1CarterMarch 14, 2013 at 6:29 pm

This. Is awesome

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2RichMarch 14, 2013 at 6:42 pm

Nice photos, but I want to make one amendment to the knife picture. I studied martial arts for 16 years and learned a bunch of live knife techniques. I WOULD NOT suggest stepping towards your opponent and turning your back to him as it shows in figure 2. You lose sight of the knife (always dangerous) and actually give a lot of your body to him to hit. I would suggest stepping back so that you’re facing his knife while using your left hand to slow his momentum. Then slide your right foot forward while doing the grab and continue as described from there.

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3JohnMarch 14, 2013 at 6:44 pm

I can’t really say as I approve of the Captain Kirk Double Fist Strike of Shirt-Ripping.

Two main reasons:

1. It hurts. You. There’s a lot of compressibility in the “fist" that move creates, meaning that there’s a lot of skin taking up the space between your fingers, and when you strike something, all your fingers smash together and a lot of force is concentrated on your proximal phalanges bones of your little finger on both hands. Very painful. Ask me how I know.

2. It takes away one of the primary means by which you generate power with a strike; you twist your body. Especially if you’re a big guy, you’ve got the potential for a LOT of rotational momentum just by a small, sharp twist of your body that coincides with a one-handed strike. Furthermore, this twist is generated from your hips, by your legs, which, because you’re an AoM reader and do your squats, are pretty big and muscular (right?). Even if you’re a big, strong guy, your arms are relatively weak compared to your legs and core, which is where your strikes should come from, and which the Captain Kirk Fist Smash takes out of the power equation.

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4TacMarch 14, 2013 at 7:40 pm

John, I agree that the double-fist is weaker and opens up a lot of potential problems, not only can you self-injure, you can also open yourself up to your hands being grabbed…..and now you lose both hands simultaneously. I’d suggest this variation:

Break the hold as shown…it’s not a bad break for a choke by the average punk. It’s also simple and relatively easy for someone without coordination to do. When your hands are up above your head (the choke is broken or nearly so), drive AT your enemy with side-by-side hammerfists. Think of it like chopping wood…a manly training exercise….the power isn’t from your triceps/shoulders, it’s from your core and from dropping your weight INTO the blow. The side-by side hammerfists will have the same effect of stunning your enemy, taking away his vision momentarily, and possibly breaking his nose or giving him a black eye. Once you hit, step back a pace forcefully (to finish breaking the choke if it’s not broken yet, by throwing him off balance) and then engage or do otherwise based on the circumstances.

On the ‘side kick to counter a punch’ one, I’d disagree. In the 60s, most people that knew how to throw dangerous straight punches were boxers and the like, and didn’t know squat about ground fighting/wrestling. Now, MMA is so popular that many fighters or wannabees know at least the rudiments of both. Show one of them a leg like that when they throw a punch, and you’re done. I don’t claim to be a great fighter, or even a good one. But if I throw a jab and you counter with that….I’m going to take you down and give you a reenactment of Lesner v. Mir….the rematch.

I also agree that there are lots of things with that knife defense that can be dangerous. However, I’m not going to go into detail here. Suffice to say that knives are incredibly dangerous in close quarters….more dangerous than guns IMHO. Successfully countering knives while unarmed is very difficult even with training. I don’t think that any advice online or a diagram can suffice to show you how to do it. And even if you do everything right….expect to get cut or stabbed at least once. The best defense for a knife is to create time/space/distance, preferably with a barrier between you and the subject.

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5Ben CopeMarch 14, 2013 at 8:01 pm

The method for escaping a bear hug has two big flaws. 1) When you lower yourself, the attacker can easily slip his arms up and you’re now being choked. 2) When you lower yourself and start reaching for that leg, he can easily knee you in the balls.

Instead, reach up and grab both of his forearms, so he can’t choke you, then lower yourself and get one leg behind the guy. (your right behind his left, or your left behind his right.) Then, keeping both feet firmly on the ground, twist your body. Your thigh will trip him and he will end up on the ground on his back, while you should still be standing.

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6MattMarch 14, 2013 at 8:03 pm

I’ve been doing a form of traditional Japanese Jujutsu (Hakko Denshyn Ryu Aiki Jujutsu) for almost a decade now and it’s funny to see many of the same or similar techniques being used here. A solid technique developed over 800 years ago is still a solid technique today.

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7Robin - Of The WestMarch 14, 2013 at 8:14 pm

I’m not a big guy but I have studied a variety of martial arts over the years including: Jujitsu, Karate, Tai Chi and two forms of Aikido – a Sword Form and Fugagaki – the later being my favorite. One could look at Aikido as an ever-evolving relative of Judo – redirecting your opponents energy rather than trying to match or overcoming it – combining with timing with knowledge of how the human body reacts to balance and physical stress. In my opinion, there is physiological advantage when you put an attacker – who might be much bigger than you – on the ground and in a compromising position using his own energy and very little of your own. Peace.

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8StuartMarch 14, 2013 at 8:19 pm

Seems like a few people have already covered some specific criticisms, so I’ll just keep my comments brief and broad:
First off, it’s awesome to see something like this on Art of Manliness, self-defense is pretty darn important. A lot of the listed techniques are both simple and quite practical. However, not all of them are, and many (especially the throws) can be incredibly dangerous to you- and the defender, of course, be it somebody you don’t worry about hurting, an angry drunk friend, or a practice partner- if you haven’t been properly trained in their execution. While these descriptions are good, they leave a lot to be desired. Nothing can replace actual martial arts training, of course, but I think that goes without saying. The important thing readers should know is that the throws (and that kick defense! Wow! That’s super dangerous and few people are dumb enough to throw a kick in a fight as is. If the attacker throws a kick that high there are dozens of simpler options that could work just as effectively.) are not that advisable to use unless they have to. The arm lock is particularly ridiculous to have instructions to, not only because it’s dangerous but because there is no explanation as to how somebody would get into that position. Most attackers do not just let you hold their hands and move their arms.

Just taking a couple Jiu Jitsu classes can give somebody a similar level of self-defense knowledge without such a high possibility of misunderstandings or miscommunications. Oh, and Judo’s awesome but it was created as a sport version of Jiu Jitsu. These days Judo emphasizes more throws than Jiu Jitsu does, but Judo is just not as practical for self defense. Obviously people could argue this issue for days, and it really does come down to how the teacher teaches more than anything, but Jiu Jitsu, especially Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, from what I’ve found, has a much more initial goal of self defense with practical applications.

Wow I said I’d keep that short, but I didn’t. Oh well, hope this was helpful and not too negative sounding! :)

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9StuartMarch 14, 2013 at 8:21 pm

An edit from my last post. I missed that the arm lock was from a front choke. Not a bad defense so long as that is the situation. Pulling off an arm lock from different positions can take some finesse or luck depending on the circumstances, and I was thinking it was that broad of a guide for some reason. My bad! XD

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10johnMarch 14, 2013 at 8:40 pm

I was 10 in 1966, which is probably around the time of this article. James Bond and this stuff was HUGE! Everyone was into judo and Ju-Jitsu, which was new, and it was in books and magazines everywhere. My buddies and I practiced this stuff all the time and became quite adept. As I got older, I only remembered a few wrist twists, armlocks, and throws, but they served me well through my teens, the Marine Corps, and as a State Trooper. Even now as an older gent I would’nt shy from a chance to use them. I had forgotten about some of the good times of that era. Thank you!

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11AndrewMarch 14, 2013 at 9:00 pm

Interesting read, though I’m weary of the knife counter attack. As much as possible one wants to stay on the outside of a knife attack rather than going inside. If you go on the inside, as described, and you fail to stop the knife, you will get stabbed in the back an awful lot… If you move to the outside and miss your opportunity to block the knife, the chances of getting stabbed are greatly reduced, and you are in more or less the same position to try again. Don’t forget that if you are attacked with a knife, expect to get stabbed.

The person who wins a knife fight is the guy that bleeds out last.

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12GeraldMarch 14, 2013 at 9:19 pm

Old Skool Jiu Jitsu.

But the throws are the very basic throws in Judo also. O-Goshi, Ippon Sai o Nage, Seoi Otoshi…

" In the 60s, most people that knew how to throw dangerous straight punches were boxers and the like, and didn’t know squat about ground fighting/wrestling"

In the 60s there were boxers and wrestlers. And People dont knowing sh** about martial arts kicking your ass just from learning by doing. ;)

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13BrianMarch 14, 2013 at 9:21 pm

This is kinda cool, but none of these are useful if you cant practice them until they become so. Self desfense should be less a decision, more a reflex, because the time it takes you to decide if its appropriate could easily get you deadified. Just saying.

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14jerryMarch 14, 2013 at 10:22 pm

So many experts commenting while giving you their vitals. The first thing any real fighting trainer tells you is to keep it to yourself…same as carrying a weapon. But, I am old school old man. I never went to drama class.

