Little Tips

[MTSilvertip]

A lot of cans come with pop tops these days anyway making can openers kind of obsolete. Even coffee comes in plastic cans, Tuna still comes in small tins, but also in Mylar envelopes which are gaining in popularity, so unless you buy #10 tins, the need for a can opener is growing less and less day by day.


While I do carry a SAK and a P38 in my kit, and the wife knows how to use them as well, for many folks a can opener would not be the first thing they grab in a SHTF situation, but an ax or SAK might be.


Just covering all the bases.


Food tins have always been a great thing to have, you can boil water in the empty cans, heat food, make lanterns, rocket stoves or any number of tools from the tin, they're actually pretty handy to have around.





rocket stoves made from tin cans - Bing video

[monkeywrenching]

Originally Posted by Joe33

Yes, I have a bunch left over from C-Rats. Just dont have one of them on your keychain when you go thru TSA. They light up the scanners like a strobe.

I never go to airports, I drive. when the American public is tired of the tsa and its gropes on 80 yo grandmothers, and young children, and that same American public starts driving instead of flying, then we will see the tsa go away.

[Joe33]

Originally Posted by monkeywrenching

I never go to airports, I drive. when the American public is tired of the tsa and its gropes on 80 yo grandmothers, and young children, and that same American public starts driving instead of flying, then we will see the tsa go away.

I tried to drive to Africa and my car sank. More sealant next time i suppose.

[TheKezarWoodsman]

Originally Posted by MTSilvertip

Funny thing, the lid can be made into an emergency knife blade, (won't hold an edge long, but can be made really sharp, just fold over one side to make a safe handle, think of an Eskimo Ulu knife), and can be used to make spoons for eating, or flashers for fishing lures.

Got to think outside the box

i never thought of that one, lets see if i can rep ya again MT.

[RyanR]

Originally Posted by Joe33

I tried to drive to Africa and my car sank. More sealant next time i suppose.

Have you tried FlexSeal?

Since we're talking tin cans, I'll throw out a little tip.

Find a cheap source for alcohol (denatured, not the drinking type) or hand sanitizer. (e.g. dollar store)

Get a tuna can or any kind of can and pour some in.

You now have a mini stove or heater. A tuna can filled 1/2 full will burn about 15-20 minutes. Depending on your use, you may want/need to poke a couple holes in the top sides of your can for air entry.

Alcohol doesn't have the toxic fumes petroleum products do so you can burn indoors. I happen to have a lot of alcohol (and hand sanitizer) so I heat my shop with it in the winter.

If I want an outdoor fire but want to easily control size and duration, I'll just pour some alcohol or hand sanitizer in a #10 can and let it burn. A can filled about 1/3 will make nice, 2-3' tall flames for about an hour.

A couple notes:
1) Hand sanitizer is basically gelled alcohol. Because of the gel, it sticks to things better so it's a better fire starter for wood than straight alcohol.
2) Depending on the purity of the alcohol, it's hard to see the flames during daylight. Basically, you can't see the flame but you can feel it. Be careful starting your fires. It probably lit but you didn't see it.

[jamies]

And when you are done with the cans, they make great targets.