Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 30 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Psychological Preparedness for TEOTWAWKI

We do not know what the future brings, though in the survival community there is no shortage of speculative events that may occur. This article is a brief primer on psychological techniques that can be used in a TEOTWAWKI scenario to help prepare for and stave off psychological fatigue until a time at which you can properly cope with the situation at hand. Also, it provides some coping techniques to help get you back on track after all has settled.

Why are we so driven to preparation? The answer is death. It is inevitable, and we must all face it when it is time. Freud, whether you like him or not, posited that there is a death drive (later dubbed “Thanatos” by his follower, Stekel) which is innate in all humans. This drive, whether figurative or literal, can be used to explain our compulsion to survive and the reasons behind post-traumatic stress disorders and the recurrence of traumatic imagery. The idea is that we all have a drive inside of us that compels us toward our own end and that this drive acts contrary to our usual motivation, which is to seek pleasure. Being a more basic drive, it overrides the drive to seek pleasure and instead focuses us on our demise. In terms of Evolutionary Psychology, it is more important to survive and continue to propagate than it is to experience pleasure. In more general terms, this conflict between our expectation of death and desire to live (seek pleasure) creates anxiety in us.

This anxiety produces stress, which we tend away from and want to relieve. In order to do so, we begin to prepare to negate the fear of death. Preparation of the mind, body and local resources give us a feeling of security and reduces our anxiety.

Can I prepare too much?
In some, this becomes compulsive–almost to the point of [clinical] hoarding. “I can use this when TSHTF,” would be a common phrase that many survivalists and “preppers” have used when picking up secondhand items. Even if it is for a very unlikely survival situation, “You never know….”

Preparation for future unknowns in and of itself is not a bad idea. In fact, it is recommended by our own government to a certain extent. (Imagine them actually giving good advice!) However, it should be cautioned that when survivalism rises to a clinical state of obsession and compulsion, one should be cautioned that what may be occurring is a psychological reaction to fear instead of logical and rational preparation for future events.

So how do you know if you are a survivalist or engaging in unhealthy behaviors? A good rule of thumb is to honestly evaluate if it is causing distress or interruption of your everyday routine and relationships. For example, if you cannot make rent payments or buy groceries because you are stocking up on survival supplies, then you may need to seek professional help. Likewise, if you have sacrificed personal relationships with friends or loved ones to prepare for TEOTWAWKI, it may be time to speak with a professional. Any counselor worth their salt will be able to assist in setting healthy boundaries when preparing. Further, if you are constantly questioning whether or not you are going too far, then it is okay to speak with a therapist. It is better to alleviate your fears than to stress whether or not you are psychologically well adjusted.

This is all said with the acknowledgement that survivalists are usually independent and want to be self-sufficient, both psychologically and physically. If you know of someone that meets the aforementioned criteria, talk to them about it. Getting past the stigma of counseling is the hardest part of it all.

The most important point
If there were to be one point in particular that was the most important and the most helpful in securing psychological security, it would be this: Get yourself right in whichever religious tradition you subscribe to. In the end, the ultimate goal of survival is just that- to survive and not to die. However, as I mentioned above, we all must die, and we all must ultimately face death alone. Whether it comes in a disaster or in our sleep when we are old and ready, it comes. Much of the fear associated with the unknown future comes from the fear of passing away, so much of the stress can be relieved by learning how to not fear death. Whether in Christianity by acknowledging that one goes to see Christ or in Atheism by acknowledging that one lived a full life and did what they could to further the wealth of the human condition, that is the ultimate defense against psychological stress during TEOTWAWKI; To know that ultimately one has done all they could for their fellow man and [to please] God.

Preparation (pre-crisis) – Plan ahead
Psychological imagery is one of the best ways to prepare for an event. However, it can be also just as traumatic as the event itself in some instances. Keep this in mind as you play through scenarios in your mind. For instance, it is one matter to acknowledge that loved ones may pass away during a worst-case scenario. Do not dwell on this fact, however. Acknowledge it as a possibility and if necessary, focus on what you must to prevent it or to cope with it after the fact. Learn from your loved ones and make sure that you are spending quality time with them now. That will help to assuage the pain if the worst does happen, later on. This applies not only to survivalism, but in day-to-day life as well. Spend what time you have available now, wisely.

Run through your action plans and have them down pat. Just as a peace officer or martial artist uses muscle memory in a fight or crisis situation, so too will you use your plan of preparation when crisis strikes. Know what your action items are and have them prioritized. Make a list if you are unsure you can remember everything. This can assist in keeping yourself calm and collected when everything else is falling apart around you. Just as it is important for you to assign one person to one job after a major accident (for example, you need to go call 911. Another person needs to perform chest compressions, et cetera). You need one task: follow your list of action items one by one.

Also, make sure that you are steeling yourself for major fatigue and emotional turmoil. This can be accomplished by setting milestones for success. For example, one could set goals to gather the family, round up supplies, get out of town, make it to the safe area, unpack all necessary supplies, set up a security perimeter, and hold a family meeting. After each is accomplished, check it off your mental (or physical) list. This gives a sense of progress and accomplishment so as to provide a sense of direction and progress. Otherwise, one may feel that nothing is getting done and a sensation of becoming overwhelmed may set in.

As for the emotional fatigue, plan to have a few games packed with your survival gear along with some personal effects. This will tie you into a sense of normalcy and provide respite from an otherwise terrible situation. By occupying your mind with something other than the situation at hand, you give your mind time to rejuvenate and process information. By the time crisis occurs, you shouldn’t have to think of “what do I do now?” This is why planning is so important. When disaster strikes, follow your plan and achieve your pre-determined goals. Have contingency plans already thought out. This will help from overloading you with excessive planning after you have entered a crisis situation.

