Survival fire principles (introduction to “firecraft”)

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In survival situations, the ability to build and light a fire can make the difference between life and death. You can use fire to purify water, sterilize bandages, signal for rescue, drive animals from their homes, efficiently modify the landscape, smoke and preserve food, softening tar for adhesives, making charcoal for medicinal purposes, and provide…

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The ultimate guide to splices and whippings (used to splice ropes together).

Short splice step 2

It is not uncommon, especially in a wilderness survival situation where you possess limited supplies, to encounter situations where a longer length of rope is needed. Rope splices are used to splice shorter lengths of rope together to form a single, larger length of rope. Good rope splices hold tight without impacting the natural shape…

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All about hitches (knots used to tie rope to another object).

Scaffold hitch supporting a plank

Hitches Hitches are used to tie a rope to another object such as a barrel, pole, post, stake, or bundled cloth (e.g., tarp).  A hitch holds well due to the friction set up between the two surfaces of the rope being pressed together (which is why hitches with slippery rope or wire are no effective).…

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