Show Notes
I begin this week
with the Law Industries products review,
then the Blizzard Survival 20% discount Offer, Out of date, but out of the
food-chain?, support these companies, Bugging-out and Hunting-can you survive?,
30% DISCOUNT FROM RIBZ, Consider This, Wilderness121’s 10% discount, The
Dragon Fire Gel review, Prepping Tips and Tricks, More companies to support,
Hardtack, Hunters-Knives 10% Discount Offer, Total Collapse What if?, Keep your
wits about you, Further companies to support, The question is Stove or
Campfire?, Home Made Diesel, Fire Lighting methods, Michael Mills, THE
WILDERNESS GATHERING 2014 14th to the 17th August.
Have you booked your ticket for the Wilderness Gathering?
You can get full details at www.wildernessgathering.co.uk or call 0845 8387062
Law Industries
products review
Mission Statement:
Our Philosophy is to get you home alive, to arm you with
the tools you need when you need them most. It’s been our ethos when we set out
on this journey and it reigns true to this very day. If your life, safety or
welfare depends on it, we will exceed all standards and expectations.
The aim of Law Industries is to meet a market born from a
specialist need. We design and produce custom equipment for various markets
including Survival, Search and Rescue (SAR), Military, SERE, E&E,
or for those working in an environment commonly deemed ’At
Risk’.
They even have a
“Restricted” section on their site and judging by their customer base that is
quite understandable indeed.
I have been very
lucky to be sent some top quality Mill Spec items to review and I must say that
they exude quality and practicality in every respect.
All three items,
“well what has not been used” in the case of the tinder tabs are now part of my
EDC.
TinderTabs
This little product is very special, and it’s very simple.
Like most great products it can be used as it is, or by simply teasing them
apart.
Or slicing them with a blade to increase the surface area so
they will catch more easily if you are new to using a firesteel.
Have your kindling ready and a few large sections of wood to
feed the fire as it grows. You can use feather sticks with Tinder Tabs, or
just use with some natural kindling available around you.
The rule is start with thinner than your little finger, then
work along the sizes of your fingers upwards as the fire grows.
This is a perfect Tinder for fires while camping, survival,
emergency kits or bags and for teaching children fire lighting skills.
Available in our store, made from highly compressed cotton. 100% Natural.
So do they actually work as described?
The answer dear listener is a big yes, they work as
described and they ignite very easily which is the main thing when it comes to
lighting a fire in the wilderness.
I have used a fire steel, a magnesium rod, a lighter and
matches and each one of them worked first time and that is all I can ask.
I agree with Law Industries in that I too think that teasing
the tabs apart increases their surface area and therefore makes it easier to
throw a spark.
Water Bag:
When it comes to hydration, the time without water is
measured in days before it proves fatal. You can’t plan an accident, you can’t
count on things being right all of the time.
When it comes to easily packed items into a survival kit,
BOB or car kit you want it small and light. You also need to know it will work
when you need it most.
The new Law Industries Water Bag allows you to carry a
compact water bag with you in any of your gear.
From survival kits, to the glove box of your car or just a
jacket pocket, it will carry with you anywhere. When you need clean water, fill
the bag and drop in two sterilising tablets.
If you run out of the tablets or simply don’t have any, just
fill the bag and leave in direct sunlight for 6-8 hours.
This will kill anything in the water making it safe to
drink. Ideally you need two bags, the one you are drinking from and the other
being sterilised. The compact size makes it easy to carry two and not even
notice.
Made from food safe material, designed and produced in an
extra thickness so they are strong with a reliable leak free seal. Care should
still be taken to avoid puncturing the bag while laid in direct sunlight.
Priced at £0.50 each. Available now in their store.
(Accessories section)
Now this water bag is the bee’s knees, it really is, I love
it. I have recently received a bottle of Purinize from Purinize.com and it
works a treat with this bag.
I have also filtered river water with the watertogo bottle
then poured it into the Law Industries water bag, which I then used to carry
the excess water back to camp.
Law Industries Covert Wallet:
After the popularity of the Mini SERE Pouch one of our
customers asked if we could make it larger. To hold credit cards, debit cards,
just the essentials. So they looked at larger webbing, still keeping it fully
mill spec and made one larger. He was over the moon with the result and so were
Law industeries.
So here it is, The New Law Industries Covert Wallet!
It is large enough to hold eight credit or debit cards, IDs
or similar. The same bi-fold design and mill spec Velcro holds everything
securely closed. You can still use a lanyard to carry the wallet if you wish to
carry it close to the body or simply slip it into any pocket.
There is the same Velcro panel on the front for morale
patches but they removed the rear Velcro. This aids the wallet keeping a low
profile while in your pocket
Priced at £9.99 available now. Please visit our store to
Purchase.
Now this Covert wallet is a really great bit of kit.
I have signed up for a pre-paid card for use in emergencies
only, the card fits easily into the Covert Wallet which I have decided to carry
around my neck on the lanyard as part of my EDC, I also carry next to the card
a small blade as well as some puri tabs. Being covert it would also be suitable
for carrying small amounts of cash too.
On the face of it, being honest, these small products seem
just that, small products and they appeared quite innocuous as I looked at them
on the table.
However when I handled them individually I was impressed by
their simplicity and quality, yes they are small, but that is the point, they
have to be small to be covert and I have to tell you small or not they do what
it says on the tin, they just work.
So why not add to your covert and or EDC kit and visit http://www.lawindustries.co.uk/
Blizzard Survival 20% Discount Offer
Blizzard Survival .com have a fantastic offer for you the
listener they are offering a 20%
discount on all goods bought from them at www.blizzardsurvival.com
The Ultimate in
Lightweight Thermal Protection.
The Blizzard Survival Brand incorporating Reflexcell™
material has become the new standard wherever thermal performance in a
lightweight compact package is essential - for military use, casualty care,
emergency preparedness, disaster relief, personal survival, outdoor
activities...and more.
Reflexcell™ products are totally unique: weight-for-weight
far warmer than goose down, yet 100% weatherproof, tough, ultra-portable and
re-usable.
Life-saving technology has never been so affordable.
All you have to do to get a 20% discount is enter the code
“PREPPER” at the checkout, it is that simple. Thank you Blizzard Survival.com
Out of date,
but out of the food-chain?
The foods you can
eat WEEKS after their best-before date: From vegetables to chicken, we reveal
how you can tell if it's still fresh enough to consume . . .
We throw out seven
million tonnes of food and drink a year
If average family
thought before they threw, they could save £60 a month
Food is often edible
past its best-before date
And here's how to
tell...
Use common sense: Some foods can still be eaten after their
best before date
Why do we do it? A perfectly good salmon fillet is chucked
away because it is just past its best-before date. That is an insult to the
fish and a waste of resource.
We throw out seven million tonnes of food and drink a year
(19 per cent of what we buy), the majority of which could have been eaten.
According to the campaign Love Food Hate Waste, if the
average family thought before they threw, they could save £60 a month.
Not long ago senior supermarket executives from Sainsbury's,
Waitrose and the Co-op admitted they regularly ignore expiry dates at home.
'The rule is: smell it,' said one manager from Morrisons.
Food is often edible past its best-before date. You just
need to exercise common sense and use your eyes, hands and nose to determine
how far you can go.
Here are my tips on how to tell if food is still fresh
enough to eat...
TOMATOES
For ripeness, you can't beat a tomato a week or two past its
best-before date. The softer and wrinklier the better!
Unlike most vegetables, tomatoes get sweeter rather than
starchier with time. Even if the fleshy insides look dark rather than
yellow-orange, they are fine.
I'd avoid them only if they become watery, grow mould or
have a whiff of alcohol.
FISH FILLETS
Filleted raw fish, such as cod, salmon and haddock, stays
edible up to four weeks after catching, provided it is kept refrigerated below
five degrees.