Lastly, surplus your preparations by 10% or more (excluding the surplus you intend for personal use). The 10% surplus is for charity, which will be discussed next.

During the crisis – Bottle your emotions up if necessary. Survive.
Crisis, depending on how severe, may push you past your breaking point. I often wonder if I could pass by a child standing on the side of the road alone and crying during a crisis situation. Would I take them with me? Leave them with some supplies? Look the other way? This type of situation is more than plausible, and one which I have found difficulty in preparing for. This enters more into the realm of speculation in American psychology, as studies are lacking on the best course of action. Minimizing incongruent feelings during a crisis is key (i.e., I want to live, but I want to help others too.), though it would be unwise to expend all of your resources. This is where your 10% surplus will play a major role. Charitably give out supplies to those in dire need as you see fit, though judicious disbursements will be a necessity. Know what your criteria will be, such as giving to those who appear unable to provide for themselves or within savable limits (not critically wounded). Though it is likely there will be much pain and death in a major disaster, providing for others and potentially saving lives will give you a sense of accomplishment and a morale boost that you have managed to do some good in spite of bad circumstances.

As a word of caution, there may be need to distribute your charity anonymously. As we see in many disaster stricken countries, any time aid is distributed, word spreads quickly and crowds become angry when they feel as though they have been shorted. Giving charitably may be done best in the dark of night, through a local church, or by proxy.

If violence erupts and self defense is necessary, make sure that you only engage in legitimate self defense. Consider whether you will engage in self defense by proxy (protecting others that cannot protect themselves). One man cannot defeat an army, so you must show some discernment when choosing your battles. We see this all the time in Third World countries where [untrained or lightly-trained] militias rule. If it comes down to it, the natural instinct is to protect you and yours. I am a firm believer that we have these instincts for a reason, and that we should follow them when we have no other frame of reference or guidance to work from. You must set your mind to an idea and stick to it under great stress. Unless you have military combat experience, taking a life may be the hardest thing you do. Under this stress some men have broken down in the most vicious battles (specifically in the two World Wars). Advancements have been made in combat preparations by shooting at silhouette targets and now through virtual reality games, which may be something to consider if you have firearms in your preparations. Remember what you are fighting to protect and let that be your guiding force.

In all circumstances, if it comes down to your survival or someone else’s (assuming you are feeling altruistic at that point in time), you can focus on one goal. (For example, to make it to a certain waypoint, survive to the next day, etc…) and push everything else from your mind. Ignoring the rest of your environment will allow you to escape indecision long enough to get you secure, at which time you can deal with the emotional fallout.

Also, consider these suggestions for the duration of the crisis event (especially when protracted):

Create chore lists on rotating schedules so that people do not become burnt out doing the same thing over and over again.

Play games. Have fun. It is important to have social interaction during this time. Play games like “I Spy” or make up riddles. Keep the mind occupied so that it does not wander into depression or anxiety.

Sleep. This is a very important component. If running a security detail during a time of crisis, make sure that the person appointed to security gets relieved and has a few days off to relax.

Make social connections. If possible, make social connections with like-minded individuals and groups (which you may have done in the preparation stage). Social support systems are necessary in disaster situations. However, stay guarded against situations that may jeopardize your security.

Engage in spiritual activities. Pray. Make peace with yourself and God.

Post Crisis- Let it out.
In this stage, professional help may not be available. You may have suffered great trauma or still be undergoing insufferable hardship yet need to cope with your emotional turmoil. Unfortunately there is no magic fix to dealing with guilt and grief. We have emotions for a reason and need to allow ourselves time to go through the grieving process after tragedy. Allow for yourself to feel the emotions and to be sad. However, counter irrational beliefs as soon as they pop into your mind. We all would do things differently had we known then what we know now, but that is the nature of our human existence. We do the best we can with what we know at the time. No one can ask for more than that.
Do not allow yourself to play the [past tense] “what-if” game.

It would be silly to believe that you will ever fully recover from a terrible tragedy, so do not expect too much progress too soon. Do not rush the process.

Do not dwell on what you could have done, but focus on your successes and the fact that you have made it as far as you have. Stay upbeat about the future and the difference you will be able to make.

Do the best you can to relive the traumatic images over and over. Allow yourself to visualize them as a life-sized picture in your mind, but then shrink them down until the images are very small. Then visualize them being filed away in your mind. This is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique for reducing the emotional magnitude of the memory.

Create a tribute to those who you’ve lost so that you can remember them and celebrate their lives. Take solace in your faith that they are in a better place. Do not allow the question of why they are gone, but instead ask how they lived. Use their memory to create in you a better self.

If suicidal thoughts enter your mind, remind yourself how you have survived thus far and the irony that you would take your own life after preparing to live for so long.

Talk to friends and family about your emotions. Let yourself express how you feel. By not doing so, you risk making yourself emotionally unstable. If you experience anger, sadness, violent outbursts, sleeplessness, nightmares or other similar symptoms, make sure that you keep talking to others and keep confronting irrational beliefs and feelings of worthlessness or guilt.

It will never be the same as it was before, but you can grow from any tragedy. Keep the faith and finish the race.

Disclaimer
The preceding article is based on several psychological studies and adapted to specific [societal collapse] scenarios relating to the absence of all professional mental health assistance. It draws from multiple psychological theories and practices with several techniques mentioned. This text is not meant in any way to substitute for, replace, or amend proper psychological evaluation or treatment. All individuals who believe they may need psychological treatment are strongly encouraged to seek assistance from appropriately licensed mental health professionals. This advice is not provided for any reason other than informational and entertainment purposes and is not intended for personal implementation except in the absolute absence of any other form of mental health assistance.

