Arkansas is a predominantly knife friendly state, one that has a few regulations regarding ownership, carry, and concealment of knives.
This was not always the case, but thanks to a concerted effort back in 2011, the state now enjoys far less restrictions and broader inclusivity when it comes to concealed carry. The expansion of natural rights is always welcome, but Arkansas still has a little way to go.
The state does little to regulate the style, action and type of knife that one can carry but it does have a blade length restriction. Generally speaking, you want to keep the blade of any knife you are carrying less than 3 inches long thanks to some cloudily worded statutes.
Carrying a knife that is 3 inches or longer might see you fall under the state’s purview of unlawful intent, and therefore you could be committing a crime- with or without a concealed weapons permit!
The state is also fairly notorious for strong regulations against carrying any kind of weapon in any public building, place or facility.
What You Need to Know
What Kind of Knives Can I Own?: Any kind of knife.
Can I Carry a Knife Concealed Without a Permit?: Any kind of knife with a blade less than 3 inches long.
Can I Carry a Knife Concealed With a Permit?: Any kind of knife with a blade less than 3 inches long. Possessing a weapons permit does not allow you to carry a knife with a longer blade!
Can I Carry a Knife Openly?: Any kind of knife with blade less than 3 inches.
General Ownership
The Arkansas state statutes covering the carry of knives need a little parsing to be fully understood.
The law clearly states that any person commits a misdemeanor offense if they carry any knife with a purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ said knife as a weapon against another person, and a knife is any bladed instrument with a blade that is 3 inches in length or longer.
Included in this list of knives are Bowie knives, butterfly knives, razors, daggers, gravity knives, push daggers, ballistic knives, dirks, sword-canes, picks, spikes, throwing stars, and pretty much any other bladed or pointy instrument you can think of.
This includes carry in your vehicle or otherwise on or about your person.
The operative clause, of course, that determines illegal intent is “…with a purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ the … knife… as a weapon against a person.”
Logically it stands to reason that if you are not carrying any knife with a blade length in excess of 3 inches that you are not doing anything illegal because you are not carrying it with the intent to use it unlawfully against another.
In practice, a prosecutor could argue that you are carrying such a knife only because you intend to use it against another, and therefore the act speaks for itself.
My advice for those of you carrying knives is to keep the blade length decidedly less than 3 inches. If you do decide to carry a larger knife, you should keep it as pedestrian and unassuming in appearance, style and features as possible.
Sadly, Arkansas’s statewide preemption only applies to firearms in the statutes, not knives or any other bladed weapon. This means you will have to stay on top of local city and county laws pertaining to restrictions on knives as you travel from place to place.
This can certainly make things difficult for those of you who are on the move regularly for work or play. The knife that you carry without any issues in your home region could be specifically illegal in another part of the state!
As always, ignorance of the law is no excuse for violating it and you must endeavor to stay abreast of all laws relevant to the carry of weapons.
Concealed Carry, No Permit
Arkansas makes no practical difference between concealed carry and open carry of knives, and you can employ any kind of knife you want for any purpose though you would be strongly advised to keep the blade length under 3 inches as described above.
Concealed Carry, With Permit
Unfortunately, having a concealed weapons permit in Arkansas does nothing to alleviate the restriction on blade length, at least according to 5-73-120.
Carrying a weapon. Paragraph (c) Subsection (4) states that a person carrying an otherwise restricted knife on a “journey” (defined as travel beyond the county where one lives) is an allowable exception, but Subsection (8) in the same paragraph also states that a concealed weapons license only gives one exception to carry a handgun; it makes no mention of knives.
Unfortunately that means we cannot assume that merely possessing a concealed weapons license will give us carte blanche to carry any length of a knife that we want.
Open Carry
Open carry of knives in Arkansas is totally okay, although once again you must abide by the blade length restrictions described in detail above and there are no exemptions for carrying any longer blade in your vehicle, either.
Prohibited Places
Arkansas bans the carry of all deadly weapons, and that certainly includes knives, on the grounds of any public building, facility or place, including the state capitol grounds.
Also included specifically in the list of prohibited places are any sports or ball field, maintained recreational structures, courthouses, schools and school parking lots.
Assessment
Arkansas is a generally knife-friendly state, but the restriction on blade length for any kind of carry along with the conspicuous lack of statewide knife law preemption is a bit of a black eye.
Also, the way Arkansas state statutes are worded there are significantly more public places, you cannot carry a knife or other deadly weapon compared to some neighboring states.
It sure feels nice to have access to any style, type or action of knife you prefer, but that abundance of choice is hampered somewhat because your blade length is always constrained to less than 3 inches if you want to be on the safe side.
Important Arkansas State Statutes
The devil is always in the details when it comes to state laws, and Arkansas is no different. Below you will find a selection of the most relevant Arkansas state laws governing the ownership and carry of knives discussed above.
I strongly recommend that you take the time to read through these and others:
5-73-120. Carrying a weapon.
(a) A person commits the offense of carrying a weapon if he or she possesses a handgun, knife, or club on or about his or her person, in a vehicle occupied by him or her, or otherwise readily available for use with a purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ the handgun, knife, or club as a weapon against a person.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) “Club” means any instrument that is specially designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious physical injury or death by striking, including a blackjack, billie, and sap;
(2) “Handgun” means any firearm with a barrel length of less than twelve inches
(12″) that is designed, made, or adapted to be fired with one (1) hand;
(3) “Journey” means travel beyond the county in which a person lives; and
(4) “Knife” means any bladed hand instrument three inches (3″) or longer that is capable of inflicting serious physical injury or death by cutting or stabbing, including a dirk, a sword or spear in a cane, a razor, an ice pick, a throwing star, a switchblade, and a butterfly knife.
(c) It is permissible to carry a weapon under this section if at the time of the act of carrying the weapon:
(1) The person is in his or her own dwelling or place of business or on property in which he or she has a possessory or proprietary interest;
…
(4) The person is carrying a weapon when upon a journey, unless the journey is through a commercial airport when presenting at the security checkpoint in the airport or is in the person’s checked baggage and is not a lawfully declared weapon;
…
(8) The person is in possession of a concealed handgun and has a valid license to carry a concealed handgun under § 5-73-301 et seq., or recognized under § 5-73- 321 and is not in a prohibited place as defined by § 5-73-306;
…
(d) Carrying a weapon is a Class A misdemeanor.
…
5-73-122. Carrying a firearm in publicly owned buildings or facilities.
(a) (1) It is unlawful for any person other than a law enforcement officer or a security guard in the employ of the state or an agency of the state, or any city or county, or any state or federal military personnel, to knowingly carry or possess a loaded firearm or other deadly weapon in any publicly owned building or facility or on the State Capitol grounds.
…
(4) As used in this section, “facility” means a municipally owned or maintained park, football field, baseball field, soccer field, or another similar municipally owned or maintained recreational structure or property.
(b) (1) Any person other than a law enforcement officer, officer of the court, or bailiff, acting in the line of duty, or any other person authorized by the court, who possesses a handgun in the courtroom of any court of this state is guilty of a Class D felony.
(a) As used in this subdivision (a)(3)(C), “parking lot” means a designated area or structure or part of a structure intended for the parking of motor vehicles or a designated drop-off zone for children at school.
(b) “Parking lot” does not include a parking lot owned, maintained, or otherwise controlled by the Department of Correction or the Department of Community Correction;
(a) As used in this section, “local unit of government” means a city, town, or county.
(b) (1) (A) A local unit of government shall not enact any ordinance or regulation pertaining to, or regulate in any other manner, the ownership, transfer, transportation, carrying, or possession of firearms, ammunition for firearms, or components of firearms, except as otherwise provided in state or federal law.
(B) This shall not prevent the enactment of an ordinance regulating or forbidding the unsafe discharge of a firearm.
(2) (A) A local unit of government shall have no authority to bring suit and shall have no right to recover against any firearm or ammunition manufacturer, trade association, or dealer for damages, abatement, or injunctive relief resulting from or relating to the lawful design, manufacture, marketing, or sale of firearms or ammunition to the public.
(B) The authority to bring any suit and the right to recover against any firearm or ammunition manufacturer, trade association, or dealer for damages, abatement, or injunctive relief shall be reserved exclusively to the State of Arkansas.
…
(c) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, the governing body of a local unit of government, following the proclamation by the Governor of a state of emergency, may enact an emergency ordinance regulating the transfer, transportation, or carrying of firearms or components of firearms.
Pepper spray is a popular and commonly employed self-defense implement that is equally effective as a less-lethal option for those who carry a firearm or as a primary defensive weapon for those who are not comfortable or permitted guns.
Pepper spray is legal to own and carry almost everywhere, and is extremely prolific throughout the United States. This popularity means people can keep a can or two stashed in their vehicles just in case. Is this practice a good idea?
Can you store pepper spray in your car? You shouldn’t: most canisters should not be kept at temperatures in excess of 120° F / 48° C or below 32° F / 0° C, both ends of the spectrum possible inside a vehicle. Extremely hot or cold temperatures increase the risk of failure, either by leaking or bursting, or the pepper spray solution could be less effective.
