Great customer service Denob! Unfortunately, it doesn't help you if you need it. This is a good reminder for me to buy some critical parts that I don't have on-hand...

Great customer service Denob! Unfortunately, it doesn't help you if you need it. This is a good reminder for me to buy some critical parts that I don't have on-hand...

expensive but! three is two, two is one and one is none!

problem with many of us and that includes me, is that we often buy spares but not of the same brand or model... Example, you have three 22 rifles you have accumulated over the years but all different. so unable to swap firing pins etc

I have been trying hard to correct this with any new purchase but all the items already purchased are what they are!. For those starting out, i would look at buying spares that are the same model and vintage so parts can be swapped out in a hurry.

expensive but! three is two, two is one and one is none!

I disagree with this statement in one respect. I certainly agree that having back-ups is wise. Although good, this tends to minimize one of the most important aspects of survival and that's improvisation.

The statement in my signature is "None you improvise, one is luxury." Perhaps what I should have said is having one or more is luxury.

My approach to survival is opposite from most people frequenting this Website. I've been trained to survive in the wild alone in any season with 20 feet of snare wire and a knife. For me, survival is dependent on my ability to improvise. So surviving with my family at home is infinitely easier.

For me the first reality in a true survival situation is that there are no expectations and no rules. I'm happy to go along in a grid-down situation without electricity. If I decide to create temporary electricity from solar or generator, I realize that this is only temporary. All of the generators will run out of fuel and solar will fail in-time. Again all luxury.

Prepping for me is backloaded. It's biomass, axe/saw, chainsaw. Preps are not made in the opposite direction. Keeping my home running normally after an event is not the number one priority. You can live without electricity. Learning to do so first is better that creating your own power station which you depend upon and which will eventually breakdown.

expensive but! three is two, two is one and one is none!

I disagree with this statement in one respect. I certainly agree that having back-ups is wise. Although good, this tends to minimize one of the most important aspects of survival and that's improvisation.

The statement in my signature is "None you improvise, one is luxury." Perhaps what I should have said is having one or more is luxury.

My approach to survival is opposite from most people frequenting this Website. I've been trained to survive in the wild alone in any season with 20 feet of snare wire and a knife. For me, survival is dependent on my ability to improvise. So surviving with my family at home is infinitely easier.

For me the first reality in a true survival situation is that there are no expectations and no rules. I'm happy to go along in a grid-down situation without electricity. If I decide to create temporary electricity from solar or generator, I realize that this is only temporary. All of the generators will run out of fuel and solar will fail in-time. Again all luxury.

Prepping for me is backloaded. It's biomass, axe/saw, chainsaw. Preps are not made in the opposite direction. Keeping my home running normally after an event is not the number one priority. You can live without electricity. Learning to do so first is better that creating your own power station which you depend upon and which will eventually breakdown.

expensive but! three is two, two is one and one is none!

I disagree with this statement in one respect. I certainly agree that having back-ups is wise. Although good, this tends to minimize one of the most important aspects of survival and that's improvisation.

The statement in my signature is "None you improvise, one is luxury." Perhaps what I should have said is having one or more is luxury.

My approach to survival is opposite from most people frequenting this Website. I've been trained to survive in the wild alone in any season with 20 feet of snare wire and a knife. For me, survival is dependent on my ability to improvise. So surviving with my family at home is infinitely easier.

For me the first reality in a true survival situation is that there are no expectations and no rules. I'm happy to go along in a grid-down situation without electricity. If I decide to create temporary electricity from solar or generator, I realize that this is only temporary. All of the generators will run out of fuel and solar will fail in-time. Again all luxury.

Prepping for me is backloaded. It's biomass, axe/saw, chainsaw. Preps are not made in the opposite direction. Keeping my home running normally after an event is not the number one priority. You can live without electricity. Learning to do so first is better that creating your own power station which you depend upon and which will eventually breakdown.

Agree,that all these extras are to some degree luxuries and in a complete and total breakdown will eventually have limited worth. More saws, more food etc etc all go a long or longer way then generators, which you correctly state require fuel. But you said saws.... I think three saws, three knives, boots, socks... is better then just snare wire and one knife. So we are close to concepts of three...

My plan certainly isn’t living normal. While I plan on having some resources and therefor semi luxuries. I plan on trying to keep them fairly low key, I will participate in normal to and fro of community or act as if I am as screwed as the person next to me. But most certainly will try and outlast all my normal rural neighbours. Due to health, my efforts are geared more for family. A family of strong personalities, good strong survival skills (not like yours or mine but still strong) and good health but who don’t plan for trouble as much as I do. So, I do what I can to set them up.