Two Letters Re: Fire, The Flame of Life

Jim,
TSK’s article on fire was well written; however, I would like to add a few items and clarify a few things for the novice fire starter. I teach fire starting as part of a larger course, and one of the things that I think needs to be stressed is the difference between flame and fire. When you strike a match, or use any of the other starting methods listed, all you have is a flame. In order to turn a flame into a fire you need to first build a proper fire bed, typically using any of the methods discussed in the article. Some additional tinder (fine dry grass or wood shavings), kindling (sticks from the size of your little finger to the size of your thumb), and finally fuel (about the size of your wrist or larger. The idea is that the flame starts the additional tinder, which lights the kindling, which can generate enough heat to light the larger fuel. I have too often seen a student get so excited about starting a fire without using a match, that all of the concentration was placed there, only to get a flame going with no real place to put it to use. Additionally, you should have some extra fuel collected, before starting anything.

There are a few additional starting methods and devices I have used.

* Hand Drill
o Pro: Made with materials from nature. Anything that gets broken or damaged can easily be replaced or repaired.
o Con: Not an easy way to start a fire even for someone who is practiced, a lot of practice is required in mastering and becoming proficient with this method, which is a cross between the bow & drill and the fire plow.

* Fire Piston
o Pro: Must be produced ahead of time. Can be home built rather easily. Works well with just a little practice.
o Con: Contains moving parts which can break. Requires a supply of char cloth.

* Road Flare
o Pro: Will start nearly any fire even with wet wood. Typically used for real emergency situation only.
o Con: Must be replaced after each use. Most contain sulfur and the fire needs to burn for a while before using it for direct cooking.

Gerber Strike Force which is another version of flint and steel and has the same pros and cons listed in the original article.

The Strike Force (with a dry container of cotton dryer lint) is my favorite fire starter with both a Swedish Fire Steel and a Magnesium block for backup. I’ve been doing flint and steel for decades, but only found out about the fire piston in the past few years. We can all still learn new things when we pay attention. For more details on making char cloth or making and using the fire piston, do a search for them on YouTube and you’ll have numerous videos to watch. The fire piston has been around for a long time and was evidently the inspiration for Rudolf Diesel to create the engine of the same name. – LVZ in Ohio

Sir,
TSK’s article ‘Fire, The Flame of Life’was excellent, but it is unfortunately incomplete. TSK says “ In a survival situation the light and smoke for a fire can be very beneficial as a signaling device for search and rescue if you desire to be found. ” (emphasis mine) The point that is missed is that fire and smoke are very effective signal devices (fire night, smoke day) whether or not you desire to be found. Building smokeless fires is an art and limiting light escape is also an art. There is a reason “black out curtains” were used on ships and buildings during war times. In a really dark site, a cigarette lighter can be seen quite literally for miles. By personal experience I know of a case of one being seen for seven miles in the Mekong Delta. I was looking from my helicopter and they were signaling trying to attract our attention but the point is we found them. If you don’t want to be found, the Dakota fire pit, the use of overhead foliage to break up smoke, proper selection of wood, etc. all come into play. We teach our kids how to be found. Rarely do we teach how not to be found. A read through some of the historical type narratives of the old west where discovery by hostile forces meant death can be enlightening. (As an aside, many of Louis L’Amour’s novels contain accurate survival information.) Another issue is that we have a tendency to gaze into our fires at night. Probably some throwback to the days of the cave when fire meant safety. Unfortunately, what that means is that we are night blind for quite some time after. Is the noise in the trees a rescue party or a hungry bear? It might be nice to be able to see and be sure. Big fires are comforting but waste wood/fuel and blind everyone around the fire while sending out locating beacons for anyone interested in looking. One key skill to be learned is to build a fire of the proper size [for the task at hand], no larger and no smaller. This is a mark of the woodsman and is to be cultivated. TSK is correct, fire is critical. But how we build and use it marks us as a either rank tenderfoot or as someone who has a grasp on reality in the wild.
Keep up the great work on the site and thanks to all of the contributors. They give us much to think about. Regards, – Captain Bart

Economics and Investing:

The Worrying Numbers Behind Underwater Homeowners. A bit of good housing news came in a recent report issued by real estate analytics firm CoreLogic: The number of mortgaged residential properties with negative equity declined slightly to 11.2 million by the end of the first quarter this year, down from 11.3 million at the end of 2009. The bad news: Those 11.2 million loans are 24% of all U.S. mortgages. Add the 2.3 million borrowers who are close to slipping underwater (those with less than 5% equity), and the numbers rise to 13.5 million — 28% of mortgages.

B.B. sent this one: Fannie Mae Seeks $1.5 Billion From U.S. Treasury After 12th Straight Loss. (The MOAB continues to grow…)

It’s Official: Social Security System Now in the Red. It finally happened: The nation’s Social Security system will pay out more than it takes in this year and next, as aging baby boomers enter retirement. On the plus side, according one estimate, health-care reform should keep Medicare solvent for an extra 12 years.

Growing Alarm Over Deflation Could Be a Buying Opportunity. Some analysts are now worried about falling prices, sending big investors fleeing stocks for safer assets. But earnings are healthy and pockets of strength are emerging, suggesting it’s a good time to go against the grain.

