Like I’ve mentioned in both of those articles, paracord is such a useful tool in survival situations that you should always have some amount on hand — and there’s no better way to always have some with you than by wearing it! The design may look complicated but making your own paracord bracelet is actually quite simple. Here’s the process:

How to Make a Paracord Bracelet – Step by Step

1. Get some paracord: You’ll want to have around 15 feet of paracord to ensure that you have enough.
2. Fold the paracord in half:

   Take the full length of paracord and fold it exactly in the middle so you’re left with two 7 1/2 foot lengths on either side of the fold. For ease of maintaining the fold I usually wrap some tape at the end where the fold is.

3. Make the left-sided knot:

   Take the single cord on the left side and pass it underneath the central strands.

4. Complete the knot:

   Now take the right side cord and pass it underneath the cord from step 3, over the two central strands and through the left-side loop created in the previous step.

5. Pull in the slack:

   Pulling both of the free ends on either side, tighten the knot to pull in the slack.

6. Make the right-sided knot:

   Take the single cord on the right side, pass it under the central strands.

7. Complete the knot:

   Now take the left side cord and pass it underneath the cord from step 6, over the two central strands and through the right-side loop created in the previous step.

8. Pull in the slack:

   Pulling both of the free ends on either side, tighten the knot to pull in the slack.

9. Create the slide holes:

   At this point I usually will take the two little loops at the top of the cobra-stitch pattern and open them up a bit with my fingers. These two little loops will be used as a sliding mechanism for tightening the bracelet when finished.

10. Repeat steps 3 – 7 until desired length is reached:

    You’ll want to continue the alternating pattern until the cobra stitch is almost at the very end of the loop — leaving about a half an inch of the loop open.

    As a side note, be sure that you are alternating the left-right pattern. Otherwise the knots become twisted in which case you can simply undo the last knot and continue with the alternating pattern again.

11. Insert the free ends into the slide holes:

    Depending on how much paracord you used in the “braiding” process, you will some amount left over (as you can see in the previous picture). You’ll want to take these free strands and put them through the slide holes you had made in step 9.

    If you originally cut the paracord to get your 15 feet, the cut ends will be frayed. At this point, it helps to burn them off to make a sharp tip. This will make putting the strands through the slide holes a lot easier.

12. Tie off the end:

    Taking the two free strands, tie a knot at the point where the bracelet is just large enough to fit over your hand. I like tying a square knot followed by a granny knot. This makes a nice round knot ball that will be placed in the loop to secure the bracelet.

13. Cut the extra pieces

    

14. Burn off the frayed ends:

    Using a lighter, burn off the frayed ends and while still hot, flatten the melted ends against the knot ball made in step 12.

15. Fit and secure the bracelet:

    Slide the bracelet on, pull the knot ball to tighten the bracelet, and insert the knot ball into the open loop to secure the bracelet. Viola! you have made your own paracord bracelet.

Fortunately there are very simple ways to make homemade lamps from everyday objects found around the house. In this article I’ll be teaching you the principles of how a simple lamp works and showing you a few examples so that if needed you can make your own.

How a Lamp Works

Both oil lamps and candles are able to continually burn their fuel (wax or oil) through a process called capillary action. You can easily see this process by dipping the corner of a paper towel in liquid. The liquid gets drawn up into the paper towel which is called capillary action.

Understanding this is the key to creating many different types of wicks for your homemade lamps. As long as the material is absorbent, it will be able to draw the fuel up into itself to be burned by the flame.

Making a Tuna Fish Can Oil Lamp

Here’s a simple example of how to make your own oil lamp using a tuna fish can. What you’ll need is the following:

1. Tuna Can
2. Vegetable Oil, Olive Oil or any other cooking oil
3. Old Cotton T-Shirt, Rag, or Sock
4. Nail (or something sharp to poke a hole through the top of the tuna can)

What you’ll need to do is:

1. Poke a nail-sized hole through the center of the can with a nail or other sharp object.
2. Using a can opener, partially open the tuna can so that you can empty the ingredients.
3. Cut a 2 inch by 8 inch strip of material from an old cotton t-shirt, rag, or sock.
4. Roll the cotton strip into a long wick (you can optionally twist it as well).
5. Feed a half-inch length of the wick through the poked hole in the top of the tuna can with the remainder of the wick coiled in the bottom of the can.
6. Fill the can up 3/4 of the way with oil and let the wick soak up the oil. You can also pre-soak the top of the wick.
7. Light the wick.

As the oil soaked up in the wick burns off, it will continually draw up new oil from the bottom of the can and provide hours of light.

The great benefit of using cooking oil is that similar to a candle if the lit lamp were to fall it will not ignite (kerosine lamps are dangerous in this way). It’s a very safe form of light.

Also if you’re worried about the smell, it’s actually quite minimal (with Olive Oil being practically scentless).

Making a Bacon Grease Candle

Here’s another example of a homemade lamp/candle. In this example I’ll be demonstrating how to make a homemade candle using saved bacon grease.

Bacon grease when solidified is nothing other than rendered tallow (lard). When fat from an animal is heated it melts into a liquid and when filtered through a mesh and cooled until it solidifies you get tallow.

Tallow, similar to wax, provides a great source of fuel for a homemade candle. Again, any type of cooking grease (such as Crisco) can be used.

