Survive! - Page 12

**The Reaper** · 07-25-2007, 23:20

Just a quick comment here.

Every guy posting with Quiet Professional under his name has been through a survival course of several days in a remote area with very few resources, like a knife, a book of paper matches, a few feet of 550 cord, a chicken or rabbit (to keep students from trapping and consuming domestic animals) and his canteen with cup, or in a real world situation with a lot more drama.

Asking questions is fine.

I would be very hesitant to dispense advice without comparable experience, which I only see in a few cases here. Anyone who is a SERE Instructor or survival expert who is not a QP, send me your creds.

As far as the slingshot goes, that would be fine, if it is small, lightweight, and if you are accurate with it.

I would consider a few feet of tubing for drinking from ground sources without disturbing it, or from a solar still without taking it apart, so if you could just carry the surgical tubing and make your own slingshot in the woods.

For firestarting, I have used a lot of techniques. Just as a control measure, I turned my kids, 9 and 12 years old, loose on a pile of pine needle tinder yesterday with one of the Firesteel manmade flint strikers. They caught on to the striking technique very quickly, making big showers of sparks, and I let them try to light the tinder. I had to add some shreded paper napkin to the mix before the youngest could get it started, total time, about four minutes and a couple of dozen strikes. Curiously enough, I also had to add some hand sanitizer before the older one could get one started. She took well over ten minutes and a hundred strikes. I actually stopped her twice and struck fires myself just to make sure that everything was okay. It took me a half dozen strikes or so. When I gave them a butane lighter, both could produce significant blazes almost immediately, with their first attempts.

Yes the flint or firesteel technique will work eventually, when it is cold or wet, if your hands know what they are doing. An actual flame beats a spark, even a good one, almost every time. I believe that for the weight of a flint, striker, and magnesium block, you could carry several lighters, which if kept in a pocket or on a necklace, will be much easier to use, as well as cheaper and requiring less training.

Next time you think about it, take your flint, steel, and magnesium out, and try to light a fire with it using just one hand. Now try it with your weak hand alone. How will you do it if one hand is injured? With a lighter, it is still simple.

Remember KISS.

TR

cobra22 · 07-26-2007, 01:14

Point taken Sir, it would be extremely obtuse of me to try to give survival advice to a QP. I was in no way trying to do that. I was just trying to explain why I chose the COA that I did and my logic for that COA. I apologize for not being more clear. On another note I did try the flint in my backyard with some pine needles, and then shredded paper. The flint by itself did not produce very good results, the flint with magnesium however did alot better. I produced fire in approx ten minutes with paper and then with pine needles. I haven't tried but doing it one handed would be very difficult. Looking at the facts I would have to say flint and magnesium out, BIC in. Good tips all.

Cobra 22

cold1 · 07-26-2007, 11:29

Quote:

Next time you think about it, take your flint, steel, and magnesium out, and try to light a fire with it using just one hand. Now try it with your weak hand alone. How will you do it if one hand is injured? With a lighter, it is still simple.

I had an epiphiny today while brazing up some lines. How about the torch striker. Small, light weight, only needs one hand, and reusable. Put your tender into the "Cup" and strart squeezing the handle to produce sparks. I have not tried it yet and I am sure it is no match against the BICs but for the person who must have a magnesium starter maybe this would be a better alternative.

Here is a pic
single-flint-striker.jpg

**The Reaper** · 07-26-2007, 12:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by cold1

I had an epiphiny today while brazing up some lines. How about the torch striker. Small, light weight, only needs one hand, and reusable. Put your tender into the "Cup" and strart squeezing the handle to produce sparks. I have not tried it yet and I am sure it is no match against the BICs but for the person who must have a magnesium starter maybe this would be a better alternative.

Here is a pic
Attachment 8048

Not magnesium, excessively large and bulky, and I suspect that the striking action will empty the cup before ignition is achieved. Might work if nothing else were around, especially if you have the oxygen and acetylene handy.

The small survival kits will fit in an Altoids tin. You can put 3 or 4 BIC lighters in that space, along with tinder, and if kept lukewarm and dry, they will start a fire quickly and effortlessly, with one hand every time.

