Subtopic	Posts		Updated
	Lists of Things You Need	9		06/04 06:46pm
	Archive through March 03, 2021	22		08/08 11:34am
	Archive through August 11, 2022	20		01/08 08:54pm

Joseph: if you like multiple use items, then look for the "distribution tree" Mr. Heater accessory. It screws into 10 or 20 lbs propane tanks, and gives two side ports and a top port suitable for screwing a propane lantern into. The side ports can then be used for heater and other propane appliance. Meaning one tank, several options without grabbing a wrench.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Thursday, August 11, 2022 - 04:28 pm: Edit

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Quote:

How much is plenty? I find I never have enough.

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By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Friday, August 12, 2022 - 02:20 pm: Edit

I guess I just want to swim in ammo, Scrooge McDuck style. I know, slightly disturbing.
In other news, I tried out my Mr. Heater today.
I thought I had 8 propane canisters but could only find 4. I think the rest fell victim to my more 'communal property' minded family members. Time to put a padlock on the shed is today's lesson.
Anyway, the heater works great in 80 degree August weather. I think I will end up getting that hose attachment for a larger tank. And have to get some more 1 pound cannisters, too.
Also, the dog did try to pee on it. Not cool. At least it's not electric!

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Friday, August 12, 2022 - 07:36 pm: Edit

Tested the fishing skill today and was fairly successful. As long as the lakes don't boil over or are poisoned should be able to generate some kind of nourishment if I find my way to a river or lake (or the oceans edge)

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Sunday, January 08, 2023 - 08:54 pm: Edit

Survival Test:
Mr. Heater in the Garage, outside temp 34 Fahrenheit.
Garage temp before heater = 42
Garage temp with Mr. Heater = 45
Conclusion = Don't try winter survival in the garage.
Supplemental = When the wife wants a new shoe rack in January - don't build one, go to Target.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, January 08, 2023 - 11:22 pm: Edit

Joe J: I suggest that about a week before the apocalypse happens you might want to move 500 miles from your community property family members and not tell them where you went. Otherwise you are stocking survival supplies for a family of 20.

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Monday, January 09, 2023 - 01:10 am: Edit

I think that might be good advice with or without the apocalypse.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, January 09, 2023 - 06:44 am: Edit

The point is that if you're stocking survival supplies, don't advertise it, to anyone.

I wonder, if I were a hacker, would I want to steal the customer database for SURVIVAL SUPPLY CORP just before the apocalypse shut down the internet?

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Monday, January 09, 2023 - 11:42 am: Edit

Playing "Devil's Advocate..."

A hacker...

... Stealing the cutsomer database for Survival Supply Corp JUST before the apocalypse shut down the Internet...

Ooookaayy...

... DID this hacker JUST successfully Hack down the Internet, triggering the Internet Apocalypse, and did s/he do so to TRIGGER the Internet Apocalypse?

Otherwise, how did s/he KNOW the Internet Apocalypse was imminent?

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Monday, January 09, 2023 - 01:22 pm: Edit

Simple: hack their database weekly just to be safe.

By Jeff Guthridge (Jeff_Guthridge) on Monday, January 09, 2023 - 06:55 pm: Edit

Steve, I don’t think so. If the handwriting is on the wall, the real preppers that will have what you want will also probably be more than ready to donate some numbers to your demise….

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Monday, January 09, 2023 - 09:49 pm: Edit

". . . Don't Advertise . . ."
Agreed. A measure of anonymity is of great value.

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Sunday, May 07, 2023 - 09:16 am: Edit

So my wife tried to burn down the house yesterday. I was working in the yard, she put something on the stove and went downstairs to do some spring cleaning.
You get the picture.
There was a lot of smoke. As in you couldn't see across the living room amount of smoke. 9 detectors in the house, not one did its job.
Previous home owner was a fireman. Recent paid home inspection gave smokedetectors a thumbs up.
Moral of the story: trust no one, replace and test critical devices with own eyeballs.
Now I get to clean, deodorize, rinse and repeat ad infinitum. Also, with all those smoke detectors, not one was located in the kitchen. So we're off to the box store to buy a dozen detectors, cleaning supplies, etc.
The wife's been beating herself up about walking away from the stove. A couple of days of deep cleaning will teach us both to be more vigilant.
Overall I'd say we got lucky. A few more minutes of neglect and the whole place might have burned up.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Sunday, May 07, 2023 - 10:32 am: Edit

May the weather in your neck of the woods remain amenable to airing out your home for the next couple weeks, my friend!

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, May 07, 2023 - 10:23 pm: Edit

Joseph: Sorry that happened to your family. I'm sure your wife is mortified.

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Saturday, June 03, 2023 - 08:11 pm: Edit

I like Steve's idea of matches, preferably the strike anywhere kind. I have bought a number of Bic and Bic-style lighters in my time and all of them have leaked out all the fuel in just a couple of years. Strike anywhere matches stored reasonably last a very long time. I keep some in a small waterproof container.

