Category: Traditional Skills/Fieldcraft

Meat Prices Soar While Deer Populations Explode, by KAW

This headline could sum up a multitude of news reports over the last few years. Droughts and severe winters have left the United States beef herd size at a 63-year low. In response, beef prices have increased steadily with hamburger topping $4 a pound this year. Pork prices have jumped due to porcine epidemic diarrhea that has killed millions of baby pigs. Inflation, a growing human population, and a higher demand for meat in emerging economies also contribute to ever-increasing meat prices. Ironically, America’s deer herd has exploded in the last 30 years. The deer population in North America when the Europeans …


Post-Civilization Smithing, by THS

If I had to choose one tool or piece of gear for survival, a knife would be on the top of my list. A knife can be used to make fires, shelters, weapons, traps, and most of the things needed for survival. With a few tools and some practice, anyone can have a workable knife (or chisel, hook, hinge, or any number of other tools and hardware) in a few hours of work. Besides the usefulness of the self-fashioned tool, it will bring a great amount of satisfaction and pride. The skill of blacksmithing will also put you in a …


Letter Re: Observations of a Shopkeeper

I did not enjoy logging on to Survival Blog this evening and reading about how ignorant we are according to “R.R.” Can’t he just educate their customers about the safe handling and proper cleaning of a firearm. I just can’t imagine why R.R. would continue selling such deadly weapons to us imbeciles. Please publish the name of your shop so we can know never to bother you there again. Thank you ever so much, – D.R. HJL Responds: I think you have missed the concept that R.R. was trying to portray. I was a scoutmaster for 11 years as my …


Musings of a Law Enforcement Paramedic – Part 4, by LEO Medic

Yesterday, we read about TCCC and the “MARCH” priorities of field care. We’ll continue with this five-part article by focusing, today, on emergency treatment for dogs because many of us will be depending ours after the SHTF. CANINE ALS/TCCC A very interesting aspect of TCCC that we have found is that it has extremely high carry over to the canine world. Two of my squad mates have working law enforcement canines assigned to them. In addition, we utilize many search and rescue dogs, from bloodhounds to labs for various missions and searches. I imagine most of you reading plan on …


Guest Article: Substances, by Dr. Lewis Dartnell

The Knowledge: How to Rebuild our World from Scratch is a new book out in the U.S. now, and a New York Times science bestseller. If civilization does collapse, whether it’s caused by a viral pandemic, coronal mass ejection, or financial meltdown, the break in normal services is likely to cause a great deal of panic and perhaps a severe depopulation among the unprepared. The world as we know it has ended, but what now? What can the survivors do to ensure they thrive in the long-term, and how can you begin rebuilding a proficient society over the generations? Many …


Guest Article: Assorted Tool Sharpening, by C.J.

(Article transcribed from a CD sent in to SurvivalBlog) I have been sharpening now for about 15 years. I started out small, because I didn’t want to get too much invested; so, I started out with small machines, mostly hand sharpening. Our emphasis is on hand tools for sharpening, if you consider we may not have any electricity to work with. Steps for Getting Started: Decide what tools and blades you want to sharpen. Buy several books on sharpening and get some initial knowledge. Study the angles on the blades and tools you want to sharpen, make notes on these, …


Geocaching for Preppers, by R.H.

As preppers we are under some pressure. We are naturally concerned about water purification, food storage, defensive weapons, bug out locations, and the list of challenges is seemingly endless. We worry about a total collapse of the financial world, a global pandemic, solar flares, or other crisis. There is certainly no shortage of concerns. Have we done enough? Do we have enough? Are we knowledgeable enough? Once in a while, I think we should all take a deep breath, relax, and have some fun! What follows is a brief explanation of Geocaching– a fun activity that can be easily adapted …


