When looking at survival gear, a good Firestarter tool should be at the top of the list. Being able to start a fire can save your life during a survival situation. You can use the fire to keep away bugs and predators, boil water, cook food, and stay warm. However, you can’t always carry around lighter fluid and a lighter.
We found a survival fire starter kit that is small enough to keep in the glove box of your vehicle, and is light enough to haul in your bug out bag. Better yet? It is a name we trust for great quality: Gerber.
The Firestarter Tool We Like the Most
Since 1939, Gerber has masterfully hand-crafted knives, tools, and equipment, in the Portland, Oregon facility – pioneering an industry and honoring a heritage. Local ingenuity and American spirit collide within these walls – where iconic products are born, tested, and shipped worldwide.
What is the best fire starter tool?
A simple firestarter tool can start fires even in damp, unfavorable conditions. A firestarter works by running a metal striker over a ferrocerium rod, creating sparks. These sparks will not only dry out damper wood, but ignite dry wood. This is important is you have ever had to try to camp when the ground is wet.
These are better than a firestarter brick, firestarter cubes, firestarter nuggets, and even paracord – which doesn’t really do a good job of starting any kind of campfire.
Just check out this video on how paracord doesn’t really work well:
The Gerber Bear Grylls Firestarter is one of the best firestarters on the market, especially for the price. The Gerber firestarter comes in a compact, waterproof container that pulls apart into the striker and rod.
The rod has a black coating that has to be scratched off before any good sparks will fly. The first few strikes won’t produce very good sparks, but once it’s been broken in, it will give off consistent, powerful sparks.
That is important to know as many people never take the time to scratch it off and when they have to put it to the test? It doesn’t work correctly. Take the time to make sure your tools are really ready for their intended use.
To use this firestarter tool, firmly place the sharp end of the striker against the rod. Then, quickly pull the rod towards you. This should give off a nice spark after a few tries.
The kit also actually has instructions for signaling for help. It includes the Morse code for SOS, the Alpine rescue signal, and hand signals to signal for air help. The SOS and Alpine rescue signals can be done with the loud rescue whistle on the lanyard. It is right on the handle of the tool!
The SOS signal is 3 short bursts of the whistle, 3 long bursts, and then 3 short bursts. Allow around a minute for a response, and then send the signal out again. The Alpine rescue signal is to be used in the event of mountain emergencies and consists of six bursts, all with 10 seconds in between them.
After the signal, allow a minute for a response. A response will sound like 3 bursts, and should mean that they’re contacting rescue services for help. Inside the end of one of the handles is a waterproof compartment for tinder, with a cotton ball already inside.
I know it seems funny, but the sound of a whistle can carry a lot further than the sound of a human voice AND it can’t go hoarse from overuse.
Now, let’s talk tinder. You can fill the rest of that bag with whatever tinder you choose to pack, though cotton balls are a great tinder. Optionally, you can rub some petroleum jelly on a cotton ball, which will make it burn longer and hotter. I keep those in a ziploc baggie so it doesn’t mess up the rest of the items in the the glove box and emergency bug out bag kit.
When starting a fire, the sparks should land on the tinder, and once the fire starts, you should pile on kindling to keep the fire going, and eventually larger pieces of wood to burn as fuel.
I know that might not be practical in a real emergency situation. You may find yourself with a paracord animal snare and roasting a fresh rabbit over the fire, or just boiling water to pour over your MRE.
Whatever you end up eating, having a great fire is the important thing. And with a good firestarter tool, you should be ready to go!
Best Prepper Books Worth Purchasing? A lot of people believe books are going out of fashion but that by itself is a lie. There are some amazing books out there that are worth the purchase and will leave you wanting to get another. One way to find interesting books is to align your search with your interest – what you love the most.
If no other time is best to search out some amazing books, now is, especially if you are locked in and need something to occupy your time. Don’t know where to start?
Best Prepper Books Worth Purchasing
We have found a few that you might love and would be interested in checking out…as you can’t always access the internet for answers during an emergency situation. That is why we came up with this best prepper books list.
