- Joined
- Sep 26, 2005
- Messages
- 3,516
Came across this blog, the guy seems pretty knowledgable.
Looks like enough gear for 10 people for 10 years, but I like the idea of having a lot of the important stuff.
http://ronsprimitiveskills.blogspot.com/
There was a few items I never thought of on here, I put them in red.
He doesn't say what it all weighs, but I'd say not as much as first glance.
KNIVES- Gerber Freeman sheath knife, neck knife, Swiss army knife (Huntsman model, this is the old model which doesnt include toothpick/tweezers so I carry a Classic model with it), and a small lock back Buck single blade. All these knives cover various chores and I believe in redundancy for the most valuable items.
10X LOOP- this is handy for close inspection of objects and for fire starting with the Sun.
FIRE KIT- This contains two 35mm film cans of tinder (Vaseline soaked cotton) and two Ferro-cerium spark rods (again, redundancy(this guy could be here
) with a small carbon steel folding knife. The knife is used only on the spark rods. This way my other knifes dont need to be abused for this purpose. As a side note, I find it easy to hold the rod close to the tinder, put the blade against the rod, and pull the rod away from the tinder. This way you dont knock the tinder away as well as possibly damage the blade by hitting something. All of this is stored in an Army issue decontamination kit container. My 35mm film can with my fishing tackle is stored in here too. My third fire kit is one of the little Coghlans, the metal match type and it came with prepared tinder. For the price this little unit is amazing. The tinder is very reliable also. This kit is kept in a separate container in the bag.
PARA CORD- This is the real thing. How to tell? GI Para cord has five or seven individual lines inside the nylon sheathing. These individual cords can be stripped out and used for a multitude of tasks. I once took a length of inner cord and stripped it down even further to see how small I could get it. I ended up with several yards of fine line for fishing or sewing or whatever other use it could be put too. Supposedly Para cord has a rating of 550 pounds test. This means its pretty strong stuff but it wasnt meant to be used for rappelling. When you use it to make clothes line or other camp items remember not to make un-tie able knots. You dont want to have to cut this stuff up and waste it. I consider it worth its weight in gold.
PONCHO- Mine is a store bought one and is made of heavy vinyl. It rolls up and is kept in its own stuff sack. I take extra caution when I wear it so that I dont damage it accidentally on snags and such.
SPACE BLANKET- Used as extra insulation inside my sleeping bag and as an emergency blanket if I get caught without my sleeping bag. This and my poncho would keep me pretty warm.
SNARE WIRE- Self explanatory. I carry enough for several dozen snares. The more snares you put out the better chance you have of trapping something.
SNARE KIT- This contains my multi strand cable for larger game as well as crimps and snare locks made from washers.
SIERRA CUP- This is my drinking cup and hangs on the outside of my bag. In a pinch it can be used to cook a small cup of soup or a cup of tea.
FOLDING SCISSORS- I have a pair of the Chinese made scissors in my kit. I like these because they are made from stainless steel and very rugged.
CANTEEN CUP- Another multi use item. It can serve as my cooking pot, cup, and dipper to fill water jugs, food gathering container, and tool and hardware holder when Im working on a project.
FISHING KIT- I carry a spool of Spyderwire line (30 pound test) about 200 yards. I prefer this type as it is multipurpose and can be used to sew and repair the tent, tarps, etc. This is made of Kevlar and is quite thin for its test weight. Strong stuff! My tackle consists of a couple dozen different sized hooks and several dozen small split shot. These are kept in a 35mm film can inside my fire kit. I have an Altoids tin with two small bobbers and my multi purpose three inch long sea fishing hooks in it. These hooks are lashed to a long stick and used like a gaff for dragging small game from its den and for pulling branches with fruit closer to the ground.
ALTOIDS TIN- See under fishing kit
BANDANAS- These are another all purpose item. They function as pot holder, bandana, sweat rag, food gathering container, washcloth, tourniquet, and many other uses. I always have at least two in my kit.
HEAD BANDS- I carry two of these also. They are just long enough to go around your head and keep the sweat out of your eyes. One is just a strip of cloth and the other was manufactured, it has some kind of gel beads in it that hold the water longer if you soak it first.
