Most useful survival item?

Recondite49

Just wondering what you think the most useful item would be post-collapse if you had to choose? (Beyond the obvious food and water)

I'd probably say baking soda. Is there anything it can't do? :-D

Khannie

I was thinking rifle. Do you mean food / kitchen specific?

Recondite49

Khannie wrote: »

I was thinking rifle. Do you mean food / kitchen specific?

Not at all Khannie, thank you for your thoughts. I don't want a rifle as I hear that most people end up getting shot with their own guns. Looking forward to seeing you holding me up for my baking soda and water very soon.

wexie

Fire? Or at least something to make it with?

Tabnabs

Land, and lots of it. Once your food runs out, you'd need to replenish it the old fashioned way.

Recondite49

wexie wrote: »

Fire? Or at least something to make it with?

Good call.

Khannie

Recondite49 wrote: »

Not at all Khannie, thank you for your thoughts. I don't want a rifle as I hear that most people end up getting shot with their own guns. Looking forward to seeing you holding me up for my baking soda and water very soon.

I was more thinking for hunting than being a thieving scumbag.

Fire's a good one. My own thoughts and efforts have been focused around electricity. The difference a few watts in a battery might make to a family evening would be enormous. We have a chromebook. 9 hours that sucker lasts with a full charge and that's with wifi on and the screen up bright. (I know it's a chromebook and that's fairly useless without a network connection, but I have Linux installed on it). Even an LED lantern would make life a lot more enjoyable.

edit: I'm assuming I'm starting out with the things that are already in my house.

saucyleopard

I think I'd rather have the rifle than the bread soda but a good knife would be good too as I can use it to build bows and arrows, a shelter, a snare etc .

Recondite49

saucyleopard wrote: »

I think I'd rather have the rifle than the bread soda but a good knife would be good too as I can use it to build bows and arrows, a shelter, a snare etc .

Excellent saucyleopard, a knife has a million and one uses, including a way to get yourself some firewood and food!

It's my hope if everyone comments with what they'd find most useful we'll be able to make a list for the ultimate Bug Out Bag.

wexie

Khannie wrote: »

We have a chromebook. 9 hours that sucker lasts with a full charge and that's with wifi on and the screen up bright.

I have lots of just books, last forever if you stop them from getting wet, no wifi required and come with free imagination upgrade :P (take up a lot of space though )

You're very right about the few watts here and there making a difference though, I'd say if you changed all the light bulbs in your house to low consumption led's it'd make a huge difference to a battery bank / genny.

I'm in the process of designing a camper (hopefully eventually expedition vehicle) and I'm doing a lot of thinking about power, high spec leisure batteries aint cheap (and bloody heavy)

Recondite49

Khannie wrote: »

I was more thinking for hunting than being a thieving scumbag.

Fire's a good one. My own thoughts and efforts have been focused around electricity. The difference a few watts in a battery might make to a family evening would be enormous. We have a chromebook. 9 hours that sucker lasts with a full charge and that's with wifi on and the screen up bright. (I know it's a chromebook and that's fairly useless without a network connection, but I have Linux installed on it). Even an LED lantern would make life a lot more enjoyable.

edit: I'm assuming I'm starting out with the things that are already in my house.

On an unrelated note Khannie, would you mind telling me sometime how you got Ubuntu onto it? I've seen lots of articles online saying you can but that would be the bees knees.

So maybe something like a solar battery charger or a wind turbine would come in handy?

I'm currently sketching out plans for my dream log cabin (you're invited!) and am thinking long term maybe something like a generator to run Biodiesel might be an idea. My only slight worry is what you'd do if it broke down.

Just reading Cody Lundun's Disaster Survival Guide the other day. He says you need to focus on what electricity does for you e.g if you want it to power your oven what you really want is hot food, still I agree an array of LED's would be much better than having to dip tallow and make candles every other day.