My luxuries as you call them, buy me time to transition and per the following, will according to my read on the future, permit me to hobble along with some niceties while things settle themselves out. Maybe it will be more catastrophic then I expect and if the case, will still buy time. I am a married man, family, profession, .. and while I may enjoy setting up a total survival and back to the earth lifestyle, I also like luxuries. Suffered and sacrificed enough and now wish some comfort. Call me lazy or not a full fledged survivalist but that’s me. I am not an ex special force type but have slept out in the dead of winter, trapped, caught fish with my bare hands, can get nice under two inch groupings, worked minus 70 F, yes minus 70F. Flipping cold and truly mind and limb altering insane cold feeling. Also know and worked in 120f and done some interesting “stuff”

I am thinking of doing a ditty on what a TRA or threat risk assessment is all about and it’s importance to those who wish to prep.

To live 100% in a time of near zero manuafactured resources is one heck of a vision and goal. Achievable? Absolutely. How long will one last is like history, part skill and part luck.

So yes, I agree that many who think they can go back to a life of three hundred or more years ago will be sadly disappointed in reality but then again, let’s take a step back and look at situations that are not complete and true shtf type scenarios. Maybe a grid down for four to six weeks, a financial collapse on scale of 30’s depression, pandemic, hack of financial market etc events that will have a dramatic impact on normal life but not necessarily have all of us wrapped in bearskins useing wooden bows. Solar, seeds and other setups are fantastic endeavours and all worthy of consideration and I am grateful and gradually getting my head wrapped around them and buying some items for the semi catastrophic events I envision.

While each of us comes at these plans or preps with different objectives, experience or ideals, I have seen great tricks and work arounds posted here and they should help those planning for true Armageddon or those looking to last a month in relative safety and with some creature comforts. Who knows, today’s one Month suburban family person, maybe next years full bore bearskin type. Who knows and all good! 😛

Merry Christmas to all looking for a leg up on survival

Lol on some of this. Some I didn't. Yes ex military here. But issues I see is none military and what I mean by that is people that haven't been in live combat. Shit I know guys that are ex military but haven't really learned to survive with out crap. Haven't even seen live combat and sure they have training. But they don't practice what they have been shown and yes having all the toys makes life easy as pie in my eyes. Its guys that you give a sharp knife or anything sharp and can Jimmy rig shit and still live. Basically what I'm trying to say here is forget what you have. Skill is more important then gear. No different then hand to hand combat. You could be the biggest fucker in the world and get your ass handed to you or killed by a 100 lbs person. Reason. Mmmmmmm let's see skill and knowledge. So set aside the conflict. Yes some its gear and some its skill and knowledge. All I hope is the ones that have the gear also have the knowledge. Do to gear break's done or gets lost or you might lose it from someone that takes it and let's you live. But knowledge and skill can't be taken or lost. Unless you decide not to keep it by using it. Also I reccomend you all to learn the basics in all areas. This way you sort of have a idea what's what. Forging was what I have learned this yr. Yes propane forge is nice. But even if I don't have that there is coal or wood style. Knowledge is power. I love always chatting it up with the old timers. Yes I'm old too but the 60 yrs or older have a ton of stuff they can teach you.

Yep, skill and or knowledge is the basis for survival. The stuff one has, just makes it easier or likely to work. We all Like good kit. All a matter of how far one wishes to go in their preps and therefor alter their lifestyle.

So to circle back to the topic here on “generator help”, LOL, generators if you have them, need TLC and parts or fuel.

If you don’t wish to rely on them, cool.

If however, one wants them in their preps for the first few weeks or months, then let’s talk about what we need to keep the little buggers running happily along so we can have a relaxing whirlpool bath after a hard day fighting zombies or putting up with family or friends who wish to hang out at our homes because they didn’t take any measures themselves.

Clarence,

I suppose what I'm saying is that if someone really want's to prepare themselves for a real SHTF scenario they may be best to start with a firm foundation. It starts with you. One body with physical and mental fitness, an attitude. Get that right first.

Build on what you can do with simple tools. Add more complex ones and go forward adding others to make life easier. Keep in mind how the situation will look when the gasoline is gone and the solar system needs a part. What is left when disaster takes the things you've accumulated.

If the correct foundation is in-place and you are truly prepared, "One is never none." It's about a mental attitude. The same philosophy goes if you stay at home or use a BOB. Improvise with what you have.

When we learn Math we learn on paper, progress to a calculator. Learning how to survive is no different. How do you function when the batteries are dead. Some can't do Math without batteries, some can't survive without technology. Personally. I don't want to depend upon technology, although I'm happy to use it.

Wayne. Agree 100% that one must be as mentally, physically and even morally prepared as they can. 100%

Think this generator help section isn’t the right place to discuss tactics or concepts. Will respond in new topic line. Meet you over there 😛