The Megalist of Bushcraft Tools and Weapons

Many a prepper has grand ambitions of running away into the wilderness to live in comparatively peaceful anarchy whenever trouble strikes.

You have to admit, the notion is definitely romantic. Heading into the deep country with only your knife and your wits, and carving out your own home and existence from the bounty of the land.

While it is definitely viable, and there is an entire category of skills devoted to the purpose, known as bushcraft skills, tackling such an endeavor with nothing but a knife will be a severe test for even the most seasoned, salty, hardened outdoorsman.

It is a viable strategy, if a difficult one, but increasing your chances of success to anything but “vanishingly slim” takes many more tools than a knife.

I’m not trying to talk you out of it, but I am trying to get you properly equipped for the occasion.

To further that effort, I’m bringing you the mega list of bushcraft tools and a few weapons that you should consider taking with you into the wilderness, whatever reason you are heading out there.

Bushcrafting Isn’t About Mere Survival!

Bushcrafting skills will indeed keep you alive and the most austere, wilderness environments, but it’s not just about mere survival or rather survival as the lowest common denominator.

Survival skills might keep you alive at the bleeding edge of human existence, maybe just extending the time you have until expiry.

Bushcrafting, on the other hand, is really about living in the woods or wilderness for an extended period of time.

These are the skills and the appropriate tools necessary to not just sustain life but create a life in the environment.

It might be life that looks very different from the one you and I likely enjoy today, but it will be recognizably life.

These are the skills that set up itinerant towns and communities in service of logging, trapping, and hunting operations. These are the skills you’ll need to create your own sort of “Walden Pond”, as it were.

When it comes to long-term sustainment, the kind you might be embarking on in the aftermath of a societal collapse or some other major SHTF incident these skills will likely be the ones that can make or break you.

What Items Are on This List?

The tools and weapons you’ll find on this list are those intended to help you not only survive, initially, in a hostile environment but to improve that environment to serve you better and to suit you, either by way of crafting better shelter and additional tools or even shaping weapons for defense or for hunting.

Naturally, some of these items are not what you would expect to see in a typical bug-out bag.

There is plenty of overlap, but a bug-out bag functions as more of a survival air tank, extending the amount of time that you can spend away from civilization before needing to return for resupply. Many of them are significantly more specialized than typical survival tools.

Also, speaking of weapons in particular you would have probably noticed immediately when you read that far that firearms are conspicuously absent.

This is because firearms, aside from being complex machines, rely on consumable ammunition that cannot be crafted in the field without the ammunition’s constituent parts and the tools necessary to assemble it.

Even something like a primitive muzzle-loading firearm requires gunpowder or equivalent propellant to function, something you can’t exactly whip up yourself.

Instead, weapons featured on this list can either be improvised using other tools and materials you have on hand, crafted from scratch using the material in the environment or, if they are a projectile weapons, are capable of using ammunition sourced or crafted from materials in the environment.

With that little disclaimer out of the way, let us get right onto the list.

Tools

Knife

You knew the knife was going to be first on our list. One of man’s oldest and best tools, ask any prepper or bushcrafter what the number one tool that they are unwilling to part with is and they will tell you it is their trusty knife almost every time.

This is because the knife is so fundamental to success in virtually every environment.

A good knife can be used to cut, chop, scrape, notch, whittle and baton. It is a superb all-purpose tool and also a vicious close-quarters weapon, one that can be fashioned into a spear in a pinch.

Naturally, you don’t want to go without your knife under any conditions and any knife you choose for bushcraft duty should be hardcore and capable of withstanding constant use and plenty of abuse.

A detailed discussion on knives is worthy of an entire article or five all by itself, but my recommendation is you stick with any medium to large size fixed blade knife designed for camp and field or multipurpose usage.

Saw

Saws are a chronically underutilized wilderness tool, and one that is worthy of inclusion in any kit but especially a bushcraft kit.

A good, sharp saw will let you sail through large and small diameter branches typically with greater speed and almost always with much less effort than using an axe. For cutting off limbs or precisely sizing raw lumber, a saw is tops.

Saws also come in a surprising variety of types and form factors, from the garden variety handyman or toolbox saw that can handle a wide variety of duties to compact but strong folding backpacker or survival saws.

You can even get loose, flexible emergency saws that are basically a toothy section of wire and function by pulling them back and forth across the wood being cut. Usable, but better in a compact survival kit.

Whichever one you choose for your bushcraft duty make sure it is strong and sturdy to hold up to the rigors of constant use.

It is good to save room in your pack or elsewhere in your luggage, but not at the cost of the tool being unable to do what you needed to do.

Axe

The axe is another primordial tool that no outdoorsman should go without. For chopping down the largest trees, splitting wood to feed the campfire, notching logs and a dozen other tasks, a good ax combined with good technique can get it done efficiently and quickly.

In the hands of a skilled lumberjack, an axe can take care of most of the coarse processing of a tree after you have felled it.

That is the versatility that you will rarely find in any other tool. Axes do have some trade-offs, of course, namely that they are bulky and fairly heavy.

They also don’t do well for fine, detailed cutting tasks but then again they really aren’t supposed to.

If you want to save weight and space in your kit you might consider a hatchet or a hand axe, but you give up much in the way of power and efficiency as you start to shorten the handle.

Hatchets are also more dangerous to the user, compared to an axe, because the shorter handle means that the cleaving, the sharp edge might bury itself in your knee or shin instead of into the dirt or your foot, so be careful if you choose one of those!

Shovel

The shovel is another tool that is underutilized and often neglected or forgotten.

For clearing out a campsite, creating trenches to direct rainwater or just digging a cat hole or slit trench to serve as a latrine, the shovel makes what is normally a clumsy and inefficient job quick and easy by comparison.

Naturally, you probably don’t want to be carrying around something as long and cumbersome as a full size Spade with you on your forays unless you have an accompanying baggage train, but luckily you won’t have to.

A variety of short-handled and folding field or camping shovels, or their equivalents in the military entrenching tool, are entirely adequate for most jobs even if you do have to stoop down a little more.

Shovels are also mandatory for survival in any place that might have mud or deep snow as another challenge of the terrain.

Sure, you can improvise a variety of things for scraping and shoveling duty but nothing works as well as the genuine article.

Hand Auger

You won’t exactly be working out in your usual wood shop when you are out in the deep country, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have calls to drill nice, clean holes.

Whether you are trying to sink posts in the ground or create a simple but strong joint with a peg-style connection, a clean, symmetrical hole is what you need and an auger can do that for you.

Now, we aren’t hauling any electrical tools with us so that means we need to go old school, per usual.

A hand auger that is suitable for field use looks like exactly what you’re imagining, a giant drill bit with a fine, sharp point to create a pilot hole, only the top of the bit has an oversized eyelet suitable for inserting a long, sturdy branch or even the handle from another tool like your shovel or ax in order to generate the necessary leverage.

You won’t use this for everything, but when the time comes to craft some seriously sturdy constructions or structures, you’ll be glad you’ve got it.

Whittling/Shaping Tools

Whittling and shaping tools are another excellent Bushcraft kit inclusion, especially if you are going to be starting from scratch and staying out for a very long time.

Tools on the smaller scale can be used for creating everything from bowls to utensils while larger scale wood shaping tools like draw knives can help you optimize lumber for building structures or boats.

While it is true that you can use almost any bladed implement to whittle and shape wood further after you roughly process it, none are as ideal as the right tools for the job.

Accordingly, if wood factors heavily into your plans you should be planning on doing the job right.

Sharpening Stone

A reliance on bladed implements means you’ll need something to sharpen them with.

There are lots of good sharpening stones and knife sharpening devices on the market these days, but for maximizing return on investment and minimizing weight and bulk, I greatly prefer a two-sided, puck-style sharpener. Lansky makes a good one called, surprise, the puck.

although some guys prefer to haul a dedicated sharpening kit into the field with them that might be a letdown when you consider that it is difficult to find flat, stable, and even surfaces and abundance out in the wild.

