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The Pocket Emergency Survival Kit
My pocket | FreedomFarmer

Posted on 03/06/2003 2:25:01 PM PST by FreedomFarmer

Could you survive on what is in your pockets, right now?

[Yeah, sure, credit card..cell phone...]

He He He. Don't bet your live on it.

Here is a very basic emergency survival kit. It is a starting point, not a magic lamp. It's function is to keep you alive until self-recovery or rescue. There are 54 items, including the container.

The contents are:

Buck Minibuck tool
10' copper-coated steel wire
6' 100lb. nylon cord
3 sq. ft. of heavy duty aluminum foil
10 waterproof matches
8 water purfication tablets (16.7% Tetraglycine Hydroperiodine)
Wire Saw with 2 finger rings
3" strip of 180 grit & 320 grit emery paper
5 assorted safety pins
5" long shrink wrap tube
Condom
Fishing kit
Sewing kit
Sponge
3' electrical black tape
Cotton lint
2 1/2" wide heavy rubber bands

Small metal container, i.e., Altoid, Sucrets, Ted Cash, etc.

The Buck minitool has the advantage of being quite small, with excellent quality plier jaws, wire cutter, scissors, and surgical sharp blade.

The 10' of wire has many uses, including antenna replacement, snares, attachment of expedient tools to shafts and handles, and general construction.

The heavy duty foil serves best as a pot to boil water for purification, lasting for 5-7 cycles. It can be used as a signal, light reflector, baking pan, solar still, or bits of it left as a trail marker.

The emery paper removes rust and corrosion, polishes, and sharpens; also used as a striking surface for the matches.

The shrink wrap tube can be used as an insulator, and when heated, shrinks to join items together. It is used as a straw to suck water from a seep or from below a surface.

The condom is capable of holding 2 gallons of water, elastic bandage, slingshot rubber, or trigger spring for a small animal trap.
The fishing kit, besides the obvious, provides line for surgical stitches, bird snares, and squirrel poles.

The sewing kit provides 25' of white thread, (white is strongest), sterile needles for surgical probes, fish gorges, etc. The needles are magnetized, so they can be used as a compass when suspended from a thread tied in the middle of the needle.

The sponge is disinfected, rinsed, and compressed under a weight to dry, reducing it's size. Used to absorb dew from vegetation, fish bait, etc., sponges were also popular with the Roman Legion. (Think Charmin)

The electrical tape is used to seal and water proof the container, and quite useful generally.

The rubberbands help hold the lid on, and keep the kit from easily falling out of shirt pockets. They provide triggers for snares, elastic for bandages, rubbers for slingshots, etc.

The fishing kit contains 25' of 12lb. monofilament line, assorted small hooks,wet flies and weights. I now use plastic coin holders, with the line coiled inside, along with hooks, a few wet flies, and lead foil from wine bottle necks. I use foam strike indicators for bobbers.

The sewing kit is simply made by wraping thread around a strip of shirt cardboard. I use a 3" wide strip, and notch the top and bottom where the thread rests. I then add 4 assorted sizes of sterilized and magnetized needles, and a cut down needle threader, fold cardboard around the kit like a book, and tape shut to seal.

The contents are housed in an any small container. I prefer metal, as the polished inside can be used as a signal mirror, and it can be used as a dish, cup, or cutting board.

My favorite container is a 2" X 3" metal box a Zippo lighter came in, which contains all the above contents. Any of these boxes fit inside a cigarette package with the bottom cut out(hint), and the whole thing weighs a mere 4 oz.

Cotton lint is a wonderful fire tinder, wound dresser, anti-rattle space filler, and filter. For example, a funnel of aluminum foil, with a lint filter in the bottom, will clarify water prior to chemical or boil purification.
You can recover nice clean cotton lint from your drier trap, and fill the odd corners of your kit. It weighs almost nothing.

In addition, I always carry the smallest Victorinox Swiss army knife, a penlight; a lighter; a handkerchief; and a lock-back knife in my pockets, and a container of water within reach.

A survival kit not carried is worthless, that is why this kit is so small and light weight. A larger kit, with first aid and ration supplies, can be kept within arms reach in each vehicle. Locally, we have had two separate occasions of a car going off the road into a culvert, and not being found for two days, even with active searches within hours of being overdue.

Whistles, flags, crys for help, and repeating patterns of three- the traditional call for help, are largely ignored in today's world. Relying on handfuls of good luck, or government ordered plastic sheeting and duct tape in an emergency is a poor choice.

Hopefully, in the few minutes it took to read this monograph, you gave some serious consideration to your actual survival. With this simple kit, one could build a lean-to for shelter, build a fire to roast game, cook fish, and purify water, set snares for rabbit, squirrel and deer and bank lines for fish, while searching for edible roots...but that might be a bit much, if you are actually in the interstate median with a flat tire.

Your survival might depend on what is in your pocket right now. Stay safe.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: banglist; camping; survival
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To: FreedomFarmer
Also: FDA-Approved Potassium Iodide tablets for radiation exposure.
41 posted on 03/06/2003 4:18:05 PM PST by RipeforTruth
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To: templar
Usually two knives. I always carry the Stiff K.I.S.S.

Just did a google search, no result. What kind of knife is this?