Pepper spray is an excellent self-defense tool, and one that all preppers should consider to help keep themselves and their loved ones safe. But like all weapons, even the non-lethal ones, they have their own special storage requirements, and pepper spray is no different.
Keep reading so you can brush up on your pepper spray facts in order to and store it more effectively and safely.
High and Low Temps Degrade Pepper Spray Solution
First and foremost, you should be worried about extremely high or extremely low temperatures harming the pepper spray solution itself. The ingredients in the solution could begin to separate, or just start to lose that spicy punch that makes them work in the first place.
This can result in such unfortunate mishaps as a weak or erratic spray pattern or variations in expected dispersal. Don’t risk a failure that you can’t afford with such a trusted weapon by keeping your pepper spray in your vehicle for any length of time.
This is a bit of a Catch-22 for preppers, since pepper spray testing is not as simple as test firing a gun. If you test fire your pepper spray, there’s always a risk that you could accidentally expose yourself or someone else.
Not the end of the world, but most pepper spray canisters are very limited on both active ingredient and propellant meaning you could be unnecessarily degrading your canister when this whole fracas could have been avoided if you simply chose to store it somewhere else besides in your vehicle.
Visual inspection of your canister will often not yield much evidence of any failure unless the canister has been catastrophically damaged by freezing or leaking, but that is still the best you can do under the circumstances if you don’t want to waste its precious payload.
Again, you don’t have to go through anything like this if you refrain from storing your pepper spray in your vehicle.
Pressurized Container Hazards
Any decent commercial or law enforcement grade pepper spray will rely on a pressurized vessel for deployment. This is what gives pepper spray its reach and a sustained spray pattern.
No matter if you are using foam, gel or traditional aerosol, the payload is kept under pressure which is not released until the trigger is depressed.
Most of us have probably already learned along the way that you always want to use extreme caution when storing any pressurized vessel in an area where temperature spikes are expected, high or low.
No matter which way it goes a catastrophic failure could occur, but the nature of that failure depends on if your pepper spray canister is facing freezing or steamy temperatures.
Extreme Heat Hazards
The interior temperature play passenger compartment in any automobile will rapidly climb upwards of 30 degrees F hotter than the outside temperature once the vehicle is parked with the air conditioning turned off.
While it is true that shade, whether or not the windows are up or down, and some other variables can affect the internal temp most of us don’t need any convincing when it comes to just how hot a vehicle interior can get. Surfaces like the seats, dashboard, and armrests can get even hotter than the inside air temperature!
The hotter the ambient temperature, the more pressure your pepper spray can will experience. It is possible that temperatures can climb so high your pepper spray canister could leak or actually burst, not unlike a fizzy carbonated beverage left in the cup holder.
This will obviously be disastrous for the unfortunate soul that climbs into the car next, but it also means you are down a defensive weapon.
Extreme Cold Hazards
Just because you don’t live in a place known for sweltering summers or seasonal high temperatures you can let your guard down when it comes to storing your pepper spray in your vehicle. Cold weather can be just as hazardous, even more so.
Virtually every major brand of OC spray will feature water as a primary component of the solution, and water, obviously, can freeze with destructive effects on any container that holds it.
While it is true that other components in the solution such as propylene glycol or even the OC compound itself might conceivably have a positive effect on the freezing point of water, it speaks for itself that no major manufacturer will ever recommend you store your pepper spray in any environment that will reach the freezing point of water, just 32 degrees F.
Freezing is especially destructive for any vessel containing water, and your pepper spray canister will be no different.
In fact, it might induce sort of a “time bomb” effect where your canister has been ruptured by the freezing action, unbeknownst to you, only to be pocketed or placed it in a purse or on your belt for emergency use.
Only once the contents have begun to thaw and leak properly will you notice in the worst way that your pepper spray canister has been compromised.
You might count yourself lucky that you don’t get a blast of the hot stuff in your face as an unfortunate consequence of this occurrence, but you will still be down a weapon and that is even worse should you be attacked.
Avoid Mishaps and Going Unarmed by Keeping Pepper Spray on You
You can easily avoid all of these negative consequences by simply keeping your pepper spray on or about your person.
Pepper spray that is kept out of direct sunlight in a pocket, in a purse or inside a belt case will not get too hot in the vast majority of places on Earth. Similarly, kept near your body it should not freeze in anything but the most inhospitable of cold climates.
Beyond this, pepper spray can only help you if you have it close to hand when you need it to stop an attacker. If you get attacked away from your vehicle and your pepper spray is inside your car it might as well not even exist.
Only by having your pepper spray available for a speedy draw and deployment will you stand a chance.
You can avoid malfunction, ruptured canisters and going unarmed by keeping your pepper spray with you at all times.
Conclusion
You should not store pepper in your vehicle no matter what type of climate or environment you live in. Any time temperatures rise above 120 °F (48 °C) or fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 °C) the risk of catastrophic malfunction from leakage or rupture will be high.
Even if physical destruction does not occur the pepper spray solution itself might be degraded by temperature extremes.
English is not my native language, so I would ask you to be understanding when it comes to certain writing errors.
A week ago I woke up after hearing an alarm to practice, but for some reason I couldn't go back to sleep. Since it was early, I was tired and didn't feel like getting out of bed, I kept tossing and turning, maybe for an hour and twenty minutes or so, until I was pretty sleepy again.
This is when something interesting happens, since I was about to fall asleep (I saw fragments of images and heard fragments of sound) but for some reason I said to myself "and what would happen if I try a dream domain now? Meh, surely I'm going to fail, since I'm not psyched to do it, but practice is better than nothing. "
I changed position on my back (I usually sleep on my stomach), all this with my eyes closed, and once comfortable I looked at my brow.
In a matter of maybe two or three seconds, a series of intense vibrations hit my body, adding to a very clear image in front of me, in which I was walking in slow motion on my balcony.
Sadly I was startled and lost the state, since I was not expecting such a situation, and fell asleep.
However, when I woke up, I began to reflect on what the hell had happened, since for the first time I had reached the required state, without having mentalized, without having visualized, without effort of any kind, completely fast and accidental.
That's when I realized what happened. I was falling asleep normally, doing absolutely nothing outside of the routine of any day I try to sleep, but at the exact moment I fell asleep, "I checked if I had fallen asleep."
What does this mean? at the exact moment that I fell asleep, I observed my brow, and both situations occurred simultaneously
Have you ever been occupied with something at night time?. Maybe studying, maybe reading, maybe watching Tv. All of a sudden you realize that you're tired. But when did you become tired? When did wakefulness end and tiredness begin? Was it when you began yawning? was it when you eyes started drooping?
Now here's another great enigma. When did you fall asleep last night? Can you remember the exact moment where tiredness became sleep? when exactly did you go from conscious to unconscious. And the answer there is no exact answer. Going from wakeful to tired, or from tired to sleep is not like an on and off switch. It's more like a continuum that merges with each other. They are all different shades of the same color.
I was seeing some realistic hypnagogic images, but I absolutely cut the state, since I said to myself "what if I try to practice now?", And to top it off, I moved and changed my position. In short, when I was on my back, I was not even close to the state required for a WILD ... and yet, I did it, without making any effort, without seeing any images, without any anchors, nothing ...
I only knew that I was about to fall asleep, and I moved my vision towards my brow at the exact moment I fell asleep, this movement coinciding with the moment in question.
In this way, the only possible explanation for the result of that morning is that I corroborated whether I was (observing my brow) asleep at the exact moment I fell asleep.
There are several ways to practice.
If you live with family members who may wake up to many alarms, it would be a good idea to buy a bluetooth headset and leave them connected when you go to sleep. In this way, when you wake up to the sound of the alarm, you will only be listening to it without disturbing anyone (in the Alarm Clock Xtreme app there is an option so that if headphones are connected, the phone's speaker does not sound).
After waking up, it's a matter of count and check, count and check, count and check.
Another option is to record some audio on your PC saying things like "lucid dream, count" and then transfer it to your cell phone. At night, you use a timer (say, one hour, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty seconds) and set the alarm to go off at two hours and turn itself off. In this way, the timer would wake you up, and after turning it off, instead of counting, you just wait for the alarm to tell you to visualize, and you will have a good chance that it coincides that you observe the frown at the exact moment you fell asleep.
You can even set a timer, and instead of recording an audio reminder, use a smartwatch that vibrates those ten seconds after turning off the timer (or that vibrates the phone itself if you still have it in hand).
Although the simplest is to place the timer, leave it near the bed, and when it goes off turn it off (if you sleep on your side, or in your stomach, like me, turn around in your back). After turning it off, count a certain number of seconds and check if you fell asleep by looking at your brow and telling yourself "lucid dreaming"
In any case, you will have to experiment whether or not it is convenient for you to get out of bed, stay in bed, a certain amount of seconds, use one system or another, etc.
But it could be a good way to avoid visualizations, images, sounds, mantras, not scratching, not moving, not this and not the other, blah blah. It would only be a matter of having a "good timing".