It stays safe, but will not taste good. Fish can take up to
three weeks to get from the sea to the supermarket and because the date it's
caught doesn't appear on the packaging, it's important to take care.
White fish should look translucent with glossy skin, no
smell and the flesh should stay springy but firm when pressed.
If the flesh looks cloudy, leaves an indentation when
pressed or smells of soap, chuck it.
The stale ammonia smell comes from lactic acid in
disintegrating flesh. If the fish looks green, avoid like the plague.
ICE CREAM
Even if kept in the freezer, ice cream has a surprisingly
short shelf life. This is because it has a high fat content - thanks to all the
double cream - so never fully freezes. It will lose its fresh flavour within
three months.
If ice cream darkens, tastes sour or of yoghurt or cream
cheese, it's time to bin it.
PATE & SAUSAGES
There's not a lot of leeway with processed meats. Don't risk
more than one day past the sell-by date.
When meat is processed, chopped or minced, it is exposed to
bacteria such as E.coli, campylobacter or listeria in the air, which grow
quickly even when refrigerated. If it looks dry or has a mouldy tinge, throw it
away. If the sausage or burger is sticky rather than smooth and shiny, or has a
darker hue, don't eat it.
EGGS
I've eaten eggs up to five weeks after buying, but mostly
it's wise to use them within three weeks of their best-before date.
To test, drop the egg into a glass of water. If it floats, it's
gone off because as it ages, more air gets inside the shell through microscopic
holes. At the same time, the moisture content begins to evaporate, so the
egg dries out.
Look for a red lion stamp on your egg box, which means it
comes from a hen that has been vaccinated against salmonella.
YOGHURT
I've eaten yoghurt up to two months after the sell-by date.
When it is made it undergoes a lactic fermentation process,
a preservation method that stabilises fresh milk to make it last.
Throw away if you spot the faintest speck of mould - which
on yoghurt can come in all colours of the rainbow. But if it looks clean and
fresh, and tastes good, you should be fine.
BEEF
Well-hung beef can taste fantastic after as long as five
weeks and is quite safe if cooked well. You can easily stretch the best-before
date by a few days.
But if rotten and putrid smelling, then it's a sign that red
meat has gone off.
I've been known to eat beef even if it has a few mouldy
spots. I take a clean cloth and wipe it with vinegar to remove bacteria before
cooking. Roast it at a high heat and the outer layer, which has the most
pathogenic potential, will be well cooked and the bacteria killed.
Cook until it is well done all the way through (which you
always need to do if it's past its best-before date) and there will be little
or no bacteria.
FLOUR AND SPICES
Ground spices such as chilli powder, paprika and cayenne can
last for more than six months if they are labelled as 'steam pasteurised',
'fumigated with chemical gases' or 'radiated' - which means they've been
sterilised to kill off mites.
These microscopic insects live in dry foods such as flour
and spices. You won't be able to see them, but you might notice tiny pock marks
where they've been burrowing down into food.
Mites spread fungal spores and can cause rashes and itches,
so bin anything you see with pock marks.
CHICKEN
Unlike fish, chicken deteriorates quickly.
The faintest whiff of rotting flesh or sour milk means it
needs chucking, but give it a rinse under cool water before smelling to
double-check the smell isn't coming from the packaging. Generally, don't risk
eating chicken more than a day or two after its use-by date.
Often, after slaughter, the chicken is made easier to pluck
by putting it in a simmering water bath to loosen the feathers, which
accelerates the growth of bacteria.
This is how 99 per cent of the chickens sold in Britain
are prepared.
This is what I do or have done in the past, please think for
yourself and not take my word for it. Everyone will and can react differently
to the same food stuff especially if it is out of date, I therefore urge common
sense in eating it.
If you are looking
for some new kit then please Support these Companies
The following
companies have supported this station and I will support them they are:
You will never need to boil water again
For I-shields UV Protection
For top quality 550 Paracord
For Survival Knives and Survival Kits
For the Nano Striker fire starter
For tasty MX3 Meals
The Lifesaver bottle
For the Knot Bone Lacelock
For the Wild and Edible Nutrition E Book
Browning Night Seeker Cap Light RGB
Multi lite Multi-tool
For the Ghillie Kettle
For the Blackbird SK-5 or his handmade leather sheaths http://www.hedgehogleatherworks.com
For the Farside Outdoor Meals
The Survivor knife
For the Chris Caine companion survival tool
Day Ration Pack
Vango Storm Shelter 400
myFC PowerTrekk
It runs on water, it really does
The Paper Shower
The Life Straw
Purinize is a 100% all-natural solution of concentrated
mineral salts and purified water.
Is a solar powered
phone charger really useful in the UK?
Recharge via mains
usb, PC, Car usb and in addition, Solar
Hold charge for
months, even when in a pocket
Any direct sunlight
will trickle charge the battery.
Get more charges per
given capacity and very useful in an emergency
Bugging-out and Hunting-can you survive?
For many years now I have said that there are very few areas
in the UK where a person can sustain themselves much less a family by hunting
and gathering alone.
Here in the UK deer are wiping out crops and in need of
thinning. In fact last year there were plans to cull 1M deer. The problem with
this scenario if shit hits the fan is this. Once you have depleted your local
area of game both small and large you will have to travel further and further
out from your BoL to find forage.
You will burn more calories than you can take in doing this.
You will also encounter others doing the same thing and eventually be killed
over this available food resource.
I feel that to survive any collapse of this nation we will
need to not only hunt, fish and forage but grow crops and raise livestock while
somehow staying warm and dry, healthy and safe. That I think will prove very
difficult for most to achieve.
Look I am not trying to scare you, quite the opposite as I
want you to rethink your Bug-out plans. In real terms failure is certain death.
If your animals die from disease you are in trouble. If your crops freeze out
you’re in trouble. If you cannot preserve your food you are in trouble. If you
run out of ammo, salt, or wild game you are in trouble.
Time for a reality check.
How many people are in your house?
How many meals per day will I need to feed them for one year? If twice per day the answer is 730 meals.
If you do not take in enough calories per day you will not be able to do the hard work it will take to harvest.
How many meals per day will I need to feed them for one year? If twice per day the answer is 730 meals.
If you do not take in enough calories per day you will not be able to do the hard work it will take to harvest.
730 meals: Let’s break that down.
We need protein, carbs and veggies or fruit.
Meat alone for protein would mean for a family of 4 you
would need a minimum of 1/2 pound per person per day = 2 pounds x 365 = 730
pounds of meat or fish per year.
This gives each person 1/4 pound per meal twice per day.
This would add up to around 10 to 12 deer per year. I don’t know any area that
will support that kind of harvest. Therefore you will have to raise most of
that meat. Rabbits, chickens, pigs, goats and others are all good choices.
On average you will need a about 100 4 pound rabbits a deer,
a goat, 50 chickens and some fish to feed 4 people for 1 year. Sound easy? Well
it’s not. Feeding these animals is the main concern you will be faced with.
Goats eat most anything even wild forest leaves and grass.
They are great choice and taste somewhat like deer. Rabbits should have alfalfa
so you need to plant food lots for your bunnies and you will have to have a way
to store that hay in a barn or shed.
Chickens can forage for bugs most of the time but during
winter months you will need corn or bean meals to sustain them you will have to
grow that. Chickens can produce eggs which can be your salvation in the long
run.
One good hen can lay 200 eggs per year. Chickens are a must
have survival animal. Planting apple, pear and other fruit trees will give you
huge lifts in sugar which is very important for energy. Plant strawberries,
raspberries, and other plants that come up on their own every year. Keep them
weeded and free of parasites. All of this can be fed to you livestock to keep
it healthy and provide you with adequate protein.