Sure, you might be able to use a tree stump, boulder, or section of a large log as a makeshift table, but you’ll still be out of luck if you need to clamp your sharpener to it.

No, in this case it is better to learn how to do a good job of maintaining your edged tools using traditional methods. That way you’ll also have a backup plan in case you lose or break your sharpening stone.

You can use river stones and other minerals besides to serve as entirely functional sharpeners so long as you know what you’re looking for.

Tarp

Shelter considerations are always near or at the very top of your list of survival priorities, and whether you are bugging out, camping, or just living long-term in the bush that stays the same.

You can set yourself up for success by having versatile, multipurpose materials that can work as a shelter all on their own or be integrated into a shelter you make yourself or even better performance.

Enter the humble tarp. A tarp can be used as a tent, as a bivy, a shade, a windscreen, a reflector for a campfire, a ground cover and so much more. It will also do wonders to keep rain and snow off of you.

A good tarp will be completely waterproof, double-sided, and properly stitched for maximum durability with equally heavy-duty grommets so you can fold it, lash it and attach it however you need to under the circumstances.

Keep in mind you can also use your tarp for such tasks as water catching and storage after you are done using it as a primary shelter device.

These things weigh next to nothing and pack down very small so you have no reason not to bring one with you in any case.

Cordage

Cordage is another crucial resource in a wilderness setting. You’ll use cordage for all kinds of chores as well as problem-solving, and also use it as a component and things you build or construct.

Cordage is often used for erecting shelter, maybe just your tent made from the tarp mentioned above but also to hold large timbers or sticks together.

You can use your cordage for hanging food bags to keep it away from wildlife, setting traps, lashing down gear, and much, much more.

Everyone has their preference when it comes to cordage, and most bushcrafters today will choose paracord since it is both incredibly strong and highly affordable.

This stuff is supremely tough and versatile, but too thick for more delicate tasks.

If you don’t need the awesome strength of paracord or want to carry a different kind of cordage to make up for its shortcomings consider bringing an accessory cord with you which is much finer and usually has a breaking strength of between 80 lbs and 100 lbs.

Sleeping Bag

As mentioned above, exposure is a constant risk and statistically a major killer of people who get into trouble in any wilderness setting.

You might be surprised to learn that you don’t have to be in a frigid or polar environment to be at risk of exposure.

In the right places during the cooler seasons, or even just a particularly cool night, it is entirely possible to be stricken with hypothermia due to falling temperatures in conjunction with wet skin or clothing and a good, stiff breeze.

This is made even worse by people’s propensity to sit down and rest or just wait when they are profoundly miserable and exhausted.

The ground, the very earth itself, is basically a big heat sink and as conditions get colder it will serve to pull more and more heat out of your body, further compounding the problem.

You need a sleeping bag even if you are in an area with pleasant, mild weather, because you could be just one bad turn away from the risk of exposure.

A nice, dry, warm sleeping bag that you can snuggle down into, even if you have to take your wet clothes off, is a boon.

Emergency Blanket

An emergency blanket is another critical piece of gear for any foray into the wilderness.

These ultra-light, crinkly metallic blankets might not look like much, but they can reflect upwards of 90% of the heat emitted by your body back towards you, helping to keep you dramatically warmer than you would be otherwise in any conditions.

These are the perfect supplement to the rest of your shelter gear, and are lightweight enough too, quite literally, fit comfortably in a pocket so you never have an excuse for going without one.

These also work gangbusters as a reflector for a campfire if you can hang them up behind you and place yourself between it and the fire.

A great piece of survival gear that no bushcrafter should go without.

Ground Pad

Rounding out our shelter gear is the humble ground pad. Typically made of dense, closed cell foam, a ground pad serves to protect your soft and comparatively delicate body from the hard, uneven ground and all of the jabby, pokey, pressure point torturing things that it contains.

It might sound like a luxury, but consider that getting meaningful rest is just as important as all of your other physical requirements and you’ll start to see the value in this simple piece of kit.

If you don’t want to commit to a large roll of foam tagging along with you as part of your compliment, you could consider an inflatable version.

Popular with the backpackers, modern examples of this type are very good, better than you might be expecting, but still vulnerable to puncturing and slow leaks, and these leaks are something you might not be able to easily repair in the field.

Whistle

A simple whistle is useful both as an emergency signaling device and as a common communication tool for anyone else that might be traveling or working with you.

The shrill blast of a whistle can be heard over several miles in good conditions, and for simple signaling like go, stop, begin, come here, danger, or whatever it is perfect over much shorter distances where yelling is still impractical and electronic forms of communication are out of the question.

There are many good survival whistles on the market, but whichever one you choose, make sure you keep it on you, preferably on a lanyard so you’ll never be separated from it.

Compass

No matter where you are going, a compass is always a crucial piece of gear. It is entirely too easy to get turned around out in the wilderness, being in the forest, on the plains, out on the frozen tundra or in the middle of the scorching desert.

The most elementary part of land navigation is knowing which way you are facing, and accordingly which way you are moving.

Sure, there are ways to establish this with surprising accuracy but nothing beats a compass in this regard. Make sure you include one as a contingency item in your bushcraft kit.

A full-size field compass or lensatic compass is probably best, but you can get away with something more rudimentary in the form of a compact, button-style compass.

You’ll give up fine accuracy, especially in conjunction with a map, but its handy nature means you are more likely to have it with you.

Water Filter

One of those precious survival commodities is always going to be water, and no matter any other conditions or circumstances you happen to be dealing with, you can only go a few days at most without water before you perish.

Even if you are fortunate enough to be living in sustaining in an environment with plentiful natural water supplies, that water could still be a threat to your overall health.

All sorts of nasty microorganisms and dissolved solids are probably lurking in that very same water, everything from bacteria and viruses to protozoa and parasites.

You don’t want any of them going into your body if you have any choice in the matter.

A handy, compact portable water filter will take care of this problem for you in seconds and turn out water that is probably cleaner than the stuff coming out of your tap.

Water Bottle or Canteen

Finding the water is one thing, purifying it is another, and keeping it with you in a handy way is yet another thing entirely.

The simple and obvious solution is to bring along a sturdy water bottle or canteen according to your preferences. Not much more to say about the matter, except that everyone has their preferences.

Some folks like the relatively low profile form factor of a canteen while others prefer the sturdy and relatively bomb-proof construction of modern, polycarbonate plastic water bottles.

If I were going to make one suggestion, I would recommend you get a metal water bottle or canteen with no internal liner and a wide mouth.

This will make it both easy to fill, easy to rinse, and suitable for heating up with water inside it.

Camping Stove

Sometimes you won’t always have the time or the call to build a proper fire suitable for cooking.

Whatever the case, the cooking must continue or just the boiling of water for sterilization or other purposes and in either set of circumstances a camping stove is perfect.

Compared to a bug-out bag, going into a proper bushcraft scenario it means you are planning on sustaining out in the wild for some time and this can make carrying a sometimes bulky camping stove a worthwhile trade-off.

Camping stoves come in all kinds of form factors and rely on various kinds of fuels. Ultra-compact folding camping stoves may use wood that you would otherwise feed into a campfire.

Classic 2-burner briefcase style camping stoves as popularized by Coleman among others utilize propane just like your full-size grill at home. Still, others use compact and efficient canisters of alcohol or other liquid fuels.

All of them have advantages and disadvantages, and you can make a case for any of them.

Mug

A mug is a simple inclusion to your bushcraft kit, but just the trick for preparing coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or eating a portion of hot stew.

I don’t have any fancy advice for you, but I recommend a sturdy, metal mug for maximum durability and the ability to heat it directly in or by the fire.

Pot

Like the mug above, a pot is a foundational part of your backcountry cook set. Useful for preparing larger meals, stewing, or boiling a large quantity of water in one go.

Like the mug, make sure this is metal and tough to withstand the rigors of field life and repeated use.

