Three Most Important Survival Items

[SouthernCross]

...What do you carry in your FAK for the poisonous nasties, Mick? Pressure bandages for keeping the venom at the bite site until you get antivenin?

Spot on :thumbup: :thumbup:




Kind regards
Mick

 

[Mistwalker]

Wow, yeah, forgot all about your environment. What do you carry in your FAK for the poisonous nasties, Mick? Pressure bandages for keeping the venom at the bite site until you get antivenin?

Yeah, I'd be interested in you snake bite preps too. Whatever works well down there should be an awesome piece of kit here.

What I took away from my training is that if not done properly a tourniquet is usually a decision to trade a limb for a life...and even often when it is done properly. It's not a decision to make lightly.

 

[Trent Rock]

Knife
Bic Lighter
Blue plastic tarp

 

[HikingMano]

Spot on :thumbup: :thumbup:

I can see how your FAK ranks high then :thumbup:. Man, I'm glad we don't have super lethal critters like those here...

 

[Chris_Norden]

Yeah, I'd be interested in you snake bite preps too. Whatever works well down there should be an awesome piece of kit here.

Not necessarily. I used to think that but someone one here (I can't remember who) told me that compression bandages aren't good on some snake bites because of cytotoxic (basically all cells are damaged) versus the neurotoxic venom of Aussie snakes. Hence what works here, may not be the best there. Different strategies, in Australia to stop the venom getting to the central nervous system, elsewhere (not sure about specifics) the strategy is to stop concentration in one spot causing localised damage to a harmful extent. Immobilisation seems to be the commonality.

It's always interesting how there are exceptions to every rule that can have disastrous consequences.

Chris

 

[dougo83]

Not necessarily. I used to think that but someone one here (I can't remember who) told me that compression bandages aren't good on some snake bites because of cytotoxic (basically all cells are damaged) versus the neurotoxic venom of Aussie snakes. Hence what works here, may not be the best there. Different strategies, in Australia to stop the venom getting to the central nervous system, elsewhere (not sure about specifics) the strategy is to stop concentration in one spot causing localised damage to a harmful extent. Immobilisation seems to be the commonality.

It's always interesting how there are exceptions to every rule that can have disastrous consequences.

Chris

Actually, the best thing to do in an emergency snakebite situation is going to be finding some way to slow or neutralize the spread of toxins, whether hemolytic or neurotoxic.

Yes, there will be some damage to surrounding tissues, but the primary focus at the time of the bite should be to elevate the affected area and slow the flow...

 

[Toucan Oasis]

Hey Mick. Does the antivenin for the brown snake need to be constantly cool or can you carry it with you ? 1/2 hour huh
The stuff I have here has to stay cool and even just transporting from the pharmacy, has to be in a bag of ice.
HOWEVER. Our wimpy lil Bushmasters and Fer de Lance will allow you a few hours to get help.

 

[TAH]

Really interesting article but this quote from the article
"Do not buy a Swiss Army Knife. If you want a "tool knife" then I suggest you consider the "Leatherman Wave Multi-Tool" got my my dander up a little.lol!

I caught that too. Seeing his example of knives, the author doesn't seem to be much of a knife guy...or a compass guy either - although his compass does have five other features.

 

[Echo4v]

Somehow I knew those links would come up... excellent!

I'm not denying that the two stone fire works. Folks have been doing it for centuries. I have done it myself. But it is far more complicated that two stones of different hardnes being hit together. If you have found the way to make it all fit together I am impressed. Bow leaves a few key ingredients out of his article, on purpose. How do I know this? Because I am currently apprenticing under Allan "Bow" Beauchamp (the dude in the links) I have been working with him for 4 yrs now and he never ceases to amaze me. He does not give answers freely... you have to earn them.... and if you did just that, sir... you have my admiration. But please don't make it out to be as simple as smacking rocks together. Iron Pyrite is the magic ingredient here... without it, this technique will not work.... and it is VERY hard to come by. The other stones are flint or flint substitutes.

I would still love to see a working set... :thumbup:

Rick

Rick I'm glad you pointed this out. I was gonna say the same thing but since you beat me to it I think I'll just say...What Rick said...

David

 

[Echo4v]

I caught that too. Seeing his example of knives, the author doesn't seem to be much of a knife guy...or a compass guy either - although his compass does have five other features.

Actually, I've had one of those winchester fixed blades. Doesn't hold an edge extremely well but sharpens pretty easy and is one tough blade for less than 15 bucks. Don't know about the compass but you know what THEY say..."Don't knock it till you've tried it"

David

 

[TAH]

Actually, I've had one of those winchester fixed blades. Doesn't hold an edge extremely well but sharpens pretty easy and is one tough blade for less than 15 bucks. Don't know about the compass but you know what THEY say..."Don't knock it till you've tried it"

David

I'm not knocking the Winchester - nothing wrong with being on a budget. There are a lot of great Moras out there for less than $15. I just doubt that many "knife guys" on this forum would choose the Winchester for their "survival" knife. :thumbup:

 

[bikermikearchery]

If your here

your 3 items are
Water, lots of it.
a tarp for shade
machete. cant get past the spines on the cactus with a SAK
A hat is essential,

 

[Skimo]

Somehow I knew those links would come up... excellent!