Your garden should be able to produce starch foods like rice
or potatoes, corn and greens. You will need approx. 1 medium potato per person
per day or 365 times 4= 1460 potatoes. That’s a lot of spuds man!!!!! Can you
grow even half of that?
Other starch plants like Artichoke can help to supplement
that carb intake we need. Corn will be needed to carry your birds through the
winters so you won’t be eating much corn. You can raise grains like wheat, rye
and oats as they have lots of carbs.
Are you starting to see what you will have to do to survive?
If the shops are gone tomorrow, how long could you last? Most of us believe
that order will be restored quickly and the bread lines will be running again.
We stock a couple months of food and some ammo and are content. I was one of
those guys until last summer.
You should aim to have 1 year’s supply of tinned veggies and
complex carbs (starchy foods) potato flakes and a good way to get them is with
the aquaponics system, growing fish and veggies at the same time.
Salt, cooking oil and a 5 year supply of heirloom seeds. Try
raising the meat now, if you have the land that is.
You should panting fruit trees, in fact you might even find
yourself self-sufficient, you should also if you can try and plan to grow more
than you can possibly use as food as it will be the number one thing to trade
in a post SHTF world. It’s all about food.
30% DISCOUNT FROM RIBZ
A front pack is a pack or bag that allows for access of
equipment from the persons chest. Front packs first and foremost allow for easy
access of gear without the removal of any equipment.
In many adventure outdoor activities it can be critical to
the sport to have the ability to reach essential gear fast without the removal
of a backpack. Simplicity is the foremost purpose of the front pack but there
are many additional benefits as well.
Moving a small amount of heavy equipment forward to a front
pack can allow for an individual to either maximize or minimize the overall
load contained in a backpack.
RIBZ VIP TEAM DISCONT
Here's your code for 30% off all RIBZ Your summer code is "TRAILBLAZE" and can be used
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Consider This
You are out for a weekend’s survival training and from your
elevated vantage point you see a flat grassy area just across the next ridge.
So you decide that you will set up camp at that spot you
judge that it shouldn't be much trouble to cross over to the next ridge and
down the other side. Unfortunately, you were a little too quick checking the
weather report that morning and cut off the radio after you heard "sunny
and warm" and missed the crucial part about "huge storm fronts moving
in later in the afternoon."
Choose your own adventure: Do gusts of violent rain send you
tumbling down the ravine? Does a fierce blizzard leave you freezing and
disoriented?
Whatever disaster suddenly befalls you, having a wilderness
survival kit in addition to your regular gear can help tip the scales between
an amazing campfire tale of survival and a grim obituary in the local
newspaper.
While there are many standard items that'll pop up in any
wilderness survival kit, some of the preparations for a wilderness adventure
should be tailored to the specific environment you'll be in.
The most important thing you can do before entering the
wilderness is to plan accordingly and think through everything you probably
will or will not need should the worst occur. For example, if you plan on doing
your survival training in the Lake district for example you'll definitely want
lots of ways to collect and purify water, but you probably won't need to lug
around as much actual H2O as if, say, you're on a mountain range or by the
sea..
Different outdoor adventures call for different loads, but
the vital point to keep in mind is that this survival kit needs to be with you
at all times, so make it as compact and as relevant as you can.
Important things should be kept closest to your person, and
it's good to choose items that can serve more than one purpose. For example, a
blanket with a silver reflective coating not only keeps you warm, it can also
help you be spotted by helicopters, radar and searchlights.
Plastic rubbish bags can wind-proof a shelter as well as
serve as rain gear or water collectors. On the other hand, some items you'll
typically want to double up on include fire starters and compasses, which
should be kept in separate places on your body.
Wilderness Survival Kit Contents
Two of the things that can kill you the quickest if you
become hopelessly lost in the wilderness are dehydration and injury. Right from
the start you'll must contents such as water purifying tablets, a water filter
and a metal bowl, so you have a strategy for collecting any water you come
across and making sure it's safe for drinking. (Adding a pinch of salt per
litre of water can help maintain electrolyte levels if food is scarce.)
A first aid kit is also a must, and it shouldn't be some
cheap affair with just gauze, a few plasters and a little bottle of antiseptic.
If someone is injured out in the middle of nowhere, there's no quick ride to
A&E, so be prepared to treat more serious wounds should they arise.
Next on the list is a knife. It's immensely important to
have a decent survival knife with you. They're incredibly useful tools that are
able to serve a wide variety of uses; everything from helping to create a
shelter and start a fire to catching and preparing food.
Another major item that should be included in your survival
kit is a set of waterproof matches. Better yet? A lighter and a set of matches,
all in watertight containers since even waterproof matches can wither given
enough water exposure.
Lighters help provide more efficient, reliable and longer-lasting
lighting power, but stuff can still go wrong with them. Better to double up on
something as important as this. A torch/flashlight is also useful; not only can
it help you see at night, it can help rescuers see you, too.
So now your thirst is quenched, you cuts are tended and your
fire is blazing. It's time to start giving some serious thought as to how
you're going to shelter and feed yourself, and more importantly, how you're
going to get out of the wilderness and back home to your family on the double.
More Wilderness Survival Gear
First, we'll start with shelter since exposure is often an
immediate and grave concern in survival situations. There are many different
means to shelter yourself—some involving last-minute ingenuity, likely with less
than ideal results, others the result of careful planning.
Reliable shelters and sheltering material are available on
the market, so just do a little snooping around to find the one that'll work
best for you.
Now you'll need maps, compasses and extra food. As we
discussed earlier, when it comes to compasses and maps, these are good items to
duplicate since they're practically weightless but overwhelmingly practical.
When it comes to food, you don't need to lug around a spare
picnic lunch, just include some compact high-energy fare that can sustain you
in an emergency. You can also stick some hunting and fishing supplies—like a
few fish hooks and some fishing line—into your kit if you feel you're competent
enough to catch your own food.
As fun as this little foray into the wilderness has been,
now let's talk about how you’re going to get back to civilization—especially if
you don't think you can manage it with just compass and map alone.
Having a torch/flashlight, silver reflective blanket or mini
LED torch on hand is a good way to boost your chances of being spotted by a
rescue effort, but there are other options.
For example, the sound of a piercing whistle can really
carry over terrain to potential rescuers' ears, so be sure to throw one in your
kit, along with a signalling mirror.
Hopefully that's pretty much all you'll need to get out, but
if you're going into a really treacherous area, better check with some experts
on the area. Who knows—you could find yourself desperately needing something
out of the ordinary, like a specific snake antivenin or some other local
necessity for survival.
Wilderness121’s 10% discount
The new supplier of Purificup to the UK is Wilderness121 and
they really mean business, having spoken to the director Rob Williams he has
agreed to offer you dear listener a 10% discount just by putting the letters
UKPRN into the code box it is that simple.
So why not visit them at www.wilderness121.co.uk and check out
their great range of survival related products.
Dragon Fire Gel
Review
FireDragon Gel Fuel [250ml]
Introducing our new all-weather gel biofuel made from UK
sourced ethanol which can be used in multi-fuel outdoor cooking stoves,
barbecues as well as indoor ethanol fireplaces.
We formulated and developed the FireDragon gel to
help people who venture in the great outdoors cook their rations and boil their
brews quickly, safeguard their health, while protecting the environment.
This fuel is non-toxic, non-drip and made from 100% natural
ingredients including ethanol sourced from UK grown grain stocks. It is
easy to light, burns cleanly and our research shows that it boils quicker
than meths.
The FireDragon Gel fuel is an ideal companion for
all outdoor pursuits. Whether in driving rain, the freezing arctic or searing
heat, the fuel will perform in extreme conditions.
FireDragon Gel is supplied in two
sizes: 250ml and 1 L.
