The List (part 3)

18.  Manual can opener. You might have several different ways to cook your food but you are still going to starve to death if you can’t get to it. A good manual can opener is a necessity and is something you may already have in your kitchen. This might seem like a trivial thing to include on this list but I’ve met numerous people over the years that only had an electric model in their home. You can buy a cheapie for a buck or two but in my experience a can opener that cheap is total crap. Spend at least five or six dollars for a decent one and you’ll have something you can actually use. It might also be a good idea to get a backup in case your main one breaks.

19.  Thermos bottle. Get at least one of these for every member of your home. When the power is out and you have no hot water on tap you’ll be glad you did. A good thermos bottle will keep its contents hot or cold for up to 24 hours which means you don’t have to build a fire every time you want a cup of coffee. You can also cook in one of these things saving you precious fuel. I have never done it so I can’t tell you how well it works but Google “thermos cooking method” and you shouldn’t have much trouble finding out the exact procedure.

20.  Pressure cooker. This is an item I don’t really see on a lot of survival supply list. It should be on your list however because It will save you much valuable time and resources. Cooking a pot of beans in the traditional manner will take you 3 to 4 hours. With a pressure cooker you can have them ready to eat in 15 or 20 minutes! Not only great to have around when TSHTF but good to have in the here and now to start saving money on gas/electricity. A small pressure cooker will probably cost between 20 and 30 dollars.

21.  Heat source. A good source of emergency heat in the home is usually near the top of anyone’s survival list. You don’t actually need a source of heat for your home if you have plenty of warm clothing and plenty of blankets/sleeping bags etc. I once lived in a building during the winter with no heat at all and survived the experience by “hibernating” when the temperature dropped below freezing. Having said that I would have killed for a source of heat other than what my body produced. A wood burning stove can be quite expensive but if you build your own it shouldn’t be too much. I’ve seen videos on YouTube of small homemade wood burners made out of ammo cans. If space is limited then something like this could be constructed and put away until needed.

22.  Fire wood. When the “S” actually does “H” the “F” you won’t be able to take a leisurely stroll through the countryside collecting firewood. Having enough wood on hand will see you through the initial stage of Armageddon without you having to burn all of your furniture for heat. Don’t forget a supply of good dry kindling. Cardboard is great and I’ve never had any trouble getting a fire going with little more than a couple pieces of cardboard.

23.  Axe. You might have been able to stockpile enough firewood to last your family a few weeks/months by collecting scrap lumber from alleyways and construction sites but you will run out. A good chainsaw with plenty of gasoline and oil will supply you with more but cannot be counted on to work when needed, so a good axe is a must have item if you want to keep using your wood stove. When the pioneers of yesteryear headed out into the unknown to carve out homesteads in the wilderness the most important tool they took along with them (next to their firearms) was an axe. This should cost you less than $20.00.

24.  Machete. You gotta love the machete. When the French slave masters on the island of Hispaniola started cracking the whip too hard in the early part of the nineteenth century the slaves revolted and let the inner savages come out. With nothing but their blood lust and the machetes they used to harvest sugar cane they were able to free themselves from slavery and take control of the shit hole we know as Haiti. The machete is still a favorite weapon amongst the savages in Africa to this day. Whole communities of rival tribes are hacked to pieces from time to time with machetes. You can use the machete as a weapon in a pinch if you have to, but I put it on the list mainly because of its usefulness in wilderness situations where you might need to hack your way through thick brush or collect fuel for a fire. About $10.00 for a cheapie at Wally’s Wide world of Junk.

25.  Bic lighters.  You have a wood burner for heat and a means to resupply it but unless you are able to build a fire then what’s the point? Very few people have the knowledge, or even the patience to build a fire by rubbing two sticks together. Bic lighters are cheap and you should stockpile a shitload of these marvelous little items. If you’re a cheap bastard like me you might be tempted to save 20 cents and buy the cheapie crack lighters. Don’t do it! Bic lighters are not that much more and they will last you much longer.

26.  Fire extinguisher. A good fire extinguisher is truly a must if you are heating your home with a wood stove. Try and call 911 after TSHTF to put out the fire and see how that goes. Safety is a big concern and you don’t want to be sitting out in the snow wondering where you are going to live when your house burns to the ground. Be smart and invest in a good fire extinguisher.

That’s it for part 3. Please come back for part 4.

Tex Dakota