The latest from the Dr. Housing Bubble blog: Million dollar California foreclosures – 35 examples of massive upper-tier foreclosures including one home that is underwater by $2.2 million. Santa Monica housing still in a bubble.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Chuck G. spotted this: Using your RV to survive in an earthquake or other natural disaster. This might have some utility for a short-term disaster, but it would be suicidal in something long term. Without propane, your RV will turn into a refrigerator in the winter. Without gas, you will lose mobility, possibly when you are in an inopportune locale. And given the limited room for food storage, once that is consumed, you are likely to end up part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.

   o o o

A federal judge ends Idaho, Montana wolf hunt. Our thanks to RBS for sending the link. And in related news: Caught on tape: Largest Oregon wolf pack ever

   o o o

KAF flagged this: Saving Rural Grocers

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 30 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Fire, The Flame of Life, by T.S.K.

One of the basic requirements for survival in any situation for any sustained amount of time is fire.  Fire and the ability to make and maintain it can be the difference between life and death.  Having the proper materials and possessing the skills required to use them is something that needs to be practiced and learned before you are depending on them for your life.

Why Fire is Important
Depending on the situation fire serves many purposes.  

In a short term survival situation (several hours to several days), fire provides both a physical and mental benefit.  Physically fire provides heat.  With heat you can keep warm, dry wet clothes and gear, boil water for purification, and use it to cook.  Mentally, a fire provides light, a sense of security and one of accomplishment.  Having a fire can mentally put you in the right mindset to plan and survive.  In a survival situation the light and smoke for a fire can be very beneficial as a signaling device for search and rescue if you desire to be found.  Basic items to start a fire are very light and small and should be included in any survival or bugout bag.

In a longer term situation (several days to months), fire provides all the benefits discussed above, but the focus will shift from immediate survival (water, warmth, rescue) to a more long term approach.  Fire will provide the basis to purify water and the means to cook and preserve food and create tools.  Fuel for the fire will become increasingly more important depending on your surroundings and the amount of fuel you are using daily.  Remember, the more fuel you burn the more fuel you have to gather, the more water and food you will need to survive.

In a long term or TEOTWAWKI situation fire will become a core part of survival like it was for the caveman.  There are many great commercial products out there for cooking, purifying water, etc. but as time goes on, most will run out of fuel or purification cartridges or break beyond repair, eventually leaving only good old fire.  As this happens fire will be used as the primary source to purify water, cook, bake and preserve food.  It will also be used for many other purposes some of which are:

  1. Fire kilns for brick and pottery, etc.
  2. Forges for melting, bending and shaping metal
  3. Lye from the ash will be used to make soap
  4. Burn to clear brush from gardens and promote natural seeds and grasses
  5. Light

Spark\Heat (Traditional and Commercial)
Now we have talked about why fire is important to survival, let’s talk about the different requirements to start and maintain a fire.  To start a fire you need three things: spark\heat, air and fuel.

There are multiple ways to get a spark or heat that will combine with air to ignite the tinder and start your fire.  I am going to talk about both the traditional methods and also the commercially available methods I have used and the pros and cons to each.  With all of these, the key is practice.  It is never good to be trying to start a fire with a method that is not tried and true when your life depends on it.

For sustained ability to make fire you need to learn to master the Bow and Drill or Fire Plow method as they depend only on resources you can get from nature.  My favorite way to get a spark is by using a commercial striker, but I have also mastered the Bow and Drill method as a backup.

Traditional Spark\Heat

  • Bow and Drill
    • Pro: Made with materials from nature.  Anything  broke or damaged can easily be replaced or repaired.
    • Con: Not a easy way to start a fire for a novice, practice is required in mastering and becoming proficient with this method
  • Fire Plow
    • Pro: Made with materials from nature.  Anything  broke or damaged can easily be replaced or repaired.
    • Con: Typically more human energy is required than the bow and drill method as you have to build friction for heat.  Like the bow and drill this is not an easy way to start a fire for a novice, practice is required in mastering and becoming proficient with this method
  • Flint and Steel or striker
    • Pro: Depending on the type, easy to spark and get a fire for most users, though practice is recommended.
    • Con:  Great fire started, but they will eventually wear out.
  • Matches
    • Pro: Easy for most anyone to light.
    • Con: Can get wet or damaged and when you are out of matches you are out of fire.
  • Lens
    • Pro: Fast fire with correct sun and lens.
    • Con: Requires direct sunlight and practice.  Lens can break.
  • Battery and Steel Wool
    • Pro: None, I don’t recommend this method, but will work in a pinch if you have all the needed materials.
    • Con: Won’t work with a dead or damaged battery and must have steel wool.
  • Gunpowder
    • Pro: None, but will work if it is all you have.
    • Con: Fast hot flame, must be quick with the tinder to capture flame.
  • Lighter
    • Pro: Like the match, most people know how to use one.
    • Con: Can malfunction or get damaged, once out of fuel no more flame, just a very small spark.

Commercial Spark\Heat (links provided in the References)

I have listed the commercially available strikers I have personally used ranked by my favorite to my least favorite.