Features
- Made from 100 % Natural Ingredients
- Easy to Light
- Quick Boil
- Non-Drip
- Clean Burn
- Colourless Flame
- All Weather
- Non-Toxic
Living as we do in a temperate climate we are used to rain,
although nowhere as heavy or frequent at that is a rain forest we do have our
moments I can tell you. We get enough of the wet stuff to actually make it
difficult to find dry kindling let alone build a decent camp fire.
So any product that makes that task easier has to be seen as
a life saver in real terms. Fire dragon Gel is such an item as it makes the
process so much easier.
OK fire gel is a substitute for meths and designed to be
used in meths type camping stoves etc. However I wanted to see what else it
could do.
I decided to squeeze some gel onto a wet twig and of course
it did catch when I directed sparks at it. And this gave me an idea as if wet
wood would ignite then could I actually start a fire without the usual fire
base?
In other words could I start a fire directly on the ground?
I collected my kindling as normal, then my kindling etc. squeezed some Fire Gel
onto the wet ground and using a ferro rod directed the sparks onto it and of
course it caught, I then simply built my fire as I normally would.
I am of course not saying that no matter what the condition
of the wood is that it will light anyway, but what I am saying is that in an
emergency Fire Dragon Gel can and will allow you to light a fire using damp and
yes even wet wood. You can get yours at http://www.bcbin.com/index.php
Prepping Tips
and Tricks
JUICIER LEMONS
A typical lemon contains 3 tbsp. of juice. To maximise the
amount you can squeeze, roll the fruit on a kitchen counter, applying light
pressure. This bursts the tiny juice-filled cells.
Alternatively, blast for 20 seconds in a microwave.
Then cut lengthways rather than crosswise. You will get
around three times more juice.
KEEP BREAD FRESH
Put it in a plastic bag with a fresh celery stick and leave
overnight. The loaf will slowly absorb the humidity from the celery, giving it
a fresher taste and bounce. As the celery does not have a strong flavour, it won’t
affect the taste of the bread.
TAMING CHILLIES
Before chopping them, rub a little vegetable oil onto your
hands. This creates a barrier which prevents your skin absorbing their fiery
properties and aroma. Be warned, though — it may make the knife slippery.
Also, the fastest way to de-seed a chilli is to halve
it lengthways then use a teaspoon to scrape the seeds out in one downwards
stroke.
PERFECT CHAMPAGNE
Before opening a bottle, rinse your champagne flutes with a
small quantity of white wine.
This will coat the glass and prevent over-exuberant mousse
over spilling as you pour. An added bonus is that this will greatly speed up
pouring a tray of glasses.
Also, you can always rescue champagne or sparkling
wine that’s going flat by dropping a raisin or two into the bottle. Initially,
the raisins sink.
But then the few remaining bubbles will stick to their rough
surface, increasing their buoyancy and lifting them up. When the raisins reach
the surface, the bubbles pop, making the champagne seem as fresh and fizzy as
when it was first poured. The flavour will not be affected.
NO-WASTE GINGER
With all its lumps and bumps, root ginger can be tricky to
peel.
The solution is not to use a peeler or knife but to gently
rub the skin off using the back of a teaspoon. This makes it easy to follow
every contour and minimises waste.
ROSIER RED CABBAGE
To help vegetables maintain their colour throughout cooking,
add a small squeeze of lemon juice to the pan.
This is particularly effective with red veg (such as red cabbage)
and white ones (such as turnips), as the acidity helps preserve their pigments
or flavonoids.
However, this won’t work for greens, which contain different
pigments. They will turn a drab olive colour when put in contact with lemon
juice.
SPEEDY CHERRY TOMATO SLICING
Cutting cherry tomatoes individually is a bore. Instead,
find two similarly-sized Tupperware tub lids, sit the tomatoes on one and place
the other on top to form a kind of tomato sandwich.
While holding the top lid down firmly to keep them in place,
slice through all the tomatoes horizontally in one go with a sharp knife. Easy.
Find two similarly-sized Tupperware tub lids, sit the
tomatoes on one and place the other on top to form a kind of tomato sandwich.
While holding the top lid down firmly to keep them in place, slice through all
the tomatoes horizontally in one go with a sharp knife
INSTANT ICE CUBES
It may sound unlikely, but water that’s been boiled will
freeze faster than water straight from the tap.
The reason is something called the Mpemba effect, named
after a Tanzanian man Erasto Mpemba who first brought this to the attention of
physicists.
EASY-PEEL GARLIC
Thump the whole bulb with the base of a saucepan to separate
the cloves.
Then place them in a metal bowl and put a similar one on
top. Give the cloves a hearty shake and they should come out perfectly
peeled.
SAVE SALTY SOUP
Simple! Just add a peeled and quartered potato. It will act
as a sponge, absorbing the excess salt and won’t leave a flavour.
However, remove the potato before serving as it’ll be far
too brackish to eat. Adding a cup of water or a pinch of brown sugar are
alternatives.
RESCUE BURNT RICE
If you burn your rice, don’t despair. Just remove from the
heat and place a piece of white bread on top of it for about ten minutes. This
will extract and absorb the burnt flavour.
The rice should be fine to eat, but be careful to leave the
blackened pieces on the bottom of the pan when serving.
GORGEOUS GRAVY
If a soup, sauce or gravy is too fatty or greasy, turn off
the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. Much of the fat will then
float to the top.
Next, place a few ice cubes on the surface. The grease and
oil in close proximity to the ice will solidify and congeal, making it easier
to scoop out. But be ready to remove it quickly, as the ice cubes won’t stay
frozen for long.
GET RID OF ONION SMELLS
If your hands smell after chopping onions or garlic, rub
them on a stainless steel spoon which will absorb the odour.
The sulphur from the plants is attracted to and binds with
one or more of the metals in the steel. Of course, wash the spoon afterwards.
RECYCLING COOKING OIL
If you want to re-use cooking oil without the taste and
smells of what was previously cooked in it, pour it into a frying pan and heat
on a low setting.
Carefully add some sliced root ginger, letting the pieces
soak for 15 minutes.
At the right temperature, the slices should turn
golden-brown very slowly. When you scoop them out, they will have absorbed any
flavours and odours.
UPSIDE-DOWN CREAM TRICK
To make cottage cheese, crème fraiche or sour cream last
longer, store the container upside down in the fridge.
This will create a vacuum effect that inhibits the growth of
bacteria, which causes food to spoil.
Obviously ensure it’s a tight-fitting lid first.
NEVER LET MILK BOIL OVER
Simply put a long-handled spoon into the saucepan as it
heats. The spoon acts to break the surface tension - allowing the steam
underneath to escape smoothly without an eruption
Milk often boils over and spills. This is because when it
heats, the water in its structure starts evaporating from the surface.
As a result, the remaining fat and proteins concentrate
into a thicker layer at the top of the pot, which eventually becomes
so thick that water vapour rising through the milk can’t break through
very easily.
Instead, it gets trapped, causing it to explode violently.
NEVER CRY CUTTING ONIONS
Peel and cut the onion in a large bowl of water or under a
running tap. This will prevent the fumes which cause your eyes to water from
escaping into the air.
You can also put lime juice on your knife before chopping.
The acid reacts with chemical compounds of the onion, with
the result that it releases less gas.
Another way is to chew gum, as this makes you breathe
through your mouth and not your nose, which will help reduce the gas affecting
your tear ducts.
