If you find yourself in a survival situation, ANY knife becomes a survival knife – you must adapt! And remember…the best knife is the one you have on you.
Monthly Archives: August 2012
Kryptek Flint and Steel Survival Bracelet
From: www.soldiersystems.net
There are lots of ‘survival’ bracelets on the market made from woven parachute cord. While the 550 cord and it’s internal strands can sure come in handy in a survival emergency once unravelled and gutted, they don’t offer anything but cordage. However, the new Flint and Steel Survival Bracelet from Kryptek incorporates fire making tools into the clasp. So, you don’t just get a bracelet with a unique look but also both fire making and cordage to deal with extreme situations.
www.kryptekstore.com/-Kryptek-Flint-and-Steel-Survival-Bracelet-P65
Flint Striker Set by Winkler Knives
From the website:
Cost of Set: US $450.00 |
Daniel Winkler Folding Flint Striker Set
“I didn’t realize until The Blade Show that Master Bladesmith Daniel Winkler produced a fire starter set. Called the Folding Flint Striker Set, it’s based on the items carried by frontiersmen before the advent of the match. Winkler is well known for his fascination with early American history. In fact, he began making knives in order to outfit himself in the same equipment as an 18th century woodsman.
Set includes Knife, flint, char tin with char cloth, tinder with fat wood and a draw-string deer hide pouch. Additionally, he can provide a neck pouch for the knife at an additional charge. Just like all of Winkler’s other products knife pouches are hand built, to last.
Starting fires in a traditional manner is a skill that should be acquired and practiced. If I could only get one thing for my birthday, this would be it.”
November 10th 2012 Survival Course at Oak Hammock Marsh
Stay tuned for more details!
About Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre:
Oak Hammock Marsh is one of North America’s birding hotspots and a great destination for people of all ages.
This 36 km2 Wildlife Management Area features a restored prairie marsh, aspen-oak bluff, waterfowl lure crops, artesian springs, some of Manitoba’s last remaining patches of tall-grass prairie and 30 kilometers of trails for you to explore.
Oak Hammock Marsh is home to 25 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, numerous amphibians, reptiles, and fish, and countless invertebrates. During migration season, the number of waterfowl using the marsh during migration can exceed 400,000 daily!
Award-winning Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre is located on the edge of the marsh. This beautiful location offers the perfect setting for the Interpretive Centre’s many entertaining and educational programs. Open year-round, the Interpretive Centre also welcomes group tours and school visits for programs like canoe excursions, snowshoe walks, and everyone’s favourite:critter dipping!
Partners
The Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre is a joint project of Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Province of Manitoba.
DUC and the Province have a long history with Oak Hammock Marsh. DUC was interested in restoration projects in the area as early as the 1940s. The Province began acquiring land in the area in the late 1960s. In 1972, with the assistance of DUC, Manitoba Conservation began constructing 22 kilometers of earth dykes to restore a small portion of the original marsh. The restored marsh and surrounding upland areas were officially designated as Oak Hammock Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
In the 1980s, the two partners began work to realize a shared dream of enhancing the education and interpretive potential of Oak Hammock Marsh. Construction on the Interpretive Centre was completed in 1992.
The Interpretive Centre continues to be jointly managed by Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Province of Manitoba, working with the Interpretive Centre’s volunteer Board of Directors. The building is also home to DUC’s national offices and Manitoba Conservation offices. The WMA is managed by Manitoba Conservation.
2012 Fall & Pre-Winter Survival Courses at Fort Whyte Alive
Mark your calendars!
Maple Leaf Survival will be conducting two courses this fall at Fort Whyte Alive on the following dates:
- October 27, 2012
- November 17, 2012
Stay tuned for more details!
About FortWhyte Alive
Mission
FortWhyte Alive is dedicated to providing programming, natural settings and facilities for environmental education, outdoor recreation and social enterprise. In so doing, FortWhyte promotes awareness and understanding of the natural world and actions leading to sustainable living.
Mandate
- Offer, as a primary focus, relevant programming that focuses on the dynamic interactions and interdependency between humans and natural systems
- Offer outdoor recreational experiences that encourage individuals to enjoy, understand and sustain the natural world
- Offer enhanced program opportunities for disadvantaged youth and families to participate in environmental education, outdoor recreation, and entrepreneurial programs
- Offer exhibits that interpret Manitoba’s cultural and natural history and address critical environmental issues
- Offer outreach programs that build and nurture sustainable communities
DISCOVER our outdoor exhibits and 640 acres of prairie, lakes, forest and wetlands. Highlights include a 70-acre Bison Prairie and viewing mound, more than 7 km of interpretive trails and floating marsh boardwalks, family treehouse, birdfeeding stations, and songbirds, deer and waterfowl in their natural habitat.
Aquatabs® – Water Purification Tablets
At this price (roughly CDN $10 for 50 tablets) there is no reason not to have these spread out amongst your survival kit. If you don’t have a means to boil water, these could very easily save your life.