  1. Blastmatch by Ultimate Survival Technologies
    • Pro: Can use one handed and throws a big shower of sparks, not effected by water
    • Con: eventually wear out (roughly 10,000 strikes)
  2. Swedish Fire Steel by Light My Fire
    • Pro: Simple and efficient
    • Con: eventually wear out (roughly 3000 strikes)
  3. Sparkie by Ultimate Survival Technologies
    • Pro: Light weight and small and can be used one handed
    • Con: eventually wear out (could not find a strike #)
  4. Spark-Lite by Spark-lite
    • Pro: Ultra lightweight (I carry this as my backup to my Blastmatch)
    • Con: eventually wear out (roughly 2,000)
  5. Magnesium bar and Striker (several different makes and models)
    • Pro: If you can get the magnesium to light very hot flame
    • Con: depending on the quality hard to get magnesium to light
  6. Other Strikers (various other no-name or cheaper flint and steal, from what I have found you get what you pay for.  They may work, but not as good and as easy as the ones listed above)

Materials\Tinder
One you have heat or a spark you will need to transfer that to tinder to start a fire.  Again like the spark there are traditional atural and non-traditional tinder.  Natural tinder various by region and you will have to experiment with the best type in your area.  Generally any dry fibrous material like inner bark from a tree, dead grass, dead evergreen needles, etc. make a great tinder.  If available, birch bark makes great tinder.  My favorite natural tinder is fatwood shavings.  Fatwood (pine with high amounts of resin\sap) is naturally occurring and can be easily found and processed in a pine forest.

Some examples of non-traditional atural tinder are dryer lint, char cloth, wax paper, cotton ball and petroleum jelly, etc.  My favorite by far is the cotton ball mixed\covered in petroleum jelly.  It provides a nice hot flame, it easy and cheap to make and will burn when wet.  I have tried multiple types of commercial tinder, but always come back to the cotton ball and petroleum jelly.

Depending on the situation always evaluate and use the resources you have available.  Other ideas or things that make great fire starters\tinder are mosquito repellent, hairspray, anything with a high alcohol content.  The best survivalist is always someone who maximizes what they have available and ready at hand.

Types of Fires
Now that you have fire, let’s talk about a few of the different types of fires and the best use for each of these fires types:

  1. Traditional Fire:  This is your classic fire with stick\fuel crossed in the center.  This type of fire provides warmth, light, and also is great for cooking.  The downside to this type of fire is it isn’t very efficient and consumes more wood than other fire configurations.
  2. Upside Down Fire:  This type of fire is made by stacking the fuel very tightly together in a box or cube shape and then lighting the fire from the top.  This style of fire burns longer and requires less fuel overtime as it feeds itself as it burns down.  This type of fire also creates great coals for cooking once burned down.  The downside to this fire is that you need to have lots of fuel in the beginning to create your upside down fire.
  3. Dakota Fire Hole:  This type of fire is a great fire for cooking and is basically like the name describes a hole.  To build this type of fire you dig a whole 10 to 12 inches deep for the main fire and a vent hole 4 to 6 inches around that joins into the main hole from the side.  This fire has great benefits as it uses less fuel and typically burns hotter than traditional fires.
  4. Base Fire:  A base fire or base can be used with any fire style except the Dakota Fire Hole.  The idea or purpose of a base fire is to elevate the fire (keep it out of snow, water, etc).  You do this by building the fire on a base, typically wet or green fuel that won’t burn easily.
  5. Reflector Fire:  A reflective fire isn’t as much about the way the fuel is arranged, but more about the fire pit and the way the heat and light reflects.  The goal of a reflective fire it to maximize the amount of heat or light by reflecting off of a wall (made of dirt, stone, wood, etc.) towards the desired location.  This is a great fire for survival shelters to reflect the heat towards the shelter.
  6. Parallel Fire:  This type of fire is created between 2 large logs setup parallel to each other.  The fire is placed in the middle.  This type of fire is typically used for a cooking fire as you can use the log surfaces as a base for cooking.  It also provides a wind break on each side for the fire.

Practice, Practice, Practice
The key to anything survival related is practice, practice, practice.  No matter what your preferred method for fire starting is, you need to practice until you are proficient.  I also recommend that you practice and are proficient in multiple methods in case your primary method is not available or no longer works.  Without proficiency you will be unable to start a fire when you need it the most.

References:
Ultimate Survival Technologies
Light My Fire

Letter Re: Preparing With Your Spouse

Dear Editor:
I know helping a spouse to become preparedness minded is a common topic in your blog, but I thought I would give my two-cents worth.

My wife and I are devout Christians with four children. We both believe that the scriptures are clear in defining roles for husbands and wives. We believe that husbands’ primary responsibilities are to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Wives’ primary responsibilities are the nurture of their children. Husbands and wives should work as equal partners in these roles. Occasionally certain situations require some adaptation of these roles. We believe our Creator planted in men and women a natural tendency toward these roles and a desire to fulfill them. Understanding these roles and our desires to fulfill them can give a key to helping motivate a spouse.

For example, I have wanted to purchase a camping trailer for quite a while. For much of that time I tried to convince my wife that this was a good idea because then she wouldn’t be cold when we went camping. I was using “provide and protect” to try to motivate her. But then recently she realized all of the great family memories we could build with this trailer. That was the “nurture” part of her talking. Suddenly, she was enthusiastic about it! This experience was a revelation to me. I was trying to convince her using the “provide and protect” angle rather than the “nurture” angle.

My wife and I openly discussed the principles of our God-given roles and desires to fulfill them. She agreed that I had been a poor salesman! Now when we discuss preparedness we understand each other much better. She understands that I am trying to provide for and protect our family and appreciates my drive to become prepared. I understand that she wants to nurture our children and I love her for her caring spirit. We still have disagreements in the process but knowing that these disagreements often just stem from our drives to fulfill our respective God-given desires makes it much easier to work things out.

Regards, – Preacher in Eastern Idaho

Two Letters Re: Pellet Rifle Hunting

Two Letters Re: Pellet Rifle Hunting

Mr. Rawles,

I wanted to add the following comments to D.M.’s post about argues. I completely agree with the findings D.M. had on air-gunning. I am a big fan of air-gunning and Crossman rifles are on my short list of quality, easy to use guns that won’t cost an arm and a leg. May I recommend a few more airguns worth considering. My personal favorites are the Chinese made QB-57, and the Crossman 1377C.