----
In summary...
You have to go to sleep like any other day, doing nothing out of the routine, except setting the timers every ninety minutes (although if you want to force the technique, they can be set every half hour, twenty minutes, or whatever you like).
Once awake, turn off the timer (and if you are one of those who sleep in positions on your stomach or sides, turn over on your back), close your eyes and count ten seconds. Afterwards, just move your eyes and observe your brow.
If you fell asleep before ten seconds, in the next alarm it counts less number of seconds, and if you did the reality check and you are still awake, in the next alarm it counts less number of seconds. Each one will have to know their own times.
If you got the reality check to match the exact moment you fell asleep, I guess you're going to feel like me. Vibrations in the body and a very clear and sharp image.
I would deeply appreciate that all those interested, start practicing as soon as possible and comment on their results.
In this way, we could corroborate whether it really has the potential to be a robust technique, or just a strange circumstance with no real practical value, and not waste anyone's time.
I will be practicing all February, and then at the beginning of March I will comment on results (or maybe before, if they are very good, haha).
I would stay very motivated if other people join, although there are no obligations or commitments haha, everyone is the owner of doing what they want.
I wish you a good day, and a good year.
via Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views - Attaining Lucidity https://ift.tt/3onU6b6
Being prepared to defend oneself and one’s holdings is a big part of prepping. As it turns out, we won’t all just be able to get along.
Weapons are an important part of these plans and preps, as they will afford you the power, effectiveness and sometimes the range needed to fend off desperate looters, crazed marauders or warbands of power-hungry malcontents who are organizing to create their own petty bandit kingdoms.
You would be wise to stock up on firearms, ammo and so forth, but what happens when the guns fall silent, break down or go missing? What if doomsday does not have the common good manners to wait for you to get home to your massive arsenal before it kicks off?
What if, one way or another, you are deprived of access to your weaponry? In that case, you had better have a back-up plan and it had better be a good one.
That is where improvised, DIY weaponry comes in. DIY weapons include ordinary items that can be wielded as a weapon and purpose-made weapons that are fashioned from raw materials, scrap or otherwise less harmful or even seemingly harmless supplies.
These weapons have an advantage over their professionally-made counterparts in that they are often difficult to see coming and can be made almost anywhere the raw materials are found. Review this list, and you’ll be sure to find a few favorites for spur-of-the-moment mayhem!
1. Magazine Truncheon
I am not talking about bashing somebody with a magazine out of your AK-47 or AR-15, though that could probably do okay in a pinch!
No, a magazine truncheon is probably exactly what you are otherwise imagining: it is a standard size glossy magazine that is rolled-up as tightly as possible and held in a clenched fist.
Doing only that you will produce an impact weapon with nearly ideal rigidity, density and impact characteristics and can dole out a considerable amount of pain.
It is essential that you roll up the magazine as tightly as possible, and keep it tight when wielding it, and this means that a good grip is absolutely paramount for success.
If time and resources permit, the magazine truncheon can be improved by taping it closed in the rolled position or by loading a thin, heavy object into the hollow center, something like a common box wrench or length of narrow pipe.
2. “Millwall Brick”
The millwall brick is an infamous weapon that is emblematic of English soccer hooliganism, specifically the fans and roadies of the Millwall F.C. team, which lent its name to the eponymous improvised weapon.
The millwall brick is constructed from little more than rolled newspaper although additional embellishments and damage-inflicting options can be added according to the user’s preference.
Similar in impact to the magazine truncheon above, the millwall brick is made by rolling a standard size newspaper into a tight and shockingly dense tube, after first laying it out flat and then folding one set of opposite corners together.
As soon as the roll is made as tight as possible, the two ends are then folded together, producing a stout, dense and short bundle that is wielded like a short club.
The millwall brick also benefits from loading weighted objects into it, and certain enterprising hooligans even inserted stones or lengths of sheet metal between the folds to produce a weapon like a short tomahawk.
This is a weapon that is potentially endemic to any settled place on Earth as newspapers are universally available anywhere that civilization has found.
If time permits, the newspaper can be soaked in water after being folded then allowed to dry before taping it closed to improve durability or increase grip.
3. Shiv
You can learn a lot by being in prison, and one of the lessons you will learn is that human ingenuity and will to survive has absolutely no limits, even in such a brutal place as the slam.
A shiv is a colloquial term of prison slang that has jumped the gap into popular parlance, and is a label for any improvised knife, spike or other stabbing weapon.
The gruesome beauty of a shiv is that they can be fashioned from nearly anything: A suitably sturdy piece of scrap metal could be folded and sharpened before fitting a primitive grip made from a wrapped piece of cloth.
A plastic toothbrush handle could be shortened and remorselessly shaped and filed using friction on a concrete floor to create a spike, as could the transparent barrel of a ballpoint pen.
Any found parts or debris, even flame-hardened wood, can be fashioned into a shiv with enough time, refinement and ingenuity. Even a sizable shard of broken glass could be knapped into a more usable shape.
If idle hands are the devil’s workshop, the shiv is one of the devil’s most common products.
4. Weighted Chain / Rope
The flail is a medieval weapon consisting of a weighted striking component of various types attached to the end of an articulated chain or sometimes even a rope or other cord.
Flails were risky to use enjoyed many inherent benefits, not the least of which was the crushing power that they could deliver and also the fact they could strike around a shield or block thanks to their flexible construction.
Flails are no longer popular military weapons, but they are still popular and useful weapons for guerillas, gang members, and people who are desperate to arm themselves at any cost.
Commonly made from logging chain, bike locks or even common hardware store rope of some type a DIY flail will be crowned with a dense, weighted object of some kind, oftentimes an equally common padlock but this could take the form of anything from a large ball bearing or even a stone.
One variation of a primitive flail to be made with common and completely innocent materials is little more than a lead fishing weight placed inside a rolled-up bandana which is then swung for effect.
Even a weapon such as this can easily fracture a human skull, and larger examples will inflict dreadful injuries.
5. Fist Load, Fist Load w/ Spikes
It has long been a trick known to old street fighters and dirty boxers that palming a short section of weighted pipe or even (the old standby) a roll of coins into the fist when punching adds a considerable amount of impact and can also help to protect the fingers from being painfully mashed into the palm upon collision with the target.
This works well enough on its own with a little practice, and you can hardly be punished or detained for carrying something as innocent as a tiny section of pipe or a fresh roll of coins around with you.
But there is one ingenious and borderline sinister modification that can be made to this classic improvised weapon that will truly put it over the top.
Starting with a roll of coins and three common, short, sturdy nails, you can create a positively devastating spiked fist load weapon that will inflict hideous injuries to your attacker.
The modification is executed by removing just a few coins out of the roll (that roughly equals the combined diameters of the nails).
Then the nails are carefully inserted through the now-vacant spaces where they will protrude between the fingers before reinforcing the entire contraption with tape. Now, when a punch is delivered, the recipient will also incur nasty puncture wounds to boot.
6. Spear
The spear is one of mankind’s earliest and simplest weapons, and one that persisted for many long millennia of warfare. The spear is just as effective today as it was back then, and it has an advantage for preppers in that it can be fashioned in many ways using many varieties of material.
A spear can just as easily be made from a sturdy branch and piece of flint or obsidian lashed together as it can be from a metal broom handle or piece of pipe with a knife duct taped to the far end.
Spears are comparatively easy to fashion compared to many other weapons, and are just as well suited for defense in the hands of a wilderness survivor as an urban denizen.
The components for both the haft and the spearhead can be crafted or repurposed from all kinds of things and that should make it one of your go-to melee weapons in a variety of situations.
With a little practice you’ll soon have a feeling for spear construction and can optimize it for either thrusting or throwing depending upon your purposes.
7. Club
The common “beat stick”, a club is perhaps the most primitive weapon on this list, and one that must never be underestimated even in the face of fancier and more advanced weaponry.
Clubs can be found in nature as nothing more than sturdy branches, or they can be fashioned from all sorts of man-made materials, including table legs, fence posts, lengths of pipe, and more.
Clubs can be made long or short, but the longer the club is, the more potential force it generates on impact. In the case of an especially weighty or dense club this can deliver truly bone-crushing wounds.
If you plan on going the distance with your club, you might improve it by wrapping athletic tape around the handle section, adding a small wrist lanyard or reinforcing the head section with a wrap of sheet metal, small protruding rivets, nails, or even adding a weight such as a stone or appropriately shaped chunk of metal.
This makes the club more like a medieval war mace than anything else!
Do take care that you do not compromise the structural integrity of the club when adding your modifications, and keep them simple; elaborate or sinister designs are more likely to just get snagged in the target or caught on terrain.
8. Kubaton
The kubaton is a short club designed to target soft parts of the body, and pressure points for non-lethal strikes. It is an effective martial arts tool that originates in Asia and has remained popular as a self-defense tool for decades.
A kubaton simply has 2 domed or rounded-off pointy protrusions sticking out of one or both ends of the hand when clenched in the fist. It is an easy thing for a prepper to fashion a similar weapon from any sturdy piece of dowel or high-impact plastic.
