Make you own PVC Bow and arrow

I'm not up for a lot of typing but I wanted to share this really great video I found.

Dehydrating eggs in your oven

Have you ever gone to the kitchen to bake only to realize you were out of eggs? I like to keep dehydrated eggs as part of my food storage but I discovered that they are really very expensive lately. I figured it would be a good thing to learn how to dry them and store them myself as I cant just go to the store after society crashes, shove the zombies/looters/aliens/politicians or other monsters aside and pick up a few cases at the burned down store.

Now when eggs go on sale (like around Easter) you can buy a bunch and powder them yourself. Its good peace of mind to have a bunch of eggs in storage that will last 9-10 years just in case of an emergency.

National Emergency Warning System Test-SWORD DRILL

Corresponding with the national test, SWORD has implemented an Emergency/Disaster drill. People following out Facebook and emergency MMS service will be presented with dramatizations of news broadcasts depicting a massive national disaster. This will allow them to practice their evacuation and/or their shelter-in-place (BUG-IN/BUG-OUT) plans.

At Exactly 1300 hrs (1pm) Central time (GMT-6) November 9th, 2011, the united states will test a nation wide sounding of all air raid/civil address warning systems, as well as commandeering all TV and radio signals to test the implementation of a new system that will allow the government and the President target specific areas or the entire country with the touch of a button. In the occurrence of a major event all sirens and common media outlets can be commandeered to control the flow of information and/or provide notification and information to targeted areas.

(Sounds like something that could be easily abused if you ask me...)

SWORD will be using this system test to test our own preparedness and communications skills. Our Alpha and Bravo BOL's will not be activated for this drill (unless something bad actually happens. lol) as it is meant to test peoples response time and not the travel time/shelter response. Besides, activating the BOL is a big deal and is labor intensive for the caretakers and residents of those locations.

SWORD members are urged to participate in the drill to the best of their ability. Fellow preppers may want to  test themselves too, if not now... WHEN?

Rare but useful skills.

Some of us are old enough to remember the old man that lived in the strange house where everyone brought their broken and troublesome things. The old guy that knew everything because... back in his day.. they had to.

The neighborhood tinker is a tradition that has slipped into the shadows of the past. Unfortunately, in most cases, they took their skills with them. Now everything has to be disposable because nobody has the know-how to fix the simple things. I'm not talking about opening up your flat screen TV to fix a dead pixel. That stuff isn't realistic anymore.

I am talking about things that people can do with improvised tools and/or a little Know How.
Shimming a padlock:
You can make a shim out of an empty pop can. They can be used to open most simple padlocks, whether you lost the key, forgot the combination, or someone ruined the tumblers during a failed break in.

And though I must say that I don't condone theft, if you're trying to get by in a post-collapse society, knowing how to get past a lock without smashing or breaking it and letting people know you were there, shimming is a skill you would want to have in your repertoire.

Patching/Plugging a tire:
One of the things you totally want to keep in your car (that almost any old-timer knows about all ready) is a tire leak patch/plug kit and the simple tools needed to fix a tire. Of course, this doesn't work on a blown out tire or one that has been slashed from the side or has been ruined by going completely flat and sitting like that too long.
But if you are driving along and you notice the 'flub flub' of a tire that has lost a lot of pressure, you can pull over and find & repair the hole from the offending nail or screw.

1. A bottle of soapy water (labeled for this purpose and to keep people from drinking it.)
2. A patch/plug kit
3. A tire pump (yeah, it will take forever to air up your car tire with a foot pump, but its better than a blow out or being forced to drive on a doughnut because of a tiny nail hole.)
4. A Pliers (to pull out the nail, screw, etc)
5. A 'Reamer' (a special tire repair tool, very cheap to buy)
6. A Patch plug driver.
7. A Tire Patch Kit

Ill be adding more old school Do It Yourself entries as I think of them.

Semper Peratus

Cooking Squirrel

I just finished my lunch of fried squirrel and I was thinking to myself that there are so few people that know how to make stuff like this. In this age of fast food, frozen pizza and Mac & Cheese; almost nobody living in the city that is younger than 70 knows how to cook wild game. Its pretty damn simple actually...

JD's Awesome fried Squirrel

• 1 or 2 large gray squirrels (Portioned - This can be done with a chopping knife or a kitchen sheers.)

***Squirrel portions/pieces are : cut off each leg individually, then cut it off at the spine at the bottom of the rib cage, this is the "lower tenderloin" and flank (my favorite). Then cut the back and rib cage into two pieces at the spine each rib area is a portion. 7 pieces per squirrel.*** Suggested # of pieces per person = ~3***

• A pouch of shake & Bake (or your favorite breading or flour mix)
• Cooking oil

Put the squirrel pieces into a bag with the flour/breading mix and shake until covered.

Heat the oil in a pan on high heat. ~ 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep

Remove squirrel pieces from bag and fry in oil until done (usually about 20 minutes depending on temp. Usually when the breading is golden brown)

When Mc Burger Queen is no longer an option, and the stores have been emptied, your kids are crying and there is nothing to eat... You will wish you had some squirrel (possum, jack rabbit, cottontail, pigeon, etc...).