The QB57 is a bull-pup side lever springer with a break down design available as a .177 or .22. The gun can easily fit into a backpack and breaking it down and putting it back together does not affect accuracy. It is a real sweet shooter and it built with lots of metal and wood–more like a farm implement than a toy. The QB57 is very quiet, the sound of the .22 cal pellet hitting its mark makes more noise than the gun.

The 1377C is a multi-pump pellet pistol in .177 cal. There is a real community behind this gun and there are tons of aftermarket modifications available. It’s like the M-4 of airguns. Instead of ordering aftermarket parts, I ordered parts directly from Crossman for the discontinued 2289 Backpacker carbine model. For $50 in parts I turned this pistol into a .22 cal carbine with a 15″ barrel. Neither of these guns look like firearms, which I find to be a huge plus when shooting in an urban/suburban area. A standard Monte Carlo stocked rifle is recognizable as a real firearm by almost anyone. You have to be uncomfortably close to recognize that someone is handling an airgun instead of a real firearm. If a LEO sees you shouldering a rifle of any type, they are going to take notice.

I am a fan of .22 pellets. They are more expensive than .177s, but you can get 600 rounds of .22 Crossman Premiers for $23 plus shipping. With low muzzle velocity you send quite a hurting to your prey. .177 is a fine choice also, but they are a bit harder to handle with my sausage fingers and they take more velocity (more pumps) to do the same damage as a .22. .177 BBs are great, but I wouldn’t want to plink with them. BB’s are copper coated steel and they have a nasty habit of ricocheting. You can also break you teeth on steel shot. Eating lead isn’t so great either, but even at low velocities .177s and .22s pass through most game.

Good web sites to check out and learn more:

Pyramydair.com – Arguably the best airgun dealer on the net – great reviews to include video reviews.
Airgundepot.com – I’ve never bought anything from them, but they have great video reviews of unique guns.
Airgunweb.com – Great reviews, vendor neutral since this guy does not sell anything. Prost! -D. Yankee

 

James Wesley;
That was a great article. I had a pellet gun as a kid and shot thousands of rounds through it as well.

If you don’t have a pellet rifle, but want to plink or hunt with hardly any noise, I recommend getting a box or two of .22 CB Longs, or CB Shorts. These both have a muzzle velocity of 710 fps (CCI brand), and are much quieter than a standard .22 Short (1,089 fps) as they are sub-sonic and you don’t get the super-sonic bullet crack. I have an old long barrel .22 that was my dad’s, and they are very quiet when used in this gun. I also have a ‘Chipmunk’ .22 – single shot, shorter barreled bolt action ‘youth gun’ and they are quieter in it than standard speed bullets, but not nearly so quiet as in the old long barreled gun (25 in barrel).

They have a 29 grain bullet, and so pack several times the energy of a BB at comparable velocities.

This isn’t to take anything away from BB and pellet guns. I think they are great, but if you don’t have one, and just need a little less noise, try the CB caps. I think they have their place too. Thanks, – Rune in Utah

Odds ‘n Sods:

RFJ sent this useful KK Cool Tools link: Coleman Lantern Hanger

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Conor sent this article link: Roundup: A week of hacker news from Black Hat and Defcon

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Frequent content contributor KAF sent us this: Should Videotaping the Police Really Be a Crime? Perhaps I ought to issue complimentary press credentials to all readers, who will then all become Associate Editors. Controversy resolved.

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Also from KAF: Nature’s Light Show from Solar Storm

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The protection guaranteed by the amendments is much broader in scope. The makers of our Constitution undertook to secure conditions favorable to the pursuit of happiness. They recognized the significance of man’s spiritual nature, of his feelings and of his intellect. They knew that only a part of the pain, pleasure and satisfactions of life are to be found in material things. They sought to protect Americans in their beliefs, their thoughts, their emotions and their sensations. They conferred, as against the government, the right to be let alone-the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men. To protect, that right, every unjustifiable intrusion by the government upon the privacy of the individual, whatever the means employed, must be deemed a violation of the Fourth Amendment.’ – Justice Brandeis (dissenting) in Olmstead v. U.S., 277 U.S. 438 (1928)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 30 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Pellet Rifle Hunting, by D.M.

Due to financial circumstances I found myself living out of the back of my pick-up for several months on public lands in South West mostly BLM and NF mostly. Just before setting out I sold most of my belongings in a yard sale that netted me just over $800 dollars. This money would have to be rationed wisely over the summer, most went for fuel. Don’t think I did not look for work anywhere I could, what I found was it was depleting my resources with no results. I finally moved onto public lands with the idea of hunting, fishing and gold panning (which did payoff) until the economy started to make a come back.

On my first trip into Wal-Mart to get supplies, mostly rice, beans, tea, flour and so forth, I made my way into the sporting goods section. What I found shocked me, .22 ammo had almost doubled in price since the last time I purchased some, not to mention the shelf was almost empty, I ended up with 100 rounds of CCI Hollow Point. While walking around I came across the Pellet and BB gun supplies, since I had my Crossman 2100 Classic pump in the truck I decided to purchase some BBs for plinking around camp. 

My first couple of weeks was spent near a small spring (more like a seep) and I think it was the only water for miles. Every morning and evening it was frequented by all the game in the area, dove, quail, rabbits and so on. While plinking the the first evening with my Crossman 2100 a group of birds was making their way down to the water, I jumped up and slowly made my way to the water hole . Once there I got myself into position and awaited in ambush for their arrival.  They finally made their way into the open and I picked off two of them with only six pumps of power, it shoots a lot quieter that way. That night the feast was on, from that point on it was in my hands everywhere I went.

