How To Scavenge Now And When SHTF For Fun And Profit
Today we go long talking all about how to scavenge for fun and profit. Scavenging is defined as searching for and collecting usable items from waste.
The old saying one man’s trash is another man’s treasure comes to mind. What you may find value in is completely different to another.
We begin by talking about how to can begin to develop your carving skills now while times are good.
Up first on how to scavenge is dumpster diving. I have personally gone dumpster diving many times with great results.
Just to mention it dumpster diving is not exactly legal. There are a few rules to follow to ensure that you will have little to no issues. There is an entire community of Dumpster Divers this site has some helpful info on it.
Want to know how to scavenge easily? We talk about using the free section on Craigslist to get some great stuff. We open up the Nashville Craigslist Free section and read off a few of the items. Mike was blown away by the free sections.
I really like the design of the pocket shot. I want one. Badly. However, I am also a cheap ass. And $25 is a lot of money for a something I will just play with.
I have been working out a way to build a Pocket Slingshot from scratch. The only part that was tripping me up was the pouch part . I was overthinking it. Trying to use a heat gun to form one from rubber.
Then a video from The King Of Random solved that part for me. Use a balloon.
I tried to look around for a bigger balloon. Or a whoopie cushion that would have more power. For version 2.0 I will add that and an arrow ring.
I found this infographic on Mom With A Prep created by The Prepper Project. With Thanksgiving coming up I really wanted to find a one more Thanksgiving related. This infographic had sweet potatoes so I went with it.
I am a picky eater being a big proponent of the paleo diet. So I often go against the grain (pun intended) with many survivalists.
I don’t store buckets of wheat. I want to store and grow food that will have me at optimal performance. Every edge you can give yourself during a disaster.
With that said I love that the majority of this list is paleo friendly. This 10 Best Survival Foods You Can Grow Infographic has one grain and one legume.
Kale is definitely a big one on my list of top survival foods. I eat it almost daily. Kale is a nutrient wonder food. It is cold hardy in the US.
It’s odd how kale divides people. It’s either love or hate with kale. I generally eat it cooked down in bacon fat. And I don’t know anything that doesn’t taste batter in bacon fat.
Another one on the 10 Best Survival Foods You Can Grow Infographic that I love are sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes.
Unfortunately, the sweet potato is only known by many as the disgusting sweet potato casserole. Covered in brown sugar and marshmallows.
When I mention sweet potatoes that are usually what people think. And they say that they don’t like them. Have you ever tried sweet potato hashbrowns? Baked Hashbrowns? Or any of the myriad of other ways that accent the amazing taste and not cover it up.
Check out the entire 10 Best Survival Foods You Can Grow Infographic below for the rest.
Tips For Finding Cheap Used Gear For Homesteading And Survival
Tips For Finding Cheap Used Gear For Homesteading And Survival
Looking for cheap survival gear, homesteading tools or crafting supplies? But your broke as hell and can’t afford to keep up with all the gear whores. You need to score some Cheap Used Gear gear my friend.
My definition of used gear is not buying from a retailer of new merchandise. Used, scratch and dent and resellers will all provide a huge discount over new. Sometimes items will be new in packaging from the places I talk about.
There are several places to find Cheap Used tools. I recently found some great deals. This is part of the reason for this post. When you score a great deal you want to share it with your buddies.
Practical Tips On How To Craft The Perfect Survival Bow
Practical Tips On How To Craft The Perfect Survival Bow
Today I have a guest post on Practical Tips On How To Craft The Perfect Survival Bow. Making a survival bow is something I have been meaning to do for a while. This post has several grerat tips to get me building. Enjoy -James.
Survival Bow
Adding the Bow Cord
One thing that nobody prepares you for is an emergency situation. You only realize that you were not ready when it is too late to save the day. In everyday life, there are some skills that you would deem irrelevant. For instance, on an average day, where would you require to start a fire without the use of a lighter? Another such skill would be how to make a survival bow. In the event you find yourself in a position which requires you to utilize some of your caveman skills, this article clearly elucidates how to go about making a perfect survival bow.