Improvised weapons

Something that has been on the minds of a lot of preppers lately is the possibility of the suspension of the 2nd amendment rights to bear arms. In the event of a declaration of a national emergency, the President has the power to suspend the rights given to citizens under the constitution. Many people don't know this, but agents of the state can be given the authority to take EVERYTHING you own, Imprison you, and sell your property for profit. In a smaller fashion, this is already commonly done with criminals. If, for example, you are caught manufacturing controlled substances on your property without a license, authorities can claim the entire property and all its contents.  (Farmers, be careful about storing your ANFO!)

Back on topic...
It is easy to create a wide assortment of firearms (as well as heavier weapons and artillery) with just a little know how and the tutelage of a few experts. Personally, I promote several books by Ragnar Benson.
Home and Recreational uses for High Explosives
Improvised Weapons
Breath of the Dragon
Build your own Grenade Launcher
and many more!

I am warning you right now to spend REAL time researching this and know your facts before you attempt to build your own weapons, as you can ACCIDENTALLY KILL YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE if you screw up.

The benefits of air rifles

Many people spend most of their time thinking about which guns to invest in for their Bug-Out supplies. One weapon that is often overlooked is the simple, quiet Air Rifle. Perhaps it isn't so useful for defense as a more powerful weapon, but for small game hunting and rodent control, they are a survivors best friend. They come in many calibers but the most common are the .117  and the .22.

They are basically very quiet and they can bring down a bird, squirrel, rabbit, and if you're good, ducks, geese, pheasant etc... One of the major bonuses is the relative silence of an air rifle. You are not broadcasting your presence to everyone within a mile or so. This might be a life savor if there are gangs of looters or whack-jobs in the area.

Another bonus it the availability of ammo. I have fired BBs, Pellets, tiny stones and small nails with killing accuracy. If it fits the barrel properly to be propelled by the air you pumped into the weapon (or CO2) then generally you can fire it. Yeah, it isn't always good to fire non-rated projectiles, but in a pinch, you do what you must. Options are good to have.

I killed this squirrel with a framing nail from my .117 cal Air Rifle this morning

Another one of the solid bonuses of an air rifle is the low weight. It can easily be carried in a cut out holster or strapped to your bug out back pack. 

Power

The general rule with air rifles is that .177 is good for birds and .22 is for fur. This is because the .117 lacks the stopping power and penetration of the heavier .22 pellet (Not to be confused with a .22 cal firearm). But I have been able to kill squirrels with a .177 air rifle as long as I pump it ~30 - 35 times and take careful aim at the kill zones. To kill a squirrel you will need a weapon with a muzzle velocity above 600 fps. I have read that you can kill small fur bearers with a MV as low as 300 fps, but I have not achieved it. 

You can pick up an efficient air rifle at Wal-Mart for ~$25, but if youre going to use it for hunting, splurge a bit and get the $50 - $100 range. Picking up a .22 cal with a 1000fps MV would make rabbits, and other such game much easier to harvest. I once killed a Massive Canada Goose with a .22 1000 fps air rifle firing pointed tip pellets. A good friend has even been able to use his air rifle to fire long thin harpoon-like projectiles with 20lb test fishing line attached and has had amazing success harvesting Salmon and large spawning fish during spawning season.

Air rifles can be a great addition to the survival pack for hunting anything from bullfrogs, to waterfowl to jackrabbits. They're quiet, light, the ammo is variable and cheap. They don't need a re-loader because there is no gun powder. Many come with tac-rails for mounting a scope and if it comes down to using it for defense... "You can shoot someones eye out with that thing Kid!"

Water Storage

Emergency Water Storage

Water Storage is important. Having an ample supply of safe,  clean, purified water is a top priority in an emergency.

A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need even more. You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene. Store a total of at least one gallon per person, per day. You should store at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family.

If supplies run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today, and try to find more for tomorrow. You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

 Emergency Water to Store

Whereas a quart of water or other fluid daily will sustain life, according to the Department of Defense and the Office of Civil Defense, it is recommended that a gallon of water per day per person be stored for food preparation and drinking. A gallon provides added comfort and accommodates increased fluid needs at higher altitudes or warm climates. An additional one-half to 1 gallon per day is recommended for bathing and hygiene, and to wash dishes.

How much water should I store? The rule of thumb is to store at least one gallon per person per day for at least 3 days (for earthquake preparedness). That’s 2 quarts for drinking and 2 quarts for food preparation and sanitation. A family of four should store a minimum of 12 gallons of water. Personally, I recommend at least a 10 day supply of water and a 30 day supply if it all possible.

Use the following guidelines when storing water:

1. Store drinking water in carefully cleaned, non-corrosive, tightly covered containers.

2. Store containers in a cool dark place. DO NOT store in direct sunlight. Polyethylene plastics (prepackaged milk and water bottles) are somewhat permeable to hydrocarbon vapors. Keep away from stored gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, or similar substances.

3. Stored tap water should be rotated every 6 months. Prepackaged bottled water should be rotated once a year. Check the pull date on the container. Be sure it didn’t sit on the store’s shelf for a year before you purchased it. Self Serve Bottled Water should be rotated once a year, as long as the water treatment process includes ozonation.

4. Rotate your stored water with the water you use on a regular basis. This practice helps insure you don’t have water stored longer than one year.

Containers That Can be Used for Water Storage

Food-grade plastic or glass containers are suitable for storing water. One-, three- and five-gallon water containers can be purchased from most outdoor or hardware stores. Any plastic or glass container that previously held food or beverages such as 2-liter soda bottles or water, juice, punch or milk jugs, also may be used. Stainless steel can be used to store water which has not been or will not be treated with chlorine; chlorine is corrosive to most metals.