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15Don DraperMarch 14, 2013 at 11:08 pm

Don Draper agrees it is foolish to mess with a man named Don Draper…!

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16JessMarch 15, 2013 at 12:12 am

Self defense is awesome. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of it on here actually, haha… but either way, still an awesome blog =)

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17TacMarch 15, 2013 at 6:22 am

Gerald…..I was just noting that while that technique might have been reasonable to the person that was devising this article fifty years ago, it’s not something that would be advisable to try today. Of course there were people back then with very well-rounded knowledge bases. Now, however, even the morons have picked up on a few things.

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18Stan R. MitchellMarch 15, 2013 at 6:27 am

These are some wonderful, basic moves, and you’re right: The illustrations are incredible.

But I can’t help but think about how much further hand-to-hand and martial arts have come since then. Almost all these “defenses" have been further refined, modified, and improved.

And I think most of the practitioners I know have taken every thing to such a higher level. For instance, I’d never be happy with just one style, so I practice three: Shaolin Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and Muay Thai, and I even nabbed a belt in Kajukenbo, which is some really brutal stuff.

Additionally, I spend lots of time in the gym moving weights, just like most of the other practitioners I know.

I’m not sure why this is the case for most. Maybe we’re more paranoid. Maybe the MMA kick everyone is on teaches us we must be uber prepared. And maybe, we just have more access to knowledge through books, videos, etc. Probably back in the day, you just had one or two choices of dojos to train at.

Regardless, great article. Thanks so much for sharing it!

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19EricMarch 15, 2013 at 6:30 am

Back in 5th grade I transferred school and had a problem with being bullied by larger guys. I’m 57, and at the time the only real martial art you could study was Judo, usually taught by soldiers who had served in Japan. After about 6 months, I had a few decent techniques down pretty well. One day on the playground, one of the larger guys who had been bugging me stepped up and grabbed the front of ny shirt. I threw him clean with O-soto gari and I still remember the sound he made when he hit the blacktop. The other kids thought it was magic and that I was some kind of kung-fu killer. No problems after that.

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20CyranoMarch 15, 2013 at 7:40 am

I was a regular competitor in Judo for about 7 years before I gave it up for a family (time and pain requirement was too much). Much of the material is more Hapkido than Judo though the throws are definitely Judo. I would say there are a lot of fine points of not hurting yourself when executing these actions that are gained only through personal instruction. To improve your instruction of the shoulder throw… Placement of the feet slightly inside of your opponent and pulling the arm up and around your midsection as you rotate to complete the shoulder throw are key. Just as an example. For more visuals go to http://judoinfo.com/images/animations/blue/ogoshi.htm

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21A.S FalconMarch 15, 2013 at 7:41 am

Nice article, in real life it`s a little different, you can study the techniques all day long, you would have to do this practically everday for it to be effective, it`s not everyday a person fights.

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22CalebMarch 15, 2013 at 8:55 am

I did some real world self-defense some years ago, and while no master, I did learn a great deal.

Instead of the “Nose-Breaker" a very effective way to break the choke and disable the assailant is: as in the diagram, bring the hands up through the arms of the attacker, in slightly crossed manner (small X), then insted of forming a fist, work the arms outward and down. This allows you to take control of the assailants wrists as they come off of the neck. Finally, using the wrists as leverage, sharply pull down. This will draw the assailants nose into a headbutt to the center of the face. You can also aim for the temple of the attacker for a swift knock-out blow.

The other techniques are similar to the basic self-defense I learned. In regard to knives, get away if you can. If you can’t, you need to know you are going to get cut, your goal should be to minimize damage to yourself and to disarm or nullify the attacker. If you manage to rend the knife away, I recommend disposal. Get it as far away from the fight as possible, thne use hand-to-hand techniques to defend against the attack, if the coward doesn’t run.

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23EmilyMarch 15, 2013 at 8:56 am

These tips would’ve come in very handy when I tried to “beat up" my sixth grade bully! But who knows, they could come to my rescue some time in the future. Thanks!

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24JoshuaMarch 15, 2013 at 10:04 am

For the sake of your hands, please do not interlace your fingers on the nose break. You will likely break your fingers if you do that, especially if his head drops and you hit his forehead. Use one hammer fist or cover one fist with your other hand.

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25RobMarch 15, 2013 at 10:08 am

Another great article. I do krav maga and I do really approve those techniques. There is a simpler and equal effective way for disarming a knife but that one works, too.

The biggest advice I can give is training! Do not think you can aply these techniques just by looking at pictures, videos or reading. You must practice. Get a buddy, explain him every move in detail so he is prepared and start doing it over and over and aply natural situations where an assault could happen. Unless you are sure you can act instinc ively you are better off running away which is almost everytime the best choice unless you have no other choice, not alone —maybe a walk with your significant other— or you are Bruce Lee. Be sure you can react without thinking otherwise you can get in serious trouble if you meet a nasty thug. Wannabes and less dangerous thugs are easily impressed and drived back. But you will never know for sure so be prepared!

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26SteveMarch 15, 2013 at 10:29 am

I think that most of the above commenters are missing one important point:

These techniques, while not 100%, are a great ‘starting point’ for someone (99% of the population) that knows absolutely nothing about defending themselves.

I think that everyone should have some knowledge in some sort of fisticuffs – boxing, judo, muay thai, krav maga, sambo, etc.

That said – spend a couple of dollars and take a ‘self defense’ course. It’s amazing the difference practicing SD techniques in your mind and practicing them on someone else.

I’ve recently started attending a Sambo class once a week. I’m amazed at the different perspective I have now on my personal safety.

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27Sartorial MadnessMarch 15, 2013 at 10:57 am

You’re all completely missing the point! The defender is appropriately dressed in a suit *and tie*, while the attacker sloppily skips the neckwear.

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28Frost73March 15, 2013 at 11:44 am

Interesting… While cleaning out a late uncle’s apartment, I came across a U.S. Army field manual on hand-to-hand combat from the 1950s. As I was looking through the techniques and photographs, I couldn’t help but be fascinated at how H2H has evolved.

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29JohnMarch 15, 2013 at 12:13 pm

It was okay until the last bit about knife defense. As a martial artist, if you are confronted knife vs no knife you should simply get the hell out. Regular training can never protect you from a realistic knife attack. Taking a knife attacker head on should be a last resort if you’re cornered. They can cover 7 paces in about a second.

Cheers.

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30c.w.March 15, 2013 at 1:56 pm

you shouldn’t try to move away from someone that is pullin your hair, especially if it’s long enough for them to get a good grip. someone who is either strong enough, or escalated enough can scalp you.

It’s best to grab the rist of the hand that is holding the hair with your hand(s), and then step into your attacker to put them off balance. Hopefully at this as they fell like they are falling they let go.

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31JohnMarch 15, 2013 at 2:04 pm

Aw c’mon fellas! This was a fun and helpfull article written fifty-years ago. What’s with all the critiques and shudda’s, cudda’s? Some of you “boys" take yourselves a little too seriously!

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32OzoneMarch 15, 2013 at 4:08 pm

… of course hand-to-hand has evolved. Modern techniques involve the liberal use of sound effects and “bullet time"! ;-)

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33Steven PMarch 15, 2013 at 4:12 pm

Some of these are a bit too complicated, and some of them are just plain awesome. Dig this article though.

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34Phil QuimMarch 15, 2013 at 6:00 pm

If someone pulls my hair, what is wrong with me throwing a right cross to his face? I am not interested in dancing with him.

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35RodrickMarch 15, 2013 at 7:08 pm

Krav Maga is easier and faster with better results…

If no one knows is that one used by the Israel Army.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga

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36Jared OMarch 15, 2013 at 7:48 pm

When you face a knife(and compliance is not an option) there are two things you should consider before anything else:
1.) Run. If escape is a viable option do so. Nothing is uglier than a knife fight. And it depends on luck much more than other types of combat.
2.) Grab something longer. A knife doesn’t have much chance against lets say a mop or a handy tree branch or a shovel. You might consider carrying a telescopic baton if it is legal where you live.Or a taser. Or just have a gun if you are lucky enough be allowed to do so.
Any weapon with shorter than 50 cms reach is not a defensive tool.

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37GeraldMarch 15, 2013 at 8:36 pm

@Tac
I wont overrate the influence of mma and especially all that Brazilian JiuJitsu groundworking stuff.
Why? Because its nothing new, never was..
Back to the basics it all the same Kodokan Judo Roots as in these pictures.
Some people tought it was new because of the 70/80s media hype on kung/fu, Karate, Kickboxing etc that ignored grappling and groundwork in the popular styles. I dont say its useless, it should be involved in any good system (and it is and was)
But in the US all that “Ground&pound" got as clearly overhyped as Bruce Lee and his magical TschingTschung art. But its what it is. Just a trend.

Even the US Army “updated" the proven WW2&Nam combatatives FM 3-25.15 in 2002 with lots of groundwork and “crazy" jiujitsu… cutting down the basics of course.
“military use?" like this would work clothed in full gear..maybe they should add mud-wrestling next time..sending drones might be more safe.

