What have you done this week to prep? PART II

[teddy12b]

I've always thought a fair supply of whiskey was a good idea for many reasons outside of medicinal purposes. It might rent some friends for a few hours.

A debate with a few friends; Jim, Old No.7, Maker's, Jameson, Glenlivet, ???? Would anything work in a pinch? I certainly won't be buying any Pappy Van Winkle anytime soon!

Everclear doubles as a fuel for a camp stove too if you get really desperate. There's a time and a place for everything.

 

[apache67]

I stocked up on about 200 flints and a bunch of wicks for my Zippos. Since they will run on multiple fuels, I always keep a few of them around.

 

[churchmouse]

Everclear doubles as a fuel for a camp stove too if you get really desperate. There's a time and a place for everything.

And it cuts down. Way down and will stretch out a ways.

 

[Usmccookie]

I stocked up on about 200 flints and a bunch of wicks for my Zippos. Since they will run on multiple fuels, I always keep a few of them around.

Just fuel for discussion.
I prefer bic lighters over zippos.
The whole multiple fuel thing is great, but from personal experience I've learned 2 things.

1.Most fuels in a zippo evaporate to quickly to use more than once or twice without refilling. This to me seems like extra maintenance, as well as extra gear top store or acquire.

2. Bic lighters, in my experience last forever, are more weather resistant, plentiful, cheaper, and well easier to maintain. For the price of a zippo, and enough fluid to last as long as a single bic, you could buy a score of bics to last you a lifetime, provided you don't lose them.

Once again just my thoughts. Zippos do get cool points. I still have the zippo I was gifted by a marine buddy 8 years ago. I have stopped using it as a bic has been easier for me. (Recently quit smoking) I have had the same 3 bics since 2012-2014. All still work great.

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Just fuel for discussion.
I prefer bic lighters over zippos.
The whole multiple fuel thing is great, but from personal experience I've learned 2 things.

1.Most fuels in a zippo evaporate to quickly to use more than once or twice without refilling. This to me seems like extra maintenance, as well as extra gear top store or acquire.

2. Bic lighters, in my experience last forever, are more weather resistant, plentiful, cheaper, and well easier to maintain. For the price of a zippo, and enough fluid to last as long as a single bic, you could buy a score of bics to last you a lifetime, provided you don't lose them.

Once again just my thoughts. Zippos do get cool points. I still have the zippo I was gifted by a marine buddy 8 years ago. I have stopped using it as a bic has been easier for me. (Recently quit smoking) I have had the same 3 bics since 2012-2014. All still work great.

Just to throw it out there as well...I can't count the number of times I've been out camping and heard someone asking around for a lighter. I would guess almost every time I've been in a campground somewhere.

A multipack of disposable lighters (even the cheap ones) stores easily and makes great trade goods. Maybe even one of the best trade goods next to food IMHO.

 

[churchmouse]

Just to throw it out there as well...I can't count the number of times I've been out camping and heard someone asking around for a lighter. I would guess almost every time I've been in a campground somewhere.

A multipack of disposable lighters (even the cheap ones) stores easily and makes great trade goods. Maybe even one of the best trade goods next to food IMHO.

Wooden matches. They are cheap. They store well if you take a moment and use a good freezer ziplock baggie or even double up a sandwich baggie. hey are indispensable in a crisis. We have multiples in our gear along with the stove/campfire lighters.

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Wooden matches. They are cheap. They store well if you take a moment and use a good freezer ziplock baggie or even double up a sandwich baggie. hey are indispensable in a crisis. We have multiples in our gear along with the stove/campfire lighters.

Years ago when Ohio Blue Tips were announced to be going away some good friends of mine stocked up. They gifted me a whole bunch in waterproof containers. I will hold onto them until some day someone will say, "Hey! Look at these little sticks with the funny ends, I wonder what they're for!"

Layers my friends. With hopes I never have to dig that deep.

It is funny this has come up. The young man I am currently mentoring had disposable lighters on the shopping list I made for him.



If you want to go back to the battery discussion, are there any recommended brands for deep-cycle marine batteries? I'm probably going to take this up again after property taxes are paid this spring.

 

[dudley0]

Wooden matches. They are cheap. They store well if you take a moment and use a good freezer ziplock baggie or even double up a sandwich baggie. hey are indispensable in a crisis. We have multiples in our gear along with the stove/campfire lighters.

If they are just being stored I keep matches around. If I am putting them in my go bag I have to put them in a hard container or all the movement ruins them it seems. I have a BIC in my GHB and it still has fuel in it. I have it in a separate area where it stays upright and doesn't have anything pressing on the top of it. It still gets jostled around, but has lasted for years.

Had a big box or wooden matches that went bad because I put them in a cheap plastic zip lock that didn't stay sealed. They drew moisture and the heads crumbled when I tried to use them. That was my bad tho.

 

[churchmouse]

If they are just being stored I keep matches around. If I am putting them in my go bag I have to put them in a hard container or all the movement ruins them it seems. I have a BIC in my GHB and it still has fuel in it. I have it in a separate area where it stays upright and doesn't have anything pressing on the top of it. It still gets jostled around, but has lasted for years.