55 gal drums, designed specifiacally for water storage can be difficult to transport, if the need arises, but are of a tremendous value in an emergency .When looking for additional food grade containers, the bottom will be stamped with HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene) and coded with the recycle symbol and a “2″ inside. HDPE containers are FDA-approved for food. Containers without these designations aren’t OK because of possible chemical interactions between the water and the plastic.

Clean used containers and lids with hot soapy water. Once the containers have been thoroughly cleaned, rinse them with water and sanitize the containers and lids by rinsing them with a solution of 1 tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Leave the containers wet for two minutes, then rinse them again with water. Remember to remove the paper or plastic lid liners before washing the lids. It is very difficult to effectively remove all residue from many containers, so carefully clean hard-to-reach places like the handles of milk jugs. To sanitize stainless steel containers, place the container in boiling water for 10 minutes. Never use containers that previously held chemicals.

Do I Need to Treat Water?

Once you properly clean containers, fill them with potable, or safe, drinking water. All public water supplies are already treated and should be free of harmful bacteria. However, as an additional precaution, it is recommended that you add 5-7 drops, about 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach per gallon of water stored. This precaution protects you against any lingering organisms in storage containers that may have been inadvertently missed during the cleaning process.

Where to Store Water

Clearly label all water containers “drinking water” with the current date. Store the water in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Do not store it near gasoline, kerosene, pesticides or similar substances.

When potable water is properly stored, it should have an indefinite shelf life; however, it’s a good idea to use and replace the stored water every 6 – 12 months. Rotating water this way provides you with an opportunity to experiment and check the amount of stored water against what you require. It also serves as an additional precaution against bacteria or viruses growing in containers which may not have been thoroughly or properly cleaned and sanitized.

If you have freezer space, storing some water in the freezer is a good idea. If you lose electricity, the frozen water will help keep foods in your freezer frozen until the power is restored. Make sure you leave 2 to 3 inches of space in containers because water expands as it freezes.

Emergency Sources of Water

In an emergency, if you have not previously stored water and commercial or public sources of water are not available, drain water from your plumbing system. Unless you are advised that the public water supply has been contaminated and is not safe, open the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater and salvage the water stored in the heater. A typical water heater holds 30-60 gallons of water. Discard the first few gallons if they contain rust or sediment. Let the water heater cool before draining it from the heater so it does not scald you. Turn off the electricity or gas to the water heater to prevent the heater from operating without water. Once water has been drained into clean, sanitized containers, add 5-7 drops of chlorine bleach* per gallon of water, and stir or shake the solution to mix it. Let it set 30 minutes before use.

Emergency Outdoor Water Sources

If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water first. Additional sources include:

Rainwater Streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water Ponds and lakes Natural springs Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first. You should not drink flood water.

Hidden Water Sources in Your Home

If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water in your hot-water tank, pipes and ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl).

Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You’ll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.

To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.

To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.

Using Swimming Pool Water

You should always view your pool as “backup” water; keep the water treated; you never know when it will be needed! The maintenance of the free chlorine residual will prevent establishment of any microorganisms. The maintenance level should be kept about 3-5ppm free chlorine. (See Water Purification for detailed information on purifying pool water.) If other stored water stocks are not available, remove the necessary pool water and boil it or just treat with chlorine to the normal 5ppm. It is best to err on the side of caution.

Covering the pool at all times when not in use is a very good idea. Try to keep the cover clean and wash the area you put it on when removing it from the pool.

When and How to Treat Water for Storage

In an emergency, if you do not have water that you know is safe, it’s possible to purify water for drinking. Start with the cleanest water you can find and treat with one of the following methods:

• Boiling and chlorinating: Water can be purified by boiling. Boiling times may vary from state to state, depending on altitude. In Colorado, the water is safe to use once after it has been boiled for three to five minutes and has cooled. If you plan to store boiled water, pour it into clean, sanitized containers and let it cool to room temperature. Then add 5-7 drops, or 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach* per gallon of water (1/2 teaspoon per 5 gallons). Stir or shake the solution to mix it. Cap the containers and store them in a cool, dry place.
• Filtering and chlorinating: You can filter water if you have a commercial or backpack filter that filters to 1 micron. These are available in sporting good stores and are recommended for use when back-packing. They are not recommended to clean large volumes of water. Filtering eliminates parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium, but it may not eliminate all bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it’s recommended that 5-7 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of chlorine bleach* be added per gallon of filtered water (1/2 teaspoon for 5 gallons). Stir or shake the solution to mix it. Wait 30 minutes before using the water, or cap the containers and store them in a cool, dry place.

*Use liquid household bleach that contains 5.25 percent hypochlorite. Do not use bleaches with fresheners or scents as they may not be safe to consume. The above treatment methods use a two-step approach so less bleach is needed, yet giardia and cryptosporidium are destroyed through boiling or eliminated by filtering. Chlorine may not be effective against these parasites.Since adding too much chlorine to water can be harmful, it’s important to be as accurate as possible when measuring.

• Distillation Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

Most water filtration devices are designed for use on microbiologically safe water. Don’t assume they are safe to use on contaminated water. Check with the manufacturer to be sure.