Recondite49

wexie wrote: »

I have lots of just books, last forever if you stop them from getting wet, no wifi required and come with free imagination upgrade :P (take up a lot of space though )

You're very right about the few watts here and there making a difference though, I'd say if you changed all the light bulbs in your house to low consumption led's it'd make a huge difference to a battery bank / genny.

I'm in the process of designing a camper (hopefully eventually expedition vehicle) and I'm doing a lot of thinking about power, high spec leisure batteries aint cheap (and bloody heavy)

Sounds very exciting wexie, would you post updates on here? I'd like to see how you do?

At the risk of veering off topic, I take it you ant to bug out? My plan is to "bug in", start living in my log cabin with goats, pigs and growing food now, then it'll seem like second nature (hopefully!)

Khannie

Recondite49 wrote: »

On an unrelated note Khannie, would you mind telling me sometime how you got Ubuntu onto it? I've seen lots of articles online saying you can but that would be the bees knees.

I used a tool called "crouton". It's very easy to get running. I did a "lubuntu" install, because I prefer it to ubuntu. It's on the Acer C720 with 4G of RAM (more than enough to run chrome OS and lubuntu concurrently).

Recondite49 wrote: »

So maybe something like a solar battery charger or a wind turbine would come in handy?

Solar battery charger, definitely. Wind turbine would depend where you live. They're very little use in an urban or suburban environment. They're also highly visible. Lastly, they're not the most difficult things to make if you know how and have a few magnets around.

Recondite49 wrote: »

I'm currently sketching out plans for my dream log cabin (you're invited!) and am thinking long term maybe something like a generator to run Biodiesel might be an idea. My only slight worry is what you'd do if it broke down.

Yeah, not a bad idea at all. I know they're less efficient, but petrol genny's would work with a wood gasifier if push came to shove. The ingredients necessary to make biodiesel may be hard to come by (though it's handy enough to make your own lye).

Recondite49 wrote: »

Just reading Cody Lundun's Disaster Survival Guide the other day. He says you need to focus on what electricity does for you e.g if you want it to power your oven what you really want is hot food, still I agree an array of LED's would be much better than having to dip tallow and make candles every other day.

Agreed. It's a nice way of looking at it. It would be two things for me: Entertainment and lighting. I can only imagine the lift in morale that watching a movie or listening to some music would bring in a world without electricity. Books are great, I agree. I've probably become too accustomed to having audio visual entertainment on tap.

Pat Mustard

Recondite49 wrote: »

Just wondering what you think the most useful item would be post-collapse if you had to choose? (Beyond the obvious food and water)

Well, assuming the collapse was relatively localised, and that you could become a refugee to some other country, the issue would be getting there in one piece.

I reckon that I could walk or go by bike, if the roads were unusable or if there was not enough fuel.

So looking at the rule of three, we have:

- 3 minutes without air
- 3 hours without a regulated body temperature (shelter)
- 3 days without water
- 3 weeks without food

Three hours without a regulated body temperature. This means three hours without shelter.

I reckon that I could ensure to have plenty of oxygen and avoid bleeding. This means that shelter is next on the list in a short-term situation.

I'm gonna go with shelter, in a refugee situation. You are going to need to travel light. Therefore, bivi bag*.





(*Needs insulation also - ideally sleeping bag and mat).

wexie

Khannie wrote: »

I can only imagine the lift in morale that watching a movie or listening to some music would bring in a world without electricity.

Hadn't really thought this through fully, I could happily swap movies for old fashioned books but would very much miss music (and me making my own music wouldn't be raising anyone's morale )

Recondite49 wrote: »

Sounds very exciting wexie, would you post updates on here? I'd like to see how you do?

not much to see just yet, for the moment I'm making sure the base vehicle is sound (and gets through the DOE) and stays sound (lots of cleaning, scrubbing and painting).

Other than that many evenings on Ebay scouting for deals. If I had an unlimited budget (I don't) this would be easy but I want to avoid sticking in cheap chinese stuff if I can. No sense saving money on any components that could potentially set you on fire.

