USER SUBMISSIONS - Newest submissions are added to the bottom of the page.  Thanks to all who've written!

I was wondering, how many more types of fire are there, surely there aren't just 2! also, are there any more types of trap/snare, other than just rabbit or squirrel? your site is amazing, very educational and easy to read. thanks for enlightening me to the world of survival!!!

M40 Response: Of course there are more types of fires and snares. When I find the time, I'll add to these pages. Remember that this site is one guy (who has a day job and a LOT of hobbies) trying to churn out pages in his spare time. I'll get to it soon... promise!
 

I think you may have started a "Becker Brute" craze. Mine has been on backorder for 3 months. According to Camillus, they are having problems finding sheaths. The email I received on 4/12 said they would have the issue corrected before May. Here we are, May 6th.... no knife......

M40 Response: I would wager that Becker is the one that started a Becker Brute craze. Why this blade has gone relatively un-noticed in the world of knives is beyond me. It tops knives that are twice the price. I've abused the hell out of mine, and it holds up every time. I TRUST this blade, and I don't say that about too many blades.
 

Sir, I have no tip's or advice to give, but I do have a strong suggestion....DO NOT STOP WHAT YOU'VE STARTED HERE! I am an Ex Paratrooper and an Ex DOD Police Officer and I have "Been Around" so to speak..... I look at the world the way it "Is", not the way others would have me look at it, and to find such a truly "Down to Earth", "No Bullshit" site, such as your's, is just GREAT! I have had several friends here in Dallas suggest that I start making and selling custom survival kit's. Your approach is plain "Common Sense" and I have not seen much of that on the Web. A lot of Techno Krap, and High Dollar stuff, but nothing geared towards the common man. Your site fits the bill perfectly! Whatever you do, don't lose that sense of humor, or give up the site! Keep it going! I am Definitely going to be telling my Friend's about your site, of that you can rest assured!....My Respects.....Harold R....

M40 Response: Thanks Harold! I have no plans to stop. I just wish I had more time to devote to it! I have had a lot of requests for kits as well. I have never sold anything on my site, and I think that's one of the things that makes it a better site. I may start selling kits or kit items in the future, but I'll have to link to somewhere else. The last thing I want is to compromise the validity of the information presented here by selling or advertising products.

You should start an e-mail mailing list for updates on the new stuff that you are doing. Great site, keep up the good work. where did you get the case for the survival kit that you made for the kukri knife?

The link for the page where you get your kukri does not have any directions on how to purchase the kukri. can you help?

M40 Response: I think that an email list for updates may be the best idea I've heard in quite some time! .... OK...... DONE! See it HERE: http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Mailing%20List.htm

As for the survival kit case, I made it from heavy nylon strapping.

As for buying a khukri, Sarco charges $17.50 each for item "BAY044" which is the "Military 12" Khukuri"

They used to have an online store... not sure what happened there. According to their site, you can call to place an order at: (908) 647-9413   or e-mail your order to info@sarcoinc.com 

m40 simply the best damn site to date! In survival mode it's eat or be eaten. does the spotted owl really taste like chicken? haha. anyway along with my knife i carry an Alaskan bush pilot survival hatchet made by timberline an excellent little unit aprox 9x41/2 1/4in stainless I know stainless but very useful check it out. Thanks for all your useful info keep up the excellence. -nugget hunter

M40 Response: Hey Nugget Hunter... pretty much ALL birds taste like chicken along with a host of other critters. The rule seems to be that any critter cat-size or smaller will taste like chicken. As you get into dog-size creatures, the meat takes on a different texture that resembles steak, but is still white meat (ie: tastes like pork). Once you exceed dog size, the meat becomes red and resembles steak. As for the hatchet, it looks like a handy little tool. The only question I'd have for hatchets is how sharp can one be? That blade looks like it is closer to a knife, which would allow it to be used as a knife in a pinch. Most hatchets have the wrong geometry to be sharpened to the degree necessary for skinning, whittling, etc. Anyhow, thanks for writing, and let us know how that hatchet works out for you.  Regards - M40-

On pocket lint flammability -loved the story, I also found a use for vacuum cleaner lint. I keep a compressed wad in my survival kit. I tested this with a few wood shavings. The resin from the wood does help. Depending on the mix even a dead lighter can ignite the material.

