Cutting Tools

We all know that the first thing that anyone chooses for their survival.

The knife.

The thing is while it is possible to survive on one good knife there are knives specifically designed for a task.

Or rather a cutting tool.

A cutting tool is anything used for cutting, hacking, sawing and any that separates something into two or more parts.

I have created a list of five essential tools to have in a survival situation.

1. Knife -  This is piece of metal that has been sharped to a blade with a handle. I recommend a full tang blade as it is the most durable. Any one will do whether its big or small and shape doesn't matter. Now if I am honest a kitchen knife is acceptable and will do the job well (personal experience) but I rather a thicker blade. Right now I am using the "Mora Companion". It a cheap and of incredible quality.

2. Spoon knife - This a knife that is curved in a almost U shape. It is best for carving bowls or curves. I have seen it used in carving spoons and bowls so this is something you could be practicing every time you go out and have some free time or in a long term scenario you can make some gear that will make life easier for you.

3. Cutlass/ Machete - Basically a long knife. This essential when like in the tropics or any densely forested area. It does not have to be a too long. I prefer one that goes slightly pass my elbow when I hold the handle.

4. Axe/ Hatchet -  This is steel blade attached to a piece of wood at a 90 degree angle. Its for cuting down trees and processing wood.

   

5. Folding saw  - This is for cutting straight through limbs, small trees etc. It is a blade with a serrated edge. 

Others you might want to have.

# Skinning knife -  Used for processing game and skinning animals. Honestly useless you have done it you will have no idea how invaluable a skinning knife is and how many cuts you can avoid.

# Switch blade or Folding knife - This is mainly as a backup blade in case you lose your main. Very important.

# Multi tool - A multi tool can be used for a wide area of jobs whether in the feild or in the city. Alway have one.

# Knife sharpener - A dull knife is dangerous to use in any situation. Even a small knife sharpener will keep your blade sharp and work at maximum efficiency. I recommend the Smith's pocket sharpener as I have one and it has kept my knives, multi tools and saws extremely sharp. I have abused this, drop it, wet it and many other accidents(too numerous to mention) and it still works like the day I ordered it.

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And remember survival is not a choice but a right earned at birth.

Be the Wolf!

Food Box

How to start a food box

Your food box is your short term plan for food. For any reason whether its no money this month or a natural disaster or surprise camping trip. The point is that you cant get to a store and you are low on food.

Important things to consider;

Likes  -  make sure you buy or acquire is food you like and not allergic to. For example, if you don’t like MRE’s don’t stalk up on it because you wont eat it and if you get to a situation where that is all you have you will be miserable. Try out your stuff first.

Time - be sure to have a time limit so that you can determine how much to get. Start small and add. My time limit is one week to two weeks. I will give my kit list.

Use - Try it out. Let’s be honest everything spoils so by using it you keep your stalk fresh and make sure that your taste haven’t changed. Try buying more long lasting foods. As well as knowing how to use and make the most of your supplies.

Storage - Store your supplies in the safe place. I use a simple cardboard shoe box and i keep it on top of my wardrobe. Unfortunately this has prove to be unsafe as my family has gotten into it. So that brings me to the next topic.

Safety - Make sure you keep it safe and that no one can take your supplies. It makes no sense you go through all that troubled only to have when you need it you find that someone has been taking your stuff and now you have none.

Calories - Watch the calories of your items and take into account that you need more calories if you are going to active. So look up how much calories you need and double it per day.

Withdrawal - If you know that you have and addiction you need to pack for it. You can not expect you body to cope with the stress and other factors that that type of situation AND deal with withdrawal symptoms. It could be as simple as put a few packs of cigarettes or packs of coffee. But don’t be fooled it is the same with prescription medicine and over the counter medecine. So pack your medic kit as well.

Remember you are after calories and nutrients.

Carbohydrates and sugar = energy

My plan for the future

Food box-  1. 7 ramen                                                                                  

     2. 7 box mac and cheese                                                           

     3. 2 Powdered milk                                                                     

     4. Salt and sugar                                                                         

     5. Pepper sauce                                                                          

     6. Oats                                                                                         

     7. Tea ( tea bags since they store better than leaves, Powdered chocolate)                

     8. 7 + snack or chocolate bars                                                      

     9. 7 sardines                                                                                

     10. 7 can sausage                                                                       

     11. 7 corn beef                                                                              

     12. 7 crix                                                                                       

     13. powdered juice
14. 2 packet lentils
15. bag of rice

If you want to maximize space try repackaging into ziploc bags

The remains of my last food box before it was consumed by the third party.

             

   big shoe box

From the right;

Red label rose tea (teabags)

Machen ramen noodle soup chicken flavour

Turbo plus grapefruit and passion fruit flavour (powdered juice)

Blue pacific sardines in spicy tomato sauce

People’s choice evaporated milk

Instant miso soup

Nescafe cafe mokaccino

Three star safty matches

MRE condiments package (napkin, spoon, sugar, coffee, milk, salt)

Spork

Metal wire

MRE meals (garlic mashed potato, pork sausage party)

MRE powdered jiuce (lemon lime, orange)

MRE heater

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And remember survival is not a choice but a right earned at birth.

