Author Topic: Which two tools would you take (Read 77557 times)

rustyknife · « **on:** February 20, 2009, 09:31:49 PM »

A question for curiosity sake. If you could only take two tools with you to survive in the wilderness, which two would they be? For myself I would take a single shot 12 gauge rifle and a machete.

Jack Crabb · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2009, 10:28:50 PM »

Because . . . . ?

Why a single shot over an O/U or S/S or pump, etc?

Why a machete over a bowie or hawk, etc.?

rustyknife · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2009, 10:47:48 PM »

I could shoot black powder or smokeless powder in the shotgun, could also saw off the barrel some if need be without ruining any rifling, single shot for dependability.

As far as the machete goes can do more with it than a straight knife. I got the idea for this post from another site. The discussion was about third world tribes and how they survive and view their world. One thing I noticed was that they don't carry alot of stuff. While researching the native American tribes that lived in eastern Oregon I discovered that the women didn't carry their grinding bowls from place to place. They left them where they spent the summer, just turned them over so it looked like a rock in the ground to a passerby. Stuff like that.

When I am out practicing my bushcraft I try to get by on as few gadgets as possible, just for practice in thinking outside the box. IMHO

Beetle · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2009, 01:34:04 AM »

Stihl 044 and an axe. Something to cut and then split firewood, cause I don't like being cold.

rustyknife · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2009, 08:47:01 AM »

That sounds good to me Bailey, you get a fire going and I'll bring in some deer meat...now lets see who could we find to bring the hot chocolate???

Louisiana Suvivor · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2009, 08:57:59 AM »

Chocolate on the way! no seriously if i had to bring only two tools they would have to be:

axe- splinting wood and to take down trees for a shelter
field knife- for breaking down what ever meat i trapped or killed

i didn't pick a gun bc eventually you will run out of ammo. i'm a culinary student and know how to break down any piece of meat....if you can break down a chicken you can break down anything. i like the idea of traps better than guns.....fun, keep you occupied, and quieter.

Jack Crabb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2009, 09:36:40 AM »

Quote from: rustyknife on February 20, 2009, 10:47:48 PM

I could shoot black powder or smokeless powder in the shotgun, could also saw off the barrel some if need be without ruining any rifling, single shot for dependability.

As far as the machete goes can do more with it than a straight knife. I got the idea for this post from another site. The discussion was about third world tribes and how they survive and view their world. One thing I noticed was that they don't carry alot of stuff. While researching the native American tribes that lived in eastern Oregon I discovered that the women didn't carry their grinding bowls from place to place. They left them where they spent the summer, just turned them over so it looked like a rock in the ground to a passerby. Stuff like that.

When I am out practicing my bushcraft I try to get by on as few gadgets as possible, just for practice in thinking outside the box. IMHO

Good points.

I think a lot of the choice will be determined by where you are. The guy on the ocean has different needs from the guy on the plains, etc.

TXChikk · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2009, 09:39:22 AM »

For the sake of answering the question:

My Ka-Bar & a map

johnnyb_good30 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2009, 10:27:30 AM »

here in the northwest on the coast i would have to say an plasky and a lethermen. plasky is like a firemans axe. it will chop and dig i allways carry one in my truck.

Dirt Rider 3006 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2009, 11:10:10 AM »

Here in New England... 10/22 (can carry lots of ammo easily) and my Ka-bar.

longrifle · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2009, 12:40:12 PM »

Not counting knowledge, which is the best tool to have at all times, I would take a flintlock rifle and my tomahawk. You've got firepower for hunting and defense. Flint and steel for making a fire. Although a tomahawk isn't the best at every job(cutting wood, skinning critters, any small cutting task, etc) it is a good all around tool. You can do all those jobs with it.

ColdSoul · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2009, 12:22:36 PM »

It seems everyone is going to take some type of blade and mostly a firearm or other blade but what about boiling water? There is hundreds if not thousands of diseases that will either put you in very bad health or possibly kill you if you don't get your water to a "rolling boil" (that is all you need, no need to take it past that because once the water reaches a rolling boil as long as you let it cool it will be good to drink).

The main thing you have to keep in mind is the following:

1. You can live 3 minutes without air (but you can't exactly take air with you right?)
2. You can sometimes only live 3 hours without shelter (like if it's to cold, bad weather, etc)
3. You can live 3 days without water
4. You can live 3 weeks without food

So to me the most important 2 things to take would be the following

1. Cooking Pot (I have a big 3.5L one that works good for boiling up a good amount or water or cooking food)
2. My Khukri (it is good as a drawing knife, chopping (about 90% as good as a small axe), cleaning game and defense

Of course it will be tough to clean small game with such a big knife, but you can always make tools with the Khukri to make cleaning smaller game.

Remember the rule is, if there is a tool that makes the job easier you make it.

With this I could boil water, make shelter, make traps to hunt game and hopefully find a piece of flint to start a fire or make a bow drill from a limb, shoelace/natural cordage to start a fire.

If you have ever seen snowshoes and solitude in there they live as primitive people accept they took there food (the only other thing they took was a stone axe or 2) for a year and there main problem was they got guardia which put them in a weak state for months. And it is a lot harder than you think to make cooking pots and pots to boil water with only your hands and maybe a knife or axe because they tried but it took a lot or time, and work.

susan1957 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2009, 03:47:04 PM »

A magnifying glass
a fishing line.

With those 2 I could fish and start a fire to cook it with.

NickyTheHeel · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2009, 05:20:03 PM »

Quote from: susan1957 on February 22, 2009, 03:47:04 PM

A magnifying glass
a fishing line.

With those 2 I could fish and start a fire to cook it with.