From the website:
Purifies water for camping, hiking, boating and international travel. Effective against Giardia cysts, bacteria and viruses, making water safe for drinking, brushing teeth, cooking and washing fruits, vegetables and produce. Water is ready to drink 30 minutes after mixing.
Aquatabs are an internationally recognized brand of water purification tablet that have been tried and tested in a wide range of water sources. This unique tablet, while chlorine based, will not colour the water or leave objectionable chemical tastes. Aquatabs are Iodine free, safe to handle and use a stable tablet format that is packed in secure, tamper evident foil packaging. No liquids to leak or glass to break.
How does it work?
Aquatabs are an internationally recognized brand of NaDCC water purification tablet that have been tried and tested in a wide range of water sources. When added to water Aquatabs dissolve to release a measured dose of free available chlorine that is universally recognized as a safe and effective water disinfectant. Aquatabs are certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 60. Its active ingredient, NaDCC (ACL60 grade) has been approved/registered for drinking water treatment by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the routine use of NaDCC for human drinking water.
Features and Benefits
Aquatabs are effective against Travellers’ Diarrhea, Giardia, faecal coliforms, Cholera, Typhoid, dysentery and many other waterborne diseases including Hepatitis A & E and Salmonella.
- US Manufactured Active Ingredient
- US EPA Certified Active Ingredient
- NSF 60 Certified
- No Unpalatable Taste and Odour
- Iodine Free
- Safe For Use by Pregnant Women
- Safe For Use by Children
- 5 Year Shelf Life
- Will Not Stain Bottles/Hydration Packs
- Halal Certified
- Made to ISO & GMP Standards
Each sleeve contains 10 tablets (paper clip is for size reference).
Cost: Around CDN $10
New Host for “Dual Survival?”
From www.soldiersystems.net:
It’s well known in the prepper community that the Discovery Channel series hit a pregnant pause as the show looked for a replacement for Dave Canterbury. Old pro Cody Lundin has remained with the show but folks have been scratching their heads wondering who the new co-star would be. Well, we think we have it figured out.
We believe that the new co-host for season three of Discovery Channel’s “Dual Survival” is Joe Teti who is a Veteran of the US Marines, Army Special Forces and OGA. Joseph Teti is also the director of International Security Consultants.
Season three of “Dual Survival” is currently in production and just wrapped up episode four.
The Ultimate Survival Manual by OUTDOOR LIFE
The content in this survival manual is becoming increasingly more common in today’s survival references – namely urban disasters and other modern day catastrophes.
In addition to information on wilderness survival, other topics included in this manual include:
- Floods
- Tornadoes
- Self defence
- House fires
- Power outages
etc…
The Ultimate Survival Manual 333 Skills That Will Get You Out Alive from OUTDOOR LIFE is a very entertaining and fun read. The pictures and other graphics contained in this book are fantastic but are more about form, and less about function. Don’t expect much detail. Subject matter is covered quickly and with brevity. Although it fails as a serious reference, it does contains some good tips, holds your attention, and keeps the concept of survival and preparedness alive in your mind.
ISBN 13: 978-1-61628-218-9
ISBN 10: 1-61628-218-5
Cost: Around CDN $29
The Pocket Stove
- Simple
- Super easy to set up
- Durable
- Functional
- Tin has plenty of room for storage and can double as a survival tin.
- Lightweight
- Ideal for small pots
- Portable
- Versatile
- Cost effective
- If using organic materials you’ll need proper tinder and A LOT of dry pencil-size sticks for kindling – your main organic fuel. Be prepared to continually fuel the stove.
- Placing and feeding the kindling in the stove can be cumbersome
- Using fuel blocks – Be Careful! The blocks can “melt” and drop/drip through the holes in the plate on which the block sits – watch out for this!
Plenty of room inside the tin to keep a Bic lighter, firesteel, tinder, and a small knife.
Assembly is very simple – the 5 pieces fit together quickly and easily. No tools required
Note: The paperclip is just to give an idea of size.
From the website:
Welcome to the exciting world of The Pocket Stove.
It does what it says on the tin!
This a flat pack, clip together multi fuel cooking stove for the solo or lightweight outdoors enthusiast, 100% designed and manufactured in the UK.
Following the success of The Honey Stove and The Hive, many enthusiasts have asked for a simpler smaller solo cooking solution which incorporates the same multi-fuel features and flexibility.
After months of design and experimentation The Pocket Stove was eventually born. Weight, simplicity and functionality were all key along with bomb proof reliability.
The fluted shape encourages a more intense burn from any heat source, yet provides reliable stability for the standard range of small cook pots and military shaped mugs up to 10-12 cm in diameter.
It also means that it also provides a pot support as well as windshield for most variations of pop can meths (denatured alcohol) burners.
Simplicity is the key and it has been tested throughout winter, to ensure it can be assembled quickly in the cold.
The adjustable platform offers two burn heights, the top slot for esbit/hexamine tablets and the other for organic matter and pop can stoves.
With just the four panels, the standard Trangia burner will locate into the upper slot and the door locks tight. This is the best height for an intense burn. However the same burner will also locate into the lower slot offering two heat settings depending on your needs.