Utensils

Eating with your hands is unsanitary and a major drag. There is still a place for utensils in your bushcraft kit.

Compact, feather-light plastic utensils are all the rage but, once again, I still highly recommend stout metal utensils for eating.

Though you might pay for it in a few extra grams of weight, the durability and ease of sanitizing them will be worth it in the long run, I promise.

Firestarter

You won’t always be making use of your camp stove or have a campfire, or cooking fire, already roaring and tended to when you need it. So much of the time you will have to clear a spot, gather fuel, build and light a fire yourself and that means you need a fire starter for the job.

There are two schools of thought here. The first is using a more primitive fire starter, even if it is a modernized version. A flint and steel or ferro rod is a good choice and generally reliable and all weather conditions.

With a little practice and a flick of your wrist you can have a shower of blazing sparks smoldering and a couple of seconds.

The second school of thought is relying on modern accouterments like lighters and matches. I greatly prefer having a lighter on hand as well as some backup survival matches.

In anything but the most outrageously bad conditions, a quick click of your thumb will get your fire going, saving you precious time and energy after a long day of hard work.

Tinder

Everyone knows you need fuel to feed a fire, but only seasoned outdoorsmen know you need the right kind of fuel to initiate your kindling to give life and structure to your fire.

This initial fuel is known as tinder, and ideally it will be easy to light, hot burning, and adaptable to your purposes.

How unfortunate it is then that good tinder is not always easy to find in the wild, even when primary fuel might be plentiful.

The solution that bushcrafters have relied on for ages now is to bring their own tinder with them.

The good news is that good tinder can be had in many forms, everything from something unexpected like dryer lint to the truly strange like oily corn chips.

Some others use strips of rubber and still, others use petroleum jelly-coated cotton balls for the purpose. In any case, all of these items are tiny and take up hardly any weight in your kit.

A little creativity goes a long way here, so research the topic and include some in your bushcraft stash for sure.

Bow Drill

The bow drill is a primitive fire-starting tool that still sees use today thanks to its adaptability and efficacy for being made out of found materials.

In use, a bow drill looks very much like its namesake, only the string is wound around a center spindle, or drill, that is then used with the bow to generate enormous friction on a base piece of wood with the objective being producing burning hot coal capable of easily starting a fire.

This is one of the traditional fire-starting tools that bushcrafters learn to make once they are getting serious about their outdoor sustainment skills, and the good news is once you have created the bow drill it is easily broken down and taken with you, ready to be used again.

When all other options fail or your fire-starting kit is lost or otherwise consumed, a bow drill might save the day.

Snare Wire

Trapping is a chronically underutilized method of providing sustenance and other raw materials in a long-term sustainment situation.

Trapping is an ancient skill set, one that is definitely not in vogue these days. However, when the chips are down trapping might well be the force multiplier that makes the difference for you.

Compared to hunting, a trap works all by itself. It doesn’t get tired, it doesn’t need your constant supervision and it generally won’t make a mistake from fatigue.

Traps are generally victim actuated, and one of the best and most adaptable families of traps is snares.

Snares can be made for all kinds of animals, large and small, and the primary component of a snare is, as you might expect, cordage or wire.

Snare wire is light, flexible, and very strong, making it ideal for the purpose that its name would suggest.

You’ll need to invest a considerable amount of time and practice into the creation and placement of snares, but a small bundle of snare wire could let you place a field of traps in a Bushcraft situation that you can harvest at your leisure.

Sewing Kit

It never fails that the hardcore lifestyle attendant with a bushcraft scenario will mean gear fails or gets damaged, particularly your soft goods like clothing, your tarp, tent, and other similar items made from fabric.

In that case, repairing them demands the use of a sewing kit, complete with a variety of needles and thread.

Beyond repairs, if you have the skills you can craft items from natural materials like hides.

As you might be expecting, this is another item that requires considerable previous practice to get much mileage out of, but the basics of sewing are quite easy to learn, and effecting basic repairs or joinery is simple.

Don’t let any hang-ups about sewing being a girly or feminine hobby dissuade you, there is nothing sissy about the business of bushcraft!

Fishing Kit

If you have bodies of water nearby that contain fish, it follows that fishing is an excellent way to supplement your sustenance when bushcrafting.

You don’t need much to successfully fish, and you might be surprised to learn that even a rudimentary fishing kit consisting of hooks, lures, bobbers, and lines can be mated to a collapsible fishing pole or even just a common branch and used with great success.

Depending on where you are going and how long you’re planning on staying out, this could even be a primary form of gathering food for yourself and your group. But even if it isn’t compact fishing kit is a great inclusion just in case.

First-Aid Kit

Injuries of all kinds will accompany your work and forays out in the wilderness. Since no paramedics will be coming and you can’t exactly dash to the local clinic or the ER of a nearby hospital you’ll need to be prepared for all eventualities.

A well-stocked first aid kit is an absolute must, and it should have supplies for treating minor injuries as well as more serious trauma, along with a battery of medications for everything from pain relief to alleviating nausea and diarrhea.

Also, don’t forget to include quality-of-life items that can help keep you going when otherwise minor showstoppers might take their toll, things as sunburn creams, bug bite and sting stoppers, moleskin, and more.

Bandana

A bandana is more than just a biker fashion accessory. It is an outdoor multi-tool! In a pinch, your bandana can serve as a sweatband, a face mask, an eye patch, a bindle, a rudimentary water filter and so much more.

It can also keep the sun off of you or be used as a pot holder for handling hot cookware coming off the fire.

So simple, but there is so much you can do with them. Make sure you have a handful of bandanas distributed throughout your bushcraft kit, and always, always keep one in your pocket!

Weapons

Bow

The bow is one of mankind’s oldest projectile weapons that is still optimized and updated even today.

Bows have the advantage of firing reusable projectiles, being quiet and decidedly deadly, but in the bargain you’ll have to bring plenty of skill and practice to the table if you want to defend yourself with one or put food on the table.

You can head out into the wild with a high-performance, modern bow or fashion one yourself from an appropriate wooden stave and sturdy cordage to serve as the bowstring.

Even relatively crude bows can be surprisingly effective. Take the time now to learn how to shoot them well and how to create your own and you’ll rarely be without some ranged attack capability.

Crossbow

The crossbow is something of a lateral development of a conventional bow if not a definitive upgrade.

Combining the ergonomic advantages of a firearm with the reusable ammo, quiet operation, and simple principles of a bow, crossbows are deadly, accurate, and far easier to become skilled with compared to a traditional bow.

Though it is possible for you to craft a crossbow the intricacy of the cocking and triggering mechanism means it is less efficient and a dice or proposition compared to a traditional bow, so if you want to rely on a crossbow for your bushcrafting forays, bring one with you.

The good news is you can easily create good ammunition for even a modern crossbow once you know what you are doing, so that offsets this disadvantage somewhat.

Spear

An oldie but a goodie, a spear is quite literally just a blade on a stick. It is dead simple, but it has so many advantages everybody is well advised to learn how to use one.

Modern spears for hunting or battle-ready historical recreations are viable options for personal weaponry.

You can create a spear easily using any sturdy length of branch combined with sharp, knapped rock or any metal you can find for the purpose.

In a pinch, you can use a knife to create a spear by lashing or duct-taping it to a haft. This is naturally hard on your knife, but when you need the standoff capability and reach that only a spear can provide, be it for self-defense or for hunting, this isn’t a bad idea.

Slingshot

A slingshot is no mere kid’s toy. Capable of producing frightening accuracy and power using a variety of projectiles, all you need is a sturdy, y-shaped branch, powerful elastic material, and a flap of fabric or leather to create the pouch for the projectile and you are off to the races.

Alternately, you can bring a high-performance modern slingshot with you easily since they are so compact and lightweight.

Using found ammunition like pebbles or more modern choices like glass marbles or the ever deadly steel ball bearings, you’ll be ready to pick off smaller game at surprising distances or give a human attacker something serious to think about.