FLINT KNAPPING TOOLS- I have a working knowledge of the art of flint knapping. What a wonderful skill to master! I can make arrowheads, knives, scrapers, drills, and myriad other tools from suitable rocks. Even old bottle bottoms can be utilized to knap a fine tool. The beauty of this skill is that I can make a flake blade and save my steel blades for more important tasks. When Im done with the flake I can just discard it or keep it till its too worn to use anymore. My knapping tools are an antler bopper made from the main shaft of a deer antler and an antler tine for pressure flaking. I also carry an awl made from copper ground wire and hammered square (hammering copper hardens it). Its used for pressure flaking too. A piece of heavy leather that covers the palm of my hand finishes off this kit. Ive cut a hole in the leather pad for my thumb. This keeps it from sliding from my palm. The bopper, tine, and leather pad are in an outside pocket of my bag. If you have a chance, learn flint knapping!
LED LIGHT AND BATTERIES- I have a small light that uses three button cells. Its very bright and the batteries last a very long time. The LED bulb is supposed to last 100,000 hours. Thats nearly 10 years. The extra batteries are stored in a plastic tube. LED lights are the greatest thing to come along, I believe. When I was young you would be lucky to have a flashlight last through the night till the batteries died. And if dropped it was a given that the bulb would be shot. Not so with LED lights. They come in a variety of sizes and prices. This one was purchased at Harbor Freight for $2.00, is about 2 ½ long and has an on/off switch on the back end. A keychain clip is attached with a small chain to the switch itself. I hang this on the outside of my bag. Its clipped to one of the zipper pulls.
FORAGING NET- I rescued this from an old landing net. I took a piece of nylon cord and ran it through the mesh around the edge of the opening. This is the carrying strap and helps keep it compressed when stored in my bag by wrapping it around the folded net. I use this net to gather nuts, fruits, whatever. Mine is made from cotton cord. The one I made for my wife is heavier monofilament cord.
POCKET SAW- This is a two bladed saw I picked up at Wal-Mart. It has both fine and coarse hacksaw blades that fold into the handle. Its about four inch long and made of fluorescent orange plastic. The brand name is Allway. I use it for making various tools at camp and it cuts metal unlike the saw on my Swiss army knife. The blades are easily replaced by taking a regular hacksaw blade and snapping off 3 ½ of the ends. The hole in the blade is where the screw in the handle goes through and tightens down when in use. Its very handy to have one of these.
EATING UTENSILS- I have an old US Army spoon and a fork from a camping silver ware set in a carrying case. The spoon as fairly large and is used for cooking as well as eating. No need to carry a table knife as I use one of my other blades.
1ST AID CREAM- I carry a tube of this in my bag.
LEATHER STROP AND STROP CARD- I have a leather strop that is loaded with red rouge as well as a business card that is loaded on the back. These give a final edge to my knives.
DIAMOND HONES- I carry several small diamond hones for sharpening my knives. I have both flat and rod types.
HONE OIL- I carry a small bottle of honing oil for the diamond hones. When this runs out Ill just use water. Diamond hones last a lot longer if you use some kind of lubricant when you sharpen with them.
STRING- I have a small assortment of string for various tasks.
FOLDING STRAIGHT RAZOR- This is for shaving and minor surgery.
SEWING KIT- A small sewing kit is mighty handy. Mine has thread, needles, buttons, and a thimble for everyday repairs. I also have a spool of heavy thread to use with my sewing awl needle for repairing gear or the tent.
EXTRA EYE GLASSES- I wear prescription reading glasses. I carry a regular size pair in their case and I have a small folding pair in their case.
COMPASS- I have an orienteering compass in a GI compass case.
DENTAL FLOSS- I use this for fishing or sewing and if necessary suturing. I keep three rolls in a small zip lock bag. This is kept in the compass case with the compass.
PRUNER- this is a pair of folding pruners with a few blades in the handle. I use these when foraging plants, butchering game, and trimming branches.
SLING- I am proficient with a sling. They are easy to make but you need lots and lots of practice to become good with one.
CABLE TIES- These are the common electrical cable ties you find in hardware stores. They can be used for gear repair, making camp tools, etc.
BLANKET PIN- This is used to pin my wool army blanket around my shoulders when its cold. This is great for when you get up early in the morning and theres a chill in the air. I also use it to attach things on the outside of my bag such as my poncho if rain threatens that day. These were issued during World War One and I dont know where you could get one other than an antique store. I believe they were made for other uses, too. Some are marked Rison.
HEMOSTATS- I carry a pair of the smallest ones I could find. These are for first aid, fishing, and various repair work. I keep these in the Altoids tin with my fishing tackle.
