $1.5 (dunno about the quality) and I've also found this one on amazon (also airtight) for $5
http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Airtight-Pill-Holder-Keychain/dp/B0012NL9BI?SubscriptionId=AKIAI3W5KMBCWAZXJLTA&tag=surgeagur-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0012NL9BI



I could generate a key on an offline computer/secure computer and then keep the private key locked in there:

Pros:

- They are airtight and waterproof
- I suppose they would resist a fire if they're good quality
- The paper with the would not deteriorate
- They are small and can be carried around or hidden.
- You can seal them with some varnish and know when they were tampered with.

What do you think?

[ercolinux]

Pros:

- They are airtight and waterproof
- I suppose they would resist a fire if they're good quality
- The paper with the would not deteriorate
- They are small and can be carried around or hidden.
- You can seal them with some varnish and know when they were tampered with.

What do you think?

Nice idea, but not really fire resistant if you use paper wallet. The temperature inside the "bullet" can become of hundreds of °C in case of fire and paper burns at only 230°C and even the small amount of air inside can be enough to start a combustion

Anyway this is one of the most secure way to save a wallet I've seen.

[kangasbros]

Do you have the dealextreme link? What about a necklace with some good container?

[TangibleCryptography]

Sure but a fireproof/waterproof media safe/container/chest is probably more secure.  Remember that while paper doesn't ignite until around 250C to 300C, it chars and blackens at only 150C.  A charred unreadable document still means lost funds.  While your metal container may survive the fire it will acts as an oven and destroy the information on the paper in any significant fire.

Even a normal fireproof safe will allow the temp to rise above 150C in a structure fire.  Depending on how long and severe the fire is you can lose some or all of the information on a paper documents.  Your best bet is a media safe.  Since digital media is destroyed at a much lower temp (~50C) these containers are designed to keep the internal temp lower than even "normal" fireproof safes.  You can get a fireproof/waterproof media container (with a nearly worthless lock) for $30 to $50.

If you are ultra pranoid get a fireproof/waterproof media container and then put that inside a TL-15 burglary safe.
  

[franky1]

etch your key onto a small piece of metal and store the metal in a heat proof box.

[Tacticat]

I'll take a look at the media safes.

etch your key onto a small piece of metal and store the metal in a heat proof box.

Do you know how I could etch the key without owning laser etching equiment or similar tools?

[BradZimdack]

For my cold storage, I've used some black granite tile with one of these:

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=290-01

There are few materials more enduring than stone.  It won't fade, rust, decay, burn, or dissolve.  That engraving tool is cheap and easy to use.  It took only a few minutes of practice to get a feel for it, and I can engrave a private key in less than a half hour.  Polished granite tile is available at just about any flooring or home improvement store.

[kjj]

I'll take a look at the media safes.

etch your key onto a small piece of metal and store the metal in a heat proof box.

Do you know how I could etch the key without owning laser etching equiment or similar tools?

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=2113244

P.S.  Laser printer toner makes great masking material, but it may take you a couple of tries to get the bonding step right.

[marcus_of_augustus]

I'll take a look at the media safes.

etch your key onto a small piece of metal and store the metal in a heat proof box.

Do you know how I could etch the key without owning laser etching equiment or similar tools?

Use your noodle? A strip of ally or copper should do fine ....



Google "Letter and Number Stamp Punch"

Edit: Run Linux LiveCD on offline computer, botg.sh https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=23081.0 (on a clean USB stick), metal strip, number-letter punch and you're done. Probably as simple, and cheap as you can get, yet effective.

[Thursday]

I thought of the stamp set but every set I found is just the capital letters.  Maybe you could do the letters upside down to signify lower case.

[Thursday]

Definitely wouldn't recommend a pill capsule with a scroll of paper inside.

I thought of the stamp set but every set I found is just the capital letters.  Maybe you could do the letters upside down to signify lower case.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=134229.msg1429516#msg1429516

[SgtSpike]

I thought of the stamp set but every set I found is just the capital letters.  Maybe you could do the letters upside down to signify lower case.

You could just do the SHA256 hash of a set of random capital letters/numbers that you want, and use the result as your private key.

Precede the random characters with "SHA256" so you don't forget that's how to use them. 

[bbit]

Just make sure its fire proof!

[mr_garrapata]

Why not store your private key in an ATP microSD card and store it in your container?

http://www.atpinc.com/p2-4a.php?sn=00000391

[ercolinux]

Why not store your private key in an ATP microSD card and store it in your container?

http://www.atpinc.com/p2-4a.php?sn=00000391

Electronic storage is not intended for long term: electromagnetic fields can wipe out your data, and due to memory cells structure the data can fade if not refreshed in 4-5 years

[MoonShadow]

I'll take a look at the media safes.

etch your key onto a small piece of metal and store the metal in a heat proof box.

Do you know how I could etch the key without owning laser etching equiment or similar tools?

Use your noodle? A strip of ally or copper should do fine ....



Google "Letter and Number Stamp Punch"

Edit: Run Linux LiveCD on offline computer, botg.sh https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=23081.0 (on a clean USB stick), metal strip, number-letter punch and you're done. Probably as simple, and cheap as you can get, yet effective.

I have to say, that's just brilliant.

[BkkCoins]

Use your noodle? A strip of ally or copper should do fine ....



Google "Letter and Number Stamp Punch"

Edit: Run Linux LiveCD on offline computer, botg.sh https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=23081.0 (on a clean USB stick), metal strip, number-letter punch and you're done. Probably as simple, and cheap as you can get, yet effective.

Or you can easily scratch copper with any hard sharp object.

Or you could use a piece of wire and make notches every so many mm apart indicating 1-16 hex. That would take max. 1m, but more likely a half meter.
(I'd make mine the seed for an Electrum wallet, and that's only 32 hex digits, mine took <12cm - though you could just scratch the words on copper.) I like ways that are free and immediate, and I have copper wire anyway. (You can actually slip the plastic coating back on and it's "invisible" )

[QuantumQrack]

Etch stainless steel or similar metal with chemicals:

http://www.wikihow.com/Acid-Etch-Steel

http://steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml

http://www.makersgallery.com/goss/etch.html

You could make the print rather small and clear and then store this in plain sight? In fact, you may be able to make it so small, it could only be visible with a magnifying glass.

[marcus_of_augustus]

I thought of the stamp set but every set I found is just the capital letters.  Maybe you could do the letters upside down to signify lower case.

Lower case alphabet sets are not hard to find ... not sure how hard you looked.

http://www.pjtool.com/metalalphabetlettersstampingset-1.aspx

The biggest flaw is the possibility for human error transcribing the private key ... whilst thinking of the millions that could go into your address your hands might start sweating, trembling and the hammer slips, letter's all askew and you've skinned your knuckles ...  

Edit: you'll want at least 63 piece set or the deluxe 72 ... upper lower and numbers, punctuations also if you like http://www.ebay.com/itm/72p-Mazbot-2-5mm-Steel-Letter-Die-Stamp-Metal-Punch-Set-/270669621438#vi-content  ... a nicely weighted ball-pen hammer is the best for stamping, could be useful against intruders looking for your private key hidey hole also.

[ah2222255555]

Cut a wound in your arm down to the bone and make notches on the bone instead of copper wire.
When the wound heals, these notches might be visible on an x-ray machine.
This might be a good option for an apocalypse. You would be able to fashion your own x-ray machine using parts from old microwaves.