One thing you need to get clear is that a survival bow is nothing like the modern day compound bow and crossbow. It is a quickie bow that is designed with a single thought in mind; convenient assembly for immediate use.
When you are in the wild, one thing is for sure; you have limited time and resources. When it comes to fashioning a bow, you are lucky because nature is on your side. The primary resource which is wood is most likely in abundance.
Below are some quick and easy tips for creating a Survival bow which you can use for hunting game and self-defense if the need arises.
The first step is picking out the right kind of wood. This is like the backbone of your bow. So that you know not any wood can be used to make a bow. You want to go for hardwood. This includes the likes of ash, yew, black locust, oak, hickory, beech, and maple. It is possible that you may not know the identity of your trees and if that is the case, here is how you can test if the wood is good enough for a bow.
Take a twig the size of your pinky finger and bend it slightly. Allow it to snap back. Observe whether it responds quickly or sluggishly. Next, bend it into a c-shape, does it stay intact? Lastly, break the twig. If it breaks easily into two, it is a wrong candidate. If it refuses to break, but it kinks and forms a fibrous fracture, you’ve got yourself a match.
Now that you’ve got the right wood, you will need an excellent piece of it to make the best bow. A good bow stave should meet the following criteria;
· A length of 5-6 feet
· A thickness of 1.5-2 inches
· Minimal to no twists or knots
· Have a steady taper from one end to the other
· No cracks
The next thing to having the perfect stave is to find its back, belly, and handle. Here is how you do it;
· Set the bow upright on the ground with one hand holding the top
· Push on the center lightly and allow the stave to rotate revealing the part that is slightly curved
· The inside part of the curve is the belly
· The outside part of the curve is the back
arrow
Now to find the handhold, determine the center of the branch and mark out three inches from either side of the center. The gap in between is your handle. Next, you need to ensure that your stave achieves a perfect bend. To do this, first, you need to curve the stave to see how the limbs bend. Some areas of the limb bend more easily than others.
Now, whittle away wood from the belly until both limbs are bending equally. The result should assume the shape of a parabolic curve. However, it is prudent to take your time when doing so because too much of it will spoil the branch and you may have to start from scratch. Also, do not remove anything from the back because it can easily break as it endures a lot of tension.
The next bit is modifying the limbs so that the strings sit easily without sliding off the tips. Cut two knocks on either side of each limb to form a 45-degree angle facing the handle just deep enough for the string to rest and make sure not to touch the back.
Adding the Bow Cord
Adding The Cord
Some materials you can use for bowstring include;
· Rawhide
· Twine
· Sinew
· Nylon rope
· Milkweed
· Nettle
· Dogbane
· Yucca
Point to note is that you can use any synthetic cord of a small diameter, the stiffer, the better. Elasticity messes up with the bows snap power. Now you can string your bow but just make sure that the cord is -6 inches from the bow’s handhold. One final process and you can begin using your bow.
Tillering your bow
Tillering Your Bow
(Via:popularmechanics.com)
This is one of the most crucial processes of shaping your bow. You need to find a piece of scrap wood or use a branch to hang your bow up horizontally by the handle. Pull the string down a few inches to see how the limbs bend. Both limbs should bend evenly throughout, and each bend should be a complete replica of the other. You have nothing to worry about if you did a good job shaping the bow.
At this stage, if you are equipped with some bow hunting tips, you are ready to hunt. Take caution to never fire the bow without an arrow as it can break the bow. If you are not in life and death situation and would probably like to do some finishing, you can sand the belly to make it smooth and also apply some light oil to prevent it from drying out fast.
Get yourself some arrows, shoot your bow frequently, oil it and tiller it when necessary. Now that is what a pro hunter does.
If you are just at home and would like to take on this fun and creative learning process, you can do it out of materials that are probably available in your backyard within a very short time. Why not give it a try? You will carry on the skill forever, and it may come in handy one day when you need it.
Author Bio:
Kevin Steffey is an avid hunter and freelance writer. He loves spending time in the field with his rifle more than almost anything else, and occupies his off-time discussing deer and their habits online. He is a founder at www.deerhuntingfield.com