P-38 CAN OPENER- Self explanatory. I have one of the new large ones and I have used it to score arrow shafts during construction. I keep this in my Altoids tin with my fishing tackle.
SNIPER VEIL- I use this camouflage, netted material for hunting and food gathering. It can be used to leach ground up acorns, too.
POCKET MIRROR- I use this for shaving, signaling, and the occasional speck in the eye. Mine is an old cosmetic compact. The case protects the mirror and theres room for a few Band Aids in the compact.
FINGER NAIL CLIPPERS- I use these for trimming nails as well as trimming fishing line, string, sinew and electric cable ties.
WHISTLE- Used for signaling. A really loud one does wonders to scare away bothersome bears.
BAND AIDS- I carry both regular and butterfly type.
BENADRYL CAPSULES- I keep these handy because Im allergic to bee stings. Always remember to carry any medications that you must have.
IODINE TINCTURE- For first aid and can be used to purify water.
IODINE TABLETS- Portable Aqua brand for water purification. I keep these in the pocket of my canteen cover which holds my cup. I dont use the canteen as I have a 1 quart water container with a carrying case. Its a wide mouth Rubbermaid. The snare wire, sniper veil, and space blanket are stored in the canteen cup.
SCALPEL BLADES- I have four blades wrapped in aluminum foil. These are stored in the Altoids tin.
BLOW PIPE- This is used to coax a flame or to raise the temperature of a fire. I made it from a piece of aquarium aerator tubing and a small telescoping antenna. This fits neatly in a pocket of my bag.
ALUMINUM FOIL- I have about a square foot of foil folded up and its stored in the Altoids tin. This is for covering my canteen cup while cooking. It helps keep the heat in thus making for more efficient cooking.
AWL- This is a handmade awl that I made a deer antler cap for. I use it for repairs, basket making, sewing, etc.
WARREN WOOD CARVING SET- This is a very useful tool. I can make eating and cooking utensils with it as well as carve trap triggers. The blades are extremely sharp and could be used for minor surgery if necessary. The kit has a handle, six different blades, a crooked knife blade, and two chisels.
FOUR-IN-HAND FILE- This has both flat and half round regular cut file and flat and half round rasp all on one tool. I use this for various wood working chores. Its easy to rough out a self bow with one of these as well as make axe handles and other tools. Mines made by Nicholson and I keep it in its own leather sheath.
Looks like enough gear for 10 people for 10 years, but I like the idea of having a lot of the important stuff.
http://ronsprimitiveskills.blogspot.com/
There was a few items I never thought of on here, I put them in red.
He doesn't say what it all weighs, but I'd say not as much as first glance.
KNIVES- Gerber Freeman sheath knife, neck knife, Swiss army knife (Huntsman model, this is the old model which doesnt include toothpick/tweezers so I carry a Classic model with it), and a small lock back Buck single blade. All these knives cover various chores and I believe in redundancy for the most valuable items.
10X LOOP- this is handy for close inspection of objects and for fire starting with the Sun.
FIRE KIT- This contains two 35mm film cans of tinder (Vaseline soaked cotton) and two Ferro-cerium spark rods (again, redundancy(this guy could be here
) with a small carbon steel folding knife. The knife is used only on the spark rods. This way my other knifes dont need to be abused for this purpose. As a side note, I find it easy to hold the rod close to the tinder, put the blade against the rod, and pull the rod away from the tinder. This way you dont knock the tinder away as well as possibly damage the blade by hitting something. All of this is stored in an Army issue decontamination kit container. My 35mm film can with my fishing tackle is stored in here too. My third fire kit is one of the little Coghlans, the metal match type and it came with prepared tinder. For the price this little unit is amazing. The tinder is very reliable also. This kit is kept in a separate container in the bag.PARA CORD- This is the real thing. How to tell? GI Para cord has five or seven individual lines inside the nylon sheathing. These individual cords can be stripped out and used for a multitude of tasks. I once took a length of inner cord and stripped it down even further to see how small I could get it. I ended up with several yards of fine line for fishing or sewing or whatever other use it could be put too. Supposedly Para cord has a rating of 550 pounds test. This means its pretty strong stuff but it wasnt meant to be used for rappelling. When you use it to make clothes line or other camp items remember not to make un-tie able knots. You dont want to have to cut this stuff up and waste it. I consider it worth its weight in gold.
PONCHO- Mine is a store bought one and is made of heavy vinyl. It rolls up and is kept in its own stuff sack. I take extra caution when I wear it so that I dont damage it accidentally on snags and such.
