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How To: Make a survival fire from a battery and staple

Check out this how-to video to start a fire using an AA battery and a staple. You can do this while listening to the classical guitar piece, "Malaguena" if you feel like it. It could save your life! With your battery: start by cutting the plastic away from the negative terminal. Watch the video survival training tutorial for more tips on starting an emergency fire!

How To: Build an Emergency Rucksack with a Poncho & Rope (The Horseshoe Pack)

There’s a good chance that you’ll be alone in life one day, and no... I’m not talking about a couch-bound, dateless loser with a pocket pussy and a bag of potato chips. I’m talking about alone. In the wilderness. Hungry. Cold. Lost. You can’t stay in one place too long, so it would be nice to have something to carry your belongings in. Maybe it’s post-apocalyptic land where you’re the sole survivor, and all the backpacks and rucksacks in the world are but mere ash. Either way, knowing this si...

How To: Hike five miles with a map and compass as a Boy Scout

Second Class Boy Scouts work on building their outdoor survival and camping skills. Compass work, nature observation, camp tools, and swimming are areas where new skills are mastered and demonstrated. A second class scout, having completed all the requirements, should be able to lead a hike, care for his own equipment, set up a campsite, and perform basic first aid.

How To: Sharpen an axe or knife with the Boy Scouts

You never know when you may need to sharpen an axe... and who better to learn from than the Boy Scouts? Brace the axe head on the ground between a log about 6" in diameter and two woooden pegs or tent stakes. Sharpen your axe with an 8-10 inch mill bastard file. Be sure to wear leather gloves. Make a knuckle guard out of leather, plywood, or an old inner tube. Place the file on the edge of the blade and push it into the bit. Lift the file as you draw back for each stroke. Turn the axe around ...

How To: Escape from Dual Zip Tie Handcuffs

You are not having a good day. You've been abducted by sinister folks, and your hands are tied by a pair of zip ties bound together. How will you escape? In this tutorial, the guys at ITS Tactical show you how to escape from these bound cable ties, which are frequently used as makeshift handcuffs by police and military personnel, along with mischievous kidnappers. To break free, believe it or not, all you need is a little force.

How To: Make a fire with an empty lighter

For the technique in this how-to video, you need: smoking papers, receipt or any thin paper and a hard surface like a cd case or book and a piece of paper on top for friction. If your lighter runs out of gas you can still start a fire with these items from your pocket. Watch this video survival training tutorial and learn how to start a fire with an empty lighter. Make a fire with an empty lighter.

How To: Tie a 7x5 Turks Head knot

In order to tie a 7 x 5 Turks Head Knot, you will need to begin by draping the rope or twine over the fingers of your outstretched hand. Fold your pink down, leaving your three fingers outstretched. Catch the string in front and hold it with your pinky.

How To: Use a Wind King rope lighter

This video is a short demonstration of the wind king rope lighter, a small lighter that uses a length of cloth rope and a flint to create an ember for fire making. With this helpful lighter, you can make fire in places where the wind would normally destroy your lighter's flame.

How To: Start a fire with a battery and a staple

This young fellow demonstrates how to start a fire using a battery and a staple. He suggest you begin with a staple or any thin wire, a AA battery and a knife. On the negative terminal of the battery, he cuts off a piece of the insulation by following the small ring on the battery. Pay attention to the small ring between the top of the terminal and the casing. Look for the gap that has some paper material and pry that up. Insert the staple below the paper into the gap. As you move the staple,...

How To: Tie hammock hanging knots

The knots demonstrated in this how-to video are a good way to hang a hammock, because it makes it so easy to adjust your hanging height. The whipping knot around the tree will not slip if tied correctly. Make sure to tie the second half hitch or the knot may slip and come loose. As with all knots, use your own discretion and be safe. Watch this video survival training tutorial and learn how to tie some sturdy knots useful for hammock-hanging.

How To: Rescue someone in the water as a Boy Scout

Second Class Boy Scouts work on building their outdoor survival and camping skills. Compass work, nature observation, camp tools, and swimming are areas where new skills are mastered and demonstrated. A second class scout, having completed all the requirements, should be able to lead a hike, care for his own equipment, set up a campsite, and perform basic first aid.