Over the entire summer it became the SOP to scout the area for small game while checking my various snares, dead falls and to my mining spot. That BB gun put at least 70% of the meat on the spit over my fire throughout the summer. The only time I considered my .22 was when the Javelins where in the area and or deer and yes a well placed shot will drop either one if one was in a survival situation. 

After returning from the field and taking up Tee Pee living now, I have given it a lot of thought after reading Rawles’s novel “Patriots” and what I have on hand. A Pellet gun as a true survival weapon and here are my conclusions. Living in the field for a while really proved out my gear, sadly and expensively most fell to the way side but the Crossman 2100 turned out to be an unlikely sleeper candidates for one my personal top 10 gear awards! Here is my rationale:
1. Reliability, it never failed me and I went through half of my 6,000 BBs in the container at an average of 6 pumps per shot = 18,000 pumps. I oiled the seal once a week. Before pursuing this adventure my guess would be my kids put 50,000 plus rounds through this gun and that would be a conservative estimate.
2. Accuracy, what I found out after about 500 or so shots was I was no longer consciously using the sights within 25 yards and that is where 90% of the critters were bagged.
3. Handling, this is an area it really shinned. Weighing only 5# loaded with a couple hundred BBs it was a joy to tote everywhere. Another plus is the Crossman 2100 Classic in configured to real gun dimensions and handles as such. Pumping becomes unnoticeable and more like a second nature type thing.
4. Critter “bagability”. Before reading on, please read your State’s game laws on hunting with a pellet gun. I believe we are all here for the same reason and that is to share ideas and experiences that will better our quality of life in a TEOTWAWKI situation. So with that said, birds @50 yards, rabbits cleanly @30 yards, turkey’s @25 yards with head shot and 10 pumps, raccoons and skunks @10 yards with 10 pumps and head shot, squirrels cleanly @25 yards with head shot. This one area a pump rifle really shines is 5 to 6 pumps on birds and 10 pumps on bigger stuff, having variable power is a nice plus. Speaking of variable power 3 and four pumps bagged numerous large lizards and monster grasshoppers for the spit also! Here I should also mention a BB does almost no damage to the meat at all no matter where it hits. 
5. Stealth, many times I hunted near primitive campground areas without raising an eyebrow and most often if you missed you get a second shot.
6. Tactical trainers. After returning from the field and switching back to my AR-15, M1A, and my [Ruger] 10/22 I noticed my shooting skills had become quite honed. Everything from muscle memory of bringing my weapons to shoulder, breathing and trigger control and an instinctive sight picture was ingrained. Even just overall handling and field manipulation was enhanced.
7. Which type of air rifle? 
In a survival situation I would not want a single stroke type rifle for several reasons: 
a. Excessive power and report
b. Excessive weight
c. Their limitation of shooting only pellets. (I mostly shot BBs. I used pellets only on bigger game.)
d. Not sure how one would service in the field

CO2-powered air rifles are also a “NO GO” just because of the need for CO2 cartridges! 

I think a good pump air rifle in the best option for practical long term survival in the field . I like the Crossman 2100 because it handles and looks like a real gun and later translates the muscle memory to my big guns! I have since replaced the seals only because I want it to keep on ticking and I also got an extra set and put them in the butt stock. It does have a couple of cons one being it is has a susceptibility to altitude, the higher up the more you have to pump. Next is the cold has a similar affect as altitude and vise versa they shot hotter in the heat. Take time to learn your guns quirks, mine took two extra pumps early in the morning in compared to the mid day heat.    

At the Fort, I get to sit out on my back porch and plink almost every evening and when I want to bag a squirrel or quail for dinner, I crack a window and shoot from a position back in a room for tactical practice. In the winter I practice a lot of different shooting positions in the house. Breathing and trigger control are the main focuses. Using the Crossman has worked out so well for training purposes, I have since purchased a Airsoft Model 1911A1 look alike pistol for indoor CQB practice.

Modifications I would recommend on a air rifle:
a. Take it apart and become familiar with all the parts and clean up all sharp edges in the process.
b. Use a pull thru type cable and use some Flitz to polish the barrel, this really enhanced the accuracy on mine. [JWR Adds: Beware of using abrasive bore cleaners. I recommend using mild bore cleaners and patches, and taking plenty of time, rather than trying to rush the job . Also, be very careful to carefully to keep the cleaning rod aligned, especially as the rod tip enters or leaves the muzzle. That last two inches of rifling is crucial to good accuracy.]
c. In the buttstock I store an extra set of seals, roll pins, rear sight elevation blade, and my cleaning kit with some Remington Gun Oil.
d. I painted mine with Coyote Brown Dura-Coat after coming back from the field.
e. If I were to put any kind of optic on it, I would choose a Bushnell Trophy TRS 25 Red Dot, they have a 3,000 hour battery life. Many times in the field I wished I had something for dusk type situations. 

The Cost! The Crossman 2100 Classic retails for $62.99 and can probably be purchased on the web for less. With the countless hours spent on mine I can’t think of a more fun or less expensive way to bag some critters and get weapons manipulation practice.

In my ammo tests, BBs were my preferred ammo due to cost and availability. With BBs I can shoot a 1″ group @25 yards, but that is with shooting on a daily basis. Pellets only give me more accuracy at longer ranges say @50 yards and have much better penetration which is required on bigger stuff. My preferred pellets are Beeman Crow Magnums, they hit really hard and I have bagged several Jackrabbits with 50 yard head shots.   

