Soda Can Stove 2

Just a follow up with some pictures of two stoves that we made last night.  They burned great, a little crazy at first but as the seams tightened up they burned awesome.  Two tablespoons of denatured alcohol will burn for about 10 minutes.

Soda Can Stove

Check out this website for a great homemade backpacking stove.  Anybody with a little patience and some empty soda cans can make one of these stoves and they weigh next to nothing so they are a great addition to your hiking pack.

http://www.thesodacanstove.com/stove/

Caring For Blisters

Here is a great way to deal with blisters on the go thanks to the U.S. Army Survival Handbook.  Always keep blisters intact in order for the blister to protect itself.  To avoid having a blister burst or tear under pressure and cause an open sore you can drain it.

First get a sterilized sewing needle and clean thread.
Clean the area around the blister and run the needle and thread through the blister.
Detach the needle and leave the thread hanging out both sides of the blister.
The thread will absorb the liquid inside the blister and keep it from bursting.
The thread also keeps the hole in the blister from closing up and allows it to dry.
Pad around the area to relieve pressure and continue to keep it clean.

Sun Compass

Shadow-Tip Method

Find a straight stick about 3 feet long.
Place the stick in the ground in a level area.
Mark the shadow's tip with a stone or twig (this first point is always West).
Wait 10-15 minutes until the shadow moves and mark the tip of the shadow again.
Draw a straight line through the 2 points and that is your east-west line.
Stand with your first mark on your left and your second mark on your right and now you are facing North.

This method will work anywhere on earth.
To make it more accurate wait 30-45 minutes and make 3 or more marks as the shadow moves.

Survival Acronym

This is a good acronym from the U.S. Army Survival Handbook that will help you to remember what to do in  a survival situation.

S-size up the situation (surroundings, physical condition, equipment)
U-Use all your senses; Undue haste makes waste
R-Remember where your are
V-Vanquish fear and panic
I-Improvise
V-Value Living
A-Act like the natives
L-Live by your wits; Learn basic skills now

Pine Needle Tea

Pine needle tea has very high levels of vitamin C and A.  It can have more vitamin C than 6 lemons.  First you need to pick the newest green pine needles you can find, they are normally located at the end of the branch and are lighter green than the rest.  You should use about a 1/2 cup of needles to about 1.5 pints of water.  You can either chop them up or just put them into the cup whole.  It is recommend that you bring your water to a boil first then add the needles.  Boil for about 20 minutes and then allow it to cool for another 20 minutes or so.  The tea should be a reddish color with a mild pine taste and smell.  Remember boiling the needles too long will cause the vitamin C content to diminish.  The longer you allow the tea to sit after boiling the stronger the tea will be.  Stir and Enjoy!

WARNING!!!  Do not consume pine needle tea if you are pregnant or even think you might be pregnant.

Bow Drill

WOW!!!  I tried starting a fire with a bow drill yesterday with the intention of posting a "how-to video".  I was just using some wood that I have around the house, but upon further review the wood you use makes all the difference.  It looks so easy but after a few hours of trying and sweating my butt off I came back inside and did some more research.  The best wood to use for a bow drill is Cedar, Willow, Fir, Poplar, and Spruce and I didn't have any of those types of wood handy.  I need to reassess my situation and find some different wood and try again.  There are 5 different parts to the bow drill: Base board, Spindle, Bow, Spindle, and Hand block.  I will keep trying to improve on my design and try some different types of wood.  I will upload a video shortly.