Posted on 07/31/2019 3:46:43 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
I have been working on a knowledge base of topics related to prepping and SHTF situations. It is geared towards making people more self sufficient with topics ranging from unarmed self defense to small space gardening to how to sew your own clothes. I'm one of those types of people who believe that we are going to go out with a whimper, not a bang, so there is a lot of content on how to do your own repairs, build your own stuff and live a more frugal lifestyle. In order to get access you need to send me a PM then I will give you a link and an access code. Once you're in you can find a directory list in each folder. You can download 1 file or everything there in one big zip file. You would need to have some basic book readers and, for 1 section, an MP3 player all which can be found for free. It's been up and running for a few months now and plenty of people have visited it and lived to tell the tale :-) If you're interested send me a PM and I will send you the link and crypto key.
How would I go about searching for info on water purification systems?
Try Amazon
This may help:
https://survivalblog.com/category/water-purification/
Survival blog has daily prepping updates and Mr. Rawles wrote the novel “Patriots”, a good teotwawki scenario.
Bkmk
Just go online and buy a big berkey water filtration system. We have had one for years. They are affordable and do the job.
“This may help:
https://survivalblog.com/category/water-purification/
Survival blog has daily prepping updates and Mr. Rawles wrote the novel “Patriots”, a good teotwawki scenario.”
Love that book.
Does the Zombie Survival Guide count as a resource?
Honestly though, it’s a good entertainment read for preppers. I very much enjoyed it, although I think I classify more as “tactical nerd” than a proper prepper. Prepping is virtually worthless to me anyway, considering I’m cooked if I even make it through the first month. That’s about all of the meds I have on hand, and immune suppression isn’t something you can wing.
I’m rereading that one now. Solid book for the most part.
L
Bmk.
In case anyone hasn’t read it, “Going Home” by A. American is a pretty good read for anyone interested in survival fiction.
If you are reasonably intelligent you should be able to prepare for where you live.
First thing is air, next is potable water, then decent food, shelter, particularly when you sleep. I guess protection such as guns knives axes etc.
Comfortable sleeping should be in there somewhere. I probably forgot something.
I forgot medication and sanitation.
Prepping is a multi-faceted operation. It involves determining the amount of SHTF, from a weekend uprising, through natural disasters, nuclear/EMT attack, a major asteroid strike, and all the way to the most destructive event of all: the dissolution of the United States following a Democrat being elected president.
bkmk
The goto website on survival for me has always been:
Recently updated. Good info for free. No ads, no popups, no fancy HTML tricks. Kinda like FR.
No but there are enough resources for real situations that you should be able to adapt them to zombies if necessary.
In my own case, water is not a problem. I normally get water from an artesian well a few miles away, but in a pinch I have a lake 100 yards away and a shallow water well in the front yard, which is sitting in a lot of iron ore so it has a lot of iron in it. But I can just drop a bucket in and I have water.
For water purification, simple. If you have reasonably clear water, put 2 drops chlorine bleach (regular Clorox) in a gallon, cap it off and let it sit overnight. After at lest 8 hours if you still smell bleach, it’s safe to drink. If not, do it again until you do smell bleach after 8 hours. I keep several plastic water jugs, fill them from the artesian well and use a glass medicine bottle with an eye dropper. A 2 ounce bottle of bleach lasts at least a year.
This came from a pamphlet produced by the Louisiana State Dept of Sanitation for campers. My father was chief inspector for 20 years.
They also produced one about mosquitoes. They are very poor fliers and will not fly more than about 100 yards. In windy conditions they go down to the grass and hold on, they know they cannot fly in wind. So if you have a mosquito problem, remove every thing that can hold water for at least 100 yards in every direction.
I did this in the Bryan/College Station area when I lived there, it does work. We couldn’t go outside even in the day, mosquitoes were just insane. I cleaned everything up, the next summer we saw exactly 3 the whole summer. Never had a problem again.
A paper cup that can hold a half cup of water can breed a thousand mosquito larvae in a week. They only breed in standing water. People who believe they come from a lake don’t realize every small fish in the water will eat the larvae. They would never survive that...a 2 inch bream could eat a thousand larvae in a couple of days. They breed in any small water container that is standing, not running water.
Here I’ve tried, but I can’t remove everything from neighboring yards and can’t convince them so we still have a problem. We probably have standing water I haven’t found too.