How To: Tie a perfect "good luck" knot

In this knot-tying tutorial, we learn how to fasten a perfect "good luck" knot—a knot so named because it is said one requires quite a lot of luck to tie it properly. Not so, says video creator TyingItAllTogether. For all of the relevant details, and to get started tying this knot yourself, take a look.

How To: Make natural long burning torches in the forest

In this tutorial, we learn how to make natural long burning torches in the forest. First, use a dead tree limb and rip off all the bark that is on it. Next, gather up the bark from the tree and tie it together with wire you carry with you. Also, gather up a dead stick and connect this to the dead bark as well. Use a multi-tool to cut the wire if you are in a hurry. Once finished, light the bark on fire and you will have a natural torch that will burn in the forest! Be sure to use a dead tree ...

How To: Cook under a tarp in rain

This is a video about shelter cooking. We are shown how people who are hammock camping in the rain are able to cook under their tarp. This is important because you have to have some way to cook under your shelter when it rains, and there's no way you can have a fire under there without getting smoked out. It makes life easier if you can set up a stove inside your shelter to cook on. We are shown two ways to do this, and both systems work well. One way is to use an alcohol stove. You can make ...

How To: Build an Apache foot trap snare for catching large game

Procuring food in the wild is key if you're going to survive. The bigger your catch, the longer you'll be able to survive. This instructional video shows how to build and bait an Apache foot trap, for catching large game such as deer, moose, elk, or bear. You'll need a hatchet, several branches, some grape vine pieces, a length of paracord or bankline and a hole in the ground.

How To: Make a Chinese paracord snake knot

The Chinese snake knot is a considered a representation of good luck, or its considered as an embodiment of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac. This Paracord Snake Knot can be used as a bracelet or another decorative piece. This snake knot technique would make a great time passer to have some fun in your leisure. In this video you will learn exactly how to make a Chinese paracord snake knot, and if you were born in '89 you should make one too.

How To: Use and not use lashings as a Boy Scout

As a Boy Scout, when the First Class rank is attained, a scout has learned all the basic camping and outdoors skills of a scout. He can fend for himself in the wild, lead others on a hike or campout, set up a camp site, plan and properly prepare meals, and provide first aid for most situations he may encounter. A First Class scout is prepared.

How To: Make a fork and spoon in the bush

In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to make utensils in the wilderness. You'll see how to make a wooden fork, spoon, pot hanger and support when out in the woods. Also, learn how to clean your knife using moss. A nice piece of hazel wood is what you'll want for this survival bushcraft technique.

How To: Tie the Celtic heart knot

In this video, we learn how to tie the Celtic heart knot. Start off with your rope and make a loop in the middle of it. Now, bring the working en on the right side into the loop so you have a circle. Now, bring that end back into the knot and braid it through the other loop. Next, push this through the bottom loop, then braid it through the lines that are on the shape. After this, you will see a heart shape start to form. Pull gently on the heart with both sides of the rope and shape the midd...

How To: Use a compass and map

This video tutorial is in the Disaster Preparation category which will show you how to use a map style compass. The first thing is to get your bearings by sight without a map. The arrow on the compass represents the direction of travel, the N on the compass dial is the compass North and the red needle points to the magnetic North. First align the compass N with the magnetic North. Now say you want to go 90 degrees East. Next you align 90 degrees with your direction of travel arrow. Rotate the...

How To: Start a fire with quartz

Making a fire is important in order to stay warm and more importantly stay alive. In this video tutorial you'll find out how to use a quartz, old file, and the back end of your knife to help start a fire. And again, remember that fire can be dangerous and cause major damage to not only you but to the environment. So be careful!

How To: Tie a tensioning knot

The tensioning knot, demonstrated in this how-to video, is a useful way to tie the strands of my whips to the rope machine. It is also useful anytime that quick tension is needed and a truckers hitch is too much or the distance is too short. Tie a noose in the line and snug it up then a slippery half hitch locks it in place. Watch this video knot-tying tutorial and learn how to tie a tensioning knot.