The Nurses Handbook
This book presents you with some of the best nursing guidelines you would need to help you go through life and its happenings. The Nurses Handbook presents a full-scope guide on how to handle every phase of nursing assessment to include all patient types from different backgrounds.
It teaches you the steps needed to cover all aspects of the nursing mission from the interview process of the clients through to the assessment, findings, and recovery. With this handbook, you will get a rich history of health’s best practices, physical examination, intervention, diagnosis, and much more.
Portable RN: The All-in-One Nursing Reference
Portable RN: The All-in-One Nursing Reference is a full guide to understanding how to deal with the daily happenings of taking care of your patient. The book details health assessment techniques to include medical findings, lab test interpretation, nursing procedures, health precautions, pain management, and more.
In addition to the noted benefits of reading this book, you will also get vast knowledge on the latest ventilator modes, how to reduce or correct obstructed airways, procedures of new medications as well as patient safety. You will also get information about different diseases and infections and how to treat them.
Natural Healing Wisdom – A Know-How
As the name suggests, you can rest assured you are in for a few interesting details as it relates to alternative and natural medicines. Numerous health practices can be used as a substitute for treating certain health conditions to include herbal remedies, homeopathy, energy healing, naturopathy, Eastern medicine, and so much more.
You can also learn how to cure various ailments using natural remedies and effective ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle all year round. This book has been formulated based on information collected and researched from experienced herbalists and natural-remedy doctors from all across the globe. The front of the book provides a guided outline of what to expect from your read.
Food Storage for Self Sufficiency
Food storage is always an issue for most people, and getting it right can be a struggle sometimes. Our current reality has jolted us in a state where we have to pre-cook and store foods just in case of an emergency, and the norm is not available.
For a fact, there are times when we are not able to go out, and the only source of survival is our effort in storing and accessing these foods. After all, the tips presented in this book will guide you on how to survive all year-round with food storage and on a budget. You will learn the tips and tricks of storing foods customized to meet your family’s needs (size, income, health concerns, age, taste, etc.).
Best budget practices to get desired foods for storage.
How to treat and store water for both short-term and long-term use.
Food preservation.
How to reduce the chances of foods going to waste that will be added to storage.
You can save a lot when it comes to food storage, and this book will be your best to achieve this mission. Self-sufficiency is important, and there are loads of information you will benefit from.
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre
If there is no other time you need to start your gardening, it is now, and the current conditions have pushed one to accept this fate. Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre will help you to understand the processes of getting your seeds, preparing both them and the land, planting, maintaining, and reaping.
Backyard gardening is a great way to not only save but also to plant what you desire and eat from healthier. Whether you are a farmer or not, the guides presented in this book will help you to achieve the goal of having your vegetables at the tip of your finger.
You will learn about the different types of soils, prepping tips, different types of seedlings and plants, and so much more. Mini Farming teaches you to spend less cash while getting more products on your dining table.
Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: A Simple Guide to Growing Vegetables at Home
Having your garden to reap from is satisfying and gives you that sense of inner peace, knowing what you are eating and how they were grown. This beginner guide will help you understand the basics of planting and growing and other factors such as soil choices, seedling choices, and maintaining tips to keep your plants bearing longer than usual.
You will get to understand the planning, prepping, planting, and reaping processes to manage your backyard gardening.
There is a lot to learn, especially now that life has taken a drastic turn and changed the way we normally look at life. You will love the ideas you learn from these best disaster books and applying them to your life will reap rewarding benefits.
Like our list of the Best Prepper Books? Here are other articles you may find helpful:
Things happen, and the least you want to happen is not having the requisite tools to take care of the new reality. Daily, we are faced with a lot of tasks that require us to utilize some tools our handyman would use. However, there is a major problem – we don’t always have the tools needed, and we have to end up calling someone, But have you ever stopped to look at how you could benefit yourself if you have the things you need?