I like your priorities. You wouldn't be able to start a fire with a mag glass here (SW Oregon coastal range) all the time, though. I would go with one of those magnesium fire starter things and the aforementioned plasky. I figure I could make a spear and have some luck fishing or I could always using a good heavy stick to get some small game.

I would also like Rustyknife to post a YouTube vid of him sawing off a shotgun barrel with a machete.

rustyknife · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2009, 09:29:24 PM »

I thought of that also after I made the post....could probably find a rock to grind it off but might take some time..did anyone see Les Stroud boiling water in a shirt on one of his shows?....I wounder how many times you could do that before burning a hole in it...oh well, it was interesting to see everyones comments.Thanx

johnnyb_good30 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2009, 09:46:08 PM »

i have a lot of his dvds and never seen a shirt.but ive seen him use his hat with hot rocks.

rustyknife · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2009, 09:52:06 PM »

I think he used a poncho or water proof jacket/shirt that held water then put some hot stones in it to boil the water...not 100% on that but thought it was a good idea. Also, didn't seem like the water boiled long enough for me.

chris · « **Reply #17 on:** February 22, 2009, 09:54:48 PM »

A helicopter and a XBOX 360.

NickyTheHeel · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:01:47 PM »

Bear Grylls, on the other hand, strips naked and does pushups in a mountain stream to boil water... *sigh* May daughter loves that guy.

I'm rethinking my choices. I would say magnesium fire starter thing and a pot to boil water in. I know, no blade... I think I could do all right, though.

Louisiana Suvivor · « **Reply #19 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:04:34 PM »

Les Stroud could out do Bear Grills any day. Les goes alone. Bear is all dramatic with his camera crew and team of specialists of the area. Les is the man!

Alan Halcon · « **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:11:01 PM »

Wow! I'm not sure whether I should take this post serious or not.

Please consider one of the bigest enemies one will encounter is the potential for hypothermia. NickyTheHill is the only I saw that made sense by taking a mag rod with ferrocerium.

Fire does much more than provide heat-- It purifies water, provides sense of security, cooks food, heat, etc.

best,
Alan Halcon
dirttime.com

Louisiana Suvivor · « **Reply #21 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:14:38 PM »

if you have a blade you can make fire......you can make a shelter.......you don't need a blanket to keep warm. it would help but it's not necessary. just my opinion.

NickyTheHeel · « **Reply #22 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:24:18 PM »

Quote from: Louisiana Suvivor on February 22, 2009, 10:14:38 PM

if you have a blade you can make fire..

If you have a blade YOU can make fire. I'm not sure I could, though. Not around here. If I was confident I could then I would drop the mag fire starter in favor of a knife.

Alan Halcon · « **Reply #23 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:26:16 PM »

sorry Nicky, I should have said the Heel.

A knife good, but please don't assume you'll be able to start a fire with just a knife.

NickyTheHeel · « **Reply #24 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:29:46 PM »

2 seconds, Alan?

If this guy is saying to choose the mag fire starter then I am choosing the mag fire starter....

Alan Halcon · « **Reply #25 on:** February 22, 2009, 10:39:08 PM »

Yes, two seconds. However, I've had it fail me when it matters most... Not fun. The handdrill is the last resort, all else has failed, option. I own the skill but would never bet my life on it... too many variables.

...My choice, Road flare. I can go into a whole talk about why, but suffice to say, when fine motor skills are wasted from the cold I can still do the road flare.

Louisiana Suvivor · « **Reply #26 on:** February 23, 2009, 01:22:17 AM »

you're right. i'm sorry for making it out that anyone could make fire outta just a knife. i can't either but i can make the tools from the knife and wood to make flame. castaway style.

NickyTheHeel · « **Reply #27 on:** February 23, 2009, 01:24:49 AM »

Something we need to work on, I guess.

something_feral · « **Reply #28 on:** February 23, 2009, 02:27:20 AM »

Quote from: ColdSoul on February 22, 2009, 12:22:36 PM

It seems everyone is going to take some type of blade and mostly a firearm or other blade but what about boiling water? There is hundreds if not thousands of diseases that will either put you in very bad health or possibly kill you if you don't get your water to a "rolling boil" (that is all you need, no need to take it past that because once the water reaches a rolling boil as long as you let it cool it will be good to drink).

The main thing you have to keep in mind is the following:

1. You can live 3 minutes without air (but you can't exactly take air with you right?)
2. You can sometimes only live 3 hours without shelter (like if it's to cold, bad weather, etc)
3. You can live 3 days without water
4. You can live 3 weeks without food

So to me the most important 2 things to take would be the following

1. Cooking Pot (I have a big 3.5L one that works good for boiling up a good amount or water or cooking food)
2. My Khukri (it is good as a drawing knife, chopping (about 90% as good as a small axe), cleaning game and defense

ColdSoul, +1!

I have these in my BOB, and I love them to death. The Swiss military-surplus canteen holds about a quart, and the metal cup provides something to strain into and boil the water in.

Anecdote: last year, the power went out up here in the first week of January for a week due to hurricane-force winds destroying a lot of infrastructure (this is Kalifornia, and we're unprepared for everything as standard operating procedure). Our heat was electric, and I'm a renter, so I had no generator. I ended up cutting up a downed tree (5" diameter) with my kukri, and stayed reasonably warm using the erstwhile-defunct fireplace. I cannot recommend it highly enough; the thing's a beast, made from the leaf-spring of an old truck, and keeps a keen edge. I ordered mine through Khukuri House (good people, professional service).

Lastly, bring your wits; I cannot over-emphasize this.

Louisiana Suvivor · « **Reply #29 on:** February 23, 2009, 02:33:23 AM »

when i was in boy scouts we bet 5 bucks on who could get it done. three ppl got it outta like 10. i was the third one. it's pretty cool

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Author Topic: Which two tools would you take (Read 77557 times)