Garage is being built this summer so I'm just doing little jobs for the moment and working out a storage design and wiring diagrams, requirements etc. etc.

This is what she looks like driving :


And this is what she looks like camping :



still lots of head scratching ahead, it's going to be a bit of a long term project necessitated by time and budget constraints

Stovepipe

Hi there,
A Leatherman or equivalent. A fire steel. Water containers of a size that you can carry for hours. Water filtration devices.A decent rucksack. Something that can be burned to start a fire. Basic rations such as energy bars and trail mix, sugar, salt, all packed in waterproof containers. Torches, lots, large and small and batteries.

regards
GttC

BreadnBuddha

A bushcraft/backwoods knife.

If you need to be told why, maybe you should just find someone who has one already, and stay close to them if everything starts to go belly up.

Recondite49

Stovepipe wrote: »

Hi there,
A Leatherman or equivalent. A fire steel. Water containers of a size that you can carry for hours. Water filtration devices.A decent rucksack. Something that can be burned to start a fire. Basic rations such as energy bars and trail mix, sugar, salt, all packed in waterproof containers. Torches, lots, large and small and batteries.

regards
GttC

A man after my own heart, thanks Stovepipe, duly noted. For starting fires I use a combination of waterproof matches, along with cotton wool balls dipped in vaseline. How do you do it out of interest?

Recondite49

BreadnBuddha wrote: »

A bushcraft/backwoods knife.

If you need to be told why, maybe you should just find someone who has one already, and stay close to them if everything starts to go belly up.

You certainly could do worse. We've already discussed it could be invaluable for hunting and gathering firewood.

corner of hells

Stovepipe wrote: »

Hi there,
A Leatherman or equivalent. A fire steel. Water containers of a size that you can carry for hours. Water filtration devices.A decent rucksack. Something that can be burned to start a fire. Basic rations such as energy bars and trail mix, sugar, salt, all packed in waterproof containers. Torches, lots, large and small and batteries.

regards
GttC

I was given a hunters Swiss army knife this year , I was looking for a rescue knife , need it for work .I'd recommend hunter one hands down any day.

I've had or had them all , leatherman knives , various Swiss army knives , a ferocious ak bayonet .... but one of the more surprising ones was a victorinoux catering knife , just a single blade ....but incredibly sharp.

aaakev

corner of hells wrote: »

I was given a hunters Swiss army knife this year , I was looking for a rescue knife , need it for work .I'd recommend hunter one hands down any day.

I've had or had them all , leatherman knives , various Swiss army knives , a ferocious ak bayonet .... but one of the more surprising ones was a victorinoux catering knife , just a single blade ....but incredibly sharp.

if you want incredibly sharp but not at a mad price tey an opinal

corner of hells

aaakev wrote: »

if you want incredibly sharp but not at a mad price tey an opinal

Its a particular type of blade , I want on a knife ,

Thanks anyway.

Morag

Land is all well and good, but not much use with out seeds.
Making a seed stash is a good idea.

Recondite49

Morag wrote: »

Land is all well and good, but not much use with out seeds.
Making a seed stash is a good idea.

Well said Morag - needless to say 'heirloom seeds' are your friends here. Anyone else read "The Death of Grass"? It's all about a virus which kills of foods like wheat, barley, corn etc. and everyone's struggle to survive in the aftermath.

Kevhog1988

wexie wrote: »

Hadn't really thought this through fully, I could happily swap movies for old fashioned books but would very much miss music (and me making my own music wouldn't be raising anyone's morale )



not much to see just yet, for the moment I'm making sure the base vehicle is sound (and gets through the DOE) and stays sound (lots of cleaning, scrubbing and painting).

Other than that many evenings on Ebay scouting for deals. If I had an unlimited budget (I don't) this would be easy but I want to avoid sticking in cheap chinese stuff if I can. No sense saving money on any components that could potentially set you on fire.

