nails and awls

Sewing needles and an awl are (possible) components in pocket kits and most SAKs and multitools will have a awl for scribing and punching. Heres a little alternative, horseshoe nails! They have a nice large head for gripping, softer temper ( you can hammer them into different configurations) and are asymmetrical ( to drive naturally away from living tissue.)They also cut easily with a multitool, something of a ordeal with better building nails. An additional trick while cutting or bending small hooks, nails or wire is to place the piece in an open clear ziplock bag. dropping or having a cut piece flying off is no fun.

I once saw an online list of someone's PSK which included a ten penny nail. I assumed this was for use as an awl. I can see how it would be more heavy duty than the sewing awls I've seen, but I've never seen anyone else ever include a nail in a survival kit. So, it was interesting to read Chris' post suggesting horseshoe nails for use as awls. Has anyone actually improvised with nails in this way, using them as awls? It sounds very useful; was it? Would a large nail be worth inclusion in a PSK? And if so, which kinds of nails (large, small, normal, horseshoe, other...) might be most useful?

A small nail is very usefull in hafting a large fishhook for a gaff. I like the horshoe nails because of the large anvil head, and the square shape and lower Rockwell hardness eases shaping into hooks etc.

JT,<br><br>I have not carried nails in my PSK yet, although I always keep a variety in my BOB. As nails they have proven very useful on camping trips. I also keep at least 2 different blunted nails in many diverse tool & equipment kits. They make good expedient punches for disassembling tools, equipment, & sometimes guns as needed. They can always be cushioned if appropriate. Usually I use a grinder at maximum speed. That heats them red hot & destroys any temper, thereby making them easier to work.<br><br>John

From the 17th-early 19th century "trade" awls were a big item with the Native Americans- they were interesting in concept, pointed on each end with two right angles forged right in the middle, they formed sort of a zigzag or lightning-bolt shape. The idea was that they were easy to haft by just pounding one pointed end into a piece of wood, but the right angles kept it from penetrating past a certain point and splitting the wood with constant use. . I have some reproductions of this type- they're too big for a PSK. European-culture leather awls and sailmaker awls were quite different.<br><br>I have several leather awls. Most modern leather awls are intended for use with a seperate haft (the "awl" is the blade itself) that has sort of a chuck to make changing the awl possible and easy. Modern leather awls can be either round or diamond shaped in cross-section, and are well tempered, will take a lot of use and stay sharp. I thought of including an awl in the PSK, but I wouldn't want to use it much without a haft, and that rather puts it beyond very short-term survival. Realistically, I doubt that there would be much leather work involved in short-term survival. Long-term is another matter (as is sailing), they're worth their weight in gold... but I'm not sure about inclusion in a PSK. The use of an awl also sort of implies heavy thread that I'm not carrying... if you have a short-term survival use, I'd be interested.<br>

The Inuit say the two most important survival items are a knife and a sewing kit. Well maintained clothing is essential in any clime. If we are crawling out of a crumpled aircraft, kayak or horse, chances are our clothing is a bit crumpled also. Buttons are drilled with a bit of sand as a grinding medium, the ballistic nylonrucksack mended and the seat covers sewn into snow gaitors. The stick we saved from the fire for a gaff hook needs a groove to help secure the hook shank along with that small nail. Meanwhile our Ka-Bars, Busse Brutes and T-Rex slayer knives stay nice and sharp for shaving fuzz sticks and rendering field mice.

T-Rex slayer knives? Sounds like something I should know about.. so THAT's what those saw teeth are for... heaven knows most of them don't work on wood, but they might be just the thing for t-rex hide. If a big knife makes skinning out a dinosaur easier, imagine how fast it will skin out those field mice... :-)<br><br>If we're going to be making snow gaitors out of upholstry and dinosaur hides, I definitly need to pack heaver thread... or does a T-rex come with useable sinew? Just guessing, but I'd be willing to bet this is going to put a lie to the old saying about each animal having just the right amount of brains to brain-tan it's own hide...<br><br>Not saying it's not a key item, but the Inuit might have more incentive than most peoples to be concerned with clothing. I imagine that the the Polynesians and Amazon Indians might find that priority a bit puzzling...<br><br>An uncle of mine maintained that there was one key indicator as to whether an area was truly habitable by humans- the presence of palm trees. His position was that if palm trees wouldn't grow there, no reasonable person would want to live there either.

Altho too large for a pocket kit, a machinists scribe is a handy poking tool. Needle sharp, the shaft stores in the knurled handle, making it shorter and safer to store/carry. You can get them at most hardware stores for about $4.00...<br><br>I have always included a nail or three in my kits, never thought of a horseshoe nail, good ideal. Thanks...

Presumed, your uncle is a man of limitless wisdom.

*sign*<br><br>Chris, lets not have the big knive/small knife fight again. (It never stays a debate. It's safer to insult a man's wife AND mother, than his cutlery, I've seen.)

Chris<br><br>For those of us who are perhaps less anthropologically attuned than you, and possibly even a little mechanically challenged, could you provide a little more detail on the mechanics of button-making. I assume the idea is to use a bow & drill to power the sand granule. But how do you drill precisely in one spot? What holds the granule in place? An so on?<br><br>As I think about it, a nail turned by a bow & drill would probably make a good expedient drill. <br><br>By the way, I misplaced the stone tablet containing the hunting regs on T-Rex. What's the bag & possession limit this year? And have they finally legalized the sling & rock for Pterodactyls?<br><br>John

Im a medium knife man myself. And that, dear people is the bold, middle of the road that goes nowhere ( and is filled with yellow stripes and dead skunks) of California politics. This belongs in the Campfire Forum-oops!

Buttons are probably an extreme example, and hopefully we have a few in our sewing kit. A nail can be used to simply punch holes, such as a heavy tarp or leather. To drill a needed hole ( such as in wood, bone or shell) the square shape of a horshoe nail gives a chisel edge. Peoples of the southwest actually used cactus needles. the sand is merely a abrasive, much like lapping compound. This is definitely a labor and time intensive method. Perhaps a small modeller's drill ( Im thinking of the impact ratcheting version) is worth inclusion in a larger gearkit? As to T-REX I must beg off. I had the distastefull duty of shooting a dangerous coyote today. My Dine' friend has to rebalance me with the universe :O(

One of the sewing needles in your kit would do just fine for drilling in most substances - hope you have more than one. You could probalby just twiddle it in your fingers. I have drilled shell in just a couple of minutes using a chert drill in this manner. Actually if I had to improvise a button type fastener, I think I would go for some sort of toggle and loop gadget,since I might be able to fabricate it more easily out of what I am likely to have handy.

The hunting regs on T-Rex have eased up in recent years becasue of the sucess of the "catch and release" program. (doesn't that produce an interesting image in one's noggin'?)

Personally, I want to meet the professional guides and look over THEIR equipment. :-)<br>

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>An uncle of mine maintained that there was one key indicator as to whether an area was truly habitable by humans- the presence of palm trees. His position was that if palm trees wouldn't grow there, no reasonable person would want to live there either.<p><hr></blockquote><p>Oh, man! LOL!<br><br>Would you mind if I used that as a sig line?

Of course, you may use it however you like. I'm sure he'd be pleased.