# Skills pay the bills.



## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Yes, we know gear makes life easier, and gear let's the unskilled do what the skilled can do without the gear. I'm not bashing gear. I'm suggesting that having the skill to continue when you forget, break, lose, etc. your gear is a good idea. Plus skill doesn't weigh anything.

Rather than making this a debate about skill vs gear, let's make this a collection of skills. Let's demonstrate or explain vital skill sets that we need to survive both urban and rural environments. 

Explain a skill, post a video that explains a skill, post a link to a website that explains a skill. 

Then I'd like to see people showing how they practiced a skill. Say what you did, make a video, post some pictures. It'll be like prep of the day, but with SKILLS!


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

Making a living fence of blackberries, without going broke. I've done one trial of this from my home blackberry plant and transplanted it to the BOL. It's doing so well I've started several more.

The basic idea is you buy a small number of berries of your choice and plant them spaced way too far apart to begin with. Once you get some nice long brambles, you tip root them - basically stretch the bramble out to the spot you want the next plant, dig a hole, put the tip of the bramble in with some nice compost, tamp it down. After a month or two, the tip will have grown roots. You can then cut it from the mother plant and start training it further along the fence to repeat the process, or dig it up and replant elsewhere if you prefer.

A related method, working great for my raspberries, is just to dig up the straight shoots that pop up near the parent root systems and transplant them.

Here's a guy showing how to do it into a pot for easy transplant:


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Escaping from duct tape in a hostage situation. Also works with zip ties. (for zip ties, ensure the ratchet box is facing straight up and you crank down the zip ties as tight as you can.)
I didn't verbalize this in the video, but you put pressure on your fingers, spreading outward, and spread your elbows while driving your wrists through your belly button.


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## shoot2live (Feb 6, 2015)

Don't worry, this was the first recording, no family jewels were injured during the making of this video.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

How to Develop the Situational Awareness | The Art of Manliness

Not sure it fits the OP objective, but here is a great little read on situational awareness. The ability to observe and learn (on the fly) from your environment is the fluidity with which you will adapt.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

GTGallop said:


> How to Develop the Situational Awareness | The Art of Manliness
> 
> Not sure it fits the OP objective, but here is a great little read on situational awareness. The ability to observe and learn (on the fly) from your environment is the fluidity with which you will adapt.


Great article. This should be the absolute basis of every other skill we posses. Everything, from our day to day lives to SHTF and post SHTF should be based on this concept. When and where you eat, where you shop, where you make camp, whether or not to make a fire, or what type of fire pit to use, how you use a flashlight, body armor, clothing etc. It all should rely on your situational awareness.

Great post!


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Good post Jak. Skills are a definite must. Besides the general skills I have acquired just living to my ripe old age ( Situational awareness and critical thinking among them ) I have been practicing survival skills as well. I practice with my equipment on a regular basis. ( Wife thinks I am crazy at times which I propagate on a regular basis ). I am not proficient with all, but I know how and try to use them in real life conditions as much as possible. Alas, this little thing called making a living takes much of my time. But I work on my skills when I can with and without my neat stuff! LOL I will post more here as time permits.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

hunting- 45 years
fishing- 50 years
foraging-50 years
trapping-45 years
gardening-50 years
timberframing-20 years
logging-35 years
lumbering- 35 years
mechanics- 40 years
welding- 35 years
machining- 5 years
painting-5 years besides the homestead 
carpentry- never paid but have the tools and knowledge
plumbing-never paid but have the tools and knowledge
farming- 40 years
scientist chemistry- 25 years teaching at colleges and universities

A master of some and a jack of the rest. I have done all these trades/skills, many overlapping as I am not 200 years old. 

I can take a tree and make a beam or board, then make a house, or lots of firewood.

I can weld and forge, do mechanics, small and big machines. Machining is not CNC, old school.

The rest I have the tools except a proper laboratory or machine shop.

How is that?

To OP, Just ask me about any, I will try to help any and all.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Mrs Slippy says I'm one of the biggest smart-asses she knows!:eagerness:


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Mad Trapper said:


> timberframing-20 years
> 
> To OP, Just ask me about any, I will try to help any and all.


I for one would be very interested if you could start a thread on the basics of timberframing. I have some questions on the subject and a dream to build my own log cabin. And I have a Timberking B - 20 Bandsaw inherited from my dad when he passed.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> I for one would be very interested if you could start a thread on the basics of timberframing. I have some questions on the subject and a dream to build my own log cabin. And I have a Timberking B - 20 Bandsaw inherited from my dad when he passed.


