Since this was the first time in a LONG time that I had a job that did not find it essential to be in during disasters my family decided to have fun in the snow.
The easiest way to do that and still secretly teach WT some skills was to build a snow igloo.
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It did not take much to build besides a shovel, a 5 gallon bucket, and a lot of snow. Basically all we did was shovel snow into a bucket and lightly tamp it down just like making a sandcastle.
We then upended the bucket and let the snow block slide out.
We just used the blocks to form a toddle appropriate circle and then made a new row placing the new blocks in the center of 2 bottom blocks – just like doing any masonry work.
The trick was to slightly bow inward as we worked so that the blocks formed a roof. It was not that doing that was hard, but WT wanted to kick at his fort because when the block broke he had ready made snowballs.
We used forms for the doors and windows and placed snow around the forms – removing them when the igloo was finished.
In trouble areas I packed in loose snow and rubber it with my hand to smooth it and slightly melt it so ice held the blocks together.
All in all we had a lot of fun and I think the boy learned something cool.
I like mixing traditional survival skills and technology with the science and technology of modern times. While there are many modern ways to light fire, being able to use flint and steel or other older tech has its uses.
Char cloth is a traditional tender that you can make yourself – it’s basically just cloth charcoal…
In order to make it you will need a tin of some sort it just has closeable lid that is relatively airtight
When you get your tin (I used an Altoids container) you need to punch a small hole in the top with a small nail
Procedure to Make Char Cloth
Cut the cloth (100% natural cloth – no plastic like nylon or polyester) in squares and layer them in the can – it is important not to pack them in too tightly.
Light a small fire and set the can over the coals. You will soon see smoke billowing out of the can, this is expected. When there is no more smoke coming out take it out of the fire, but DO NOT open the lid off right away. If air hits the carbonized cloth while it is hot oof the fire, it may burst into flames.
Remove the lid
If your cloth looks brown you did not cook it enough – put it back and start over
If it crumbles when you touch it, then you over cooked it and you need to try again.
If it is black, soft, and somewhat pliable then you did a good job.
Any kind of spark will cause it glow red with a hot ember, which will allow you to add tinder, blow on the spark, and light a fire.
Being a DIY Prepper involves learning multi-disciplines, and while I believe living off the land in a wilderness setting is a unrealistic TEOTWAWKI plan, I still think everyone should have basic wilderness survival skill. One outdoor skill everyone should possess is the ability to make fire. This is one skill that redundancy is especially useful. Today we are going to show how to use steel wool to show how to light a fire with a battery. Once the basics are understood this process is repeatable with almost an unlimited variety of batteries. Theoretically, it can even be done remote controlled.
All you need to do is to take a piece of fine steel wool – the finer the better (I use 0000 grade), pull it apart a little to separate a few threads. Then to light it, take the steel wool threads and short circuit a battery by connecting the wool to both battery terminals. Be careful because the steel will immediately turn red hot. Blow on it a little and it will burst into flame. You can make it even more effective by mixing in a little dryer lint.
Once you have done it with a 9 volt battery and see how easy it is, you can take the back off a flashlight, turn it on and use the battery and the metal flashlight case to do the same thing. As you can see from the video you can even do it with a cell phone battery.
How does it work?
The basic principle is that there is more electrical current that wants to flowing through the fibers, than the fibers can handle – the resistance to the current causes the wool to get hot. If the steel wool is not fine enough, the electricity will just flow through it. This will drain your battery without giving you the heat. If this is the case, increase the current.
Another factor is the total voltage that is applied to the strands. The higher the voltage, the hotter the wires will get. (The relationship between current and voltage is linear – double the voltage, to get twice the current.) This means, the more cells that you run in “series” the hotter the wires will get.
First of all, before I show you how to make portable PVC fishing gear I want to rant about prepper plans that are not as smart as many think.
Generally speaking, I think that for the VAST majority of preppers, having a “mountain man plan” of bugging out to the wilderness and living off the land is a dangerous fallacy.
In fact, there simply isn’t enough land to support everyone that has the skills to do so. Additionally, many individuals even think they have the skill level but don’t.
Although this may be true, it does not mean I don’t think that a well-rounded prepper should not have wilderness survival skills and equipment. Nor do I think that practicing outdoor skills is not fun and useful in its own right.
Consequently, I am looking forward to teaching Tell about outdoor living as he grows into manhood.