If you kick someone you have to do it as fast as punching someone to avoid getting grappled.
This is today not different then 30 or 50 years ago. Nothing changed in the physics. And many “untrained" people in any Martial Arts tend to grapple on instinct if the get into fights.

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38JedMarch 15, 2013 at 11:53 pm

It would be wise and advisable to PRACTICE these techniques before relying on them…Practice-partner, foam mats on the floor and slow-movement at first…Learning basic martial-arts (even white-belt level) would be a good start before learning “moves" from a book or cartoons!

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39DaveGormanMarch 16, 2013 at 1:40 am

One of your best posts yet. Awesome

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40GilMarch 16, 2013 at 5:19 am

TAoM rocks!

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41AlanMarch 16, 2013 at 9:36 am

As someone who was into ju jitsu before it was cool – this post serves only one purpose, which is hopefully to get you down to a local dojo to learn.

Some of these moves are taught in JJ (and some look plain silly) but you’ll never learn them via cartoons on a screen.

I spent years practising such moves but it’s also been years since then, and I’m sure I’d struggle to remember half of them in a serious fight. Which is why I got really really good at just 7 different moves… I call it “Sevenfu" :)

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42jason taylorMarch 16, 2013 at 10:05 am

One thing the critics did not mention was that all of these, as I understand were meant to be used against a thug. Now it is true someone who doesn’t train regularly wouldn’t be much good. But your average thug will be worse. Not that one should rely on such thing; it is usually safer to just give him the money. Sometimes however it is useful to keep such things in the back of yourmind though.

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43Stengel99March 16, 2013 at 11:02 am

My favorite part of this post: The men are wearing suits.

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44JedMarch 16, 2013 at 8:41 pm

I forgot to mention–we live in a different day-and-age now…This is not the 1950′s when men fought men one on one…We live in 2013 where groups of 3-4 thugs usually attack one person…So, these cartoon-illustrations on self-defense are like a joke anymore!

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45JohnMarch 17, 2013 at 2:13 am

Men have ganged up on other men since there were men! Pick a decade. The real difference is that back then, men didnt need disclaimers. They didn’t fret, or wring their hands because they might not do it right, or that they might get hurt (I mean, we are talking about fighting). Back then, men demanded the dignity to make their own decisions, and to live or die by them. Living life without being brow beat, criticized, and secound guessed, was taken for granted.
Now, everyone feels they must be heard. They know more and it must be shared. What if some one gets hurt? What if they do it wrong? What if…if there’s a MISTAKE!!
Yes, these are cartoon-illustrations, but they work for what they are intended. So quit hovering like somebodys Mother. Assume the man that reads them is man enough to decide when, where, and how to use them.

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46MichaelMarch 17, 2013 at 2:59 am

Jed, learn to use the opponents energy against him. That could be in the form of a wildly wielded weapon, a bunch of cowardly “friends" (bullies), or most often, just him or her alone- angry, impatient, self-righteous and out-of-control.
Techniques against such attacks include issuing combinations to the front attacker, while circling around him and pushing him into another attacker, then delivering another quick combination (kick and punch or other quick blow(s)) to the second (or third if there’s more). Then while still circling, push the second into the first dummie, or third if needed. Retreat or advance as needed.
Another common scenario is your grabbed by one nutter and a second comes at you with a punck, kick or weapon. Grab the arms of the first attacker and use his mass to add force to your forward deflecting kick, stomp kick or two handed thrust or push. You may also drop all your weight onto the first attacker so that it’s easier to throw him after you’ve attacked frontally.
A third common scenario is being held by two kidnappers or assailants at both sides by the wrists or arms.
You may pull your arms down, causing both men bring force upwards. You then use that force to nail them in the balls, elbow them in the chest or strike the neck, chin, temple or nose.
Another of the escapes(there are many) is to push forward with yours arms leading your body (only if held tightly) and use their pull to assist your reverse hammer or chop to the groins or elbows to stomach or solar plexus. Strike twice if you must. Then grab the two closest pant cuffs or ankles- swooping them upwards while you walk forward all in one motion. Your adversaries on their backs and you may retreat or attack as needed.

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47Native SonMarch 17, 2013 at 10:36 am

Nice nostalgic article. Judging from the illustrations, the cited article seems to be based on an earlier law enforcement self-defense techniques (from the 1930s or 1940s, I think, the dark suited thug showed up prominently in the first work’s photographs), that relied on the Oriental martial arts being virtually unknown in the US.
And as with anything, “a little learning is dangerous", you don’t practice, you’re toast.

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48NicholasMarch 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm

Nice article. As I ride the bus to work every day in a suit, I know it’s only a matter of time before I need to employ some of these techniques on a would-be assailant.

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49Jais HenanMarch 18, 2013 at 6:42 am

Most of these techniques require a lot of practice to work.

Awesome illustrations, though.

If someone needs to go right from paper to reality, I would suggest eye gouging, biting pieces off (not just biting down — bite through!), breaking fingers (grab one at a time and bend them the wrong way — they snap easily enough), carrying a small, easily handled blade you are familiar with and making deep, long cuts in areas of high vascular content.

On top of all that, being familiar and comfortable with something in .45 can be a big help. As they say:

God made men. Samuel Colt made them equal.

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50BriaMarch 18, 2013 at 10:49 am

Watching a series on the Discovery Channel called “Human Weapon" made me really want to join a Karate or Kung-Fu class. Then they showed the episode on Krav Maga and I immediately said to myself “that’s what I want to learn!" So, I found the nearest Krav Maga class and joined. One of the best decisions I ever made. Learned self-defense and get a great workout as well.

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51PapaPaulMarch 19, 2013 at 12:07 am

At 48 the one move I learned at 6 y/o has served me well. A good firm poke in the eye STOPS a jerk cold, drunk or sober…

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52TaylorMarch 20, 2013 at 1:57 am

I do not have extensive training in martial arts, but I have studied a few. The knife technique mentioned above is a terrible idea, Knife disarms are heavily debated in the martial arts community, there really isn’t a good knife disarm, especially for individuals that have absolutely no experience doing such a dangerous task. I do not recommend this move. If you think its a good idea, grab a partner and give him/her a sharpie, try this move; he/she will mark on you with that sharpie.

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53Ben WMarch 21, 2013 at 12:01 am

Wow, this is a simple collection of somewhat effective techniques presented in a manner the lay man can understand. It is unsurprising that many correlate to elementary techniques from several forms of traditional martial arts and wrestling.

I personally take offense with the kick defense illustration for several reasons.

1) Most untrained people have a difficult time kicking above the groin.
2) Timing a cross block defense (aka an X-block) requires acute timing and precise hand positions. Both of these can be acquired with some practice. Failure results in a weak block, or worse… a fractured hand.
3) The illustration displays a notable error. The kick is low (and therefore rather harmless), and defender is bending over to block it. Not only is it unnecessary to block such a kick, it also puts his head in a vulnerable position to be punched. Stepping back once is much easier than the cross-block as demonstrated. Kicking the knees is also a quick way to remove an assailant’s mobility.

My comments are drawn from my personal study of karate of 4 years. The more I train the more I find that the simple techniques tend to be the most effective. Also, as with anything in life, practice makes perfect!

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54Andrew SMarch 24, 2013 at 1:06 pm

Of course, you could just kick him in the b**ls, or failing that run.

Alternatively, remember that you can talk your way out of the vast majority of conflicts – it’s much less dangerous, and even if you do lose a little pride in the process, it’s a price worth paying if the alternative is to risk a knife in your chest.

With either option, you’re less likely to damage your suit.

Great post.

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55George F Matheis JrMarch 26, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Neat old article, but take it for what it is, I make my living teaching combatives as well as edged weapons, impact weapons and firearms. The core of my traditional training is Yo Shin Ryu Ju Jitsu and Judo. Most of what is shown is very bad form. Also know that Judo is the sport form of Ju Jitsu and by itself is not usually studied for self-defense.

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56Matt BMarch 28, 2013 at 6:36 pm

This is cool, but kind of funny too. I practice Krav Maga, and we’re taught to end a fight in under a minute. Like with the knife defense, I’m either going to jab an eye out or give a solid punch to the throat, breaking the windpipe or larnyx. And the hair grab, that would be a kick to the balls followed by a punch to the nose. And if someone grabs me by the shoulder, I could simply grab them around the arm with mine, hit them in the nose with the meaty part of my palm, and lean back, popping their shoulder out of place and putting them on the ground. But, all in all, I have always thought Judo was a cool martial. Sure, in Krav Maga we have quick and brutal ways to end a fight, but it’s also cool as hell being able to throw a guy a few feet. Plus, several Judo throws can cause death or paralysis. Good article.

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57SerafinMay 7, 2013 at 7:46 am

Funny that you would call this Don Draper Judo… The only time that Draper got into a scuffle on Mad Men he got his butt handed to him by a much older man.