To make one, what you’ll need is the following:

1. A glass container containing tallow (in this case bacon lard)
2. A cotton swab (Q-tips)
3. Old Cotton T-Shirt, Rag, or Sock

What you’ll need to do is:

1. Cut a 2 inch by 6 inch strip of material from an old cotton t-shirt, rag, or sock.
2. Wrap the cotton strip around the Q-tip, covering it completely.
3. Stick the wrapped Q-tip in the bacon lard until only a half an inch is exposed.
4. Smear a little bacon lard on the exposed cotton wrapping.
5. Light the wick.

As you can imagine, burning bacon grease can give off a slight bacon smell. It’s not entirely bad and plus if it were the end of the world you could light it outside to attract the neighborhood dogs — providing a good source of meat for the family  .

Resources

With these two examples I hope you get a better idea of how to make your own homemade lamp and candle using common every-day household items. Remember, all you need is a container, a wick, and some fuel. The rest is up to your imagination.

Here are some other resources I’ve found online to making your own oil lamps:

Judy of the Woods’ homemade oil lamp
Mother Earth News: Make Your Own Olive Oil Lamp

If there were any four categories of plants that I would recommend all people to know how to use and identify it would be these: Grass, Oak, Pine, and Cattail. For the knowledgeable survivor, knowing just these four plants can make the difference between life and death if stranded in the wilds – for each one is an excellent food source which can sustain you until help arrives.

Throughout this week and part of the next, I’ll be going into details on how you can prepare and eat these plants. For now though, here’s a quick overview into what they have to offer:

Grass

Surprising to many is the fact that you can eat grass. Despite there being hundreds of varieties of bladed grass found in the Americas, almost all (99% of them) can be eaten. This ranges from wheat, oats, and bamboo to the wild meadow varieties.

The young shoots up to 6 inches tall can be eaten raw and the starchy base (usually white and at the bottom when you pluck it) can be eaten as a trail nibble. The more mature the grass plant gets, the more fibrous the plant becomes. For older plants the base can be chewed and spit out — extracting the beneficial juices in the process. Or a tea can be made from the fresh or dried leaves.

The best part of the grass plant to eat are the seed heads, which can be gathered to make millet for breads or filler for soups & stews. Of the 99% that can be eaten raw, about 1% have toxic seeds and require that you roast or cook the seeds first. As a word of caution, stay away from blackish or purple colored grass seeds. This is a good indication of toxic fungus. Just make sure they are green or brown. Also use common sense when gathering. Don’t gather where there has been recent sprayings of weed killer.

Oak

Oak – specifically the acorn – is a great source of food in the fall and early winter time. Like most nuts, acorns contain a good amount of protein and fat which is beneficial in keeping you alive. While White Oak species of acorns can be eaten right after shelling, the remaining oak varieties require processing of the acorns first in order to remove the bitter taste.

I found that many ‘survival guides’ explain you only need to shell the acorns then boil them in a couple changes of water to remove the bitter taste. However, in my experience, it takes far more than a couple of boilings and on top of that it is a waste of fuel. The best way to do this is to crush the acorns into a course flour then immerse this flour into water and boil it. Depending on how much water used, it can take only one boiling (at most two) to remove the bitter taste.

After straining the flour into a t-shirt, the resulting acorn ‘dough’ can be eaten as is, set out to dry to be used as flour at a later time, or added to other flours for a great tasting bread – in fact, every Fall I make a killer ‘acorn bread’ that is a family and friend favorite.

Pine

“You can eat pine?!” Yes, pine trees are an awesome food source that I’ve eaten throughout the year. “OK…so how do you eat it” Good question, let me explain.

First of all, if you’ve ever eaten pesto, chances are you’ve eaten pine. ‘Pignoli’ or pine nuts are a common ingredient in pesto and are often served on ice-cream . Every species of pine produces seed (or nuts in this case) and all can be eaten. In the late fall and early winter, the cones can be gathered, opened, and the seeds extracted. The only issue is that most pine don’t produce large seeds like for example the pinion pine does.

In most other species the seeds are quite small and it takes quite a few to make a decent meal. However, if you’re lucky to live in the Great Basin or other arid areas where pinion pines love to grow you’re in luck, if not and if you don’t feel like spending so much time for a meager meal, read on…

In the spring, the male pollen anthers can be eaten and are high in protein. The inner bark of the pine can also be eaten and surprisingly makes quite a tasty meal if prepared right. And with some species – like the white pine – it can be surprisingly sweet.

In addition, pine needles can be gathered year round to make a great tea which contains a ton of Vitamin C (not in the least bit ‘piney’ tasting as you would expect).

Cattail

This is my favorite wild edible. Not only is it referred to as the wilderness ‘supermarket’ (because of its many edible parts), but it has some great medicinal and utilitarian purposes as well.

Cattail provides something to eat year round. And the amount that you can gather is quite substantial. In fact, a study was conducted at the Cattail Research Center of Syracuse University’s Department of Plant Sciences by Leland Marsh. He reported that he could harvest 140 tons of rhizomes per acre near Wolcott, NY. That equates to more than 10 times the average yield per acre of potatoes!

In the early spring the young shoots and stalks can be eaten raw or cooked. The flower heads in late spring can be husked like corn and boiled — in fact it has an almost corn-like taste. Very yummy. In summer, the brown-orangish pollen heads can be eaten raw or dried into flour. Fall is the best time to gather the horn-shaped corms (the sproutings of next years’ plants) which are eaten raw or roasted. And in winter, the root stalk is full of starch which can be broken up into water, dissolved, strained and dried into flour as good as wheat flour.

Conclusion

Even if you can only identify the previous four categories of plants, knowing how to use them can give you enough nutrients to stay alive. Supplement that with some additional plant knowledge and some hunting/trapping skills and you can forget surviving, you’ll be well on your way to thriving out in the wilds!