M40 Response: Vacuum cleaner lint, eh? I guess it would work depending on how flammable your carpets are. If it works that well, maybe you should consider new carpets!  I wonder how belly-button lint does... but I digress. There are quite a lot of materials that can be used as fire starters. That's a good point that dead lighters are still useful as spark throwers.

I'd like to first start off with congratulating you on your site. It's packed with tons of logical, useful information that is not only based off experience but is offered to everyone free. You do a good deed educating people at no cost. I first visited here a couple years ago...I think, and have visited occasionally since then. Being interested in anything survival I really appreciate your site. It's a "no bullshit" kind of arrangement.

Now on to what I wanted to ask. I have not seen it mentioned on your site, I don't think. But I wanted ask what you think of the "Blast Match" I think it was called. I came across it a couple months ago, but am not sure where. It was a one-handed operated device that worked much the same way the ferrocerium rod does only it was mechanical. You used it like you would use a cigar cutter by pushing ends together creating a massive shower of sparks. It looked obviously useful, but looks can be deceiving. I was wondering if you have ever seen/used one and what you think about them being a practical peice of a survival kit. I myself am almost never caught without a lighter (either Bic, or trusty Zippo) as I am a smoker, but... shit happens. Thanks again- Damien

M40 Response: Hey Damien, thanks for the kudos, and I'll assure everyone that this site and the info here will always be free!  As for the "Blast Match", the answer is yes, I've used one. A friend of mine has one and they work pretty well with the proper tinder. I think it's a bit large for use in a kit. The unit quite large, so I don't think you'll see me adding one to my kit anytime soon. In the space required to pack one of these, I could pack 3 or 4 mini-bics, never mind the space taken up by the tinder you'll need with the blast-match. This is something I've never understood about the "survival market". There's a lot of interesting ways to make fire, but why choose a method that is more difficult, more time-consuming, more expensive, bigger and heavier than the rest. Stick to basics!   -M40-

I am working on over water survival for trans ocean pilots. Would love to hear your thoughts on what to have in your liferaft when the Gulfstream 5 goes down.    - Mr.Watkins (email address omitted by M40)

M40 RESPONSE: This is something I haven't yet shown as my site is primarily a wilderness survival site... BUT, water survival is a subject I am schooled in and quite familiar with. It's a bit different in it's prioritization than wilderness survival, but here goes... in response to your query, I've put together a list of priorities that should be considered. These are based off my time spent in the USAF Water Survival School, and also on my knowledge of current technologies. All of the priorities I've listed below assume you have one or more life rafts adequate for the maximum capacity of the plane (or boat - all of this info should apply to both). These should be regularly inspected, and should have repair kits and the like attached. Whereas this is a "vehicular" survival kit ( it's in a car, plane, boat, etc, and you don't have to carry it around with you ), size is not a huge factor, so some of these items are larger pieces of kit than you'll see in a wilderness survival kit. That said, let's discuss some priorities and some of the gear needed to address them:

- Your first priority is likely the ability to signal. Notifying help can turn a life raft survival situation from a deadly ordeal into a few hours of waiting for help to arrive. As such, either a powerful and waterproof radio or a satellite phone with waterproof bag would be ideal. A solar charger for the batteries would also be something I'd consider. I believe either would allow rescuers to triangulate on your signal in order to determine your location, so GPS is probably not necessary. Flares, strobes and sea-dye markers are handy as well. These allow you to quickly pinpoint your location to responders. These used to be the key means of locating downed craft, but technology has surpassed their effectiveness. The sat-phone would probably be your most important piece of gear today, but I would double check to make sure there's adequate coverage along the flight path(s) of the aircraft.

- Your second priority MAY be shelter (or the means of retaining warmth). I say "may" because it really depends on the areas you are flying. If you're in Northern areas, then having warm, dry clothing and/or sleeping bags, exposure suits, etc packed in dry bags may be the difference between life and a VERY quick death. Hypothermia can seal ones fate within a few minutes. This factor can bump the shelter factor up the list to number one. If you're in Southern areas, then this priority may be bumped down the list to third, and a simple canopy to provide a bit of shade and rain protection may be all you'll need in the kit.