Sling

The precursor to the slingshot, the sling is a weapon going all the way back to biblical antiquity.

Relying on centrifugal force to generate considerable velocity with a small stone as ammunition, a sling is an incredibly simple weapon but an effective one so long as you have invested the long practice needed to become accurate with it on demand.

Probably the best attribute of the sling is that it is utterly lightweight and compact, capable of literally being coiled up and tucked into a pocket when it is not being used.

Probably not the best weapon to lead with, but assuming you have the ability it is a great backup or last-ditch weapon.

Gig

A gig is a small spear or trident consisting of multiple, thin, sharp points crowning a relatively short half and used for hunting small, nimble game on land or fish.

The advantage of a gig is it affords you a better margin for error when striking and is also far more likely to grip and hold prey when struck compared to a single-bladed spear or spike alone.

Gigs can easily be made from almost anything, including wood alone. You can also fashion them from a bundle of sturdy needles, wire, and other materials or carry an actual gig head that you can affix to half so you can craft yourself in the field.

Although not much force against any larger animals or human critters, it is nonetheless an invaluable addition to your hunting toolbox.

Club

Sometimes all that is needed to bring down dinner or convince a human assailant to apply their trade elsewhere is to hit it and hit it hard with no fanfare. We’re talking about going full caveman with a club.

Almost anything sturdy can be used as a club in a pinch, but you shouldn’t underestimate the viability of a more specialized tool for hunting or self-defense.

Throwing clubs in particular have been used by cultures around the world for millennia to excellent effect, and much of the time they are more effective and easier to use at a closer range than the more sophisticated weapons.

Conclusion

Bushcrafting is more than just survival. It is about living and thriving in an environment that is otherwise trying to kill you far removed from our modern civilization.

Bushcrafting is about making these wild places your home, and in order to do that, you’ll need plenty of skill and also the right tools to give yourself the best chance of success.

Look over the giant list of tools and weapons provided above to outfit your own bushcraft kit.

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Florida’s Pepper Spray Laws: An Overview

Although the State of Florida is better known for its excellent firearms laws, it is also quite generous when it comes to allowing citizens unfettered access to pepper spray and other defensive sprays. That’s why it’s important to know your state’s laws on pepper sprays.

Since pepper spray is one of the very best civilian self-defense tools available, it makes sense to add this to your daily carry repertoire.

Florida does, however, impose a restriction on the capacity of a pepper spray device that a citizen may carry, openly or concealed, but it is generally more than enough to deal with any conceivable self-defense problem. You can learn more about Florida’s pepper spray laws in the rest of this article.

Your Florida Pepper Spray Passport

The following represents the most important, need to know facts concerning Florida’s pepper spray laws:

• Florida allows citizens to carry all typical formulations of self-defense sprays, including pepper sprays, tear gas sprays, and blends of both.
• You can only carry 2 oz or less of spray in Florida, whether it is carried on your body or in a piece of luggage like a purse.
• All self-defense sprays meeting the state requirement must be designed to be non-lethal and incapable or extremely unlikely of inflicting permanent harm when used as directed.

We will explore all of these concepts in more detail below.

Can You Legally Carry Pepper Spray in Florida?

Yes. Pepper spray and other self-defense sprays are completely legal to carry in Florida, openly or concealed, and you don’t need to have a concealed weapons permit or any other special permission to do so. This also applies to carrying pepper spray in your vehicle.

Florida State statutes 790.01 and 790.053 specifically outline that the carrying of concealed pepper spray is not a crime, and open carry of pepper spray is likewise legal.

The specific excerpts in question are included below for your convenience, but it is in your best interest to look up the full letter of the law and read it for yourself.

790.01 Unlicensed carrying of concealed weapons or concealed firearms.

…

(3) This section does not apply to:

…

(b) A person who carries for purposes of lawful self-defense, in a concealed manner:

1. A self-defense chemical spray.

…

790.053 Open carrying of weapons.

…

(2) A person may openly carry, for purposes of lawful self-defense:

(a) A self-defense chemical spray.

How Much Pepper Spray Can You Carry in Florida?

2 ounces in a single container or dispenser. Florida has a reputation for being extremely permissive when it comes to weapons in the hands of civilians and is broadly considered to be a state that is staunchly pro-defense when it comes to citizens taking on criminal predators.

It is somewhat curious, then, that Florida does have a capacity restriction when it comes to pepper spray of any formulation.

The max you can have on your person and it still qualifies as a self-defense spray is 2 ounces.

Although this is fairly generous compared to other states that have capacity restrictions on sprays, it is still something of a head-scratcher, and more is always better when dealing with a tough, motivated, or drug-addled attacker, or multiple attackers.

This capacity restriction is specifically mentioned in 790.001, definitions, attached as an exception to the definition of tear gas guns and chemical weapons.

In short, if your pepper spray or tear gas dispenser contains more than 2 ounces of spray, it no longer meets the definition of self-defense chemical spray, with everything that entails.

790.001 Definitions.

…

(b) “Tear gas gun” or “chemical weapon or device” means any weapon of such nature, except a device known as a “self-defense chemical spray.” “Self-defense chemical spray” means a device carried solely for purposes of lawful self-defense that is compact in size, designed to be carried on or about the person, and contains not more than two ounces of chemical.

…

What Pepper Spray Formulas are Legal in Florida?

All common defensive spray formulations are legal in Florida, including pepper spray, tear gas, and blends of both types of ingredients.

This means that any spray you buy from a reputable manufacturer is probably going to be fine, but the defining metric for all of these sprays is that they are designed to be explicitly non-lethal, and furthermore will not inflict any major injury or lasting harm upon the target when used as directed.

you might be taking a chance if you purchase a pepper spray canister or some other kind of defensive spray from a vendor with a dodgy reputation or if you try to brew your own at home for use.

Don’t do it. Spend a few extra dollars and get a high-quality unit from a respected maker.

When Can You Legally Use Pepper Spray in Florida?

Florida law states that you are justified in using force to protect yourself or another person whenever you reasonably believe that that force is necessary to stop the imminent use of unlawful force against yourself or another person.

Now, the trick with defensive force is that the force you use to protect yourself or someone else must be proportional to the level of unlawful force being threatened against you.

For instance, if someone is threatening to punch you or push you whipping out a gun and shooting them would not be proportional to the threat you face.

On the other hand, pepper spraying them would likely be proportional in the eyes of the law.

It is always best to avoid using any kind of force if you can, including pepper spray, but if you are forced to protect yourself the use of pepper spray or tear gas is generally considered minimal force and almost all cases.

That being said, always think twice before deploying your pepper spray if it can be avoided: the misuse of force or the unlawful use of any weapon, including pepper spray, can entail some serious charges in the State of Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the strongest pepper spray you can carry in Florida?

Florida has no restrictions concerning the potency or overall level of strength for any defensive spray.

So long as the spray is designed to be non-lethal and does not leave any lasting injuries in normal use it is legal, whether it is tear gas or pepper spray.

Again, the proof is in the pudding, as they say, so you only want to use sprays marketed by respected manufacturers of such products to avoid any unnecessary legal entanglements.

Will you go to jail if you pepper spray someone?

Yes, quite possibly, even if you were justified in spraying them in self-defense. And all about the rarest cases, you will not be cleared at the scene of a self-defense encounter.

Police tend to make arrests and sort out the situation later. Expect to go to jail, even if only temporarily, in the aftermath of an encounter.

For this reason, you should have a contingency plan for this and talk it over with your family attorney or a qualified self-defense attorney.

If you ever misuse pepper spray in the state of Florida, spraying someone to settle an argument or as a joke, you can definitely expect to go to jail.

Is pepper spray considered a deadly weapon?

No. Pepper sprays and other defensive sprays are specifically defined as something other than deadly weapons in the State of Florida.

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These 20 Non-Electric Devices Will Work After an EMP

One of the greatest threats facing society today is that posed by an EMP. An EMP, short for electromagnetic pulse, could originate from natural cosmic phenomena or man-made weapon systems of the nuclear or non-nuclear variety.

