personally what i want to get is one of those really unique steal knives. not the regular 440 stainless that every ones got because the sharpen really nice but the don't hold it so i have to carry a nice sharpening kit with me when i hunt(extra weight i dont want to carry)so what are your guys recomendations?
Last week after watching Survivorman, I found this topic and read all the posts. I read some good ones and some great ones. Now I hope I have posted a good one as well. Tea light candles; I have a brass candle lantern plus fold-flat reflector and 6 tea light candles in a zip top bag in my fannypack. I have those waterproof matches in a box with the striker on the side in the lantern and some strike anywhere matches as well. The fannypack is part of my JanSport Nepali backpack, as is the daypack which is zippered to the front of my pack. The daypack and fannypack are part of my 10 essentials and survival equipment, as are my CampTrails Pathfinder and my Nite-Ize Pock-its. They all strap to me or to a strap or my belt. This topic has given me some ideas about what all I need to have in these items. The tea light candle lantern just one. I found the 'Strike Anywhere' matches at a outdoors store a year ago but only bought one box at the time, and they have since closed. nutpantz had a good post about the fire starter of cotton balls and vaseline. It reminded me of something called 'fire bugs': take a few sheets of newspaper and roll them up tight, tie strings around it every couple inches to hold them together when you cut between the strings, dunk each 'bug' into melted wax. I haven't tried this yet as I haven't had the wax. But I was told it makes an excellent fire starter. Although, the cotton balls and vaseline sound like it would be lighter and less bulky. gatorfarmer74 quote: There's a commercial kit that runs about 30 bucks...manufactured by Adventure Medical. It's called Pocket Survival Pak. It looks like a great idea, especially the things he suggested to add and how it fits into pockets. Then came the MRE posts. My suggestion is break down the MREs and vacuum pack them as you like. I also suggest carrying Spam and/or Stew. In honor of formermarine0341, who registered on my 50th birthday, I now have 3 P38s, one on my dog tag chain, one in my wallet, and one in my CampTrails Kitchen Sink Pocket pack attached to the front of my backpack. But I would add carrying jerky and/or pepperoni sticks because those will easily fit in pockets or fannypacks or daypacks. Along with gorp, granola or power bars, all homemade preferably, and dried fruit or fruit rollups. I liked lindbergh-baby's list, as I have most of the things there, and nurkerool suggestion of a magnifying glass reminded me that I have a small plastic one in my fannypack. fetino quote: "I would like to add a light source that needs no batteries." good idea, but I will take it further, a wind-up flashlight with AM/FM/weather radio, as knowing what is blowing in will of itself be lifesaving. I have one of those Faraday flashlights, but will have a crank-up type because a few minutes of cranking will give many minutes of use.
quote:
lindbergh-baby Also, since one main thing about survival is to try and use what is around you without using what you have. Pine tree resin makes an excellent fuel for fire starting, since its a hydrocarbon, if you don't want to use your wax or if you left your wax at home.
Take your cotton ball, put some pieces of pine resin into it and spark the ball. The resin will melt and create a candle effect.