In the meantime, I want to share a outdoor living DIY tool. It is a PVC fishing setup that takes up very little space in a pack, and is pretty versatile if you have the skill to use it.
Alternatively, if you really want a sturdy line, you can use braided fishing line.
How to Make PVC Fishing Gear
Parts
3/4-inch MIP PVC plug
1 inch diameter schedule 40 PVC pipe (12-inch piece)
1 inch diameter PVC cap
18 inches black parachute cord
1 roll athletic tape
80 feet 3- to 10-pound-test fishing line
2 thick 1-inch-diameter rubber bands
3 of your favorite fishing lures
6 size-10 fishing hooks
8 size-5 split-shot weights
Black spray paint (optional)
Hacksaw
Drill with 1/4-inch bit
Procedure
If you’d like to have a black fishing pole, paint all of the PVC parts now. Let them dry near a heat source for an hour, or overnight at room temperature.
First, insert the ¾ inch MIP PVC plug into one end of the PVC pipe.
Next, cut a ½-inch-long slit into one side of the cap. Make the slit twice as wide as the saw blade is thick.
After that, drill a ¼-inch hole through the top of the cap.
Tie the ends of the parachute cord in an overhand knot and thread the other end of the resulting loop through the hole in the cap.
At the open end, cut a ½ inch long slit into the side of the pipe.
Put the cap on the pipe. Starting ¼- inch from the base of the cap, wrap 4 inches of pipe with athletic tape.
Cut a 1⁄16 inch deep groove across the pipe 4 inches from the plugged end. Do not cut through to the inside of the pipe.
Tie a clinch knot into the end of the fishing line. Make sure the line rests in the slit, and pull the knot tight.
Pull the fishing line toward the plugged end and wrap a 3-inch piece of tape around the pipe to cover the knot. This will not only hold the knot in place but also ensure that the line doesn’t snag on the knot when cast.
Wrap about 80 feet of fishing line around this piece of tape. Don’t cut the line yet. Just cover the wraps with the rubber band to hold them in place.
Using a clinch knot, tie your favorite lure to the end of the line.
Add Lures:
The inside of the tube is now your tackle box. Fill it with extra hooks, split shot, lures, and bobbers. You can even put a pocketknife in there.
Finally, put your newly tied lure into the pipe as well. Capture the fishing line in the gap formed by the slits in the cap and pipe. This gap will prevent the line from getting kinked and weakened.
Now you have a highly portable rod and tackle box.
To Use:
First of all, take off the cap and pull out the tied lure. Replace the cap and remove the rubber band.
Next, pull 3 feet of line off the spool and hold the rest of it on with your thumb. Swing the lure over your head in a counterclockwise motion. When you’ve got it swinging as fast as you can, whip the lure toward the water and take your thumb off the spool.
Finally, slowly wrap the line around the pipe to reel it in. When you feel the fish bite, give the line a quick jerk to set the hook and reel it in.
I like having some portable fishing gear in my kit but its not as efficient as using normal fishing gear. Plus I miss not having my electronic fish finder.
If you have pictures of you using such a piece of equipment send them to me, and I will post them here…
Since it can be slipped to tighten or loosen a line, and it also holds well under load, it is a great not for camping.
This makes it useful for lines that may need adjustment.
I learned it in the boy scouts and use it to tie tent and tarps to stakes, because it slides freely, yet jams under load, which makes adjustments easy.
Tying a Tautline Hitch
Make a turn around a post or other object several feet from the free end.
Coil the free end twice around the standing line working back toward the post.
Make one additional coil around the standing line on the outside of the coils just made.
Tighten the knot and slide it on the standing line to adjust tension.
The taut line hitch was the first knot I learned in the Boy Scouts (but I already knew the square knot from my dad). This knot is perfect for guy lines on tarps and tents.
I can think of 8 taut line hitch knots being used semi-permanently at the land – tying down the tarp at my campsite, and trying down a tarp on the back of the shed.
I like mixing traditional survival skills and technology with the science and technology of modern times. While there are many modern ways to light fire, being able to use flint and steel or other older tech has its uses.
Being a DIY Prepper involves learning multi-disciplines, and while I believe living off the land in a wilderness setting is a unrealistic TEOTWAWKI plan, I still think everyone should have basic wilderness survival skill. One outdoor skill everyone should possess is the 
Today’s knot is the Taut Line Hitch.