For the next week, I’ll be going into detail on how you can process and use each of the above groups of plants for life-sustaining food. Stay tuned!!

In this article I describe a mindset used by our soldiers, special agents, and law-enforcement personnel that heightens your awareness and allows you to see potential threats to your safety ahead of time — providing a window of opportunity to prepare for or prevent potential conflict.

The Need to Pay Attention

Unfortunately there are not a lot of areas left in our world where you are immune to threats to your personal safety. With increases in crime such as theft, rape, and assault, it is in our best interest to pay attention.

In nature, predators seek out easy targets — the weak and the sick ones. Similar to the animal kingdom, human predators also seek out targets of opportunity — especially those who are unaware and oblivious to what’s around them. For this reason, it’s necessary to take on a state of mind that can help you stay alert to potential threats at all times and be able to intelligently react should you be faced with one. There’s no better metaphor for this state of mind than the Color Code of Awareness.

The Color Code of Awareness

The Color Code of Awareness has its origins in the U.S. Military but the adaptation as given here was originally put forth by the late Jeff Cooper, USMC(ret) and founder of Gunsite. This is not to be confused with the government’s form of color code which corresponds to the amount of danger to which you are exposed to at a given time. Instead, this refers to your current state of mind and willingness to take action regardless of real or imagined threats.

Condition White: the Unaware Masses

The Unaware

The next time you’re out and about take a look at the people around you. What are they doing and what do they notice? What you’ll begin to see is that most people are completely oblivious to their surroundings. This is Condition White. Whether they are sitting on a park bench completely engrossed in a book or walking with their gaze focused on the ground three feet in front of them, their attention is drawn somewhere else and they lose sight to what’s around them.

The Addiction of Thought

In fact the biggest monopolizer of your attention is your thoughts. Most people are addicted to thinking. You become a slave to the incessant ramblings of your own involuntary internal dialogue. In fact, the only difference between you and those ‘crazy’ people you see muttering to themselves on the street is that you are not muttering out loud.

The mind is a powerful and necessary tool when used in the right context. But like with any tool, we need to be able to put it down – or in this case shut it off – when we no longer need it. This is especially true in order to be aware and safe in our immediate environment. It’s those who are caught up in their thoughts that make perfect targets for potential predators.

Absolute Vulnerability

Condition White is where you will get surprised by your friends or a stranger that “happens upon you”. In white you are unready to take action to prevent injury or death. And it’s in this state that the only way you’ll survive a lethal attack is if your attacker is completely inept. Avoid this state at all times.

Condition Yellow: Relaxed Alertness

Learn to Always be Aware

Condition Yellow should be your normal everyday state of awareness. It’s in this state that you’ve accepted the fact that your life may be in danger at any time and you may have to do something about it. There is no specific threat but you are alert to any possibility.

You are relaxed and alert. You walk down the street with your head up and you’re looking around. You notice the late model blue Chevy pickup turning the corner, with an older gentleman driving. Your aware of the group of teenagers talking in a tight circle in front of the convenience store. You see a young couple crossing the street, heading your direction holding hands. When you leave for work in the morning you look around the neighborhood noticing anything out of the ordinary.

Lose Your Mind and Come to Your Senses

Most of all, your not caught up in your thoughts. Your mind is in the moment and although yellow is a relaxed state and you could stay in it indefinitely, it is still an active level of awareness — very different than white. You are actively taking mental notes of those things around you. In yellow you are aware of your surroundings and your mindset is such that “I may have to defend myself today”.

Condition Orange: Focused Alertness

Noticing a Potential Predator

If during Condition Yellow, something or someone triggers your attention indicating a potential threat you would immediately enter into Condition Orange. It doesn’t mean there is a threat only that there could potentially be one. The only real difference between the orange state and the yellow state is you now have a specific point of focus.

For example, you’re manning a store and in walks a guy who slips his hands in his inner coat pocket — your radar goes up, you enter Condition Orange. Or your heading to your car in the mall parking garage and you notice someone standing by a column up ahead instead of heading to his car or the mall entrance, you now have a point of focus and you are in an orange state. It need not only be a person that triggers this, it could be any indicator that is out of context with what is expected, such as a light being off that you know was previously on, or an environmental choke point such as a corner block or an upcoming side alleyway.

Perform Evasive Maneuvers to Determine Intention

When you’ve entered Condition Orange, you begin to make evasive maneuvers if possible. If someone in a car behind you triggered orange, you would simply turn at the next light. It’s as simple as that. If they are still behind you try turning at the next left. Then right again. If they are still behind you it is a strong indication that you’re being followed. In the case of the man next to the parking column, you would change your trajectory or give him wide berth. If it’s a dark alley up ahead, try to keep your distance.

Create a Mental Trigger and Formulate Your Tactical Plan

As you are performing your evasive maneuvers you’ll want to quickly set up a mental trigger and formulate a tactical plan. “If he does x I will do the following”, or “If x happens when I reach that alleyway, I’ll do this”. That ‘x’ is the mental trigger that springs you into action. Your tactical plan could be anything from more extreme evasive maneuvers to drawing your weapon on someone to a lethal response. If the trigger never comes (either because that person or indicator is not a threat) or because of your awareness they decided they better not do anything — you would deescalate to yellow again. Remember, most predators want to have the element of surprise. When they catch on that you’ve caught on to them, they generally seek easier prey.

