Experience is the best teacher. Generally speaking this is true, especially if we talk about survival. That is why we are always advised to practice with our gears. Go into the woods and do some dirt time. And do it as often as you can.
Some of the stuff I know about survival like making fire for one, I learned out of necessity. As far as I can remember in 1957 there was no electricity in my hometown San Jose. There were no television sets then and the sole entertainment of people at night is going to a movie theater powered by an electric generator. Not everybody have transistor radio that run on batteries, in fact you would be considered rich if you have one.
Electric stoves are non existent too. There are some people who own kerosene stove but most cook their food using firewood. There was no garbage collection system in place either so people burn their garbage instead especially the leaves raked from the backyard. In the morning and at dusk you would see in the neighborhood heaps of leaves smoking under the fruit trees so it would blossom and bear fruit.
(Photo courtesy of Low-Tech Magazine)
I learned how to make fire at an early age by just watching people do so at first and then doing it by myself later. I learned how to stack the firewood the right way so it would easily catch fire using a match and only a piece of paper as tinder. I also learned how to blow or use ihip to make the fire bloom and how to arrange 3 stone cooking fire. I became adept at these skills by repetition since it is a part of my daily chore. Only around the 60's that the town was energized.
That's all folks! Thanks for reading.
Spring is here no doubt about that, and what better indicator can there be, than Dandelions growing everywhere!
Many people abhor these weeds in their lawn and do all thing to eradicate them. I for one, pull them out but they are just so stubborn they come back in a jiffy. It's much easier to use chemicals but you also poison the ground that way. Some people eat Dandelions but I guess they don't taste good otherwise there would not be a lot of them around.
But its good to know that Dandelions are edible. I never did until I saw this video. It is wise to know wild edibles available in your local environment because they are a source of food in time of extreme necessity.
That's all folks! Thanks for reading.
I think I have been bitten by PSK in Can mania. Ever since I made my first kit in can, I have made another two versions, a bigger one and smaller one. Here's the bigger one version.
More items added.
Clockwise from top, left: Firesteel, petroleum coated cotton balls, char cloth, whistle, petroleum jelly coated cotton balls, SAK Gardener knife, candle, duct tape, band aid, twisty, button compass, BIC sparky, whistle, fishing kit and LED flashlight. You know what, I forgot to wound the fishing line in the credit card. Rest assured I would do it.
There you are, I added a fishing kit, band aid, twisty, candle, BIC sparky, duct tape and char cloth. I could add some more items, I guess. Very appropiate kit with my neck knife.
That's all folks! Thanks for reading.
I have been contemplating on building a Personal Survival Kit for quite sometime. A kit that would contain the basic items that would help your effort to get out of survival situation alive, a kit that would grow to suit your needs, experience, and environment. A kit small enough to carry in your pocket or tossed in the glove compartment of your car so it will always be with you.
The blizzard that hit our area made me really think hard about winter preparedness. My brother told me that he was stranded in his car with his wife for 2 hours at Lake Shore Drive. Some motorists have to spend longer than that in their car before they were rescued. Who says you have to be in the wilderness to be in a survival situation?
The blizzard of 2011.
But what about when you got stranded in a remote area and help cannot get to you at once. What about if you have to spend the night in your car or it would take days before you can get rescued? Are you prepared to survive?
This Personal Survival Kit can save your life.
Tin can and its contents.
Clockwise: Firesteel, whistle, petroleum jelly coated cotton balls, knife, LED flashlight and button compass.
Firesteel and petroleum jelly coated cotton balls for starting a fire. Remember the survival rules of 3's, 3 hours of exposure to elements - you die. A lot of people during winter succumb to hypothermia. Just read the news.
Small utility folding knife.
LED flashlight. For finding things in your car at night and for signaling for help.
Aluminum whistle. Better than shouting or yelling and exhausting yourself. 3 short burst is universal sign for help. The sound from a whistle reaches farther that a shout or yell.
Button compass. It is not advisable to leave your car because it would be easier to find you if you're in or near your car than when you are wandering about not knowing where to go. But if you really have to leave and look for help, this compass will give you the general direction.
I made several PSK because I plan to sell them for $15.00 each, 10% of the gross sales will be donated to the church or charitable organizations.
That's all folks! Thanks for reading.
I promised in my previous post that I will be showing you my possibles pouch. So here it is:
I carry my possibles pouch, together with my PSK, when I go hiking or biking on trails, when I'm out into the woods for a day or when I go for a long drive.
I googled for the definition of a possibles pouch and this is what I got: A “Possibles Pouch” is possibly, “Whatever you want to carry in it”. I don't know if that is an accurate definition or not, but its good enough for me. Therefore, these are what I want to carry in my possibles pouch.
From left to right:
1. Bic lighter
2. Petroleum jelly coated cotton balls
3. Magnesium and flint fire starter.
4. Compass
5. Heavy-duty garbage bags, safety pins, band-aids, rubber bands and duct tape.
6. SAK Hiker
7. LED flashlight
8. String
SAK Hiker.
I chose this knife because it has a long saw that is good for cutting small branches and the price is just right for me.
With these, I've about covered everything, except for the fishing kit which I wanted to make.
Fire: Bic lighter, magnesium and flint fire starter and the ferrocerium rod in my PSK.
Shelter: 2 heavy-duty garbage bags, 2 knives.
Food: Improvised fishing kit using safety pins and string.
Navigation and signaling: 2 compass, 1 whistle, 2 flashlights
First-Aid: Band-aid, duct tape.
Repair: Safety pins, duct tape.
Of course I carry other items such as water, food and extra clothing in my pack but in this post, I am focusing only on my possibles pouch and its contents. I know through time, what I carry in my possibles pouch may change.
That is very possible!
That's all folks! Thanks for reading.
Hello everybody.
Since this blog is about survival, I think it is appropriate that my very first post would be about survival kit.
My PSK is the outcome of the many articles I have read and videos I have seen and of course is also highly influenced by factors such as where I live and where I usually go. This is the kit I always carry whenever I go to church, mall, park, work, almost anywhere even around the house. I do have a bigger kit though when I go traveling, hiking or camping but this is the very basic kit that I carry.
1. Whistle with compass, thermometer and magnifying glass
2. House keys
3. Ferrocerium rod
4. LED light
5. Knife
6. Container for petroleum jelly coated cotton balls.
Firemaking:
The knife serves as scraper for the ferrocerium rod and for opening boxes and letters. The red tube is a cigar container that I cut to 3" length and contains 5-6 compressed petroleum jelly coated cotton balls.
Light, signaling, and navigation:
The LED flashlight is a company giveaway, the whistle with compass, thermometer and small magnifying lens is from Walmart for $4.
This kit cost $10 more or less.
That's all folks! Thanks for reading.
