# Lots of ideas online, but what if no electicity?



## snork (Mar 4, 2013)

I know lots of you prep for certain SHTF scenarios, but in the event that there is no more Internet and even worse, no more electricity (such as EMP), all of that online or even digitally-stored information may be useless, since you may not be able to access it.

What have you done to prepare for this?

For example, I fish, but I do not hunt. I don't know how to butcher an animal. I also do not know how to make jerky or smoke meat for long-time preservation. I bought some books, and I found some information online. *And I printed it out*. I made some binders. One is for hunting (includes how to make snares, etc), one binder is for primitive cooking (to complement my small library of books), etc.

I have taken the time to learn how to do some of these things, but I have not actually done others, such as smoking or curing meat.

I figure that there is probably something that we would all like to know how to do but simply haven't gotten around to learning/practicing first hand yet. It is easy to bookmark some youtube videos, but if you cannot access them, they are worth zip.

Discuss.


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

I try and learn a new skill every other month or so. We started breeding rabbits a few months ago and I just sold my first litter. It was a lot of fun. We have them to sell for pets/meat. I like the idea of always having meat available. The money from them goes back into prepper. Next thing I want to learn is lock picking. I figure if anything did happen like that - there would be a lot of on the job learning to do.


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## joec (Nov 12, 2012)

Cleaning game isn't difficult, that is if you have the stomach for it some don't. As for butchering you can find it all on the internet. Now what I do is first I do have a lap top computer as well as a solar panel that will charge its battery without problems. Now the internet might be gone however unless the satellites are take out I will have GPS as the lap top has that built in with an antenna for it. Now if all fails I down load a site with good information in a PDF file then print it into a form I can easily cut and store in a simple note book for future reference. I also have some books that cover it in a format that are easy to put in a back pack. I also print out all of my reloading loads that I use so I have them also in a paper format.


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## punch (Nov 6, 2012)

bennettvm said:


> I try and learn a new skill every other month or so. We started breeding rabbits a few months ago and I just sold my first litter. It was a lot of fun. We have them to sell for pets/meat. I like the idea of always having meat available. The money from them goes back into prepper. Next thing I want to learn is lock picking. I figure if anything did happen like that - there would be a lot of on the job learning to do.


I hear O. Swegoscott was breeding rabbits as well, but could not avoid suffocating them after consumation.

punch (if its on the internet, it has to be true) I'm jus sayin...

I'm here all week, Don't forget to tip your waitstaff. They have to eat too...


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

You can probably buy a used kindle for under $50 but I haven't priced one. I didn't have too since
my wife bought her dad one just before he passed on and she gathered it up and kept it as a personal
belonging. She has no use for it but it was her dads and she's sentimental like that, and so she had
no trouble down loading a few hundred useful books and manuals to it. We have solar power as well
and we keep the components of several spare inverters (large and small) in a faraday cage and will
have 3 premium solar panels in it too. I keep the kindle in a home faraday cage along with the
more typical flash lights, batteries, and such.


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## AvengersAssembled (Dec 13, 2012)

If I find information that could be useful, I save it and print it off (if that's an option), to keep on hand. I also have other books full of important information, because if I suddenly can't try to read up on something online, I'd have a hard time learning that lol


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Post SHTF a crow bar is the only lock picker I'd want. 12 Gauge would make too much noise. Sledge would be second but its heavy.



bennettvm said:


> I try and learn a new skill every other month or so. We started breeding rabbits a few months ago and I just sold my first litter. It was a lot of fun. We have them to sell for pets/meat. I like the idea of always having meat available. The money from them goes back into prepper. Next thing I want to *learn is lock picking*. I figure if anything did happen like that - there would be a lot of on the job learning to do.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

Agreed on lock picking,a crow bar or baseball bat will usually do the job with no training required,lol.

I do however like to learn new skills by doing,then,like a bicycle, you don't have to rely on stored data that you can't get to.However,and on the other hand,many (not all,but many) skills that I know was gathered from the internet so I do think the idea of making your own manuals up by printing them off now is an awesome idea.You may not need the skill now or have the time,but after shtf,i'm guessing all of us will have some more of a need and the time to pick up some of these skills.I'm sure we all have some that need worked on,I know I do.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Books from garage sales can be really really cheap. But the e. version for the Kindle - lots can be had for free.

I have not invested in "communications." Its just not my thing. I guess I might end up a little stir crazy
not knowing whats going on in the world if I end up at my BOL but the only thing I can see using power for
is a computer / kindle and the flash lights. Everything else is lit, gassed, or burned. I mean I have an AM
radio but that's not going to suck down a lot of juice. This is why I stopped at 3 solar panels. 

BTW crow bar lock picking. Yeah its not about taking from others, its about using abandoned property 
if need be.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

The best book in the entire prepper world:

Amazon.com: The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 40th Anniversary Edition (9781570618406): Carla Emery: Books

Don't worry about which edition, they rarely change. It is 900+ pages of how to do homesteading stuff including butchering an animal.

Second best book:
Country Wisdom & Know-How: The Editors of Storey Publishing's Country Wisdom Boards: 0768821236861: Amazon.com: Books

Only about 500 pages and some overlap but worth the investment.

I also have physical books on tanning hides, making grain alcohol, gardening, small grain farming, edible plants, holistic medicine, when there is no doctor/dentist, reloading books, animal husbandry, can't think of any more and I already do a lot of the things in the books but I will not always be here, or can lend to neighbors.

I also have a CD from survivalblog.com with all the articles ever posted and a laptop in my faraday cage. But I agree hard copies are the best option.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

oswegoscott said:


> Lock picking? Jeez,I never even thought about taking from others. I do know that's in the planning for some,though


They better not come here.
However should the need arise a Good pipe wrench works great for opening many locks .


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

A little OT but if I scoped on a rural home on the path to my bug out property for numerous hours and saw no sign of life or movement and decided to try and use the home for shelter I would. It doesn't mean I aim to loot the place; just hold up there thru inclimate weather or till injury passes or whatever other need might be. The same could be said for a school building or other property of the sort.



oswegoscott said:


> OK,what constitutes abandoned property?Some people in NJ were just allowed back to their homes last week after Sandy. People may flee for many reasons with the intent to return later.
> 
> We never got into Kindle type reading. We're paper book readers


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## Scotty12 (Jan 5, 2013)

I'm with oswegoscott. I have never been a thief. I suppose that some people consider that a contingency plan, as long as it is not my house. I intend to barter for what I need. For one example, while I do not smoke marijuana, would it not get you something that you need?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Scotty12 said:


> I'm with oswegoscott. I have never been a thief. I suppose that some people consider that a contingency plan, as long as it is not my house.


You don't necessarily need to steal from others. What about if someone you know is tied up inside a lock house. What if you needed enter for another reason. I was trained as a locksmith in my 20's. I still have the skill but rarely use it. I never used this skill to steal. The last time was to get my nephew into his house after he locked himself out. No need to break windows or John Wayne a door or spent the money on a locksmith. There could be any number of reasons.


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

I am a bit like you. I also have those documents in my computer desk top and lap top as well as an external hard drive. I also have a 8D gell cell battery, charge controller, inverter and a 120 watt solar panel on a dolly that I can roll out and place in the sun right outside my window to recharge and power them up for my reading pleasure.


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