Condition Red: Ready to Act

Locked and Ready

In Condition Red you’ve determined that the threat is real and although you may or may not be in the middle of a conflict you are READY TO ACT. You’re mentally prepared to carry out your plan.

The difference between Condition Red and Condition Yellow may at first seem unclear. In Condition Red, not only have you determined that the threat is very real, but more importantly you’ve made a mental decision to act if the trigger from Condition Yellow is tripped. It’s a very subtle but important difference. You not only have a plan on what to do and when to act (Condition Yellow) but you are prepared to carry out that act. This is especially important when the decision that you made requires a lethal response. Let me give you an example that illustrates the difference:

The Two Officers

There are two police officers on duty. Someone approaches them stating that around the corner there is some crazy guy waving around a gun. As they quickly move to the corner and yell “Drop your weapon!” in a flash the man begins to draw his gun on them and the first officer shoots him right away while the other is standing there looking surprised. What happened?

The difference is that the first officer mentally tells himself, “I’ll tell the guy to drop his weapon and show us his hands. If he complies we’ll arrest him, if he begins to draw his gun on us, I’m shooting him. End of story.” This officer is in Condition Red. The second officer makes a similar plan but is not quite certain of his decision to act on it. The plan was made, but the decision to act on that plan wasn’t set in his mind and therefore he was susceptible to suprise and hesitation. He was still in Condition Orange.

Condition Red is all about knowing that if your opponent steps over that mental line in the sand (your trigger) you know what to do and YOU WILL DO IT. No hesitation. No questions asked.

A Personal Experience

To illustrate the color code in action I want to share a personal experience. During my college days I would work the summers at my best friends pizza store as a delivery driver. Sometimes we were called to deliver pizza to certain “project” areas that were notorious for crime. Whenever I worked in those areas I would always be in Condition Yellow. On one particular evening I was called to run an order there.

After delivering the pizza to the house I was sent to, I was walking back to my car with the empty pizza bag. Now mind you, at that time we had these lit up signs that were attached to the roof of our cars for advertisement which stood out as a perfect invitation for warm food and lots of cash for the shadier elements of our society. Anyways, as I was heading back I noticed in the distance two guys walking toward me, barely illuminated by the poor street lighting. I entered Condition Orange.

I began to make a small trajectory change in my direction of travel that would lead me around them. They also corrected their trajectory so that we were again heading on a collision course. At that moment the transition from yellow to orange to red was very quick. I made a plan, by wrapping the pizza bag around my arm to act as a shield if they were carrying knives and I subtly pulled my knife out of my back pocket, flipped it open and hid it behind me. I had made the decision that if they jumped me I would stab them both, violently and quickly.

As they were nearly on me, I recognized the taller of the two in the light of the street lamp. Someone that I went to Junior High with. I said, “Jameal, is that you?” They both immediately stopped in their tracks, and Jameal recognized me exclaming, “Erich! You’re so lucky! We were going to jump you and take your money.” At that moment I showed them my knife and what I was intending to do. They were both even more surprised. The condition immediately went back down to yellow.

Conclusion

Because of the threats to our safety so prevalent in our day, the need to pay attention is huge. Martial skill is only half of the equation. Because if you’re not mentally prepared, you’ll be stuck flatfooted when required to act.

How do you win in combat? By being mentally prepared to win. And the Color Code of Awareness is the perfect tool to gaining a winning combat mindset.

In my opinion, a survival knife is your most important tool when caught in a wilderness survival situation. While it’s true that you can improvise a knife out of stone or bone when out in the wilds, there’s nothing that compares with the steel blade for its strength, versatility, and usefulness. However, not every steel knife will do in a survival situation. Knowing what to look for when choosing a survival knife is just as important as having one. After reading this article, you will know what properties make up the perfect survival knife and you will be able to find one that is tailor made for your needs and situation.

Key Things to Avoid in a Survival Knife

While there are many attributes that are less than ideal in a survival blade, here’s a list the main things you should avoid when choosing a survival knife:

• Narrow Tang: If you were to take off the handle of a knife, the tang would be the part that extends from the base of the blade onward. As you can see in the picture, this tang is relatively narrow. This is fine for the purposes of a kitchen knife, but when put it up to the rigors of survival/outdoor activities (chopping wood, pounding the blade for splitting small logs etc) it is susceptible to breakage.
• Folding Knives (including multi-tools): While I always keep a folder on me at all times, which more than adequately covers most of the activities I do in a survival situation, it is still less than ideal. Remember, this article isn’t about how to choose just any knife that will do, but about how to choose the “perfect” survival knife.
• Huge Knives: Hollywood is to blame for filling up our minds with pictures of survival knives being these huge monstrosities (Rambo, Crocodile Dundee etc). Although you could slay a crocodile with one mighty thrust, the larger the knife the more difficult it is to do the intricate work that a survival situation requires. And for that reason, I’d be more worried about getting fire going, making tools for hunting and trapping, and setting up camp than a crocodile attacking me — especially since I live in New England!
• Hollow-Handled ‘Survival’ Knives: While there are exceptions to this (see some of Chris Reeve’s knives) most hollow-handled survival knives that house a small survival kit in the handle are two-pieced and more for gimmick than they are useful. Their two-piece design — like the narrow tang — can easily break when splitting wood or doing heavy work.