Use the following guidelines to determine if filtration equipment is adequate to use with microbiologically contaminated water:

Filtration Equipment	Safe on Microbiologically Contaminated Water?
Carbon Filter	No
Reverse Osmosis	No
Deionization Filter	No
Pitcher Filter	No
Faucet Mount Filter	No
Steam Distiller	Yes – but requires electricity
UV Sterilizer	Yes – but requires electricity
Ceramic Filter	Some – but only if rated for bacteriological protection

Equipment that is safe to use on contaminated water is often slow, costly, inconvenient and/or high maintenance. It makes the most sense to use the filtration equipment that best meets your normal daily needs and shift to water storage or alternative methods of water treatment in times of emergencies.

Make your own Sterno fuel jelly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTPBlvNmbCM

Looting 101: What you should know before the collapse, and what the looters already know.

Looting 101 and Counter Strategies for Survival

Law and order will be the first casualty when the shit hits the fan. Recent historical examples the world over, including New Orleans, Haiti, and Chile show that without policing, looting will become an immediate danger.

The following Guide to Looting When the SHTF by Thomas Northrop of No Bullshit Survival shows that survival and preparedness planning does not include just storing food, supplies, guns, and medicine, or creating tactical defense plans for your home and property. There will be organized gangs, whose sole method of acquiring necessities will be through looting. A friend recently mentioned that when discussing possible collapse scenarios at the water cooler, one of his office coworkers suggested that he would simply take what he needs from other people if it came down to it. Thus the looter mentality is not as isolated as we may think. In all likelihood, this person has already considered what he would do, how he would do it, and how far he was willing to go.

This is a reality, so understanding and accepting it as such is important now – so that you are fully prepared to deal with it if ever confronted by such a situation.

If you’re a law abiding citizen I suggest you don’t read this section. In some historical instances extraordinary measures have been taken against looters during times of crisis. It’s not uncommon in some countries for looters to be shot, either by police, army, or business owners. Some governments will justify the shooting of looters with the excuse of “preventing further damage to the economy”. I suggest you get out of countries that value the economy over your life.

Warnings aside… Let’s get down to business!

What is Looting?

Looting is essentially the act of stealing goods during a catastrophe, riot, war, or natural disaster and can also be referred to as sacking, plundering or pillaging. Looting is almost always opportunistic and usually occurs during a collapse in authority.

Looting can be justified in many ways. Some people may feel that if the goods are not stolen, they will be wasted. Another common belief is that if they don’t steal the goods, it will be stolen by someone else. In the aftermath of a large disaster, these beliefs both hold credence and are good reasons for you to be looting!

Preparing

As with any endeavor, preparation is the key to success. In order to take optimal advantage of a disaster and loot effectively you’ll want to get several things handled ahead of time. The next few pages will cover all the information you need to become a master looter.

Make a Looting Kit

There are a few items that will make looting a lot easier. You’ll want to keep these items ready and on hand for when shit hits the fan. They should be kept together in the location for easy access so you just pick them up and go when it’s time.

Crow bar

The ultimate urban survival tool! A nice, heavy crowbar can be used to break into stores, clear your way through rubble and it can be used as a weapon! Don’t underestimate the crowbar. There are a million things you can do with a crowbar, just use your imagination.

Bump keys

These are keys that have been grinded down in such a way that they can be used to open almost any lock. Bump keys are used by locksmiths and they’re relatively easy to use. A crowbar will get you through any door or window but a bump key will get you through without making a mess.

Laundry bag

A strong, large drawstring bag is a definite must for looting. Laundry bags are great for the purpose of looting. They have a large carrying capacity and when empty they can be folded to fit in your pocket. You can always go for a large backpack, duffle bag or rucksack but they’re cumbersome, expensive and made for looks more then anything else.

A dollar coin or quarter

You may be wondering… a dollar coin or quarter? What the hell for? Well the answer may be a lot simpler then you imagine. The coin is for a shopping cart! Just make sure you get one before the other looters! If you don’t want to use a coin, you can always use the crowbar to break the chains holding them together.

Flash light / Lantern

It’s very likely that if the situation permits looting, the power is probably out. Good luck getting over fallen shelves and getting food in the dark. Looting with one hand will also be difficult but there are a few methods around that. I suggest placing the lantern or flash light in the shopping cart, get a head lamp, or just bring someone along to shine the light and push the cart.

Make a Looting Team

Find several friends or family members and make a plan! It’s all about leverage, you can get a lot more done if your work as team. Get everyone together in a room and discuss a plan of action. Here are the questions you’ll want to have answered:

•Under what circumstances will looting take place?
•Where will the goods be kept?
•Who has a vehicle for transportation?
•What are the best locations for looting?
•Should each individual go to a different store?
•Should everyone go as team?
•What goods have priority?

If each person focuses on acquiring a certain type of item, you’ll collectively save a lot of time and effort. What I mean by this is that one person will collect water filters, one person will collect rice and beans, and the other person will collect fuel. That’s just an example and should be customized to fit your team needs.