Now thanks to the
Managing Director Paul listeners visiting Field Leisure - The
Bushcraft & Wilderness Store
at http://www.fieldleisure.co.uk/
can get 10% OFF by entering the code UKPRN at the checkout now Paul guarantees
next day delivery all over the UK and fast European and US delivery and that is
reassuring and refreshing too
Peter at buggrub
is not only sponsoring the competition on my website he is also offering a 10%
discount on all his products. So have you got the gonads, can you walk the
walk, dare you, I dear you to buy some buggrub and then eat it, go on I dare
you. Peter’s website is www.buggrub.co.uk
Here are some more
companies to support
72 hour survival pack
Blizzard Survival jacket
Survival Ration Packs
SOL Complete Survival Kit and SOL Bivy Bag
The answer to rough ground sleeping
For all your military equipment needs
NEW MRE’s
The Fire Piston
Great tasty MRE’s
The 95 Puukko Survival Knife
Gold Standard Whey Protein isolates which are 90% pure
protein by weight
The RIBZ Front Pack
The LuminAID
Your own water purification system
Nut, gluten- and milk-free foods for nearly a decade here.
Hardtack
I suppose that everyone has heard of hardtack. It’s a great
survival food, because it is very nutritious and tasty, and also keeps
extremely well when stored in the proper conditions. So I thought I would tell
you how to make hardtack using a simple recipe, and also how to cook it
to make a delicious survival food.
Hardtack is an ideal survival food
What makes a good survival food? Well, first, you need to be
able to store it for long periods of time without sit going off. Second, it
needs to be nutritious. And third, it has to taste good. Tasting good is not
really a necessity, but it sure is nice if you end up living off the stuff for
a long time.
Hardtack satisfies all three of these. Once it’s dried
thoroughly, it will keep for years, provided it stays dry and away from pests.
If you make it with natural, healthy ingredients, it’s very nutritious.
And if you know how to prepare it, it tastes delicious.
Because it is completely dehydrated, it is relatively light and easy to
transport, but because it is so dense, it packs a lot of nutrition in a small
package.
Hardtack history
Hardtack has actually been around since the time of Egyptian
sailors, but you probably know it better from the Civil War period. During the
war, 3×3 inch squares of hardtack were shipped to both the Union and
Confederate armies, making a staple part of a soldier’s rations.
Typically made 6 months beforehand, it was as hard as a rock
when it actually got to the troops. To soften it, they usually soaked it in
water or coffee. Not only would this soften it enough for eating, but any insect
larvae in the bread would float to the top, allowing the soldiers to skim them
out.
Simple hardtack recipe
You can make hardtack almost identical to what sailors,
troops, and pioneers have been eating (minus the weevils!) by following this
simple recipe:
4-5 cups of flour
2 cups of water
3 tsp. of salt
Mix the flour, water and salt together, and make sure the
mixture is fairly dry. Then roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness, and shape
it into a rectangle. Cut it into 3×3 inch squares, and poke holes in both
sides. Place on an un-greased cake tray or baking sheet, and cook for 30
minutes per side at 375˚ (or 350˚ if you have a convection oven).
When it’s cooked, you’ll should let it dry and harden for a
few days, just out in the open. When it has the consistency of a brick, it’s
fully cured.
Then simply store it in an airtight container or bucket. To
prepare for eating, soak it in water or milk for about 15 minutes, and then fry
in a buttered skillet. You can eat it with cheese, soup or just plain with a little
salt added. Any way you do it, it’s delicious
Nigel at www.hunters-knives.co.uk has offered
you dear listener 10% on all his products simply by using the code PREP10.
Total Collapse What if?
The chance of a complete societal collapse has kept more
than one prepper up at night. The idea that one day our modern society will no
longer be able to support itself and that chaos and violence will replace our
cushy daily lives is actually the driving motivation for a lot of preppers out
there.
I prep for specific “events” like floods and power cuts as
much as I do for a total collapse of society, but every time I hear the same
old “What are you prepping for” question asked, the majority of preppers say
that their biggest fear is a societal collapse.
If this kind of widespread, SHTF scenario is what’s
keeping you up at night, it doesn’t make you a paranoid conspiracy nut, despite
what some or our opponents out there might think. That being said, I think
it’s important that we take some time today to explore what would actually have
to happen for this kind of scenario to actually play out.
Societal collapses don’t happen overnight. They just don’t.
Say what you want about the fragility of our modern world, but we humans have
spent the vast majority of a couple hundred years putting together massive
systems of support like public utilities, our modern food systems and other
public services like law enforcement; all paid for with your taxes (mis)managed
by our “friends” in Westminster.
It’s definitely not a perfect system by any means; and in
fact, it’s a mathematical certainty that one day these systems will fail with
our government at the helm, but the idea that our entire society would collapse
seemingly overnight is I believe simply not possible.
A full-on collapse of modern society would take a long time
to happen. In fact, we could already be in the beginning stages of a collapse
right now.
Our government has kicked the economic scam-can for a long
time and we are slowly getting to the point where the countries’ credit cards
are maxed out and the credit card companies (China) is sick of raising our
limits.
It will come to head one day…but that day will be the
biggest telegraphed punch in the history on man, it won’t happen overnight.
So what is the most likely series of events that would
signal the preverbal “end of days” scenario?
Well, no one really knows for sure considering an empire as
big as the European States of which we are a part has never existed before,
(let alone collapsed) but we can speculate based on some logical guesses.
Here’s a short explanation of how I see this eventually going down.
The most likely collapse scenario of the UK is an economic
collapse. Eventually, we are no longer going to be able to continue down this
road of making money out of thin air and racking up more and more debt to pay
for it.
The overall interest on our country’s debts will increase,
our ability to pay back those debts will decrease and the “financial crisis” or
“fiscal cliff” news reports will become a daily thing.
Unfortunately, our country is filled with people that live
life with blinders on. These “fiscal cliff” events (in the beginning) will be
nothing more than pop culture fodder for late night talk shows and news
headlines that most people will simply ignore.
Remember the story about the boy that cried wolf? Well,
thanks mass media, when the “real” crisis does start, no one’s going to believe
you since you’ve been sensationalizing and lying about these issues for years
in your attempts to further divide political opponents and sell your rags.
The next phase of the collapse is likely going to be the
wakeup phase for a lot of people in this country because the financial crisis
will become real and start to actually affect people’s daily lives in a
significant way.
Governments will keep it going for as long as possible but
systematically there will be big changes when it comes to government funding
and taxes.
Taxes will increase dramatically as government tries
desperately to secure more funding. At first, the wealthiest will be the
hardest hit with tax rises, more stringent regulations on businesses… because
of course that’s the “fairest” way to handle a financial crisis right? Steal
from the rich to give to the poor? Robin Hood finance.
Well that won’t last long. Again, there is no “avoiding” the
financial collapse. There is simply no mathematical way to “get back on our
feet”…it’s going to happen, and taxing to the hilt corporations and rich people
isn’t going to avoid the inevitable.
It will, however, do a great job of igniting a massive
battle of “class warfare” that will make even the biggest arguments between the
“left and the Right” look like childhood squabbles.
At this point the UK will finally start to have to pull back
from being the world’s babysitter. We can’t afford the conflicts that we’re in
now and if the choice is between cutting even more domestic programs and
bringing our troops home, they’re going to send our troops home.
Especially considering that eventually, they’re going to
need them here when the next phase of the collapse hits.
Next in line on the economic collapse roller coaster is the
inevitable financial and societal death blow.
Benefits are REALLY expensive. We don’t, (and never have as
a country) been able to afford the hand-outs we’re giving to low-income people
in the UK let alone the millions of financial refugees who have descended upon
us from all corners of the world.
At some point the funds to put into these programs will run
out, or at least be significantly cut, we won’t be able to borrow enough to pay
for all the benefits we’re handing out and eventually, one by one, the programs
will lose funding.
In my opinion, this is when “SHTF” stops becoming fantasy
and becomes reality. There are millions upon millions of people in this country
that rely on the government to simply survive.
