Making Hide Glue

1. Scrape, sand or cut your animal hide into small pieces or shavings. (The closer to a powder you can make it the easier it will be to work with)
2. Boil a pot of water
3. Gently cook until the mixture thickens. You will have to replace the water as it evaporates. (this process will take forever, some people cook it for days at a low heat)
4. Strain the mixture with an old T-shirt or other cheese cloth.
5. The mixture can be used as is or Dried for storage.

How to Store Hide glue

1. Pour the mixture into a metal cake pan or metal sheet. (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick)
2. When the mixture dries to a gelatin consistency cut into 1 inch square chucks. Let the mixture set for another week.
3. Pop the squares out of the pan.
4. With a thick needle, run some string through the squares and hang dry for at least another week.
5. Store in a waterproof container. ( if kept dry the dried squares can be stored forever.)

Using Dry Hide Glue

To use the glue, take your dried chucks and dissolve them in a small amount of hot water. Let it heat up into a syrup and then apply the mixture warm. Clamp you wood together and let it set. Your now good to go.

Let’s say that all of your papers we’re destroyed in a disaster, can you imagine the amount of time you would have to spend getting your life back in order? Having a backup can save you a lot of time and grief.

To protect yourself from the headache:

• Buy a USB Drive
• Scan your documents on your scanner (or take them to kinkos and scan them)
• Then save them to your flash drive.

I suggest zipping your files in a password protected folder and buying a USB drive that is encrypted to protect your documents should the drive fall into the wrong hands.

What should you save on your Emergency Flash Drive

• Birth Certificate
• Social Security Card
• Drivers License
• Passport
• Gun Permits
• Bank Account Documents
• Insurance Information
• Marriage Certificates
• Medical Records
• Emergency Contacts
• Any Important Papers that would be hard to get if destroyed.
• All of the above documents for all children
• Family Pictures – Drives are pretty big these days, after saving your important documents use any extra room to load your family photos in case the originals get destroyed.

Flash Drive with Security Protection

• Corsair Padlock Secure 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive CMFPLA8GB

Good Non Secure Drive (make sure you password protect your files if you buy this type of drive)
I use this kind for work ….. I accidentally washed one of them and it still worked without losing an data.

• SanDisk Cruzer Micro 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ6-8192-A11

1. How much weight can you reasonably carry?
2. Is the gear absolutely essential to your survival?
3. Is there a lighter alternative?
4. Can your gear be used for multiple tasks?

Before the SHTF

• Go on a trial run - Don’t let an emergency be the first time you carry your pack. Put yourself through a realistic test and see how long you can comfortably carry your bag at full weight.
• Start with the Pack – If you really want to lower your weight don’t buy a monster backpack. Chances are you you don’t need a huge pack with monster metal supports. Look for an ultra-lite pack. The newer packs are made with lighter materials that hold up just as long as the older ones, and can carry more weight comfortably than their older heavier counter part.
• Multiple uses. How much of your equipment can be used for multiple tasks? Try to choose gear that can be used for multiple purposes.
• Take an inventory of your gear, it all Adds up - It might sound a little bit crazy but a good way of calculating your weight is with a computer spreadsheet and a postal scale. Seeing everything on the screen will help you evaluate what you can and can’t get rid of.

Plan of Action

Get a detailed map of your area (or download one from Google maps). Plot out all the routes to where you can find various supplies during an emergency situation.

WATER – Ponds, streams, rivers, wells or whatever other sources of water are near your area need to be plotted out in detail.

• How far are they from your location?
• How much water can you obtain from the source?
• Are there water sources where you can bathe and wash clothes?
• What are the risks associated with obtaining water from the source?
• Are there safety issues that you may encounter and how will you overcome them?
• Can you stay hidden along your route?

FOOD -

• Where can you find wild game around your area?
• Are there area where you can easily set traps & snares?
• What are the edible wild plants in your area?
• Are there farms in your area? Local gardens?
• What are the risks associated with transporting food in your area?
• Are there safety issues that you may encounter and how will you overcome them?
• Can you stay hidden along your route?

ESCAPE ROUTES – Having multiple escape routes is extremely important and should not be overlooked. Make sure you study your routes, and know them well!

• Find routes that have multiple other escape routes via the original trail.
• Are there hiking trails in your area?
• Are there train tracks in your area?
• How easy is it to stay hidden while walking along your route?
• Is there a river you can safely follow?
• Make sure you also know where to find food and water along your escape routes.

Personally I am a blade junkie, I have a wide variety of cutting tools in my collection.

So what do I carry?

My #1 choice of survival knives is the Sog Seal Pup Elite, if I were stuck in the wilderness and could only bring one knife, I would defiantly choose the SOG.

With all of that said, I tend to use cheaper blades for day to day cutting. Yes I carry my SOG for emergencies (and I do use it for certain tasks)….. but I worry less about damaging the blade when I use a $10 – $15 one for daily work.

Believe it or not there are a lot of very good knives out there for under $15.

Swiss Army Knife – I tend to use my Swiss army knife for just about everything. From cutting rope, opening boxes, and daily chores to being my #1 choice when fishing, this little thing can take a beating.

A Swiss Army knife generally has a variety of blades, various tools and other useful gadgets.  At one time there were two companies that are allowed to feature the Swiss Army Cross Logo; Victorinox or Wenger.

