Stopping the spread of a contagious disease is a difficult task, especially when that disease is as horrific as Ebola. Even with treatment, the average fatality rate for Ebola virus disease (EVD) is approximately 50%, and its symptoms include “vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools)”.
This photo was taken on the outskirts of Kinshasa, the DR Congo’s capitol. Photo: PATH/Felix Masi
In the developing countries often affected by Ebola, sanitation is one of the biggest hurdles to control disease transmission. Drinking water, medical equipment, bedding, and burial supplies must all be thoroughly disinfected, but modern cleaning chemicals may not be available. In these cases, providing a sustainable method of disinfection can save countless lives.
Chlorine bleach is often used to kill bacteria and viruses, but existing supplies may run out during a disaster. Fortunately, it’s possible to produce chlorine using nothing but water, salt, and electricity. Mountain Safety Research (MSR) developed a device called the Community Chlorine Maker which is designed specifically for this task. The portable device can produce 4 liters of chlorine per day from water, table salt, and a motorcycle battery.
During a recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MSR partnered with the international health organization PATH to supply several Community Chlorine Makers to the affected Likati area. Since the introduction of the devices, the outbreak appears to have been effectively suppressed, with the last confirmed cases of Ebola being found on May 17th.
A timeline of the Ebola outbreak from the WHO’s disease situation report.
For more information on how chlorine was used in response to the Ebola virus outbreak in the DR Congo, check out the MSR Summit Register blog.
In the split seconds as you shoulder your rifle to defend yourself and your family, clear visibility is crucial. Many home-defense scenarios occur at night, so you’ll be flying blind without an external light source. That’s why it’s often advisable to have a bright and reliable flashlight mounted to your bedside gun.
Each of these lights includes a dual switch tail cap, which allows for both standard push-button activation and activation using the included remote pressure switch. The new lights also feature included rail mounts, either a standard M75 thumbscrew mount, an RM45 offset mount, or an ADM quick-disconnect mount.
Here’s a list of the seven new models for 2017:
M312C – 3 Volt Scout Light with DS07 Switch Assembly and RM45 Offset Mount
M322C – 3 Volt Scout Light with DS07 Switch Assembly and ADM Quick-Detach Weapon Mount
M603V – 6 Volt Vampire Scout Light with DS-SR07-D-IT Switch Assembly and M75 Thumbscrew Mount
M612U – 6 Volt Scout Light with DS07 Switch Assembly and RM45 Offset Mount
M612V – 6 Volt Vampire Scout Light with DS07 Switch Assembly and RM45 Offset Mount
M622U – 6 Volt Scout Light with DS07 Switch Assembly and ADM Quick-Detach Weapon Mount
M622V – 6 Volt Vampire Scout Light with DS07 Switch Assembly and ADM Weapon Mount
The Vampire light models provide can be toggled between white and infrared (IR) light for night vision applications, while the standard models produce white light only. For more info on these new SureFire Scout Light flashlight models, go to SureFire.com.
The video below shows a creamer-based homemade flamethrower in action.
Outside over-the-top action movies like Mad Max, you won’t see flamethrowers very much these days. Liquid- or gas-based flamethrowers were used extensively in WWI, WWII, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. But due to restrictions from the Geneva Convention and the extreme danger associated with wearing a large tank of flammable fuel on a battlefield, these incendiary weapons are no longer a part of conventional military warfare.
However, that’s not to say that they’re no longer effective. As we’ve said before, prison inmates often invent deadly improvised weapons from limited resources, and these aren’t just limited to shanks. Believe it or not, inmates have reportedly fashioned crude flamethrowers which don’t run on liquid or gaseous fuel. C.T. O’Reilly, the Assistant Warden of Darrington Prison in Texas, once told a reporter, “The inmates would roll up a piece of paper, put Coffee-Mate in it, put a cigarette lighter in front of it, blow it out and it’s just like a flamethrower.” This apparently led to all powdered creamer being removed from the commissary at Darrington.