I'm not denying that the two stone fire works. Folks have been doing it for centuries. I have done it myself. But it is far more complicated that two stones of different hardnes being hit together. If you have found the way to make it all fit together I am impressed. Bow leaves a few key ingredients out of his article, on purpose. How do I know this? Because I am currently apprenticing under Allan "Bow" Beauchamp (the dude in the links) I have been working with him for 4 yrs now and he never ceases to amaze me. He does not give answers freely... you have to earn them.... and if you did just that, sir... you have my admiration. But please don't make it out to be as simple as smacking rocks together. Iron Pyrite is the magic ingredient here... without it, this technique will not work.... and it is VERY hard to come by. The other stones are flint or flint substitutes.


I would still love to see a working set... :thumbup:

Rick

I found this interesting, as a kid I found rocks that sparked, when they broke open I thought "GOLD!!!!" minutes later my father said "It's not gold, it's iron pyrite, 'fools gold' "

The sparks that come off are very very weak, you would need some very dry very fine tinder to catch a spark, even then, with a good supply of tinder and rocks I would guess that it would take me at least an hour of continuous banging and cursing to even get an ember.

Thanks for bringing back a childhood memory!

Edit, Allow me to preface this a bit, where you get stranded makes a world of difference for what items I would take.

I replied to your post without finishing the thread first. I think another thing that makes the tarp better than a man made shelter is the insulation factor, a pile of leaves is great to get off the ground, but a tarp over those leaves allows for far greater insulation as well as a near perfect wind break. Mosquitos in some areas get pretty bad, wrapping yourself in your tarp and using a shirt to cover the head hole can men the difference between wishing you were dead or just wishing the skeeters were dead.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day TO

Hey Mick. Does the antivenin for the brown snake need to be constantly cool or can you carry it with you ? 1/2 hour huh
The stuff I have here has to stay cool and even just transporting from the pharmacy, has to be in a bag of ice....

Yes the antivenon needs to be kept refrigerated.

Just about all of its administered at hospitals, after the snake has been identified by testing for traces of venom left on the compression bandage . As our snakes have different venoms, it is important to administer the correct antivenom. This is why it's not available here across the counter from pharmacies.




Kind regrads
Mick

 

[tholiver]

I'm not knocking the Winchester - nothing wrong with being on a budget. There are a lot of great Moras out there for less than $15. I just doubt that many "knife guys" on this forum would choose the Winchester for their "survival" knife. :thumbup:

Yup Moras are good buy.
Also for a little more than the cost of the Winchester folder (shown in the original article) you can get a good new Victorinox.
You can get new Victorinox Farmers on Ebay in the $20-$30 range.
Instead of $16 for the Winchester i'd pay the little extra and get the Vic.
And there are a least a half a dozen ebay sellers that specialize in used SAK/Multi-tools.
I've gotten some crazy deals on ebay where sellers are selling off lots/sets of SAK's/multitools.
I've paid as little as $3 per unit for mint Vic Huntsmans, Spartans and Compacts.
There was a Canadian seller who regularly had used Vic Huntsmans for $9 each. Sadly he hasn't sold anything a while.

 

[sicily02]

Hi all, I have really enjoyed this thread.

I think the best answer I read so far was from KGD
The first aid kit and the personal survival kit and then is Bug out Bag.

I think since most of us really do not just go with 3 or 5 or just the 10 items.
We try to be prepared and than means just it being prepared as to the best of you skill level and what you know.

But for the sake of this thread. My 3 items( fixed blade knife, Firesteel, and steel Nalgene canteen) like in this pic

sitting on my wooden camp chair are what I would want in MY AREA.



Bryan

 

[dougo83]

Actually, I've had one of those winchester fixed blades. Doesn't hold an edge extremely well but sharpens pretty easy and is one tough blade for less than 15 bucks. Don't know about the compass but you know what THEY say..."Don't knock it till you've tried it"

David

I have one of those compass-multi-tool-thingers floating around here somewhere. Works great for what it is. Compass tells me where North, etc are located, light shines, and the whistle blows...Not the "coolest" thing on the market, but good enough. Same goes for the knife. I have a handful of Winchester knives and they do exactly what I would expect a knife to do...they cut stuff...

 

[facablade]

knowledge
insulation shelter
hot beverage=firesteel+cup+h2O

 

[Iboschi]

Knife
Fire-Steel
Woman









(okay, a woman with a Steel Container )

 

[CSG]

A comfy chair
Package of Twinkies
Book on survival

Or

Knife
Firesteel
Sil poncho

I figure I can make a container for water but I can't easily make a poncho. Of course, none of us would venture out with only three items.