Kubatons work best when a user has practiced integrating them into a martial arts system, but even an untrained person can get some good mileage out of them by delivering overhand hammering blows with them. It also has the added bonus of protecting the hand from impact.
The blunt nature of a kubaton is far less likely to deliver severe blunt force or lacerating injuries, making it an appropriate less-lethal tool compared to many of the others on this list but one less likely to actually stop an assailant.
9. Axe
Another ancient weapon, axes have been used for felling and processing timber for ages, and Evan used nearly as long on battlefields as brutal close-quarters weapons that require far less training to use effectively than a sword. Even an improperly aligned or glancing blow from an axe will still inflict terrible injury.
Obviously, you can grab any garden-variety hardware store axe, and repurpose it as a weapon in an SHTF situation, but if you lack even such a common tool as that, you can still make your own.
You can craft an axe using any suitably sturdy handle or club as a base that you will then imbed at the far end with an equally sturdy chunk of sharpened metal.
If you have additional tools and time, you can use an old leaf spring off of a car or truck, or even something like a circular saw blade, filing and shaping it to make a surprisingly efficient chopping weapon.
Note that axes of this type are more than capable of hewing down a human being, but they do not make ideal tools for chopping trees owing to their typical thin profile.
10. Glass Bottle
The glass bottle is a barroom brawler’s weapon of choice and needs no introduction. When intact, it can deliver a powerful impact and cut somebody to ribbons all in one fell swoop. After it has been broken it is still a nasty thrusting and slashing weapon.
Glass bottles can be found all over the globe in all kinds of settings, so you’ll never want for one if you look hard enough, though they are endemic in and around bars.
That being said, these things won’t last no matter how careful you are in using them, so consider employing them to open or close a conflict and buy yourself an opportunity to escape.
11. Blinding Powder
Blinding powder is a catch-all term for mixtures of granulated chemicals, agents and materials that can severely impair the sight of or even blind a person should it be projected into their eyes.
This is the kind of stuff that gave rise to assassins and ninjas of antiquity disappearing in a cloud of smoke; what they most likely did is hit their pursuers with a strong dose of artisanal-crafted blinding powder.
What kind of ingredients go into blinding powder? There are two basic schools of thought. The first is organic components that are painful and will temporarily degrade sight, things like dried and crushed chilies, black pepper, mustard seed, mentholated plants and so forth.
The other is an absolutely nasty combination of any and everything that you definitely would not want to get in your eyes, including ground glass, metal shavings and filaments, powdered chemical cleansers, abrasives and so forth.
No matter what route you go, the resulting mixture is then stored in a reasonably durable but crushable container or a capsule that can be quickly opened.
When it is time to disappear in a puff of blinding smoke, the powder is poured into your hand before being thrown into an opponent’s eyes, or is simply lofted at their face directly out of the container.
You should not need me to tell you that you must pay strict attention to wind direction and speed before using this improvised weapon, and also to take the greatest possible care that you do not get it in your own eyes.
12. Wrench
A hefty wrench is more of a “found” weapon than a crafted one, but it fits the spirit of this list and so it is included.
The largest varieties of wrench, particularly the pipe wrench or monkey wrench are among the most devastating repurposed clubs that a prepper could use as their sheer mass and preponderance of hard edges delivers crushing blows.
This is another item that can be found all over the world, and is generally innocent if kept in the right context. The wrench also has the added benefit of being a genuinely useful tool when it is not being used to split skulls.
The only modification most wrenches need is a wrap of tape or leather on the handle to improve grip.
13. “Paperweight”
A “paperweight” is not really a paperweight, if you catch my drift. Referring to a purpose-made weapon, a paperweight is any rock, piece of metal or other hard, unyielding material that has a pyramid, cone or faceted gem type of shape that tapers to a point on one side and will rest comfortably in the palm on the other.
These sneaky weapons are employed in a jabbing or slapping motion, concentrating incredible force on a single, tiny point. Aside from being indescribably painful, this is a penetrating weapon that can easily fracture bone and lacerate skin.
The beauty of this type of weapon is that it serves as a sort of shield for the small and delicate bones of the hand upon impact. One need only spend some time looking for a rock with just the right shape, and you can be assured of finding one.
If you take the time to rummage around knick-knack or office supply shops, you might very well find an actual modern art-styled paperweight that will serve the purpose. Left sitting passively on a desk it will attract virtually no attention until it is too late.
14. Homebrew Pepper Spray
Pepper spray is one of the single best defensive weapons available to anybody, combining an extremely high rate of effectiveness with enough range to keep you out of the grip of your assailant.
Even if pepper spray does not provide enough of an incentive for them to give up their evil ways, having your eyes screwed shut by ferocious burning and hacking fits of coughing goes a long way to degrading fighting ability. This gives the defender a major advantage.
Modern pepper spray is produced on an industrial scale, and in a long- or indefinite-term survival situation, gaining access to more is going to be anything but certain. This means you’ll need to make your own.
Luckily, the majority of commercial pepper sprays are nothing more than highly concentrated natural extractives dissolved in an alcohol-based carrier fluid.
You can make your own reasonably effective analogue by using a variety of recipes found on the internet, and then carefully storing the solution in some type of dispenser, be it a common spray bottle or even a larger backpack-mounted vessel used for dispensing herbicides.
15. Belt w/ Buckle
One weapon you’re likely to always have on you no matter where you go and what you are doing is your belt, and assuming your belt has a substantial metal buckle, it can easily be removed in a flash and deployed in an ass-kicking contest.
Very much like the purpose made but much heavier flail mentioned above, even a weight of only a few ounces that, attached to the end of a flexible cord, is swung with speed will generate shocking amounts of force.
Buckles that rely on a hook and loop arrangement can also inflict lacerating damage if the hook catches the assailant just right.
Though not the most devastating weapon, it will afford you reach and, aimed at the head, can inflict a knockout. If your belt has a large and ostentatious cowboy-style buckle, it can break bones.
16. Carabiner
Carabiners are ubiquitous pieces of equipment used for climbing and belaying, and in recent decades have become popular for general-purpose storage, attachment of keys or lanyards and other EDC-related tasks.
A sturdy steel or aluminum carabiner also has another hidden purpose, as one that is sized appropriately for gripping in a closed fist can function as an impromptu set of knuckle dusters, adding considerable force to a punch and also protecting the hand.
There are some caveats when using a carabiner in such a fashion, however. One should only use a carabiner that has a locking gate in order to ensure that the gate does not open on impact and impale the hand regardless of how it is held.
Second, only genuine carabiners rated for typical climbing loads should be used, not their non-functional “fashion” variants that are commonly available everywhere, as they will buckle when striking.
Lastly, employed in this way the carabiner works best when using hammering or underhanded blows due to the shape.
17. Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher is one piece of personal safety equipment everybody needs in their home, and is found virtually everywhere and in every building throughout the modern world.
A fire extinguisher also makes an excellent improvised weapon, and not just for its considerable heft and sturdy steel canister!
A fire extinguisher can project a completely blinding, choking and disorienting cloud of chemicals for a considerable distance, potentially earning you an opportunity to escape from your assailant or just allowing you to seize the initiative and turn the tables on them.
It does not take much in the way of training or skill to employ a fire extinguisher in this way, since once the pin is pulled, all you need to do is aim the nozzle and squeeze the trigger, just like a garden hose.
I will give you this warning though: you should make sure you are indeed working with a chemical-based fire extinguisher and not a simple canister of pressurized water, since the initial surprise of the water will not do much to stop or slow down an assailant!
18. Aerosol Flamethrower
A common object of fixation for pyromaniacs and pre-teen miscreants alike, many aerosol cans can be turned into short-range, impromptu flamethrowers with nothing more than an ignition source.
Paints, lacquers, air fresheners and more all contain flammable propellant or payloads that can be employed in this way.
While not likely to do much actual damage in a very short period of time, it might nonetheless set someone on fire giving them much bigger problems to worry about than doing whatever it is they were going to do to you.
All that is needed is a match or lighter held a few inches in front of the nozzle, before dispensing the product through the flame. This will result in a large and scary fireball extending for a couple of feet before dissipating.
Similar to a fire extinguisher this might be enough to scare off an assailant or distract them long enough for you to get out of Dodge or turn the tables on them.
19.Caltrops
Caltrops are entirely defensive weapons consisting of a cluster of four spikes arranged in a roughly triangular or pyramidal shape, ensuring that no matter how it lands when thrown or dropped, one spike will always be pointing straight up, ready to puncture the tires, feet or hooves of anything that passes over it.
These ancient and tricky weapons are not difficult to procure online, and they’re also easy enough to fashion yourself with a little bit of patience and raw materials.
You could easily fashion your own caltrops from nails and epoxy or small-diameter steel, or iron stock and silver solder.
Remember that more are definitely better when it comes to protecting an approach with these things, and you might also take the time to reduce the shine and glare on them if you want to maximize the chances that the baddies will run over them unawares.
Make sure you remember where you put them in case you have to make a hasty getaway!