You might not look at this and see “flamethrower fuel”, but necessity breeds invention.
These powder-based flamethrowers disperse a cloud of combustible material — such as flour, cornstarch, or coffee creamer — and enhance its ability to burn quickly. It’s the same principle which sometimes leads to deadly dust explosions in industrial environments, and was demonstrated on the Mythbusters TV show “Creamer Cannon” episode.
The video below shows a creamer-based homemade flamethrower in action.
While we definitely would not recommend trying this at home, it’s possible to make a flamethrower by simply blowing a cloud of flour through a tube and across an open flame. If no other weapons were available, this could provide a last-ditch improvised means of self-defense. Or, the concept can be taken to the next level as shown in the video below:
These guys cobbled together a leaf blower, a hand-crank powder dispenser, some PVC pipe, and a blowtorch to create an incredibly effective improvised weapon. It might not be a military-grade flamethrower, but we’d be willing to bet no attacker would want to get anywhere near the business end.
For many of us, chemistry wasn’t exactly a riveting subject in school. After all, knowing everything about covalent bonds, stoichiometry, and endothermic reactions probably isn’t a necessity during your daily routine. However, a basic understanding of chemistry and chemical reactions can be helpful in survival situations. Don’t worry, you won’t need to whip out your lab coat and Erlenmeyer flask this time.
WARNING: This chemical is highly corrosive and burns violently, so be careful when handling and storing it. Follow all safety precautions and only use it at your own risk.
When added to water, potassium permanganate creates a bright pink or purple solution.
Potassium permanganate, or KMnO4, is one chemical which has many survival applications. This purplish-black crystalline powder can be found in bulk at pet stores, pool supply shops, and hardware stores. It doesn’t cost much, and a tiny amount goes a long way.
In powdered form, potassium permanganate is an effective fire-starting tool. You just need to add a few drops of glycerin (from a drug store) or ethylene glycol (found in automotive antifreeze and some brake fluids) and the powder will energetically burst into a white-hot flame:
The powdered form of this chemical will also work as a preservative for fruit. One study showed that by placing bananas in a sealed bag with KMnO4, the shelf life of this fruit was extended by two weeks. While interesting, this use is a little obscure — but the chemical has many other survival-oriented functions.
Mixing just a few small crystals of potassium permanganate into a glass of water creates a bright pink solution. This may work as an improvised water purifier if no other options are available, though the CDC does not recommend it “for primary water disinfection at low doses in the field”. We’d agree with the CDC that carrying a purpose-built water filter or purifier is always the best option, but KMnO4 might work in a pinch.
Adding more KMnO4 to water creates a darker purple solution, which can be used as an antiseptic for wounds or sores. The World Health Organization includes it on its list of Essential Medicines, and recommends diluting it in a 1:10,000 ratio. Stronger solutions fight fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, but be careful not to go overboard — excessively-concentrated solutions can burn your skin.
Finally, a concentrated solution will stain items purple, and you can use this to your advantage. Strips of stained cloth or splashes of purple liquid in snow could be used to signal for rescue, since this unnaturally-vibrant color will stand out against a natural backdrop.
A lot has changed since the mid-1960s. We landed on the moon, developed powerful microchips, invented the internet, and mapped the human genome. But despite all these innovations, certain principles remain the same. Basic land navigation is one such concept — it’s still done essentially the same way today as it was back then.
Today, we have an advanced network of GPS satellites and portable navigation devices, and these tools can be an excellent resource. However, you’d be foolish to rely wholly on this modern tech in a disaster scenario. It’s wise to have a magnetic compass and know the basics of navigating the old-fashioned way.
The U.S. military M-1950 lensatic compass shown in this video is still in use today. Photo: Wikipedia
The following 30-minute U.S. Army training video from 1966 shows how to find your direction, orientation, and location with a mil-spec lensatic compass. The narration and imagery may seem old-timey in this era of high-def computer graphics, but the lessons are still relevant today. It addresses how to orient a map, compensate for declination, and shoot an azimuth to a landmark.