Mapping and Creating a List of Target Addresses

Get a detailed map of your city and mark off important looting locations. Make a legend with symbols to represent different types of locations, for instance, use a circle for food stores, triangles for hunting/outdoor stores, squares for hospitals and pharmacies etc. A good resource for finding addresses and locations is Google maps, just type in a store name and Google will give you all the addresses for that store in your area. Copy and paste the results into a .txt file and print it out for future use. This map is extremely important and should be kept in a safe area. The map should be copied and distributed among friends and family. Here’s a list of some locations to keep in mind:

•Hospitals
•Restaurants
•Grocery stores
•Large stores and warehouses
•Police stations
•Fire stations
•Factories
•Shipyards
•Pharmacies
•Liquor stores
•Malls
•People’s houses
•Schools
•Sporting good stores
•Outdoor living stores
•Garden stores
•Hardware stores
•Military / Armory bases
•Gas stations
•Air ports
•Shipping container sites
•Hotels

What to Loot

Some items are important to loot and some aren’t. A wide screen TV for instance will not contribute to your chances of survival. The highest priority should be on food and water but depending on location, finding water may be a problem. Water is too heavy to move around so instead of looting water bottles the focus should be on buckets and water filters. The value of money may be worthless in a disaster situation and therefore should not be a high priority. The most important items to loot are as follows:

•Personal medicine (if required)
•Water filters and water
•Rice
•Dried lentils, legumes, beans
•Salt
•Oatmeal
•Whole wheat flour
•Sugar
•Cooking oil
•Coffee
•Money (preferably in change)
•Alcohol
•Cigarettes
•Energy bars
•Coo laid/ electrolytes
•Fuel/oil
•Places to Avoid

The family run corner stores should be avoided as the owners actually have an interest in the store. The best historical example to illustrate this point occurred during the LA riots… remember Korea town?. Go for the Walmarts and Super stores as the employees could care less about you looting (they have no vested interest in the store).

Looting When Shit Hits the Fan

You have a plan and you know what to do but now we’ll going into the details of what happens next.

It’s my personal belief that violence will not break out in the first stages of a disaster since food and supplies are still in relative abundance and people have what they need to survive. This has been proven during hurricane Katrina and many other disasters. The first few weeks of a disaster should be spent looting and acquiring resources. Everyone in your team should loot the area and acquire as much as a possible. It’s only after several weeks of looting that gangs and groups will have formed and violence will erupt. Fighting will most likely occur over food and resources. All looting from that time on should be executed with extreme caution.

We will undoubtedly get flack for publishing this “guide,” so to clear things up, we are posting this not so much as an instructional manual for how to loot, but to reiterate the point that there are those, and they are plentiful, who are fully prepared to take what they need at the expense of others.

You may have stereotypes of what a looter looks like and the people they will be traveling with. Stop stereotyping, because the fact of the matter is, that when people are hungry and under extreme stress the line between right and wrong is blurred and very easily crossed, and color or socioeconomic background will not matter.

With respect to the looting guide above, Mr. Northrop’s list of items to loot are, for the most part, necessities. Some might even suggest that instead of looting, we could call it “foraging,” at least when it comes to the essentials. Imagine for a moment that one of your family members has sustained an injury and requires antibiotics. Would you or would you not break into the pharmacy down the street to gain access to Penicillin? The same goes for food. If you’re food stores were wiped out, for whatever reason, and you knew of a train fully loaded with boxes of dry goods, would you or would you not “loot” that train to acquire the much needed food?

Some would argue that abandoned grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals or distribution centers don’t belong to any one individual, so looting in those areas is not as bad as, say, breaking into someone’s home.

Supplies at those abandoned locations, however, will eventually and likely very quickly, run dry as everyone who hasn’t prepared (probably north of 90% of the population) will be scrambling to get as much food as they can.

You can probably guess what happens next. This is why it is important to prepare right now. The last place you want to be when the SHTF is out with the rest of the looters and foragers. It would be much more preferable to be at home finalizing your defense preparations – doing things like setting up barbed wire, firing lines, booby traps and coordinating with neighbors – because if the disaster event lasts for more than a week without outside resupply, gangs and looters are going to be headed your way next.

First 100 items to vanish when Shit hits the Fan.

Here is a list compiled by professionals during disasters all over the world (Foreign and Domestic) that has been worked down to reflect what would likely be the goods/supplies/etc... that would vanish from the available market the fastest in a major disaster or lasting period of unrest/chaos etc...


It is also kind of a list of what you may want to think of acquiring in advance.

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing/breathing machines)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

Monsters of Anarchy

So many people these days are sick of the Big Govt and its putrid corruption. They are tired of the laws that steal from the poor to fatten the rich. So many people are crying out for Anarchy, an end to all government rule and supervision. Anarchy means no laws, no system, no infrastructure save that won by strength and power.

Be careful what you wish for, because Anarchy means no one is there to protect you except you. Your property, your family, your life... all is subject to the whims of anyone strong enough to take them by force, and there will be no government agency, police force or town sheriff to come to your aid when someone is raping your children and burning your home.

If the proverbial "SHIT" does hit the fan and the world around you falls to chaos... just watch the video.
That menace will come for you, are you prepared for that?

Thanks to SurvivalGoddess for reminding me about this video. I want to post it here as well as my home group.

Prepping for others.

Just like many other preppers I know, I have friends and family that have absolutely NOTHING set aside for that proverbial 'rainy day', or rainy decade, we are all sure is on the horizon. I have tried cajoling and even offering to go with them and assist them if/when they ever want to set aside some supplies, but all to no avail. This is what led me to pondering the possibility of simply setting aside a bare-bones stockpile specifically for them. I tried to come up with all the pro's and con's, the cheapest cost for the largest gain (because like so many others, I am broke and money is largely unavailable.) and the best way to employ the preps.