Whatever the cause, one powerful enough could conceivably plunge civilization across a large swath of the Earth back to the pre-industrial age in the blink of an eye.

Electrical grids, circuit boards and anything relying on them or connected to them will be severely damaged or destroyed outright if affected by the event.

This means that so many things we rely on today in our own lives and throughout society at large will be made more or less permanently offline.

Computers, automobiles, public electricity, controller systems and more, gone, hard bent. It is difficult to imagine going on in the aftermath of such a happening.

But go on you can, as civilization existed for far longer before the advent of the circuit board and electricity than after.

The solution? Accumulating and relying on tools and equivalent systems that do not utilize circuit boards, electricity or any other contrivance vulnerable to the damaging or destructive events of a high-energy EMP.

Many of these devices are simple. You likely have quite a few right now. We will be telling you about more in this article.

Manual Power Can Get it Done

Stop to think about how upside down your life and the world at large would be if, in an instant, all the electrical contrivances we use day in and day out suddenly stopped working, and worse yet could not be made to work again with any probability.

Getting up in the morning you wouldn’t be awoken by your alarm clock, be it your smart device or a digital model plugged into the wall. You couldn’t turn on the lights. Your electric toothbrush? Likely done for.

Moving on to the kitchen that means no coffee from the Keurig in your to-go cup and I hope you didn’t plan on driving to work since all of the many computers and circuit boards in your vehicle are kaput. No computer, no tablet, no cable TV, no nothing. History…

Sounds pretty harrowing, doesn’t it? No doubt it would be a calamitous event, one with far-reaching and virtually unknowable implications. However, you should take heart.

It would be one heck of an adjustment living in the aftermath of such an event but it should reassure you that countless generations of people did the exact same thing.

When your great, great, great grandparents were living their day to day lives without all of this technology we take for granted, it wasn’t called survival skills, it was just called living!

You can take a page from their book and go on living by using the tools and skills that were available to them.

Below is our list of common tools and implements that you should have on hand if you want to go on with your life more or less the same in the aftermath of an EMP.

All of them are replacements or supplements for devices or capability that is likely to be deleteriously affected by such a high energy emission.

This list is far from comprehensive but includes a big picture view of what you should acquire if you don’t want to be left flapping in the breeze.

1. Manual Toothbrush

I sure do love my electric toothbrush, and it is hard to imagine life without it. However efficient it is, it is also difficult to imagine how cumbersome and awkward it would be trying to use that bulky, heavy thing with that tiny head for anything approximating an ordinary toothbrush.

It is a small thing, but little problems can turn into big stressors, and in this case you can easily ameliorate the loss of a fancy electric toothbrush by keeping several packs of manual toothbrushes on hand.

Whatever kind you prefer, it doesn’t matter so long as you have them.

2. Percolator / Tea Kettle

The real crisis for some people living in the aftermath of an EMP will be the loss of coffee-making capability.

I can already hear the sweat breaking out on the foreheads of some of you! Do you even know how to make coffee without the classic electric drip coffee maker or Keurig machine? Not to worry, reader, it is far easier than you think.

There are a variety of low-tech, non-electric coffee makers out there but one that your great grandparents likely used that remains quite popular today is the simple percolator.

You can add grounds, add water and then place it on the fire or over a gas-powered stove I’m pretty soon you’ll have a nice, hot cup of joe to rival anything out of your usual machine.

For you tea drinkers, not much will change, but make sure you have a classic, non-electric tea kettle if you rely on an electric water heater.

3. Cast Iron Pan / Skillet / Dutch Oven

There are so many electric kitchen gadgets and appliances that will go down in the wake of an EMP, either being directly destroyed by the high energy emission in the case of modern models packed full of circuit boards or just knocked off line through the loss of the electrical grid overall. Your stove, your toaster, waffle iron, microwave, everything.

Don’t worry too much, though, because several items in your kitchen will remain use, and if you have a big collection of cast iron cookware, count yourself lucky.

Cast iron pans, skillets, baking sheets and perhaps most importantly Dutch ovens are multi-purpose, heavy-duty cooking implements that are just as much at home on your propane or charcoal grill outside as they are over an open, roaring fire.

You’ll need to adapt your technique and practice heat control in the meantime but rest easy knowing that your cookware can handle whatever the apocalypse can throw at it.

4. Mechanical Timer/Clock

If you are like me, you probably rely on a small fleet of timers in the kitchen usually managed by your smart device or built into your stove top or microwave to help you keep track of your various dinner time tasks.

Regrettably, all of these electrically powered or digital timers are going to go the way of the dodo as soon as the EMP hits, but meal prep demands will not change; you’ll need to keep precise track of how long you have various irons in the fire.

The solution is supremely simple. Simply acquire and have available bog standard mechanical kitchen timers.

These ticking, ringing contraptions might not be quite as precise as a digital timer, but they are more than close enough for anything but the most intricate, delicate cooking tasks. Where circuit boards will fail gears and springs will carry the day.

5. Can Opener

But the prevalence of fast, efficient, and quiet countertop electric can openers I rarely see the classic crank or manually operated ones making regular appearances in the kitchen.

I know a few people, even if you preppers, that don’t own one at all except for the handy little flip-out one on their Swiss army knife or multi-tool.

That is going to be a major bummer if an EMP occurs and you don’t have a quick and efficient way to access all of that canned food you’ve been stockpiling for just such an occasion.

Sure, that little Swiss army knife can opener can and will sail through a can with relative ease, but it is going to be hell on your hands when you’re doing that day in and day out just to get dinner ready. Grab yourself a full-size manual can opener and forget about those worries.

6. Mortar and Pestle

A mortar and pestle are used together to grind and crush, and can reduce all sorts of things from grains to dried veggies and even pills into a fine, fine powder.

There are all sorts of electric contrivances that can do the same thing, but very few will function reliably after an EMP, and fewer still manually operated equivalents will afford you the control and surety of a mortar and pestle.

This is a great gadget to have for the kitchen but also for other tasks in and around the workshop, though you should not use the same one for both sets of chores!

7. Solar Oven

Lots of preppers, your dear author here included, will surely miss their electric oven if an EMP hits.

Sure, you can use a charcoal or gas grill to achieve much the same, but those petroleum or wood-based fuels are decidedly limited compared to the virtually endless supply of electricity that normally flows into our homes. What is a prolific baker to do, then?

As it turns out, there is another virtually limitless source of heat we can take advantage of, even in the aftermath of an EMP.

Solar ovens harness the power of the sun to thoroughly cook food with surprising speed and efficiency so long as it is daytime and the skies are clear.

You can use your solar oven for pretty much everything you use a conventional electric or gas oven for and these have the advantage of being quite light and portable, and therefore an excellent addition to your survival supplies.

8. Manual Crank Grinder

The food processor has replaced a bevy of manually operated kitchen gadgets. But every food processor relies on electricity, electricity you just aren’t going to have after the big blackout.

If you are willing to supply a little bit of muscle, you can maintain the capability to render down nuts, grind meats and even liquefy softer foods using a manual crank grinder and a variety of attachments.

These ingenious devices, typically made out of cast iron but sometimes bronze, used to be a staple in every working kitchen, and we’re often designed to bolt to a countertop or work table.

Properly maintained, they work surprisingly well and will still work well today. New examples cost a pretty penny if you want to get a quality model, but chances are your grandparents or a local garage sale will produce one that you can spiff up and put back into service.

9. Iron Sights

Our modern appliances aren’t the only things that will be decimated by an EMP. Electro-optical sighting systems, red dots, holographic sights and others including optics with etched reticles that utilize and illumination system will all be completely disabled or degraded by an EMP.

Despite how tough, how capable, and how long-lasting these modern optics are they are not going to survive an EMP.

If you are completely dependent on one of these high-performance electoral optical gun sights you are going to be SOL in the aftermath.

Iron sights, be they fixed or deployable backup sites, will allow you to keep your firearms effective and in the fight.