20. Windmill Star
A windmill star looks vaguely like a giant shuriken, or throwing star, hence the name, but it actually has more in common with thrown hunting clubs that are found in many cultures throughout the world.
A windmill star is simply two branches or short poles fashioned together with a lashing or joint in the middle forming them into a plus or cross shape with each arm equal in length. The ends of each arm might be sharpened to a point or affixed with small weights to increase impact.
In use, the windmill star is thrown overhand similar to a boomerang, and so long as the arms are comprised of materials that are equal in length and weight it will fly through the air with surprising accuracy and range allowing you to potentially inflict a serious wound from a distance.
This has an advantage over other thrown weapons due to its range and also its ease of manufacture.
Conclusion
If you are getting ready for a home invasion, and are currently lacking a weapon to take to the battle, you would be well-served to brush up on how you might fashion your own effective weapons from found materials or repurposed items.
With a little imagination and equal parts ingenuity, you can quickly produce frighteningly effective weapons seemingly out of nothing. Take the time to commit some of the most useful designs to your memory and ensure that you will never be disarmed for long in a survival situation.
I've been wanting to make this thread for months. Frequently thinking about this, explained further down...
And firstly, let me say that I am not looking at "fast-tracking" anything. I would also ask that the term "totem" here be viewed as a very general term which you can define in your own way, but if you have a personal definition, please do tell us what it is.
I know some threads have been made about totems before too, here are some links some such threads that caught my attention and that you might like to have a look at:
A few months back I bought a small electrical latching switch; it is not connected to any power or wired to anything and I keep it on my bedside table; it is white with an unmarked green switch. With a pen, I labelled on its side over some masking tape: "REALITY CHECKER" with a "HI" and "LO" state for what would otherwise be "ON/OFF". (Can add a picture tomorrow)
I have thought, and tried, using a totem such as that in the style of "Inception" in the past. My renewed interest in the idea and my reasoning for doing something different this time was that I know that something I carry in my pockets quickly becomes banal, too general. I can never remember to do any type of reality questioning around my phone and yet I find myself wanting to use a physical reference for intention.
The result of that, is that I considered that just the same way we can retain an intent or recall by for example twisting two fingers in a knot, I should likewise be able to retain and recall an intent (of checking/thinking about Reality) by the act of switching or interacting with something.
In my mind, the point behind what I'm doing with this switch is just that; setting an intent and having the physical memory of interaction help with recalling that intent. For me, physical memory is very important in my day-to-day, as it tends to hold a bit more information than my visual memory alone. For example, I can remember whether I've recently opened something or not by feeling it, rather than trying to remember seeing myself doing it. There's a certain value of "recentness" that physical memory holds for me that very little else does.
In any case, the intended usage I made for myself with this switch I've labelled, is basically as follows:
- When I'm getting into bed, I switch it from "LO" to "HI"; this can be read as me having the intent of being in a "High Reality Checker" state whilst I'm asleep or in bed.
- In the morning, once I have awakened and realise that I am indeed awake, I reset the switch to "LO", but if I suspect I am going to fall asleep again, set it back to "HI".
Whenever I use the switch I also use it in itself to test reality. I smell it, bite it (carefully), feel it with my hands, etc.
Over time however, the problem is that I ended up losing interest in my own idea, subconsciously. Usage did not seem to promote pre-lucid thoughts any more than not using it. I found that I was not paying attention to the last state I'd left the switch on anymore and if I did have the intent to make use of the switch prior to sleeping, in the morning I would often not remember that I had switched it anymore and would only find this out later in the day, as I forgot I'd even ever had this idea to begin with. I have attributed this in part to my past failures in using physical references for intent which must cause some kind of low confidence in these methods, below the threshold of my conscious perception of such issues.
But unlike other attempts, the switching of the switch has always been intentional and conscious, at least.
For some reason, I find myself practically craving that such an idea might work, it just appeals to some part of me; I just don't seem to get any results with it (but I hardly get results with anything except WBTB anyway). But I would still like to make this idea work, my main issue with it just seems to be loss of interest, really.
I would like to know if other dreamers have tried employing "totems" in other senses that are unlike that of the film referenced above. But if you have used a totem in that style anyway, what was your experience like?
And either way, did you stick to it?
via Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views - Attaining Lucidity https://ift.tt/3ps0BLe
If you are padding your pantry with consumables in order to get ready for a long-term survival situation, chances are you will have seen plenty of spreadsheets comparing the relative benefits and nutritional value of various foods.
Every prepper has their favorite, and it seems like every expert will make a contrary recommendation to those of his peers. But there is one prepping staple that is universally recommended and almost universally loved: peanut butter, sometimes touted as the ultimate survival staple. But does the hype live up to reality?
Is peanut butter a good choice for a survival food? Peanut butter gets an emphatic “yes” as a survival food. Nutritionally it is nearly complete packing in plenty of calories, mostly from protein, and tons of vitamins and minerals. It tastes great to most people, and it is shelf stable and long-lasting in most variations.
You could do a lot worse than stocking up on peanut butter as the centerpiece of your survival food stash, and it is just as effective at home as it is on the road.
Naturally, there is more to consider about this survival superfood. Keep reading to learn more about peanut butter in a survival context then you thought possible.
Ingredients and Nutritional Content
Peanut butter is a food that, obviously, is made predominantly from peanuts ground into a spread or paste. But if you ever tried to make your own at home in a blender it quickly becomes obvious that there is a little bit more to it than that!
Most modern, grocery-stocked peanut butters have additional ingredients that will alter both taste and texture.
Typically these ingredients consist of salt, sweeteners such as sugar, and an emulsifier which binds the peanut oil in the mixture to the peanut paste made from the ground “nuts”.
Peanut butters also often contain preservatives, an important consideration for a long-term survival food. More on that in a minute.
Nutritionally peanut butter is a rock star, though it is often derided, at least in a normal consumption context, as being too calorie-laden. Calorie density is typically a positive attribute for prepping, not a negative!
An average serving of peanut butter will contain 25 grams or more of protein, 50 grams of fat and 20 grams of carbohydrates. That same serving will yield a whopping 590 kcals of energy!
It does not take much peanut butter to provide a solid shot of energy, and as a bonus it really sticks to your ribs and provides satiation.
Peanut butter is more than just cheap and portable calories. It provides many essential nutritional elements in the bargain, including such vitamins as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin E.
Minerals too are present in meaningful qualities, among them calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Peanut butter is hard to beat, providing nearly everything a working body needs!
Preservation and Texture
Peanut butter is available in two well-known formats and one lesser-known format. The two that most Americans are familiar with are smooth and crunchy. Pick whichever one you like the best, as neither format has any impact on storage or shelf life.
The third format that is becoming increasingly popular is powdered peanut butter, which is useful for adding to shakes and smoothies or just for ultra-long term storage.
More important for us as preppers as whether or not we want all natural peanut butter, that is peanut butter without any preservatives or artificial emulsifiers, or typical peanut butter which has both.
Sorry to disappoint you health food nuts (pardon the pun), but you will definitely want to choose peanut butter that contains preservatives. The increase in shelf life is dramatic.
Peanut butter with preservatives that is kept unopened in a cool, dark place will last around 12 months. All-natural peanut butter in the same environment and the same conditions will only last an average of 3 months. Though peanut butter does not require refrigeration, you can drastically increase the shelf life of either variety by doing so.
In this regard the peanut butter with preservatives wins again though it does not extend the typical shelf life of around a year by much. You will see a bump and shelf life for all natural peanut butter when refrigerated, anywhere from four to six months.
The real rock star for shelf life among the varieties of peanut butter is “dry” or powdered peanut butter.
Properly sealed, unopened and stored in a cool, dry place this power-packed peanut powder may last anywhere between 4 and 10 years and remain completely ready to eat the entire time!
When you consider all of its other benefits it is clear that peanut butter is the all-around champion for survival foodstuffs.
Portability
It is worth noting that peanut butter is extremely portable, as long as it is kept inside a tightly sealed container that is not vulnerable to breaking, or other disruption.
Peanut butter is typically resistant to temperature swings that might be encountered when taking it along in a bug-out bag though this will shorten its given shelf life somewhat.
As an Ingredient
Aside from being a delicious foodstuff all on its own peanut butter also makes a great ingredient in a variety of other dishes, both sweet and savory, and as a condiment or topping.
You can leverage a big tub of peanut butter for all kinds of other delicious meals, stretching your survival dollars and helping to prevent the doldrums from setting in.
If you are going with the larger economy size containers of peanut butter, be aware that opening it will shorten its shelf life somewhat, typically by about half of what you could expect with an unopened container.
You should also take care to avoid eating directly out of a large container as bacteria from your utensil can contaminate and quickly ruin the whole batch.
Signs of Spoilage
Nothing great will last forever, and that is certainly true for peanut butter. Whether it has been opened or not, keep alert for the following signs of spoilage before chowing down on your supply:
Nasty Smell: Peanut butter should have a noticeably fresh, nutty smell. Does it smell weird, rank, or off? If so, ditch it.