Garage is being built this summer so I'm just doing little jobs for the moment and working out a storage design and wiring diagrams, requirements etc. etc.

This is what she looks like driving :


And this is what she looks like camping :



still lots of head scratching ahead, it's going to be a bit of a long term project necessitated by time and budget constraints

I have a mark 1 pajero. Plan is much the same except for the rooftop canopy thing

ShadowFox

For me the most important things would be
1) Knife
2) 550 Cord or similar
3) multi tool
4) light / power

Stovepipe

@recondite,i've used the cotton-dipped-in-liquid fuel in the past for fires, as well as waterproofed matches (long kitchen type). I've also made up ignition material from hoover and drying machine fluff.Balled-up and dipped in lighter fuel and stored in old film cans and a tobacco can.Sounds silly but any king of fabric waste will burn very well as a kick-start.

regards
Stovepipe

Kevhog1988

If there was a actual shtf scenario... I would consider the horse invaluable. Grass is readily available.... Can travel fast over land and cross any obstacle we meet. Also have two trained to cart

schtinggg

I think you can surround yourself with as many gimmicks and gizmos as you like, god knows I like them as much as the next guy, but for me a cool head and know-how are the two most important basic survival tools.

Recondite49

Stovepipe wrote: »

@recondite,i've used the cotton-dipped-in-liquid fuel in the past for fires, as well as waterproofed matches (long kitchen type). I've also made up ignition material from hoover and drying machine fluff.Balled-up and dipped in lighter fuel and stored in old film cans and a tobacco can.Sounds silly but any king of fabric waste will burn very well as a kick-start.

regards
Stovepipe

Hats off to you stovepipe, that's a brilliant idea. I always throw away the lint from the tumble dryer (my once concession to comfort living!). Will give it a try...

Recondite49

theemigrant wrote: »

If there was a actual shtf scenario... I would consider the horse invaluable. Grass is readily available.... Can travel fast over land and cross any obstacle we meet. Also have two trained to cart

Did you train the horses yourself? I imagine that must be rather difficult. Long term I suppose you could use them for other things like pressing cider (sorry I'm a consummate alcoholic).

I have my plans sketched out for my log cabin and patch of land in the country but have decided in favour of pigs and goats over cows and horses, mainly because the latter need so much land to graze. I suppose I'm just worried I wouldn't be able to maintain such a wide perimeter post collapse ; perhaps you'll have your family to help you though?

Kevhog1988

Recondite49 wrote: »

Did you train the horses yourself? I imagine that must be rather difficult. Long term I suppose you could use them for other things like pressing cider (sorry I'm a consummate alcoholic).

I have my plans sketched out for my log cabin and patch of land in the country but have decided in favour of pigs and goats over cows and horses, mainly because the latter need so much land to graze. I suppose I'm just worried I wouldn't be able to maintain such a wide perimeter post collapse ; perhaps you'll have your family to help you though?

Have been a horseman all my life. We used to break in horses for others so it would be no problem.

Recondite49

theemigrant wrote: »

Have been a horseman all my life. We used to break in horses for others so it would be no problem.

I think your skills would be essential post collapse. I admire people like you who have skills already you can market come the Apocalypse and are applying them here and now. As for the rest of us, I'm going to start with goats and work my way up.

Recondite49

Possibly a can of WD-40? I don't need to tell you guys how useful this is for stuff beyond greasing axles.

Kevhog1988

Recondite49 wrote: »

Possibly a can of WD-40? I don't need to tell you guys how useful this is for stuff beyond greasing axles.

Bought one today

wexie

Recondite49 wrote: »

I have my plans sketched out for my log cabin and patch of land in the country but have decided in favour of pigs and goats over cows and horses, mainly because the latter need so much land to graze.