Be the Wolf!

Top three army bags

Let’s cover a little more on bags. Particularly amry surplus bags. I would like to say that in St Lucia we have no way of getting army surplus gear besides ordering it online. These are a few of my favourites that i would one day like to have and what i think they are good for.

My top three military surplus bags.

First we have the US classic …………  Alice Bag

A large ALICE pack is ideal for almost any kit. Though I must say it succeeds in the Bug Out Bag and Camp Bag setting. It is too 'army' to be used in an every day setting. It is relatively cheap. Comes in OD green.

Has an external frame which i think by far is the best feature and straps for everything. No zips to break and can stuff almost anything in it.

ALICE (all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment) is an equipment attachment system and accessory set officially adopted by the military in 1973. The ALICE pack has been phased out of military service though some still prefer to use it.
If you wanna get into a Bug Out bag and you live in the US this is the bag to go for.

Next we the UK classic ………. Bergen

This is my favorite big bag ever. Its is a huge 120 litre bag. Though because of the design it is more of a 80 litre bag since the 20 litre is the plastic covering(?) yea, the draw string part of the bag and I don’t like using it and the two 10 litre rocket pouches or PLCE pouches. Its more for when you reach on camp whatever extra you collect or when you unpack your stuff and you don’t want to pack it back properly.

It features a nice padded waist belt that actually fits and that was surprising since it is a one size fits all.

Has no sternum strap but you can add one easily.

Two rocket pouches. You can add them via zips or buckles or straps, so they are really not going anywhere. Can also add a camel pack in place of one of the rocket pouches. Yes you can use a normal one not necessarily a military issue one.

The two rocket pouches can be put together with a yoke to form a twenty litre day sack. A legit bag. (so cool, I want a yoke.)

 It has multiple pockets and a front utility pouch. Adjustable shoulder straps and side compression straps. Also comes in DPM camouflage.

Next we have my faourite Day Bag……….the Italian (alpini) Mountain Rucksack

Small little bag perfect for a two day hike or minimalist kit. Very waterproof. Features a main pouch and two side pouches with lacing on the outside. A strap running across the centre perfect an axe or sling shot or shovel. Straps at the bottom for latching stuff, maybe a shelter system but the straps are usually too shot, can be easily fixed with some cordage.

I feel like it was made the same time as the alice bag as it has the metal parts that is super durable. As well as its canvas material.

Shoulder straps are not that comfortable but then again it is a small bag not meant for carrying more than 50 lbs, though it could easily.

Leave a comment if your enjoyed it.

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And remember survival is not a choice but a right earned at birth.

Be the Wolf!

Weight consideration for bags

Any bag that you make should not be more than half your weight. I ideal weight is 25% of your weight. Realistically there is no way a normal person will be able to carry a 100 lbs. especially children.

That being said you should train your body to carry at least half your weight. Most of us here in St Lucia already know the struggle of a carry a bag full of school books that weighs sometimes more than you and that’s from primary to secondary school. Not sure about the rest of the world and you have to carry a heavy bag everyday just make sure you can carry the weight of your pack.

Now some of us have disabilities and other long stories that affect the amount of weight we can carry. Honestly if you can’t you can’t. All I can say is buy lighter gear make use of your space and have mutli use items.

You must also consider your dog if you are using it to carry load. This is not a clear cut question. You should train a dog to pull a cart or carry a bag and gradually increase the weight to see how much it can carry comfortably for long periods.

Leave a comment if your enjoyed it.

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And remember survival is not a choice but a right earned at birth.

Be the Wolf!

Kit Rundown

Today we will be talking about different kits that are out there. Why? Because it up to you to decide what you need so that you will build the most effective kit or kits to full fill your needs. At the end of this I will leave like to different YouTube videos so you can better understand these kits.

Bug Out Bag (B.O.B)

Firstly the most talked about bag. The Bug Out Bag aka the B.O.B.  This is usually a 72 hour bag it should contain everything from food to gear you need to survive. We will be talking about the contents in another post. Just know that it is a bag meant for the worst case scenario. So you take the bag and go with nothing else. Basically a standalone kit ready for all your survival needs on your way.

Every Day Carry (E.D.C)

Next the most talked about stuff. Every Day Carry or EDC. This is all the things that you carry with you on a daily basis whether it’s for survival or whatever. Girls we know about the brush and the makeup and for guys the wallet with your drinking money. So your phone, wallet, your purse are all your EDC. In the context of this block maybe a switch knife, a pocket multi tool, etc. so in the case of this blog its your take everywhere survival kit.

E.D.C Bag

For those of you who carry a bag with you, this is for you. So everything you carry in your bag on a daily basis. Personally I carry my medical kit/clean kit, a pack of ramen, water bottle, carabina, waterproof bag and my school books. Oh and my laptop. So your everyday carry that goes in your bag. Please note do not full your Jan sport to the brim you want to leave space for anything you might accumulate for the day. So once again in this case your take everywhere survival kit.