SPACE BLANKET- Used as extra insulation inside my sleeping bag and as an emergency blanket if I get caught without my sleeping bag. This and my poncho would keep me pretty warm.
SNARE WIRE- Self explanatory. I carry enough for several dozen snares. The more snares you put out the better chance you have of trapping something.
SNARE KIT- This contains my multi strand cable for larger game as well as crimps and snare locks made from washers.
SIERRA CUP- This is my drinking cup and hangs on the outside of my bag. In a pinch it can be used to cook a small cup of soup or a cup of tea.
FOLDING SCISSORS- I have a pair of the Chinese made scissors in my kit. I like these because they are made from stainless steel and very rugged.
CANTEEN CUP- Another multi use item. It can serve as my cooking pot, cup, and dipper to fill water jugs, food gathering container, and tool and hardware holder when Im working on a project.
FISHING KIT- I carry a spool of Spyderwire line (30 pound test) about 200 yards. I prefer this type as it is multipurpose and can be used to sew and repair the tent, tarps, etc. This is made of Kevlar and is quite thin for its test weight. Strong stuff! My tackle consists of a couple dozen different sized hooks and several dozen small split shot. These are kept in a 35mm film can inside my fire kit. I have an Altoids tin with two small bobbers and my multi purpose three inch long sea fishing hooks in it. These hooks are lashed to a long stick and used like a gaff for dragging small game from its den and for pulling branches with fruit closer to the ground.
ALTOIDS TIN- See under fishing kit
BANDANAS- These are another all purpose item. They function as pot holder, bandana, sweat rag, food gathering container, washcloth, tourniquet, and many other uses. I always have at least two in my kit.
HEAD BANDS- I carry two of these also. They are just long enough to go around your head and keep the sweat out of your eyes. One is just a strip of cloth and the other was manufactured, it has some kind of gel beads in it that hold the water longer if you soak it first.
FLINT KNAPPING TOOLS- I have a working knowledge of the art of flint knapping. What a wonderful skill to master! I can make arrowheads, knives, scrapers, drills, and myriad other tools from suitable rocks. Even old bottle bottoms can be utilized to knap a fine tool. The beauty of this skill is that I can make a flake blade and save my steel blades for more important tasks. When Im done with the flake I can just discard it or keep it till its too worn to use anymore. My knapping tools are an antler bopper made from the main shaft of a deer antler and an antler tine for pressure flaking. I also carry an awl made from copper ground wire and hammered square (hammering copper hardens it). Its used for pressure flaking too. A piece of heavy leather that covers the palm of my hand finishes off this kit. Ive cut a hole in the leather pad for my thumb. This keeps it from sliding from my palm. The bopper, tine, and leather pad are in an outside pocket of my bag. If you have a chance, learn flint knapping!
LED LIGHT AND BATTERIES- I have a small light that uses three button cells. Its very bright and the batteries last a very long time. The LED bulb is supposed to last 100,000 hours. Thats nearly 10 years. The extra batteries are stored in a plastic tube. LED lights are the greatest thing to come along, I believe. When I was young you would be lucky to have a flashlight last through the night till the batteries died. And if dropped it was a given that the bulb would be shot. Not so with LED lights. They come in a variety of sizes and prices. This one was purchased at Harbor Freight for $2.00, is about 2 ½ long and has an on/off switch on the back end. A keychain clip is attached with a small chain to the switch itself. I hang this on the outside of my bag. Its clipped to one of the zipper pulls.
FORAGING NET- I rescued this from an old landing net. I took a piece of nylon cord and ran it through the mesh around the edge of the opening. This is the carrying strap and helps keep it compressed when stored in my bag by wrapping it around the folded net. I use this net to gather nuts, fruits, whatever. Mine is made from cotton cord. The one I made for my wife is heavier monofilament cord.
POCKET SAW- This is a two bladed saw I picked up at Wal-Mart. It has both fine and coarse hacksaw blades that fold into the handle. Its about four inch long and made of fluorescent orange plastic. The brand name is Allway. I use it for making various tools at camp and it cuts metal unlike the saw on my Swiss army knife. The blades are easily replaced by taking a regular hacksaw blade and snapping off 3 ½ of the ends. The hole in the blade is where the screw in the handle goes through and tightens down when in use. Its very handy to have one of these.
EATING UTENSILS- I have an old US Army spoon and a fork from a camping silver ware set in a carrying case. The spoon as fairly large and is used for cooking as well as eating. No need to carry a table knife as I use one of my other blades.