Recently Victorinox bought out Wenger making them the only manufacture to feature the Swiss Army Cross Logo

Multitool – Although I don’t think of this as a typical  knife, I do carry a Multitool which has a has a couple of different blades in it.

Popular Brands include:
Gerber
SOG
Leatherman

Husky Utility Blade – This little blade comes in very handy.

I carry a couple of these in my truck and a few in my tool bucket. I break it out when I’m out on a  job site to cut just about anything.

You can find them at just about any hardware store for under $10 including multiple blades.

What to stay away from?

Survival Knives – When a company markets there blade as a “survival knife”  they are probably not worth their weight.

Stay away from the ones that have a hollow handle filled with so called survival gear. This type of knife is extremely weak and has handles that will break with very little use.

Fancy Blades – If it looks like it belongs in a movie, chances are it is of little use in an emergency situation.

It may look cool as part of your collection, just don’t count on it to get you out of any sticky situations.

No matter what you carry, make sure you take care of your knife. A sharp knife is far safer than a dull one. When my blade is dull I sharpen it, if it beyond repair I get rid of it.

Looking for a Good SOG? This is what I carry…..

• SOG Seal Pup Elite Knife with Kydex Sheath
• Sog Seal Pup Elite, Zytel Handle, Black TiNi Blade, Nylon Sheath – Seal Pup – Knives

A. Start with the Basics….. I would start with the basics. You need Water, Shelter and Food to survive .

Water

• Make sure you have plenty of water stockpiled at home. I recommend a Gallon a day per person, and you should have no less than a weeks supply of bottled water on hand at all times
• Invest in a good Quality Water Filter. Without water, your as good as dead, and if you do find water without the proper filtration you still may be in trouble. We recommend the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter.
• Make a list of all the place where you can find water during an emergency. Check out our article on Emergency Water sources in an Urban environment.

Shelter

• Make sure you have the essentials -
  1. Clothing for any type of weather.
  2. Emergency Shelter – (tents, tarps, a bugout vehicle, etc )
  3. The Knowledge to build a wilderness Shelter
• Warmth – Study the art of starting a fire. A shelter is great, but a warm shelter is a hell of a lot better.

Food

• Start building your food preps now!
• Learn how to make basic traps and snares.

And one last thing, Study and Practice, Practice, PRACTICE!!!

Here’s the scenario…..  disaster hit’s your 30 miles from home, access is completely cut off  and there is no hope of being able to get back to your main preps.

Could you survive with what’s in your pocket?

What do you carry with you when your away from home?

One item that you might want to think about adding to your bag, taking with you when traveling or stocking up on for your home,  is the good old fashion door wedge.

These cheap little wedges can come in extremely handy during an emergency situation. Shoving one of these little bad boy’s under the door can give you the added time you need to react.  If you had to seek temporary shelter in a building, public bathroom, or event in your own home ramming one of these under the door might be just enough to keep unwanted  people out.

Doorstops:

• National Hardware V338 6-Inch Super Wedge Door Stop, Gray
• GE 50246 Smart Home Door Stop Alarm

1. Survivors stay Calm in the face of Danger.

A survivalist has the ability to stay calm in the face of whatever life may throw at him. It’s not that the survivor is without fear, instead he has the courage to face his fears. To be able to stay calm in the face of danger requires preparation & training. The more information you have the easier it is to stay calm during any survival situation.

2. Survivalists are Experts at Improvisation

Survivors can find a use for everything around them. They know how to pick gear with multiple purposes, and they know how to improvise when they find themselves without the needed tools or gear. Survivors  have the ability to make fire without matches, find water where there are no faucets, and find food where there are no stores.

3. Survivors are D.I.Y Experts

They are the ultimate tinkerers. In day to day life, the survivalist will find away to fix something that’s broken, before running off to Walmart to buy a new one. These skills are indispensable in an emergency situation.

4. Survivors are Great Leaders

They know how to make the tough decisions that will keep the people around them alive. During an emergency situation, while most are panicking and making stupid mistakes,  a survivalist  will stop, access the situation and then take action. They are the ultimate leaders!

Here are some of the top items that any good emergency vehicle kit should contain.

• Cellphone with Backup Cell Charger
• Quality Car Jack
• Tire Chains (great for extra traction in  snow, mud & sand)
• Traction Matt (Great for getting unstuck in snow, mud & sand)
• Extra set of Warm Clothing (pants, socks, gloves, hat & rain gear)
• Couple Gallons of water (for drinking & for radiator)
• Tire Pump, Patches & a can of Fix a Flat
• Spare Tire (preferably full size)
• Flares & other Signaling devices
• Flashlights
• First Aid Kit
• Dried or Canned food (remember the can opener)
• Jumper Cables
• Zip Ties
• Spare Hoses & Fan Belts
• Shovel (to dig your way our if you get stuck)
• Oil
• Gas Can (if you can safely hall it on your vehicle)
• Fire Extinguisher
• Antifreeze
• Good Set of tools (wrenches, Vice Grips, screwdrivers, wire cutters, multitool, etc…)
• Duct tape
• Electrical Tape
• Extra Fuses
• Blanket
• Sleeping Bag
• Solar Charger
• Brightly Colored Flag or Reflective Cloth for signaling
• Personal Survival Kit
• Emergency Candles
• Lighter
• Water Bottles & Bucket
• Windshield Scrapper & Brush
• Tow Ropes
• Rags

What’s in your car/truck kit?