Is there a wrong way????

[2ndRateMind]

I am thinking of my own survival..... what is wrong with what i am doing?

You're doing fine. Wish I could buy sardines at 30p a tin! I actually like them, and they're a good source of good things (vits and mins) for your body. I'm currently buying at 40p a tin, at the rate of about an extra tin a week. I like stuffing, too. And mash. I think you're doing well.

As for americans, don't worry too much about them. Come the cataclysm, they're all headed out to the hills, cammed up, locked and loaded with dum-dum rounds, combat knives clenched between their teeth, and they'll all kill each other out there. Some survival plan that is; I guess there is a wrong way to do things, and their more extreme tendencies exhibit it very well indeed.

Cheers, 2RM.

[damaralenoire]

WOW, some of these responses have put a proper smile on my face, all the responses have defined the reasons why i started prepping a bit more serious and that is because you guys seem to talk more sense than other sites....

Thanks for the headups on stuffing recipes, will have a looksy

And as for candles... I have been purchasing many for years but my main intention is to use them as a source of heat and light is a secondary purpose.

I have purchased 200 mouth masks (surgical mask type things) Criticised for purhcasing them... IN MY MIND.... I'm asthmatic, i end up chesty after a day trip round London, for me they are ideal in an emergency situation

I have a box of 100 condoms. again laughed at for admitting that..... but despite being an innocent 32 year old virgin..... my friend who is a nurse at a certain type of clinic told me the date is nearly up so they had to be binned , i jumped at the opportunity as i know condoms have many uses. Having worked as a sound engineer in the past i used condoms to waterproof battery packs for radio mics etc..

[Yorkshire Andy]

I have purchased 200 mouth masks (surgical mask type things) Criticised for purhcasing them... IN MY MIND.... I'm asthmatic, i end up chesty after a day trip round London, for me they are ideal in an emergency situation
.

Surgical masks are only any use against the surgeons dribbling or sneezing snot into wounds...

dont take offence as the respiratory protective equipment market is rather unregulated and many traders play on peoples naivety and people been uneducated in whats what as regards to RPE and PPE in general and buying cheap as its "only a small job" without understanding what does what.. Same goes for safety eye wear and gloves

Remember hearing of a builder working on a old petrol stating clearing the petrolum sludge from underground tanks with a shovel and bucket with a basic paper mask as shown below and having to be rescued when overcome by fumes...

I don't even bother buying a dust mask for basic DIY unless its approved to EN standards certified to P3 (highest filtration quality for particulate matter for negative pressure masks be it a dust mask a rubber half or full face respirator


even decent paper masks only offer protection if they fit right it wont be the first time ive seen people take masks off to see the black streaks of where muck has leaked in round the nose seal.. In the work place you should be face fit tested before commencement of work.....

(and clean shaved)


(i know this as i have been done in the past)

and if dealing with say Asbestos that leak can be lethal in the long run



Walk into any DIY store and you will find several "useless" masks

these are common




http://www.custom-fasteners.co.uk/acata ... _Wear.html

for example



I wouldnt fancy rubbing old paint down with those masks above let alone rely on them offering any form of protection against any Pathogens be it a common cold to avian flu. to toxic dust such as asbestos or lead dust from old paint....

more info here

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/media/global/ ... 09app1.pdf




If you after something to shrug of say smog from a city centre for example look at something like this

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/resp ... p-prod7325


ps im an asthmatic too and i wear glasses i use a half rubber mask most times when needed as they dont steam my glasses up

[ynotshi]

i think you as mad as me, prepping does make you a bit paranoid to start with as you try to take in what everyone says, do it all ,listen then to the comments of people, that in there mind what you doing wrong and get totally in a tit about it.
i found that listen to what you mind is telling you to prep for, and then all the other helpful information you get on this forum is a plus.
there is a wealth of people from different walks of life on here and together a whole wealth of info/succsesses as well as peoples fails in prepping its a life long learning curve.

at the moment i have 15 stuffing mixes and thirty tins of fish in my cupboard but never thought of dried mash because i prefer tinned new pots
the one key rule like people will tell you here only store what you eat.
stay on this site and you will never question why your a prepper again and hopfully never feel doubtful again
ps sardines taste like tuna

[damaralenoire]

I have purchased 200 mouth masks (surgical mask type things) Criticised for purhcasing them... IN MY MIND.... I'm asthmatic, i end up chesty after a day trip round London, for me they are ideal in an emergency situation
.