1ST AID CREAM- I carry a tube of this in my bag.
LEATHER STROP AND STROP CARD- I have a leather strop that is loaded with red rouge as well as a business card that is loaded on the back. These give a final edge to my knives.
DIAMOND HONES- I carry several small diamond hones for sharpening my knives. I have both flat and rod types.
HONE OIL- I carry a small bottle of honing oil for the diamond hones. When this runs out Ill just use water. Diamond hones last a lot longer if you use some kind of lubricant when you sharpen with them.
STRING- I have a small assortment of string for various tasks.
FOLDING STRAIGHT RAZOR- This is for shaving and minor surgery.
SEWING KIT- A small sewing kit is mighty handy. Mine has thread, needles, buttons, and a thimble for everyday repairs. I also have a spool of heavy thread to use with my sewing awl needle for repairing gear or the tent.
EXTRA EYE GLASSES- I wear prescription reading glasses. I carry a regular size pair in their case and I have a small folding pair in their case.
COMPASS- I have an orienteering compass in a GI compass case.
DENTAL FLOSS- I use this for fishing or sewing and if necessary suturing. I keep three rolls in a small zip lock bag. This is kept in the compass case with the compass.
PRUNER- this is a pair of folding pruners with a few blades in the handle. I use these when foraging plants, butchering game, and trimming branches.
SLING- I am proficient with a sling. They are easy to make but you need lots and lots of practice to become good with one.
CABLE TIES- These are the common electrical cable ties you find in hardware stores. They can be used for gear repair, making camp tools, etc.
BLANKET PIN- This is used to pin my wool army blanket around my shoulders when its cold. This is great for when you get up early in the morning and theres a chill in the air. I also use it to attach things on the outside of my bag such as my poncho if rain threatens that day. These were issued during World War One and I dont know where you could get one other than an antique store. I believe they were made for other uses, too. Some are marked Rison.
HEMOSTATS- I carry a pair of the smallest ones I could find. These are for first aid, fishing, and various repair work. I keep these in the Altoids tin with my fishing tackle.
P-38 CAN OPENER- Self explanatory. I have one of the new large ones and I have used it to score arrow shafts during construction. I keep this in my Altoids tin with my fishing tackle.
SNIPER VEIL- I use this camouflage, netted material for hunting and food gathering. It can be used to leach ground up acorns, too.
POCKET MIRROR- I use this for shaving, signaling, and the occasional speck in the eye. Mine is an old cosmetic compact. The case protects the mirror and theres room for a few Band Aids in the compact.
FINGER NAIL CLIPPERS- I use these for trimming nails as well as trimming fishing line, string, sinew and electric cable ties.
WHISTLE- Used for signaling. A really loud one does wonders to scare away bothersome bears.
BAND AIDS- I carry both regular and butterfly type.
BENADRYL CAPSULES- I keep these handy because Im allergic to bee stings. Always remember to carry any medications that you must have.
IODINE TINCTURE- For first aid and can be used to purify water.
IODINE TABLETS- Portable Aqua brand for water purification. I keep these in the pocket of my canteen cover which holds my cup. I dont use the canteen as I have a 1 quart water container with a carrying case. Its a wide mouth Rubbermaid. The snare wire, sniper veil, and space blanket are stored in the canteen cup.
SCALPEL BLADES- I have four blades wrapped in aluminum foil. These are stored in the Altoids tin.
BLOW PIPE- This is used to coax a flame or to raise the temperature of a fire. I made it from a piece of aquarium aerator tubing and a small telescoping antenna. This fits neatly in a pocket of my bag.
ALUMINUM FOIL- I have about a square foot of foil folded up and its stored in the Altoids tin. This is for covering my canteen cup while cooking. It helps keep the heat in thus making for more efficient cooking.
AWL- This is a handmade awl that I made a deer antler cap for. I use it for repairs, basket making, sewing, etc.
WARREN WOOD CARVING SET- This is a very useful tool. I can make eating and cooking utensils with it as well as carve trap triggers. The blades are extremely sharp and could be used for minor surgery if necessary. The kit has a handle, six different blades, a crooked knife blade, and two chisels.
FOUR-IN-HAND FILE- This has both flat and half round regular cut file and flat and half round rasp all on one tool. I use this for various wood working chores. Its easy to rough out a self bow with one of these as well as make axe handles and other tools. Mines made by Nicholson and I keep it in its own leather sheath.
