"Prepping" as a hobbie

[MrJim]

Both sides of my family are all gun owners, but I suspect ammo will be the issue if there is any type of real SHTF event. I would like to learn a bit about snares. My husband has an old bow that was handed down, but he does not use it and the last time I drug it out I made a complete fool of myself aiming at a hay bale. (I did hit it, but nowhere near where I meant to and it WAS NOT pretty to watch).

Ammo is an issue now and it's not a SHTF event~we'll be bartering .22 ammo like money someday methinks

Archery is a real skill and takes a lot of time and effort to learn. I never learned it, always thought a crossbow would be an easier approach and I think I've heard some states are allowing crossbows for hunting.

 

[ActionJ]

These are all great points~but they are not exactly compact and easy to carry in any situation like a handgun and the ammo is large and bulky. Different tools for different uses..I gotta get my hands on one soon though.

..and another benefit, a good shotgun is relatively inexpensive.

Great point! I'm a fan of the 30.06 rifle round but if I thought I had to flee into the wilderness for some reason I'd probably carry a .223 rifle and a lot more ammo. I'm also a fan of the .45 pistol but like the idea that a 9mm magazine carries a lot more rounds than a .45 does. So ... for conceal carry purposes, I like the 9mm due to it's smaller size and greater capacity.

 

[MrJim]

Spirko at survivalpodcast suggests a cheap and easy water storage system is reusing empty 2 liter soda bottles..clean, fill, put away. As long as the container is clean water does not "go bad".

 

[ActionJ]

Spirko at survivalpodcast suggests a cheap and easy water storage system is reusing empty 2 liter soda bottles..clean, fill, put away. As long as the container is clean water does not "go bad".

I've been thinking about getting some old, food-grade, plastic 55-gal drums and placing them under the rain down-spouts outside. The water wouldn't be drinkable right away but I could filter the water through my Berkey filters before using it for cooking or drinking.

Another poster was concerned about storing water in plastic containers for the long term because of the chemicals that could be leeched from the plastic but I couldn't think of another material that could used for water storage other than glass or steel. I was concerned about the weight of glass or steel. Plus, glass can break and steel can rust so I've come to the conclusion that plastic is the best solution.

 

[MrJim]

I've been thinking about getting some old, food-grade, plastic 55-gal drums and placing them under the rain down-spouts outside. The water wouldn't be drinkable right away but I could filter the water through my Berkey filters before using it for cooking or drinking.

Another poster was concerned about storing water in plastic containers for the long term because of the chemicals that could be leeched from the plastic but I couldn't think of another material that could used for water storage other than glass or steel. I was concerned about the weight of glass or steel. Plus, glass can break and steel can rust so I've come to the conclusion that plastic is the best solution.

He recommends soda bottles because the plastic is stronger to be resistant to the acids in soda than say milk or water bottles.

The water-catch is good, I know he recommends a "dump" off the initial runoff from the roof to clear the shingle residue/bird dirt out of the water...remember he had some kind of thing where so much water would fill then dump out opening a larger barrel to then begin filling. The Berkey would clean out the initial petroleum residue one would find seeping off a hot summer roof I suppose but probably better to avoid altogether?

 

[ActionJ]

He recommends soda bottles because the plastic is stronger to be resistant to the acids in soda than say milk or water bottles.

The water-catch is good, I know he recommends a "dump" off the initial runoff from the roof to clear the shingle residue/bird dirt out of the water...remember he had some kind of thing where so much water would fill then dump out opening a larger barrel to then begin filling. The Berkey would clean out the initial petroleum residue one would find seeping off a hot summer roof I suppose but probably better to avoid altogether?

I gotcha! There are different grades of plastic containers (some more trustworthy than others). I've noticed a numbering system on the bottom of various plastic containers:

I got the above chart from this site: Safe Plastics: A Chart of Safe Plastics, Health Risks, and Glutathione

There may be other sites with a more comprehensive expose` on these various plastics. For some reason, I had always believed that "1s" and "3s" were safe for water storage but I'm going to have to rethink that position based on the above information.