- Your third priority (or maybe second if you're in hot climates, etc) is going to be water. You will need some means to desalinize seawater. Without water, you'll be dead in a matter of days. Here's a mil-spec unit that would be ideal:

http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_info.php?cPath=40_150_302&products_id=1096
This is a manually pumped desalinization unit that makes 1.2 GALLONS of fresh water per hour. It's not cheap, but if you can afford a Gulfstream 5, I guess it's reasonable!

As with wilderness survival, food is probably going to be the last priority you'll need to worry about. If you have the space in your kit, some energy bars can be added. If not, then maybe some fishing lines and hooks, lures, etc.

   I hope this helps!     -M40-

PS - If there's still room in the kit, throw in a deck of cards... who says survival has to be boring!
 

You hit the nail on the head about "Survivorman", I watched it with my kids and they ended up with more questions to his actions than answers, and they are 12 and 10 year olds. I had to fill in the blanks for them. Our summer vacation will be into the wilderness for a true education. Thanks for all the hard work of putting this website together. - Jeff from Houston,TX.

M40 Response: Thanks Jeff. The "Survivorman" show has its issues as I've pointed out, but if it gets folks thinking about survival and doing their own research, then I guess I'm okay with it. As long as the show is not someone's sole source of info on survival, and they are smart enough to do their homework to answer their questions (like you), then it's probably a net benefit. I hope your kids enjoy the outing. Some of my fondest memories are of camping as a kid!
 

Number one .. I commend you on not only your site, but your insight as well. Obviously you have put a lot of effort into your skills. We all learn from others and your site has taught me a few things and given me a look at survival from yet another prospective. My 49 years have been spent for the most part in Colorado and with my Jack of all Trades type past I have spent a good portion of it outdoors. Everything from building mountain top communications sites to recreational camping, hunting and even some search and rescue work. I often still go to comm sites that belong to my friends just for the 'outing' it provides. Unfortunatly radios do not always break down in perfect summer weather. Between the end of the trail for trucks and the sites at approx 10,000 ft elevation there lies 12 - 18 miles of open snow fields, lakes, streams and tree's. Now the snowmobile and snow cat are great for this type of work, they too can and do break down. My truck is always well stocked with supplies and equiptment as are the radio buildings themselves. During the summer season when they can be driven into by 4wd they get fresh supplies and any equiptment (stoves, sleeping bags etc.) maintained and rotated. To get to the point ... in that middle ground these mountains can be very unforgiving. I am sure my kit weighs in quite a bit heavier than yours but I believe you have to suit your own needs and conditions. There really is no 'one size fits all' in this respect. My absolutly drop dead, must keep it with me kit for these conditions wieghs in at 10/15 lbs. This is in addition the the heavy clothing you will be wearing on a snowmobile anyway and the snowshoes and trekking poles that are kept on the machines. I even carry a Brunton Optimus multi-fuel stove and two bottles of fuel. In the general area we travel there was a death last winter. The man was snowshoeing with NO fire makeing gear at all. Once he became lost in a whiteout blizzard it was just a matter of time. My suggestion is this for this type of weather. I carry Bics, matches and even the magnesium fire starter along with cotton balls and vaseline, but .. if your are already cold and shivering or possibly wet from a fall in a stream or such your time in these conditions is limited. My solution (tree huggers look away now) I carry several 15 minute road flares in a ziplock freezer bag or vacuum sealed. Find a lone pine or douglas fir tree away from others in the snow field. Crawl in by the base .. there is always a lot of dry dead needles and brances under it. Dig a pocket in this dry stuff, light the flare and stuff it in. Now back off. You will very soon have a hot and bright fire. As this is a live tree it will also be smokey. (The US Army Field Manual calls this a 'torch tree') By always leaving detailed plans and timetables with a trusted party here at home, I am certain that a search will be started fairly soon after our failure to arrive back in town. No I don't advocate this meathod for just a normal fire for warmth, but only the extreme where time is critical to survival (I.E. WET and night/storm eminant) If you find yourself after the rescue feeling bad about that tree .. go out the following Arbor day and plant a new one. Again .. great site, thanks for all your tips.

