This article was originally published by Jeremiah Johnson at Tess Pennington’s Ready Nutrition.
Let’s cover a few tools that you can carry and some of their subtle uses…not necessarily the uses for which they’re designed. You want things that are convenient to carry and usable, yet not for everyone’s eyes. Most of the time when a severe emergency or survival situation arises, you’re not going to have the time to go to your handy toolkit and pull out everything you need. You may have to improvise and also use what you have on hand.
We know about multitools, especially Leatherman’s, Gerber Multi-Tools, and folding knives. We are going to cover some you might not have considered, as well as listing some things you can carry that have multiple functions. Let’s do it!
Yes, that is the name of it, made by Ultimate Survival Technologies. You can order this one at Amazon.com or pick it up in a big-box store for $3.00. It has 11 functions: Knife, flathead screwdriver, bottle opener, ruler, hex wrench with 4 positions, direction indicator, 2-position hex wrench, lanyard hold, saw, groove-wrench, and can opener. All of this stuff is on 1 tool, in the size and shape of a credit card and made of stainless steel…real steel, the kind that a magnet sticks to. It comes with a little plastic sheath. I advise keeping the sheath, as it’s pretty sharp and can potentially cut your wallet if you shift around with it. Also, you may want to cut the back panel off describing the functions…with a diagram…put into the pouch along with the card tool to help you until you’re familiar with it. Tuck it in your wallet until you need it.
Carry a small magnet with you…the “extra strong” variety, approximately the same size, and shape as a “button” battery. The magnet can be used for many things. Verifying that an object claimed to be stainless steel actually is, for one. Also, for testing any kind of jewelry or coins to find if you’re getting gypped. In addition, the magnet can support something, such as a map or chart you may need to reference on the go. You can affix it to something you may need to mount on an object made of metal. You can magnetize a needle and make a compass point out of it by rubbing the needle on the magnet repeatedly (a field-expedient method). You can also detect counterfeit money with it. Real currency has iron fibers within its ink, and it will move a bill that’s folded in half (in an L-shape) with one-half vertical and the magnet moved close to it.
When they come off the “roll,” they are folded into a long strip/piece. Separate them and refold them as an “accordion.” These bags can be placed into a wallet and kept for when needed. Need to not leave a print? The bag can help you. Also, inclement weather? Place your piece inside of it, and then back into the holster. The bag will keep moisture and debris out of your weapon, and if you need to you can fire with the piece still in the bag with no ill effects. A multitude of other uses can be found quite easily for these bags.
Very useful as a potential expedient fishhook, as a “probe” for some type of small object under your skin or in your flesh, a cleaning implement/scraping tool for a weapon…the list is endless. You can tuck one of these inside your hat liner or inside of your wallet. You can also escape cuffs with one of them, although you’ll have to practice. When you wish to test it on yourself, have someone around to help you if you’re not successful.
These little guys are
worth their weight in gold when it hits the fan. They can also be used as probes for splinters and foreign debris under the skin, as a fishhook, a fastener to temporarily repair or patch an article of clothing such as a tear or a busted zipper or snap. Read more about the
multiple uses of safety pins and SHTF emergency. They can also be sterilized with a flame to lance a boil or cyst. Make sure and obtain multiple sizes, and affix these to pocket flaps, hats, shirts, or whatever articles of clothing you are wearing all the time.
One thing I wish to stress is that you should not just gather these items. You should practice employing them in the manner that I’ve outlined here. This is just scratching the surface. You can make covers for binocular lenses out of plastic lids, turn a nylon stocking into a scope cover that cuts down on glare for your forward objective lens, or use the stocking as a field-expedient substitution for handcuffs or flex-cuffs. Only your imagination limits what you can do. We welcome your comments and what you may wish to share with others on this topic. JJ out!
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