Not only will you learn how to do things yourself but you will save a lot of money too because we will all admit a lot of these contractors can be really expensive. So, there are certain tools you need on hand to help you get the job done whenever they pop up…
Tools To Have On Hand When The Shit Hits The Fan
Knives
Knives serve so many purposes; it is a must to have at home. From needing it to slice the bread down to cutting off that extra piece of an item hanging off that’s causing a problem. Knives are important, and always having one will give you benefits such as…
* Safety – Staying safe is the best option, and a knife can help you achieve this feat against those who may want to attack you.
* Survival – Emergencies are never foreseen, and when it strikes, you will need to get yourself out of it. A knife will help you to achieve the highest level of survival and get yourself out of any mess.
* Camping – Camping is a tricky activity, and a knife will help you get a lot of things done like getting a fire started or cutting your way to source food.
Folding Shovel
Bulk materials are always in the way, and you may need a shovel to move the things around, especially like digging and lifting. Moving things around is required, and there is no way you want to hire someone to do the work you can easily do yourself.
Gardening Tools
Now more than ever, backyard gardening will become a new norm, and the tools are needed to get the jobs done. A few gardening tools like a small shovel, a machete, and a few others. It will allow you to do something you love and earn lots of benefits from it.
Fishing Line
Fishing lines are generally strong, and they can do a lot of things around the home. Your garden would do well with this item, especially when it comes to tying your plants to keep upright or even keeping items intact. They are flexible and will help you to take care of lots of tasks around the home and even for other outdoor activities.
Screws & Screwdriver; Hammer & Nails
Keeping things together can sometimes be proven hard, and a few knocks of a nail or screwing a few bolts in will give you the advantage. You never know what will happen, and you need to build storage inside or out, or you will need to get a barrier should anything happen. In addition to having these items, a hammer will also be needed.
Metal Duct Tape
This type of duct tape is not the same as the regular duct tape, as this one has a stronger bondability and can keep things together better. It is flexible to use and can be used to do a lot of things to include…
* Cover Opening – There may be a hole in your pipe or on your wood structure, and you need to seal it. Metal duct tape is efficient to keep it concealed and not cause any further issues.
* Signaling – Especially at night, you might be out doing some work, and allowing passersby to identify you is important. Take, for instance, you are out working on the road, you will need drivers to identify you easily and should you not have a work vest on hand, the metal duct tape will help to show you up clearer.
Pliers; Wrench Set
The need to tighten a few things around the home or at the office always comes up, and what better way to take care of it yourself than to have the tools required to do the job successfully. Having pliers and a wrench set will help you get practical and correct any fault you may encounter. Also, they are efficient tools needed in the case of an emergency.
Bolt Cutters
Emergencies always happen when you least expect it, and pulling a safety barrier apart is most times impossible when you don’t have access to keys or opening tools. A Bolt Cutter will help you achieve the feat of pulling things apart to solve any issues you are facing. If you are doing renovations, this tool will come in handy.
Multi-Tools
Everything on this list is important, but what you probably need to get also is a few tools that are flexible and can do multiple tasks. When you think about getting multi-tools, you could consider a few like…
* Portable Pump – There’s nothing more annoying than getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and having to wait hours before the emergency team gets to you. An air pump will come in handy and not only for that reason but other activities around the home. They are also great to take on your camping trips.
There are also other tools you should get that serve multiple purposes, such as those that have a lot of compartments (knife, clips, cutters, etc.).
These tools, among many others, are important to have on your person no matter where you are. If you are not sure how to take them around with you, you can easily have a box in your trunk in which you put all these items. You will never regret taking these with you because, as we noted, emergencies don’t give a warning when they are coming.
You stuck at home and have some time on your hands? YouTube is your friend. You can how-tos about anything on there, and here is a list of what we suggest you brush up on, and why.
If you are now finding yourself with a little extra time on your hands, it is the perfect time to add to your skills list by using this precious time to help make you better prepared for the future.
Things to Learn During Quarantine
There are literally dozens of things you could choose to attack and master, but we have a list of some of the most necessary survival skills to master.