- Himilage in Colorado

M40 RESPONSE: Howdy Himilage! I think your definition of a survival kit and mine differ. My little kit is something you snap on your belt when you're going on a day hike and would not otherwise have any real gear with you. Your kit is a vehicle-borne kit similar to the one in the trunk of my car. It has almost everything I'd normally bring when going camping (sleeping bag, food, tarp, knife, med kit, etc). My belt kit is a bare essentials supply for subsistence survival. If I worked in a job like yours and had a vehicle to carry my stuff, I think I'd keep a WELL stocked backpack with me! The skills are about the same, you just have a lot more to work with, and the situation goes from uncomfortable survival to camping in comfort. There can be a fine line between the two, all depending on how prepared you are. Obviously, the goal is to always be prepared, but within reason. I'm not going to strap on a 20 pound pack to take the dog for a walk in the woods, and likewise will carry ample supplies if I'm heading into the woods for a week.
 

my father use to be a soldier so i got all his kit from there except one..... a swiss knife, tried to make one but end up cutting my own finger can you teach me how to make one.....in the simplest form.....

M40 RESPONSE: I don't think I understand you... you want to make a Swiss army knife? Just buy one. If you mean something different here, please elaborate!
 

Another cool survival item is the Automatic Fishing Reel available at www.cheaperthandirt.com for $24.97(12 Pack). Cheaper than dirt has a paper catalog that you can request free of charge. I don't own one of these reels yet, but hope to in the future. Bye! Melissa

M40 RESPONSE: I believe you're referring to this page: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ZWN272-233-544.html
These look rather interesting. It doesn't specify how big this item is. I'm intrigued, but my guess is that one could improvise something similar if needed. In the size and weight taken up by one of these little reels, you could probably carry a LOT of fishing line and hooks. I'm going to order this to check it out, and I'll let you know.
 

Be careful with duct tape / gaffa tape. The glue is caustic and can cause blisters if you are sensitive to it. However it makes a good veruca treatment.

M40 RESPONSE: I've never had any problems with blisters from duct tape, but i've never worn it very long. If I was using a duct tape butterfly style bandage to hold a large wound closed in a survival situation, I'll suffer the blisters!
 

hey m40 i heard of the Swedish fire steels and i was just wondering if they might be better than magnesium flint bars

M40 RESPONSE: I prefer the magnesium flint bars. The Swedish Fire Steel is simply a ferrocerium rod. The magnesium flint bars have both the ferrocerium rod AND the magnesium for tinder. Have you ever tried to start a fire with damp leaves and a ferrocerium rod? It's not much fun. With a decent little pile of magnesium shavings, you can light even damp materials, as the magnesium burns at several THOUSAND degrees! I DO have a large ferrocerium rod that I carry in a pouch with my Gerber Tool at times, but I am skilled at making and finding dry tinder in wet conditions. For most folks, the magnesium bar is going to be a much better means of making fire. A Bic lighter is my preferred means... avoid the "Rambo" stuff, and you'll stay alive!
 

"Success favors the prepared mind". Just want to say that this is a great site. The fact that you do not advertise any specific product nor do you have pop ups/advertisments makes it much more trustworthy. I have read pretty much the entirety of the survival site and your homepage and all of the links. About the web lingo, you're not alone. And people that want you to build their survival kit and knife, things like that, they might as well not worry about carrying it, they are probably not even going to be able to use it. The people that think mother nature will just fold them in her warm embrace, well yeah freezing to death is like that right after the pain of your limbs freezing and the panic, you just start feeling like it will be okay... then you die. I am with you. hack, slash, burn, and kill whatever is needed. Mother nature will recover, however, you will not. I know you are busy and sorry about going on and on. Good luck,
Marshall

M40 RESPONSE: Thanks for the kudos Marshall, and I'm never too busy. My responses to this forum may take a while, but I answer every sane submission (and a few of the insane ones as well)!
 