I hadn't known this, now I do. Another fire starter in my fannypack is a magnesium block with flint. I just need to put something white and big enough to catch the shavings into the fannypack with it, like a piece of plastic cut from the side of a gallon milk jug. I just thought of this. I'll cut to size of where I carry my magnesium block. The plastic will be an excellent way to see the magnesium shavings in low light conditions, and to get the shavings where needed. Perhaps that plastic will be helpful in other ways. I don't have a folding saw or the chain of a chainsaw, but I do have a cable saw that I keep in my fannypack, like the one Les used in one episode unfortunate that his broke so quickly. I have tested mine because of that episode, and have cut through a 2" dry tree limb in just a few minutes. I hope it will continue to work, but I may solder the end parts to the cable. Then comes the posts about hatchet and folding saw and the pocket chainsaw. All might be good to have in my backpack, but I don't know if they would fit in my daypack or fannypack. I have a hatchet in a sheath I made for it in my backpack for setting up camp. The sheath clips to the web belt I wear during camp setup along with my shovel and straight knife in sheaths, and my Nite-Ize Pock-its containing my Leatherman Wave and my AA Mini Maglite converted to LED. The oatmeal packets and the energy/fruit drink packets and bouillon cubes are also good things to carry in pockets or packs. I just recently bought a metal cup that fits to the bottom of a Nalgene 1Litre bottle that is in my daypack. Inside the bottle are zip top bags of energy drinks. I will mix the energy drink and water in this bottle, then pour it into the 1L soft bottle I carry, because I don't like to hear the sloshing while walking. 'Strike Anywhere Matches' I had been trying to find them, then found them in an outdoors store that has closed since then. That store has 2 other locations some 70 miles north of me. I hope I will find another local store to get strike anywhere matches. I only bought one box at that time. I keep my matches in a brass screw top case attached to my camp stove packbag, which is dual fuel as is my lantern. The whole side of the match case is where to strike the match. I may get more, for pocket and fannypack. The camp stove is in my daypack along with cookset and water purification pump and backpacker's first aid kit. Liked the post of Ebic Zebulanious on 06-11-08 lots of great suggestions. I copied that list and put it in the Camping folder of my PC. I haven't gone through it to find what I have already, what I will have soon, etc. Liked the post of Metalhead_Jtk also. Copied that too. I had an adjustable flame replaceable flint refillable butane lighter with a small knife blade and file and scissors, but just after the initial fill of butane the flint striker wheel wore out. I would like to have another one, but don't know if the striker wheel has been improved. Anyone know or have suggestions of a refillable butane lighter with those implememnts. Now, questions. 1) Does anybody know the knife Les had in Africa that he used to make the spear? 2) Does anyone know the brand of cable saw Les used that broke so quickly?
Originally posted by OrIgInal MethOd: personally what i want to get is one of those really unique steal knives. not the regular 440 stainless that every ones got because the sharpen really nice but the don't hold it so i have to carry a nice sharpening kit with me when i hunt(extra weight i dont want to carry)so what are your guys recomendations?
Personally, I carry a full size Marine Ka-Bar. If that is to big a knife for you, google Ka-Bar short.
They have been making a shorter (5 inch blade) Ka-Bar for several years now.
A Ka-Bar is always my survival knife, though I carry an old Case XX for a hunting knife to field dress my deer.
Since you never know when your knife may get dull before you get the breast bone split or what not, I carry a cheap old "10 second" sharpener in my pack to touch up the edge of my blade in the field.
My best tip, is to make sure you know how to use everything in your kit, for example I bought one of those magnesium fire starter blocks with the striker, and struggled with getting it to work at first, so it was absolutely useless as a backup fire starter until I learned how to use it. I would also recommend that everyone know how to sharpen a knife and hatchet using whatever sharpening tool they carry with them, a dull tool is a dangerous tool. An invaluable tool that I always have with me is a quality knife and multi-tool. I would also warn against making your kit to large to be easily carried, if it is in your trunk or at camp, then it is useless to you.
Originally posted by OrIgInal MethOd: personally what i want to get is one of those really unique steal knives. not the regular 440 stainless that every ones got because the sharpen really nice but the don't hold it so i have to carry a nice sharpening kit with me when i hunt(extra weight i dont want to carry)so what are your guys recomendations?
I love my Anza belt knife, it is heavy, but well balanced
Originally posted by SurvivalScout: My best tip, is to make sure you know how to use everything in your kit, for example I bought one of those magnesium fire starter blocks with the striker, and struggled with getting it to work at first, so it was absolutely useless as a backup fire starter until I learned how to use it. I would also recommend that everyone know how to sharpen a knife and hatchet using whatever sharpening tool they carry with them, a dull tool is a dangerous tool. An invaluable tool that I always have with me is a quality knife and multi-tool. I would also warn against making your kit to large to be easily carried, if it is in your trunk or at camp, then it is useless to you.
Ecellent tips SurvivalScout!
To your point about kit size in your vehicle, I would add...
Your kit if you have to leave your vehicle should (as you said) be easily carried.