In years past I wouldn’t even have needed to bring this point up but our optics are all so good you’ll see an increasing amount of firearms today that don’t even have backup iron sights.

10. Shovel

When the going gets tough, the tough get to digging. No matter what has happened and no matter where, you’ll always need a trusty shovel.

I know you probably don’t own an electric equivalent, but the reason shovels will become even more important in the aftermath of an EMP is that most pieces of heavy equipment will be rendered non-operational by the event.

That means that when serious digging needs to be done, it will be you and five, 10 or 15 of your closest friends furiously going at it with shovels the old-fashioned way.

If it sounds laborious, time consuming and grueling, you are quite correct but take heart knowing that it is still done this way in many poor or austere parts of the world.

You might not do any gardening, and you might not do any of your own landscaping, but you still need a shovel to be ready for all contingencies.

11. Hoe

Most preppers understand the importance of growing their own food, even if it is only as a supplement for what stored provisions they have on hand.

Tending to your own garden, or making ready for that first planting, means you’ll be doing plenty of hoeing in preparation. Save the jokes, people.

Compared to something like a power tiller or power aerator a hoe is a blister factory, and far slower but nonetheless this ancient agricultural tool has persisted more or less and its original form for all these long millennia because it works, plain and simple, and it can do so without the benefit of any electricity or fossil fuel.

12. Manual Sprayer

A manual sprayer is another invaluable tool in your arsenal that can help you deal with all sorts of EMP related problems around the home and the homestead.

These hand pump pressurized contraptions can easily take over in place of battery or generator powered pumps and are most commonly used for applying fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals but they have many more uses besides.

Probably my favorite is as an improvised outdoor shower. Simply paint the container black, fill it up with water and place it in the sun to warm.

After a couple of hours the water should be pleasantly warm and then you can pump up the container to pressurize it and use the wand to create a refreshing, cleansing spray.

Note, make sure you never, ever use a sprayer in this way that has at any point held any chemical contents of any kind. Get one for shower duty holding water only, and the other for all of your chemical related chores.

13. Chisels

Chisels are an invaluable addition to your post EMP tool chest, and are a perennially utilized tool for any woodworker.

Kept hair popping sharp and used with some skill and know-how chisels will easily allow you to create properly fitting joinery with wood or even effect repairs in conjunction with other tools and materials.

Obviously, many electric tools both handheld and stationary can do the job much faster but electricity is the one thing you won’t be able to count on at all post event.

Some sharp chisels, a sturdy mallet and a skilled hand can transport you into a Zen-like state well you do great things with wood.

14. Clamps

For construction, repairs and improvisations clamps are a boon. You can use clamps to hold together failing parts, stop liquids leaking from hoses and so much more.

It stands to reason that you’ll have plenty of opportunities and need to make repairs in the aftermath of something capable of causing as much destruction as an EMP.

But good clamps can be expensive and aren’t always easy to find so take the time to add some to your toolbox now while you can before you are forced to scavenge for them later.

15. Axe

An axe is a must-have inclusion for any survival tool set, and especially one that is focusing on EMP preparation.

You might think that the simple operation of a gas-powered chainsaw would survive an EMP event based on our current, real world understanding of its effects, and you are probably right.

An EMP will still cripple your chainsaw because it will effectively obliterate the supply chain that makes gasoline available to run it.

Once the supply of gas runs out and you don’t have any more on hand or are unable to scavenge it your chainsaw will be useless.

It will take longer, and be a hell of a workout, but your axe will never run out of gas until you do! Get a good one, learn how to maintain and sharpen it, and then keep it sharpened!

16. Hammer

For construction projects, repair projects and light demolition a sturdy carpenter’s hammer is what you need.

I don’t know too many handy, crafty people that don’t have a nail gun for the same occasions, but there isn’t a single one worth their salt who won’t have a hammer.

Just like the chainsaw above, an EMP might not affect a nailer that utilizes compressed air, and it definitely shouldn’t affect one that uses caps, but it will completely destroy the supply chain that makes the operation or acquisition of either possible.

That means you’ll be back to driving nails the old fashioned way, and where those other tools might let you down in the wake of such a catastrophic event a hammer will do the job if your arm can.

17. Handsaw

Reciprocating saws, band saws, jigsaws and every other kind of saw we rely on for demolition and construction projects all have the same Achilles heel: they rely on electricity in one form or another.

You don’t need me to tell you again that electricity is going to become an extraordinarily rare and precious commodity after an EMP. Hand saws however, don’t rely on electricity and so will not be affected.

A toolbox saw, coping saw and Japanese pole saw will cover virtually every imaginable need and take up very little space in your post-SHTF tool set.

18. Screwdrivers

Screwdrivers are an especially valuable tool for urban and suburban survival, and even for wilderness or rural survival, because everything that we depend on, every tool, every appliance and every gadget are held together by some type of fastener.

For most things that aren’t subjected to incredible operating forces these fasteners are usually screws.

Make sure you are ready for dealing with whatever kind of fastener you’re up against by obtaining a collection of screwdrivers for the task. Your favorite power driver will be on its last legs if it works at all after an EMP.

19. Files

Traditional files offer considerable control but work very slowly compared to a rotary tool or disc grinder but they will work, and work, and work as long as you can assuming you periodically take the time to clean the cuttings out of the teeth.

For shaping, modifying and removing metal a good set of files cannot be beat and the most aggressive ones can fly through softer metals with surprising speed.

Like all manual tools of this nature, they are 100% completely functional totally independent of electricity or anything else that an EMP might affect.

20. Hand Drill

If you were fortunate enough to have tool lovers in your family, you might have run across in your travels your granddad’s or great-granddads hand-powered drill.

They look like clumsy, ungainly contraptions but it is the only way that holes got made by hand before the advent of the electric drill.

I can promise you one thing; they will give you an entirely new appreciation for that same drill, because these things will get you working up a sweat.

Nonetheless, they do work and work efficiently but are highly dependent upon quality, sharp drill bits so make sure you obtain a stash of them and keep them handy also.

Conclusion

It is hard to overstate how devastating a high-powered EMP will be. The effect on much of the globe and society at large will be nothing short of an instant, complete paradigm shift.

With the majority of our electrical devices offline or hopelessly destroyed, we’ll need to revert to tools and technology that carried us two and through the industrial revolution.

Preparing accordingly with the right acquisitions and development of the right skill sets now will give you something of a cushion against this terrifying.

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North Carolina’s Pepper Spray Laws: An Overview

Pepper spray is a great defensive tool for citizens who need a less lethal option for self-defense that has more range than close-quarters weapons while still inflicting minimal or even no real injury on the target.

Probably the best thing about pepper spray is that it is legal in all 50 states, and can be carried into many places where all other weapons cannot go.

But it is up to you to learn and understand the individual state laws governing pepper spray wherever you happen to live or visit.

Concerning North Carolina’s pepper spray laws, they are generally permissible except for a fairly stringent restriction on the capacity of the dispenser you can carry. You can learn all about North Carolina’s pepper spray laws here.

Your North Carolina Pepper Spray Passport

The following represents the most important, need to know parts of North Carolina’s pepper spray laws:

• Self-defense sprays in North Carolina may not have a capacity exceeding 150cc.
• All typical self-defense spray formulations are legal in North Carolina, including pepper spray and tear gas sprays as well as blends of both.
• If you are a convicted felon or have had your civil right to own weapons removed you cannot possess pepper spray in North Carolina.

Can You Legally Carry Pepper Spray in North Carolina?

Yes. It is completely legal to possess and carry pepper spray, tear gas spray, or any other conventional self-defense spray in the state of North Carolina.

You may carry such sprays openly or concealed without the need for any concealed weapons permit or other special permission.

However, if you are a convicted felon or have any criminal record which has seen you lose your right to keep and bear arms you may not own or carry pepper spray or any other self-defense spray while in the state.

How Much Pepper Spray Can You Carry in North Carolina?