GREAT SITE! A COUPLE THINGS YOU MAY TRY ON FOR SIZE WOULD BE ADDING 15-20 ZIP TIES TO YOUR SURVIVAL KIT. THEY ARE SLICK FOR SETTING UP AN EMERGENCY SHELTER AND MANY OTHER USES LIMITED BY YOUR IMAGINATION. ALSO I SEE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO COTTON BALLS SOAKED WITH PETROLEUM JELLY AND THAT THEY CAN BE MESSY. TRY WRAPPING THE SOAKED COTTON BALL IN A SMALL SQUARE OF TIN FOIL. ELIMINATES THE MESS AND YOU CAN CUT A CROSS IN THE FOIL AND PULL SOME OF THE COTTON UP LIKE A WICK. THIS IS EASY TO LIGHT AND BURNS EVEN IN WET AND MODERATELY WINDY CONDITIONS. ALSO A COTTON BALL SOAKED BY ITSELF WILL USALLY ONLY BURN 5-10 MINUTES WHEREAS THE FOIL COVERED COTTON BALL WILL BURN FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR. PLENTY OF TIME TO START A FIRE.
ANDY

M40 RESPONSE: Thanks for the kudos, Andy. I agree that zip ties are handy items, but I like to keep items that have as many multiple uses as possible. The equation goes something like this. I can use paracord for pretty much anything you could do with zip ties. Zip ties cannot do most of the things that paracord can. Therefore, I will carry paracord.
As for the cotton ball advice, that sounds like a very good idea. I'll have to try it out. I wonder what other containers could be used in order to make an oil lamp of sorts out of the vaseline/cotton ball supply? I LOVE items with multiple uses, and this sounds like a good example. I'll have to ponder this one further and try it out. Thanks Andy!
 

Off the top, i'd like to say you have a very good and informative site. Personally, its refreshing to see someone take pride in saving your own life in a survival situation and then put it up on the internet to share the wealth. I keep 3 survival kits or I would call "Bug Out Bags" for when i have to get somewhere fast. Its not that Im paranoid or anything like that, but I like to be "Better Safe Than Sorry". Probally the best piece of survival equipment I own is a field manual I picked up in the military, oh, and a bayonet i've had since i was 12. Like you, I collect knives, but I only get knives that i know i could use in a survival situation. I also put large, plastic, heavy duty drop cloths in my kit, not only are they a good shelter, but they can have a mulitude of uses in a situaion where you need to collect water or fend yourself off from the elements. Keep up the good work on the site. IT KICKS ASS!!!!

M40 RESPONSE: Thanks for the kudos. I'm familiar with "bug out bags", but I simply think of them as large survival kits. I have three levels of kit. First, my house has a "bug out closet" of sorts. I keep dry food items, canned food, flashlights, candles, a camp stove, first aid gear, and a lot of other "preparedness" items there. Second, I have a fairly comprehensive survival kit in the trunk of my car. This is for a true "bug out" where you have to actually leave. Rather than have to grab a bag and run, it's always there in the car. I mean... what if you were at work and had to evacuate. If you can't go home to grab your "bug out bag", you're sort of shit out of luck. The third kit is of course the wilderness kit shown on my site. I am a student of preparedness, and I hope all you readers are as well, but that is not really the focus of this site. I'd have to double the size of the site to give any sort of comprehensive view of disaster preparedness. There's a lot of good sites already out there on that subject, so there's really no need for my two cents.
 

Superb site - both informative and funny (the right kind;-). One tip about food, try drying worms/grubs/centipedes by fire and add everything you cook - BIG protine source. Why dried - have you had to eat a raw worm (not counting last resort and no fire).

M40 RESPONSE: Thanks for the kudos, and YES... I've eaten worms. They're better just swallowed whole. They tend to be a bit gritty if chewed, and some are strangely sweet. Not my preferred dinner, but they'll do in a pinch. Never tried them dried, but I'll try it sometime if I get the chance!
 

Do you have any experience with the Kershaw Outcast? It is advertised as D2 tool steel with black teflon coating, with a 10" blade. Comes with a Kydex sheath and sells for around $75.00. It lookes similar to a kukhri style blade.

