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I just read this article about recent tornado deaths of people in vehicles. We're accustomed to seeing video of ripped up homes and think that that's where most people die, but I guess a large proportion of people are actually dying in their vehicles. Anyway, just a reminder that being inside a passenger vehicle, no matter how large, is not a good place to be when a tornado hits you.
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Okay, so we spend a fair amount of time practicing and learning survival skills. How to build debris shelters and how to start fire with a bow drill. But the recent thread on making clothes got me thinking. I've learned a lot of survival skills without even noticing thats what they were.
So much of what you learn in the kitchen translates directly to survival. I think a good survival course could be spent almost entirely in the kitchen and then moved outside. Knife handling, fire safety, cooking and keeping clean are all survival skills I learned first in the kitchen. They only difference is you don't have a counter or refrigeration in the woods. But if you can sharpen a kitchen knife you can sharpen a hunting knife. If you can disassemble a chicken, you can disassemble a rabbit. Fish are exactly the same. If you understand bread, you can make it anywhere. If you don't wash your hands, don't cook things well, you'll get sick and it doesn't matter where you are.
Sewing is another survival skill I didn't notice learning. I think I learned sewing first in elementary school art class. Then I made denim stuff sacks out of old jeans and finally I learned how to do leather work. But if I tear up my jacket or pants in the woods or even my boots I can fix them. As long as I have needle and thread I can repair or make all kinds of things I might need.
I learned use a map and compass the same way. I learned how to do it just being in the woods or riding in a car, and then ROTC and later geology refined my skills. But if I get lost I can probably get myself found.
Don't get me wrong, I think practicing survival skills is important. If you've never cooked over a fire with out utensils you're going to mess it up. And pitching a tent is a far cry from building a lean to, but there are tons and tons of things we learn how to do with out ever thinking about them as survival skills.
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More than once I've gone for my FAK/ cell phone/ multi-tool only to find I hadn't moved it to the right kit...So Here's the question -- Who uses a checklist for prep/ packing? What's on it?
Teacher
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7395648.stm
Scots glen SOS picked up in USA
A distress signal sent by a Danish hill walker from a Scottish glen was picked up in Texas, before being relayed back to Highlands police.
The rescue in Glen Etive, near Fort William, was sparked by an emergency beacon the size of a TV remote control.
Neils Vinter, who felt unwell, sent a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) text, which was picked up 4,000 miles away.
A Royal Navy helicopter from Prestwick, Ayrshire, flew him to hospital.
The multi-national, inter-agency rescue began at 0300 BST on Monday.
The 60-year-old, who lives in Sunderland and was attempting a coast-to-coast trek across Scotland, pressed an emergency button on his device when suffered acute abdominal pain.
His text detected by security and communications firm GEOS's emergency response centre in Houston, Texas, which alerted Northern Constabulary's Fort William Police Station, 15 miles from where the walker was located.
Officers contacted Northern's force operations centre in Inverness for clarification before the RAF Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at Kinloss, in Moray, was contacted.
The RAF team, who co-ordinate the UK's search and rescue helicopters, scrambled a Royal Navy Sea King from Prestwick.
Mr Vinter was taken to Belford Hospital at Fort William where he has been receiving treatment.
Rescue co-ordinator Flt Sgt Tim Dickinson said: "This was a perfect example of excellent cooperation between the police at Fort William and the military search and rescue services."
Northern Constabulary said: "The system means that the monitoring company call local police.
"An operator at Fort William Police Station got the call and was given the digital co-ordinates in relation to the man's location.
"The operator then contacted the force operations centre in Inverness for clarification and the call was then put through to RAF Kinloss."
GEOS monitors the global mobile phone and satellite market and offers services for users of GPS-equipped mobile/cell-phones, satellite phones and other GPS-equipped devices.
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I've gone on record in the past as disapproving of knife sheaths (usually custom Kydex ones) which incorporate extra bits like fire steels, sharpeners, photon lights, other small knives, but I take it all back as today I put together a package which I really like and worked perfectly.
Yesterday I received a set of chaps I had made for search and rescue work...like gaiters on steroids. Unfortunately because they have their own belt, it prevents anything from being worn on the belt on my pants. Since the belt was made from webbing, I had an idea. I ran a strap of Lite-on cargo webbing I had through my Gerber LMF II sheath and then through the chaps. I had a perfect cross draw blade across my back which doesn't interfere with my vest...but since I was going out on a training exercise today I wanted to see if a bit of overkill would work...better to try these things during practice than to flounder with them during the real thing.