Their shelter, food, water and everything else that they
need for survival is paid for with government money. Once that money stops
these people aren’t just going to go away. They’re going to be angry, violent
and they’re going to be hungry.
Just this past year, for example in the USA some states had
technical problems with the national EBT (food stamps) card reading machines
which caused hundreds of thousands of people to be unable to use their food
stamp cards. This outage only lasted less than 48 hours and yet there were
dozens of news stories of widespread theft and assaults resulting from it.
This happened in less than 48 hours. What will happen when
this kind of scenario isn’t isolated to just a couple states? What will happen
when these benefits are slashed indefinitely or even eliminated? What will
happen if this occurs here in the UK? That, my friends, is my idea of a SHTF
scenario.
Next I think will be the reduction of law enforcement and
other public services like utilities. Both of these entities rely on government
funding along with customer revenue in order to stay operational.
Already right now the police stations around me have
“opening times” notices on the doors and some are even open by appointment
only. As much as I respect law enforcement officers, it makes complete sense
that we’re going to see a lot of them walking out on the job when they’re
expected to go to work every day away from their families, deal with non-stop
civil unrest and at the end of the day have little to show for it.
Once law enforcement has been diminished enough, only 2
things can happen. Either the government will do whatever it has to do to
enforce martial law over the entire country or they simply have to give up.
They very well might be able to lock down some areas of the
country, but the government does not have the resources (even in good times) to
enact martial law everywhere.
This means that some areas might look suspiciously close to
George Orwell’s “1984” while some areas are just simply left to fend for
themselves much like the days of the Wild West.
If this truly is how this will all play out, then god knows
what our future may hold. Either way, it doesn’t look good.
Is this exactly how the collapse is going to play out? I
don’t know. No one does. However, the cold hard truth is that one day
“something” will happen. It has to.
We could take half of everybody’s pay for the next 100 years
and still wouldn’t be anywhere close to paying off our existing debt. Our
creditors aren’t going to give us a pass on our debts forever.
Maybe the government has a plan to avoid this doomsday scenario.
Maybe the next big technological innovation is this going to bail us out of all
our debt.
Heck, maybe we even have some people in government right now
that will finally win the uphill battle and get the houses of treason to
finally wake up and become responsible with our money.
Who knows…. all I know is that I’m a lot more comfortable
relying on myself that relying on government to come up with the answer.
That is why I prep; that is why I strive to be self-reliant; because one
day, I might not have a choice.
Keep your wits about you
Many people walk around with their heads stuck where the sun
never shines, missing critical signs that can impact their well-being. The most
basic urban survival skill is making sure you’re not one of those people. Situational
awareness is key to getting out of tricky scenarios—or, better yet, avoiding
them entirely.
Look around you
When you turn a corner or enter a room, watch out for potential dangers—and possible escape routes. Observe how people are behaving, since that can clue you in to trouble spots you’ll want to avoid.
When you turn a corner or enter a room, watch out for potential dangers—and possible escape routes. Observe how people are behaving, since that can clue you in to trouble spots you’ll want to avoid.
Listen to rumours
Many will be false, but information from credible sources can help you decide which people or places to avoid.
Many will be false, but information from credible sources can help you decide which people or places to avoid.
Sense danger
Your nose can alert you to urban danger, be it fire or a gas leak. You’ll likely hear a commotion before you see it. And if something looks out of place, it is. Don’t investigate. Get away.
Your nose can alert you to urban danger, be it fire or a gas leak. You’ll likely hear a commotion before you see it. And if something looks out of place, it is. Don’t investigate. Get away.
Know the Numbers
8 P.M. TO 3 A.M. Time frame when most muggings occur.
25 Percent higher likelihood that you’ll be mugged in London than in Harlem.
3 Number of mugging-related deaths in New York City each year.
44.5 Percentage of robberies that are confrontational, such as muggings.
90 Percentage of people arrested for robbery who are male.
50 Number of children mugged daily in London, mostly for their mobile phones.
5 Age of the youngest mugger on record.
91 Age of the oldest pickpocket on record.
3 Number of people commonly involved in a pickpocket operation: the blocker (obstructs), the grabber (grabs), and the shill (takes the handoff).
115,000 Number of people pickpocketed in Barcelona during a recent one-year period.
8 P.M. TO 3 A.M. Time frame when most muggings occur.
25 Percent higher likelihood that you’ll be mugged in London than in Harlem.
3 Number of mugging-related deaths in New York City each year.
44.5 Percentage of robberies that are confrontational, such as muggings.
90 Percentage of people arrested for robbery who are male.
50 Number of children mugged daily in London, mostly for their mobile phones.
5 Age of the youngest mugger on record.
91 Age of the oldest pickpocket on record.
3 Number of people commonly involved in a pickpocket operation: the blocker (obstructs), the grabber (grabs), and the shill (takes the handoff).
115,000 Number of people pickpocketed in Barcelona during a recent one-year period.
Further Companies to
Support
Uses natural fuel
EDC steel tools
Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack – Multicam
CUDEMAN HEAVY DUTY OLIVE WOOD BUSHCRAFT KNIFE - 111L
Alum Crystal and natural spa products
Tool logic Survival 11 Credit Card
BackHawk Web duty Belt
Guppie Multi=tool
Go Survival Pack
Beautiful Handmade Catapults
1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit, the back pack that
does it all
DD Hammock –The ultimate in Travel Hammocks
Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit everything in one kit
Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review
Handmade knives by James D. Sanders
Mini alarm Device with an Ultra bright White LED
Lightload towels
The LUCI light
Fire Dragon Gel
TBS Boar Folding
Pocket Knife
Live Fire Emergency Fire Starter
THE ultimate Emergency Survival Fishing Kit
Gerber Mini Remix -
Drop Point, Fine Edge
The Mule Light
The BodyGard is the
Rolls-Royce of keychain emergency tools. Its two essential (and life-saving)
tools are its seat belt cutter and door glass breaker.
The BodyGard also includes a sonic alarm (to attract attention and ward-off a would-be attacker), LED flashlight, and distress flasher (a bright red flashing light).
The BodyGard is compact and smartly attaches to your keychain so it's within reach during an emergency. You owe it to yourself and to your family to carry a BodyGard.
The BodyGard also includes a sonic alarm (to attract attention and ward-off a would-be attacker), LED flashlight, and distress flasher (a bright red flashing light).
The BodyGard is compact and smartly attaches to your keychain so it's within reach during an emergency. You owe it to yourself and to your family to carry a BodyGard.
The powermonkey
explorer is not just for adventure travellers.
Compatible with the majority of smartphones including iPhone and
BlackBerry, mobile phones, iPods, MP3 / MP4, PDAs and portable games consoles,
the powermonkey explorer is a portable charger for your 5V devices - giving you
96 hours of standby on your mobile, 40 hours on your iPod, 5 hours on your
games console, 48 hours on your PDA and 6 hours on MP3/MP4 players.
The question is
Stove or Campfire?
We as preppers and
survivalist should insure that we leave no trace of our activities, not just
because OPSEC is paramount but because if we do not we will end up destroying
the very environment that we look forward to venturing into.
Campfires are not
evil. One of the Leave No Trace principles is to minimize campfire impact, but not to eliminate all campfires.
There are many situations where a campfire is a more responsible way to cook
than using a backpacking stove. Actually, this is the root of an ongoing debate
- which is better for the world, wood fires or stoves?
The main objections for wood fires are that they:
The main objections for wood fires are that they:
Consume scarce wood
resources
Reduce biomass in an
area that is needed to support the habitat
Cause wildfires
Take longer to cook food
Get pots and
utensils and food dirty
Leave scars on the
ground, killing patches of organic soil
Conversely, the
common reasons for using backpacking stoves are that they:
Do not impact
habitat, leave biomass as it is
Cook quickly and
cleanly
Now, if that were
the whole picture, it's an easy choice to always use a stove. But, it's
important to step back and take a wider view. What really goes into a wood fire
and into a stove fire? What are the real expenses and impacts?