This may seem like a lot to digest if you’re not familiar with land navigation. The best way to get comfortable with these concepts is to go out and practice, preferably with a friend who has some experience in this area and can correct you if you make mistakes. With a little patience, your lensatic compass can become an invaluable resource for survival.
What would your ideal survival knife look like? Due to variations in personal preferences, intended uses, and surrounding environments, the answers to this question will be substantially different from one survivalist to the next. However, there will also certainly be some common ground in these responses.
First and foremost, a survival knife must be dependable. This means it needs a strong spine, a durable edge, and a handle mounted securely to the tang. Second, it must be efficient — the blade should be long and sharp enough to chop, whittle, skin, and slice effortlessly without becoming ungainly. It can’t be too heavy to carry on long hikes, but can’t be so light it cracks or bends under pressure.
A comfortable and secure grip is also essential, as is a tough sheath with solid rentention. As with all tools, value is a consideration. Many of us prefer to spend our hard-earned dollars on American-made products, but we also can’t afford to break the bank.
At this point, you may be thinking that a blade which meets every last one of these criteria sounds like a mythical Holy Grail, and you’re not wrong. But that hasn’t stopped knife makers from pursuing the quest for an ultimate survival knife. The White River Knives blade seen here is a byproduct of this never-ending journey towards survival knife perfection.
About White River Knives
White River Knife and Tool is a small business based in Coopersville, Michigan. It is owned and operated by John and Susan Cammenga, and their sons John Cammenga Jr. and Matt Cammenga.
The company proudly states that every single component of its knives — from the steel to the thread in its leather sheaths — is sourced and produced in the USA. That’s an impressive statement to say the least, and one which should appeal to those of us who go out of our way to support American businesses.
White River also offers a lifetime guarantee on every one of its knives. If you own one of the company’s knives and aren’t 100% satisfied with it, you can send it back for free repair or replacement — no questions asked, no receipt needed. “We want people to feel confident when they finally make that buying decision that they’re getting something that they’re going to have for the rest of their lives,” said Matt Cammenga.
From left to right: the White River Sendero Classic, Scout, and GTI Series.
In addition to producing a variety of outdoor-oriented hunting, fishing, and bushcraft knives, the shop also grinds blades and makes private-labeled tools for other well-known brands. So even if you haven’t handled a knife with the White River bear logo, you may have used one of the company’s blades without knowing it.
The White River Firecraft FC5
We first handled the White River Firecraft production knife series at SHOT Show 2017, and these blades immediately caught our attention. Based on the design and our initial impressions, we awarded the Firecraft series our “Best Knife of SHOT Show” award. We also said we’d get our hands on one of the Firecraft knives for a full review. That day has finally come.
The White River Firecraft FC5 occupies the mid-range position between the smaller FC4 and larger FC7. This 10-inch knife features a broad 5-inch blade made of CPM S30V, a corrosion-resistant stainless steel infused with chromium and vanadium for added toughness. The blade is heat-treated to 59 HRC and wears a utilitarian stonewashed finish.
The Firecraft FC5 lives up to its name by providing two fire-starting resources. One of the notches along the spine offers a 90-degree edge for striking a ferrocerium rod (more on that shortly). There’s also a polished stainless divot on the right side of the handle that’s intended for stabilizing a bow drill.
This knife’s full-tang design includes a large forefinger choil and additional contours for improved grip. Green canvas micarta scales and orange G10 spacers are attached to the tang via three hollow metal pins, with the third pin doubling as a lanyard hole.
Each Firecraft knife includes an American-made leather sheath embossed with the White River bear logo. A series of leather bands and brass hardware attaches the drop-leg belt loop, while a leather strip and eyelet allow the sheath to be tied around the wearer’s thigh. If the drop-leg portion is unscrewed and removed, the sheath can also be worn in horizontal configuration on belts up to about 1.5 inches wide. (A 1.5-inch 5.11 Tactical belt worked in this configuration, but was a very tight fit.)