What to Look for in a Survival Knife

Similar to the list of ‘dont’s’ above, here’s a list of core requirements that every survival knife should meet:

• Full Tang: I consider this to be one of the most important attributes of a survival knife. A full-tang knife’s handle is the tang itself and is usually wrapped or covered with some material to make it more comfortable to carry and use. Since the handle and the blade is one integrated piece, the chances of it breaking are very minimal.
• Fixed Blade: Although there are numerous folding knives which do an excellent job in a survival situation, if there were to be an ideal (and again, this article is about the ideal knife ) you will want to have a fixed blade knife. That basically means that the entire knife is integrated with the handle and cannot be folded shut..
• Reasonably Sized: I realize that ‘reasonably sized’ is a very relative term. What I mean here is that it should be small enough to do most intricate camp work (trap making, notches for fire boards etc) but large enough to do heavier tasks like splitting small logs. This ideal is obviously different for different people, but in general it falls between a blade that is 4-6 inches.

Now that the basics covered, if you want to go beyond them then you’ll want to be aware of the following:

Steel Type

For the rigors and requirements of survival knives, not all steel is equal. Steel quality determines the strength of the blade, its toughness (ability to take impact), how easy it is to sharpen, and how long it will hold that edge. While I could write pages and pages about the various differences of steel types, for the purposes of this article I’ll briefly cover the most important points.

Most knives are made from two broad classifications of steel: Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel. As a general rule stainless steel is more rust resistant than carbon steel but can be more brittle (less tough) and more difficult to sharpen compared to the average carbon steel. Carbon steel on the other hand can be made extremely sharp, is tougher when being used for splitting or chopping, is easier to sharpen, but if not maintained it will easily rust.

It’s important to know that most of these differences disappear as you go up in terms of price and quality of manufacture. Here is a list of steels that I recommend:

Recommended Stainless Steels

• S60V
• BG-42
• S90V
• CPM S30V
• CPM 154 (this is my favorite stainless steel)

Recommended Carbon Steels

• D2
• A2 (this is my favorite carbon steel)
• O1
• Carbon V
• CPM 154

Blade Geometry

The way a knife blade is shaped determines its overall functionality. For example, a chef’s knife is shaped in such a way that it is perfect for slicing tomatoes or dicing garlic. That same knife however has no business out in the woods. The same holds true for the double-edged spear point and tanto-style knives. These knives are built for fighting and are perfect for thrusting and stabbing but do not hold out well in a survival situation.

Instead you’ll want to choose a clip point or a drop point style blade. These blades are suited well for the tasks required in a survival situation.

A clip-point blade’s tip is formed by a slight concave curve at the top. When slightly curved these tips are perfectly acceptable and strong. Clip points with exaggerated curves are susceptible to breakage if your pounding the spine while chopping wood.

The drop point blade is the best all-around blade style. It is formed when the back or dull side of the knife slopes downward at a slight angle beginning at around the half-way point and meets the blade edge slightly above center. This blade geometry is best suited for the various tasks required out in the field.

Blade Edge

The edge or the sharp side of the blade should be from base to tip one continuous edge. In most cases you’ll want to stay away from serrated edges. While they do have their uses, they are difficult to sharpen out in the field and there is little functionality that they add out in the bush.

Spine

In general you’ll want the spine or back of the blade (opposite the blade edge) to be flat (no saw or sharpened edge). This allows it to make a good hitting platform when pounding it with a hard stick to aid in splitting wood. One exception to this rule is Tom Brown Jr.’s “Tracker” knife. Although the knife is a bit cumbersome for my tastes, it’s unique design is suited well for splitting and chopping wood.

Conclusion

Although I go into a lot of detail explaining the ‘ideals’ to look for in a wilderness survival knife, it ultimately comes down to your individual preferences. The most important thing, as I mention in many other threads, is to find what works for you. If you have some friends who have different knives, try them out and see if you tend to prefer a smaller or larger version. Take those attributes that I’ve told you to look for and put them to the test.

Resources

Here are some excellent resources for learning more about knives and their make up:

• Steel Guide – This chart gives you a great overview of the various types of steel and their make up.
• Steel Type Description Great summary of the various steels as well as their positives and negatives.
• BladeForums.com This is a fantastic forum made up of many professional knife makers. They have great tips and a wealth of knowledge.
• Equipped to Survive Knife Review In depth review into what makes up a good survival knife.

Even if running your engine is an option, you may need to conserve fuel for the return trip. Also, carbon monoxide can build up inside a standing vehicle while the engine is running, even if the exhaust pipe is clear. In this article, I will be demonstrating how you can make your own survival heater for your car that is cheap, safe to use, and easy to construct.

What You’ll Need

• A small empty metal can: You want this to be slightly taller but thinner than a standard roll of toilet paper. My can of choice is an unused 1 quart aluminum paint can found in most hardware stores. You can also use an empty food can that fits this description.
• A larger metal can that can easily accommodate the first one: I use a 1 gallon unused paint can (again found in most hardware stores). Another option is a coffee can, metal bucket and so on.
• Some type of lid that can be placed over the larger can: I also like to get a lid for the smaller can for which I will explain later.
• Toilet paper (unscented)
• Six bottles of 70 to 91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
• Matches or some other fire starter