Ill go through my thought process:
1) Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day...
If I get them a couple 20lb bags of red beans and rice; they wont realize the value and may simply throw the container away if it gets in the way, use it for non-emergency food and let it spoil, give it away, or (if SHTF) trade it for a couple steaks and some beer.

2) A fool and their Preps
They may offer to feed everyone and their brother and run themselves out of supplies in a quarter of the time. This one actually scares me the most because they may decide to come back to me thinking I owed it to them because they are family and they know I have provisions... and they might tell everyone else the same story and they would ALL come for free refills.

3) A preppers home is their castle
If I allow them to simply join me and my family, in spite of their total lack of training or comprehension of the gravity of the matter, it could lead to an even MORE uncomfortable and dangerous problem when they turn out to be intolerable pigs and belligerent sheep-people that rebel and risk your Op-Sec.

 4) The rats in the Pantry
History has shown us that the government will simply seize the assets of groups and individuals when they want them. It happened to the Liberty Dollar people, and if SHTF it would happen to anyone that had supplies the govt wanted.  Commonly, the authorities will offer bribes and rewards to people for turning in neighbors for "HOARDING" food or supplies. When a person is hungry, and you are not giving them free unlimited handouts, they will gladly take the govt's offer of a free bag of canned food for information leading to a successful raid of one of those horrible 'preppers' that hog so much food.

I came to the conclusion that, instead of just prepping for someone that wont prep for themselves, you are safer to simply keep your own supplies quiet and try like hell to get them interested in being the ant instead of the grasshopper.

I'd like to hear the input of other people too.

  

Antibiotics without a prescription - Good for stocking up.

Necessary Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, don't attempt to assume you are one either (unless you are). Get real advice from a doctor before you do something that might be stupid.

The following was taken from HERE






These products can be ordered from calvetsupply without a prescription. What follows is a bit lengthy, but worth the read IMO.


No antibiotic is effective against every type of microbe. Certain ones will kill aerobic bacteria, others are used for anaerobic bacteria, still others are effective against resistant strains, and certain people are allergic to or intolerant of various antibiotics. The following are all generics, running about $10 for about a month’s treatment.

• Amoxicillin is the old standby for most respiratory infections (probably most of which are viral and don’t even require antibiotics). It is excellent for strep throat and some strains of pneumococcal bacteria. It is also safe for children and pregnant women. It is well-tolerated, causing little stomach distress or diarrhea. The drawbacks are that some people are truly allergic, and many bacteria have developed resistance to amoxicillin (especially staph) through overuse among both humans and animals. Anyone truly allergic to amoxicillin should substitute erythromycin or another antibiotic.
•Cephalexin works on most of the same bacteria as amoxicillin, plus is stronger against Staph aureus, which mostly causes skin infections. It rarely works against MRSA (resistant staph), however. It is also well-tolerated in children and is safe in pregnant women, causing few side-effects. Like any antibiotic, it carries the risk of allergy. People who develop anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergy) with amoxicillin probably should not take cephalexin, as there is a good 10% cross-reactivity between the two. If I had to choose between stockpiling amoxicillin or cephalexin, I would choose cephalexin. The combination drug, amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin), is as strong against staph, but more expensive and harder on the stomach.
•Ciprofloxacin is useful for anthrax (which I’ve never seen), urinary tract and prostate infections (which are very common), and many forms of pneumonia and bronchitis. One of the more important and selective uses of ciprofloxacin is in combination with metronidazole for diverticulitis. This potentially life-threatening infection usually (or at least often) requires two antibiotics to resolve. (Levaquin and Avelox are a bit stronger than ciprofloxacin and could be substituted for this, but are much more expensive.) Ciprofloxacin is not used in women or children unless the benefit clearly outweighs the risk, although the risk of joint damage (seen in animals) appears minimal. Taking ciprofloxacin by mouth is nearly as effective as taking by IV.
•Doxycycline is useful in penicillin/amoxicillin-allergic adults for respiratory infections and some urinary/prostate infections. It is avoided in children and pregnant women unless the benefit clearly outweighs the risk (of permanent tooth discoloration in children under the age of . Doxycycline is sometimes effective against penicillin-resistant bacteria. If I were limited to either doxycycline or erythromycin, I would choose erythromycin for stockpile.
•Erythromycin is useful for most of the same infections amoxicillin is used for, and thus can be substituted in penicillin-allergic patients. However, erythromycin tends to cause the intestine to contract, often causing cramps or diarrhea. (This property is sometimes used to help patients with conditions that impair intestinal motility.) It can be safely used in children and pregnant women.
•Metronidazole is an unusual antibiotic used for very specific infections. It is aimed primarily at anaerobic bacteria, primarily those found in the intestine. It is also used for certain STDs, including trichomonas. As mentioned above, it is very useful in combination with ciprofloxacin (or SMZ-TMP, below) for diverticulitis. It is the only inexpensive antibiotic effective for Clostridium difficile (c. diff, or antibiotic-related) colitis. It is also effective against certain amoeba. This drug is not used in children unless the benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
•SMZ-TMP is a combination drug of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The latter antibiotic is used mainly for urinary infections. The sulfa component is effective against many respiratory bacteria and most urinary pathogens, although ciprofloxacin is somewhat stronger. The main reason to stockpile SMZ-TMP is due to its effectiveness against resistant staph (MRSA).
Of course, only the most understanding fellow-prepper physician is likely to prescribe all these in quantity. The list can be narrowed a bit, by dropping doxycycline (since erythromycin covers most microbes that doxycycline would kill, and can be used in young children) and amoxicillin (because cephalexin covers most amoxicillin-sensitive bacteria and has the benefit of effectiveness against staph aureus).