M40 RESPONSE: Actually I do have some experience with this blade. I gave one as a Christmas gift a while back to a cousin. D2 is a very nice grade of tool steel, and should hold an edge for quite some time. I have not personally beat this tool up, but it appeared to be very well made, and I certainly respect the Kershaw name.
 

where can i buy Survivalman season 1 on DVD. I WANT IT SO BAD! I have ben looking every where

M40 RESPONSE: I found it through Amazon.
 

Great site! One thing though that could make some time in the wild a little less pleasant, is a tube of Chapstick. You'll spend less time licking your lips in a hot environvent and save a little water. Ben, ND

M40 RESPONSE: Agreed, but I'm not sure I'd put it in my survival kit. It's a good idea to have anytime one ventures into the outdoors, but the purpose of a survival kit is to be small and unobtrusive. It's something to supplement the stuff you'd already have on you. I MIGHT take a quarter inch or so of chapstick and wrap it in plastic wrap to add to the kit, but a whole tube just takes up too much room. If you have some vaseline/cotton ball firestarters, you can simply use the vaseline as a lip balm, and thus we're back to multiple use items and improvisation!
 

You mentioned nature is your enemy and nature will kill etc etc, and i can see your point to a certain extent - but Ray Mears (undoubtedly one of the greatest modern woodsman ever) said that you must work with nature. Comments?

M40 RESPONSE: Okay... here we go again. Many people seem to need clarification on why my site stresses that people live at odds with nature. While Ray Mears IS a very experienced woodsman, and has reached that level of knowledge and experience required to live off the land in a somewhat harmonious existence, 99.99999% of all people have NOT. Most folks will DIE if they treat a survival situation lightly. People like Ray tend to give folks the wrong idea about survival and about nature in general. His teachings are interesting, but if you truly are in a life or death situation, I wouldn't worry too much about nature or any sort of harmonious co-existence with it! Summed up... hack, slash, burn, kill, bite, claw and maim if you have to. It's your life we're talking about here, not some kind of nature appreciation walk. Nothing against Ray Mears here, and we can all learn a thing or two from him, but keep your common sense at work when it comes to life and limb.
 

As i was reading your tarp shelter page, you mentioned water embankments to stop water getting into the tent, it gave me an idea to mabye place some kind of water collector contraption to collect any water run off, i will leave it to the expert - lets see what you come up with M40!

M40 RESPONSE: If you are in an environment where water is not plentiful, or you have no way to purify it, then by all means... definitely use your plastic to catch runoff from rain or dew. This can be done simply by forming "troughs" with the edges of your plastic shelter cover. These gutters will catch the rain and dew which is pure and ready to drink. Good thinking, and a nice improvisation. A lot of survival is based on improvisation, and thus the stress on multiple uses for each item in my kit!
 

use dryer lint to start fires. works like gangbusters.

M40 RESPONSE: uuummm... yes. I guess you haven't finished reading the fire pages or this forum. Yes, dryer lint works very well as tinder. Try mixing it with vaseline, and you'll find it catches easier and burns longer. I like to heat the vaseline up (either microwave or in a pan on the stove works) until it is liquid, and then I mash as much cotton balls (or dryer lint) as will fit and soak up the liquid. These can be kept in a Ziploc bag or any small container until ready to use.
 

I noticed that you have a Snugpak sleeping bag. Currently, I use an extended selection fo Snugpak products (an RocketPak backpack, two Snugpak Navigator sleeping bags, entire line of clothing) and I'm very satisfied. Which is your opinion about Snugpak?

M40 RESPONSE: I now own two Snugpak bags. One is an ultrasmall spring/summer weight bag that compresses to about the size of half a loaf of bread. The other is a zero rated 4 season that compresses to about a full loaf of bread in size. I have a VERY high opinion of Snugpak products, but do not own any of their clothing line. Maybe I'll check it out.
 

how do you justify the difference between heavy slingshots and tapered ones? there is a 27 cent difference. awsome site tho

M40 RESPONSE: Either will work fine. I think the tapered give a quicker response when firing light projectiles, but the heavy work better with larger (spears, larger rocks, etc). It's up to you and the difference is negligible.
 