If there was only ever one animal I'd be allowed eat I'd pick pigs

(having a Homer Simpson moment)

Recondite49

wexie wrote: »

If there was only ever one animal I'd be allowed eat I'd pick pigs

(having a Homer Simpson moment)

Good call wexie,

In contrast to the tough as nails mountain men image I try to project, I could never bring myself to kill a pig so will be using them for manuring and trading purposes only. If you kill a pig for me, I'd be happy to split it down the middle for you

Khannie

Recondite49 wrote: »

Possibly a can of WD-40? I don't need to tell you guys how useful this is for stuff beyond greasing axles.

Duct tape too. And a vice grips (the hand held variety). Swiss army knife is just so versatile too.

Kevhog1988

Khannie wrote: »

Duct tape too. And a vice grips (the hand held variety). Swiss army knife is just so versatile too.

My cousin calls a vice grips a universal socket set..... Hes a rough man

Recondite49

theemigrant wrote: »

My cousin calls a vice grips a universal socket set..... Hes a rough man

Sounds like a man you want on side!

sheesh

Recondite49 wrote: »

Just wondering what you think the most useful item would be post-collapse if you had to choose? (Beyond the obvious food and water)

I'd probably say baking soda. Is there anything it can't do? :-D

it we are just picking one item.

A water filter with a ceramic filter that can be cleaned and reused and loads of spare parts, clean water is important.

there are loads of stuff after that.

As mentioned a gun would be very handy for getting food, not for battling zombies or robbers but a practical maintainable tool for hunting.
basically hardware that would not be available if society collapsed.

A stove preferably able to burn anything better yet if it was plumbed to heat water.

Knowledge in farming building growing food, and medicine no society = no internet. A couple of paper books on different subjects would be handy.

Steps Lightly

If I was lucky enough.. I' d have knowledge enough..lots of good posts..never going it know enough though.. Will keep trying..love learning something new while there's still time to learn.!

Steps

Recondite49

sheesh wrote: »

it we are just picking one item.

A water filter with a ceramic filter that can be cleaned and reused and loads of spare parts, clean water is important.

there are loads of stuff after that.

As mentioned a gun would be very handy for getting food, not for battling zombies or robbers but a practical maintainable tool for hunting.
basically hardware that would not be available if society collapsed.

A stove preferably able to burn anything better yet if it was plumbed to heat water.

Knowledge in farming building growing food, and medicine no society = no internet. A couple of paper books on different subjects would be handy.

Hi sheesh,

I think you're right, you'll feel the absence of fresh water before pretty much anything else if you don't have it. Have you heard of these grey water filters? I'd like to have them installed at my dream home so I can recycle used water for growing vegetables.

I think you're also right about having a stove which you could plumb into the central heating. We had a wood/peat/coal powered one at my old place in the French countryside and the beauty of it is that you can keep the house warm as you cook! They're a devil to install due to size and weight but very much worth it.

You've also raised a good point about books. I keep an eye on the charity shops. Anything about gardening (especially propogation), quick reference DIY manuals and medical self help books get snatched up. It's great to hear others are doing the same.

Does anyone remember those old fashioned mimeographs used before photocopiers came in? They were powered by hand are still used in some parts of the world. Being able to copy out a page of a book would be a useful skill post collapse e.g directions, medical advice, diagrams etc. - I'm going to keep an eye on eBay.

Ahoy Ahoy

Swiss Army knife. After something to make fire

popolive

A portable water filter is very handy on the move but thats no sort of life long term and eventually it will be done. To settle down you need some sort of hand auger to sink a well and a pump to attach. These things can be heavy but you can stash them somewhere. Really the knowledge and information in your own head is the most useful tool of all in a survival situation.

Recondite49

popolive wrote: »

A portable water filter is very handy on the move but thats no sort of life long term and eventually it will be done. To settle down you need some sort of hand auger to sink a well and a pump to attach. These things can be heavy but you can stash them somewhere. Really the knowledge and information in your own head is the most useful tool of all in a survival situation.

Well said popolive, no substitute for knowledge.