TR

**Team Sergeant** · 07-26-2007, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by cold1

How about a sling shot for small game. Before I had a BB gun a sling shot was my best freind. They dont take up alot of space and ammo is usually plentiful.

As far as making a bow, try reading the "Traditional Bowyers Bible" seris. Great Info.

How would one of the permentant coffee filters be for sediments?

As a technical nugget the freezing point of Isobutane is -229F at atmospheric pressure.

Don't get it do you.

I'm not going to get into the thermodynamics and how it relates to vapor pressure and isobutane, butane does not work well in extremely cold weather.

Team Sergeant

cold1 · 07-26-2007, 13:52

Quote:

gas inside the Bic will freeze below -20 (or what ever is the freezing point)

No disrespect intended sir. Just want let you know what the freezing point of Isobutane was. I did not intend to be a smart ass or come across as one.

Again no disrepect sir, I do understand thermodynamics.

Quote:

butane does not work well in extremely cold weather.

No disagreement there.

As to my previous post about the torch striker. It should have been phrased as a question rather than a statement. I do not know if it would work or not, I have never tried it. Just thinking out loud.

Now back to reading more and posting less.

07-28-2007, 16:39

What I have been doing is using an Air Force RSSK for a survival pack. I start out with the "Cold Weather RSSK" then add or/ delete items as neccessary for Spring, Summer, or Fall. A little weighty but it has what I think to be very complete. These RSSK's were meant for more than 3 days whereas the vest (SRU-21P) was for less than 3 days usage. This is why when a pilot ejects out of his aircraft he will have both the RSSK and his vest on him. Thi vest and the RSSK has allot redundecy built in.

No my only question is this: Does anybody have any real-life experience with the "Mil-Spec" fishing kit? If so, what needs to be added or deleted?

10-28-2007, 13:20

One of the most important peice of kit is your witts or brain . Humans have the ability to think and reason. Hard to do when scared . Best thing to do is take a deep breath and calm down . Take stock of your situation and your suroundings. Since it is not a cold envirment I would like to find a nice spot for a shelter perferably around a water source. Make your lean to shelter just in case it does rain . Have a fire . A fire provides warmth, protection and a mental plus . Your not going to starve to death right away but will not last long without water. So water takes prioirity over food .

Some items of kit I wish to have for basic survival .
- a good fixed blade knife and sheath
- fire making products sush as mag fire stick, fire starrters,etc.
- para cord
- wire saw for cutting or for snare
- a good compass
- fishing line or dental flause
- condom
- pen light
- proper clothing/footwear
- garbage bag
- survival/medical kit

**The Reaper** · 10-28-2007, 14:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldier506

One of the most important peice of kit is your witts or brain . Humans have the ability to think and reason. Hard to do when scared . Best thing to do is take a deep breath and calm down . Take stock of your situation and your suroundings. Since it is not a cold envirment I would like to find a nice spot for a shelter perferably around a water source. Make your lean to shelter just in case it does rain . Have a fire . A fire provides warmth, protection and a mental plus . Your not going to starve to death right away but will not last long without water. So water takes prioirity over food .

Some items of kit I wish to have for basic survival .
- a good fixed blade knife and sheath
- fire making products sush as mag fire stick, fire starrters,etc.
- para cord
- wire saw for cutting or for snare
- a good compass
- fishing line or dental flause
- condom
- pen light
- proper clothing/footwear
- garbage bag
- survival/medical kit

I agree.

Take a deep breath and calm down.

And use the spell-checker.

Then tell me why someone who lists no military service is so busy posting on an SF board?

TR

10-29-2007, 19:26

Thanks for the reminder of my poor spelling & typing skills.

Also, where does it say no military skills? I recall adding I was involved with the militia at some point. Perhaps you are not familiar with things up here. Where I am from, militia is part of the armed forces. We have different terms up here. I am not in the same league as many but am here to show my respect for Nato troops and to hopefully learn some cold weather tips.

**Ambush Master** · 10-29-2007, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldier506

Thanks for the reminder of my poor spelling & typing skills.

