The Gun Counter

I don't think that we've had a thread like this either here or at the old forum.

What are the necessary tools for long-term survival without power? I realized that I don't have many hand tools that I could need. I have enough mechanics and wood working tools, but I don't have anything for clearing trees, downed limbs, or preparing land for planting.

I would say the absolute minimum is:
A full-length shovel-takes care of dirt movement.
A maul-Can be used to split or cut wood, and as a light sledge. It's most efficient with wood splitting wedges.
A two-handed saw or similar-I own a sabrecut saw, which is amazingly awesome and compact, but I would want an old-fashioned two-handed saw.
A machete-For clearing brush and small trees. I own a Ka-Bar Kurki, which is pretty useful in the back yard.
A crowbar-For all of your prying and jimmying needs. I own a 3-foot bar and call it Mr. Smashy. I would envision this being used in the post-SHTF world for getting into cars and buildings for salvage.
A snow shovel-If necessary in your part of the world.

Right below that, I'd say:
A pick-For clearing rocks and hard soil.
A sledgehammer-For driving spikes or wedges.
An axe-Better for wood cutting than a maul, and works well to fell trees.
A hoe-Prepare and cultivate soil for growing. Also very useful for mixing concrete.
A trowel-For planting on a small scale.
A brace and bit-I'm adding this because eventually, your battery powered drill will run out of juice.

Unfortunately, I can say that I own only a few of the above, partly because I have moved so much, and there's not much storage room at our house. I really should buy a maul/sledge in the near future. I know that I'm missing a bunch, and I'd like to see what everyone can think of. I didn't include farming equipment, like a plow or a scythe, but if you think that they'd be necessary, feel free to add them.

I'd add a push-plow-tiller. I don't have one, but my Grandma did, it was a handy one wheeled device that you pushed. It had a plow attachment and a tine attachment, one for making furrow, the other for cultivating rows.

I have the rest covered!

On edit, a draw knife and a plane, hammers, anvil and forge.

I'd add a book on working with green wood.

Need to add that to my library...

Shovels you need four maybe five...

A long handled spade with a tapered or pointy blade...
A short, D-Handled version of above...
A short, D-Handled flat across the bottom head, like a snow shovel style but very tough, called transplant shovels
A longer D-handled flat across the bottom, called a grain shovel, for cleaning up sand, gravel, snow, etc...
A small shovel, prefer spade, for small jobs or in tight quarters...

Check out Garrett-Wade for some great ideas of hand tools and buy elsewhere as they can be expensive...

Woodcraft

Traditional Woodworker
CDN - Lee-Valley Tools
Forestry Suppliers - ABSOLUTELY MUST have catalogue

Also don't forget places like Ace, Sears, Home Depot etc. for their in house brands...

I despise short handled shovels; the only reason to keep them around is for portability. Also keep in mind the adage, two is one, and one is none, where critical items are concerned. This was driven home to me last year, when I arrived out at the remote property and in the first few minutes of brush clearing, the handle of my cruiser's ax broke. Spent the rest of my time there that week using the small hatchet that lives in my day pack. Not fun. Now I keep two out there, and often bring another with me. Some other things that are used a lot, and likely to break, like shovels, also have duplicates. Fiberglass handles are good, as are Estwing hand tools with solid steel hafts, especially the new ones with the vibration absorbing grips.

Other good hand tools include:

Froe and mallet- Can be used to split roofing shakes, or kindling.
Pulaski or mattock pick- Digging out stumps, roots, etc.
Bolt cutters- Get a quality set, not the chinese special.
Come-along hand winch
Block and tackle
Chisel set, including something large enough for fitting timbers, and an appropriate sized mallet.
Cant hook and/or Timberjack- For handling large logs.
Various chains, straps, etc.

Don't forget a stone and/or files for sharpening!

A pick, a shovel and an axe are the absolute necessities in my opinion, all else is just nice to have(some more nice than others).

Netpackrat wrote:Fiberglass handles are good, as are Estwing hand tools with solid steel hafts, especially the new ones with the vibration absorbing grips.

NPR is right....Estwing hammers, hatchets, and light axes are The $hit.

Sometimes you really do get what you pay for........

NPR is right....Estwing hammers, hatchets, and light axes are The $hit.

In over 20 years in residential construction I'm on my second Estwing framing hammer. I'd probably still be using the first, but it was stolen by a [strike]prick[/strike] disgruntled employee.

Termite wrote:NPR is right....Estwing hammers, hatchets, and light axes are The $hit.

Sometimes you really do get what you pay for........

Blame it on Henry Bowman. I actually went to the trouble of seeking out their ball pein hammers, which I have never seen for sale in any store, and I actually have 3 of them, plus their sledge (aka Boeing Special Tool #1) and dead blow hammers in my tool box at work. I've also got their 2 handed camp axe, but I still need one of the hatchets. I've got 2 other hatchets, but I still need it, because.

One thing I really need to make or find is a good mallet to use with the froe my dad made. I still have the mallet he made, but dad was just a bit more studly than I, so I can't really swing it with any sort of efficiency. Back in the day, he used his homemade tools to split enough cedar shakes to re-roof his house, plus enough for another house, which along with an old chainsaw, he traded for the Remington 721 in 7mm Weatherby that I also still have. These days it's really only useful for splitting kindling, because it's tough to get the big cedar required for making shakes. Around here the spruce trees aren't even big enough to do much with.

This thread has me looking at the Lehman's catalog again. I've been wanting to order an adze for some time, although I have no real use for one and will probably just sever an artery with it.

rightisright wrote:In over 20 years in residential construction I'm on my second Estwing framing hammer. I'd probably still be using the first, but it was stolen by a [strike]prick[/strike] disgruntled employee.

It probably fell out of the back of your pickup truck. I got my Estwing framer that way, spotted it laying in the middle of a street, pulled over, and ran out to grab it. Looked like it may have been engraved with something at one time, but it was so worn as to render it illegible.