Color Change: Pretty much all peanut butters are a uniform tan color. Any odd color shifts are a bad sign. It has probably gone rancid.
Consistency and Texture: Preserved peanut butter should be smooth and creamy, notwithstanding any chunks of peanut if you like the chunky texture. If it appears clumpy or dried out, toss it!
Mold or Slime: Any weird growths or substances are obvious signs of spoilage. Throw it out!
Tom’s Peanut Butter “Survival Supercharger”
It is possible to use peanut butter as the base for a sort of prepper-style energy bar, with the rest of the common staples that you probably already have on hand in your stash comprising the other ingredients.
All you need to do is take a quantity of peanut butter, and add to it a few scoops of coffee grounds, a sizable drizzle of honey and a handful of granola. Stir all of this together before storing it in a tightly sealing container or even a heavy-duty Ziploc bag.
This is a great portable food that will give you plenty of energy, an abundance of calories and even help keep you alert thanks for the caffeine in the coffee grounds.
It might not be a taste sensation for everybody, but I like it and it is a great way to add variety over a straight peanut butter menu.
Conclusion
Peanut butter is an excellent and delicious survival foodstuff that deserves a place in every pack and pantry.
So long as it has preservatives you’ll get at least a year of shelf life out of an unopened container, with powdered peanut butter lasting upwards of 5 years in proper conditions.
South Carolina would be a superb state for knife ownership and carry if it not for one, awful fly in the ointment; a lack of statewide preemption has allowed several of the largest cities and popular tourist destinations to institute local laws against the carry of knives that hardly seem like they belong in a southern state, or one that is so permissive at the state level.
This is a bit of a tragedy, since otherwise you can carry absolutely any kind of knife you want openly, and can in effect carry any kind of knife you want concealed with no permit required so long as you are not carrying it in order to commit or further the commission of a crime.
But there is no use crying over spilt milk. You can learn what you need to know about carrying a knife in the state of South Carolina below, and make sure you stick around to check out the exact text of the statutes at the end of the article.
What You Need to Know
What Kind of Knives Can I Own?: Any kind of knife.
Can I Carry a Knife Concealed Without a Permit?: Yes, as long as it is not being carried in order to commit a crime or further the commission of a crime.
Can I Carry a Knife Concealed With a Permit?: Yes, as long as it is not being carried in order to commit a crime or further the commission of a crime.
Can I Carry a Knife Openly?: Yes, any kind of knife.
General Ownership
South Carolina has no prohibitions on the general ownership of any particular class of knife of any kind. In fact, you’ll find in the section that defines weapons, along with the confiscation and disposition of weapons used in crimes, that knives are not particularly defined.
They are instead included in the overall definition of weapon using the phrase any other type of device or object which may be used to inflict bodily injury or death.
Be advised that South Carolina lacks entirely a preemption statute, and despite the state’s conservative leanings and friendliness towards knives at the state level, the local level laws governing knives in several of the major cities are quite a bit more restrictive.
Columbia, Greenville and Charleston all have regulations more impactful than the state’s own statutes.
Concealed Carry, No Permit
You may carry any kind of knife you want on or about your person in South Carolina concealed, without benefit of a permit, so long as you are not carrying the knife with intention of committing a crime or furthering the commission of a crime.
Concealed Carry, With Permit
South Carolina makes no distinction when it comes to the concealed carry of knives if one has or lacks a concealed weapons permit. However, a concealed weapons permit does grant you a perk should you ever have to leave a knife that is forbidden from going into a school and your vehicle. See below.
Open Carry
The open carry of all kinds of knives is permitted in South Carolina.
Prohibited Places
As per usual, you cannot carry your knife into any courtroom, courthouse, government installation or school, although South Carolina is significantly more permissive when it comes to taking knives into schools than many states.
First, you may not carry any knife onto the grounds of any elementary or secondary school or school property if it has a blade over 2 inches in length.
Normally, you are not allowed to keep a prohibited knife in your vehicle, even if securely encased or in a locked compartment, while you enter the school building.
You are not even allowed to have it on you if you wait in the car! This is still a violation, and a felony, so take it seriously. However, if you have a concealed weapons permit, you may leave an otherwise prohibited knife in your vehicle so long as it is securely encased.
Assessment
South Carolina would be a great state for knife owners, a veritable haven, but the lack of preemption at the state level has allowed local laws to be implemented throughout the land that are quite a bit more restrictive than the ones you will find in the state’s books.
No you can own and carry pretty much any kind of knife you want to throughout the state, you’ll always have to be prepared to brush up on the particular laws of a municipality if you want to stay on the right side of the law.
Important South Carolina State Statutes
SECTION 16-23-405. Definition of “weapon”; confiscation and disposition of weapons used in commission or in furtherance of crime.
(A) Except for the provisions relating to rifles and shotguns in Section 16-23-460, as used in this chapter, “weapon” means firearm (rifle, shotgun, pistol, or similar device that propels a projectile through the energy of an explosive), a blackjack, a metal pipe or pole, or any other type of device, or object which may be used to inflict bodily injury or death.
SECTION 16-23-430. Carrying weapon on school property; concealed weapons.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person, except state, county, or municipal law enforcement officers or personnel authorized by school officials, to carry on his person, while on any elementary or secondary school property, a knife, with a blade over two inches long, a blackjack, a metal pipe or pole, firearms, or any other type of weapon, device, or object which may be used to inflict bodily injury or death.
(B) This section does not apply to a person who is authorized to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to Article 4, Chapter 31, Title 23 when the weapon remains inside an attended or locked motor vehicle and is secured in a closed glove compartment, closed console, closed trunk, or in a closed container secured by an integral fastener and transported in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
(C) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Any weapon or object used in violation of this section may be confiscated by the law enforcement division making the arrest.
SECTION 16-23-460. Carrying concealed weapons; forfeiture of weapons.
(A) A person carrying a deadly weapon usually used for the infliction of personal injury concealed about his person is guilty of a misdemeanor, must forfeit to the county, or, if convicted in a municipal court, to the municipality, the concealed weapon, and must be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than ninety days.
(B) The provisions of this section do not apply to:
(1) A person carrying a concealed weapon upon his own premises or pursuant to and in compliance with Article 4, Chapter 31 of Title 23; or
(2) peace officers in the actual discharge of their duties.
(C) The provisions of this section also do not apply to rifles, shotguns, dirks, slingshots, metal knuckles, knives, or razors unless they are used with the intent to commit a crime or in furtherance of a crime.
SECTION 16-23-490. Additional punishment for possession of firearm or knife during commission of, or attempt to commit, violent crime.
(A) If a person is in possession of a firearm or visibly displays what appears to be a firearm or visibly displays a knife during the commission of a violent crime and is convicted of committing or attempting to commit a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60, he must be imprisoned five years, in addition to the punishment provided for the principal crime. This five-year sentence does not apply in cases where the death penalty or a life sentence without parole is imposed for the violent crime.
(B) Service of the five-year sentence is mandatory unless a longer mandatory minimum term of imprisonment is provided by law for the violent crime. The court may impose this mandatory five-year sentence to run consecutively or concurrently.
(D) As used in this section, “firearm” means any machine gun, automatic rifle, revolver, pistol, or any weapon which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile; “knife” means an instrument or tool consisting of a sharp cutting blade whether or not fastened to a handle which is capable of being used to inflict a cut, slash, or wound.
If we are being totally honest, some of us are not as prepared as we should be. Materially, I mean. Some of us might be drawing from a seemingly bottomless well of knowledge, experience and other survival information, but not have much to show for it in the way of supplies and equipment.
If this describes you, you should know that this is far from optimal, whatever else you might tell yourself about living off the land, scavenging to survive and all those other excuses.
Or, perhaps you are just new to prepping and have not gotten properly underway yet. You have identified a problem, acknowledged a deficiency in your own readiness, and have set about correcting it, one piece at a time.
This is more forgivable, but just like the example above it will not help you when disaster is coming up the driveway and knocking at the door. You are either ready, or you are not. There are no do-overs!
Whatever the reason, you are ill-prepared when it comes to needed equipment and supplies to survive a disaster. Time is short, and the hour will soon be upon you. There’s nothing else to do but scramble to grab whatever supplies you can, and then buckle down for the long haul.
Believe me when I say that there will be many other people doing the exact same thing. Time is limited, and supplies are dwindling: what should you grab? In this article we will share with you 20 last-minute survival items you should get while you still have opportunity.
Shop Fast, Shop Smart
When the balloon goes up and you are certain that disaster is close at hand, you’ll need to make the best possible use of your time to get the things you need. You’ll need to be fast and efficient with your shopping.
Not only because the danger increases and the chances of a bad outcome consequently go up the longer you delay before seeking shelter, but also because other folks will be in a panic, too, a mad scramble to do the exact same thing that you are doing.
Ideally you want to “pit in”, get the things you need in one stop, and then get home or get to your shelter wherever that might be. You’ll notice that all of the things on this list can be obtained in quantity from nearly any major big-box store.
The vast majority of the items on this list can also be reliably had from most gas stations and convenience stores, although the quantity they have on hand is usually drastically less.
