Survival chemicals

Odysseus

Hi all,

I have read about various chemicals that people put to use in survival situations, such as potassium permanganate for fire or water purification. Has any one here used such chemicals and how available to the general public are they? A mate of mine owns a chemist and he say he could get some in for me, but he could only get 4kg tubs.

So any one want to share their experience, I wonder what it is like with water; would it leave a strong chemical taste?

Grizzly 45

Potassium permangate is handy alright,from everything from athletes foot [bathe your feet in a solution of this] to fire making to snow marking for distress signalling[need alot of it for it to be a worthwhile signal]
Even fire making in a hypergolic reaction with sugar and dampned with water and wrapped tightly in a piece of paper it produces very intense heat.Enough to set paper alight.
Bought mine years ago in a one pound bag,and still have enough to last awhile.You dont need very much to sterilise water either,a few grains are enough for a canteens worth.Gives the water a very faint pink hue,anymore and it is too strong a mix.
Tastes chemically like your commercial water purifier tabs.:pac:
A 4kg bucket should see you going a long time.

krissovo

I have not used potassium permanganate for years, thanks for the reminder. I have a small tub somewhere and must dig it out. I have never used it outside of playing around with it and never drank it so cannot comment.

Here are two that I use regularly:

Iodine - Disinfectant & water treatment, also handy if Sellafield decides to go bang

Tincture of benzine - I have used this for years, its a must in my med kit. Probably the most painful blister treatment on the planet and has been banned by the British Army as its almost torture. The upside no matter what state your feet are in like blisters and rubbing to the bone give this stuff 10 minutes to work its magic and you are ready to walk again. Also good for any skin rubbing (especially nipples :eek:), sealing wounds and sticking steri strips to your skin.

Odysseus

krissovo wrote: »

Tincture of benzine - I have used this for years, its a must in my med kit. Probably the most painful blister treatment on the planet and has been banned by the British Army as its almost torture. The upside no matter what state your feet are in like blisters and rubbing to the bone give this stuff 10 minutes to work its magic and you are ready to walk again. Also good for any skin rubbing (especially nipples :eek:), sealing wounds and sticking steri strips to your skin.

When I was doing events like the MdS I use to inject iodine into the blister, which I can tell you it wakes you up in the morning. Is the pain worse than that:eek:

krissovo

Odysseus wrote: »

Is the pain worse than that:eek:

Much!

The way I describe it its like ripping off the lose skin with a leatherman and pouring boiling water on the wound and then multiply the pain by 5:D

However after 5 mins you are running around again.