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58MichaelMay 18, 2013 at 1:50 am

I remember reading this article in the 60s while staying at my uncle’s house during the summer. Thanks for a chance to visit Memory Lane and save a copy for my grandchildren.

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59AndyJune 3, 2013 at 4:47 pm

Nothing is infallible, but this certainly provides some creative suggestions.

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60N.W.June 13, 2013 at 5:57 pm

You can read a lot of these type fighting tips in Dashiell Hammett. His writing about how his protagonists defend themselves is very specific.

In fact, in the short story “The Whosis Kid," the Continental Op explains a trick similar to the first one shown in this article. If someone is dumb enough to try to choke you from the front, consider the fact that even a woman’s whole hand is weaker than even a strong man’s little finger. So, rather than trying to pry away the attacker’s hands, you grab him by his pinkies, and bend them backwards till they snap. If this isn’t enough, you proceed to the ring fingers and break those, and so on.

Even though Hammett’s writing is fiction, there’s a lot of realistic and practical techniques, as when he was a Pinkerton, he got into a lot of fights.

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61ZackJune 17, 2013 at 6:22 pm

I have to agree with some of the skeptics. The last bit about knife attack is not really that well designed. I have done judo before. If any of you are really interested in how judo is used in combat. Check out Major William Ewart Fairbain’s “Get Tough" which contains mainly W.E Fairbain’s own street experience during his service in Shanghai. Arguably the crime capital at the time. It’s more of a mix between his experience, jujutsu, judo, kung fu and boxing. The system has a record of 600 successes.

Back to the knife defense. There are several misconceptions. One is that the knife is shown to the defender. With an unskilled knife user, he might be dumb enough to show you the knife. In most cases, if a knife is shown, there’s a probability of winning. However, on the other hand, it’s more likely that the knife user would conceal his knife and stick it in before the defender could realise there is a knife. Draw out his blade during grappling. Conceal it around his arm pit, then cover the eyes of the defender, then stab, or throw something at the defender to distract him in order to deal multiple slashings. The most successful technique is to just sneak behind someone cover their mouth or their eyes, and stab them from behind. No noise, no struggle.

So first of all, situational awareness beats any physical self defense. If you are hyper about self defense, do you plan your route? Do you walk away from streets or alleys of crime? Do you stay on the right code? Meaning can you automatically know escape routes on the street, are you aware of who’s around you?

If you are suspicious about someone behind, cross the road. Know if he crosses as well, change your speed, does whoever you suspect is following you, altering his speed in response to your change. If yes. Go to somewhere public. It’s not a matter of manhood, it’s a matter of SURVIVAL, no matter how dishonourable it is.

Secondly, another mistake assumed is that the knife user will be compliant and let the judoka execute the lock. Under stress due to adrenaline, and sheer insanity, the knife user will retract his knife hand. This is dangerous as the knife attacker could now aim for the throat, the face or the heart, in close quarters. Furthermore, if he can’t pull his hand back because the judoka has a strong grip, an option would be to swap the knife into his free hand. Again this is a major problem, as the defender leaves his kidney exposed.

The next thing is that the knife user leaves his knife hand in front, his free hand back. Someone who knows how to use a knife won’t do this. Any guy who knows his knife leaves his free hand out. Leaving him able to parry block, and grab the left side of the victim, to carry out stabbings near vital coronary arteries. Leaving someone dead in minutes. If anyone wants to look for knife defense, read “PUT EM DOWN TAKE EM OUT" by someone who was a former ex-con in Folsom Maximum Security Jail. His name is Don Pentcost.

Finally, let me conclude by saying that judo is mainly practiced as a sport today. Trapping, and all other stuffs are largely forgotten. Even my judo teacher told me to always run. Any martial art or physical defense only heighten your possibility of leaving the scene in one piece. Not guarantee it.

Another final misconception is that many of us are looking TOO MUCH on these techniques above. As opposed to something more important. Techniques are manifestations of a principle. These movements contain physics that could be applied to every situation. Instead of interpreting the images as throws, locks. We need to look at the biomechanics. They all contain the concept of kuzushi waza, off balancing, tuskuri, displacing someone’s center of gravity on top of you. Redirection of momentum, acceleration of momentum. Fulcrum points in the form of human joints. We need to look these techniques with those things in mind as opposed to just what should I do if you do this, I will throw you, lock you etc…….

Bruce Lee once said, “I don’t fear 10,000 kicks you have practiced 1 time. I only fear the 1 kick you practiced 10,000 times."

An interpretation is that having too many techniques and evaluating technique is futile. Attacks change. The only principle that the many techniques are based on, will be useful in that it applies to 10,000 different situations.

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62donJune 24, 2013 at 2:43 pm

I always liked the approach of ww2 instructor william fairbairn-kick them in the groin, when head comes down palm stike to chin and go for the eyes-the idea was to pre empt someone getting ready to attack you and then you attack them first.

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63T. RochonJuly 14, 2013 at 4:31 pm

Don’t even interlock your fingers when striking someone. It’s a good way to break all your fingers. Rather, clasp your hands together like your an eight year old trying to make farting noises. This will give you the same shape and save your digits.

Source: I’m a Judo brown belt and instructor as well as a train boxer.

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1Andrew VMay 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm

Three hours without shelter? At what temperature? In what conditions?

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2LukeMay 22, 2013 at 10:38 pm

It did say in extreme circumstances Andrew, i’d say it also emphasises the importance of making/finding shelter.

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3DarkoMay 23, 2013 at 2:41 am

Three hours are a good example. Probably three hours, when shelter is really needed (heavy rain, snow, low/high temperature).

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4calebMay 23, 2013 at 7:09 am

You forgot: 3 minutes without oxygen and 3 seconds without thinking.

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5Mark RuddickMay 23, 2013 at 8:23 am

We teach our scouts the rule of 3s as well. We do add 3 minutes without air. They’re not hard rules, what they do is prioratize what you need to do.

1. Medical.
2. Shelter / Fire.
3. Fresh Water.
4. Food.

A lot of people go right for #4

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6PeterMay 23, 2013 at 8:31 am

Awesome article.

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7JohnMay 23, 2013 at 9:02 am

i have never used a gig but i will try it im extreamly into anything outdoors and i concider my self very versitile in the woods

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8MarcMay 23, 2013 at 11:55 am

I made gigs from giant canes for gathering sea urchins or fruit high in trees. I’d do it the same way, but I used a small stone to keep the four tines split open.

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9larrylMay 23, 2013 at 1:42 pm

A mild breeze blowing on your wet skin can bring on hypothermia in a few short hours even in 60 degree weather – all it takes is getting your body core temperature down to 95 degrees F.

Creek, you are the master of using picture angles for teaching aids!

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10ChristopherMay 23, 2013 at 3:05 pm

Great idea! I’m going to make one of these this weekend and try it out. I was just reading something that might make this even better for fishing: fish fences (http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Skills/Hunting%20and%20Snaring/Fishing.htm). Between these two tools, the fish had better look out!

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11Alyssa SMay 23, 2013 at 5:49 pm

Thanks for the great article, Creek. I would love to see one on how to build a simple emergency shelter.

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12BrandonMay 24, 2013 at 7:49 am

Always love these articles. As someone living in a big city, one of my dreams has always been to go into the wilderness with minimal packing and be able to survive for a week.

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13YupMay 24, 2013 at 2:09 pm

Creek, your posts are always solid, keep it up. Any tips on collecting or producing water in remote situations?

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14AntMay 25, 2013 at 8:51 am

I’ve only ever used mini ones for cooking toast on a campfire :D , this is another good use! Unfortunately, I’m pretty certain spear fishing is illegal in England…

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15Max PowerMay 25, 2013 at 6:37 pm

I like to read about survival training on occasion, but all the snares and traps always seem way too complicated for me. This seems PERFECT. Keep up the excellent articles.

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16DavidMay 28, 2013 at 5:12 pm

These do work well and I have used them for fishing. That said I do want to point out for larger game such as wild hogs it would work better to use that paracord to turn a similar size stick and your knife into a more rugged spear. If you say…" I don’t have a paracord survival band"…well you should.

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17Peaver BogartMay 28, 2013 at 5:19 pm

I would add one thing about making a gig. Put the tip over or near a fire to dry out the tips and make them harder for more penatration. You may have to resharpen the tips after drying out close to the fire.

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18ScublokeMay 30, 2013 at 12:54 am

Why would you use these for coconut crabs? In Vanuatu all we did was lay a series of baits during the day and check the baits at night. Each bait was a large piece of coconut staked to the ground so that the crab couldn’t make off with it. To catch them you just walk up to them and pick them up, they’re not exactly lightning fast.

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19TedJune 3, 2013 at 3:08 pm

This is the best article on survival hunting I’ve read in a while. Most articles set goals too high while this article is realistic and workable. Well done, I’ll check out your book.