Though it is less important when you are properly prepared with well-stocked supplies of food and other necessities, until you have reached that minimum level of material preparation it is definitely worth your time to rehearse this list as a sort of mental shopping checklist so you won’t waste any time when time is the most precious commodity of all.
Also consider that the items on this list are included because they assume you are starting at literally zero with hardly anything in your pantry, medicine cabinet or fridge. You might already have a good supply of food, or bottled water, for instance.
If that’s the case, great, that can save you a few precious seconds. But, as always, if some is good more is usually better and you shouldn’t hesitate to nab a little extra when you can.
20 Last-Minute Survival Items to Get
1. Canned/Pouched Food
Food is definitely an essential survival item. And though many people, and particularly people living in North America, have plenty of surplus “fuel” stashed on their body in the form of fat this does not obviate the need for regular calorie intake to sustain normal energy levels and mental acuity.
Also consider that most people become downright unpleasant when they aren’t getting three square meals a day. You can make your survival endeavor easier and nominally more pleasant by having plenty of decent food on hand.
As always, for most preppers’ sake, the ideal survival foodstuffs are canned, pouched or otherwise preserved items that are more or less ready to eat with minimal or no preparation. Canned vegetables and fruits, stews, soups, meats and so forth are all ideal.
Specialized camping and survival foods like dehydrated campers’ meals or MREs are also good, though you’re unlikely to find these with regularity in typical big box stores. They are also quite expensive for what you get.
If you did nothing else but grabbed several cans of beef stew, a variety of preserved meats, a few cans of vegetables, a few of fruit and so forth you would be ahead of the game.
The fact that these are found in all kinds of groceries in great quantity ensures there should be something for you to obtain so long as you act quickly.
2. Bottled Water
Water is the most essential survival consumable second only to oxygen in importance. The average person can go for weeks, even more than a month with absolutely no food, but will die in a matter of days without water to drink.
While it is true that many disasters will not necessarily result in a total loss of municipal water supplies, there is a lot that can go wrong regardless. Contamination will be a constant concern, and if you are banking on turning on your tap to obtain drinking water you are planning to fail.
The obvious and easy over-the-counter solution is bottled water in one form or another. Small individual bottles, larger multi quart jugs, or even gallon plus sizes are all adequate. You should take what you can get and be glad you have it.
Consider the usage demands of your family when purchasing water in quantity because it is both heavy and takes up a considerable amount of room. FEMA recommends you have one gallon per adult per day as this allows for both consumption, cooking and minimal hygiene requirements.
You should not be so quick to use bottled water for washing and bathing, but it will definitely beat having no water at all or only contaminated sources to draw from in a pinch.
3. Bleach
Bleach is a super survival item, and as you will learn is good for a lot more than just keeping your white laundry pile sparkling clean.
Bleach does double duty as both a sanitizer and heavy duty surface cleaner, but also as an easy and efficient way to help make water taken from a questionable source safer to drink.
By adding a tiny amount of bleach to a known quantity of water, you can have reasonable assurance that any nasty microorganisms living in the water will be killed.
Obviously, the bleach won’t do anything to remove metals, sediment and other debris you should avoid ingesting but it will go a long way towards eliminating the most common threats that can make you gravely ill.
Now, this must be done cautiously although the risk factor is pretty low. Ingesting bleach in any significant quantity will cause harm, and you are adding little more than drops of bleach to a gallon of water at a time.
Make sure you study up on and then download the formulas you’ll need for the purpose ahead of time and then keep them with your bleach or survival manuals.
4. Gasoline
We see it every hurricane season year in and year out: when disaster draws close, there is always a run on the gas pumps. You might be forgiven for believing that the theoretical supply of gasoline is essentially bottomless, but I can give you my complete assurances that the practical supply is anything but.
Gasoline requires a considerable amount of industry to produce, both the extraction of raw materials and refinement to say nothing of delivery and storage. Once the supply lines stop, all the many gas stations in your local area can be drained in virtually no time.
The best way to prevent getting caught short of gasoline is to simply keep your cars topped off. Consider a half tank ‘empty’ for your purposes and fill up accordingly. This way, you will ensure you have a fair amount of range out of your vehicle if you need to leave at the instant.
Nonetheless, assuming you can get quick access to a gas pump immediately preceding an encroaching disaster, go ahead and fill up.
You would also be wise to get additional gasoline while you are there, and a clean, ready to use gas can for the purpose is a good idea. Even one extra gallon of gasoline will be helpful, though five gallons is better.
5. Toilet Paper/Baby Wipes
Just as you should count on the water supply going out, you should also count on your sewer system malfunctioning in your local area. What definitely won’t be malfunctioning is your natural urge to do your business, and that means you will need plenty of materials for the purpose.
Toilet paper and baby wipes are absolutely essential, even if you aren’t flushing them down the toilet anymore to dispose of them.
You don’t have to go very far in the prepper-sphere to find article after article packed with advice on alternate methods to wipe your behind when you run out of toilet paper. These are definitely good tricks to know, but you’ll be very glad if you never have to employ them!
Make sure you have a sizable stockpile of toilet paper, and if recent panics have taught us anything it is that TP will be in very short supply from the outset, so make sure you grab this as quick as you can.
Baby wipes are even better because they can be used for all over hygiene sans any water, not just for wiping your behind.
6. Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is that wonderful substance that your grandma probably wanted to put on every burn, scrape and boo-boo you suffered when you were little.
Though every house seemingly has one of these mysterious, goopy jars tucked away in a medicine cabinet or a closet you shouldn’t underestimate it; petroleum jelly genuinely has a million and one uses, and not just for moisturizing skin, taking care of cracked lips or doctoring an injury.
Petroleum jelly makes a great fire starter, and is also exceedingly handy for preventing corrosion. It even pulls double-duty as a cleaning agent that can remove nasty, sticky messages from your hands or other surfaces, and considering how precious water will be that might come in handy depending on what sort of messes you are dealing with.
Considering how cheap petroleum jelly is and how useful it is overall, there is no excuse not to have a jar of this smelly stuff. Make sure you grab one as you are passing by the pharmacy in your local department store.
7. Bandages
Disasters and injuries accompany each other like peanut butter and jelly. Considering how many casualties a disaster will produce along with all the other attendant chaos and infrastructural damage, you aren’t going to be able to depend on your local doctor’s office, clinic or emergency room.
You very likely won’t even be able to depend on emergency medical services, or even getting connected to them through 911.
You’ll need to become your own first-responder, a common refrain in personal readiness circles. A well-equipped med kit is one of the very first things that any prepper should develop, but in the absence of a properly stocked medical kit, and the know how to use it you can do all right by keeping an abundance of bandages on hand.
Bandages will allow you to deal with one of the most common effects of injury, exsanguination; blood loss.
Rolled gauze, gauze pads and even hemostatic (or blood-clotting) gauze is all commonly available, and you should have plenty on hand. Also make sure you grab a box or two of Band-Aids for dealing with the innumerable smaller injuries that will doubtlessly occur.
8. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is an excellent compliment for your burgeoning medical kit, and is useful as a disinfectant and even as an impromptu fuel source or small fires. Rubbing alcohol is available dirt cheap pretty much anywhere, so there’s no excuse for not having some.
As you doubtlessly already know if your childhood caretakers were sadistic like mine were, the stuff burns like liquid hellfire when applied to any cut or scrape. This is highly traumatic for the unfortunate patient, but it sure beats an infection, and since time is short and supplies dwindling, you should make do with dependable options that you can easily access for the purpose.
Rubbing alcohol does not necessarily expire but it can evaporate over time, so make it a point to check on it periodically and ensure that the container is tightly sealed.
9. Soap
You cannot get by without soap! Even in the middle of a disaster or some other stressful, terrible situation you cannot forgo basic hygiene.
Keeping your hands washed is essential for preventing the spread of germs, and you’ll have to be even more diligent than usual because getting sick is the last thing you want when society is grinding to a halt.
Beyond that, even though you might be pushing off your regular bathroom routine a little bit you’ll still need to keep the rest of your body clean.
It is not just your hands that can harbor germs, and if you let the little buggers go too long without being washed away you’ll start to stink, which will make the people around you miserable. You also start to foment infection which can once again turn into a major problem.
You can rely upon any kind of soap you want, but you’ll be best served if you are stocking up in a pinch to buy classic bar soap. It is easy to store, stable, and convenient to use. Any kind of soap will do, but if you see your favorite on the shelf just buy it.
I generally prefer the Lava brand soap that has grit in the mixtures, helping to remove a sort of nastiness from my hands with greater efficacy. Just a reminder, you might be dealing with all kinds of blood and muck in the aftermath of a disaster, so you should definitely consider it.
10. Hygiene Supplies
Think basics here: Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. You don’t need to get all frou-frou with your usual battery of lotions and anti-aging stuff. Also consider that specialty hygiene supplies will be just as vital as soap if you have to rely on them.
Pads for incontinence and ladies’ sanitary supplies will be vital, and you don’t want to run out of either of them since you cannot be assured of gaining access to any more after the onset of the disaster.