HI M40-I checked out the rest of your site a couple of weeks ago and must say it is very cool.The knives you made are skillfully made and very effective looking (nice work).Thanks for unselfishly sharing all these things and giving all the tech stuff that goes along with it. How you set your house up is awesome. I would like your opinion on some things concerning survival gear if you don't mind. Is the usaf survival knife a good buy? I read some people love it and swear buy it and others say its garbage. I heard the call of duty and re-enlisted after being out of the army almost 18 yrs. and I am looking to buy a good utility/survival knife for my assault vest (no more lbe). I just can't cotton to K-bars at all. There is a couple after market sheaths I have seen that are made for the usaf knife so the raw hide sheath that comes with it is not a issue for me. I already have the sp-8 Ontario machete that I have beat hell and 5 dollars out of and that will be going with me when I deploy. Secondly, can you recommend a good survival school? I doubt if I will ever get a shot at S.E.R.E. and would like to build on my basic skills and would like the formal instruction and maybe instruct one day myself. I just really like and believe in the subject. I am assembling my kit(s)based on "the SAS Survival Hand Book" by John "Lofty" Wisemen and from what you have shared on your great site. My assault vest will be doing double duty as a survival vest.It will be a good feeling, whether I use any of this stuff or not, to know that I am ready and practiced to sustain myself should I be without support for whatever reason. My family and I are also assembling home and car kits also. The black out of 2003 and katrina should have shown everyone that you must be prepared to help yourself and your loved ones in times of emergency cause the federal government does not have a magic wand nor should they. This is the second time I have wrote you and saw your response for the first contact ---Thank you once again, Bret from Michigan

M40 RESPONSE: Thanks for the kudo's Bret. As for the USAF survival knife, it's better than no knife, but I think that it's an extremely poor chopping tool. Simply too small to be effective. If you have the machete with you as well, then you have chopping covered and the USAF blade would be just fine, but it all comes back to how many blades you're willing to carry with you. If I had to settle on one of those blades you mentioned, I'd carry the machete. Again, a big blade can most of the tasks a small blade can, but a small blade can't do most of the tasks a big blade can. Simple equation there.
As for a good survival school, I've only been to one (USAF Survival School, Fairchild AFB, WA). As such, I cannot give any first hand recommendations. I will say that I've not heard of any BAD survival schools (anyone help me out here?). I think anyone can learn from any school... even a mediocre one, but beware of "nature nuts". As I've stressed everywhere throughout my site, there are a lot of folks out there that teach this stuff like it's a walk in the woods... it's not. It's your LIFE. Keep that in mind in any school you choose, and you can make your own distinctions as to what information is useful, and what information is wishful thinking.
 

HOW TO MAKE FIRE FROM A CAN AND A BAR OF CHOCOLET! Rub the chocolet onto the bottom of the can. The chocolet soon will polish the the can bottom. Once the bottom of the can is fully polished hold the can so the sun is reflecting of it well. Hold a dry thin stick above the can so the reflected light hits it. Keep the stick in the derect light until it catches fire. Hold the stick so the flame burns toward your hand then put it in a pre-made fire. Berch bark works as a great alternative to the stick!

M40 RESPONSE: You've read this somewhere, but if you ever tried it, you wouldn't be trying to pass this along as useful survival information. My advice is to eat the chocolate, and use the can as a canteen to carry water. Use a Bic or some other tool to start your fires!
 

talk about bow drills

M40 RESPONSE: They're known to work in the hands of very skilled folks. Most people will expend tons of energy over the course of many hours and get nothing. There are easier ways of starting fires... carry a lighter folks!!!!!!!!!!
 

Save egg cartons and dryer lint. Then put the lint into each egg spot, cover with parafin. You can then divide the "squares" up into easy to carry and use fire starters.

M40 RESPONSE: Someone else has already recommended this. Great for camping, and car-borne kits, but a bit big for most pouch style survival kits.
 