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20JJamesJune 5, 2013 at 8:25 am

Adding little notches into your gig so that an animal that is pierced will not be able to slide off as easily is an improvement to this gig.

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1HalNovember 1, 2012 at 10:32 pm

Yes but you need to be careful with fuel heaters and generators. The exhaust / burnt fuel will produce Carbon Monoxide that can kill just as bad as a storm could. Ventilate your generator and have a fresh air system / vent for your burners.

Camping stoves should be fine if you use them only once and a while.

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2MikeNovember 1, 2012 at 10:51 pm

Zombie Squad (http://zombiehunters.org/index.php) is a good resource for this kind of info, and the forums have a lot of friendly folks offering advice on disaster preparation.

Don’t be fooled by the zombie schtick, either – as they say, if you’re ready for the zombie apocalypse, you’ll be ready for a pesky tornado, hurricane, or other natural disaster.

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3CaseyNovember 2, 2012 at 12:07 am

I enjoyed the action steps. Having that clear concise “do this now" was really helpful.

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4G.M. SchooleyNovember 2, 2012 at 2:01 am

Great article! I have learned much from the folks over at http://www.survivalistboards.com
similar info here!

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5SplashmanNovember 2, 2012 at 4:49 am

Great article, thank you.

I live in the Seattle area, where the only real threat of natural disaster is an earthquake — an unpredictable but no less real threat. I am slowly (as finances allow) working on an emergency stockpile, and this article gave me several good ideas, especially re: fire & cooking.

I’ll second the author’s exhortation to get first-aid training (and I don’t mean only CPR). I took a course through a local community college; it was the best and most useful class I’ve ever taken on any subject. One fringe benefit is that the notion of dealing with a life-threatening injury doesn’t completely freak me out now.

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6Ming BucibeiNovember 2, 2012 at 5:28 am

Beware unverted heaters carry hight risk of CO poisonig as do unvented generators!!

Bulk dried beans, rice and corn, etc…long storage like store in vermin proof containers.

Ming Bucibei

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7MattNovember 2, 2012 at 6:15 am

As a resident of NJ who just recently got power back after Sandy, I only wish this article had been distributed to the rest of the state a few weeks ago. I had/have most of the items on this list handy, and was able to fare a few days power-free with my wife and son without any issue. Neighbors helping anyone who was less prepared is how the rest got through it safely. So many people here believed that a true disaster could never affect them, and now that it has, they are unprepared and confused as to why they aren’t on the top of the list to have their power / water restored. It never ceases to amaze how reliant we are on our utilities and how quickly we crumble without them. Here’s hoping everyone can be this prepared in the future, and makes it safely through this disaster.

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8MattNovember 2, 2012 at 6:22 am

The other consideration may be tools you will need in a long term survival situation. A chainsaw, axe, hatchet, handsaw, etc. can be essential tools to collect firewood or clear fallen trees that present a danger to your shelter. A small toolbox to keep all those heaters, stoves, and generators running is always a good idea as well.

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9NoelNovember 2, 2012 at 6:58 am

Important thing to remember: Make sure you have at least one battery-powered CO (Carbon Monoxide) detector handy before you use ANY of the emergency heat options suggested above. AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS!!
I live in Maine, and every time the power’s out for more than a couple days it seems like there’s an article in the news about somebody who died because their heater pumped their house full of CO, or their house burned down around them, and their detector had no batteries.

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10MNovember 2, 2012 at 7:14 am

Take care with using portable heaters indoors – if not properly vented, they could kill you. Carbon monoxide and other gases can be deadly. Elderly, children, and sick people should be especially careful. Never use camping stoves without fresh air ventilation. Also portable heaters and stoves greatly increase risks of burns and fires. Keep fire extinguishers and first aid kits handy. Be prepared.

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11W. Scott Hannon, Esq.November 2, 2012 at 8:42 am

Your website continues to impress me. At first I thought it might be a bit boy-scout-esque and not very useful, but after following its articles for awhile now, I recommend it to my brothers at my Masons lodge, and continue to peruse it for new ideas I might have missed myself. As a former Marine officer and combat veteran, I can tell you that I know much thought is put into every recommendation you make in all your articles. Young men in this day and age would be well served to read your site and at least think about your recommendations. There is no more stark example of “manliness" than a man being able to survive and thrive under all circumstances – be it dressing appropriately for any situation to being ready for natural and man-made disasters. Keep up the good work!

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12Ben ThompsonNovember 2, 2012 at 9:20 am

Thanks for posting. I thought I was somewhat ready to “bug in" but now I see I am now where near actually being ready. This will be remedied soon.

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13Bruce WilliamsonNovember 2, 2012 at 9:30 am

We don’t have long power outages but we have frequent outages. Usually during strong storms and at night. We use light sticks for lighting areas like the bathroom. Your eyes adjust to the darkness and become sensitive enough that the light from one stick will enable you to see well enough to move around a room.

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14JTNovember 2, 2012 at 9:35 am

Very good article.

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15ChrisNovember 2, 2012 at 9:54 am

Good information. I started “Prepping" about 4 years ago. In both of my “Bug out bags" is a copy of the FM 21-76 ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL. Here is the link to the free manual:
http://www.ar15.com/content/manuals/FM21-76_SurvivalManual.pdf
Still looking for it on waterproof paper… I’m not saying you should just print this out and relax – you need to have prepared – just as this article describes – but this manual shows you everything from what plants you can and cannot eat to traping techniques to weapons making, first aid, psychological survival (which most people overlook!) and everything else you can imagine. It also contains a ton of information on things you probably did not think of as well. I also thought of my wife and kids when I printed it out, because, although I believe I am prepared, there is a chance something could happen to me and they may have to survive on their own.

Anyway – great article!

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16Iron GhostNovember 2, 2012 at 10:44 am

Good article! Also I have modified regular 220 and 228 model coleman lanterns to run on e10 87 octane gasoline without clogging, instead of coleman fuel (white gas, naptha). They will still run on Coleman as well, and do it allot better. I’ve run 3-4 tanks through each lantern without a hitch so far, where as 1/2 a tank of gasoline would clog the generator in the original design. It’s easy, anyone that wants to know how, give me a shout. Also in freezing conditions, if you loose power, you must turn off the water to your building/house, and open a faucet outside and let the pipes drain, otherwise when it warms up the next day or a few days later, you’ll be flooded by broken pipes.

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17CherylNovember 2, 2012 at 11:04 am

As always, EXCELLENT info, Creek. Good refresher ‘course’, plus reminds me of things I need to update in my preps. Shared with my loved ones.

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18Ryan GrimmNovember 2, 2012 at 11:05 am

Some Caveats:
Kerosene heaters are illegal in Massachusetts. Just sayin’…that ‘Kleen-Heat’ is the best if not cheapest fuel…odorless, and also great for oil lamps….see more below on lamp fuels.

That little propane heater can be adapted to run on 20 or 100 pound bulk tanks. Not to mention, a hell of a lot cheaper to operate…

Oil lamps are a safe and bright alternative for both light AND heat. Use the aforementioned Kleen-Heat for fuel…and the best lamp, albeit priciy initially, is an ALADDIN oil lamp…get spare mantles, one spare wick, and a spare chimney or two.
TWO GREAT sites for oil lamp info and parts are:
http://www.milesstair.com/
They have the most info on wicks, and the best selection.
Also see what they have related to Tubular Wick lamps and fuels….you’d be surprised.

http://www.oillampparts.com/
Another great source of parts and advice.

I restore and sell oil lamps…sorry, no web page up yet.

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19GaryNovember 2, 2012 at 11:17 am

We keep an emergency cash fund on site-all small bills. Cash is still king when disasters hit.

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20RichardNovember 2, 2012 at 11:22 am

To your supplies I recommend add some tarps of plastic sheeting. Many of the natural disaster that would require you to bug-in could involve high winds or ground movement both could affect your structure. For a broken window or damage to your roof a sheet of plastic or tarp comes in very handy. I keep 3 8×10 traps and a larger 20×40. A positive mind set .. think of it as camping and enjoy.

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21ShanonNovember 2, 2012 at 11:34 am

I’m mostly prepared and am grateful for your posts. I wanted to bring up a few things I didn’t see mentioned. Stock up on dry beans and peas. These are cheap and easy and store for years. Don’t count on being able to hunt for food. Game animals get scarce. After the mine closed in Leadville CO, hungry miners ate all the available game in just a few months and deer, elk, etc. took years to return. The last thing I want to mention is to build a simple solar water purifier to purify saltwater or silty, river or creek water. I’ve seen them in action and a 1 1/2 ft by 8ft purifier can produce gallons of clean water on a sunny day. I did a quick search for a link, there are few methods, but none that I like as much as the one I have in mind. I’ll see what I can find later to share.
Thanks again for your dedicated work. Hope this helps.

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22Mike KeyNovember 2, 2012 at 12:36 pm

Great article and timely advice considering all the horribly unprepared people who are now starving and without power or fuel in NY.

