[woodlandways]

I have spent a lot of time practicing survival skills, testing out myths and trying to rediscover different routes to the same goal. Think about it, how much of the skills used by earth based cultures do we currently have access to? 15%? more? I don't know, but my guess is that there are more skills lost to time than available to us through books, stories, films, the archeological record and films...I said "films" twice because ahhh....o h never mind, keep reading. With that in mind, it is my feeling that we should be tripping over "rediscoveries" of old lost skills as we pursue primitive skills. A few less commonly known skill areas in which i have been experimenting are:
1. Ceramic, Wood and Bone Arrow Heads
2. Hand Fishing Trout
3. Fish Poisons
4. Desert Water

I'll describe what I've been doing with the four listed above and depending on the interest may or may not work my way down the list and on to other things.
1. Ceramic, Wood and Bone Arrow Heads
Tested on deer.

I am a crappy flint knapper. Unfortunate, but true I'm afraid. Oh I can make an arrow head, but the amount of wasted rock and time is tragic and likely criminal in some states. So I started by thinking about what a flint or obsidian arrowhead does and tried to come up with other ways to do the same thing.
Goal: penetrate the hide and flesh of game to deliver lethal damage to vital organs and arteries.
Hardwood
Pros:can be easily shaped, fire hardened and serrated to increase cutting ability once in the muscle and organs
Cons: Getting the point and cutting edge sharp enough to penetrate the hide of a deer is not possible with a 45lb bow.
Bone
Pros: can be fairly easy to shape and serrated to increase cutting ability once in the muscle and organs, can be sharpened beyond that of its wood counterpart.
Cons:The cutting edge lacks in the sharpness department.
Ceramics
Pros: Clay is easily obtained and pieces as small as an arrowhead are easily fired. With a mold, large numbers of identical heads can be made in short order. Edges and point can be made very sharp.
Cons: The low firing temperatures of most campfires makes the heads brittle and subject to breaking. (The average obsidian head lasts for 1.5 shots).
The tests I conducted went as follows: Each test head was hafted on a natural shaft using a pine pitch and ash mix and deer sinew. The arrows were all fletched with turkey feathers affixed with deer sinew.
The arrows were fired from a distance of three feet with a 45lb recurve bow at the hindquarter of a deer carcass prior to rigor setting in.
Results:
Wood penetrated just through the hide and no further, the head remained intact.
Ceramic penetrated to a depth of 6 inches, the head was broken in the process.
Bone heads were not part of this experiment.

So there it is, make of it what you will, I think it shows promise and I will continue to look into it.
This post was rather dry, probably due to my current thirst and lack of rum and coke...
Anyone interested in adding to this subject or wanting me to address the other topics on the above list, let me know.

[crazydave]

grass while being technically indigestable in a proper sense is a source of vitamins A, B and C.

[Jack Aubrey]

Originally Posted by LaRemnant

I don't have it anymore because I gave it to my Aunt who has two boys in the cub scouts, but it is the game called Worst Case Scenario, and you can buy it at Walmart. BTW, I also gave them a couple of 100 ft of 550 cord.

It is a simple game, where there is a curvy path to follow, and you only progress by getting the right answer to questions that are labeled on a fat stack of cards (front AND back), which should last you till TEOTWAWKI.

I HIGHLY recommend you check it out because it is the epitome of obscure survival knowledge! WOOT

You can also download a mobile version of this game if your cell carrier is Verizon. It's a nice way to test your survival knowledge and helps pass the time if you're stuck waiting somewhere.

[George]

Originally Posted by woodlandways

...

1. Ceramic, Wood and Bone Arrow Heads

...

On a different vein, even lousy blunt objects thrown with great force can deliver lethal blow.