How to Put it All Together

1. Prepare the toilet paper: The first step is to take out the central cardboard tube from the toilet paper roll, leaving only the paper behind.
2. Squeeze the paper into the smaller can: Next you’ll want to squeeze and roll the paper into the smaller can. If the can is so small that a full-size paper roll has no chance of fitting inside it, then you can remove some of the external sheets (just like you would if you were going to the bathroom) until it does squeeze into the can. It’s important that it fills up the entire volume of the can.
3. Add the fuel: If you are now ready to use it, simply add the alcohol until the toilet roll inside the can is completely saturated. One of the benefits of using a 1 quart unused paint can is that you can store the stove with the fuel already added by placing the air-tight lid over the can. This saves space and allows you to have more fuel available. The lid can also be used to control the output of the flame which I will explain below.
4. Place the smaller can into the larger one and position it in your car: The larger can provides an insulating barrier and some protection for passengers and your car. You’ll also want to position it in a place that’s far enough from anything combustible. Use the palm check. Put the back of your hand against the surface you’re worried about and if you can’t keep your hand there without burning it then it’s either to close or you’ll need to adjust the flame.
5. Light the stove: First, open the window just a crack to provide some airflow and then carefully place a match (or throw some sparks using a firesteel) onto the saturated toilet paper and viola! you’ve got yourself a burning stove. Use caution in lighting as it will combust very quickly. It’s best to partially cover the smaller can with a lid to decrease the size of combustion (you can always increase it later (see next section).

Controlling the Burn Rate

You may notice if you follow the steps above, that a pretty sizable flame results from having the smaller can’s opening completely exposed. While this is fine if you want to warm up faster, it does tend to go through the fuel fairly quickly and is not so efficient. A better way is to partially cover the smaller can with a lid. Or if you used a 1 quart paint can, you can make a small hole (about the size of a quarter) in the lid it comes with and place that on top of the can. Both of these methods control the burn rate and allow the stove to provide a constant heat.

Another option is instead of completely saturating the toilet roll (as indicated in step 3 above) you can pour just a few ounces of alcohol on the paper and regularly add more as it burns out. This will also control the size of the flame and conserve fuel. I prefer to use the lid method over this one since you don’t have to regularly add alcohol (it’s nice to sleep for a stretch of time and not have to regularly add fuel).

A Word on Carbon Monoxide

I’m sure by now many of you are thinking, “What about the dangers of carbon monoxide?”

Carbon monoxide is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds. “Partial oxidation” is just a big word for what happens when combustion (fire) takes place in an area where there isn’t much oxygen. This is most apparent when one operates a generator inside a home or if their wood stove is improperly vented.

In the case of this alcohol stove, while there is risk of carbon monoxide emissions (rubbing alcohol contains carbon: C3H7OH) the risk is very minimal. Opening your window slightly should provide sufficient oxygen for a clean burn.

If you still are concerned about it, I would recommend purchasing a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm and turning it on (putting in the batteries) when running the stove. This will provide you ample warning should there be an issue.

Video Instructions

You can also watch the full instructions via Youtube:

We are Dependent

It’s easy to take all of these conveniences for granted since they are an integral part of our lives and the workings of this system are often hidden from our immediate view. But the truth of the matter is that most of us are completely dependent on this highly integrated web to function and run without a hitch. But bulletproof it is not.

We are Vulnerable

All of these interdependent systems we depend on form a fragile web. Even small disturbances can send shock waves throughout the whole system interrupting the flow of food, energy, and other essential goods and services. Hurricane Katrina, the 9/11 attacks, and even small localized storms have proven this to be the case. However, the future may well prove to be worse.

Here in the U.S. our economy is teetering on the edge of collapse right now. Our government continues to live way beyond its means and as a result there is a great possibility for massive inflation and economic upheaval similar to Argentina or Wiemar Republic Germany. And all the while, terrorism continues to cause uncertainty and threatens our fragile system.

The Majority are Unprepared

Despite all of the recent events (9/11, Katrina, the economy), the majority of people are still unprepared for minor disruptions – let alone major disasters. I understand that we, by nature, want to avoid the unpleasant. However, blindly assuming that things will go on working tomorrow just like they did in the past is a recipe for disaster.

Kevin Reeve, owner of OnPoint Tactical Tracking and Survival School said it perfectly, “People are nine meals from civil unrest.” This is so true. The majority of people are so unprepared that even an interruption in their food and water supply of just three days would cause social unrest (again see Katrina).

What are You Doing to Prepare?

Now comes the ultimate question. Where do you and your family stand? If something were to happen tomorrow where you were out of power, fuel, water, and access to food from the grocery stores, how would you survive? Do you have enough food and water set aside to ride it out? Or are you hoping to be bailed out by a government that may never come?

The Time to Prepare is Now

Disaster will not wait for you. The sooner you make your preparations the more likely you’ll be ready should disaster strike. The time is now.

So where do you begin? The answer is to start small and build up from there. In addition to the standard articles I write for this blog, in the coming months I will be sharing with you a step by step plan for getting you and your family prepared. Here’s what will be covered:

• Emergency Preparedness Plans that fit your family’s needs
• Food Storage Basics that anyone with any budget can meet
• How to Put Together a Bug-Out Bag (72-hour kit) that will give you peace of mind
• Alternative Cooking and Heating Options that you can use for extended blackout periods
• How to Prepare your Car for Evacuation
• Tips on Organizing and Safeguarding Important Documents and Data including backup plans, what to bring if you need to evacuate and so on.
• and Much More!!!

To ensure that you don’t miss out on any upcoming articles, be sure to subscribe to this blog via RSS (click here) or Email by filling out the form at the top right of the sidebar.

There are so many debates when it comes to the perfect survival kit. In my opinion, the items you choose to be in a survival kit can be very different based on the situation you see yourself in (maritime vs. desert survival) as well as your level of skill. For that reason there are a number of factors that determine what items you ultimately put in it. For this article, I will explain to you how I organize my kit, the elements that make it up, and hopefully provide some inspiration for your own. As always, I’d love to hear your opinions, so feel free to comment!