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23DavidNovember 2, 2012 at 12:44 pm

Would there be carbon monoxide concerns with those kerosene heaters when used indoors?

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24MikeNovember 2, 2012 at 1:01 pm

Do not forget, if you are using any type of open flame to heat indoors you need to consider ventilation to prevent a potentially lethal situation. Kerosene and propane heaters are great- but they need a cracked window or some type of air exchange or you will eventually smother yourself. Properly installed fireplaces and wood stoves are vented by design.

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25bigWOWONovember 2, 2012 at 1:32 pm

Creek,

I enjoyed your blog post.

One thing I would say though–not for me, but for other people–is that some of the solutions above, especially those for cooking food, should be explicitly and conspicuously marked with a big warning: “OUTDOOR USE ONLY" I unfortunately have read of too many people barbecuing indoors, only to succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning.

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26John WaldronNovember 2, 2012 at 2:07 pm

GREAT article! As an Eagle Scout and US military vet, I would like to add one thing. The BEST survival tool in the world is your MIND and the ATTITUDE that you MUST have to survive.

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27Bill GNovember 2, 2012 at 3:21 pm

Excellent article. My two cents: You evacuate when you are told to evacuate. You prepare when you are told to prepare. Hurricane Sandy (and last year’s Irene) has taught me (I live in NJ) one important lesson – even though you’ve “prepped", don’t wait till you are down to your last bottle of water, can of beans, or gallon of gas to work on getting more. All of these things are available – but everyone waits till they’re desperate then PANIC.

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28Mike Y.November 2, 2012 at 3:30 pm

Great article! I follow most of these advice already. My skills were put to the test here in North East. We had no power for 3 days.

I will second the other Mike. Zombie Squad forum is very much in line with this blog. You can get a ton of additional information on the topic there.
http://zombiehunters.org/forum/

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29RobNovember 2, 2012 at 3:40 pm

One thing I think should be included in disaster/ apocalypse/ bug out prep is Liquor! Some cheap scotch or whiskey has many uses that people don’t really think about. In dire situations it can disinfect wounds, you can use it to cook, use it for trade(in cases of the apocalypse), use it to help yourself sleep, help keep you warm, etc…

I am open to critique! Let me know what you guys think!

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30PracticeNovember 2, 2012 at 3:46 pm

Just noticed that “Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit" by Creek Stewart is part of this month’s Amazon’s collection of 100 Kindle books for $3.99 or less.

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31Keegan Elliot FonteNovember 2, 2012 at 4:09 pm

I would really like to see a link to an article written about canning if that is the way that we decide to go for food storage. I live in NYC and belong to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which delivers organic vegetables weekly. I never seem to be able to eat all of them before the next delivery(although my girlfriend and I try REALLY hard to do so) and I would love to can the leftovers in the meantime. Any suggestions Brett?

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32GratefulPrepperNovember 2, 2012 at 5:27 pm

Regarding your deep FREEZERS… I have stored gallon jugs of drinking water in the freezer so that in the event of a power outage, I can move these jugs around in there to keep things cool at least for a little while, or even use them in a cooler to temporarily keep meats and such. When the jugs thaw, they will provide us with gallons of pure drinking water. I agree we need to begin consuming what is in the freezer and only use it for short term storage. I have taken to thawing out the vegetables, draining them, then dehydrating them. Since they are already blanched before they were frozen, it is an easy task which is helping to reduce the inventory in our freezer.

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33Patrick BuechnerNovember 2, 2012 at 5:35 pm

Because we live in the San Francisco Bay area, we’re concerned with the water and SEWAGE system being offline in a big quake. So I would add an emergency toilet to the list. You can find toilet seat attachments for 5 gallon drums online. Add strong plastic bags and sawdust or kitty litter.

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34Chris ThompsonNovember 2, 2012 at 7:32 pm

Good article. I would like to add Cyalume brand glowsticks to the list. They have no flame, and are non-toxic. We snapped two each night this past week after Sandy knocked out our power. One went to bed with our five year old son. The other was placed in the hallway of our house. They provided more than enough light to navigate by.

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35DebbieNovember 2, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Great Article. In light of the country’s recent natural disaster hopefully people are realizing that we all need some type of emergency or survival kits. Every house hold in America should have on a minimum one 72 hour kit per person in their household. When this task is done each family should store enough water for a week and at least 2 weeks to 3 months worth of food to survive on.

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36Erin GraceNovember 3, 2012 at 12:53 am

Great article as always, Creek! Although it’s slow going, I’ve been working on both Bug-Out and Bug-In solutions since your BoB article last year, and I’m proud to say that I’ve amassed reasonable kits for both! Although it’s slow going if you want to do it cheap, it’s worth it for the peace of mind.

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37BradleyNovember 3, 2012 at 7:19 am

@ Rob, re: Liquor.
Rob, my uncle is a retired Army Col., and a serious prepper. I trust his advice. He says that liquor will be a top currency in any serious disaster since it’ll pull double duty as a moral booster and an antiseptic. You’re spot on!

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38KateNovember 3, 2012 at 7:20 am

@Keegan Elliot Fonte: One great canning site I recommend is http://www.foodinjars.com/ From there you’ll find lots of great ideas as wellas links to other sites. Happy canning!

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39BradleyNovember 3, 2012 at 7:20 am

Oops! I meant morale booster. I don’t know if alcohol has ever been a moral booster. My bad.

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40J SNovember 3, 2012 at 8:14 am

Standard water jugs, like the one gallon ‘milk’ jug and the rectangular countertop 2.5 gallon containers often don’t last a year before they spring a leak and empty themselves. So keep watch of them to ensure you have the water you think you do .. and don’t store them over top of your dried goods.

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41Native SonNovember 3, 2012 at 10:00 am

A couple of cationary notes on the kerosene & propane heaters and the gasoline fueled generators.
Virtually every kerosene and propane heater I’ve seen is clearly labelled “not for indoor use" because of the carbon monoxide threat.
Gasoline generators have two issues. First you have to keep the exhaust out of the living space. A recent news article reported some folks had been killed by the carbon monoxide from their generator. They’d put the thing out in their garage and run it there. Unfortunately, the garage had some vent connection with the house (per the article, they were separated by a breezeway) and the CO got into the house, apparently via the attic.
Second, modern gasoline is quite iffy concerning “shelf life" in the mall quantities one would have on hand for a week or two’sworth of running the generator. Also, the stuff is ntorious (at least in California) for gumming up small engine carburettors to the point of the engine not running. Not the best thing to discover when you need the generator. Although fuel stablizer helps, the local small engine repair shop advises not storing gasoline longer than two weeks. Their advice is after that, put it in the car, and refill the gas can with fresh fuel. quantitiesbeyond

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42SteveNovember 3, 2012 at 1:05 pm

Just a reminder that almost everyone has a ready-made generator–your car.
You can buy an inverter cable kit for about $50-60 that plugs into your cigaret lighter and gives AC output. That, along with an extension cord can provide power for some basic items.

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43Ray SalomoneNovember 3, 2012 at 5:09 pm

I’m a former special ops soldier who just made it through the hurricane. We live on the Hudson River. I made the decision to stay where we were based on my experience and all available info. But I monitored the situation closely and had a Plan B and C and D ready to roll.

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44MartinNovember 3, 2012 at 6:41 pm

Thank you for the great article!
May I suggest a German made Fissler pressure cooker? This is not for canning, but for cooking. Stainless Steel!
Gets to steam fast; after that, tiny heat under it is all you need. Great for meats, grains, and veggies. Highly efficient use of fuel, and perfect for rocket stove.

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45CraigNovember 3, 2012 at 9:44 pm

Good article but incomplete. As I prepare I focus on these 12 items (not necessarily in this order):

1. Cash or bartering assets
2. Security
3. Housing
4. Heat/cooling
5. Water
6. Food
7. Garbage
8. Sewage
9. Health Care
10. Transportation
11. Communication
12. Power

Most of these were covered well. It would be nice to see a write up on the others.

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46NicoleKNovember 4, 2012 at 2:39 am

Why don’t American homes, as a rule, not have functional shutters? I live in Switzerland and almost all the homes have them, either the ones that close over your window like a door and hook shut, or the ones that roll down like blinds. They keep in heat, and keep out burglars. Many families close all the shutters every night. We shutter rooms like the guest room when we don’t have guests to save heat.

Forget blanketing your windows. Consider getting shutters. Real ones.

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47Rob KNovember 4, 2012 at 8:11 pm

Great article. A couple of notes. Many of us live south of the Mason-Dixon line. Heat, not cold is the problem. Tarps for roof repair can also be shade outside a badly damaged house. A family sized tent allows you to bug out as far as your own yard if the house is unsafe (or just too hot)

Besides water, sports drinks are not that costly, take up the same amount of space, and provide much needed nutrients when working in the heat.