The knife is retained by a brass snap in the forefinger area, and its bow drill divot is still accessible when sheathed thanks to a circular cutout in the leather. A small loop on the edge of the sheath holds a 1/4-inch-diameter ferro rod, which is included with the knife and features a matching green canvas micarta handle.
Our Impressions
Before we even laid hands on this knife, we were impressed with the list of materials it employs. S30V is a great steel for every-day-carry blades, hence its use on EDC folding knives by the likes of Spyderco, Benchmade, and Zero Tolerance.
It’s somewhat of an unconventional steel choice for an outdoor fixed blade, since we’d usually expect something akin to 1095 high-carbon in a blade this size. However, S30V’s excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance make for a low-maintenance setup — unlike high-carbon steel, it won’t need to be cleaned and oiled frequently to keep the rust at bay.
Canvas micarta handle scales were another smart choice, since they tend to absorb moisture and provide improved grip in wet conditions. The orange G10 scale liners don’t affect functionality, but they do show attention to detail and make the knife more visually-appealing.
Upon unboxing the knife, we immediately noticed the quality of the sheath. It’s made of thick and tough American-sourced leather — none of that bonded pleather junk here. The brass fasteners and belt loop D-ring feel equally robust. We appreciate the inclusion of a leather thigh strap, since many knives skimp in this area.
Drawing the FC5 revealed one weakness of the sheath. Its retention snap keeps the blade secure and is easy enough to release, but the shape of the leather causes it to curve inward towards the blade. If you’re not careful to firmly push these flaps out of the way as you draw the knife, the leather can be accidentally sliced as the edge moves past. If this happens enough times, it could permanently damage the sheath’s retention flaps, so it’s worth being cautious as you draw.
Once you get past the draw stroke, the Firecraft FC5’s ergonomic design is absolutely outstanding. The extra-large choil and slight taper on the front of the handle lock into your index and middle fingers, while a smaller groove near the butt yields a secure grip point for your pinkie finger. The handle is also just thick enough to feel substantial, even in this author’s large hands.
The micarta handle effectively soaks up sweat and moisture, but we would’ve been open to a slightly rougher texture on the faces of the scales. Even with the smooth finish, manipulating the FC5 is effortless. We might even say this is the best handle design of any survival knife we’ve used. It simply feels right.
Moving on to the business end, the Firecraft FC5’s blade design is just as efficient as that of its handle. The S30V blade is just over 1/8-inch thick and 1-1/2 inches wide. It has been sculpted into a distinctive profile penned by designer Jason Tietz — some might call it a modified drop point, while others may say it’s closer to a clip point or spey. Whatever you call it, it’s clearly designed for slicing and chopping rather than piercing, and that’s just what we’d want from a survival knife.
The deep primary flat grind on this broad blade culminates in a razor-sharp compound-ground edge. We used it to peel, whittle, baton, and hack through a variety of materials, and saw no chipping or deformation to speak of. Even if we had managed to break it, we recalled that White River Knives guarantees its products for life, no questions asked — that’s reassuring if you’re hard on your gear.
As for the fire portion of our Firecraft, we’re extremely appreciative of the 90-degree-edge notch in the spine. It’s perfect for striking the included ferro rod, and saves you from the cringe-inducing process of dulling your sharp blade edge on the ferrocerium. Far too many survival knives from major manufacturers omit this feature, so we’re glad White River didn’t forget it.
We usually view making a bow drill as a last resort due to the relative difficulty of starting a friction fire compared to other ignition methods. If you’ve got a lighter, matches, and ferro rod but jump at the chance to make a bow drill, you might be a bit of a masochist. But the included divot sure beats hunting for a dome-shaped palm rock, so we’re glad it’s present in case we ever need it.
Conclusions
So, does the White River Knives Firecraft FC5 tick off all the items on the “ultimate survival knife” checklist we mentioned earlier? No. It’s not perfect, and no knife ever will be — especially not for every survivalist and every scenario. That said, this is a superb knife, and it continually exceeded our expectations.
