Some good information on setting up a CAT tourniquet for use

from over at Blue Collar Prepping

Those 78 skills

With an asterisk behind those I can do/have done, a question mark behind those I'm iffy on.  I'm not counting anything where I have some idea but have never actually done it.

1. Drive a stick shift  *
2. Swim  I
3. Start a fire without matches or a lighter  *
4. Build a garden  *
5. Use herbal remedies  ?
6. Produce beer/wine
7. Build your local community
8. Tan leather   *
9. Cure/smoke meat  
10. Make soap  
11. Construct animal/fish traps   *
12. Make activated charcoal
13. Survive hypothermia   *
14. Properly load a backpack   ?
15. Conduct basic repairs (home, auto, equipment, etc.)   *
16. Operate a ham radio
17. Defend yourself without a weapon   *
18. Identify surveillance
19. Build a rainwater collection system  
20. Weld   *
21. Accurately fire an arrow   ?
22. Dehydrate food  *
23. Construct snowshoes   *
24. Build a raft with a tarp
25. Navigate using the stars
26. Right an overturned raft
27. Build with stone/brick (basic masonry)   *
28. Cut down a  tree with an ax   *
29. Forage for food   ?
30. Sew and/or make clothing   *
31. Pilot a boat   ?
32. Shoot a firearm accurately   *
33. Find water   ?
34. Utilize camouflage
35. Construct a pond
36. Can food   ?
37. Ski
38. Dig a latrine   *
39. Build with wood (basic carpentry)   *
40. Determine authenticity of gold and silver
41. Rappel   ?
42. Follow a trail/tracking   ?
43. Use less-lethal weapons (baton, stun gun, pepper spray, etc.)   ?
44. Metal working (blacksmith)   *
45. Lose a tail
46. Operate power tools   *
47. Construct a splint   ?
48. Open a can without a can opener
49. Drive a motorcycle   *
50. Construct a net   ?
51. Identify animals by tracks and/or scat   ?
52. Patch a tire   *
53. Reload ammunition   *
54. Build a bow and arrow   ?
55. Administer first aid   *?
56. Identify venomous snakes   *
57. Accurately fire a slingshot   ?
58. Make candles
59. Raise fish (for food)
60. Distill water/alcohol
61. Hot wire a car
62. Cook without a stove   *
63. Survive heat injuries
64. Raise livestock
65. Find tinder   *
66. Create fertile soil   *
67. Make charcloth   *
68. Properly store food   ?
69. Survive a riot   ?
70. Sharpen a knife   *
71. Butcher livestock   ?
72. Purify water   *
73. Make leather products (sheathes, holsters, boots, etc.)   *
74. Hunt and fish   *
75. Cast bullets   *
76. Maintain a bee hive
77. Use hand tools   *
78. Tie a knot   *

That's a LOT more than I expected to find even counting the 'iffy' ones.  Speaking of which:
I remember some bits & pieces about herbal stuff; I need to read up on that.
Been a looong time since I did any backpacking, need to brush up on that.
Used to be a decent archer; between time/location/joint problems, WAY out of practice.
Foraging and boat piloting I've done, but again, badly out of practice.
Number of things I've done/been part of, but long enough ago I have a lot of holes in my knowledge of, and need to brush up on.  Especially first-aid, though I have tried to stay caught-up on some things there; more reading in my future.

Having taken counsel of CarteachO

and bought one of these lanterns, I'm happy to report
It works as advertised, and
I haven't had to use it for real as yet.

It has a single button control: hit it once it's on bright, twice on low(damn sure can't call it 'dim').  The diffuser does a very good job of giving even, non-glare light, and using LEDs the reports of battery life are very good.  Can't say I'm looking forward to needing it, but it's very comforting to have sources of light like this available.


I've been using PDB's home-mix CLP for my cleaning, and it seems to work quite well.


AG Holder: "We won't spy on you the same way anymore, but don't quote me on that."


It appears I can scratch Staples off the list of places I buy from.

We’re sorry, but your small business entry into the Staples PUSH It Forward Contest has been rejected* for the following reason(s):

Entry contains content that promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing); promotes any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous; promotes any particular political agenda or message; is obscene or offensive; or endorses any form of hate or hate group.

Ok, so screw Staples, there's a lot of other places to buy stuff from.

More wonders from Californicated, first on Obamacare:

But the data that Lee released tells a different story: Obamacare, in fact, will increase individual-market premiums in California by as much as 146 percent.

and then on screwing gun owners(this is just ONE of the pieces of crap):

Californians who want to buy ammunition would have to submit personal information and a $50 fee for a background check by the state, under a bill passed by the Senate. The state Department of Justice would determine whether buyers have a criminal record, severe mental illness or a restraining order that would disqualify them from owning guns.
Ammo shops would check the name on buyers' driver's licenses against a state list of qualified purchasers.
The goal of the bill is "to ensure that criminals and other dangerous individuals cannot purchase ammunition in the state of California," said Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles), author of SB 53.
Yeah.  Because criminals NEVER obtain ammo illegally...