When I make a wood fire, I use
the following:
A match - the
production of this match consumed some resources elsewhere in the world.
It was then shipped
to the shop and I bought it. I actually bought a box of matches so I have all
the equipment I need to start loads of fires. I might use a lighter instead
which has a small amount of liquid fuel, some plastic and metal parts.
Wood - I gather
twigs, sticks, and small fallen branches. These are all renewable. They were
produced by a completely natural process. I did not need to bring them with me.
A wood fire costs
virtually no money, requires me to carry no equipment, and has nearly no impact
outside of the actual fire site.
When I use a backpacking
stove, I use the following:
A match - same as
for a wood fire
The stove - a
precision manufactured metal, plastic, and paint piece of equipment. This
consumed quite a bit of resources to produce and ship. It also cost significant
money. It should last for many years.
Fuel - this is
fossil fuel, a non-renewable resource. The production and shipping of this fuel
had a significant impact elsewhere in the world and costs me money. Fuels are
usually white gas, propane, or liquid spirit.
Fuel container - I
can use a refillable fuel bottle so I only consume fuel and minimal packaging.
Or, I can use fuel canisters which get discarded when empty. Either way, this
is more waste I'm creating.
A backpacking stove
is an excellent way to prevent fire impacts in the local wilderness where you
are exploring. They are also much easier, faster, and cleaner than a wood fire.
But, in the grand
scheme, stoves contribute more waste than a simple camp fire. A person
sincerely interested in minimizing his impact on the world needs to consider
the trade-offs.
There are still other alternatives
to consider.
Wood stoves -
Rather than simply building a fire on the ground, there are now wood-burning
camp stoves available, such as the Solo Stove. These stoves are easily-stored
metal containers in which you burn wood with your cooking pot sitting on top.
They efficiently
consume the wood and effectively heat your food. Some of them include a fan to
provide increased airflow, higher temperatures, and more complete burning of
fuel. With a pan under them, they leave no ash on the ground.
Alcohol stoves
- Often home-made from drinks cans, these stoves are used by lightweight
backpackers. They are good for small jobs like heating a pint of water and they
weigh practically nothing.
They are inefficient
so a relatively heavier load of fuel needs to be carried. But, they are simple
and burn a non-fossil fuel.
Solid fuel stoves - the only weight is the fuel so these are great for heating water and
keeping your pack weight down. The fuel is expensive, but safe. They are good
for a single camper needing to heat water.
From my viewpoint,
these are times when a backpacking stove should be used and no open fires
should be lit:
In an area with
specific 'No Fire' regulations in effect
In an area with
sparse wood to burn, whether from natural environment or over-use; such as
desert, alpine, and beach areas
During windy
conditions when an open fire would pose a wildfire risk
When you will not
have time to enjoy the fire and burn it out; leaving large partially-burned
limbs
Otherwise, having a
fire for entertainment or cooking is part of the camping experience so enjoy
it.
Home Made
Diesel
When TSHTF and you
have ran out of diesel for your truck or generator or heating oil for your
home, you can make your own biodiesel out of a wide variety of oils —both
vegetable and animal.
Olive oil, corn oil,
lard, peanut oil, and even recycled fry oil from restaurants all work, but new
liquid oil will produce biodiesel with the fewest number of steps.
To create biodiesel
in the easiest way, use 1 gallon of new vegetable oil (canola oil, corn oil,
and soybean oil are the best), 14 grams (1/2 ounce) of lye in the form of
sodium hydroxide (available as drain cleaner), and 800 milliliters (27 ounces)
of methanol (methyl alcohol is commonly available as a fuel treatment).
Make sure the label
says methanol, as isopropyl alcohol won't work.
First
While wearing gloves, goggles, and a dust mask, carefully pour the methanol and sodium hydroxide into a large glass jar. Stir the jar about 2 minutes, or until the sodium hydroxide has completely dissolved. Do this step outside, as the vapours are toxic. Use this solution within an hour, as it has a very small window of activity.
Second
Warm your oil in a cooking pot on a stove or heater until it is roughly 100 degrees, then pour the oil into a plastic or glass container with a tight fitting lid. Add the methanol and lye mixture very carefully and seal the container.
While wearing gloves, goggles, and a dust mask, carefully pour the methanol and sodium hydroxide into a large glass jar. Stir the jar about 2 minutes, or until the sodium hydroxide has completely dissolved. Do this step outside, as the vapours are toxic. Use this solution within an hour, as it has a very small window of activity.
Second
Warm your oil in a cooking pot on a stove or heater until it is roughly 100 degrees, then pour the oil into a plastic or glass container with a tight fitting lid. Add the methanol and lye mixture very carefully and seal the container.
Third
Shake or roll the container gently for 20-30 minutes, then allow it to sit for 2 days in a warm spot. During this time, the fluids will separate. The bottom layer will be glycerine, and the top layer will be your biodiesel. Carefully pour the biodiesel off into a fuel jug, leaving behind a tiny bit of biodiesel and the glycerine.
Shake or roll the container gently for 20-30 minutes, then allow it to sit for 2 days in a warm spot. During this time, the fluids will separate. The bottom layer will be glycerine, and the top layer will be your biodiesel. Carefully pour the biodiesel off into a fuel jug, leaving behind a tiny bit of biodiesel and the glycerine.
Important Safety Precautions
Always wear thick rubber gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask when handling the lye, methanol, and the solution that they create.
Always wear thick rubber gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask when handling the lye, methanol, and the solution that they create.
All of these
substances are very harmful if they touch your skin or eyes, or are inhaled or
swallowed. Methanol is readily absorbed through the skin and quite toxic.
Drinking just a
small amount would be fatal. Lye is extremely caustic, producing severe
chemical burns on exposed skin (like that scene in Fight Club). Finally,
methoxide (the substance produced from lye and methanol) is an extremely toxic
nerve agent.
Fire Lighting
Methods
I prefer using a
teepee-style fire, though for most of these you can use other styles
Steel wool and a battery.
Make a teepee shape, using very thin kindling, then put some tinder inside. Put the wire wool inside.
Take a battery (9v works best in my opinion) and hold the wool against the positive and negative contacts.
Make a teepee shape, using very thin kindling, then put some tinder inside. Put the wire wool inside.
Take a battery (9v works best in my opinion) and hold the wool against the positive and negative contacts.
Wait until the wire
wool starts glowing (Which means it is burning) and slowly add more VERY thin
material, until you are rewarded with a flame. Then, continue as you would with
any other fire.
Tampons/cotton wool/tumble-dryer fluff and flint steel.
Again, make a teepee shape, put fluffed up cotton wool into the middle and use the fire steel to ignite the cotton wool (I usually put the striker at about 30* to the vertical to get the best results) Once alight, build up as usual. Also, you can rub the cotton wool with Vaseline, which helps it burn for longer.
Again, make a teepee shape, put fluffed up cotton wool into the middle and use the fire steel to ignite the cotton wool (I usually put the striker at about 30* to the vertical to get the best results) Once alight, build up as usual. Also, you can rub the cotton wool with Vaseline, which helps it burn for longer.
Potassium Permanganate and glycerine.
Take the potassium permanganate and put it into some tinder, then add a few drops of glycerine. KEEP YOUR FACE AND HANDS AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE AS THE REACTION CAN BE FIERCE! After a few seconds, the tinder should start to smoke. Slowly start adding tinder as normal.
Take the potassium permanganate and put it into some tinder, then add a few drops of glycerine. KEEP YOUR FACE AND HANDS AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE AS THE REACTION CAN BE FIERCE! After a few seconds, the tinder should start to smoke. Slowly start adding tinder as normal.