42 posted on 03/06/2003 4:18:18 PM PST by LibKill (Must...control...tag...line...of...death!)
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To: AppyPappy
Shoot, that's nothing. We used an abacus to count cards.

LUXURY! We used to live in a shoebox in the center of an expressway!

43 posted on 03/06/2003 4:19:18 PM PST by el_chupacabra (AMDG)
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To: TexasBarak
Out of curiosity, I got out a dollr bill and measured it. It actually measures six and one eighth inches.
44 posted on 03/06/2003 4:20:51 PM PST by yarddog
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To: el_chupacabra
LUXURY! We used to live in a shoebox in the center of an expressway!

Right.

I had to get up at ten o'clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down at the mill and pay the mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our mother and father would kill us and dance on our graves singing Halleluja.

45 posted on 03/06/2003 4:31:31 PM PST by LibKill (Must...control...tag...line...of...death!)
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To: LibKill
What kind of knife is this?

Columbia River Knife & Tool makes them. They are the ones that make the little folding KISS knives that people use for money clips. They're widely available at any knife shop or webbsite (I usually get mine locally at an ACE hardware). Gun shops have them if they carry a line of knives. It's just a very simple straight knife with no hilt, handle material, etc. Just a plain flat piece of carbon steel that is ground into an extremely useful knife. Tanto or drop point and part serrated or plain in either style. The handle can be wrapped with nylon cord or left plain. I leave it plain since it makes an excellent small pry bar that way, the really neat thing ablout them is the sheath. An abs plastic that can be configured for any carry position you desire; up, down, or sideways. Only about $25.00.

46 posted on 03/06/2003 4:55:57 PM PST by templar
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To: LibKill
Yeah, sounds like the way we grew up!
47 posted on 03/06/2003 4:56:23 PM PST by reformedliberal
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To: Beelzebubba
A .30 cal for emergencies, and a .22LR (preferably supressed) for putting things on the dinner table.

Aguilla ammunition makes a .22 RF round with a 60 gr lead bullet. Looks like a 22 short case with a full llength 223 (rn) bullet. Goes somewhat subsonic, and for accuracy needs a 1 in 9 twist barrel (available for the 10/22 but it takes a bit of looking). Really accurate with the right barrel, extreme penetration (shoots right throgh a redwood or cedar 4x4) and no supressor needed. they work semi auto actions as well.

48 posted on 03/06/2003 5:01:05 PM PST by templar
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To: templar
Thanks. Looks like a pretty good knife.

Here's their website. I found it after you gave me the maker's name.Columbia River Knife & Tool (Will open in window.)

49 posted on 03/06/2003 5:07:54 PM PST by LibKill (Must...control...tag...line...of...death!)
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To: templar
Aguilla ammunition...extreme penetration (shoots right through a redwood or cedar 4x4) and no supressor needed.

Which brand is that? I know the neighbors would like something a lot quieter than stingers.

50 posted on 03/06/2003 5:35:03 PM PST by FreedomFarmer (Contains approx.30,000 servings per farm.)
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To: LibKill
Yeah. And the kids these days - you tell them this stuff and they don't believe you...
51 posted on 03/06/2003 5:45:47 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Britton J Wingfield
"SAS Saw" ... hold up fairly well.

Whoo-hoo! Where do I get one?

52 posted on 03/06/2003 6:02:17 PM PST by GingisK
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To: FreedomFarmer
I prefer to carry my 45 caliber Beretta Couger instead.
53 posted on 03/06/2003 6:09:02 PM PST by Newbomb Turk (Hot Lead. Never leave home without it.)
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To: FreedomFarmer
I prefer the Gerber Multi. I'd also add a multi-bit screwdriver w/10' of duct tape wrapped around the handle, and a small pair of Vice-Grips. Replace the emery paper with Silicon Carbide wet/dry, it'll last longer.
54 posted on 03/06/2003 6:13:07 PM PST by tacticalogic (Controlled application of force is the sincerest form of communication.)
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To: ErnBatavia
The condom is capable of holding 2 gallons

Maybe when I was younger....sigh

You just brightened up an otherwise drear evening - I'd laugh out loud but then I'd have to tell my wife why.

55 posted on 03/06/2003 6:22:50 PM PST by Old Professer
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To: Old Professer
Sometimes I post in private!
56 posted on 03/06/2003 6:29:08 PM PST by ErnBatavia ((Bumperootus!))
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To: FreedomFarmer
quote here

kAcknor Sez:

I ran across this site one day while browsing around.  Very good info here.

"bImejDI' reH betleHlIj yItlhap" (Never leave home without your bat'telh.)

Have you checked the *bang_list today?

57 posted on 03/06/2003 6:29:53 PM PST by kAcknor
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To: kAcknor
quote here

Oops.

58 posted on 03/06/2003 6:30:53 PM PST by kAcknor
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To: FreedomFarmer
Which brand is that?

Aguilla is the brand. They make a number of different types of 22 and pistol ammo. You can usually find someone on the Web or in Shotgun news selling it, or some gunstores.

59 posted on 03/06/2003 8:02:49 PM PST by templar
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To: FreedomFarmer
bump
60 posted on 03/06/2003 8:08:50 PM PST by VOA
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