I learned basics old school using traditional scribe rule layout. That was from a master, and his scribe is different than the Frenhcy described method or what most describe as scribe. Layout is done with a compass/divider, chalk line, and plumb bob . That is it, no tape or squares at all. You start with a log, hew it, with layout using those tools, and an axe to cut, and log dogs to hold things. You need a set of good framing chisels and crosscut and rip saws. A boring machine is great, Millers and Boss are the best, but Swans are good. You also need tools to maintain all of the above. Chisels need to be razor sharp, axes too, bits sharp to do mortices.

If you have a mill it will be easier, and a chain saw? A tractor or horses to move the logs? Then take care of the horses, tractor, mill, and saws too.

If you do not hew learning milling is another skill. Selecting logs, cutting for best quality and yield, then stacking and proper drying.

You also need to consider the species of wood, what is available, how to engineer that wood for a frame?

Here is a great link. Mr Sobon learned from Mr. Babcock. Richard/Dick is the Man I speak of.

http://www.ncptt.nps.gov/wp-content/uploads/2004-08.pdf


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Here is a good start. I was instructed by Dick Babcock, the Mentor who taught Jack Sobon much of his skills.

http://www.ncptt.nps.gov/wp-content/uploads/2004-08.pdf

Babcock, Richard W. The Barns at Wolftrap. Babcock, 1982.

Ed. note: Mr. Babcock is the legendary timber framer who constructed the Barns at Wolftrap Farm Park, Vienna, VA.

Babcock, Richard W. Barns Researched, Restored and Resurrected Using Ancient Raising Methods. 1998, 145 pp. Available from Richard Babcock, Hancock, MA. 01237.

Babcock, Richard W., Stevens, Lauren R. Old Barns in the New World, Reconstructing History. Berkshire House Publishers: Lee, MA. 1996, 191 pp.

Quote from the back cover: "In the annals of architectural restoration, the story of Richard Babcock is unique, just as are the barns he has saved from the bulldozer or decay."


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Mad Trapper said:


> hunting- 45 years
> fishing- 50 years
> foraging-50 years
> trapping-45 years
> ...


Post up good stuff to know. Understanding it takes as many years to learn what you know, what can those of us with lesser levels in each learn?


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Jak,
I have a modest chemistry set from my younger days - including a lot of glass - but never had any professional training. In high school we learned to grow cultures in biology and I taught myself how to make bluing for guns, black powder and some less hazardous rocket fuels (along with the rockets). If you have a recommended reading list for the uneducated organic chemist I would be interested. (I have made some dangerous stuff but would rather not say what here)


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Escaping from duct tape in a hostage situation. Also works with zip ties. (for zip ties, ensure the ratchet box is facing straight up and you crank down the zip ties as tight as you can.)
> I didn't verbalize this in the video, but you put pressure on your fingers, spreading outward, and spread your elbows while driving your wrists through your belly button.


Good to know. There is supposedly a way to get the chain on handcuffs stuck together and work it so the chain comes off where it meets the rest of the cuff. But I don't have access to any cuffs right now.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The chains on hand cuffs are hardened steel with welded links. The connection to the cuffs is a swivel boss - I doubt that there is an "easy" way to break them. None of my girlfriends have ever been able to get out of mine... not that they have tried very hard.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Pull down on a combination lock while spinning the dial. Oil your locks!!
The chain is supposed to hook onto itself and when forced the swivel pops out. One cuff against a swivel then force.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

James m said:


> Pull down on a combination lock while spinning the dial. Oil your locks!!
> The chain is supposed to hook onto itself and when forced the swivel pops out. One cuff against a swivel then force.


I'll have to try that!


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)




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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Were those actual regulation steel cuffs? they looked like plastic. Not to say it wouldn't work but the cuffs were black!?

I have three pair so I will try it myself. (now, where did I put the keys....)


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

This is the whole video and where I got the idea. Have fun....
I don't know who that guy is. But it looks like it should work.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I can see that there might be a weakness there. I will let you know what happens when I try it with mine.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

There is a weakness where the swivel attaches to the body. It can also be broken with a seat belt buckle. I prefer the method of caring my plastic key that no one ever notices on the small loop inside my belt loop.

No good reading for organic chemistry. There is a good you tube series by an Indian Dr. Who's name I can't remember. It's pretty awesome for higher chem. As for prepper related stuff, I hear fox fire has some awesome books. Never read them though.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

I'm planning on doing a handcuff video soon, shimming and picking. (I'm not breaking my cuffs, I use them for work, plus S&W cuffs cost about $50)


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