Though you can add items that are not easily carried and to be used if you do not have to or don't plan to (or can't) abandon your vehicle in an emergency, then these larger more bulky items can be used while at your vehicle.
I basically have two kits in my truck, one for traveling on foot if I have to leave my vehicle and one for staying with my vehicle. Though I drive a large truck so this doesn't create any problems for me, where as it could for folks who drive smaller vehicles.
Welcome to the boards! I look forward to hearing input from your 20+ years of survival knowledge and skills!
The last 2 episodes Les has stated that fishing tackle is good survival gear to have with self. I have had that in my pack for a while. I have a 4-piece fly/spinning reel combo rod and a telescoping spinning reel rod in the pole sleeve of my backpack. I have a fly reel and spinning reel in the small bottom compartment on the left side of my pack right next to the poles. I intend that my fly vest is right inside the main compartment of my backpack. I just haven't figured what other tackle to try to take with me and how. That will depend on how much room is left after I get everything else inside my pack, primarily the 10 essentials and food and survival gear and repair equipment. I have something I call SARkit that I put together from suggestions in magazines and newspaper articles. Survival may be depending on ability of backpack to get you and it out of the breakdown it suffered, such as zippers, seams, frame, straps, buckles, et al.
Thanks FM0341 I've enjoyed reading your posts in this forum. If I could attach pictures, I could show some of what I am talking about. I'm about to go on a camping trip for a kind of shake down of what I have put together for survival and just camping pleasure. If I have any survival tips from it, I will post what I learned. Particularly about the cable saw I have. I expect to use it a lot to see how well it performs, especially if I make it into a bow saw.
A good source for a mirror is from a make-up kit. If you're like me and don't use one yourself, you can get one from a family member or pick one up at a yard sale. They are usally plastic and you can carefully pry it from the case. Often they are credit card size, which makes the non-glass ones wallet friendly.
Originally posted by WoodstockBuzz: Thanks FM0341 I've enjoyed reading your posts in this forum. If I could attach pictures, I could show some of what I am talking about. I'm about to go on a camping trip for a kind of shake down of what I have put together for survival and just camping pleasure. If I have any survival tips from it, I will post what I learned. Particularly about the cable saw I have. I expect to use it a lot to see how well it performs, especially if I make it into a bow saw.
Cool WoodStock! I look forward to hearing how your camping trip went and how your gear "shook out".
kinda random but since this is a survival kit page i guess this could help. i did some research on the best wood for the bow drill method and it is a sycamore bottom block with a cedar spindle with oak on top to hold it all down. the oak is good because it is one of the harder woods so it will just hold everything together better. the kind of powder you want to come out is a dark brown to black. if it is light brown your not pushing down hard enough or spinning fast enough. and if it is black with little shavings of wood then you are going to fast or pushing to hard. i tested it and it all works so i wish you all the best of luck with this technique
It's funny that the some of the last posts are about the signal mirror. About the same weekend that the Sierra Nevada episode aired I found a piece of travel luggage in the trash and inside, among other useful items, was the top of a makeup compact with intact mirror. It's about 2.5" squared. I had to cut the hinge off of it and it went right into my fannypack where I keep some of my survival gear.
Often they are credit card size, which makes the non-glass ones wallet friendly.
Ah! That helped me out! The being wallet friendly part I mean.
I had some of that temporary replacement sideview mirror material left and cut a credit card sized piece and it now resides in my wallet and as it is flexible (to facilitate being cut with scissors) it won't break and is still highly reflective. (even though the 'view' quality is not as good as a glass mirror) Hopefully I will never need it, but it is there if I do.
its crazy how reflective things that you wouldnt expect to be can be. i just read a survival story about how this guy signalled his rescuers with wood and water because the water was shiny. isnt that nuts?
Originally posted by OrIgInal MethOd: its crazy how reflective things that you wouldnt expect to be can be. i just read a survival story about how this guy signalled his rescuers with wood and water because the water was shiny. isnt that nuts?
Water can be highly reflective. Ever noticed the reflection of sunlight from the surface of a pond/lake/ocean?
Sounds like this guy in the story kept his wits about him and used what he had at hand to signal his rescuers.