My entire kit is based off of three tiers — one that I carry with me, one that I keep in my car (and sometimes on me), and one that is in my home ready to go in a moments notice if I had to bug out. Here is the three-tiered survival kit:

The Three-Tiered Survival Kit

First Tier:

This ‘kit’ includes those items that you have with you at all times. This is your fallback kit. If you were stranded somewhere with nothing else except for what you have on you, than this is what you’d be left with. They should be with you at work, while you’re running errands, church, basically everywhere possible. Obviously when you’re showering you can make an exception, just have it close by to grab on your way to wherever you’re going. The following gear (which I call the Essential 3) is recommended for your first tier:

• Folding Knife: If you’ve ever been in a survival situation (planned or not) you know how essential a knife is. This I consider to be your most important survival tool. Purchase a good quality folding knife. My knife of choice is the Doug Ritter RSK MK1 – good quality, good price, and thoroughly field-tested (by me) for my needs.
• Fire Starter: This comes in second in order of importance for first-tier gear. For all you smokers out there thinking, “I’m all set, I’ve got my Bic” you might want to reconsider. A Bic Lighter is ok, but the fuel can run out quickly (especially if you’re not skilled at fire making) and they are a bear to start when they get wet. Instead of a fuel-based fire starter or worse (matches) I would recommend a ‘firesteel’. I recommend the ones from FireSteel.com or any of the Swedish FireSteel versions. These ‘strike-style’ firestarters are far superior to fuel based ones because they last forever and produce a hotter heat output compared to a Bic and an added benefit is I’ve never had issues taking them on a plane. The only downside is if you have no fire-making skills you’ll need to practice with it a bit. In the meantime you can carry with you a simple tinder made by mixing a little vaseline into a cotton ball which will easily light with this firestarter.
• Cordage: Cordage is a fundamental part of survival. It’s used for bowstrings, lashings, fishing line, snares, trap triggers, nets, tying down shelters and more. While making cordage from natural materials is always an option, and is not too difficult to learn, it’s always a good idea to have some with you at all times. I would recommend at least 10 feet of good strong cord – my favorite being 550 Paracord. I carry around 10 feet of it on my wrist at all times in the form of a bracelet I made. The benefit of Paracord is that not only is it strong (it has a 550 lb rating – hence the name), but it is made up of a strong outer sheath and seven inner strands that can be used for multiple purposes. Just carrying 10 feet of Paracord is like carrying 80 feet of cordage!

While I would at the least recommend the Essential 3, there are a few other items you may want to consider carrying as part of your EDC (Every Day Carry) Gear or first Tier. Here are some other items I’ll have on me:

• Coin Sized Compass: These are those small, coin-sized compasses you see in many mini survival kits. Try to get one of the liquid-filled ones since it doesn’t have to be completely horizontal to work.
• Pinch Light: These little ‘pinch lights’ are perfect in a pinch (pun intended ). They provide enough light for travel, for nightime camp activities (building a fire, setting up camp), and the LED versions last forever.
• Lockpicks: We live in an unpredictable world. Since I’m all about preparedness, there may come a time when you are held captive by terrorists, kidnapped for ransom (visit Mexico), or your simply locked out of your house. Lockpicks – and knowing how to use them – are a great addition to any EDC list.
• Hand-Cuff Keys: It’s not unknown for kidnappers and terrorists to use handcuffs to hold you captive. Since many cuffs use a universal key, carry a spare in a location on your person that is accessible with handcuffs on.
• Personal Protection Device: This could be a concealed carry pistol, mace, tactical flashlight etc. Just be sure you have the proper license if required.

The key to the first-tier kit is to incorporate it as much as possible with what you wear. While the above items could probably all fit on a keychain, keychains sometimes get lost. If your knife has a clip, clip it to the top of your pants. Wear a cordage bracelet, or use strong cordage as lacing for your footwear. Attach a small firestarter to your belt. Find creative ways to ‘wear’ your first tier gear. That way it will always be available.

Second Tier:

The second-tier survival kit includes items that you can fit in a small carry bag (like a fanny pack) or if you’re in the military or field, this would be what you attach to your H-Harness. If it’s in a pack, have it somewhere close by like in your car or in some cases feel free to carry it with you (in a purse or “man purse”). And for insurance purposes, duplicate and upgrade the items you have in the first tier. Here’s a list of what I have:

• Fixed Knife: In other words, non-folding. You’ll want a heavy duty, full-tanged knife that can take a beating and hold an edge. My favorite is the Bark River Bravo-1. If you want more details into what makes up a good knife checkout my article on how to choose a survival knife.
• Full-Size Compass: Even if you already have a small one in your first tier, then this should be upgraded to a full-size compass for ease of reading an azimuth. I prefer a lensatic compass due to the accuracy I can get in the reading.
• Water Container: Any collapsible, light, and easily carried container will do.
• Firestarter: Again, for insurance purposes you’ll want to duplicate what is in the first tier. I just include another firesteel that is a bit bigger than the one I carry on me. I also have a film canister filled with cotton balls mixed with vaseline.
• Water Purification Kit: In a small kit like this, iodine crystals are a perfect fit. They come in a small bottle (you’ll want to buy the Polar Pure brand) and it can purify up to 500 gallons!
• Flashlight: The ‘tactical’ flashlights out there are an excellent choice. Check out the SureFire brand. You won’t be dissatisfied.
• First-Aid Kit: This would be smaller than what you carry in your third-tier survival kit, but should include at least tweezers, a hemostatic agent (like QuickClot dressings), antihistamine, aspirin, antiseptic wipes, bandages, butterfly closures, moleskin, tape, and gauze.
• Simple Shelter: This could be a shelter half, bivy, tarp etc. This simple shelter should fit in your small kit and is mostly used to protect against the elements. I have a simple bivy and space blanket combo — both small and extremely light.
• Cordage: Again, I would recommend 550 paracord. Try to have around 50 feet.
• Energy Bars: Any high-calorie, nutrient dense bar will do.
• Signal Mirror: While any mirror will do, it’s best to buy the signal mirrors that have the hole in the center to accurately aim the reflected light.
• Lock Picks & Cuff Key: I have a more extensive kit in this tier.
• Multi-Tool: My Leatherman Wave has been a lifesaver for many tasks out on the road. This tool is so handy, it fluctuates between the first tier and second tier.