Methylated spirit/petrol/alcohol e.t.c.
Be careful, as meths can irritate skin, and make sure if you get some on your hand, DO NOT light it, until you wash it off.
My method is to take some cotton wool, soak it with meths and light it with a match or a lighter Then build as normal
Be careful, as meths can irritate skin, and make sure if you get some on your hand, DO NOT light it, until you wash it off.
My method is to take some cotton wool, soak it with meths and light it with a match or a lighter Then build as normal
Newspaper and a match
Shred the newspaper, put it into a teepee-style fire and ignite with afore mentioned match.
Shred the newspaper, put it into a teepee-style fire and ignite with afore mentioned match.
Benghazi stove.
Same warnings as the meths/petrol/alcohol method
Start off with a tin, fill it with sand. Then put some fuel oil into the sand box until it is slightly wet. Then light. BE VERY CAREFULL WHEN REFILLING, AS IT MAY NOT HAVE GONE OUT! WAIT UNTIL IT HAS COOLED.
Same warnings as the meths/petrol/alcohol method
Start off with a tin, fill it with sand. Then put some fuel oil into the sand box until it is slightly wet. Then light. BE VERY CAREFULL WHEN REFILLING, AS IT MAY NOT HAVE GONE OUT! WAIT UNTIL IT HAS COOLED.
Petrol/meths/alcohol and a rag.
Soak the rag in whatever combustible liquid you choose, then place it in the middle of a teepee-style fire, then light at arms distance (It can flare up) and build it up as usual.
Soak the rag in whatever combustible liquid you choose, then place it in the middle of a teepee-style fire, then light at arms distance (It can flare up) and build it up as usual.
Corks and alcohol.
Soak the corks in alcohol and put them under kindling and light. Build up as normal.
Soak the corks in alcohol and put them under kindling and light. Build up as normal.
Bulrush head
(When it is white and dry) and flint steel
(When it is white and dry) and flint steel
Make some firelighters yourself.
Take cardboard egg boxes, fill them with cotton wool/tumble-dryer fluff, tie it together with string and then dip in wax to waterproof.
Take cardboard egg boxes, fill them with cotton wool/tumble-dryer fluff, tie it together with string and then dip in wax to waterproof.
Put them in the
middle of a teepee, then light. Build as usual.
Fire plough
Cut a groove in a piece of wood, and place some kindling at one end. Then rub up and down the groove with a stick. When you have embers in the groove, tip it towards the tinder, then blow on it until you get a flame, and then build up as usual.
Cut a groove in a piece of wood, and place some kindling at one end. Then rub up and down the groove with a stick. When you have embers in the groove, tip it towards the tinder, then blow on it until you get a flame, and then build up as usual.
Lens/magnifying glass
Get some dry paper or dark, dry kindling and use the lens to focus the light into a small point, and wait until smoke rises. Then gently blow on it until you get flames, than build as normal. (You can also use a condom or plastic bottle full of water)
Get some dry paper or dark, dry kindling and use the lens to focus the light into a small point, and wait until smoke rises. Then gently blow on it until you get flames, than build as normal. (You can also use a condom or plastic bottle full of water)
Chocolate and a can.
Get a can (It doesn`t matter what type, as long as it has a concave bottom)
Using chocolate, polish the bottom of the can until it shines, then stand facing the sun, BUT DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY, and hold up a piece of kindling and focus the light onto one point, like you did with the magnifying glass. I suggest using gloves for this as it can burn you if it flares up suddenly.
Get a can (It doesn`t matter what type, as long as it has a concave bottom)
Using chocolate, polish the bottom of the can until it shines, then stand facing the sun, BUT DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY, and hold up a piece of kindling and focus the light onto one point, like you did with the magnifying glass. I suggest using gloves for this as it can burn you if it flares up suddenly.
Firelighters
Put them in the middle of the tee-pee, light with a match, lighter etc. and then build up.
Put them in the middle of the tee-pee, light with a match, lighter etc. and then build up.
Michael Mills
My name is Michael Mills, and I'm a Ph.D. candidate and Assistant
Lecturer in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at
University of Kent (England).
I am in the middle of conducting 3 years of research on the
preparedness community in America and Britain, which will form my doctoral
thesis and hopefully be channelled into several academic and media articles
(and other publications - possibly books).
Aware of the several misconceptions that exist around the preparedness
community and those within it - most obviously influenced by National
Geographic shows and various other media products - my research is an attempt
to conduct a more open-minded piece of research on the 21st century
preparedness community in Britain and America.
In particular, I am keen to learn about the reasons that people engage
in prepping, how it relates to their assessment of local and national and
international politics, and where prepping fits within a wider community and
social life for most preppers.
These are each issues that are misunderstood by the wider public in
relation to prepping.
In order to conduct this research - which has the potential to reform
the public image of prepping and have the effect of correcting
misrepresentative stereotypes - and make it worthwhile, I obviously need
to talk to preppers themselves who are willing to anonymously speak about their
motivations for prepping and several issues related to these behaviours.
I am therefore looking to conduct face-to-face interviews with as many
preppers in America and Britain as I possibly can.
British interviews can be done at any time, and I will be America
between early September and late November 2014 with the sole aim of talking to
as many preppers as I possibly can. Anyone who is even curious about
participating in these interviews should email me at mm645@kent.ac.uk
It can be immensely hard finding preppers willing to engage with me in
this, and I'm very grateful to anyone who expresses an interest in contributing
to the research.
All respondents are guaranteed anonymity - you do not need to inform me
of your real name or location, and if you did these would not be shared with
anyone else. Interviews can take place at a location of your choosing.
Needless to say, any interviews would be incredibly valuable to the
research and I'd be immensely grateful to anyone who is willing to come forward
and join the other interviewees in providing a realistic impression of the
preparedness movement and the broad range of people involved in these
activities.
I'm also conducting an online survey (which is much more convenient
than any interviews) to be directed to this survey, again, people should email
me at mm645@kent.ac.uk
THE WILDERNESS
GATHERING 2014 14th to the 17th August
The Wilderness
Gathering has over the years become a firm date in the diaries of those who
enjoy bushcraft, nature and wilderness survival skills. The previous ten years have
seen this event grow from a small event in one field with some traders and
schools sharing bushcraft skills and knowledge to a festival of wilderness
living skills encompassing bushcraft/survival and woodland crafts.
The show has grown
into an event with something for all the family with stories and music by the
campfire in the evenings and skills workshops and activities throughout the
three whole days of the festival.
The Wilderness
Gathering has without a doubt become the premier family event for all those
interested in bush crafts and the great outdoors.
The show has
bushcraft clubs for all age groups of children to get involved in plus more
activities for all including den building and wilderness skills classes for
all.
There are hands on
demonstrations of game preparation, knife sharpening, basha boat building,
bowmaking, greenwood working, archery and axe throwing and primitive fire
lighting to name just a few. There are talks on survival phycology, classes on
falconry and wilderness survival fishing. All of these skills are there for
everybody and anybody to participate in.
You can probably
pick up information on nearly all the skills needed to live in the wilderness
and prosper at The Wilderness Gathering.
There is a wealth of
good quality trade stands that are carefully selected to be in theme for the
show selling everything from custom knives to tipis and outdoor clothing to
primitive tools. The organisers have even laid on a free service bring and buy
stall where you can bring along your used and unwanted kit and they’ll sell it
for you.
There are local
scout and explorer group’s onsite promoting the World Wide Scouting Movement as
well helping out with some of the classes and site logistics.
The catering is
within the theme of the event with venison and game featuring on the menus plus
organic cakes and drinks. The woodland and open field camping facilities (with
hot showers) giving you the option to visit for the whole weekend or just to
attend as a day visitor.
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