Do you have a link to the story if you read it online?
yeah i will try and find it because i read it a little while ago. anyway im borrowing my buddies SAS survival handbook and its got some cool stuff in it. did you know that one of the hottest fires is made using water and oil and that you have a can of each with straws poking out of them. you have them dripping onto an inclined plain that runs down to the fire. about 2-3 drops of water to every drop of oil or gas. and that is all that you need to have a very effective bright warm fire
did you know that one of the hottest fires is made using water and oil and that you have a can of each with straws poking out of them. you have them dripping onto an inclined plain that runs down to the fire. about 2-3 drops of water to every drop of oil or gas.
Well, you left out a few steps, but yes the oil will burn.
The water is merely a "carrier" to get the oil to the hot metal plate for it (the oil) to burn.
I DO NOT recommend trying this at home!
If the tapered stick (it isn't a straw) were to fall out of the water can, it could spread the oil fire from the confines of the fire area.
There are safer ways to burn oil for heat/light than this method.
thats what i meant. i couldnt think of the word right at that moment. sorry yes i mean tapered stick. there are some other really cool things in that sas book. definitely received top marks from me and i would recommend it to everyone
an exelent and inexspensive ( completely free ) replacement for cotton balls and petrolium jelly is balls of dryer lint and petrolium jelly although it can smell quite foul when burning.
I posted this on another forum and thought it useful here as well. -----------------------------------------------
Here is a helpful survival kit guide from the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Winter Survival Handbook.
I hope you all find this useful.
Please note that you don't need to carry every single item listed. These are examples of what you can carry. Redundancy is nice especially with the fire starting items. (I always carry at least 3 methods to start a fire)
1. COMPONENTS FOR A SURVIVAL KIT a. The environment is the key to the types of items you will need in your survival kit. How much equipment you put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit on your body will have to be much smaller than one carried in a vehicle.
b. Always layer your survival kit, keeping the most important items on your body.
c. In preparing your survival kit, select items that can be used for more than one purpose.
d. Your survival kit does not need to be elaborate. You only need functional items that will meet your needs and a case to hold them. The case might be a first aid case, an ammunition pouch, or another suitable case.
This case should be- (1) Water repellent or waterproof. (2) Easy to carry or attach to your body. (3) Suitable to accept various sized items. (4) Durable.
e. When constructing a survival kit, you should have the following components: (WSVX.02.02a)
(1) Fire starting items. (2) Water procurement items. (3) Food procurement items. (4) Signaling items. (5) First aid items. (6) Shelter items.
2. ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN EACH COMPONTENT (WSVX.02.02b)
a. Fire Starting Equipment (1) Matches. (2) Magnifying glass. (3) Flint and Steel. (4) Lighter. (5) Potassium Permanganate, with container of sugar or anti-freeze. (6) Prepackaged Tinder. -Commercially Manufactured -Cotton Balls and Petroleum Jelly
-Canteen Cup -Survival Kit Container -Any Suitable can that contained no petroleum products.
(3) Water Carrying Items.
-Canteen -Plastic Bag -Plastic/Metal/Glass Container which contained no petroleum products.
(3) Water Carrying Items.
-Canteen -Plastic Bag -Plastic/Metal/Glass Container which contained no petroleum products.
c. F ood Procurement Items.
(1) Fish. -Various sized hooks -Various sized sinkers/weights -Metal leaders and swivels -Small weighted jigs -Fishing line -Think about the size of fish for that environment when selecting weights and sizes.
(2) Game.
-Snares *Commercially Manufactured *Aircraft Cable *Tie Wire/ Comm Wire -Bait *MRE Cheese Spread, Jelly, or Peanut Butter Package *Fishing Bait -550 Cord for Gill Net and Trap Construction -Engineer/Marking Tape -Sling shot rubber and pouch -Large treble hooks
(2) Compass. (3) Notebook with pen or pencil. (4) Wood eye screws and nails. (5) Surgical tubing.
Note: It is assumed that the Marine is always carrying a high quality fixed bladed knife, a multi-tool knife, and a sharpening stone.
