Was Mc Gyver the ultimate Survivalist??

E

EDGE!

Joined
Jun 11, 2000
Messages
68
Anoyne remember the series "Mc Gyver" with Richard Dean Anderson, he always knew how to get out of a sticky situation, would he be the ultimate survivalist? where could I learn some of the techniques he used, improvisation I think would be the best defination for this.

------------------
Hunting?
Don't be a wise guy!
What d'ya hunt with a knife?
Name it!
 
Just watch the reruns!
smile.gif


------------------
Check out my pics
 
My friends all thought the show was fakey and pretty far fetched plot wise. I, on the other hand, thought that universities should install classes in what I called "practical physics" (McGyverism). Now I don't know if you can weld with a silver dollar and a battery charger, but some of the other practical "make do; can do" things he did should be part of every prepared persons ciriculum. The ability to adapt to your environment, and improvise from existing material is what survivalism is all about.

I almost forgot. To learn some of the things that McGyver did it is best to start with the basics. There have in the past been books published called "How things work". These are a good start. To improvise you must first understand the principles. Good courses in physics, mechanics, and basic engineering would also be helpful. I get the idea that McGyver was some sort of advanced young genius type who did alot of reading (book reading). I am afraid that the internet is going to inhibit our children from utilizing this most valuable resource. What am I saying, I'm using the internet now!

[This message has been edited by J. J. Magnum (edited 07-01-2000).]
 
Hey Guys...

Actually you'll be interested to know there is someone who may be reading this that did some consulting for the McGyver show...
smile.gif


ttyle Eric...



------------------
Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom,Quality, Concealex Sheaths.

Leading The Way In Synthetic Sheathing.
 
Well, some of the things on the show would work, but a lot of them (often for liability reasons; you can't make an explosive from nitro pills, sorry) were complete fakery. It's Hollywood, remember, and they do what's entertaining, not necessarily what's real. Being a 'real-life' McGyver is definitely a good survival tactic, but is hard to achieve. As suggested, take some classes, read some books, and try to think outside the box. Those of us engineers who refuse to do anything in any way other than the way you're 'supposed to' do it are the ones who need a milling machine to make a door stop. Those of us who sort of aspire toward being McGyver will just take a piece of wood and slice it diagonally (with a large knife
smile.gif
) to make a wedge.

--JB

------------------
e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
I think it was Ziggy who said (recently, in fact) "It's hard to think outside of the box when you are a one panel cartoon"...
smile.gif
 
Nope! He was/is an ANTIgunner! Anybody that is totally antigun can't survive forever!
smile.gif


I'll NEVER forget the episode where he uses a perfectly good revolver as a WRENCH by removing the cylinder and using the opening as the socket.



------------------
Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
<A HREF="http://pub7.ezboard.com/bplainsmanscabin.html" TARGET=_blank>
Plainsman's Cabin Forums</A>
 
I remember reading an article written while the show was airing that said all the different scientific "tricks" MacGyver did were tested by a local college's physics department for the studio to ensure they actually worked. Anything that was deemed too dangerous for the kiddies (ie. how to make a bomb in your kitchen) they made sure to leave one ingredient out of when the show aired.

As far as anti-gun, I seem to remember there was one show towards the end of the series where MacGyver used a gun, as a gun. But he was basically non-gun. He always tried to find a solution to a problem without having to blow somebody's brains out. Silly boy.

The show was definitely pro-knife (Victorinox Swiss Army always), though.

------------------
"All is well. And all will be well - in the garden." Chance the Gardener

[This message has been edited by RDaneel (edited 07-01-2000).]
 
It's been a long time since I watched that show and I didn't see a lot of episodes but I seem to recall that he pulled out a small leatherman once didn't he?

------------------
Hoodoo

And so, to all outdoor folks, the knife is the most important item of equipment.

Ellsworth Jaeger - Wildwood Wisdom
 
As a teen I made improvised munitions or weapons out of almost anything imaginable. One of the things I learned was how hard it is to get a crude device to do what you want. Things you want to explode, just burn. Things you want to launch projectiles, explode. Breaking bottles to improvise a blade, cuts your hand. With time and experimentation you can actually do many of the McGyver tricks, but they'd almost never work the first time with a few seconds to prepare.

I've got a physics degree and I like to do flashy science demonstrations for kids. I know enough to do some quick math and a bunch of tests before I take my act on the road. I must say that, gee I love magnesium and thermite! One way that McGyver was right on the money is that you can do an awful lot with duct tape and an SAK.

[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 07-02-2000).]
 
Agree with Plainsman on this one. I watched one episode. ANTI gun. Never watched another. Magnum P.I. was alot more to my liking.

I have to think that if Mc Gyver ever got out of sight of the nearest telephone pole he would have been in big trouble.


Mike
 
Yeah, the antigun thing always annoyed me about that show. Now I remember why I hardly ever watched it. The idea of throwing a gun away when it could be used to defend yourself and save your life always seemed ridiculous to me. Especially when it happened every week.

The idea that you can improvise from mAterials at hand is a pretty cool one though and McGyver really exemplified it. Too bad they have to ruin things to grind an obvious political agenda.