Our gas grille (bought after Katrina) has a side burner that makes it much more useful, think coffee, scrambled eggs, boiling water, soups, etc

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48NancyNovember 4, 2012 at 8:53 pm

You can also bring your solar pathway lights indoors to light up the house at night and recharge during the day (if the sun shines, that is)

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49J. DelancyNovember 4, 2012 at 9:27 pm

Good article but it missed a really important item. Radio.
Here in The Bahamas we still depend on a National Radio Station to give us updates on the movement of storms, how powerful they are and the ‘all clear’. Even though the government can’t get to us during times of emergency they can keep us informed. I’m sure that is the case in most parts of the world.

Get a AM/FM radio.

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50JonnyNovember 4, 2012 at 10:49 pm

http://www.emergencyfoodstorage.co.uk if you’re in the UK or Europe.

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51Jonny GibaudNovember 4, 2012 at 10:55 pm

http://www.emergencyfoodstorage.co.uk if you are in the UK or Europe.

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52CDSNovember 5, 2012 at 8:53 am

One step my family also takes is to fill the bathtubs with water so that we can still have a modicum of toilet functionality if the water lines leading to the house stop flowing.

We also use GratefulPrepper’s freezing ice technique on a smaller scale and use ice in sandwich bags or frozen water bottles to help keep the freezer and refrigerator as cool as we can. Having small bags of ice means that we can remove it in small amounts if necessary after going to the store. (Our main threat is hurricanes, so we usually have time to prepare both generally for the season and for a specific storm.)

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53Kevin T.November 5, 2012 at 10:16 am

I’d also add to the list a section on communications. Having a solar or hand cranked Am/FM/Weather radio is a must. I would also consider adding a CB / Ham radio to the mix as well.

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54DennisNovember 5, 2012 at 11:20 am

I have a propane indoor heater. It has 2 safety features. One is if the heater falls over, it will shut off automatically and the other if it detects too little oxygen. I used it during Sandy when our power was out and it heated my living room and dining room area 4 degrees in 2 hours. I also purchased a unit which fills your small canisters of propane from your 20lb tank. It cost about 20.00 but I could not get the small canisters at any of the usual home hardware stores or sporting good stores.

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55LexingtonNCNovember 6, 2012 at 12:28 am

Drying food is one way to stockpile shelf-stable food.

My wife was pretty excited tonight when she nibbled some 7 year old apple sections we had in the cupboard. Amazed, actually. Fruits, vegetables, meats, soups and snacks can all be dried years in advance of need and are unaffected by heat (if you can take it, they can take it), cold, loss of power.

Dried food is also 1) nutritious, 2) calorie dense (important when under stress) and lightweight — in case your plans to bug-in don’t work out.

Drying is not some sort of magic wand, but it is a very worthwhile arrow in your preparedness quiver.

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56Jude MontarsiNovember 6, 2012 at 3:22 am

Very well written and illustrated page. “Survival for Dummies". Useful primer, good product suggestions and links.

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57EdohausNovember 6, 2012 at 5:37 am

Seen Doom’s day preppers on Discovery Channel, what bothers me more is that not all people have their own houses. Some live in apartment buildings. Guys have any idea for this type of scenario?

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58WhoWuddaThunkItNovember 6, 2012 at 10:24 am

Good Article, I would like to follow up with a few added suggestions and cautions.

Burning a candle in a car, seems creative, but can also deplete oxygen in the car as well as it is an open flame and be sure not to fall asleep.. or occasionally open a window for fresh air and let out the moisture. Wet and cold is not good.

The Freeze Dried Food WISE Brand is nasty tasting, so buy some samples before buying in bulk. I recommend Mt House for sure. Its excellent. Wise food contains a lot of salt, some as much as 300% of the daily intake so if you want a heart attack, then sure buy WISE. LOL MRE’s are good, but weigh more than MT House if you need to carry food out for a bug out.

For canned and other food storage, write the expiration date in large bold print like with a Sharpie on the item like the top of the can. Like 9/16.. Thus insures proper rotation and keep food categories according to date, not by type so you eat the soon to expire food first.

RE: Household Bleach to purify water – Clorox has many varieties, and I suggest the COLD WATER Bleach as it has the right amount of (4-6% sodium hypochlorite) Many of the other types do not have this percentage of NA HCL.

In your bug out bag, keep a Paper list of phone numbers, as your cell phone battery may die and many people cannot remember a phone number like in the old days when we dialed. Also keep a PAPER Country map of your area, if you need to bug out or go in search of an alternative water source; Ponds creeks, rivers etc.

For Self Defense – Forget 911 – it already takes 15 mins to an hour for them to arrive to take a report after the fact, take care of Biz yourself. Stock up on heavy duty trashbags, rubber gloves, bleach and a shovel to dispose of the debris.

Collecting and storing rain water to use as Toilet flushing is perfect, and can be used as a back up for drinking water with some COLD Water Bleach sanitizing.

Good Luck out there everyone!!

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59Jason B.November 6, 2012 at 10:39 am

Three days before the hurricane, I went to the grocery store and saw people buying all the water and bread off the shelves. I went not to purchase food but just to watch the craziness. The lines were tremendous. My wife and I are from GA and live in DC. We’ve been days without power on many occasions and know how to get through. After hearing about a lady who bought multiple gallons of water so her family could take a shower, I decided to make this video to help people get in the right frame of mind.

http://youtu.be/vhrDhkEPzn0

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60cherrylNovember 6, 2012 at 11:50 am

My emergency supplies keep getting raided
( mostly by my husband). So instead of tarps, I bought a bunch of pink shower curtain liners from the dollar store. Pink twine and rope as well. The dollar store is a great resource.

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61QuigathNovember 6, 2012 at 12:17 pm

That’s a little overkill on storing water in 2-liter bottles. Not the amount, just the method. If they’ve been properly sanitized as described, and filled with municipal water that’s been chlorinated already, 2-liter water bottles should last in a dark place for 3-5 years not just 1 year, without needing to be changed. You only need to change the water if it gets algae or bacteria. Also, everything’s been sterilized previously so you don’t need to add bleach to each bottle, spare your body the toxicity bad taste when you eventually need to drink that stuff.

I like the ideas for fire and using a wood stove or backyard fire pit. I saw an instruction for a diy rocket stove recently (there are many).

For home defense last year I cut 1″x1.5″ wood sticks to block all sliding windows. I also painted them white to match the window frames.
Anyone have recommendations for “Exterior motion lights (solar-powered) – front and back."? I bought one from Lowes last year for $50 but took it back before installing; it seemed too cheap to do the job.

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62hbgNovember 6, 2012 at 8:17 pm

Great idea in regards to the toilet. How many people have bought homebrew beer kits, and no longer use them?

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63RobNovember 7, 2012 at 7:17 pm

Something else I found looking into MRE’s and stuff are these survival tabs. Apparently you can survive for a month or two just eating 12 tabs a day provided you have water.

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64HughNovember 7, 2012 at 8:48 pm

Great article! One suggestion, though: a good AF/FM radio, preferably with a hand-cranking option, and/or spare batteries. Also, a back-up battery (or 2) for your cell phone.

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65frank gucciardoNovember 8, 2012 at 9:22 am

I am living in the middle of Sandy here on Long Island and have been traveling into the hardest hit area where whole blocks have burned to the ground because of a blown transformer. 99.9% of Long Island was not prepared in any shape…we just got 6″ of snow last night and the power is still off in the hardest hit sections.. Flat out bad deal.

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66frank gucciardoNovember 8, 2012 at 9:26 am

I should say that I have been traveling into the hardest hit areas with my Church to help those folks who don’t see any hope. Cleaning up, encouraging…doing our part as Americans and doing our part as the Church.

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67AlanNovember 11, 2012 at 9:26 pm

“A 55-gallon rain barrel used to collect water from your gutters is really easy to install and only costs about $100. You can make your own for even cheaper."

Warning — if you collect rainwater from your roof, etc. be aware that the water being produced is not immediately usable for drinking, even if filtered to remove the “big chunks".

Remember that many types of animals leave droppings on your roof and by collecting water into a large, often warm in the summer, dark collection point, you are creating a incubator for bacteria, mold and parasites.

Be careful.

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68habibNovember 13, 2012 at 2:52 am

Does anyone have any recommendations on a Solar powered motion light that actually works decently well.

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69RichardNovember 19, 2012 at 3:24 pm

(not the Richard of Post #20)

Funny how I’m reminded of all the Civil Defense films and preparedness drills of the 50s… maybe it’s time to revive them?

Anyway, do not under any circumstances forget a manual can opener! All the canned foods in the world can’t help you if you don’t have power for your electric can opener…

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70ValNovember 19, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Having read this article and the Bug-Out Bag article, I would be interested to read a piece on preparedness specifically geared towards families. Like what kind of equipment you might need if you’ve got kids with you and how to prepare children to be safe and helpful in an emergency. The burden mostly falls on Dad, it seems, but some guidelines on getting the entire family ready would be a great read.