This is the major sticking point with North Carolina’s pepper spray laws, as they limit the capacity of any device or other dispenser carried by civilians to 150cc.

This is pretty generous compared to most other states with capacity restrictions and equates to about 5 ounces.

However, this will rule out the legal possession and carrying of larger canisters suitable for breaking up mobs or dealing with multiple assailants.

North Carolina statute 14-401.6 covers all of the relevant parts of the law regarding the definition and of tear gas sprays, including capacity limitations. The exact verbiage of the relevant part of the section is below for your review:

14-401.6. Unlawful to possess, etc., tear gas except for certain purposes.

(a) It is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association to possess, use, store, sell, or transport within the State of North Carolina, any form of that type of gas generally known as “tear gas,” or any container or device for holding or releasing that gas; except this section does not apply to the possession, use, storage, sale or transportation of that gas or any container or device for holding or releasing that gas:

…

(7) For use in the home for protection and elsewhere by individuals, who have not been convicted of a felony, for self-defense purposes only, as long as the capacity of any:

a. Tear gas device or container does not exceed 150 cubic centimeters,

…

(c) Tear gas for the purpose of this section shall mean any solid, liquid or gaseous substance or combinations thereof which will, upon dispersion in the atmosphere, cause tears in the eyes, burning of the skin, coughing, difficulty in breathing or any one or more of these reactions and which will not cause permanent damage to the human body, and the substance and container or device is designed, manufactured, and intended to be used as tear gas.

…

What Pepper Spray Formulas are Legal in North Carolina?

All common defensive spray formulations are legal in North Carolina, including OC, or genuine pepper spray, along with both typical tear gas formulations.

Do keep in mind, pretty much every self-defense spray is judged against the standard that it is designed to be non-lethal in normal use and that it does not cause any serious injury or permanent debilitation to the target.

This is another reason why it is so important that you choose a pepper spray or tear gas that has been manufactured by a reliable and respected company.

Any dodgy or less than upright makers of such products might put you at risk of serious civil and criminal liability if their product does cause permanent injury.

When Can You Legally Use Pepper Spray in North Carolina?

According to North Carolina law, you can use pepper spray in self-defense whenever you or another person are threatened with the imminent use of unlawful force against you, or against them.

However, your use of defensive force, in this case the pepper spray, must be proportional to the threat against you. It is never okay to pepper spray someone over a simple verbal altercation or anything like that.

Generally, if someone is threatening to punch you, strike you in some other way, or otherwise beat you up then pepper spray is likely a reasonable response so long as it appears as if the assailant will soon make good on their threat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the strongest pepper spray you can carry in North Carolina?

You can carry pepper spray or tear gas of any potency while in North Carolina, so long as the solution is designed to be non-lethal and cause no permanent injuries or harm as detailed above.

Will you go to jail if you pepper spray someone?

It is certainly possible, yes. In any self-defense encounter requiring any amount of force, the ideal outcome is to be cleared by the police at the scene. However, this is unlikely, and will only become increasingly less likely as time goes on.

Pepper spray, though usually considered the minimal amount of force in the eyes of the law and the public at large, is still considered a defensive force.

Even if you are clearly the defender in the encounter it is fairly probable that you’ll be detained and possibly taken to jail.

Whether you are let out or must be bailed out, depending on the circumstances, this is something you must have a plan for.

Don’t assume that just because you pepper sprays someone instead of using a more serious and permanent defensive weapon you won’t face any legal consequences.

Is pepper spray considered a deadly weapon?

No, pepper spray is not considered a deadly weapon. In most states, North Carolina included, pepper spray has its own category as a defensive weapon, one separate from most deadly weapons in practice if not by explicit definition.

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10 Clever Ways to Move Heavy Loads

No matter who you are and where you live at some point in your life you have probably had to move something heavy, or several heavy somethings.

Depending on your job and lifestyle, you might be moving heavy loads on the regular with or without the assistance of machines to help you.

You are not alone in your struggles, and you never have been; although mankind is far from the strongest of mammals we have nonetheless been forced to move back-breaking loads from place to place since time immemorial.

It might be your job or it might not, but the chances are extremely high that you’ll be forced to move something heavy, really heavy, in a survival situation if you want to keep yourself and yours alive and on the right track.

Disasters of all kinds are notorious for the widespread destruction they wreak, and aside from this, you’ll never know what you might need to lift, move or carry if you want to improve your own position.

Even outside of a survival situation there are innumerable heavy-lifting tasks that are just part of life and all kinds of settings, and a smart prepper will be prepared for both contingencies, in an emergency or an everyday life.

To help you with this difficult task we are here with 10 clever methods that will help you move heavy loads no matter the setting.

Lift With Your Brain, Not Your Back

Lifting a heavy load is always going to require a certain amount of power, whether you are providing it or a machine.

But even if you are the primary power source for the lifting operation it does not have to be a matter of sheer, brute force.

Throughout history and right up till today mankind has been relying on a variety of machines, simple machines and complex machines, to make our work easier, safer, and quicker. Lifting is no different.

When the time comes to perform a heavy lift, most guys I know immediately start zeroing in on the basics: how can we grab it, what path we can take, how long we can hold it up, etc.

What I would have you do instead is take a moment to assess your environment, the thing being moved and see what other, better options present themselves besides “let’s throw sprained discs at this thing until we get it from here to there!”

When you are in a rush and just need to get things done, the last thing you will want to do is tap the brakes and engage your brain to see if there is a better way to take care of business.

I’m willing to bet that in most circumstances that little extra time you spend thinking clearly will not only save you a tremendous amount of effort but will also save you quite a bit of time in the end.

It is worth mentioning that not every technique will be viable, owing to terrain considerations, time constraints or even manpower limitations but that is why you are going to learn more than one method, right?

With that out of the way, let’s move on to our 10 methods.

10 Clever Ways to Move Heavy Loads

1. Break it Down

Before looking at a more complex and involved method of moving a heavy load, let us consider the load itself.

What are you moving? If you are moving a large, heavy, and priceless piece of furniture you’ll need to take pains to ensure you get it from the departure location to its final destination intact and, hopefully, undamaged.

But if you are moving junk, refuse or any other object with the intention of simply getting it out of the way then all bets are off.

If the item you’re moving fits into this latter category why wouldn’t you just break it down into smaller and more manageable chunks or pieces? Do you need to move some fallen trees out of the way, knocked down by a recent storm?

Well, you could spend all day and a lot of cursing trying to move the massive trunks off the road or you could just chop them up with a saw or ax.

Maybe you’re trying to clear some rubble from a structure that was damaged or demolished under the same circumstances, or trying to relocate some boulders on your property. If you don’t need to keep it intact then don’t keep it intact!

Obviously, the overall amount of effort that you might need to invest in demolition could well exceed the amount of energy you put purely into moving something that is heavy.

But for the largest objects that are impossible to move intact or just too dangerous to move using manpower alone, this is a great option. Grab your hammer and get to swinging!

2. Take it Apart

This is more of a corollary to method number one than its own method, but it is definitely worth mentioning.

If you are moving something that you want to keep intact or must be kept intact, that has many moving parts or is otherwise assembled from many components consider disassembling it to make moving it far easier.

This is a great way to transport heavy machinery, certain pieces of furniture, and even small vehicles with far less effort and headache.

Obviously, you will need to have some skill and the appropriate tools to accomplish this, and the additional time investment both for disassembly and subsequent reassembly will be substantial.

Most importantly, you must know what you’re doing so that you do not damage the item in question and to ensure that it can be reassembled properly and made to function once again.

Another prime consideration for employing this method is making sure that all parts, fasteners, and other doodads are kept securely packed and don’t get lost during the move.

We have all been through that bout of aggravation when trying to put our things back together with a few parts missing.

3. Shift it with a Lever

The humble lever is one of the most effective and elementary of the simple machines, but one that makes many other complex machines possible.

Most importantly for us, the lever can be employed in virtually any setting using natural or man-made materials alike to accomplish work.