The materials are high-quality, and they’re sourced and assembled in America. We couldn’t ask for much more from the design of the FC5 — it has great balance and grip, cuts beautifully, and stayed sharp throughout our tests. It’s even aesthetically pleasing, with a handsome shape, nice stonewashed finish, and a classy leather sheath. It doesn’t look like something dug out of grandpa’s basement, but it’s not treading in the realm of tacticool mall ninjas, either.
Our critiques of this blade are relatively minor. The sheath retention snap takes getting used to, and we put a few nicks in it before learning to be more cautious. The S30V steel, while very good for most tasks, will be much harder to sharpen than a high-carbon variety once it eventually dulls. And we would’ve preferred a slightly rougher texture on the micarta handle scales.
There’s also the matter of price, as this knife will set you back $280 — that may sound like a lot to some, but remember it’s made in America, includes a leather sheath, and offers a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty. As long as you don’t lose it in the woods, this is a knife you might pass on to your kids someday.
Pros:
Outstanding design and ergonomics
Sharp, durable, and corrosion-resistant S30V steel
Ferro rod, striker notch, and bow drill divot assist with fire-starting
Includes nicely-crafted leather sheath
Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty
Cons:
Sheath retention snap may get in the way of the blade while drawing the knife
Handle scales could use a little more texture
S30V steel is durable but relatively hard to sharpen in the field
$280 MSRP may be a turn-off for some budget-oriented survivalists
For more information on the Firecraft FC5 and other White River products, go to WhiteRiverKnives.com.
Those of you who read Issue 18 of our magazine may remember the NoZipp sleeping bag. Thanks to its simple and innovative magnetic closure system, we gave the startup company’s 15°F bag our “Top Bug-Out Pick” award in our cold-weather sleeping bag buyer’s guide. Rather than rest on its comfy laurels, NoZipp has expanded its product line with a new three-piece sleep system known as the Mobile Bed.
The new NoZipp Mobile Bed recently launched on Kickstarter, and company founder Taylor Henderson calls the system “all you need to sleep comfortably, anywhere”. It consists of three components. First, the 28-ounce down quilt can be used as an ordinary camping quilt, but it also features NoZipp’s integrated magnetic closures and a drawstring. This allows it to be transformed into a mummy-style sleeping bag.
While the quilt can be used as a standalone item, its magnets are also designed to adhere to the next part of the system: an inflatable pad. The soft air pad weighs 20 ounces and keeps your body away from the cold, hard ground. But unlike ordinary sleeping pads, this pad features magnets which connect to the NoZipp quilt and keep it from shifting or slipping off while you sleep.
Three bands on the pad provide retention for the third and final component: the foam pad. This 8-ounce accordion-fold mat is made of thermally-reflective dense foam, insulating your body and preventing loss of heat. When paired with the air pad, the foam layer provides additional warmth and comfort.
The NoZipp Mobile Bed can be used as a complete system to keep you toasty in environments as cold as 25°F / -4°C. For warmer locations, you can use only the quilt and foam pad, or the quilt and inflatable. The entire Mobile Bed weighs 3.5 pounds, and it’s also available in a long size for users as tall as 6’6″.
Early bird backers will be able to order the system for $199 (regular) or $219 (long) through Kickstarter. Retail price after the Kickstarter will be $349 and $369, respectively. For more details on the Mobile Bed system, check out the Kickstarter project.
During a disaster, the value of currency is often diminished, but certain commodities become far more valuable. The law of supply and demand tells us that when supply of a desirable resource is low, demand skyrockets, and the worth of that resource increases. When polite society comes to a grinding halt and people are fighting for their lives, it’s reasonable to assume that food, weapons, and comfort items will be in high demand.
You may have already thought to stock up on freeze-dried food and ammunition, but have you considered that third category? Alcohol is a comfort item which may become an important bartering resource during emergencies, especially if major breweries and distilleries shut down. And if having a fully-stocked bar is valuable, knowing how to produce a continuous supply of liquor is even more valuable. With a little trial and error and the right ingredients, you can whip up a batch of booze that can be traded for other items you need.