Hey, great site man. I teach an outdoor survival class at a summer camp and have been looking for some more tips/tricks. You've got a lot of great recommendations for items to put in your kit. But I'd like to recommend also throwing in a piece of hard candy or two. They don't really go bad, and sometimes a quick bit of sugar can be very helpful if you're in a tight spot and need a little quick energy. Also, I'd like to think that it'd be common sense, but it might be good to add that if you do catch some sort of animal to eat, if you don't want to attract other animals that may not be overly friendly it would be best to dispose of the entrails away from where you plan on having your shelter. Thanks for your time and kudos on the site again! Mick

M40 RESPONSE: Hey Mick... I never go very far without some snacks in my pocket, but I don't usually make them a part of my kit. If you have room, small items like these are "comfort items". Another great "comfort item" is one or more beef or chicken bouillon cubes. If you're lost and cold, whipping up a fire will warm your outside, but a nice hot cup of broth will warm your inside nicely. If you read my kit pages, you'll see things like candy and bouillon listed as optionals.
 

I was wondering if you ever heard of using dryer lint for starting fires. I keep zip lock bags full of dryer lint because it is easily ignitable while using natural means of starting a fire like the bow method. Happy trails.

M40 RESPONSE: Another question that has been covered in full (see previous questions and responses).
 

Thanks for the informative site. I teach wilderness survival classes to young kids and I was a little bummed that I couldn't print a lot of this because of the language. Not a big deal, but just a thought if you ever edit the site.

M40 RESPONSE: Feel free to cut and paste my stuff into a presentation of your own, and edit as you see fit. Credit me where appropriate.
 

Hey would it be alright if you made a bigger kit because the only way i would get lost is when im camping and size doesnt matter when camping pluse anytime im out door or huntng or something their has to be some way to get there and i mint tin sized kit in kind of a wierd thought they best i would think of would be the size of a avrige printer or something

M40 RESPONSE: In that case, your "kit" is simply your camping gear. A well planned out backpack is simply the biggest and best possible collection of man-portable survival gear. How elaborate you get is your business depending on just how comfortable you want to be and how much weight you feel like hauling. My survival kit is the bare minimum that I feel I could be stuck with and still survive with some (albeit small) level of comfort. When I go camping, my "survival kit" is my backpack which contains food, shelter, water, sleep gear, first aid kit, etc etc. I pack small and light, but I DON'T live out of my belt pouch survival kit! As for the mint-tin sized kits, they are usually better than nothing, but largely inadequate for an actual survival situation. Simply put... if you have no means of keeping the rain off you... you're not packing enough! Making a leak-proof shelter from natural materials takes a LONG time and a lot of experience. Not practical for most folks.
 

How long do you reccomend a knife to be and are folding knives a good idea? Also, what is your opinion of John "Lofty" Wisemans SAS survival guide because some of his theorys contradict yours. Great site, cheers, Oscar

M40 RESPONSE: Hey Oscar. Simply put, ANY knife is better than NO knife. As for which I prefer, the larger blades can do everything a small blade can, but smaller blades can't chop worth a damn. Quickly lopping a bunch of saplings to whip up some shelter could mean the difference between life and death, so I don't skimp on my blades.
As for Mr. Wiseman's theories, he can contradict me all he wants, but my information is based on common sense, and is intended for use by everyday folks who are NOT special forces personnel. There are many folks who can give you a hundred techniques to make fire, a hundred ways to build a shelter, thousands of edible plants, thousands of poisonous ones, etc etc. Who among us is prepared to memorize the encyclopedic volumes of survival info purveyed by these folks? They're selling books upon books upon books of it. My simple techniques weed through all the junk info, focus on what WORKS, and I stick to the stuff that anyone can use. I would be hard-pressed to make a survival pamphlet, nevermind a book... beware of those who are selling things!
 

Hi there. I spend a lot of time in the Glades (Florida). Any suggestions on staying bug free with minimal equment (no tent or bug net) when sleeping? by the way, great site -Dave

M40 RESPONSE: "Ben's Super 100" is 100% DEET. There's absolutely NOTHING better. For comparison, "Deep Woods OFF" is about 15% DEET. Ben's comes in a tiny little bottle. Squeeze a few drops in your hands, rub them together, and simply pat it here and there around your clothing and exposed skin. The bugs will steer VERY clear of you for a long time.
 

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