Since the sheath has a pull through carbide sharpener, I decided to compliment that. I zip tied a Smith's diamond sharpener (without the holder) to one side and the ceramic rod from a Smith's 3 in 1 kit to the other. Not ending there I used some bulk velcro cable wrap and attached the belt pocket for my Gerber Diesel multipliers in between the sharpening rods. Here's what I ended up with (some of the picture are on the dark side...sorry):
I was expecting it to be uncomfortable, awkward, and too heavy. I was pleasantly surprised. The only issue I had was the handle occasionally snagging on my shirt...minor issue and in reality a non issue if I tuck my shirt in next time. I don't think it could have been a tougher test as I spent most of the day on my hands and knees following tracks through thick willows (also a good test for the chaps). It wasn't too heavy at all and everything was ultra secure.
Since I moved my Freeman Hunter to a lanyard around my neck (under my vest), it was the only thing on the belt which left nothing on the sides to snag on anything. Yes I know that's a lot of blades and yes I'm alright with that.  I was actually surprised at how many volunteers had either nothing or a key chain Swiss Army Knife...at least a lot of them had a Leatherman. Sure we were a stones throw from civilization but I grew up in those woods and even then I didn't wander without at least a good SAK.
So getting back on topic I take back anything bad I may have said previously about all in everything sheaths...it can be done and now I see the benefits. It's nice to have something like this handy that I could literally wrap around my waist in seconds while running out the door. If I can keep the weight down to a point where it's not encumbering, I might add a few more things to it.
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Here is the second attempt at this. I would have posted it sooner but for that whole car accident thing….
To improve on my first attempt I made the blade bigger and folded a ridge over in order to add spine strength.
I used a fired .50 BMG round to make a handle by folding the metal over a third time for thickness and then pounding the tang of the blade flat and inserting it the mouth of the case, and then pounding the neck of the case flat. I punched out the primer and used lock wire passed through the hole for a lanyard loop, and then added GUN tape for handle grip and comfort. I didn’t want to spend hours rubbing this one on the gun shroud so I used a better sharpener this time and put one hell of an edge on the ammo can steel. Scrounging all other materials in which to make a knife I used the plactic drum from the LMG to make a smaller utility blade using a 7.62mm GPMG casing. They are shown in the pic next to my issued bayonet for size comparison.
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
The results
-the newer ammo can knife was a 100 percent improvement over the first. It can do very light chop work, rips through strapping and cardboard with ease. It actually has a better edge than my bayonet, although it doesn’t last very long.
-the edge dulls fast, but using a proper stone quickly fixes it.
-adding the folded spine prevented it from flexing like the first design
-the .50 casing handle was very easy on the hands
-the added point makes stabbing possible
-the plastic knife was almost useless, when used for very light work it could do some light stuff (like spreading jam on bread from an IMP, opening foil pouches etc)
As a side note, my friend Bigmothertrucker on this forum, asked to see my new designed ammo can knife(most likely to poke fun) I handed it to him with the standard warning “carful, it’s really f***** sharp” Naturally he decided to rub it across his hand to see, like all idiots somehow manage to do and proceeded not only to cut through his glove, but deep into his hand as well......... Idiot….
My new design cuts the flesh of dumb people very effectively. 
I realize not everyone has these materials available, but almost any other type of sheet metal could give similar results I imagine.
I think I will take this thing on my next hunting trip to see how it can stand up to field dressing.
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Hey all,
There has been a lot of talk about what is the best kind of tape for first aid. I am thinking of getting just athletic tape, because it is easy, and I know its strong because I have tested it climbing crack. Any thing else? Bad-Good of different tapes...Ladies and Gentlemen, DISCUSS!
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Only the prepared will stand a chance of surviving in the event of a total economic meltdown. You can prepare in advance by creating a stockpile of food and water and materials; but in the back of your mind, you already know that when the nightmare hits and becomes a reality, that sooner or later your stockpile is going to diminish, and that hunger and thirst - and possibly even disease - is going to force you and your family to move out into the surrounding area in the hope of acquiring food and water and whatever else it is that you will need to acquire.
I haven't seen any threads in this forum on the subject of making improvised clothing. Even if you know how to trap animals and tan hides, do you possess the necessary skill to create decent clothing for yourself ? LW.
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