General Survival Information? and a knife story...

S

seanuhthin

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Aug 17, 2009
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My friend and I have recently decided to start trying some survival tasks, but theres an issue... I thought I knew a few general things about starting fires, and about whats burnable and stuff, however after using a firesteel kit we got no where until he pulled out the drier lint :( embarrassing.

He kind of counted on me to know what I was doing but I obviously failed because when we got out I didn't know what I was doing. So my main question is, where is a reliable place to find survival info, from cutting efficiently to starting fires?

If your still waiting for the part of the thread where I talk about an ESEE/ RAT product here it is :D: It just so happens I was the one who recommended my friend an RC-4, in which he brought with him today. I my self, however do not own an RAT/ESEE product, and had to use an extra knife he had, a Smith and Wesson Tanto. I must say, the knife was sharp in the beginning but after the second cut it became miserably dull, unable to even cut thin green vines. I found myself continuously borrowing my friends RC, which by the end of the day was still RAZOR sharp after doing nearly every bit of cutting from wood, to opening MREs. I Just wanted to say how much I love ESEE knives, and though I plan to buy an ESEE 6 rather than my friends 4, It still served me very well. Thanks ESEE!!! I'll have pics soon of our day hike/ survival scenario
 
The SAS Survival Guide is a very good reference book. There are dozens out there as well, but if I were to reccomend one it would be that.

As for starting fires..almost anything (within reason) will burn if you get it small enough. Scrape wood into dust, crush up dry grass until it's like a hairball..mashed up dry leaves. Or more inconspicuous stuff like resin from trees or fatwood...even some fungus can catch a spark but honestly I woulden't know it if I see it..I've got to research that again..
 
here's a start from www.jungletraining.com : http://www.jungletraining.com/Survival_Tips.pdf

there are several products available for emergency tinder, like wetfire tabs. you can also use petroleum jelly covered cotton balls.
naturally occurring tinder includes bird nests and the fluff out of milkweed pods.
Unfortunately for your ego, the best way to find out what works is testing and failing at different techniques. (I was out doing the same thing this afternoon - and left my ball of dryer lint at home, too - so don't feel too bad)
 
Some real good info here..
Youtube does indeed have some great info and I recommend some light reading. My first outdoor survival book was Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen... it's available for like $10 all over the net in used and new condition.
My original copy is still with me (1973 published edition) and It rivals most military survival field guides (minus any "escape and evasion" type info).

While your at it... do your self a favor and pick up a book on navigation with a compass. So many people lost in the woods, get lost with in just a few miles of "camp" and generally because they didn't have a bloody compass and topo map... both can be had for less than $50 (cost combined, including tax! even the good ones are cheep!) and can truly save your life if you know some basic skills.
 
There is a book called, "Be Expert With Map and Compass" that I highly recommend. kmurray72 couldn't be more right; if you are going to be out and about in the woods you have to know this. Topo maps are available from state and federal offices for a few bucks each.
 
If starting a fire without a match were easy, everyone would be doing it:D That's why practice is so important. I've learned more from my failures then my successes. Case in point, I took a wilderness 1st aid course a few years ago. The instructor asked who could get a fire going. Of course I volunteered! 20 minutes later, I was still working on it (fall time, very damp) Finally, the instructor walked over and produced a ziplock full of PJ cottonballs which he lit and had a fire burning in about 20 secs! I learned two important things that day. 1. Cotton balls and petroleum jelly make excellent fire starters and 2. never volunteer:p Don't give up!
 
there's the W&SS forum here, youtube videos and books. books at the library or on Amazon or ebay or in local bookstores.

but book learning and video watching are no substitute for practice.

somethings you can practice inthe back yard (if you have one) and other things are better to practice on a day hike or overnite camp trip.

have fun!
 
There are numerous books on the subject of survival and more Internet content than you can shake a stick at.
Do a Google Search and you'll find links that focus on Survival Topics, skills and gear.

I would troll some of the sites until you find one that fits your need and then jump in with both feet.

I myself have picked up good info from both of Cody Lundin's books and have the US Army Field Survival Book as well.
 
Dave Canterbury has some awesome videos. I also like the Tom Brown Jr field guides, too. Google and YouTube are excellent resources to get started searching until you have some specifics you can zero in on refining. Start with googling "natural tinder" or "make tinder bundle".

Regarding natural tinder, there are so many materials you can use - you need to be able to identify several in your given area, and it varies based on climate, latitude, biodiversity in your landscape, etc. General rule of thumb is that anything punky or able to be fluffed up (downy plant material, some fungus/moss, bark, grasses, dried leaves/needles, etc.) can usually be suitable tinder if low in moisture and properly prepared to receive a spark or ember/coal.

The bottom line is that tinder has to have MAXIMUM surface area possible. Fire needs heat, oxygen, and fuel to survive. If you strike a spark onto a log it likely won't take as there is simply too much thermal mass to overcome. Fluff, fluff, and fluff your tinder. a cotton ball could be fluffed up to the size of a baseball, for instance. You can take natural/organic material like jute twine, cedar bark, or cattail fluff and put it in the palm of one hand and massage, knead, twist with the thumb of your opposing hand to loosen up the fibers - then you can fluff it out. You could scrape off some fluff from a pair of jeans or cotton socks, too...
 
fixer said:
there's the W&SS forum here, youtube videos and books. books at the library or on Amazon or ebay or in local bookstores.

but book learning and video watching are no substitute for practice.

somethings you can practice in the back yard (if you have one) and other things are better to practice on a day hike or overnite camp trip.

have fun!
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My thoughts exactly, practice and have fun, just try finding different materials and see how they work. I do carry petroleum cotton balls in my fire kit as back up though.

Here's some good vids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8bNK9eGNL4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBs_nQwRPCI
 
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I am actually working on a new book as we speak that gives a breif history of how our company was formed, goes into survival psychology, wilderness survival skills, escape and evasion, first aid and a few more things. The name of the book will be REMOTE TRAVEL SOLUTIONS. I have about 30k words done already. Not sure when it will get fionalized and go to the copy editor, then published.
 
Here is some stuff that should help you courtesy of IAwoodsman.

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R.A.T. said:
I am actually working on a new book as we speak that gives a breif history of how our company was formed, goes into survival psychology, wilderness survival skills, escape and evasion, first aid and a few more things. The name of the book will be REMOTE TRAVEL SOLUTIONS. I have about 30k words done already. Not sure when it will get fionalized and go to the copy editor, then published.
Click to expand...

I love books. Cant wait. :thumbup:
 
I have both the SAS guide by jon wiseman, and Les stroud's book and I'd go with les's book, the details are more clear, there are fewer advanced techniques, but better step by step stuff with more how's and why's.
 
IAWoodsman's one stick fire technique is the failsafe way to learn-I'd start there. Relatively easy, not a ton of labor or prep time and almost guaranteed to get a good coal base going fast.
 
R.A.T. said:
I am actually working on a new book as we speak that gives a breif history of how our company was formed, goes into survival psychology, wilderness survival skills, escape and evasion, first aid and a few more things. The name of the book will be REMOTE TRAVEL SOLUTIONS. I have about 30k words done already. Not sure when it will get fionalized and go to the copy editor, then published.
Click to expand...

That sounds interesting.
 
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