My top five antibiotics would therefore be:

•Cephalexin
•Ciprofloxacin
•Erythromycin
•Metronidazole
•SMZ-TMP
Of these, SMZ-TMP and ciprofloxacin have the most duplicate coverage, as do cephalexin and erythromycin. Since the intolerance of erythromycin is much higher than is allergy to cephalexin, I would favor cephalexin. Ciprofloxacin is stronger for intra-abdominal infections than SMZ-TMP, and is less likely to develop resistance. Although its use in children is a bit of a concern due to the question of joint pain (although this is rare), I would favor ciprofloxacin over than SMZ-TMP, even though SMZ-TMP is effective against MRSA. However, when the use of antibiotics is severely curtailed, antibiotic resistance will also decrease, and therefore MRSA will become less of a concern.

Therefore, my top three antibiotics to stockpile would be:

•Cephalexin
•Ciprofloxacin
•Metronidazole
Using these three alone or in combination would cover around 90% of the infections physicians commonly encounter, as well as several less-likely threats (including anthrax and C. diff).

Remember, there are more people, there is less food. They produced less, they lost more to flooding, fires, frosts and other problems.

If there is something I need to tell you about this, then you have not been paying attention. Think about your family, about your loved ones... Make some preparations. Learn where to find food where people wont look, learn to hunt, fish, and grow your own.

Ill keep trying to post lessons on these things, but ultimately, it comes down to you and how serious you are about protecting the ones you care for.

Make lye at home.

  Make lye at home for your soap making needs.

Make lye at home is perfect for making homemade liquid soap and shampoo. It isn't difficult, although if you have access to commercial lye, you may prefer to use that instead. This is because commercial lye will give you consistency in your lye soap recipes. The problem with making lye from wood ash, although it is a simple process, the end result can be that your lye water is either too strong, or too weak. Either way, it will spoil your batch of homemade soap. Having said that, none of our ancestors had access to commercial lye and they made soap just fine. We will also give you a couple of tests to do that will take a lot of the guess work out of the process, making sure that your lye is of the right strength.

MAKE LYE: INGREDIENTS

The ingredients for making lye are wood ash and water. Preferably rain water, as it is soft, although tap water will work just as well. The ash should come from hardwoods as soft woods are too resinous to mix with fat. Hickory, sugar maple, ash, beech and buckeye wood are the best producers of lye.

MAKE LYE: EQUIPMENT

Traditionally, to make lye, people used wooden buckets or casks lined with straw and small rocks. Now, not everyone has access to these things, so I am going to show you how you can make lye just as easily in an old nappy bucket or something similar.

Take your old plastic nappy bucket and drill a neat round hole, about an inch off the bottom on one side of the bucket. It shouldn't be very big, about the diameter of a small iron nail - about 1/8th of an inch. Make sure that the size of the hole is the same size of the nail that you will use to stop up the hole when needed.

MAKE LYE: THE PROCESS

Using cold wood ash, take a spade and carefully place the ash into the stopped-up bucket. Make sure that what you are placing in the bucket is the fine, white ash, as opposed to any charcoal bits. This you don't need. Make sure that the ash is well compacted in the bucket.

Boil water half of the capacity of the bucket and pour gently over the ashes. As soon as the water makes contact with the ash it will start hissing and bubbling. This is perfectly normal. You may find at this stage that the water is just sitting on top of the ash, without it appearing to do anything. Just leave it, without disturbing it, and come back later to see when you can add the rest of the water.

Once you have used all the water elevate the bucket so that you are able to place a glass or plastic container under the hole that you previously drilled and stopped up with a nail. Place your receiving container under the hole and remove the nail. Do not expect lye water to come out of here. This could take hours, if not days.

Once you have enough lye water use the nail to stop up the hole. Take the lye water to the kitchen and boil carefully. Take care at this stage as the lye is caustic and if it splashes onto your skin and into your eyes it will burn. You will need ot wear gloves and safety glasses at this point. Once you have heated up your lye water take it back to your bucket and carefully pour it back over the ashes in the bucket. This helps strengthen the lye.

Wait for the lye to emerge once again.

MAKE LYE: TESTS FOR STRENGTH:

To make lye and be successful at soap making your lye has to be at the right strength. Now there are 2 ways in which this can be done, both of which indirectly involve chickens. If you live on a farm and keep chickens, then this test is fine for you. If not, then you can use the second test.

Test 1

This is a simple test. Take a chicken feather and place it in the lye. If the feather dissolves, the lye is strong enough and you can use it for your soap. If not, you will have to re-boil the lye water when it emerges and repeat the process until your chicken feathers dissolve.

Test 2

This test involves using a fresh egg in a shell. Take the egg and place it in the cold lye water. If it sinks, your lye is not strong enough and you will have to repeat the process until it does. If the egg floats with just a little of the lye water above it, then the strength is just right. If the egg floats too high, almost on top of the lye water, then the strength is too strong. You can compensate by adding a little bit of fresh water to the lye water and try again.