Had a big box or wooden matches that went bad because I put them in a cheap plastic zip lock that didn't stay sealed. They drew moisture and the heads crumbled when I tried to use them. That was my bad tho.

That's why I mentioned a freezer rated bag or double up on the cheaper version. The hard case is a great idea.

 

[dudley0]

How did we survive before zip lock type baggies?

The wife will use a big freezer bag for food and then toss it. If it isn't messy I keep them for storing stuff either at the jobsite or in the stores room. Re-purposing is a good thing.

 

[Ballstater98]

How did we survive before zip lock type baggies?

The wife will use a big freezer bag for food and then toss it. If it isn't messy I keep them for storing stuff either at the jobsite or in the stores room. Re-purposing is a good thing.

Tupperware & reused butter containers with lids

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

How did we survive before zip lock type baggies?

The lettuce rotted, your carrots spilled all over the crisper drawer and your cheese dried out.

Tupperware?

I've only been prepping for about 15 years. There has always been Ziploc baggies.

 

[dudley0]

Tupperware & reused butter containers with lids

I was buying slaw and potato salad from Meijer specifically so I could re-use the containers. They are sturdy, lids stay tight and different sizes help out. I grabbed a bunch of them for work one day and separated my pex fittings. Now they are all in a tote and easier to find.

Just one example.

 

[teddy12b]

Regarding fire I used to smoke years ago, and I preferred the mini bic lighters. For whatever reason they put out a bigger flame and I learned this well as a young man lighting cigarettes in sandstorms. Zippos are cool, and they're always going to be cool, but I'll take a hard pass on using them in any kind of a backwoods remote wilderness shtf whatever thing. They just run out of fluid too fast and I don't feel like I can count on them not to leak out. A fix to this is the exotac titan lighter which has o-rings and that is everything the zippo should have been. The titan lighter is bombproof and I love that especially winter with sketchy materials for making a fire. I'm not really a match guy unless it's the all weather type just because they burn long enough that they are a source of kindling. If you guys haven't alreadyd got ferro rods on hand I'd buy a few. Even the cheap ones will last thousands of strikes and when you combine that with fatwood you've got something lightweight, reliable, waterproof, and a great combination for any kind of fire.

My go-to for backpacking is a more light my fire knife with the ferro rod in the handle, with 3 or 4 sticks of fatwood. The knife with sheath is under 4 ounces, and with the fatwood it's an exceptionally inexpensive way to get fires started anytime anywhere. Check this video out if you haven't seen it already: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_45TSRy0jE

 

[cbhausen]

I found this nifty little Sterno camp stove for $20 at Meijer:

https://www.sternopro.com/inferno-stove-kit.html

Also this for $30. Built like a tank and really lights up a dark room:

Virtually Indestructible LED Lantern, 600 Lumen Camping Lantern & Flashlight | Rayovac ®

Basic prep gear, cheap and easy.

 

[2in1evtime]

my flint and steel, and bow drill have never failed me, i am the thing that runs out of juice sometimes

 

[churchmouse]

I found this nifty little Sterno camp stove for $20 at Meijer:

https://www.sternopro.com/inferno-stove-kit.html

Also this for $30. Built like a tank and really lights up a dark room:

Virtually Indestructible LED Lantern, 600 Lumen Camping Lantern & Flashlight | Rayovac ®

Basic prep gear, cheap and easy.

Pretty slick.

 

[Leadeye]

I remember buying a case of Sterno cans at Costco when we lived up north. Seemed like a good prep investment, but we used them up entertaining over the years.

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Not a great day for shooting Saturday so I stayed inside and sanitized/refreshed my 30 day water storage. The whole house smelled like chlorine.

Just a PSA: Different brands of bleach use different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite. I had a bottle of Great Value at 2.75% and when I looked at the Clorox it was 8.25% or something like that. Just a suggestion to check the label, I didn't know there was such a big difference.

I also had some N95 dust masks out in the garage that I brought into the house and added to my "emergency box". I also dug out an old respirator I was issued from work several years ago.

Time to buy some new filters, some goggles, and maybe a Tyvek jumpsuit. I haven't decided yet if that is going too far or not.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Not a great day for shooting Saturday so I stayed inside and sanitized/refreshed my 30 day water storage. The whole house smelled like chlorine.

Just a PSA: Different brands of bleach use different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite. I had a bottle of Great Value at 2.75% and when I looked at the Clorox it was 8.25% or something like that. Just a suggestion to check the label, I didn't know there was such a big difference.

I also had some N95 dust masks out in the garage that I brought into the house and added to my "emergency box". I also dug out an old respirator I was issued from work several years ago.

Time to buy some new filters, some goggles, and maybe a Tyvek jumpsuit. I haven't decided yet if that is going too far or not.

If they even list the concentration. I found that many generic brands dont even bother telling you how much active ingredient is in the bottle.