Included in this category is any specialized equipment necessary for catheters, colostomy bags and so forth. These are not things you want to be forced to improvise when you’re already in the middle of a bad situation. Things can always get worse…
11. Baby Care Items
For those that have an infant, the importance of baby care items cannot be overstated. The trick with babies is that they cannot be expected to modify their behavior in order to contribute to a positive outcome during any disaster, no matter what kind.
As always they will remain incredibly vulnerable and dependent upon their caretakers and that means taking care of a baby is just going to be business as usual. That means you need to load up on all the supplies you think you will need for the duration.
Foremost among these will be diapers and formula, but any medicines, creams or powders that are specific to infant healthcare and wellness are also a good idea.
Ideally you will be able to access all of the brands that you know your baby gets along with, but in case you can’t, you might have to settle for alternates. For this reason it is a good idea to establish prior to the event which brands you can use with your baby, and which you can’t.
These are among the very first things to dry up when people are in a buying frenzy during a panic, and you would be wise to prioritize acquiring these immediately when you head into the store to shop.
12. 5-Gallon Bucket with Lid
All preppers love these ubiquitous 5-gallon paint buckets, the kind with the heavy duty, gasketed lids that seal tightly. Useful for all kinds of projects and general storage, they will take on an entirely new and important purpose during a disaster.
You know how I mentioned above that your sewer service could be knocked out as a result of the disaster? Yeah, if you need some place to go but isn’t going to be in your bathroom this bucket will save the day when used in conjunction with a heavy-duty trash bag and some shredded newspaper.
But let us assume that you don’t need to use this bucket for that purpose. You’ll still be glad you have it because it will make for a convenient and sturdy storage solution for additional water if you’re able to draw it before losing water pressure, or even as a convenient tote for food or other items.
You will never be unhappy that you have one of these guys that is clean and ready to use for any given purpose, and worst case scenario if you don’t need it at all you can chuck it in the garage where it will be standing by for your next home improvement project.
13. Batteries
You’ll need two batteries to run all sorts of useful electronic gadgets in a disaster, especially one that entails a grid down scenario.
Flashlights and emergency radios are foremost among these necessary gadgets, as once the power goes out on a local or regional level you must provide a reliable, safe way to see in the dark, and also a way to receive emergency broadcasts that is not completely dependent upon internet or television functionality.
While you are at it, identify any other useful tools or gadgets that run on batteries, and keep them in the back of your mind so you can grab them all in one pass while you are out shopping.
Also, don’t put off of grabbing batteries just because you know you have some rolling around at home. Alkaline batteries are notorious for losing a considerable amount of capacity over time, and even if you aren’t anticipating anything but a short duration event, you never know how long and how bad things could get.
Heavy use of any gadget will burn through batteries with surprising speed, so get several packs just in case. In the end, it will be cheap insurance.
14. Ammunition
Ammunition is a hot commodity in times of trouble, and recent years have taught us all that its seemingly limitless supply of available in America is anything but.
Ammunition can disappear from store shelves with frightening speed, and if you rely upon a firearm for self-defense you don’t want to discover how ineffective it is without ammunition so stock up while you can.
Even a single extra box can provide you a significant measure of comfort and security if society starts to turn on itself or opportunistic looters come sniffing around.
Many of the oldest department stores in America that are still operational no longer sell ammunition, but Wal-Mart does, and you would be wise to swing by the sporting goods counter before your fellow shoppers can get to it and thoroughly pick it over.
So long as the ammunition is of decent quality and functions in your firearm don’t worry too much how about specifics like projectile type or wait; anything that goes bang is much better than nothing.
15. Trash Bags
Disasters cause all kinds of problems end result in big messes. Inside, outside, all over the place. Trust me when I say you were going to need trash bags and plenty of them.
From dealing with the smelly necessity of human waste to simply taking out your usual garbage, trash bags are essential to maintain sanitation.
Trash bags also serve an important prepper-specific role as potential water catching systems, waterproofing material, ground covers and more.
As you continue your travels in the prepper-sphere you will notice that many preppers have a special love for any water impervious durable plastic sheeting as it is useful and all kinds and specific and improvised purposes. Modern trash bags definitely fit the bill.
Quality definitely counts here, and the stronger the better. If you can get the extra large, extra thick contractor bags that typically fit a 55-gallon drum, you’ll be in a good spot.
If you can’t, grab any standard size kitchen trash bag that is marked heavy duty, and has a drawstring top. They cinch down tighter and are easier to handle than the kind you have to tie yourself.
16. Propane / Charcoal Grill
A great many Americans enjoy grilling, and most have a grill kicking around somewhere on their property, either propane or charcoal fueled.
You might not be enjoying a festive cookout in the aftermath of a disaster your grill might take on new importance as a safe and reliable way to both cook and boil water.
Of course, you can only do either if you can get the grill started and that means you’ll have to have either propane or charcoal depending.
Naturally, both are likely to disappear quickly once of disaster approaches, because most people lack the skill or equipment to establish a cooking fire any other way assuming their kitchen is out of commission.
Even if your propane grill has some gas left in the tank, don’t count on that; you should definitely pick up another tank while you are shopping.
Likewise, your charcoal grill can burn other things for fuel like wood, this is going to be fraught with aggravation if you do not have a good supply of seasoned wood handy.
It is worth a reminder here: never, ever use any kind of grill indoors as the accumulation of carbon monoxide and other harmful byproducts of combustion will pose a potentially deadly health hazard. You must be especially cautious of this if you live in a cold climate.
17. Duct Tape
Duct tape is one of the few tools that has a legitimately meme-worthy status. The old jokes have been around forever that if you can’t fix it or make it with duct tape that it probably just isn’t going to get fixed.
Some of these jokes are humorous, some are cringe-worthy, but the fact remains is that there is a lot of truth in them!
Duct tape is wonderfully multi-purpose, capable of reinforcing, ceiling, waterproofing, joining, and all sorts of other tasks. If you need to quickly craft a patch for a leaky roof or seal a tear in clothing or gear duct tape can do that.
Duct tape can help you easily and safely pick up tiny shards of broken glass. Duct tape can even improvise a makeshift spear using nothing more than a broom handle in a kitchen knife.
You’ll definitely want to grab a couple rolls from the hardware aisle during your shopping forays. If you can, spring for the higher-end brands of duct tape like Gorilla Tape or T-Rex tape.
With far stronger adhesive and significantly more durable fabric backing than traditional brands these should be the preference of every prepper.
18. Fire Extinguisher
You may or may not already be acquainted what the frequency and hazard posed by common residential fires, but regardless you must know that fires are an altogether too common secondary event on the backside of a major disaster, and made all the more dangerous because fire departments will be over works, and emergency communication systems will be overloaded, disrupted or entirely disabled.
This means that you might have to become your own firefighter in addition to your own paramedic. Your single best resource will quickly and reliably snuff out a house fire before it turns into a major conflagration is a fire extinguisher.
Generally, you’ll want to get the biggest fire extinguisher you can easily handle, one that is ABC rated for dealing with all common fires (except flammable metals).
Though you can often get fire extinguishers at your local big-box department store they might not have the selection you can expect from a proper hardware store or fire safety supply store. If all you can get are smaller kitchen or car fire extinguishers, grab a couple of them.
19. Prescription Meds
If you or anyone else in your family requires ongoing medication as part of a health care regimen, it might well be too late to stock up immediately prior to a disaster. Swing by the pharmacy, and see if you cannot plus up a prescription for you or a family member.
This can be logistically challenging because pharmacist will not hand out prescribe drugs willy-nilly on a promise.
Talk to your doctor and your pharmacist beforehand, and see if you cannot get a standing +1 or +2 refills kept available for your dispensation at all times.
20. Cash
Credit cards and other electronic forms of payment might define our modern era, but society still, at its core, runs on cold, hard cash.
Most disasters will reliably knock out the infrastructure that makes modern forms of payment function, and that means if you were going to pay for anything in the immediate aftermath, especially pay for a favor, you’ll need cash and plenty of it.
You should have a good supply of cash stashed at home for just such an occasion, but assuming you are like most people, and have irresponsibly omitted this most basic of preps, you should swing by an ATM at the soonest possible opportunity.
Don’t be picky about paying fees either; you need to get that cash in hand before the teeming multitudes force a run on all ATM’s which will not be restocked before disaster strikes, and potentially not be restocked for some time after.
It will be a cold comfort indeed knowing you can still buy the things you need even if there is no power, no internet and no other functional electronic infrastructure for miles around.
Conclusion
You might be brand new to prepping and not have any stockpile materials and supplies to show for it, or you might know better and have just procrastinated. Now, facing down an imminent disaster and a severe need to gather the things you’ll require to survive the situation might look hopeless.
Don’t despair! Making one or two strategic stops and shopping quickly with a purpose can furnish you with many necessities that will help you and your loved ones survive the trying times ahead.
Spend the time to review this list, and either write it down, enter it into a note taking app or commit to memory so you won’t waste a second when time is of the essence.