Speaking of ammo, I have bullets to size & lube if I can get the other stuff out of the way today.  Catch you later.

Emergency/survival notes: saw test

Yeah, I mean those wire saws that come in versions ranging from 'cheap piece of crap that can't pop a balloon' to 'can be used to cut through jail bars' (like the one Chuck Yeager used) quality. There's a gun show this weekend and Dad came up for it. While there ran across a table carrying these:
That's right, it's Commando! and everything! In any case...
No visible teeth to it, it's a braided-wire saw
hooked to two big rings using heavy swivels. Doesn't feel very sharp, so wasn't sure how well it'd work. So, to the yard.

I've got a piece of oak pruned from a tree, about 1.5" diameter and thoroughly seasoned, hard as hell. So clamped it in the vise
hooked my thumbs through the rings and started sawing. It took about three minutes(yes, I forgot to find my watch to time it accurately) to cut through by this method; hooking it to a flexed piece of branch to make a bow saw would probably work a bit faster, but it did indeed slice through.

Second test, had a piece of 1x2 handy, which is a fairly soft wood, and tried it; took maybe 30 seconds to slice through.

So this appears to be a pretty good quality saw for cutting wood, and will coil up small enough to make for easy packing/storage. After I regain strength I'll try to find a piece of metal more suitable for a test than most of what I've got out back and give that a try.


Added: Mattexian noted in comments that it's best to use a branch to make it a bow saw: flex the branch and hook the loops at the ends. In fact, the back of the package shows just that; didn't have anything immediately available that fit the bill so did it the quick & dirty way

Emergency/survival notes: firestarter test

Not long ago I linked to a method of storing/carrying the cotton ball/petroleum jelly firestarters I hadn't seen before: fire straws. Very good idea, and I made some up to try.

And today I remembered to actually take one out and actually try it, using a magnesium block/striker to light it.
First thing: you need something with an edge to cut it open(ever tried to twist a straw apart?) You might be able to beat one between two rocks to shear it open, I'll try that later.
Second: I'd had this one
sitting around for a while, including in a hot area; no leakage of the jelly. I nipped it open in the middle and just pulled one side partway out, stubbed it like I was putting out a cigarette to fluff it a bit, and hit it with sparks; lit right off.
I was curious as to how it'd continue; as it burned the straw melted/burned along the top and the cotton continued burning nicely.

I forgot my watch so no exact time; I'd say this had been burning for about three minutes when I put it out. Three minutes of heat to light your tinder or kindling... that's enough to dry out damp stuff and get it started.

Range first-aid kit

Got one? Want one? I've got a kit that stays in the truck, but it's a bit inadequate for something like that video displays; Robb has a post asking for information, and there's some good stuff in it.
(link fixed)

Lessons learned

On my part, anyway.
Specifically, 'get out of the way' prep in the event of, oh, some of those twirly windstorms that are dancing* around today and tonight.

I keep a 'get home' pack in the truck, and it also has the emergency stuff(first-aid kit, axe, rope, etc.); but watching the weather situation deteriorate and thinking about if needed to saddle up and go, some things came to mind: the Security Staff.
I knew where the leashes were, but it took a bit to find their collars(if I leave them on when they're in the yard, they pull them off each other and eat them. Literally.) And, just to be on the safe side, added a couple of bottles of water.

Food? Need to either have a large jug I can fill up, or a small bag to leave sealed(in the case of having to bug out on other matters I plan on taking the container with ALL their food).

Couple of other things came to mind, jtbotss, and I got them either loaded or ready to load. Having the lead time we did, I'd have been able to throw the last few in, grab the dogs and go. I'm making a list to do some thinking on. In the case of weather like this I'll either be able to come back later that day or- worst case- find new accomodations while rebuilding; I need a better prepared 'go' plan for the 'can come back later' situations.


*with spike-soled boots

Because I'm both sick of politics and very tired, (added info)

I present another episode of 'Survival Tips from IITF'.

In this case, fire starting. Something that'll store well, light easily and burn long enough to get damp small kindling started. Get yourself the following items:
Cotton balls(COTTON, no synthetics)
Petroleum jelly
Take a cotton ball. Get a good blob of jelly in a finger, smoosh it into the cotton ball and work it in. Get another ball and repeat.

That's it. Especially after it's sat a while, just touch a match to it and it's off. Matter of fact, know those fire starters you scrape with something sharp and they throw a shower of sparks? Those will ignite them, too. They burn smoky, but long enough to get small kindling started. And you can put a bunch of them in a baggie to store in the pack/toolbox/whatever. Few years back daughter was going on a campout with some friends and made up a few to take along, just in case. It rained- a lot- that weekend, and she said the only way they could get a fire going was with these.

I'll throw in that a while back I bought a package of those round cotton makeup-remover pads at the dollar store and tried this with them; wiped the jelly into the fuzzy side and folded it in half. Opened up, the sparker lit one right off.

Yes, I know some of you already know this, but SOMEBODY out there doesn't.

Added: Thanks to Bob, a very good idea: fire straws