REFERENCE: 1. Barry Davies BME, SAS Escape, Evasion, and Survival Manual, 1996. 2. FM 21-76, Survival, 1992. 3. John Wiseman, SAS Survival Guide, 1986.
Something a little unusal to add to you vehicle kit: a kite. A brightly colored delta kite will fold up into a small package. If you have some mylar tape/ribbon, you could add it to the tail. If you are somewhere that doesn't allow you to fly it, you can use it to add to your shelter and use the string for lashing.
Looking back through past posts in this thread, I don't think this was covered.
Identification in your kit and on your person.
Some folks won't carry their wallets or ID out with them to the wilderness for fear of it getting wet/ruined or lost.
If worst comes to worst and you die without any form of ID and you are later recovered, it mat delay identification of your remains or prevent ID altogether, which could lead to a total lack of closure for family members who are wondering what happened to you, or if you have no family then you are just going to be a John or Jane Doe buried in a grave.
It is a good idea to mark your name on major pieces of equipment, ie. backpack, sleeping bag, tent, etc., and to carry on your person some form of ID. (drivers license, state ID card, college/student ID.)
Personally, I always carry my wallet (in a waterproof bag), I have marked all my major equipment items with name and phone number. I always wear my dog tags, which includes two on a chain around my neck and 1 in the laces of my left boot.
Lastly, (and this is from my military days as well), I have my complete dog tag information tattooed on the left side of my ribcage, under my armpit. (I am not suggesting you all get ink)
These are not really survival tips, but can lead to closure for family and/or friends if worst comes to worst and you are dead and missing and eventually recovered. (or I guess even if you were to become injured and suffer from amnesia, rare as that may be, it could be helpful)
I saw a survivorman comercial in which Les Stroud used 2 chemicals and when they joined togheter they lit on fire.
I really need to know this its so important for me I have been been looking for the anwser for weeks so now I decided to join the forum You have to be very sure about this because if the wrong chemicals mix they will maybe be lethal so please if anyone knows.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: mod_ivy,
Well I can list what I have in my basic kit : garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food) Although we have MREs - the shelf life is 3-6 years depending on how you store them, and they are lighter weight, in case you need to hike. maps
hand crank radio
a forever flashlight (no batteries needed)
Prescription medications and glasses
powdered milk and diapers
candles - waterproof matches -
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water.
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records etc-etc-etc
Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation - remember you can live for weeks without food - but only a few days without water.
Well, here is another tip for a "fire tinder" materialt that I recently added to my kit.
In our house we like the various scents of scented candles and keep at least one burning all the time. (in a proper receptacle to reduce risk of fire and only when we are home)
Anyway, we light the candles which we are usually the "Tea Light" sized with the paper "Book" matches.
We end up with many partially burned matches in my ashtray, so I ran a test and these light up very well (of course) when used in conjuction with other type tinders and a flint/steel or even better when you have matches.
So I added a tylenol bottle full of these burned matches to my kit.
They should come in handy in getting a fire started, even though they have fulfilled their original use as a fire starter.
Something else you can do, especially if you use larger scent candles, is to melt any unburned wax and pour it into a safe container. When you have enough, you can buy some candlewick at a crafts store and remelt the wax, pour it into a candle mold around the wick and you have a new, very scented candle!
That's not so much a survival thing, though you CAN put one of the new candles in your kit to use as a fire starter. But actually the tea candles make pretty good firestarters already.
Just be careful melting the wax, don't get it too hot or it will ignite. Plus, be careful when you pour it...it will make a NASTY burn if it gets on your skin.
Usually we use the scented tea light candles around the house so we don't have any wax left as it burns away completely, though we do have some of the "jar candles" around that you can't really seem to use all the wax in and we have made (remade) candles with them.
The unscented tea light candles are my candle of choice for making the wax/cottonball fire tinders as the wax melts to a thin liquid that is easily absorbed into the cottonball.
Gotta use pliers or wear a glove to protect from burns though!
I had thought of using the scented tea lights for making the wax/cottonball tinders, but then decided the unexpected aroma may draw predators such as coyotes (or bear if in bear country) to see what the "smell" is.