Basic Knots
Knots are very useful for emergency shelter making, improvising snares, fishing nets, even simply an emergency clothesline or way to hang your equipment off the ground while camping.
When you browse the internet, chances are you will come across as many as sixteen or even more different types of knots. But all knots are not essential unless you are a sailor or a climber. Learn just two or three basic knots and get the job done.
A quick video all about 7 Essential Knots You Need To Know
Fire Starting
Fire starting, one of the survival skills, is not for the faint-hearted as you need to adopt friction-based fire-starting or any other primitive method. It is a great time to learn how to start a fire without a match or a lighter.
Learning to identify plants is no mean achievement even for the full-time students of botany. It might seem too tedious and technical at first, but it will sure build your knowledge of plant identification.
30 medicinal plants the Native Americans used on a daily basis
It is the best time to upgrade your plant identification skills to the next level
Learn what plants are right on your doorstep that can be used as food, medicine or poisons
All of us love maintaining a beautiful garden in our backyard or near the entrance. But are we aware that there are plants that can be used as food and medicine and are available easily?
Plants like Yarrow, Mullein, and Dandelion have great medicinal properties, and they are edible too. Want to learn more? Check out www.eattheweeds.com to gain more plant knowledge.
Change your Tire
Changing a tire is an effortless skill that all car owners should know. A lack of knowledge could leave you stranded on the side of the road. When you learn how to change a tire, there will be no need to wait for roadside emergency services that can leave you waiting for hours. What is even worse? When you are ini a location that has no cell phone signal.
Map Reading
The lockdown is an excellent opportunity for learning, and it is never too late to get acquainted with the art of map reading. With the advent of sat-navs and Google Maps, people have ignored the good old skills of map reading.
When you acquire this skill, you will not be in a soup next time your cell phone battery dies or fails to get a network on a hiking trip.
Vehicle Repair
The quarantine period can be best utilized to learn skills that will help us to save money in the long run. If you know the basics of vehicle repair, then you need not run to the mechanic every time.
Tasks like changing the oil or flushing the coolant, are great DIY projects that you can easily learn, implement, and save a lot of money in the process. Granted cars are not as easy to work on as they sued to be with all of the electronics, but there is still a lot that you CAN do yourself.
Animal Keeping – Chicken, Sheep, Pigs, etc
Have you ever thought of rearing farm animals? Now is the time to learn the required skills to raise chicken, sheep, or similar farm animals. When you run a small backyard hobby farm, your family can have access to grass feed meat, and dairy for the whole year.
You will get fresh raw milk, be safe from artificial cheese, and enjoy chemical-free eggs. Sadly, not all cities let you have chickens or small livestock, but you MIGHT be able to.
Hunting with either a bow or a rifle
Many of us had an interest in hunting, but we missed out due to our difficult office schedules. It is an excellent time to hunt for some fresh meat, but if you are planning to use bow and arrow, then you need to keep the distance shorter at 30 yards.
Hunting helps you to bond with your children and this quarantine period is a good time to do that. Make sure you stick to the current hunting season and laws.
First Aid
Teaching yourself basic first aid is an excellent way of empowering yourself, and it can have very positive knock-off effects as well. First aid education will help you to help others in times of need, and it will also help your family understand the importance of good health and what it means to be fit and well.
We all know that sewing is a lost art, but a huge number of individuals have gone back to this craft during this time, and there has been a sort of renaissance lately. When you learn how to repair or make items of clothing, it can be a rewarding experience.
If you have kids at home, they will love the needlework. A simple task to start with is making face masks. There are several places you can get patterns online.
Soap Making
During this lockdown, the soaps and hand washes are fast running out of shelves. You can learn the art of soap making so that you can have ready stock at home. Making soap at home is a satisfying skill to learn. Soap making is fun and not at all difficult, as you might think. You can see a few fun recipes HERE to get you started.
