- Joined
- Sep 30, 2009
- Messages
- 2,351
While this thread may not directly involve a JK, we have had some non-JK threads about EDC gear, non-JK knives that we like, hiking sticks, etc. so
.
Recently, I was thinking about preparedness/survival and different scenarios that I might be faced with. In thinking about these different possibilities and how I might want to be ready, I kept coming back to one of the overarching skills that makes humans able to cope with so many different environments and circumstances, that being our ability to adapt to these varied conditions and utilize what is available to survive. While I try and assemble the best gear that I can afford, what if that gear was unavailable to me and I had to adapt to the conditions and utilize what was available.
One scenario that I was considering was an urban survival situation. In thinking about what that could mean, it struck me that I could find myself in circumstances that only affected me personally. Not a riot, pandemic or other tragedy with widespread impact but rather one where the general population was not impacted at all. One where I found myself with no real resources other than a few dollars and the clothes on my back, unable to benefit from the help of family and friends .could I fulfill basic needs with supplies bought at the Dollar Store? Let me preface this by saying that I am not advocating using the Dollar Store as a source for gear that you bet your life on but, again, if it was all that you had access to, could it work in some fashion.
I plan to take this out and use these items to provide shelter, fire, food and water in a local Forest Preserve that is within walking distance of both the store and my house. There were other items that might have been useful but I wanted to keep the price tag under $10.00.
The Gear
Saw
SAK-style Knife
50 X ¼ Poly Rope
9 X 12 Plastic Drop Cloth
(8) boxes Diamond Strike-on-box wooden matches
(100) Cable Ties
(6) Bottles of Water
(1) Can Beef Stew
I could have purchased additional food items but since I would not be staying more than a few hours, more food did not seem to make sense. The cable ties were also kind of redundant because of the rope but I hope they will speed construction of the frame for my shelter.
Preparation
I brought the items home as I did not have enough time to make it to the woods today and I wanted to check things out a bit. I took the knife out of its package, keeping the cardboard insert to use as tinder. The knife has metal handle scales, main blade, Phillips and standard screw drivers, scissors, bottle and can openers, nail file and even a corkscrew. The main blade was not exactly sharp, but it was able to perform its first task, cutting the rope.
The rope is some sort of synthetic material, very loosely twisted. I decided to uncoil it and cut it in half. Once this was done, I kept 25 twisted and unraveled the other 25, giving me 75 of single-stranded cord.
I also tested the saw, which is around 14 OAL with a 9 blade, on a few small limbs in my backyard. Its hollow plastic handle was not uncomfortable and the blade did OK on the branches. I am curious to see if it will hold together.
I will be going out in the next few days to build a shelter, fire, enjoy some beef stew and report on how things go.
Recently, I was thinking about preparedness/survival and different scenarios that I might be faced with. In thinking about these different possibilities and how I might want to be ready, I kept coming back to one of the overarching skills that makes humans able to cope with so many different environments and circumstances, that being our ability to adapt to these varied conditions and utilize what is available to survive. While I try and assemble the best gear that I can afford, what if that gear was unavailable to me and I had to adapt to the conditions and utilize what was available.
One scenario that I was considering was an urban survival situation. In thinking about what that could mean, it struck me that I could find myself in circumstances that only affected me personally. Not a riot, pandemic or other tragedy with widespread impact but rather one where the general population was not impacted at all. One where I found myself with no real resources other than a few dollars and the clothes on my back, unable to benefit from the help of family and friends .could I fulfill basic needs with supplies bought at the Dollar Store? Let me preface this by saying that I am not advocating using the Dollar Store as a source for gear that you bet your life on but, again, if it was all that you had access to, could it work in some fashion.
I plan to take this out and use these items to provide shelter, fire, food and water in a local Forest Preserve that is within walking distance of both the store and my house. There were other items that might have been useful but I wanted to keep the price tag under $10.00.
The Gear
Saw
SAK-style Knife
50 X ¼ Poly Rope
9 X 12 Plastic Drop Cloth
(8) boxes Diamond Strike-on-box wooden matches
(100) Cable Ties
(6) Bottles of Water
(1) Can Beef Stew
I could have purchased additional food items but since I would not be staying more than a few hours, more food did not seem to make sense. The cable ties were also kind of redundant because of the rope but I hope they will speed construction of the frame for my shelter.
Preparation
I brought the items home as I did not have enough time to make it to the woods today and I wanted to check things out a bit. I took the knife out of its package, keeping the cardboard insert to use as tinder. The knife has metal handle scales, main blade, Phillips and standard screw drivers, scissors, bottle and can openers, nail file and even a corkscrew. The main blade was not exactly sharp, but it was able to perform its first task, cutting the rope.
The rope is some sort of synthetic material, very loosely twisted. I decided to uncoil it and cut it in half. Once this was done, I kept 25 twisted and unraveled the other 25, giving me 75 of single-stranded cord.
I also tested the saw, which is around 14 OAL with a 9 blade, on a few small limbs in my backyard. Its hollow plastic handle was not uncomfortable and the blade did OK on the branches. I am curious to see if it will hold together.
I will be going out in the next few days to build a shelter, fire, enjoy some beef stew and report on how things go.