And the disaster may simply be the need to light some candles when the power goes out so one can see. Or the need to light a stovetop burner (yes, I know, a gas stove -- the horror!) to heat up or cook something when the power fails.

> chicken noodle soup for emergency water

I'd recommend selecting a type that is ready to eat, not the type that calls for adding water before eating. The "add water" soups can be brutally salty. And, of course, the whole point is you are using the soup as a water replacement.

--Mike "I remember the blizzard of '78 -- two weeks without power!"

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Saturday, June 03, 2023 - 09:23 pm: Edit

And, of course, Sensible Prepper would suggest having cotton balls in Vaseline...

By Kevin Howard (Jarawara) on Saturday, June 03, 2023 - 10:45 pm: Edit

And of course, extra countersheets for your F&E game. Never want to run out and you can't order more due to the outdoor radiation levels!

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Sunday, June 04, 2023 - 10:07 am: Edit

Guess I missed something from the survival lists…

What about basic equipment?

Just my preference, but apparel plays an important role. Good quality boots…leave the flashy trendy stuff at home. If you are smart, you will have two boot styles with you, high top leather boots with actual tread, (cold weather) and low top boots for summer/hot temperatures.

I see socks are on the list, but there are different types for different conditions, thin cotton type socks for hot conditions and heavy thick wool for cold. Do not forget different socks for those conditions between the extremes.

Foot care is important, could save your life. For reference, check the biographies in the library for soldiers who survived terrible conditions (ww1trench warfare, Guadalcanal 1942-43, Ardennes Forest, late 1944. Etc…) avoid wet socks and foot ware, having dry socks and alternative footwear could prevent foot fungus.

I see knives are listed, but I suggest having a hand axe, a bow saw, and (if weight and size are not an issue) a wedge and a good size hammer (my preference is a 3 lbs, but I know guys who prefer something heavier.) DO NOT choose any tool that you can not control.

Cook ware would be handy.

I know hikers prefer light weight options, but if you are going to be going off grid for an extended time, invest in a proper set that will stand up to use. Even the lowly mess kits should be scrutinized. Plastic cups may look nice, but you can’t put plastic on the fire to reheat one’s tea or coffee.

Two canteens per person, you might have to shelter during severe weather, (blizzards, heat emergencies during summers.)

String, twine, various types of rope would all prove useful.

Canvas, (not a tent.). Variety of uses, sun shade, wind block, I recommend the type with metal ringlets. I have had terrible luck with the ones with plastic ringlets. Just do not hold up under normal use.

I have not discussed axe options. Varies upon what you use it for. If you are just needing it for camp fire fuel, a light weight axe should be fine. When selecting an axe for purchase, try several. When you find one that fits, you will know it!

By Jeff Guthridge (Jeff_Guthridge) on Sunday, June 04, 2023 - 03:58 pm: Edit

As wonderful as all of these lists and ideas are, there is one thing I haven't seen anyone point out yet. It kinda goes without saying, but I'm a little jerk that says the quiet part out loud at times.

Nothing sitting on the shelf, untested and unused, will ever really give you the same effect as something you have used enough to know how much of a fireball the white-gas lantern will cause when you are learning to light the thing without blowing your windows out. Or that if your counting on that survival food brick you grabbed from the camping aisle at the mega store, will eat like a literal brick, complete with hammer, chisel, and broken teeth.

In short (too late) you need to USE what you keep around for emergencies. Both so that you know how to use it, and to know what and how it will work for you.

Anything else is just marketing.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, June 04, 2023 - 06:33 pm: Edit

That is why I recommend grocery store canned food (of whatever kind you normally eat) with a rotation plan as opposed to $500 buckets of dehydrated 50-year storage survival/camping food.

Even more so, cans you can eat without fire, without cooking, without adding water.

The thing that will kill you is the lack of WATER, and water is hard to store. Telling everyone to fill up every container in the house (and the sink and bathtub) when the sirens go off and the government tells you to take shelter isn't really a workable plan, since you might not be home.

Minimum for survival is a gallon of water per person per day, and that is the absolute minimum (you need 50% more in hotter weather). For a family of four, a 55-gallon water barrel (if you can find the right mix of storage system and chemical treatment to keep bacteria/something from growing in it) will last your family of four about two weeks (ten days in the heat). That is assuming somebody (robbers, beggars, government) doesn't take it away from you.

You need to back up your water storage, whatever it is, with some kind of commercial filter system (such as "lifestraw") and some supply of "water purification tablets" and maybe bleach. Also, if your area has rain (e.g., North Carolina as opposed to Texas Panhandle) you might want to have the materials to build a rain catch system. In areas with significant rain most houses have gutters and downspouts so just having a big barrel to put under the spout would be a positive start.

Having a gun is a very personal decision but I would say in a really bad situation such as coronal mass ejection or North Korean EMP those without guns are going to be the supply store for those with guns.