Other ‘top burning’ meths (denatured alcohol) stoves can also be used. Experimentation will indicate the best location for you heat source, either on the square plate, or placed on the ground with the four connected panels placed over the top.
Finally, just three panels linked together can act as a basic windshield and pot support, should you ever require it.
Your Pocket Stove package consists of a fire door, a rear panel, 2 x side panels, a base plate and a hinged storage tin.
Assembly options
To burn esbit/hexamine tablets
Holding the rear panel in your hand with the prongs facing upwards, slide on the two side panels either side. Place the square base into the top horizontal slot taking care to ensure the rear of the base plate is rotated correctly and placed centrally in the rear panel.
Then slide on the door and the stove is complete.
To burn organic matter
Assemble as above however place the square base into the lower horizontal slot taking care to ensure the rear of the base plate is correctly placed centrally in the rear panel.
Then slide on the door and the stove is complete.
To use with a Trangia burner
Assemble as above, however instead of using the square plate, just place the Trangia burner into either of the horizontal slots.
Then slide on the door and the stove is complete.
NB: It does fit the Tatonka meth burner, but it a loose fit. The Evernew burner fits neatly in the base.
Manufacture
The Pocket Stove is manufactured using .7mm Stainless Steel which is considerably stronger than it looks.
The design is exceedingly efficient at reflecting heat inwards and upwards whilst at the same time allowing the correct amount of air draw for the different cookers or fuel used.
Once heat is applied to the unit it may warp slightly. This is normal and doesn’t affect the assembly process or life span of the product.
Tinder
To start any fire you require tinder, which will catch the spark from a flint and steel, or other igniting tool.
Once tinder is burning, it will in turn ignite the kindle. Small dry pieces of wood, which will burn with a greater heat and light the thicker dry fuel.
Tinder can take many forms. You can also use bark peelings from a Birch tree, wire wool or feather sticks.
These are made by splitting a finger thick stick into quarters and running a sharp knife along the edge to ‘curl’ the dry core into fine slithers.
Cotton wool dipped in Vaseline is very efficient as is the commercially available Hammaro Tinder Card.
Burning Wood
The stoves works more efficiently with small pieces of dried wood no thicker than a pencil. Thicker pieces take longer to ignite and are more cumbersome to collect and break. Two handfulls of these twigs will boil 500ml of water in approximately 8-10 minutes.
Never use green live wood, which will just smoke and not burn. Always look for air-dried wood caught in tree branches, as these catch and burn much more effectively.
Don’t overfill the base plate with fuel before lighting, as good combustion requires good airflow.
We’ve found using a small piece of Hammaro Tinder CardTM will ignite instantly from a flint and steel, and accelerates the lighting of dried kindle.
Once the fire is established and there is a good ‘heat’ at the base, add the thicker fuel on a regular basis, to maintain the desired cooking heat.
Fire Safety
All fuels give off noxious fumes and wood based stoves are no different. We would always advise you to light any fire in a well-ventilated area, with a good throughput of air, such as under a tarp.
NB: Remember modern artificial fabrics used in jackets, trousers, sleeping bags and tents ignite very easily. Another reason to never light a stove inside an enclosed area.
Leave No Trace
Where possible try to use some kind of ashtray beneath the stove to protect the ground.
The heat generated by any stove can damage or scar the organic matter beneath.
So where possible, try to ensure you place the stove over bare earth, sand, stone or use a protective matting or foil.
After use, you will see a fine ash beneath the stove gathered on the tray. Please let this cool and try to ‘leave no trace’ in your disposal.
On a stone or sandy beach, you may not need the ash tray at all, however always consider your environment and please dispose of the fine ash with appropriate and responsible care.
Warning
In use this stove will get very hot. No matter the type of fuel or heat source used.
Do not attempt to pick it up, move it or take it apart when fuel is burning. You will burn your hands!
Please allow enough ventilation around the stove and ensure that all the component parts are cool before packing.
Also ensure the ground under the stove is cool to the touch and not burned in any way. Use of petrol, or any other petroleum products in this stove may result in severe burns and/or death.
Emissions
Burning wood efficiently is almost Carbon Neutral.
The efficient use of a small amount of organic matter is much more eco-friendly than the more convenient commercial fuels, such as petroleum based derivatives and natural gas (LPG).
LPG emits 15 times more CO2 (carbon dioxide) per kg than wood.
Petrol based fuels emit nearly 10 times as much. CO2 is the main source of global warming.
(Source – Journey To Forever)
Weights
Side Panel: 31g x 2
Back Panel: 31g
Door: 26g
Square Base: 22g
Total: 141g
Storage Tin: 54g
Packed Total: 195g
Will it fit your pop can stove?
Height 100mm
Base Plate 68mm sq
Upper Aperture 61mm sq
Lower Aperture 72mm sq
The Pocket Stove was designed and manufactured entirely in the UK by backpackinglight.co.uk
Cost: Around £ 22