I learned to sew and cook when I was a kid. I just got a good working sewing machine, and know how to sew by hand too. I’ve replaced my own buttons and hemmed my own pants for 50 years. Have a good sewing kit put together in a zip up ditty bag originally intended for men’s toiletries while traveling. Needles, pins, scissors, thimbles and spools of thread from 2 or 3 small sewing kits, you can pick those up at resale shops and yard sales all over the place. Also have a few specific colors or really heavy weight upholstery thread I’ve bought over the years.. Once your eyesight starts going downhill, the thin wire needle threader is handy to have too.
I get the kits that have spools of thread, but the type with several colors wrapped around cardboard will do the trick too.
To tie a starting knot, wrap the thread around the tip of your index finger, hold it with your thumb and “roll” it off the fingertip, while pulling the main thread with the other hand. try to grab the tag end as it comes off your finger. It will twist the thread around itself and tie a knot. Takes a few tries to get the hang of it, but it works. It makes a larger knot that will usually not slip through the cross weave of most fabrics. A small overhand knot will often slip through many types of fabric, even denim if you pull hard.
In a pinch, light weight monofilament fishing line will double as thread. That’s what a “blind stitch” machine uses for slacks, I used one for a long time and did all the hems at my mother’s dry cleaner and alterations shop. I think it was around 4lb test if I remember correctly...she would mark, cut and iron if necessary, hand it to me ready to sew...usually just mark, turn it under and iron. Always iron a hem, it makes it lots easier, then use straight pins to hold it in place till sewn.
Knots - I learned a few good knots as a kid, always good to be able to tie a few knots. Boy scouts use almost all of the most useful knots ever devised. find them here
https://www.netknots.com/rope-knots/scouting-knots
I use the “Tautline Hitch” constantly. It’s the tent rope knot, incredibly useful and adjustable. The most common use is when I have to tie a load on a truck or trailer. No need to re tie after an hour when it ALWAYS stretches and loosens, just grab it and pull it tight again. Exceptionally dependable.
Bowline and half hitch are both very useful as well. I can’t find my favorite fishing knot, line to hook. Two overhand knots working against each other, stronger than your line. Not sure how to describe it and I sure can’t draw the thing...
OK OK I’ll try...kids these days...
Make a simple overhand knot, leave it loose. Put the tag end through the hook eye, pull it just barely snug. Tie another overhand knot above that one, pull it just barely snug against the eye. Pull the main line to tighten. Cut off the tag end fairly short, I usually leave mno more than 1/8 inch.
This makes a small loop in the line that allow the lure more natural movement because it does not have to follow the line, and is stronger than the line itself. I’ve broken my line many times and been able to retrieve the lure, I always find the knot is still intact, the line broke above the knot. I originally found the knot in a fly fishing pamphlet. No idea what it’s called...
Homer Rhode Loop is very similar, but I don’t use a double wrap for the 2nd overhand knot, just a simple one loop overhand knot. Best fishing knot I ever found.
https://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/fly-fishing-knots/homer-rhode-loop-animation
Surgeon’s knot is just an overhand not with an extra loop. You can use it to tie off the end of hoses (used to close veins and arteries. You just pull it tight and it does the trick. Genius knot.
Butterfly hitch. A little tough to get down but once you’ve got it you own it. Puts a loop anywhere in a line to make to lines without cutting the strength of the line at the loop.
Trucker’s hitch. Easy to tie and good for securing loads.
Figure eight knot. Use it as a stopper to keep a line from running through a block.
Prussic knot - cool knot in that you can use it to put footholds in a line to support your weight while suspended from a line. You’re not going to find yourself in this situation much, but it’s a cool knot.
Double Bowline - MUCH better knot for getting yourself hauled out of a jam by hoist than a bowline (which really hurts your armpits if that’s the only knot you know how to tie.
Two half hitches - the knot you use to tie fenders off to your lifelines on a boat.
Sheet bend - used to join two lines of different diameters together. Use the square knot if the lines are the same diameter.
Timber hitch - The ONLY knot you can use to drag stumps, poles, railroad ties and other heavy log-like items. Isn’t a knot, so the line remains at full strength and will not break at the knot under load.
Clove hitch - you need it for lashing poles together. Other than that, not my favorite knot.
Be careful what bleach you use. Clorox added some bad stuff to retail bleach a few years back.
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