Third Tier:

Your third-tier survival kit is equivalent to what others commonly refer to as a go-bag, bug-out bag (BOB), or 72-hour kit. This kit should include all those items that could fit into a good-sized backpack that will sustain you for at least 72-hours. It should be easily accessible and ready to go at a moments notice. I keep mine at my house. The most important thing is that you pack your bag for scenarios that you may encounter. Individuals living in the city will have many needs different than those in the boonies, so be sure to prioritize around your needs.

I also like to separate my bug-out bag into multiple tiers — each tier enclosed within its own bag — with the most important items being on top. This allows for easy access at night when visibility is low. They are based on the following priorities (in order of importance):

1. Personal Safety: This tier is in two separate bags: one is for personal security items and the second is for first aid. The first-aid kit is a bit beefier than what is in the second tier above.
2. Shelter: Personal shelter and sleeping bag. I keep these on the outside of the pack. I love the Henessy Hammock. It’s lightweight and super comfortable. If you are with a family and personal hammocks aren’t an option, you’ll want to consider a tent.
3. Water: My pack has an integrated water bladder that I combine with the Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Microfilter. I also include another bottle of Polar Pure (duplicated from the second tier kit).

   Since I live in an area where water abounds, finding water to filter is less of a worry. If you live in a more arid environment you may want to consider packing as much as you can carry.

4. Fire: This tier includes the same items listed above, as well as an efficient camp stove and fuel.
5. Food: I have some canned goods, but mostly freeze dried foods and MREs. Have enough for three days.

Besides what’s listed in the priorities above, I also include several tools and miscellaneous items such as an entrenching tool, 100-ft length of paracord, fish hooks and line, headlamp, small hatchet, playing cards, and something to read.

Conclusion

In summary, while the list above is what I use, it may not be suitable for you. It’s important that you organize and supply your kits with items specific to your environment, needs, and skill level.

The best advice I can give you is to put your three tiers together and put them to use. Practice using the various items in darkness and light, different types of weather and different seasons. Take your go-pack on a hike with you to see if you can even carry it for an extensive time period. Drop those things that aren’t working for you and add others you think you’ll need.

With time you’ll find a kit that is highly customized to you (and your families) needs. Best of luck!

Resources

I owe the multi-tiered survival kit idea to Kevin Reeve, owner of OnPointTactical. I’ve known him for a number of years now and he’s a good friend and an incredible teacher. I highly recommend his school.

If possible, every family should have some amount of food storage on hand — three months being the minimum but ideally one years’ worth. Now before you criticize me and think that I’m crazy, first of all, you came to this site so you must be interested in these topics and secondly, it’s just common sense.

Think about it. Having a supply of food on hand is not just for the fear-mongering survivalist, it’s beneficial for many reasons among which are:

1. Food Storage Can Save You Money: When you buy food for storage — especially long-term food storage — you tend to buy in bulk. This amounts to big-time savings and you can take advantage of sales and low prices. With longer-term food items, it’s even more apparent because you are buying primarily food staples, which is the cheapest form of purchased food (I say ‘purchased’ because gardening is in-fact the cheapest food. But that’s covered elsewhere in the site).
2. Food Storage Prepares You for Financial Hardship: So what happens if you lose your job or some other financial hardship hits you? This seems a lot more relevant given the condition of the economy right now. Having a years-supply of food available when financial hardship hits gives you one less thing to worry about allowing you to fall back on your stored food to save money.
3. Food Storage Prepares You for Natural Disasters: If there’s one thing that Katrina taught us, it’s that we can’t count on the government to be there when the infrastructure collapses. However, it doesn’t necessarily take a Katrina to open our eyes to the importance of food storage. Blizzards, ice-storms, power outages, (*cough…pending economic collapses…*cough) can all make it difficult to get to a store to buy food. And even if you can get there, the shelves might be bare by the time you arrive — all the more reason to store food.
4. Food Storage Gives you Peace of Mind: I feel the greatest benefit of food storage is knowing you’re prepared. In a survival situation, mindset is key and when you are prepared, fear and worry subside. Confidence comes in knowing you’re prepared.

So now that you’re convinced where to you begin? Over the next few articles I will be breaking up the seemingly daunting task of storing food into bite-size chunks (pun intended) so stick around…

(UPDATE): I’ve included the list of articles for easy access below:

• Getting Started with Food Storage
• Food Storage Basics: Step 1 – Water
• Food Storage Basics: Step 2 – Building a Three-Month Supply
• Food Storage Basics: Step 3 – Long Term Storage
• Food Storage Basics: Step 4 – Non-Food Items
• Food Storage Basics: The Basics and Beyond