Water Sources and Different ways to Catch Water
Want to do something very creative? You can learn about the different ways to catch water so that you can use it to water your livestock, vegetable garden, flowers, and even use it for drinking purposes. DIY rainwater harvesting is great art, and you can ask your kids to join in.
Safety as a woman
The quarantine period has some disadvantages, and the safety of women has become an essential topic of discussion today. Domestic violence has increased manifold, and they are often under-reported. It is a great time to learn some safety tips and survival skills so that women enjoy a better and safe position in society.
Making Moonshine
One should thank the quarantine period for the newfound love for moonshine. The brakes on the sale of hard drinks have disappointed lots of people, and this has led many individuals to try their hand at making moonshine at home.
There are several videos on YouTube that will teach us to make moonshine at home but we found a few recipes here: Moonshine Recipes.
Smoking Meats and other foods
If you are fond of cooking but rued the fact that you hardly got time for it, then make good use of the quarantine and learn how to smoke meat and other food items.
Karl Engel, head chef at Pigcasso BBQ in Tulsa, gives us the lowdown on the basics of smoking meat.
Remember, smoking meat is culinary science, and it requires accurate temperature and time control. Smoking meat is not new in any culture, and you can have it with a glass of beer o make it a complete meal.
Preserving Foods with Salt
Since you will not feel like cooking every day of the lockdown, it makes sense to learn how to preserve food with salt. The value of salt in preserving food items is highly prized, and meat and fish are covered with salt to check the growth of bacteria. Salt is also used to preserve raw mangoes, tamarind, etc.
Sourdough Starter
It is the perfect time to learn to make a sourdough starter at home. You just need flour, water, and, of course, loads of patience. The process is a bit nerve-wracking for a beginner, but once you learn it, you can use it to make sandwich bread, focaccia, bagels, etc. It takes around a week for the process to get completed. We found some fun Amish Friendship Starter recipes HERE.
Baking Bread
Baking is a relaxing and tasty hobby to get into. It is an important life skill and an opportunity to learn how to bake. Although you may get tempted to learn how to bake cakes and pies, it is the art of art baking bread that will help you during this quarantine period.
Making Candles
If you are searching for a new and exciting hobby to take up, then you will find that making candles is one of the most therapeutic ever! You can easily make a range of beautiful candles at home using standard kitchen equipment. Candle making is a very fulfilling and enjoyable craft that gives you creative pleasure and a sense of achievement.
Learn to Make Animal Traps
How to Make a Basic SNARE Trap with Paracord or Wire so you can Catch Your Own Survival Food
Have you ever tried making an animal trap or a snare? You can learn to make a DIY animal trap that can hold rabbits and squirrels. The greatest advantage of learning how to make animal traps ensures that you always have something to eat when you are in the wild or camping.
Gardening
Getting yourself out in the garden is fantastic for your body, mind, and soul. One can learn a lot through gardening like planting seedlings, watching the small plants grow, and digging up the mud to plant new seeds. The best part is that you can involve the little ones in gardening. Try To Garden has a lot of great tips for beginners.
Canning
Preservation of food is very important, and since during this period, shops are only intermittently open, it is necessary to learn the art of canning. Canning is not at all problematic, and definitely, you do not need a unique skill set. It is a matter of preserving foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, and poultry so that you can use it later.
Making Jams/Jellies
Homemade jams are much better and tastier than commercial jams. There is no better time to learn to make jams than this period. You can easily make jam at home with/without pectin, and even in your Instant Pot.
You will find that the homemade variety has the right amount of sugar content, tastes real, and looks yummier than the ones that are available on the supermarket shelves. You can get started with some recipes HERE.
Are there any other things you can think of adding to the list? Share with us all in the comments!
If you’re in a situation with a pandemic or other survival situation and you don’t feel prepared for it, you can stock up your house with books that will help you learn the necessary skills. At the very least, you’ll have tools that teach you even if you don’t have all of the supplies you’d like to have.
Our list of books on survival should make you a solid library for any future emergency.