They are not surgical ones exactle, its the only way i can describe them.... i find them very helpful tbh especially when i am hoovering or dusting other wise i end up very wheezy. i find them very handy compared to the moulded dust masks as these you can fold up and tuck into a purse or first aid kit

[mallie99]

I have a box of 100 condoms. again laughed at for admitting that..... but despite being an innocent 32 year old virgin..... my friend who is a nurse at a certain type of clinic told me the date is nearly up so they had to be binned , i jumped at the opportunity as i know condoms have many uses. Having worked as a sound engineer in the past i used condoms to waterproof battery packs for radio mics etc..

Seriously wouldn't give that another thought... Today I bought a pack of Tampons. Not even the brand that my SOH uses, just the cheapest I could find that were individually wrapped in plastic without an applicator. I think we all know the many uses for Tampons outside of the obvious, pretty much the same for condoms. If they can fit over your head, they can protect a lot of crap should the need come around and they dont take up much vital space.

The pack is now neatly distributed through my EDC first aid kit and my families BOB's. My bigger concern is: "Do I pack a hip-flask?"... If the S is definitely going to HTF and I'm not able to survive, would I prefer to be a little tipsy when watching the world blow up?

Mallie

[Yorkshire Andy]

As and when you might want to try something better take a look at something like this (most major suppliers do fold flat masks)

http://www.screwfix.com/p/fold-flat-dus ... alve/11411

[Devonian]

I don't see anything wrong with your preps, but following on from the discussions on the masks, unless its for packing away in a BoB avoid the fold flat respirators and always go for the moulded variety, they are far superior, and as YorshireAndy says you need FFP3 for particulate protection, the 'dust masks' are indeed useless!! Get something like this:

http://www.safetyservicesdirect.com/dis ... 2123-p.asp


But bear in mind that even these offer no protection against gases, fumes or vapours, for this you need something more substantial such as:

http://www.safetyservicesdirect.com/3m- ... 3257-p.asp

or

http://www.safetyservicesdirect.com/3m- ... 3256-p.asp

[Winklebury]

Hey guys,

Really interesting thread, and wondered what people might think of my food list so far:

1.) 48kgs basmati rice
2.) 60 tins of tuna (in sunflower oil)
3.) 66 cans of Heinz baked beans 440g

4.) 600 tea lights
5.) 15 break light sticks
6.) 15 litres meths
7.) trangia 25
8.) 8 litres petrol
9.) Primus Omni fuel
10.) 10 cans of gas
11.) Jetboil Flash
12.) Optimus Crux
13.) Ray mears iron griddle (use over fire)
14.) Gransfors Bruk axe - never run out of fire wood!

15.) 128 AA batteries
16.) 64 AAA batteries
17.) 2 x Petzel head torches
18.) 2 x light my fire fire steals
19.) Saws
20.) Knives

21.) Meindl Boots - (go to Cotswold, Snow & Rock or Ellis Brigham for a good fitting, then buy on line lol)
22.) 10+ pairs of bridgedale socks


Am going to be buying the following later in the month

1.) 30kgs Smash
2.) 20kgs Pasta
3.) 7 x No. 10 Can of Mountain House minced beef
4.) More batteries
5.) Coffee - several kilos
6.) Sugar - several kilos
7.) Honey - several kilos
8.) Second Primus Omnifuel stove
9.) 12 litres more petrol
10.) 5 litres more meths
11.) 2 x more Light my Fire fire-steals
12.) Several SELF SUFFICIENCY BOOKS (WILL WRITE A GOOD LIST AND include llinks)
More, but you get the gist...

I have been prepping ad-hoc for ages, but decided that I want to be more efficient, and get in a good 4-6 month base. One thing I am doing is buying fuel jerry cans, 2 x petrol, 2 x meth's (each 10 litres) rather than the bottles it all comes in from the shop.

I LOVE Light my Fire fire steals. They are the best I have tried, having tried the magnesium block ones with a saw striker, the Primus ones etc, and the Light my Fire really are good.

A question for everyone - I am looking for alternative long-term meat. Dehydrated minced beef is great, but how about chicken? Does anyone recommend any particular canned sausage? Or suggest any to avoid?

Peace.

[steviesun]

Kind of following on from the surgical masks stuff. Someone mentioned eye protection and I just wanted to add my own story there. My housemate is a craftsman. Years back he used to buy the specs type safety glasses, he went out and bought proper ones after they didn't stop a speck of metal getting into his ear and causing a trip to hospital (the first aid kit eye washes didn't touch it, and actually even the GP couldn't get it out so it had to be removed by a specialist). Probably like all safety equipment it's worth investing and getting stuff right first time.

You prepare for your situation though. My housemate has to risk assess for items such as chainsaws, axes, drills, burning. That said it was a flipping broken light bulb which caused his biggest accident to date - tidy up behind you folks, keep yourselves safe.