My names Matt and this is my first, albeit long winded post but please bear with
.I'm from South Wales and currently live with my parents in a fairly remote area. Im 23 and an industrial electrician and I work 25 miles away.
I have always had an interest in survival and I have always had my worries about looking after my parents if somthing happened.
I'm suppose I'm more concerned about bad weather as we get lots of snow some winters but even though it hasn't stopped getting about so far, it seems to be getting worse in recent years :/ .
The last month I have been considering buying a tactical back pack or carry all to construct a grab bag for the house or my car. One big enough to car abit of food / water / fire starters / cash / torch etc but I have also been thinking heavier.
Next year my savings should put me into a position where I can purchase a mortgage and get my own place. I have ideas of a safe room / bunker / watever (all wild ideas atm). I think what startered this off was the riots last year. They spread quickly and didn't take much for people to turn violent. I couldn't imagine what it would be like if people were desperate to feed themselves.
I also wanted to share some skills and ideas with a few people.
Being an electrician I have a keen interest in having a property that could have the facility of being off grid if needs be. I saw this while in Bosnia, the whole town were we were staying lost electrical power and many places had back up "Jennys". I'd like to have a similar system set up in a house that I owned.
I was trained by the military but carried out a civilian apprenticeship and whilst living aboard HMS Collingwood I was introduced to the world of lock picking. I've been an avid lock picker ever since, buying a set of slim line pick from devonlocks.co.uk. I mainly compete in "locksport" which is picking locks against other people or against the clock, its really good fun. However if society did break down, lock picking could be a useful skill to have. Its virtually silent and with practise can be a swift operation. Although breaking into someone elses property / garage / lock up is illegal and obviously shouldn't be done. However if SHTF, you gotta do what you gotta do.
I'm also a keen shooter. I used to shoot for a .22 rifle club. However I know only have air rifles. Atm a highly tunable Gunpower Stealth. To keep things inline with "How are you preparing", well, this week I'm servicing my rifle, will be joining a local shooting club and getting it checked under a chronograph.
I'm also keeping an eye open for a shotgun safe, as stupidly I sold my last one. I aim to get it installed and perhaps apply for a shotgun license shortly afterwards.
I also have a suggestion, but would like some feeback on how/who to present it too.
I think there should be a tips and tricks area to this forumn. As there are many things that I know myself, and that many of you know that maybe worth sharing.
For example, the medical spray "Deep Heat" has many other uses than for masking pain. Such as using it like "easy start" to start a Cold engine, as an alternative to pepper spray, Or igniting it to put a tyre back onto its rim with the use of a compressor straight afterwards.
Another, emergency foil blankets can be used to evade thermal cameras (eg helicopter cameras)
Another, condoms can be used as emergency water carriers,
Another, by piercing the Lithium Ion battery in a mobile phone (fully charged or flat (although a fully charged battery in a phone may be of more use to you) will get extremely hot / burst into flames to start a fire.
Another, vaseline caked into the threads on a torch will dramatically increase its waterproof capabillity, potentially making it submersable.
Its just an idea that I think a wealth of information in such tips and tricks can be hosted in one place. It would be invaluble.
Matt.