If your grocery has a section with canning supplies in it, they usally have 1 lb packs of pariffin/wax there. If you are from a country that speaks 'proper' english I'm not talking about kerosene. I have made a soft wax by melting petrolum jelly with some wax. I made it to protect/store some small parts, so I haven't burned any of it. I will after I find it from the move and let you know how well it burns.
If you go to yard sales, you can find cheap candles there. Last weekend I picked up a box for $2.00 and managed to get a few past my wife.
Thanks for the tips WWSmith, I'll check out the canning supplies at the grocery.
(yeah, I'm from Kentucky, so I knew what you meant by 'parrafin'.)
Lara,
I'm not sure if the scent would draw a predator in or not, but you never know. Coyotes are pretty nosy as are the big cats we have around here. (the cats don't exist around here according to the KDFWR, but I and many others have seen them on a regular basis for years)
I don't really have to worry about bear where I live and do most of my hunting/camping, but occassionally a bear comes up over the state line from TN, so Black Bear are making a comeback in West Tennessee and will eventually do so in West Kentucky.
Originally posted by formermarine0341: Thanks for the tips WWSmith, I'll check out the canning supplies at the grocery.
(yeah, I'm from Kentucky, so I knew what you meant by 'parrafin'.)
Lara,
I'm not sure if the scent would draw a predator in or not, but you never know. Coyotes are pretty nosy as are the big cats we have around here. (the cats don't exist around here according to the KDFWR, but I and many others have seen them on a regular basis for years)
I don't really have to worry about bear where I live and do most of my hunting/camping, but occassionally a bear comes up over the state line from TN, so Black Bear are making a comeback in West Tennessee and will eventually do so in West Kentucky.
But still you made a good point with that. Ya just never know what the scent from the candles will attract. Even some little crawling pest maybe attracted to them..lol I would think sticking to unscented candles would probably be the best all around.
But still you made a good point with that. Ya just never know what the scent from the candles will attract. Even some little crawling pest maybe attracted to them..lol I would think sticking to unscented candles would probably be the best all around.
Yup, the scented candles could also draw in insects coming to see what "smells so sweet" !
I heard that you want to save as much as your supplies as possible so make new ones if and when you can. I would use the bow and drill method to make my modern supplies last for as long as I can. Also I would make sure I make a knife out of rock so I can save the blade of my other knife.
oh yeah What is your favorite type of knife and what kind? I like sheath knives and also I like my Winchester Multi-Tool but I have some rust on it. How do you get the rust off without damaging the whole structure?
Originally posted by flyboy123: I heard that you want to save as much as your supplies as possible so make new ones if and when you can. I would use the bow and drill method to make my modern supplies last for as long as I can. Also I would make sure I make a knife out of rock so I can save the blade of my other knife.
oh yeah What is your favorite type of knife and what kind? I like sheath knives and also I like my Winchester Multi-Tool but I have some rust on it. How do you get the rust off without damaging the whole structure?
I could (if I had to, and the rock were available) make a knife from stone, I have practiced a bit of knapping, but I always carry a sharpening stone or a 10 second sharpener and file to keep my knives sharp and any burrs removed, so I make liberal use of my knife(s).
As far as using bow and drill, type stuff, I only practice that once or twice a year to keep knowledgable in it, mostly I will use a magnesium stick and striker to start fires and save my matches for an emergency.
I prefer a Marine issue KA-BAR full size for a knife.
I also have a Winchester multi-tool (got it for Christmas last year), but have not carried it to the field yet. I have an Ozark Trail multi-tool that I have been using for several years and it has not let me down.
To get rust off a knife tool, you can use a little gun oil and rub it off with a cloth or a fine sand paper if need be.
I don't know if they still make or sell it, but there used to be a product called Naval Jelly that worked very at removing rust and corrosion as well.
But in most cases a bit of gun oil and a cloth will remove minor surface rust. (I use REM Oil or sometimes Sewing Machine Oil)
If you end up using a fine sandpaper, use only enough force to remove the rust without sanding down into the metal.