The government uses the line "the living will envy the dead" and it's very true. I'm almost 72 and I really don't expect to survive any kind of apocalypse. A week without power/food I can handle, but in a post-apocalyptic world I'm not going to last long enough to use any deep prepper stuff.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - 09:33 pm: Edit

Following SVC post of 06/04/2023

Know who you are dealing with.

Particularly in a dystopian future where there are no laws or government.

There are wild eyed eternal optimists who shouldn’t be allowed into the world without a keeper.

There are pragmatists, opportunists and, yes, there are villains who will exploit you any way they can.

Then there are the others…. People who are natural survivors. Lots of titles in literature.

Cohen, the Barbarian, the Disc World Series… is one such example. Natural survivor.

(Heh heh heh heh…)



My personal favorite is Rincewind.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 - 08:12 am: Edit

Or superbeing from the "Old Guy" series of books.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, February 22, 2026 - 11:51 pm: Edit

Cheap items to buy and stick at the back of the closet for barter and survival during the coming apocalypse and collapse of the economy, currency, society, and law. Than has happened several times in civilized western societies since 1944. It has happened in Europe in this century for even a few years. It happened in Cuba in 1992 and Venezuela in 2015. It happened for a week or two during hurricanes in the US in this decade. You can also trade these in a total permanent collapse when gold and silver are worthless junk.

Packs of vegetable seeds for permanent collapse. A $2 pack of tomato seeds could produce 3000 pounds of food per year. During WW2, victory gardens produced 40% of American vegetables. You need heirloom seeds to make this more than one year. Hybrid seeds won’t produce second generations. You need to buy more seeds every three years, but seriously five $2 packs is all you really need. Ten is better.

First aid kits and bulk supplies of over the counter meds. Short and long term. Every home and office should have a great big first aid kit anyway, then buy another one every five years. Buy two superjumbo bottles of three or four OTC meds and when you finish the first one, buy one more giant bottle. Rotate deep stocks of antibiotic cream and pills. 500 pain pills cost $8.

Hygiene supplies: soap bars, tooth brushes, feminine stuff, razors, toothpaste.

Salt and spices. Buy two big ones and buy a third when you finish the first. A big bag of rock salt will last 1000 years. Spices make horrible food edible.

Miniature bottles of liquor cost $1 and are worth more than gold. This was proven in Greece 2012 when you could trade one for a meal for four. Same during the Yugoslav war and in Ukraine. Also has medical uses. In 1991 Russia, vodka was used as currency as the paper money was worthless.

Water purification tablets. 200 will cost $12. Do I need to explain? Lack of water will kill in three days. Contaminated water will kill in one. In the meantime buy two cases of bottled water and a couple of survival water filters for survival not trade.

Disposable cigarette lighters. 12 for $10. Two big boxes of WOOD matches. A few books of cardboard matches to trade. Alternative fire starting devices. Ferro rods.

NEVER TELL ANYONE YOU HAVE THIS.

Never trade from home. Take some small amount to a trade and deny you have more. Avoid being followed home. Claim you found it in the wrecked Walmart miles away. Go to the trade in armed groups. Never accept the first offer. Never trade weapons. Trade ammo only for decisive situations or never.

Optional, ammunition for common caliber weapons, in this order: 22LR, 9mm, 5.56, 7.62 Russian. A couple of big knives. A couple of multi tools.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Monday, February 23, 2026 - 07:40 am: Edit

Plant a few perennial crops in the baxk yard. Like "Good King Henry," Siberian pea shrub and Hazelnuts.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 09:06 am: Edit

Eleven items available from Walmart for $5 each $30 total that you need to stock but didn’t think about, from Fallout Racoon on YouTube…

Pencil eraser, good to clean oxidation from electrical contact points, battery terminals.

Unlubricated condoms, good to keep dirt out of gun barrels. One can hold a liter of water. Waterproof protection for things. Flammable, can be used as fire tinder.

Tampons, a versatile medical supply to plug a bullet wound and stop bleeding. The cotton is also a good fire starter.

Unscented Baby wipes, valuable to clean or decontaminate things when running water isn’t available.

Lip balm has multiple uses as a lubricant, for equipment and zippers. It is also a fuel. Protects scratches from infection.

Waxed dental floss. Dozens of uses, repair thread for ripped clothing. Can be used as fishing line. Trip wire. Multiple strands make decent cordage.

Carpenter pencils, best writing implement on a battlefield. Doesn’t run in water. Flat, they don’t roll. Can be used to start of wire. In a pinch the graphite can carry an electric current.

Heavy duty aluminum foil. Dozens of uses. Can be made into a cooking dish, reflect fire heat, signal by reflecting sun, minimal faraday cage.

Safety pins. Dozens of uses. Found in military survival kits. Can even close wounds. Can be magnetized in a minute by rubbing on cloth.

Liquid bleach. Water purification, eight drops per gallon. One bottle can purify 240 gallons, enough for months.

Electrical tape in addition to duct tape, each has its own functions. Electric tape can be used for holding bandage ps, duct tape cannot.duct tape is not electricity proof but a conductor.