Did I mention the general public and LEOs pay almost no attention to an individual with a BB gun?

Earlier I wrote about cooking over a fire. After all the stories from people “living” out there on public lands, they said their number one problem was Rangers and LEOs and most of it stemmed from having a camp fire. Most of the west gets shut down in what they call the fire season with good reason. (Idiots who don’t know how to clear a fire ring and tend a campfire safely.) All of my fires were made in a Scout pit and extinguished immediately after use. I lived as if were behind enemy lines. Some would say it’s a SOP in a TEOTWAWKI situation, but I say it’s here already. What I mean is this country is not the way I knew it and one’s preps should be geared as such!

Letter From David in Israel Re: Solar Storms

James
There was a bit of excitement when we flew the Earth through this last coronal mass ejection (CME) it might be useful for people to understand how the 1859 event was set up to cause such a powerful hit as well as its effects on Earth.

The 1859 Carrington [CME] Event was a very rare perfect storm in space where sci-fi type examples are probably the best language to illustrate what happened.

The sun is a big bubbling liquid death star, it can spew and splash at times with great power. Since we orbit the sun and it has its own spin the plasma splashes will project outward from wherever the solar surface event occurred. Since there is aim involved the “death star” has to be pointed at us, otherwise it just makes an interesting event for solar observatories.

The second factor in a perfect storm is shielding, just like you imagine with the fictional starship USS Enterprise. The first shielding the Earth gets is the existing low speed solar wind. This slow moving plasma literally creates a traffic jam around the sun. A big CME can push this out of the way but it expends much of its energy to do this. The late August 1859 CME knocked the path clear of the low energy/speed solar plasma.

With the way swept cleared by the late August CMEs the early September events were able move at full speed against the earths magnetosphere, our secondary shields in only 18 hours moving at over half a million miles an hour!

Once the high energy plasma strike arrives and sweeps across the earths magnetic field it acts like a a magnet waved across a coil of wire in your third grade science class, electrical current is produced. Any antenna long enough to receive this quasi-DC wave this will resonantly couple and a current will be detectable on the antenna, just like when we receive radio signals, the longer the antenna the better the electrical capture.

To conclude with the abstract science there needs to be a line up of several events to get an 1859 type event affecting you.
1- Sun has to eject a CME directly into the path of the Earth
2- The pathway has to be cleared of low speed plasma, probably by an earlier CME
3- Your electronics must have connection to wiring, pipe, structural conductors, or antennas which will resonate on the longer frequencies a CME produces

The two biggest EMF concerns I read on SurvivalBlog are for automobile ignition and electrical systems and broadcast radio receivers although my greatest concern is for the power grid.

Since it is literally not directly our problem but that of the utility companies we do not much discuss the power grid preps which are now part of the engineering standard for grid power components like transformers. The phone system has been surprisingly well prepared since the 1960s. Gas and oil companies and utilities do a good job of grounding their pipelines. Many parts of the power grid will be disabled in an 1859 event but most components will likely not explode in an flaming explosion, and could be repaired once the manpower is available. I would expect social problems in some areas especially where people feel disenfranchised should the power go out so expect infringement on your civil rights.

Cars and trucks should fare reasonably well since their wire runs are protected by the metal body(exception is plastic and fiberglass body cars) and the runs to vital engine components are mostly less than a meter, a bit short to induce much voltage from EMP/CME versus the energy they must survive every day from startup voltage spikes and induced voltage from the ignition spark system. I question the wisdom of switching over to a points and condenser system for a survival vehicle. I owned many older vehicles in high school and college this may have been a GM problem but wetness in western Oregon off-=road driving always ended up damping out my distributor and required popping the cap and spraying down with WD-40 to displace the water and get running right. Once I installed an HEI (high voltage electronic ignition) system I never had to worry or adjust it beyond timing, my survival escape vehicle would have been at risk were the point dwell out of tune, wear out, or I were to cross water, not so with the replacement HEI system.

Many people speak of having only tube radios for survival should there be an EMP attack. Tubes are fragile and have a very high power demand, but they are very much fun for hobby purposes so I have some tube powered gear myself. If there were an EMP or CME event your tubes would almost surely survive as the inert gases inside the tubes would ionize becoming conductive and allow the high voltage to pass right through just like a neon bulb. A tube radio has other components which are sensitive to damage, I would suspect that some kinds of capacitors and diodes especially on old antique radios would blow in a very high electromagnetic field environment. It is worth noting that the solid state PRC-77 had a higher EMP rating than the similar vacuum tube-equipped PRC-25. There are things you can do with your home electronics like proper grounding, using high quality power line power protectors, using properly rated gas discharge dissipaters on all transmission and antenna lines, and of course disconnecting power, cable television, telephone, and antenna lines during any event. Metal pipes, pipelines, electrical fences, and other long conductors can be sneaky paths for unwanted induced electrical current to enter your home and equipment.

So what to do about CME and EMP emergencies? Prioritize this emergency and the amount of money and work you budget for it against other events of varying likelihood. Earthquakes, economic upheaval, invasion, civil war, energy shortage, mismanagement and misallocation of resources, epidemic, neighbor has a homicidal intent, home burglary, or your driveway is covered in a mudslide and the power lines are knocked down. Some of these are more exciting in a Hollywood action movie way and thus more fun to prepare for, some preps make you more vulnerable to other emergencies. Use a systematic approach using researched and documented information and not just folk wisdom and hearsay for planning your preparations; don’t get caught up in emotions like unreasonable fear or fantasies of becoming the regional sheriff or strongman leader.
Shalom, – David in Israel