Checking your gear

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Toepopper
Patriot ⭐ Construction, Shelter
Patriot ⭐ Construction, Shelter
Posts: 1229
Joined: 16 Aug 2007 12:03
Location: Southwest Oregon

Checking your gear

Post by Toepopper »

I found a used army rucksack for $15 at a gun show, this is the newer kind made from camoflauge material with no metal frame. I want to use it for a bug out bag to be kept in my Jeep. As I was placing things in it I opened up a box of wooden kitchen matches and started packing matches into an old plastic pill bottle to be placed into the rucksack. I noticed several matches had no sulpher on the end, then discovered that a full one third of the matches in this box had no sulpher on them and were useless for starting a fire. I have had these strike anywhere matches sitting on the shelf wrapped in a plastic bag and inside a tupperware container for at least 15 years and never looked inside to verify they were good. You don't need to be a brain surgeon to realize how deep of a mess you could find yourself in when you needed to get a fire going and your matches turned out to be sticks. So now every single item I use will get a thorough inspection to make sure it works and does what its supposed to. I have also added a small plastic lighter to my pill bottle and a magnesium firestarter in a second pill bottle with more wooden matches so I have 3 different ways to start a fire.
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knobster

Re: Checking your gear

Post by knobster »

+1

I was teaching my den of cub scouts about survival kits. We started small - Altoid tins that they packed with a few things. I brought my own to show them and realized that a few items needed to be replaced. I had packed it a few years ago and the needles were rusty, the beef bullion cube was... icky, the matches now had icky beef goop on them, etc.
Toepopper
Patriot ⭐ Construction, Shelter
Patriot ⭐ Construction, Shelter
Posts: 1229
Joined: 16 Aug 2007 12:03
Location: Southwest Oregon

Re: Checking your gear

Post by Toepopper »

Some people take the time to dip the sulpher match ends in candle wax to prevent moisture from being absorbed over time, then scrape it off before use. I may undertake this procedure on a nothing to do rainy day as medication bottles are not waterproof and making a river crossing might destroy the ability to produce a fire.
I have also recently found several plastic lighters with striker mechanisms frozen solid and useless. These lighters were about 18 years old and stored high and dry in a tupperware container in my pantry. Also have some of the old style Zippo flip top lighters that use lighter fluid and replacable flints. These still function as well as the day they were bought.
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acet7

Re: Checking your gear

Post by acet7 »

I didn't know that about the strike anywhere matches I will have to open up the ones I have na inspect them as well. Thanks for the tip.
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308gun

Re: Checking your gear

Post by 308gun »

I carry some ammo in a water proof can in my SUV , and all the bug out bag stuff, due to lots damp and rain had to replace my flairs (road) , and flash lights, another great item to get is the surplus flair guns (got the Polish ) new and got the 38 cal. insert , so if shtf its a backup gun... (check the laws your area) ... and about once a month check out auto needs such as oil , power fluid.. Murphy's law will get you...I see people that have the alinement out and going down road out of line. :coffee:
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