The second piece of essential survival tool

Well, it depends. Here in my contry (Panamá), you have one of two possibilities: a survival situation in the jungle, or in an island. In both cases, you can fashion some sort of liquid container out of a gourd (here they are called "totumas", and were used for decades, before the advent of metal or plastic containers, to store water or other liquids) or coconuts (which also provide you with liquid and salts and sugar). The rain forest can be very cold at nigths, so I'd wolud say, some sort of fire-making equipment (signaling, heating, protection, cooking, etc.). Anyway, is a small country and in most places, you can use a cell phone (even at sea).
 
Alvaro Candanedo said:
Well, it depends. Here in my contry (Panamá), you have one of two possibilities: a survival situation in the jungle, or in an island. In both cases, you can fashion some sort of liquid container out of a gourd (here they are called "totumas", and were used for decades, before the advent of metal or plastic containers, to store water or other liquids) or coconuts (which also provide you with liquid and salts and sugar). The rain forest can be very cold at nigths, so I'd wolud say, some sort of fire-making equipment (signaling, heating, protection, cooking, etc.). Anyway, is a small country and in most places, you can use a cell phone (even at sea).
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Alvaro, excellent point about gourds being available as water vessels in some environments. As stated above, priorities are often dictated by environment.

Many things can be fabricated from natural materials at hand, but may require more time or energy than I have to spare. As such, there are certain pieces of gear I would consider critical, irrespective of the skills possessed. For my general area, in the Pacific Northwest, at the top of my list would be:
  1. Ferro rod (Exotac NanoStriker)
  2. Stainless steel bottle (Guyot 40 oz Standard)
  3. Knife (Siegle SAR 4 or Busse FBM)
  4. Tarp (Integral Designs SilPoncho)
  5. Cordage (100' 550 Cord)
  6. Flashlight (Fenix LD10)
I can't believe I moved the knife to #3! :eek: I can't be long for this forum!!! The fact is, I am NEVER without a knife, flashlight, multiple firestarters and usually a firearm. (Can I keep my man card?) ;)
 
kage said:
I was going to ask if that was one of Rick's kits, until Rick chimed in. I need to save up some pennies and get one of those. That's hands down the coolest primitive fire kit I've ever seen! How well does the magnifier work and about what magnification is it?
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Hopefully Rick will chime in again as I really don't have the answer about magnification on the fresnel lens. I do know that it works really well. SWMBO actually lit the barbeque with it.:D
 
Nice! It must be fairly strong then. I feared it wouldn't be refined enough to get good focus, but that's obviously not a problem.
 
protourist said:
Hopefully Rick will chime in again as I really don't have the answer about magnification on the fresnel lens. I do know that it works really well. SWMBO actually lit the barbeque with it.:D
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I don't know the magnification but it lit punkwood in the winter with the sun VERY low on the horizon. I would guess about 10-20x .


Rick
 
WolfTracker said:
A woman.
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Are you sure? You do that, and then, you have to consider, what would be HER first, second, third, etc., MOST ESSENTIAL element for survival and I'm willing to bet that it (they) migth not be the same as yours (a comb?, a mirror?, nail polish?) (just joking, apologies in advance to the ladies).
I'm sure your lady shares your enthusiasm for the wild.
 
Well my three would probably be:

1. Axe (can be used in place of a knife for certain things but comes in handy for getting firewood and possibly shelter building)
2. Ferro rod (waterproof firestarting method, always handy)
3. Metal pot

If I was in an area where I was really likely to get rescued quickly then I'd probably rather have a tarp or poncho or something instead of an axe so I could have shelter right away and just use wood that's already fallen for my fire. Then maybe a knife in place of a pot to make fire starting easier, and just wait it out. Out in the middle of nowhere though, an axe and pot would come in very handy because I could be waiting for a while.
 
Alvaro, I spent a lot of time out in the jungles of your beautiful country back in the '80's. You are absolutely right about what to carry there! At the time, I carried two canteens, for cutlery a SAK Huntsman, a Bucklite Ranger and a Randall Model 1 with a 6" blade, and a poncho with which to make a shelter. The jungles and mountains of Panama are truly some beautiful country, sir!

Regards,
Ron
 
rwc53 said:
Alvaro, I spent a lot of time out in the jungles of your beautiful country back in the '80's. You are absolutely right about what to carry there! At the time, I carried two canteens, for cutlery a SAK Huntsman, a Bucklite Ranger and a Randall Model 1 with a 6" blade, and a poncho with which to make a shelter. The jungles and mountains of Panama are truly some beautiful country, sir!

Regards,
Ron
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Ron, I'm glad that you liked it here. Sadly, as in many other places, the pristine rain forests of Panamà are slowly been destroyed by human encroachment (real estate development, supossedly ecological hotels, etc.).
Also, our marine environments (beach resorts, e.g.). Let's hope that we wake up in time.

