Off topic the tools for rebuilding civilization

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Delbert Ealy

Forum Owner-Moderator - Founder
I was listening to a compilation of short stories today while I was working, and it got me thinking.
The story way set not far in the future and the people in it willingly gave up all modern technology and machinery, back to the level of early iron age man. They destroyed everthing by a device which rendered everything it touched back to is component atoms.

So now to my thoughts, assuming you would settle in eastern north america, what are the four steel tools you would keep with you to walk into a world totally scoured of the works of man? I say four because I have a particular four in mind and I would like to see how well my thinking matches the thinking of my fellow dogs. Just to make this more interesting please describe all four tools in detail, and your reasons for choosing them.

Disclaimer, as certified knife knuts I assume that everyone of you will carry a small personal knife( I guess that counts as a fifth item, but oh well) please include a pic of your personal knife, I know its hard to narrow it down, you can do it. :D
 
This should be good. A single sided ax would be number one on my list, something that could be used as an ax or a hammer. Hunting knife would be Number two, short strong single edged blade that could skin and cut up meat. A plow, simple breaker plow for planting crops. Cooking Pot of some sort large enough to feed a large family. dang you making me think.
 
1. single edge axe (for chopping)
2. spear(for hunting and defence)
3.large cast iron skillet (for cooking)
4.hammer (for forging)
and then of course my knife :)

Bennie
 
Rock said:
A corkscrew, a bottle open, a can opener, and a titanium Spork!


Maybe we'd better ask a backpacker. A durable field knife like the Bark River Recurve Fox River (Although I'd prefer Stainless Steel over carbon if society has gone down the toilet), a camp axe like the Bark River Glen Eagle Ax, an Evernew Titanium Fry Pan, and a fire kit from Rat Cutlery.
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Rock,
I'm glad you revised your list, your first choices would be pointless with no bottles left or cans either, you wouldn't have many oppurtunities to use the last item.
 
Delbert Ealy said:
Rock,
I'm glad you revised your list, your first choices would be pointless with no bottles left or cans either, you wouldn't have many oppurtunities to use the last item.
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C'mon now, Delbert! You know the first list was tongue in cheek!
 
I would want An axe, cooking pot, Rifle with plenty of ammo, a fire making kit. Of course I would have four or five knives in my pockets. If I couldn't have the gun then the ability to make bow and arrows would be great.
 
A single bit axe for chopping and pounding, a long handled shovel, a file and a cast iron skillet. My EDC would be my Nam K-Bar that could be used for cutting, gutting, skinning and rigged as a spear. If allowed I would also bring my collection of Foxfire books and a bible. Oh, and a Playboy just in case I was the only one left.
 
Denton Eller said:
A single bit axe for chopping and pounding, a long handled shovel, a file and a cast iron skillet. My EDC would be my Nam K-Bar that could be used for cutting, gutting, skinning and rigged as a spear. If allowed I would also bring my collection of Foxfire books and a bible. Oh, and a Playboy just in case I was the only one left.
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Its funny that you mention books, that is the very thing I was thinking about while singing in church today. The group that started the movement was a religious group, so I doubt that bibles would be forbidden, though it wasn't mentioned. I was thinking that I would want a bible and a hymbook. Most of the info in the foxfire books is in my head already. My wife and I were talking about this a bit last night, and part of the idea is to get humanity back to small rural community. It also makes you think of all the small things we take for granted every day that would not be conviences, but essentials or obsolete.
I noticed no one mentioned a razor, or scissors.

Frank,
No guns, sorry.
 
I sorta-kinda have a bug-out bag put together. In it I have:

1) Busse Combat Bushwacker Mistress. It's a "safe queen" right now but if the end o' the world comes, I know what big chopper I'm going to be able to rely on. Much as I'd like to bring a custom chopper of some kind, my experience with the brand has shown me that it's the best compromise steel.

2) Leatherman Crunch. Nothing beats a set of Vise-Grips, and one with a few extra tools built into it is gravy.

3) An FS104 metal survival match

4) Space for one of my wife's cast iron pans. :)

5) The "personal knife" (or knives)--actually this is a tough one. I'd have one of my 1095 kiridashis around my neck for small detail work requiring a ridiculously sharp edge--like performing surgery. But for a belt knife? I'd have to think about that for a while.
 
Delbert, if you are a reader, you might enjoy;

John Ringo's The Council Wars series. The first book was [ame="http://www.amazon.com/There-Will-Dragons-John-Ringo/dp/1416532846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265049221&sr=8-1"]There will be Dragons[/ame].

S. M. Stirling's The Change series. The first book is [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dies-Fire-S-M-Stirling/dp/0451460413/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265049258&sr=8-1"]Dies The Fire[/ame].

Both series are about modern or high tech civilizations thrown back into pre-industrial environments.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/One-Second-After-William-Forstchen/dp/0765317583/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265049368&sr=8-1"]One Second After[/ame] by William R. Forstchen is an amazing look at what happens after EMP Bursts around the USA.
 
I would take my scriptures
I made a knife for 5 guys in a survival goup I hung around with in my younger years. I don't remember the steel but the blade was 1/4" thick,spearpoint so it could be used for a spear, with solid steel handle, flat on the end for pounding. It was a bit heavy but a good solid survival knife.
I would want a good firestarter kit. If you have to move a lot making a fire can get tiresome.
That's about it ....travel light.

Larry
 
Rock said:
Delbert, if you are a reader, you might enjoy;

John Ringo's The Council Wars series. The first book was There will be Dragons.

S. M. Stirling's The Change series. The first book is Dies The Fire.

Both series are about modern or high tech civilizations thrown back into pre-industrial environments.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen is an amazing look at what happens after EMP Bursts around the USA.
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Rock,
I'm more of a listener now than a reader, I enjoy audiobooks, I think its the perfect medium foe entertainment, partly because I can do other things while listening, like work. I have Dies the fire, but havn't started it, I was waiting on the other two in audio. I'll check out the others, thanks for the info, I have always liked those types of stories, partly because of the descriptions the author imagines, but mostly to see what the characters do and how the change affects them.
Another good series is the Magic time series by Marc scott Zickree
 
A classic from the 70s was [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Lucifers-Hammer-Larry-Niven/dp/0449208133/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265063032&sr=8-1"]Lucifer's Hammer[/ame] by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.

Lots of post-Apocalyptic literature out there, but most deal with the fall of society, not necessarily the loss of all technology.
 
Rock said:
A classic from the 70s was Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.

Lots of post-Apocalyptic literature out there, but most deal with the fall of society, not necessarily the loss of all technology.
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I agree and its one of my very favorites,although it may not be among the younger generation of readers. When those guys get together to write, some real magic happens. I have every book they wrote together except for the last one, add in Steve Barnes and those two books are in my top ten of all time.
 
1)Treadle driven lathe with a milling attachment. (would cutting tools be included or separate?)
2) A pair of tongs big enough to handle a iron/steel bloom.
3) Anvil
4) Hammer

I think those 4 would be the best for rebuilding humanity; not for survival.
 
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