Five Books on Survival You Should Order Before Your Internet Goes Out
I know we have talked about books to get before – but those were more of a Sci-Fi “what if” kind of book that took a lot of possible things into consideration. They opened the doors for family conversation and helped you make a list of possible things to brush up on and learn more about.
Make sure you check out what we said were great reads for preppers…even though today, we are talking about getting more “manual” type of books for your prepper library.
OUTDOOR LIFE – The Ultimate Survival Manual – 333 SKILLS That Will Get YOU Out Alive by Simon & Schuster
If you want a reference book that helps you learn the skills you need when you need them, you can’t beat this definitive guide. It’s full of hundreds of skills, from building fires to searching for shelter to handling first aid situations. Get this book HERE.
The Survival Medicine Handbook: A guide for when help is NOT on the way by Joseph Alton
We’d all like to think we can call an ambulance or police officer to help us in times of need, but in a survival situation, you may only be able to count on yourself.
This guide is a gem that will help you treat all types of health problems from minor first aid to major chronic illness. This book won’t give you a medical degree, but it can help you to cope when there’s no expert by your side. You can get it HERE.
Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods by Thomas Elias and Peter Dykeman
If you have to survive and you don’t have a garden already planted, this guide will help you to learn which plants you can eat and which ones you should stay away from. In a situation that requires you to forage for food, this field guide will give you the information you need. We found it HERE.
Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) by Steve Solomon
Gardening is one of the best ways that you can learn to survive in a difficult situation. But if you have no experience gardening, it may seem very overwhelming. This book is a complete guide to gardening to help you get started. While you’re at it, you also need to begin ordering seeds as soon as you can. Check it out HERE. You also might want to check out our sister site www.TrytoGarden.com.
SurvivalNations – Surviving a Disease Pandemic (Survival-Survival Planning Book 1) by Dr. Leland Benton
All survival situations have specific needs – and a pandemic brings certain risks and needs for survival. This book explains how pandemics spread. It also tells you what you need to do to protect yourself, as well as your family, in the event of a worldwide disease outbreak. You can get it HERE.
If you liked these books on survival, check out our other ideas:
Claims that certain supplements can cure anything and keep you healthy and wise have boosted the vitamin business to billions of dollars per year. Most people today want to stay young and avoid diseases and have bought into the idea of supplements to enhance their health. Side effects of supplements aren’t something they often think much about.
Health food stores in America abound with shelves laden with goods that promise miracles for your health. But there are certain dangers involved in surreptitiously ingesting vitamin supplements. Some risk occurs if you’re taking other medications that the supplements might have an adverse reaction to.
The Dangers of Vitamin Supplements
Some people think that “natural” is safe, but that isn’t always true. Some supplements that might endanger your health are:
Weight loss supplements that contain “theophylline.” Theophylline is taken from a black tea extract and bitter orange. It’s sometimes prescribed for asthma but can cause seizures and irregular heartbeat.
Aristolochia. An herb supplement that sometimes causes cancer or kidney failure.
Bitter orange. This is a weight loss supplement that may cause seizures.
Kava. It can be the source of liver failure.
Pennyroyal. An herb that has been linked to nerve damage and liver and kidney failure.
Comfrey. An herb that sometimes causes liver damage.
Lobelia. An herb that can cause tremors, dizziness, breathing difficulties, and low blood pressure.
Androstenedione. It can increase cancer risk and decrease good HDL cholesterol.
Despite possible side effects, there are many instances when supplements are effective. For example, if you’re a vegetarian, senior citizen, or a woman who’s menopausal or post-menopausal, you may not get all the vitamins you need.
People on a severe diet plan, smokers, heavy drinkers, and pregnant women may also need extra vitamins to supplement their diets because many vitamins are difficult to absorb. Gastric surgery people have a list that their doctors recommend for them.
It’s always best to consult a health professional if you suspect that your body needs dietary supplements. Also, check with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to see if there are current bans on a particular supplement. The side effects of supplements can be serious if you don’t know what to look for.