Building Your Own No-FFL AR From An 80% Complete Receiver, by JAG

I read the “Building Your Own No-FFL AR From an 80% Complete Receiver” article by NOMAD several months ago and decided to try building my own AR-15. I have re-written his article to update it with my research and experiences. Why build instead of buy complete: Save a little money. The AR-15 platform is an inexpensive weapon overall, and owning one is on-par with buying a much less versatile bolt-action rifle. So for a similar price you get additional versatility. Bolt action rifles are great for reaching out beyond 200 yards, but if the pack of wolves or wild dogs …


Letter Re: 41 Camping Hacks

On the article about the 41 camping hacks, the Mt. Dew + baking soda + peroxide chemlight idea is a hoax! I tried this and it doesn’t work! It did sound vaguely familiar as what I remember from the ingredients of a chem light. Chem lights contain Luminol, potassium ferricyanide, sodium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide, if I remember correctly. In the Dew light, we have the hydrogen peroxide and sodium bicarbonate, which are acid and base like we see in the chem light. So it sounded plausible. The only question was does Mt. Dew have chemical substitutes for the Luminol …


Family Prepping Made Fun For Kids

Recently, I became a prepper– a term that is still considered taboo to the general public. It often times draws ridicule and judgment from most people, including friends and family. Television has exacerbated this by airing shows on prepping that make its participants look like backwards hillbilly idiots that are getting ready for a zombie apocalypse. Now before anybody gets all up in arms about the use of the term “hillbilly,” I am one. That means I am allowed to say it. (Chuckle) In all seriousness though, because of this awkwardness, a person can have some serious difficulty in helping …


Soap Making Before And After Interesting Times, by Laura and Jim Fry

Over the years there have been occasional posts on SurvivalBlog about making various “homemade” soaps using easily found commercial ingredients. These often include store-bought washing soda, Fells Naptha, Zote soap, baking soda and such. Simply grate them up in the right proportions, mix and there you go. There have also been posts going a step further that explain how to make soap from easily purchased oils, meat counter fat or suet, commercial lye and fragrances. It’s just not that hard if you make use of the ingredients and instructions easily found these days. But what do you do in TEOTWAWKI if the stores close, either from lack of product to sell or from looting? What if …


Skills for the Coming Collapse by Jackie S.

I think we all, at one time or another, need to do a serious self-assessment to determine exactly where we stand in regards to the future and what it will mean to us on a life sustaining basis.  Most people reading this have already done this, to a degree.  After all, you are prepping bacon, beans and bullets, and it is an admirable and necessary pursuit that you are engaged in.  But, what about when (not if) the SHTF?  Sure, you have food, shelter, and the means to protect it, but what about when things settle down and life begins …


Common American Plants, Trees, and Weeds for Surviving TEOTWAWKI Survival, by Christine W.

I once read a very interesting article from a survivor of the Bosnian Collapse of the late 1990s.  This was a true end of the world as they knew it event, and it was fascinating and eye opening to read. One of the things the author talked about in his extensive article was the most useful skills to possess. Medical knowledge was the highest on his list. Lacking real world medical training, people with the knowledge of the uses of herbs and plants were able to trade and use that skill to survive.   Most people in America can’t identify even 1% …


Fishing Kits and Survival Fishing Techniques, by Henry D.

Fishing was born out of necessity for man to feed himself and his family. Over time it has evolved into a recreational pastime and moved away from a generational skill passed down from father to son. Food can so easily be acquired at your local convenience store that fishing has become a lost art form to most. If we ever find ourselves in a situation where we are lost, without food, or the world as we know it ends. It will be particularly important to know how to procure food for you and your family. The following information is on …


Two Letters Re: Want To Raise Pigs?

Jim, Regarding feed sources for home-raised pigs: Many supermarket chains will gladly “donate” outdated or overripe fruits, vegetables, and cheeses, due to the cost of container disposal. This often includes apples,  melons, citrus, tomatoes, avocados, and even prepackaged salad greens, berries and herbs.  Even a relatively small store will have 2-3 trash cans full, daily. They may even provide containers if they are emptied on a regular basis and kept clean.  Commercial bakeries and baked goods outlets often provide bear hunters with barrels of donuts, snack cakes, and breads during hunting season.  Ask them if you can take care of …