Survival kits info.

[carpet_ninja]

Does anyone know any cheap yet good quality survival supliers IN THE UK?

[Rick]

I can't help you with items in the U.K but I will say don't be in a rush to run out and purchase survival gear based on what's hot at the moment. Take some time to research what you need and you'll find a lot of items can be made from things you might already have at home (firestarter for example) or inexpensive items that perform as well or outperform expensive ones (freezer bags vs. water bladders for water storage). No need to waste money.

[carpet_ninja]

OK, thanks for the advice i might buy a fire steel from amazon

[trax]

Start giving us some clues about what activities you want to pursue, outdoor living and survival living cover a whole lot of territory. Tell us about what you want to try and we can probably help you save some money and time.

[carpet_ninja]

well, id like a decent survival knife (like the one advertised on this page, since i live in england im not shure i an get it), the other thing is if my parents would let me have one.

i would be mainly be down the brook in my house, and if i organised something i would go into a forest (one in the north west of england)

ill have to identify threes in the area

[Rick]

Then you might start by discussing your interest with your parents. See what limits they set then operate within that framework. It won't do any good for us to recommend a knife if they are against you having one. However, you can still do all of the things I suggested on the welcome thread.

[Sarge47]

So far both Trax & Rick have given you great advice. So here's "Survival 101"; if it's not too late don't buy the fire steel just yet. Fire can be just as dangerous in the hands of an untrained person as a knife. You already have your 1st piece of Survival equipment; it's your mind. You seem to be a cautious, alert person who's willing to learn. In that case I say to you to do just that...learn. Want a free book on Survival? Then go to the homepage of this site and start studying and/or downloading the pages of the US Army survival Manual. It's FREE! You can also download other manuals as well, maybe whoever posted that address for those things will come back on and re-post it . If you were under my instruction and asked me what to buy 1st I would tell you the same thing I'd tell my own son...or grandson. Buy yourself a brand new spiral bound 5 subject notebook and a dozen pencils; pens if you don't make mistakes in your writing. Then start visiting all the forums on this site and write down every list, item, description...every bit of usable info you can find. You 1st need to learn this Ancroynom: "S.T.O.P.! People oft-times are in way too much of a hurry and that always seems to create even more problems. "S" stands for SIT, the "T" for THINK, "O" for OBSERVE, and "P" for PLAN! That's what you need to do right now. Don't waste money on equipment you don't even know how to use. I would never let any of my off-spring have a knife like the one on the home-page of this site. I wouldn't own one either. Want to know why? Look up the forums on knives and you'll find out. If you're as serious about learning as you said then this is your 1st lesson; are you ready?

[Sarge47]

OK, just grabbed a copy of the Dec. issue of Field & Stream and checked out Kevin McCafferty's review of Ranger Rick's Survival Necklace. There are only 2 pages of material and it deals with various other survival kits as well as "RR"'s. His is shown in the bottom right hand corner at the bottom of the 2nd page. It looks like "Kev." simply repeated the same thing about it other reviewers have. Interstingly enough the price has jumped a couple of bucks...guess the cost of Lift tickets have gone up as well.

[Rick]

Here is the web site with the free military manuals:

http://www.stevespages.com/page7c.htm

You might even talk to your parents about taking a first aid course. There are courses designed for people of all ages and that's a skill you can take with you anywhere.

ATTENTION: THIS LINK IS NO LONGER VALID. THE WEBMASTER HAS TAKEN THE SITE DOWN BECAUSE OF ABUSE.

[beerrunner13]

Here is the web site with the free military manuals:

http://www.stevespages.com/page7c.htm

You might even talk to your parents about taking a first aid course. There are courses designed for people of all ages and that's a skill you can take with you anywhere.

Great link Rick thank you, I know some of mt training and manuals are out of date and I am teaching my new bride some of these will be very hlepfull

[carpet_ninja]

trax: i will definately take down every thing as you said, thanks for the great advice, and if anyone knows a good practical (where i make some thing or build some thing) week end project i could do, it would be great.

about the knife: i havent asked my parents about anything about this other than theyll let me buy a firesteel, i think my parents trust me with that kind of thing and i have made a few fires in the past

oh and by the way im 13, i wont say anything else about my personal details or my mum will kill me

edit: oh, i have read quite a bit of the guide on this website

[Rick]

She has good reason to be concerned about internet safety and I applaud her for not only caring but for forcing the caution. Survival means more than just wilderness. The fact that you are UK based and your age will give us some ability to better help you.

1. Take a clear plastic bag and place over a tree limb. Close the bag with twine and leave all day. Take a look at how much water is in the bag at the end of the day. This is called a transpiration still.

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2. Make a fire bow kit

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3. Make a shadow box for finding direction. You can also use it to learn animal tracks if you put a treat in it and leave it overnight. Something will show up to eat the treat and leave their footprints behind.

http://www.mydirttime.com/photo.php?...&adventureID=9

[Sarge47]

looks like I was pretty accurate about your age. No problem, and yes, as Rick says, listen to your mom (or is it "Mum"?). My son is 26 right now but we always raised him to be aware of potential threats from predators. Rick has given you ideas for several projects, however what's the weather like over there in the U.K.? Right now, here in the Mid-West of the U.S. we have snow on the ground, cold air way below freezing temps, and a winter storm moving in. Learn to read the weather signs and chart your weather as well. When it gets too nasty out to practice these things that's your study time, as long as it doesn't get in the way of your school work. Get that notebook and use it just for this. Later you'll have to get another one. Start organizing yourself and writing down what you see & learn here. "Chance favors the prepared mind", and as the Boy Scouts say: "Be Prepared". Rick has given you some very good, yet safe ideas. WARNING! Never practice anything here, though, without 1st talking about it with your folks. Always walk on the side of safety 1st! Survival is all about staying safe! More later.

[carpet_ninja]

thanks for all the advice and it was probably more me being internet safe (im still annoyed cause my computer died, i think from a bad dl)

anyways, ill do that stuff you said, she saw me reading ricks post and saw the fire bow
ill probly get my dad to help me with hard things (but ill do most of the work)

anyway back on topic, does anyone know any good suplies in the uk

[Ole WV Coot]

What "supplies" you need right now you can make. Read and remember, when you need it you sure don't want your mind to go blank. I know a little about your gun laws, don't know about knives. IMHO I would read and REMEMBER everything you can about survival and you don't need to buy self defense. I started my self defense at age 6 when I started school. It got kinda tough without any backup(only child) but I learned the hard way.

[carpet_ninja]

what do you mean by self defense i don't mean a knife for self defence, i want one to make stuff

[Gray Wolf]

1. Take a clear plastic bag and place over a tree limb. Close the bag with twine and leave all day. Take a look at how much water is in the bag at the end of the day. This is called a transpiration still.

Rick, I tried out a black plastic bag and actually got more water than a clear or white one. Must be that black/heat thing.

Oh yea, luv that shirt!

[Rick]

I thought of that as well but thought the clear bag would allow him to see what was happening inside. Show and tell time.

[Gray Wolf]

Your right, that does help those who never have done it. But when you get the chance try the black bag and post if you got more water too.

[Rick]

That's gonna be a while. The only foliage we have right now is under the snow.

I met a guy on business in Chicago once, he was from California and it was this time of year. "What happened to all the trees?" he asked. "They're all dead."

"It's winter." I told him. "The leaves fall off in the...fall."

"Trees keep their leaves all winter in California," he told me.

"Don't get out of California much do you?" I asked.

"Oh, yea. We go to Baja all the time."

I got to really like that guy.