Fortunately, there are countless ways to make alcohol from a variety of simple ingredients. Even if all you’ve got is tree sap or stale bread, you can ferment these ingredients into alcohol. The following infographic from WineBags.com shows the ingredients and processes used to make 48 different types of booze.
Despite its length, this is by no means a complete guide. There are many, many more types of alcohol beyond this list — you can probably think of a few off the top of your head. It just goes to show that no matter the scarcity of raw ingredients and natural resources, humans will eventually find a way to make alcohol, and other humans will want to drink it.
A knife is a relatively simple tool — a piece of solid metal (or some other hard material) with a sharp edge and sometimes a piercing point. Other details such as the metal composition, heat treat, and blade profile will dramatically affect its durability and cutting performance, but at the end of the day it’s still a sharp piece of metal. However, over the years, a few designers have tried thinking outside the box to develop knives which can deal more damage to a specific type of target.
The WASP knife injects CO2 in an attempt to expand and freeze a wound cavity.
A few of these unconventional knife designs have utilized compressed gas. Ballistic knives, for example, have used compressed air or CO2 to fire a blade a short distance from the handle. Outside video games and movies, the effectiveness of ballistic knives is dubious to say the least. But there’s a second type of knife that uses compressed gas — the injection knife.
The WASP Injection Knife is designed to inject high-pressure gas into a wound cavity through a hole in the blade, rather than using gas to propel the blade forward. This is said to expand and freeze the wound, inflicting more damage to the target. On WaspInjection.com, the knife’s manufacturer states:
“This weapon injects a freezing cold ball of compressed gas, approximately the size of a basketball, at 800psi nearly instantly. The effects of this injection will drop many of the world’s largest land predators. The effects of the compressed gas not only cause over-inflation during ascent when used underwater, but also freezes all tissues and organs surrounding the point of injection on land or at sea.”
These are some bold claims, but how does the knife’s injection system fare in reality? Unsurprisingly, there doesn’t appear to be any video footage of SCUBA divers stabbing sharks with the WASP, but several YouTubers have tested the knife on ballistic gel, plastic bottles, and watermelons to show how the system works:
More videos of the knife in action are available here and here. One downside to this knife is that it can only inject CO2 once before the handle must be unscrewed and a new cartridge must be installed. Also, it’ll set you back $500 for standard models, or $600 for the larger WASP Bowie model.
So, what do you think of this unconventional injection knife? Tell us your opinion in the poll below.
Whether you’re surviving in the backwoods or simply camping for the weekend, a fire is essential for heat, light, water purification, and food preparation. Most of us build a campfire around a few large logs, but natural wood isn’t always an ideal fuel source. Wood may contain fire-stifling moisture or produce large amounts of smoke; burning some types of wood can even cause lung irritation or blindness.
Charcoal contains minimal moisture, ignites easily, and burns energetically. It also burns hotter and gives off less smoke than raw wood. In a survival situation, you won’t be able to buy bags of charcoal briquettes at the grocery store, but with a little time and effort, you can make your own charcoal. You’ll just need to build a charcoal kiln.
If you’re familiar with the process of making char cloth, the core concept remains the same for charcoal production. You need to expose organic material — in this case, wood — to intense heat inside a container which limits the flow of oxygen. This causes a reaction known as pyrolysis, and leaves a blackened and brittle charred byproduct that can be ignited easily.
In the following video, the host of Primitive Technology shows how to build a simple charcoal kiln from mud. The kiln features eight small air intake holes around the base, and one exhaust vent at the top. The wood pile inside the kiln is ignited through the top hole, and each intake opening is sealed as the fire burns down towards ground level. Finally, the exhaust hole is sealed and the kiln is left to cool overnight. After carefully carving an opening into the side of the kiln, the charcoal can be broken down and removed.