 

[BlueLioness]

We have a closet that is adjacent to our living room. I was shocked when father went to Wal Mart and bought a large, gray container that is bigger than me and then he went and bought so much canned food I couldn't count it and then he stuck all of that into the container, and shoved it into the closet! Now when I go in there, there is no place to move aorund!

I'll tell my dad that putting a lot of canned food into a container in a closet is impractical.

Right now he just doesn't know it.

 

[BlueLioness]

I gotcha! There are different grades of plastic containers (some more trustworthy than others). I've noticed a numbering system on the bottom of various plastic containers:

I got the above chart from this site: Safe Plastics: A Chart of Safe Plastics, Health Risks, and Glutathione

There may be other sites with a more comprehensive expose` on these various plastics. For some reason, I had always believed that "1s" and "3s" were safe for water storage but I'm going to have to rethink that position based on the above information.

Are you talking about the fact that chemicals can seep into the water from the material? It's not very healthy.

It's not healthy because if you consume these chemicals and they get into your bloodstream they can make you ill.

I'm aware of this; it's why I bought a BPA-free water bottle.

 

[ActionJ]

We have a closet that is adjacent to our living room. I was shocked when father went to Wal Mart and bought a large, gray container that is bigger than me and then he went and bought so much canned food I couldn't count it and then he stuck all of that into the container, and shoved it into the closet! Now when I go in there, there is no place to move aorund!

I'll tell my dad that putting a lot of canned food into a container in a closet is impractical.

Right now he just doesn't know it.

It's not a bad idea to store some food for a "rainy day" but I'm not too sure that store-bought, canned foods will have a very long shelf life. If your dad wants to go that route he needs to keep track of the purchase date and use the oldest cans first and rotate his stock by placing new cans in the back. I prefer freeze-dried foods that can have a shelf life of up to 30 years if properly stored (and depending on the type of food).

 

[ActionJ]

Are you talking about the fact that chemicals can seep into the water from the material? It's not very healthy.

It's not healthy because if you consume these chemicals and they get into your bloodstream they can make you ill.

I'm aware of this; it's why I bought a BPA-free water bottle.

I've always known that a certain amount of chemicals can seep into the foods or fluids stored in plastic containers but I had always heard the #1 and #3 plastics were perfectly safe. According to the chart above #1 plastic can have cancer-causing effects. Therefore, I will probably seek out #3 plastic containers in the future because it appears that there is less risk.

 

[MrJim]

Favorite knives~preferred brands?

I own Ka-Bar, Gerber, Cold Steel, and SOG knives. I have an affinity towards "sharp" things though I detest cheap stuff so I don't have a lot of knives but probably more than the average guy. I always have a knife with me even if it is my old Gerber "beater" folder.

 

[ActionJ]

Favorite knives~preferred brands?

I own Ka-Bar, Gerber, Cold Steel, and SOG knives. I have an affinity towards "sharp" things though I detest cheap stuff so I don't have a lot of knives but probably more than the average guy. I always have a knife with me even if it is my old Gerber "beater" folder.

A good knife is simply a MUST for a prepper but it should also be a must for the average, blue collar dude (or dudette). I carry two knives with me every, single day of my life. As my EDC (every day carry) I carry a Spyderco Stretch. It's very lightweight, non-bulky, and well built (blade alloy is a high carbon ZDP-189 steel):

and a Swiss Army multi-tool w/nail clipper on my keyring:

I actually use the small, keyring tool kit more than any of my 250 knives (give or take).

 

[MrJim]

Spyderco is one I've not gotten yet but only hear good things about it. It is suprising how many guys don't even carry a pocket knife anymore, I think it is because of public school not allowing + the sedentary indoor lifestyle.

 

[ActionJ]

Spyderco is one I've not gotten yet but only hear good things about it. It is suprising how many guys don't even carry a pocket knife anymore, I think it is because of public school not allowing + the sedentary indoor lifestyle.

I've never been a great fan of the Spyderco blade style but it has turned out to be very useful. I've carried a number of knives over the years but I like the lightweight, composite handle and slim design of my current carry. It's well balanced. My company won't allow me to carry my Buck 110 on my belt and it's a bit too heavy for my pocket.