Also, where does it say no military skills? I recall adding I was involved with the militia at some point. Perhaps you are not familiar with things up here. Where I am from, militia is part of the armed forces. We have different terms up here. I am not in the same league as many but am here to show my respect for Nato troops and to hopefully learn some cold weather tips.

Check your own Profile here!! It's a bit SLIM!!!

Do you really realize, with whom you are conversing?!?!?!

Take care.
Martin

Tetrian · 11-11-2007, 17:54

Not sure if its been posted earlier, it didn't show up on a search.

The Discovery channel here is currently running a series at the moment called survivorman. Seems like a more realistic version of the Bear Grylls show. Definately worth a look if your into survival shows and the like.

The guy basicly gets dropped off in the middle of nowhere alone and attempt to survive there for a week with the items one might normally carry with them every day.

Link below contains streams for the two first shows.
http://www.squidoo.com/survivorman/#module2214127

monsterhunter · 11-12-2007, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetrian

Not sure if its been posted earlier, it didn't show up on a search.

The Discovery channel here is currently running a series at the moment called survivorman. Seems like a more realistic version of the Bear Grylls show. Definately worth a look if your into survival shows and the like.

The guy basicly gets dropped off in the middle of nowhere alone and attempt to survive there for a week with the items one might normally carry with them every day.

Link below contains streams for the two first shows.
http://www.squidoo.com/survivorman/#module2214127

I will give up that this guy has some skills; however, some of the things I've seen him do on TV may cost someone if they try to emulate him. A few examples stand out: One where he eats a wild mushroom believing that he's GTG. The other is where he's snuggling under a rock for the night in very cold weather. He had his backpack with him, which he never inventoried before spending the first night. The next morning, he finds some useful items for the cold. The last I'll bring up is his leaving the shore to get lost, sick and dehydrated in a jungle. He then struggles to get back out to where he was in the first place.

Grant it, not all of this is the end of the world (except maybe the mushrooms), but not the example I would want to set for a novice in the field. I will give him credit for actually being by himself and making it out alive.

Just my .02, and it does have some entertainment value (otherwise I sure wouldn't be able to go on like this).

nighthawk45 · 11-21-2007, 13:50

I just got through reading the pages above, great stuff! For a really good place to
learn about this stuff. May I point to 'HOODs WOODs" at www.survival.com.
Ron and Karen Hood make some great videos/dvds about SURVIVAL.

walter

A#1 · 12-10-2007, 15:12

To my Understanding no one was able to really answer your senario. You only have clothes on back and boots.
60 days is your goal, but may not happen, so long stay survial is secondary plan or to Pack out yourself after 60 days. My first priority is to search area for any useful items. Water of unknown potabilty already Id.
1.stone for knives/axe (flint knapping/stone chipping)
2.DryShelter/fire making materials.(FireSaw/bow/tinder)

Assuming no trash is about for boil/storage of water.

3.near water source dig a hole (you can line the hole with stones, and let it fell with water.
4.place stones in your fire for at least 2 hours place stones in the water, until extremly hot drink prompley.
one can add to this pine needles,moss,willow bark,catail root ,grass root, fern bulbs,and bugs. etc. for benefit.
also id any food source the water has fish,bugs ,etc.

5.Keep busy devising traps.snare line made from fresh crushed saplings, strip bark,bear grass,catail reed(also good for baskets) finding animal trails .
6. Scouting and mapping the area in the dirt or any other means moving slightl further out every time marking food/water sources, mineral deposits,fire/shelter materials

assuming rescue is priority setting up a large signal fire with fresh green around for white smoke. and maintaining a fire near signal as to light when needed.important.

7. Have fun foraging, checking traps,Basket/line weaving and always looking for more to further comfort and survival.

P.s If you find mineral deposit s of ore (copper/tin/iron/magnitite/limestone/ try your hand at forging using wet wood and stone.

i have just discovered this site and i am over joyed at the knowledge base I now have access to thank you very much for every thing you are contributing. it will save lives.

With respect ,
A No.1