I have read a lot of the posts in the last couple weeks and have noticed several items that are missing that could be used possibly. What about bread ties, rubber bands, superglue? also intead of a tarp or visqueen, go to a commercial greenhouse and get some 4 year UV resistant poly.
Have a good day.

Caution,-"Gum-Bands" / Rubber Bands,-Have a Way of Deteriorating Real Bad on you!,-if you just Set them Down somewhere and Forget About Them!,-I Know! I Don't Know whether this Occurs over Weeks or Months,-but a Number of Times,-I've Looked Months Later,-and Saw Them So! Perhaps There are Ways to Care for Them, and Perhaps Extend Their Life,-Perhaps Not,-I Don't Know. But I Wanted to Sound that Note of Caution,-in the Event you may have been Unaware. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]hillbilly[/email]

A number of people on this forum and others carry 'Ranger Bands' around their PSKs and other pieces of equipment. These are large rubber bands made from pieces of bicycle inner tube. They hold the kit together and burn well. sure they have other uses too.
If bread ties are what I think they are (thin pieces of wire covered in a strip of plastic) then, they are not often used because they are flimsy, have a tendency to break and they rust easily.
Super glue is sometimes carried, often for use on open wounds, although I've heard a lot of medical people condone this and I don't carry any myself.

Hope this helps.

>>Super glue is sometimes carried, often for use on open
>>wounds, although I've heard a lot of medical people
>>condone this and I don't carry any myself.
^^^^^^^

Sorry to be pedantic, but I think you meant to type "condemn"?

No, i think "Condone" as in approve, suggest, support is what the point was.
Super Glue is a common item in a trauma med kit, I know a SWAT team leader who's FAK consists of little more than a few bandages, some tape and superglue.

Having worked for a veterinarian for 12 yrs, I understood that there was no hurry to close a wound under "field" conditions. Clean & cover to protect from further contamination, yes. But sewing, gluing or taping it closed isn't usually recommended, as debris & bacteria are likely to still be trapped in the wound, leading to infection.

>>I know a SWAT team leader who's FAK consists of little more
>>than a few bandages, some tape and superglue.

A SWAT team leader is not a doctor, a registered nurse, and probably not a paramedic. I would strongly recommend he get himself a real First Aid Kit (and maybe try to stay awake in his next Red Cross course <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )

I can't do much better than quote an earlier post from one of our resident doctors, Trusbx:
=============================
I would caution all who carry superglue /dermabond / cyanoacrylate adhesive against using the glue to close wounds unless you are sure that it is clean or has been cleaned properly. An open wound can be cleaned and dressed to heal (albeit with a scar) but a dirty wound if sealed up will inevitably lead to infection and wound breakdown, or worse still deeper fascial infection.
General advice to all using glue to effect skin closure :
1. Clean the wound thouroughly
2. Wait for 24 hours and clean the wound again.
3. If no evidence of infection and you wish to close the wound, you can do so with the attendant risk (albeit reduced) of subsequent wound infection.

Never , ever close a dirty wound.
=============================

This pretty much echoes what I teach as a First Aid instructor.

A police officer, of all people, should know how to do proper First Aid, and he should carry a proper First Aid kit.

I know a Capt with a local sheriffs office, who as a Sgt was their SWAT leader for a number of years. I don't know what he carried, if anything, in the way of first aid supplies, but I do know that all of the medical trng he had was the Advanced First Aid required of all peace officers in CA. No way I would want him to to more than put a band aid on me...

in my PSK, I carry snare-wire, twine, ranger-bands, a trashbag and superglue. That is all that will fit in my PSK similar to the items you list. In my EDC (PSK + Other pockets and belt hanging items that are always with me) I have a Silnylon poncho/tarp, another trashbag, a space blanket and plastic poncho thingy. So that covers everything other than the bread ties. I carry a bunch of safety pins and the snare wire or the twine should cover those needs while being more durable and having more possible uses. In my BOB, which is intended to allow me to setup medium to long range survival, I have zip-ties of all sizes, and coat-hanger wire. These, when added to my snare-wire, trip-wire, twine, paracord, rope and variety of duct and strapping tape will cover just about any need for holding one thing to another. The full list of BOB items is too large for right now. I may post it later.

Regular rubber bands do indeed degrade with heat rather quickly , OTOH, Ranger-bands last much better. The innertube latex is both heavier and less likely to "dry out" than regular rubber bands.

I don't like the heavy poly since it is heavy. Prefer the lightweight waterproof nylon. I'm not planning on setting up for a 4 year stay under a tarp. If the scenario looks that long I will be making more use of the bow-saw, nails and rope to fashion some more durable shelter.

I second the practice of carrying nails. I've carried some 3 1/2" 16d common nails (about 12) in my vehicle kit for some time now. This is apart from all the tools and etc. that's in the tool box of my truck. Recently I was in a situation where I wasn't as prepared as I should have been, (shame on me) but having my PSK and my vehicle kit with me I was able to use the nails to speed up construction of a lean to.

I used the back of my Estwing hatchet for the entire constructon. Just remember to take them out when you leave.

Does anyone else have other survival related uses for nails? I would be interested in hearing them.

--Luke