With the first test, I would still back this up with the "egg floating" test, just to make sure that my lye water was not too strong.

MAKE LYE: THE FINAL PROCESS

When you buy commercial lye it is in the form of crystals. When you make lye at home you will want your lye to be in crystals too. This is very easy to do. Take your lye water and place it in the sun until the water has evaporated. What you are left with are your lye crystals that you can use quite happily in your soap making recipes.

In the end your homemade lye is softer on the skin. It is potassium hydroxide as opposed to sodium hydroxide. When following soap recipes make sure that you use the right type of hydroxide, as although both are lye, they cannot usually be used in place of the other in certain recipes. The potassium hydroxide molecules are larger than the sodium hydroxide molecules. It is this size difference that enables the potassium hydroxide to maintain a liquid state. Potassium hydroxide is normally used to make liquid soaps. However, you can make a hard soap by adding common salt at the end of the boiling process. If you want to add salt to harden your bars of soap, weigh out the water you are going to mix your lye with. Before you add the lye, add ½ tsp. of salt per pound of oil/rendered fat in your recipe. Stir well to make sure that all of the salt is dissolved. Add your lye to the salted water, making your lye solution, and resume your normal soap making procedure. Both types of hydroxide, however, are extremely corrosive and must be handled and stored with care.

Visit our Making Soap page for more information on how to make soap at home. You will also find Soap Recipes for the three main types of soaps; hand-milled soaps where you do not have to use raw lye, cold process and hot process soaps.

Make your own Smoke Bombs

In a Bug Out scenario there are dozens of things that can go wrong and a dozen more reasons why you may need to obscure an area or disorient others... The videos posted here are great and show how to easily make your own heavy smoke grenades.

What I am not going to post publicly are the ways these simple smoke grenades can be converted into irritant or blister agent weapons to disperse angry and dangerous crowds that may have become a threat during your bug-out. If you look online though, you can probably discover some of the naturally available roadside plants that can be processed down and concentrated to cause blistering and bleeding of the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, throat, mouth, etc... of anyone that encounters the smoke cloud. If your home is assaulted by a mob of people during a riot or if your car is being assaulted during a bug out... even common smoke can be an asset. A choking cloud of blister inducing smoke is just the next step. But you will have to look THAT up yourself.

and a vid of how well they work

SWORD RATING DEFINITIONS

1. Base Level. Be aware. No Warnings issued. This doesn't mean that everything is ok, just that either we dont know about it, or have not been able to post a change yet.
2. Social Unrest. Elevated Activity.  Keep your eyes on the news and on local tensions etc... Trouble may be brewing, but it is not yet seen as a real Danger. 
3. Active Threat. Caution Advised.  Sources have indicated that there are, at least, pockets of aggression that may pose a danger. This is beyond the normal dangers of day-to-day living. This usually comes from police reports, scanner activity, a disasterous event or some other occurance. SWORD overseer and some admin members have connections in the LEO and / or intelligence community and often receive advanced warning of events. 
4. PREPARE FOR BUG-OUT. Whatever the reason is, a bug-out / bug-in situation is brewing. Information usually accompanies this rating along with areas known to be affected. BOL info and the needs of members may be discussed. 
5. EMERGENCY SITUATION. A bug-out or bug-in advisory has been issued for affected areas. Communication with Overseer or other admin may be difficult or impossible and the secondary command staff may be activated. Alpha BOL may be activated depending on the situation. 
6. SHTF SITUATION. Either a situation has escalated to a full blown dangerous event, or there has been a sudden disasterous development. Communication via this forum may be impossible, try to stay in contact with other SWORD members and share information. Hopefully you have paid attention to our Fallback/meet-up locations and have a plan for your family. 

WTF - ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE.  Try to stay together, work as a team and try to contact SWORD PRIME and/or fall back to a designated a safe fallback point. SWORD leadership will try to make contact and organize a response ASAP. 

Wild Edibles - Foraging - Dandilion

I really like this channel because they are accurate, they show everything clearly and even give any pertinent warnings.

Dandelions are more nutritious than spinach and broccoli. All parts of the plant are edible, and the leaves are high in potassium, iron and calcium. The plant has a deep taproot that can be anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet long, according to the University of Wisconsin Extension Service. Dandelions have the most flavor before the first flowers appear, when the plants are tender and young. Dandelion roots have a turniplike flavor and are best dug up in early spring when prepared as a vegetable.

Step 1

Dig up dandelions in early spring using a spade. Keep the taproot of each plant intact.

Step 2

Pull the greenery from the plants. You can eat the leaves of the plants, either uncooked like salad greens or stewed separately from the roots in boiling water.

Step 3

Rinse each dandelion root under cold water, removing all dirt. Check to make sure each root is free of insects.

Step 4

Peel the outer skin from each taproot using your fingers or a paring knife. The skin is bitter tasting.

Step 5

Cover the roots with water in a pan, and bring them to a boil on the stove. Reduce the heat and simmer the roots. Test doneness by stabbing one or two roots with a fork. When the fork easily goes into the taproots, they are ready.

Step 6

Drain the water from the dandelion roots, rinse them with warm water and serve. Season the roots as you would carrots.

JKD