Thanks for your kinds words about Panama.
Alvaro
 
Just an update for Rick on my fire pouch.
I finally got home and got to use it. Rick, this is perhaps the nicest, best put together piece of gear I have ever used. I got spark with my first strike and was easily able to create fire. Very little sun is required to use the fresnel lens and the Hudson Bay tin is simply too cool for words.
The leather pouch is a work of art.
This is one piece of gear that will be with me to my grave.
Thanks Rick, and thanks to everyone for letting me brag.
 
In reading the posts I am fascinated by the interest in metal pots. Is it possible that shelter is not of concern? I am in a mountainous/cold environment and would die of exposure if I carried a metal pot instead of a knife to make a shelter or a firestarter of some sort. In my environment I would die within hours without shelter but could go three days without water.
 
Since this is about the second piece of gear it is assumed that the first is a good knife.
I live in a very wet climate. Shelter and fire are most important to me. With my knife I can make the shelter and with my fire kit I can keep warm. Everything else comes later.
 
From a strictly survival standpoint, neither my first nor my second choice is a knife :eek: and just for fun, neither is my third!

I go with,
1. Axe
2. Firesteel
3. Poncho

If I'm ever put in a survival situation, it will likely be in the local wilderness where I backpack. I've been camping in these woods since I was in the freakin' womb, so I should know how to survive here, and I'll tell you right now an axe is the most useful tool you can have. Obtaining water and food isn't an issue with glacial lakes and streams full of clean water and trout, along with wild berries literally everywhere, so I don't need a pot or anything like that to keep myself fed. But staying warm and dry? That can be difficult here.

That's why you need an Axe. A big chopping tool is essential to get through the tough northern wood, in order to stock your fire and build shelter. No, a machete will not do, we aren't bushwacking through overgrown jungle. And no, as much as I love a big survival knife, it can't chop like an axe does. I don't need a tool for fine work or skinning during short term survival - I need a big heavy chopper if I want to get anything done. Axe all the way.

The Firesteel and poncho are just convenience items. Starting a fire with a bow drill is time consuming and difficult; I'd much rather spend my time collecting fuel with my axe than trying to get an ember going rubbing sticks together. The poncho is just nice when you're stuck out in the rain, and is a very welcome addition to waterproofing your shelter. Bottom line, though, is the axe. It does it all in the Canadian Boreal Forest.
 
If I was seriously lost or had to stay in the wild for an extended period of time the first two pieces of gear would be the same as Myakka's...an Ax first and a metal pot second. The reason is with an Ax I can live as comfortable as I need to be and I can use an ax like a knife for all tasks. I don't need a knife but it sure does makes things easier. With an Ax I can do all the neccessary tasks I need including whittling.

A pot besides a shovel are the two most difficult implements to make in the wild. I can make a pot in the wild out of stone or wood but it just isn't as versatile and it takes some time. Wood bowls not so much but stone bowls do take time. November was dedicated in the Sioux culture as the month of the pecking stones because they sat around wacking on rocks making bowls and other implements. It takes time.

I can start a fire using natural materials and a bow 'n drill or from the steel of my Ax and flint, I can also extend a coal so I don't need firesteel, a bic or matches, I can build a shelter, set traps, filter water, build a bed, weave a blanket, brain tan my clothes...I can do all of these things with an ax and a pot. Having more stuff only makes my life easier and accelerates how quickly they can get done expending less calories/energy.

If I could relist - I'd say 1. Acquire more Knowledge/skill (mastering these skills), then #2 Ax , then #3 a Pot. I'm finding the more I train, learn, and master the less stuff I need to depend upon. The last few years I've been spending less money on "stuff" I don't need and more on professionals who are masters of the wild and gifted in transfering their knowledge/skill/behavior to their students. I'm finding my investment in $$$ is paying bigger dividends than having more gear to trip over at night. Good grief, I don't need one more knife...I'd like to have 12 more but I really don't need 'em!
 
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FwdHO said:
In reading the posts I am fascinated by the interest in metal pots. Is it possible that shelter is not of concern? I am in a mountainous/cold environment and would die of exposure if I carried a metal pot instead of a knife to make a shelter or a firestarter of some sort. In my environment I would die within hours without shelter but could go three days without water.
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You could just as easily freeze in a shelter without a way to hydrate and get warmth into your system. Shelter can be made without cutting tools in most cases... fire is important, no argument.... so is a knife. Without a means to melt, heat and contain water.... you are pooched in cold, wet/snowy environments. Go 24hrs without hot water in the mountains. Everytime you drink from a stream you are lowering your core temperature. Maybe your experience tells you different.... mine tells me to work from the inside, out. If you can get out of the wind and direct rain... there's not much a hot cup of tea can't cure.

I think we are getting to the same place... just taking alternative routes.:thumbup:


Rick
 
If I'm in Florida I want a small tent so I can get away from the mosquitoes. If I can't have that than I want lots of bug repellent.
1.Tent
2.Water
3.Knife
 
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