Did you ever notice that any time TV deals with the "gun" issue it goes something like this: Dick or Jane was mugged or their house was broken into etc and so Dick or Jane feels violated enough to run out and buy a gun while everyone acts kinda shocked and clucks like old hens, wise in knowing that nothing good can come of this. And sure enough, someone drops by unexpected late at night and Dick or Jane takes a shot at them in the dark and 1)missed them or 2)wounded them or 3)killed them and then, properly educated, they get rid of the nasty ol' gun, now also wise in knowing that nothing good can come of keeping a gun in the house and all the old hens wag their heads and say I told you so. They're JUST TOO DANGEROUS.

And 99% of the people in the country that have owned guns for most of their lives and never shot or shot AT anyone are scratching their heads in wonder. Thinking wow, I had no idea they were that dangerous. And BTW, so are knives. We should get rid of them too.

Plasticware for everyone!!! And NO GUNS. Not even squirt guns. They are just too realistic.

I feel better now.

------------------
Hoodoo

And so, to all outdoor folks, the knife is the most important item of equipment.

Ellsworth Jaeger - Wildwood Wisdom
 
What I want to know is who's agenda it was. In Mr. Anderson's new series, he carries automatic weapons on a regular basis, so I doubt it was his agenda. So, what moron thought that up? The only vaguely acceptable thing I can think of is if they just did it to make the show more interesting, since he has to improvise more to get over the disability of not having a gun.

--JB

------------------
e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
G. Gordon Liddy appeared as a villian (what else?) on the McGyver series. I heard him once on his radio show relating his experiences with Richard Dean Anderson. As I recall, Liddy explained that the gunless title character was Anderson's suggestion because the other TV action heroes were all very gun-reliant, and he wanted McGyver to be different. Liddy does not mince words when expressing his 2nd amendment views and he described Anderson himself as someone who did not personally oppose firearms, but who had no personal interest in them- i.e.- He was gun ignorant but ambivalent, not gun ignorant and hostile. I also seem to remember that the G-Man offered to take Anderson shooting. I don't remember if the offer was accepted.

------------------
Be Worthy

[This message has been edited by MacHete (edited 07-05-2000).]
 
I greatly prefered McGyver's non-use of guns to the A-Team's automatic weapon and explosive ordinance assaults with nobody killed.

Back in the early TV cowboy shows the hero never killed anybody. They shot guns out of people's hands everyday. If they got close they used their fists. No good guy would ever kick anybody. A lot had to do with the young age of the target audience. McGyver was tolerated by a lot of violence sensitive parents. I'm glad that there was a show made with action, a sort of nerd hero, and the idea that what you know can help in a crisis as much as your athletic prowess. I thought of it as a little like Mr. Wizard, secret agent. (You know Don Herbert would never shoot anybody).
 
I watched that show religiously when I was a kid, and was even nicknamed "Macgyver" at my old-arse job at a local gas station. Anyways, The character didn't like guns (the series as a whole wasn't all that anti-gun, as it wasn't presented as such) because, as a kid, the Macgyver character was screwing around with a shotgun (i think) and accidently killed his best friend, hence the no-gun thingy in the story lines.

I always thought his arch-nemesis, Murdoc, was cool.

--dan
P.S. Fun fact to know and tell: Macgyver's first name was Angus...------------------

pint1.gif


[This message has been edited by dano (edited 07-09-2000).]
 
Even better than McGyver: the Professor on Gilligan's Island!
Second place: Captain Nemo.
 
Originally posted by Jeff Clark:
I greatly prefered McGyver's non-use of guns to the A-Team's automatic weapon and explosive ordinance assaults with nobody killed.
Click to expand...

Good points. But the problem is that both images annoy me. Kids get the message that guns are either BAD or that guns give you the power to solve your problems.

Guns on mainstream TV are either displayed as evil or macho. Kid's watch McGyver and 15 years later are voting your gun rights away 'cause they firmly believe guns are bad. It's a recurring theme on TV, displayed in many subtle ways. McGyver was just another iteration of it.

Don't get me wrong. The show had a lot going for it. I just wish it had been done in a slightly different way.
frown.gif


------------------
Hoodoo

And so, to all outdoor folks, the knife is the most important item of equipment.

Ellsworth Jaeger - Wildwood Wisdom

[This message has been edited by Hoodoo (edited 07-20-2000).]
 
I am an unfulfilled gun nut (currently living in limey land) and watched every McGyver I could (10+years ago) till they went and changed the shows format, he stopped making as much stuff. I heard that all the stuff was tested in a college too. I liked the fact that he didn't use a gun, thought it dumb sometimes but the idea that there were other (creative) ways to handle problems was good. It got me thinking.

There were some episodes where he was out in the boonies, I liked those best, learned about chaff explosions on one of them. There was a story that Anderson once locked himself out of this appartment and had to put a bench through a window to get in. latter his friends presented him with a Swiss-Army colored park bench for future use!

For middle of nowhere survival guys check out www.raymears.com , now he is good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top