Thread: PREPPERS - Those who plan to survive

Originally Posted by hick

would you just plan to bushwhack with the knife or consider adding a machete or possibly a cane knife to my carry weight?

I like the cane knife or even a parang. If I was in need of something to bushwack I think either would be ok and they can be lashed to your pack pretty easily. Just remember when doing distance hiking like you plan on every once counts.

I have a friend he hikes the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican boarder to Washington every year and he weighs all his gear and is what they call an ultra light hiker. No tent just a bivy sack and a bare minimum of gear. To hard core for me.

Originally Posted by bsnub

silky gomboy 240.

Sorry got my posts mixed up. This is the best pocket saw on the market. I replaced my hatchet with this and saved several pounds. It is also good if you have a firebox for cooking because you can saw the wood to just the right size.

Some strap a "mattress" to their backs...

Originally Posted by bsnub

silky gomboy 240



This is the best pocket saw on the market.

For big pockets, but a good saw.

Tried one of these instead?



Very cheap, several designs, or buy a coil of the cutting wire and fasten your own grips to the ends, diamond or steel toothed, lightweight. It's easy to use and versatile.You can carry it in a side pouch on your knife sheath. It can convert from a hand-held pull action saw into a bow saw by hooking the end-grips onto notches cut each end of a springy branch.

I may have to upgrade saws.

I've got this waiting in FL:

Bahco 396-LAP Laplander Folding Saw, 7-1/2 -Inch Blade, 7 TP


Solid reviews but appears less sturdy than a gomboy.

After a week in the bush, I'll have a day and half opportunity to upgrade any equipment/tools in Anchorage, so...should be fine.

Originally Posted by hick

Bahco 396-LAP Laplander Folding Saw, 7-1/2 -Inch Blade, 7 TP

That will be fine I had one of those too it just does not cut as fast as the Silky. Still a good saw.

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

Some strap a "mattress" to their backs...

Wimps...

Originally Posted by ENT

Tried one of these instead?

I have had several of those over the years. They are a pain in ass imho. That Silky cuts so fast and is smooth as butter.

Ok, good to know, thanks. We'll see how it performs. I don't anticipate many problems in the firewood arena, at least.

I'll go in with either a parang or a cane knife and leave my machete home, this time - w/o dropping the hatchet.

I like trying new tools and would also like to add a throwing weapon to the arsenal if that becomes possible based on the selected "whacker's" size, balance and weight.

Have done some decent portions of the PCT but nothing (nearly) as impressive as your buddy, bsnub.

Have met a few, tho...(one guy was in the middle of Juneau to Baja). I've just never set aside that kind of time (thus far).

^^ and ^^^^^ By the way, unless you want some fine sawn ends for whatever useful purpose, I reckon a saw comes second to using a 10 or 12 inch heavy bladed bush knife.

Originally Posted by hick

I'll go in with either a parang or a cane knife and leave my machete home, this time - w/o dropping the hatchet.

That's a good call. Ya for you being in Alaska you should stick with the hatchet. For me just camping and hiking in the Cascades and Olymic mtns I can usually get away with skipping it. Only need it for longer stays.

Makes sense.

Originally Posted by hick

I like trying new tools and would also like to add a throwing weapon to the arsenal

What would you need a throwing weapon for? Expecting injuns or terrorists?

An axe is just added weight to your already heavy armoury of gun, ammo, cane knife and a k-bar/bowie.

A bowie's an excellent throwing knife as it is. Throwing a knife or an axe is an impressive trick, but hardly a useful survival skill.

A cross bow is lighter and far more accurate, silent too, and as good as a gun for small game, besides, why hunt anything bigger if you're out there on your own?

Even a decent BB rifle is more accurate for small game, lighter to carry too...you'll blow a bird or squirrel to bits with anything larger than a 0.22, which is a big enough calibre to kill a pig, goat or deer.

Originally Posted by bsnub

Originally Posted by ENT

Tried one of these instead?

I have had several of those over the years. They are a pain in ass imho. That Silky cuts so fast and is smooth as butter.

The only pain I got from using one of those was from the grip rings cutting into my too soft fingers.
There are other grips, leather, wooden ones and some come with plastic palm-grip handles.
The fact it can double as a bow saw,..plus you can buy a spool of the cutting wire cheaply, so no hassle sharpening the teeth when they wear out, and you can make up another easily using a Leatherman (which also has a 4 inch saw) to fasten fishing swivels and steel grips onto the wire.

The length of wire (when rigged as a bow-saw) also gives a longer cut, able to cut across a carcass and through bone.

Originally Posted by ENT

Tried one of these instead?

I looked at that and thought it was a garotting chain ...
.

Fek, a horrible way to go!

Originally Posted by ENT

What would you need a throwing weapon for?

It's just something I enjoy.

However, if one is inclined to consider the unpredictable and (at times) unsavory character of the two-legged humanoids known to inhabit North American wilderness passes, one may reconsider the number of allowances for defense that one makes available. In short, this is the U.S. we're speaking of and when it comes to defending yourself, multiple options are good.

I won't be gun hunting at all, although I'll lay a few primitive traps and have a combo spinning/fly rod set up.

Originally Posted by hick

Originally Posted by ENT

What would you need a throwing weapon for?

It's just something I enjoy.

However, if one is inclined to consider the unpredictable and (at times) unsavory character of the two-legged humanoids known to inhabit North American wilderness passes, one may reconsider the number of allowances for defense that one makes available. In short, this is the U.S. we're speaking of and when it comes to defending yourself, multiple options are good.

Fair enough. But wouldn't those cwnts be gunned up? There's few places in NZ you've gotta watch your back.
Hapless tourists are generally the victims, camping out in isolated places then getting set on by some god-awful Maoris....no racism intended nor exaggeration either.

I won't be gun hunting at all, although I'll lay a few primitive traps and have a combo spinning/fly rod set up.

Now that's a good idea.

What kind of traps are you interested in, and what size/kind of game?

Originally Posted by hick

PS: need to locate "long out-of-print book called Bushcraft by Richard Graves."

Here ya go in pdf.....319 pages,,,enjoy.

http://www.survivorlibrary.com/libra...hcraft_pdf.pdf


(print it out for a carry around hard copy)

PS. I had a copy years ago until someone borrowed it and never returned it.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to ENT again.


THANKS VERY MUCH!

Cheers, I was a boy scout too, in N.India, brilliant times....I can even make a fire by rubbing two girl-guides together.

Originally Posted by ENT

So you weren't a qualified NZMAF meat inspector after all.

So much for your academic and scientific discipline!

Once and for all Mr Googler, show me (and all and sundry) what LOGICAL steps you used to come to that conclusion?
You can't, of course.

Simple, you don't seem keen on saying how you qualified to become a NZMAF meat inspector at the ripe old age of 21 or so

Originally Posted by ENT

Simple, you don't seem keen on saying how you qualified to become a NZMAF meat inspector at the ripe old age of 21 or so

One word..."seem".
That's your logic.
Zero logic, large assumption.
(plus your maths is wrong).

So shut up and stop claiming you're an academic or a scientist.
Confess when your information is cut and paste, which is most of the time, and alert readers that your inability to comprehend what you read will usually result in very flawed analysis.