Survival items or skills that don't work

W

will62

Joined
Oct 18, 2002
Messages
372
What are some skill or items mentioned in survival manuals that may not work as well as intended, are not applicable except in special circumstances or just plain junk?

One of mine is the solar still, Have made several and never got the production that is mentioned in some survival manuals. If I tried in my current location I might get a pint in 24 hours. Problem is I would sweat out about a quart or more making it.
 
One I would have to say is the hole folded up sheet of tinfoil. Im going to put some pics up here in a few and show some of my testing. I took a sheet of it out of my psk, the first thing I noticed when trying to use it was that on all the folds there were small holes, I only found these by making it into a bowl and watching the water run out of it. Reall makes me not like the stuff.

I recomend that if you can fit a small pot, or even a thin bread pan folded up rather than a sheet of foil do it.
 
So heres what I started with.
p5290186an5.jpg


Then turning it into a pouch type thing. (this has water in it)
This is where I noticed it really leaking from the corners, I thought it just had bad folds.
p5290189os9.jpg


So, I re-did it into a bowl shape.
p5290191iw2.jpg

p5290192ju0.jpg


So, I then noticed it leaking really bad this way. I had folded like this to make it keep in the heat better, left a small opening for the water to be poured out.
p5290194ka2.jpg


Then I found out why it was so bad. Though you can't see all of the holes, you can see the larger ones.
p5290197lg1.jpg
 
Instructors at Egland told us to toast a certain kind of moss for a nutritious meal. Still not so sure about that one.

On the other hand, the hearts of palmetto from Warner Springs are delish.
 
I have tried the solar still, and definitely would not waste my time or sweat on it in an emergency.
Fonly, I'm glad you experimented with the foil. I always pack foil in my kits for use in boiling water or cooking. I will have to look for a sturdier, packable alternative.
 
tknife said:
I have tried the solar still, and definitely would not waste my time or sweat on it in an emergency.
Fonly, I'm glad you experimented with the foil. I always pack foil in my kits for use in boiling water or cooking. I will have to look for a sturdier, packable alternative.
Click to expand...

I was surprised as Im the same, I took this foil out of my PSK to try. Look where I would have been. But I think somthing like those little pie plates, they would be much more sturdyer, yet foldable. heh, foldable:D
 
What about using a solar still in an area with a lot of undrinkable water, say near the sea? Or are there better ways to get drinkable water out of salt water? Or would it be more productive to find freshwater?
 
I've always enjoyed the kits that have tea bags and bullion, with no way to cook it. The tins at least give you a small "cup" to put your water in, but the foil seems to me to be only good for cooking in coals.
 
will62 said:
One of mine is the solar still, Have made several and never got the production that is mentioned in some survival manuals. If I tried in my current location I might get a pint in 24 hours. Problem is I would sweat out about a quart or more making it.
Click to expand...

:D

the times I've tried it, I found that the relative humidity of the area your in has a lot to do with it.
Putting chopped up plants in will help, but then if your in the desert with low humidity, and few plants, well, there you go.
Still it's better that squeezing elephant scat like that TV guy :eek:
 
I know this does work but ' Starting a fire with a magnifying glass ' it just takes forever and then when you get smoke the sun goes behind a cloud !!!
Bic lighter, matches or ferro rod are all better options !!!
 
I think condoms are overrated in many ways ; )

The whole condoms to carry drinking water seems to me a waste.
 
I agree with will and tknife having built a solar still in ideal conditions myself - could be deterimental in a survival situation - don't waste your time, energy, and especially sweat. Definately JUNK!

Condoms as a water carriers. Definately works, but you need deep enough water (1' or so) to make a big enough swoop to fill. One of those things you want to practice at least once before relying on. I carry one because of the large volume it will hold for its size, but also carry an ovenbag in my mini-kit. In lieu of foil for boiling water, I also have a few micro-pur tabs in my mini-kit.
 
Hey Pitdog...

pitdog said:
I know this does work but ' Starting a fire with a magnifying glass ' it just takes forever and then when you get smoke the sun goes behind a cloud !!!
Bic lighter, matches or ferro rod are all better options !!!
Click to expand...


Define forever ??

how long is it taking you to make fire with a Magnifying glass ??

why are you having such a hard time with it ?

On a sunny day, with a mag glass, piece of char cloth and a tinder bundle,, you should have fire in under a minute...

In less than ideal conditions with say inproper tinder and clouds passing by,, it should only take 2-3 minutes at most...

Magnifying glass is probably one of the easiest ways to make fire..

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
I definitely wouldn't rely on regular aluminum foil as a survival cooking water holding vessel. Way too fragile. As for condoms, I think there are better alternatives like the breast milk bags ritter talks about on his site. Aloksaks are nice too but pricey. Also, I've never seen anyone actually use one of those cable saws that didn't think they sucked.

I've never used a magnifying glass to start a fire but the Fresnel lens I played with as a kid would set fire to just about anything with a reasonably low flash point. It was also flexible and thin.

Glow sticks are definitely not worth the space or weight compared with the alternatives.
 
Here's an obvious one, that stupid coil saw with the split rings on the end that gets thrown into most cheaper commercial survival kits.

You use 'em once and they break, they overheat, get bent and become useless.

saw15502.jpg
This one is much better.
pocket_saw.jpg
 
Re: foil for a water boiler. I've looked long and hard for compact ways to boil water. I found the Trangia 210 mess kit and the Sigg Snack Box containers for use as a PSK kit container and boiler. From there you might as well get a good aluminum ot titanium hiking cook pot and use that for a PSK container. A famous ultralight hiking cook pot is the WalMart grease pot--a thin-walled pot sold to put your kitchen grease drippings in. Other than that, you could drop hot rocks in a Nalgene or maybe one of those Orikaso origami bowls-- or your hat. Chlorine dioxide tablets are cheap, light, and require no boiling.

One of the best buys around is the SnowPeak titanium bowl. Add a wire bail and some tin foil for a lid and you have a $12/1.6oz pot that will boil several cups of water at a time.
 
That buck 128 replica i got had an absolutely useless wiresaw in it

i folded it open and pulled both ends to straighten it, then it broke in two.

the knife itself seems to be ok, but the survival kit inside is pure rubbish


i got another one i bought separately and that seems to be a good one
 
will62 said:
What are some skill or items mentioned in survival manuals that may not work as well as intended, are not applicable except in special circumstances or just plain junk?
Click to expand...

Anything called "Survival _________" is junk. Real tools and materials are those everyday items that you are willing to use in good times as in bad; anything, that you would only use in a state of desperation is something that most of us would rather never have to rely on.

n2s
 
You guys have covered most of what I would have.

Solar still (even with green vegetation in the bottom)
Condom for a water carrier.
Light stick.
FOR ME! the fishing kit as part of a PSK. No fish where I go.


Some things I carry that most of you don't need. Mostly during X-C trips.

Marker panel. For signalling aircraft, very light and compact.
Wrist compass that fits over my parka.
Pen flares.
Compact orange smoke grenade.
Extra eyeglasses.
Lip stuff.
Whistle on a shoulder strap.
50' of accessory cord clipped to the handle of my pack, the entire length stuffed in an old military compass case, the running end tied to a carabiner. Running end can be tossed easily and quickly.
Power bars, goo, extra high energy food. Borderline diabetic here.
Vitamin packs, at least two.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top