CRAZY PREPARED

[Cainad (dec.)]

Also, I really agre with being wary of the "Survival" marketing tag.  It can mean anything from a bush pilot's kit with water / food / snubnose .50 cal to a "Rambo"  knife so packed with features it's virtually useless for anything knife - like.

?

[Kai]

yeah, a moderate sized pocket knife with one or 2 blades is so much more useful than most of the multi tools out there.

[Richter]

Yeah multitools have the disadvantage of doing many things not perfectly.  Separate tools will always work better.  (A simple Swiss Army knife is the exception IMHO.)
I like a small folder for most fine work, and a small/medium fixed blade for serious cutting or outings.     

[Requia ☣]

I should really learn to make bows and arrows.  Justify all the time I spent I spent learning to use them.

[Richter]

I've heard a little on the subject, though I'd go for a spear first, or an atalatal if I was feeling experimental.

Look for:
Springy wood for the bow / arrows (Yew?)
Feathers for fletching
Stone, metal, or glass fragments for the arrowhead (unless you want to sharpen and fire harden the tips.)
Sinew / tough fiber for a string, and to bind on the fletching / arrowhead.

Other niceties:
Pitch / Varnish (rendered pine sap, mixed with animal scat) to give water resistance, and adhear other additions
Skin / horn:  split or cut, pitch and adhear these to the bow.  This add to the weather resitance, and makes the bow stronger.

If you know ANY place I could find a solid fiberglass bow with a 50 # or higher draw, preferably the size of a Mongolian bow, I'll grab one as soon as finance allows.  Aside from beign a fun toy, I like the idea of a strong, packable bow that won't get ruined by water.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Bows aren't that hard to make, once you know the basics, although, of course, like anything, it takes a lot of practice and experience to make really good bows.

Good arrows are pretty damn hard to make, though.

It's not hard to learn to make a sling, but takes a shit ton of practice to get good at using one. Slings are great for small mammal hunting though.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

If you know ANY place I could find a solid fiberglass bow with a 50 # or higher draw, preferably the size of a Mongolian bow, I'll grab one as soon as finance allows.  Aside from beign a fun toy, I like the idea of a strong, packable bow that won't get ruined by water.

How's this one? http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=463984

Most of the bows they carry seem to have wood handles, but this one looks like it's all-synthetic.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

It's all great, but.....

For those who don't live where they can plant a garden, my first piece of advice would be to move to where you can.  A place where you can not only plant, but protect what you are growing.  Living in an apartment in the city with no visible grass, it's gonna be hard to grow enough food to survive in pots in your bathroom!

Otherwise, Nigel's list is a really good one.  Another suggestion in addition to basic medical skills, are basic butchering skills as well.  It's all well and good to catch, grow or kill your own meat, but you have to know what to do with it afterwards.  Besides cook it.

[Richter]

You'll like what I've got cooking for the blag then

Urban areas, especially east coast, will be a problem for their lack of clean, available water and plantable ground.  You can't support too many folk can live off of rooftop gardens and rainwater collection.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

If things really go to hell, I'm incredibly fortunate that they razed the lot behind me a couple of years ago, and it's just lying empty. It will definitely become a community farm if I have any input.

[Richter]

Yeah, if i acquire property, I'll be looking for some with a bit of land.

If you know ANY place I could find a solid fiberglass bow with a 50 # or higher draw, preferably the size of a Mongolian bow, I'll grab one as soon as finance allows.  Aside from beign a fun toy, I like the idea of a strong, packable bow that won't get ruined by water.

How's this one? http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=463984

Most of the bows they carry seem to have wood handles, but this one looks like it's all-synthetic.

  Thanks!

[Sheered Völva]

Good one.  Thanks!

You're welcome. Glad I could help.

Your name brings to mind how I can (and will, given half a chance) rebuilt civilization out of the back deck of my ancient Volvo.

Now that sounds like an article for Intermittens.

[Cainad (dec.)]

Your name brings to mind how I can (and will, given half a chance) rebuilt civilization out of the back deck of my ancient Volvo.

Now that sounds like an article for Intermittens.

Actually, that sounds like part of an entire Intermittens theme.

[Richter]

 

If they want to incorporate it, I'll expand the idea as appropriate!

[Requia ☣]

I've heard a little on the subject, though I'd go for a spear first, or an atalatal if I was feeling experimental.

Look for:
Springy wood for the bow / arrows (Yew?)
Feathers for fletching
Stone, metal, or glass fragments for the arrowhead (unless you want to sharpen and fire harden the tips.)
Sinew / tough fiber for a string, and to bind on the fletching / arrowhead.

Other niceties:
Pitch / Varnish (rendered pine sap, mixed with animal scat) to give water resistance, and adhear other additions
Skin / horn:  split or cut, pitch and adhear these to the bow.  This add to the weather resitance, and makes the bow stronger.

If you know ANY place I could find a solid fiberglass bow with a 50 # or higher draw, preferably the size of a Mongolian bow, I'll grab one as soon as finance allows.  Aside from beign a fun toy, I like the idea of a strong, packable bow that won't get ruined by water.

I bought mine at the archery range... unless you want to drive to salt lake I don't think that helps (Mine's also mostly wood, though I'm pretty sure they had fiberglass there).

I should probably learn to recognize different kinds of trees.  Besides larches anyway.