Yeah ... who needs to be a do-it-yourself man these days when "big brother" government is watching over us and "protecting" us (from ourselves). :o

 

[MrJim]

I've never been a great fan of the Spyderco blade style but it has turned out to be very useful. I've carried a number of knives over the years but I like the lightweight, composite handle and slim design of my current carry. It's well balanced. My company won't allow me to carry my Buck 110 on my belt and it's a bit too heavy for my pocket.

Yeah ... who needs to be a do-it-yourself man these days when "big brother" government is watching over us and "protecting" us (from ourselves). :o

Yeah that's the world we live in...

I use a Lansky sharpening system, maybe 10 years now, pretty happy with it. Also ceramic crock sticks and strop.

 

[ActionJ]

Are you talking about the fact that chemicals can seep into the water from the material? It's not very healthy.

It's not healthy because if you consume these chemicals and they get into your bloodstream they can make you ill.

I'm aware of this; it's why I bought a BPA-free water bottle.

Agreed. I use glass when possible but it's not always practical in bulk quantities. Some plastics are downright bad for water storage. I don't believe any plastic is 100% safe but some are much better than others.

 

[ActionJ]

Somebody recently started sending the link to the following site to my personal email address. At first I thought it was just more spam but it has turned out to be a really cool site. Lot's of interesting, new innovations and news stories about preparedness:

All Outdoor

I'd like to get my hands on this "Little Badger" rifle just to say that I have one:

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2013/06/1...ent=2013-06-26&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter

 

[Lollerskates]

You guys, its good that you are "prepping" for TEOTWAWKI, but keep some things in mind.

Using precious metals to barter - like silver, gold, or platinum? What is to stop the person you are bartering with to just point a gun at you, and demand everything you have, including barter price?

Saving up on food/canned goods/classical canned (in mason jars)? While it is paramount to prepare, be weary that you can save up on food for TEOTWAWKI, only to get sick and possibly die of hepatitis A.

Have you strategically placed your "prep" items in certain places? Be cognizant of where these things are placed. If, say, an earthquake happens while you are at work, it will be hard to get to your hard-worked-for "prepper" items. Unpredictable relocation and dislocation may make caches of prepper items useless, depending on the circumstances.

Who do you trust? In a time when the world (as we know it) is ending, human emotions tend to trend on extremes. Neighbors that once were considered friends may be formidable enemies when the desperation of survival kicks in. Likewise, enemies could show themselves to be great assets.

Mental prepping is the most important. The possibility of living in the wilderness, or the trauma of family/friends turning against you for the sake of survival can be heavy on the mind and spirit. Moreover, corralling one's lusts and vices are necessary for survival. There is a story of Jewish refugees during Nazi Germany that lived in the forest for a long while, but the lust for truffles (and seeking them out where soldiers were stationed) by two of the lot eventually got them found. Forget your want for a juicy porterhouse steak, or a warm scotch, or a cigarette...



Luckily for the majority on this thread, we are Christian. So, we know most of this stuff stated above anyway (especially concerning wants, and discerning character.) But, we are also human. While we are getting carpal tunnel syndrome talking about what we are doing to prepare, we are afforded the luxury of doing just that. So many variables will be introduced to test us if/when an asteroid collision, super quake, hypercane, nooklear, etc. befalls us. Take care all. Trust God (easier said than done, but not really.)

 

[ActionJ]

Great points, Lollerskates. It's likely that each of us will be challenged with specific and unique and unforeseen circumstances should an emergency scenario occur in our lifetime. Something will probably happen that we weren't prepared for or that we were ill-prepared for. The best, bottom-line advice of all is that we need to trust in Christ in all situations.

 

[MrJim]

Somebody recently started sending the link to the following site to my personal email address. At first I thought it was just more spam but it has turned out to be a really cool site. Lot's of interesting, new innovations and news stories about preparedness:

All Outdoor

I'd like to get my hands on this "Little Badger" rifle just to say that I have one:

The secret of Little Badger’s popularity | All Outdoor

Looks like someone made a Handi-Rifle "tacticool"