And practical use, a lever is usually a component of a more complex lift, allowing us to gain better purchase on the item being moved or allowing us to get it set on another object for transport.

A lever can though be used to shift or topple extremely heavy objects out of our way or across a short distance.

To function, a lever needs only a few prerequisites: a fulcrum, situated somewhere beneath the length of the lever, one end attached to or situated under the load to be lifted, and then the far end where power will be input.

Chances are you and your friends will be the ones supplying the power. Depending on what is being moved, you might need to reposition the fulcrum a couple of times to hit the “sweet spot.”

Also, keep in mind that a lever expected to move a very heavy load will be undergoing proportionally heavy stresses, and if you’ve chosen a poor lever it could break or shatter with injurious results.

Always ensure that you have chosen the strongest lever possible under the circumstances and take care to minimize the risk of injury if there is a failure.

4. Roll it on Pipes or Logs

A rarely encountered but highly effective method of moving a heavy load over a relatively smooth and level surface is done by employing rollers.

Rollers for our purposes could be any sturdy, tubular item of uniform size. This could be logs or branches, steel piping, or even ABS piping.

Whatever you use, it need only be capable of rolling across the surface and supporting the load being moved.

In operation, utilizing a series of rollers is basically like laying a road that you will slide the item across before recycling the rollers left behind to lay a new section of road ahead.

Though it involves much stepping and fetching, this is one method that can allow even a single person to easily and safely move a large object by themselves in a pinch.

All you’ll need to do to get started is lay down a short series of your rollers ahead of the object being moved before coaxing or otherwise placing the object on the first roller.

When you start to push the item across the rollers you’ll notice that it will move easily while the rollers pass under it.

Once you run out of rollers ahead, you should have some emerging on the back side of the object being moved from beneath.

At this time, you halt forward progress, pick up the rollers ejected from behind and replace them ahead of the object being moved, slowly but surely guiding it towards its destination.

5. Go Up or Down a Ramp

The ramp is another simple machine that is so simple that it is effectively invisible in use day to day.

Correctly proportioned, a ramp allows a load to be moved under control up or down with far less effort than would be required to physically raise the object itself.

Ramps also have the advantage of being relatively easy to construct pretty much anywhere you might need one so long as you have access to loose soil, small stones or even sand in a pinch.

More substantial and durable ramps can be created from wood, concrete, brick, etc.

A ramp can also be creatively used in conjunction with other methods and machines on this list to further decrease the amount of effort required to get your load from point A to point B.

You can use lifting straps or the slide method mentioned elsewhere on this list in conjunction with a ramp to make your life really easy.

One thing you must be extra cautious about when using a ramp is to make sure that anyone who is below the load, that is, on the down slope of the ramp, can maintain full control of the load or at the very least can bail out if control is lost.

It is an easy thing to get crushed by an out-of-control item careening down a ramp, and this is especially hazardous when working on a field improvised version.

6. Lift it with Pulleys

A pulley is another simple machine, nothing more than a wheel on an axle or shaft that is designed to guide the movement of a rope or belt.

Pulleys can be used singularly or in conjunction with additional sets to provide an ever-increasing mechanical advantage over the load being hoisted, or pulled.

Pulleys are so simple and comparatively portable that you can always make use of them no matter where you are.

You might be able to hang or otherwise fix a pulley to any firm point such as a sturdy branch, trunk of a tree, or anything else to give you a helping hand wherever you might have to hoist a heavy load.

As always, keep in mind the object or terrain feature you are affixing the pulley to must be capable of handling the applied stress or it could fail with disastrous results.

It is also worth noting that pulleys, while comparatively simple in design and operation, assembling multiple blocks and other components to further increase the power you can apply takes a little bit of know-how and prior planning to implement successfully.

If you plan on going the distance with pulleys some practice and study are definitely worthwhile.

7. Slide it

Why lift something when you don’t have to? Why carry it when you can slide it?

So long as the terrain is favorable and you have a piece of material that you can place beneath the load to reduce friction between it and the surface it is much easier to slide an item than it is to pick it up and haul it.

We all have a little bit of experience with this method even if it is just scooting furniture around to vacuum behind it during our weekly chores.

Chalk it up to laziness if you want, but I call it efficiency, and there is no reason you shouldn’t do the same thing with far heavier and far more important items.

The trick, as you might imagine, is getting your slider beneath the load in the first place.

Depending upon the weight of the item and the surface you are moving it across this could be a piece of cardboard, a soft blanket, a heavy piece of plastic paneling or screen, or something else. Use your imagination.

It should also be noted that this technique works best when moving something heavy over a uniform surface across a reasonably short distance.

The moment you have to start going up or downhill or across a regular, uneven terrain you’ll need to try a replacement technique.

8. Use a Chain Hoist

A chain hoist is similar to a pulley system, only it uses a system of gears to greatly increase mechanical advantage and raise and lower a lifting chain and hook. This gearing system is driven by user input through another chain or rope.

A common fixture in automotive garages, warehouses, and anywhere else that heavy loads need to be lifted and lowered under great control, a chain hoist can do the same thing for you, either at a fixed location or attached to a boom mounted on a vehicle.

Compared to a pulley system, a chain hoist is significantly more complex internally and will require maintenance in the form of lubrication and inspection from time to time.

Practically your biggest consideration is that whatever the hoist is attached to must be capable of supporting the load and the weight of the hoist itself which is not insubstantial.

The biggest risk is with structural failure, particularly when you mount the hoist to an overhead wooden member in a garage or other structure.

But when you use a chain hoist it is easy to forget how much weight it might be bearing because it makes the lifting so easy!

Make sure you thoroughly understand the limitations of your chain hoist and what you can expect it to do, and never exceed those limits.

9. Try Lifting Straps

Lifting straps, also called movers straps or forearm forklifts, are a seldom used but incredibly efficient method for moving heavier weight than two people might be able to safely hoist or control normally.

These straps are quite simple, being nothing more than heavy-duty nylon straps stitched in such a way that they will loop over the arms and sometimes the shoulders of the people using them after being slung beneath the object being carried.

In operation, these straps provide a significant mechanical advantage over a normal team lift because they use the elbows as a fulcrum, transferring the majority of the load being carried to the far stronger muscles of the core and legs.

This can make it a cinch to move heavy furniture or anything else that presents a relatively uniform profile that can be safely cradled by the straps.

Lightweight, compact, and utterly portable, these have a place in everybody’s arsenal and are especially good for hasty, field expedient carries.

They aren’t without their drawbacks, however, as moving up and down steps or a relatively steep incline will disproportionately load the lower partner with the majority of the weight.

These devices also fare poorly when carrying any awkward or irregularly shaped load that cannot be securely cradled. Nonetheless, an excellent option all around.

10. Use More People

Sometimes, there is no other option, or at least no other expedient option, than to throw more bodies at the problem.

When it comes to lifting a heavy load, if you and a partner can’t get it done you need to recruit one, two or a handful more people to assist you. With enough manpower, you can move almost anything!

However, this doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Depending upon the item being moved you must ensure that all people can get a meaningful grip on the item and apply appropriate force in lifting and moving effectively with it.

This is an easy thing to screw up and wind up “rimrocked,” with the load in the air but the team is unable to move effectively with it.

You must also take care that you won’t be inviting disaster if the grip of one person gives way or if somebody stumbles or falters.

If everybody is at the bleeding edge of their work capacity and even one person screws up, the result could be injury or even death.

Don’t be afraid to go for the gusto, but be smart and always have a plan for what you’ll do if you need to slam on the brakes!

Conclusion

Just because you have a heavy load to haul does not mean you’ll need to break your back in the bargain so long as you know what you are doing.

A clever prepper will approach the problem with the same diligence that they would any other, and by using the right technique for the right terrain and the right object you can turn what was sure to be a laborious and grueling exercise into a simple, quick and efficient chore.

via Modern Survival Online https://ift.tt/bIuP7x0