E.D.C Vehicle

This is your Every Day Carry that you carry in your vehicle. It will be relatively larger and more diverse than the other EDC due to the fact that you are not the one carrying it and there is more space for you to store gear.  so in lamest terms a survival kit just  case stuff goes wrong and you have access to your vehicle.

The basis I have with all EDC gear is that it’s only useful if you carry it. Like going to buy KFC without having money on you. Yea you could be rich but you won’t get the four piece meal with air as payment.

Get Home Bag

Get Home Bag is the bag you carry if you are going quite a distance from your base camp or home. It’s a 24 hour bag with survival capabilities.

Survival Kit

This is exactly what it sounds like a relatively small kit in which you have everything you need to survive if you lose everything but that kit. Some people use an altoids tin some a butt bag and others a pocket organizer. The point is a small kit that you can carry with you anywhere and everywhere.

  

Basecamp Bag

This is a bag in which holds everything a person or group needs for shelter. I usually use this with my father when we go camping for more than a week. A perfect example is cadet summer camp which is two weeks. This kit focuses on shelter it’s not usually something you carry it is more for something that you put on a vehicle.

Camp Bag

Your camp bag is basically the bag you use when going on group camps. So Cadets, Boy Scouts, etc.  I think it will most likely be your biggest bag since we tend to carry supplies for comfort since our basic needs will be met.

Tactical kit

Tactical Kit is more for persons with military background. It follows the military line system. It’s the 2^nd line (yep we will go over the line system later). It’s your chest rig or webbing. You’re loading bearing equipment (LBE). For those of you with no military background, its somewhere between what you carry on your person and your backpack. For example a chest rig is basically a heavy duty vest you can attach pouches to carry gear.

  

Dog Pack

The “Dog pack” is completely optional and I want to make it clear that when a disaster strikes pets are usually not allowed in most emergency shelters unless it’s like you’re seeing eye dog or any animal that used for person with disabilities. Honestly pets are usually forgotten in an emergency so a dog pack is the bag that your dog carries with all its supplies. I think dogs are great in an emergency situation because they can carry a lot of weight and pull a lot of weight (although you do need to get them accustom to it after all no dog who has never carried a bag in their life will just let put a bag on it). Please note that for dogs the bags are usually vest like so don’t go thinking it’s a legit bag, dog have their special bags.

SAS Survival kit

Now we have the kit that has its own book the SAS survival kit. One of the best survival books that I have read in my short time on this earth was the “SAS Survival guide”. In this book the author highlights a how to build this kit. Note that this is a military style kit and you can modify the bag and contents as long as they do the job.

        

Disaster kits

These are kits that everyone should have whether it’s for a hurricane, tsunami, earthquake or any natural disaster that your area is prone to. What makes this different to a normal survival kit is that you are fully prepared for the world to go on as usual. Meaning you carry things like passport, important documents, money and anything else that will make life easier to rebuild if you lose everything as well essential survival items and food just in case you are trapped somewhere or need to travel to get to a safe zone. In this bag you should carry some tools like a pry bar or chain cutters you know just in case. You never know what could happen in a disaster. I will go over these kits in further detail later.

Chuck Box

By far my favorite thing in this world is food that is why having a Chuck Box is essential to camping. Yes camping people. This is not a kit that you want to carry when you are trying to survive in the bush. It’s a kit for car camping, camping and all around wherever you don’t have to carry it camping. It’s a box that contains everything you need or cooking. That would be a camping stove, emergency gas, pots and pans, eating utensils, etc. it’s basically a micro kitchen.

Bedroll

The ‘Bedroll’ is your personal shelter kit that you attach to the bottom of your bag so that it doesn’t take up room in the main pocket of your bag. A tarp is usually the outer layer so that is waterproof. For example it could contain the tarp, wool blanket and hammock and straps or cordage. You could switch the wool blanket with a sleeping bag or add it if you want. So you roll it together, tie it properly and attach it to your bag.

We will go in detail on how to build each of these kits and videos on each but for now here are some links to good YouTube videos to get you started.

B.O.B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oskMGuVh4UE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKp6NvgIXUY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bEC6Ve1HOo

E.D.C

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW0xgOD_3Bc

E.D.C Bag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om15Y8z8in0

E.D.C Vehicle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-ansf_-KSU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDsnaNcyucw

Get Home Bag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQnCDHmdw0w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9JJ-5iTxgY

Survival Kit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDVWMLgAvdg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6KqAuMuOXE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af4omx-iU8E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKtGEe9TyZI

Basecamp Bag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3lxU1ZeNg8

Tactical kit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjeAFBgc-8U

Dog pack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrWr5rNZL98

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBP70lORsE0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6qr2B_OYM0

Disaster kits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB8TLHCDSdA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmiGvOha7As

Chuck box

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vSM5N0aPC4

Bedroll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UZkOy_KQ_A

I hope you noticed that these are all just different configurations of survival kits. the amount or type of gear and even who carries and where you take it to gives it a new name.

If there are any kits you want to go over leave it in the comments and I’ll write up on it.

Leave a comment if your enjoyed it.

Share with your friends.

And remember survival is not a choice but a right earned at birth.

Be the Wolf!