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71ETNovember 25, 2012 at 5:18 pm

Violent crimes increase during large-scale disasters.

Do you have stats to back this claim up? What happened with Sandy?

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72StevenNovember 27, 2012 at 11:57 am

This is important information. As a Californian, we’re always reminded to have preparations ready for “the big one."

But I’m just wondering one thing. The author is suggesting we should build up our supplies to last over a full year. What kind of emergency is the author preparing for? Even in Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world with a barely operating government, didn’t need a full year’s supply of goods after the entire nation collapsed after the earthquake.

It seems overboard to prepare for more than a couple months, and then only in climates that would be shut off for a few months from the outside world.

Unless you really are preparing for a zombie apocalypse, a year seems too long. And if it is a zombie apocalypse,a year is too short.

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73RenaDecember 1, 2012 at 4:39 pm

thanks for showing the photo of one of your storage shelves. You’re right, a pantry doesn’t have to look like the well organized grocery store shelf, and now I can quit telling myself that I must re-organize the cellar asap.
I’d also like to comment on the lady who purchased the pink shower curtain liners so that her husband will stay out of her stash. A flimsy shower curtain liner from the dollar store is a far cry from a good tarp or heavy plastic sheeting.
On a different note, have you thought about challenging your readers to put their preparedness to the test? My husband and I (the teens are not as willing) are getting ready to challenge ourselves with a 48 hour grid-down weekend. We’ll shut it all off on Friday after work and learn where we’re lacking. I’m sure we will have a long list of to-do’s afterward.

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74Kristi JDecember 3, 2012 at 3:29 am

@Steven…Disaster doesn’t always mean a storm or quake or flooding, etc. It could also mean a personal or financial disaster where one loses their job, etc. I know of several people in my church who have been through this and the year’s worth of preparations were quite the blessing for them as they did not want to be dependent on any one else for help.

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75Greg MDecember 5, 2012 at 8:03 pm

Please also keep in mind legalities in your preps. For example, the pic above shows prescriptions in plain bags. In some states, it’s required that you keep prescriptions in the pharmacy bottles marked with the physician’s name and person who it’s prescribed to. In the same sense of keeping things marked, keep your concealed carry permit, ID’s, ALL account numbers (we needed our Verizon FIOS, LIPA and insurance policy numbers for Sandy) should also be handy.

And be ready to chase people out of your neighborhood. I had to do this with a guy casing the block’s generators.

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76GreatAmericanRedoubtDecember 6, 2012 at 2:26 pm

Great artical ……if you live 50+ miles away from the smallest town in your county.
Realistically, in a grid down situation after the stores are all looted, and unprepared people (97% of the population) your odds of survival “bugging in" depleat drastically, as each hour passes.

I am your neighbor whom you randomly wave to on occasion. You do not know me.
I own guns. My wife is addicted to pain killers, i drink, my kids drink and smoke pot. So do my friends. We pay our house payment, buy cars, have a 401k..and a little money in the bank.
We are aware that something is going to happen. So we bought some bottled water and top ramen just is case.

One week after grid down, most of my friends have come to stay at my house and brought what little they had with them…..including guns and ammo.

Three weeks after grid down. I am out of food. My wife is in withdrawls the kids are driving me crazy. I am out of food, water….and dying for a drink and cigarette …..
Getting mad and hungry….me and my armed friends decide to go hunting….something we never have done before…..not knowing where to go and not realizing that every other real hunter has desimated the local populations of deer and elk and other small game….after two days of looking, Our group of six make adults. Admits the truth. Were screwed …..really were are
…knowing the women are at home trying to tend to the childrens needs….with nothing….were even more screwed….."hey….its the rich peoples fault"…
Isnt it?….one of our group proclaimed….yeah…..everyone is hungry…wants some booze and decided that the rich people can spare some food….booze and some pain killers…..its there fault that this all happened…..and that is how simple it could start…next thing you know….we are a group of cunning, non-caring , no remorse, group of men, looting…..killing…..raping….house to house…burning you out….taking what you have….because we are entitled too it……right….

STILL WANT TO BUG IN?

If I had to…..say during the dead of winter…..I would consider it only as a last resort.
Otherwise i would want to stay as far away from the hordes of looters as I could..

This is all food for thought.

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77StephanieDecember 6, 2012 at 2:40 pm

To the author, Where in Indiana do you live? I am in Valpo on a up and coming permaculture farm.

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78ScottDecember 13, 2012 at 7:58 pm

I’d love to know where the author can find a kerosene heater “for just over $100″. The model in the picture is three hundred, and the cheapest I’ve found is $250.

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79MJDecember 19, 2012 at 12:47 pm

Excellent article. The best time to buy a kerosene heater is in the spring. I would add quality candles to your list. We lost power for 27 hours one summer and got by very well with long lasting candles.

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80Weldon H. MetalDecember 26, 2012 at 11:56 pm

@GreatAmericanRedoubt…If there are enough “real" hunters in your area to clear out all the local game then your merry band probably wouldn’t maraud for very long.

Watch CO levels with indoor heaters and never use charcoal to heat a closed space.

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81JoJanuary 5, 2013 at 12:25 pm

Perhaps invest in this new technology, “Gravity Lights" and then everyone can have kerosene free lighting, and ways to re-charge their batteries.
http://vimeo.com/53588182

Also, I see no one has mentioned having cigarettes as barter goods. This was the defacto “currency" on the black market after WW2.

No one has mentioned having solar panels heating their water, or ways to use grey water for their toilets? What about bikes to generate electricity. Find yourself an old copy of Mother Earth news for self-sufficiency ideas.

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82Zachery J.January 6, 2013 at 1:37 am

I liked the article, my only concern is people adding bleach to their water.

Most municipal and rural water systems add chlorine to their water. Most state require a chlorine residual of 0.5 mg/L (mg per liter) or parts per million. If you use your tap water there is no need to add anymore disinfect to your water. If you are going to add any sodium hypochlorite (bleach) to your water I would highly recommend buying a chlorine test kit. It can be dangerous to add your own bleach. Its very easy to exceed the Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) of chlorine when adding your own bleach. The MCL for chlorine is 4 mg/L.

I tested your instructions with an average size water bottle of 500 mL. I tested with my own municipal water supply, distilled water, and a local well source. To start, I tested the residual of my water samples. I had 2.0 mg/L on my municipal water, and no residual on distilled water or my well water. I placed each sample in a clean 500 mL bottle. I then add 2 drops of 6% bleach to each sample. I then tested each sample. my results were: 6.2 mg/L for my municipal sample; 4.8 mg/L for my distilled sample; and 6.1 mg/L for my well water sample. All my test samples exceed the MCL for chlorine.

I would not recommend adding your who disinfected to your water unless you can test the residual. Their is no need to add any disinfectant to your water if you buy it from a municipality. If you are concerned about the safety of your water, I would recommend buying a water disinfection kit for a camping supply store. An example would be iodine tablets or a filter kit. If you that’s not going to work for you and your have a good source for cooking, then the trusty boil method works: Bring water to a rolling boil for 10 mins. Let cool and then enjoy.

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83JimJanuary 23, 2013 at 2:31 pm

I liked the article but need something cleared up about the water. The article said to change out your water storage once a year. Is this only if you refill soda bottles and have 55 gallon barrels? I hope it doesn’t mean even store bought water bottles. I have just started “being prepared" a few months so I would appreciate your clarity on this. I have read and been told a couple different positions on stored water. How long is store bought bottled water good for?
Thanks JfromPa

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84T1mFebruary 1, 2013 at 10:18 am

As to food… don’t forget variety.
You might get by for a week on the same MRE everyday, but the rest of the pack won’t.
Nothing will get kids sullen and wives miffed quicker than Eating. the. same. thing. day. after. day.

You can spice up the water a bit with things like Kool-aid and other drink powders, and the sugar could be useful, but go easy on it.

In a Grid down/society toes up situation, all your bodies will need to adjust to the sudden change in how you all will be eating.

If the pack is happy, the whole thing will go better.

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85MattFebruary 24, 2013 at 10:46 pm

This was a great article. Most people think of ‘bugging out’ and the main option, but ‘bugging in’ is a way to ride out whatever is happening until more information becomes available. As a private investigator, I’ve learned that information is crucial. I have a somewhat similar setup, although smaller. One five shelf unit contains freeze-dried food and MREs; another contains canned goods and peanut butter and honey(honey doesn’t expire, and pb contains glucose, a good booster if you’re diabetic or have gone long periods without food); and another contains six five gallon jugs of water along with 12 cases of bottled water. I also keep things like batteries, medication, and hygiene items in small storage boxes. I also have a kerosene heater along with a propane heater, and six bags of charcoal. A wood stove is something I’m considering installing, but my wife is iffy about it for now. We live within city limits, and she doesn’t see the need yet.

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86SteveMarch 10, 2013 at 9:16 am

Hal is 100% right. You cannot forget to properly ventilate your generator. The carbon monoxide will kill you. Happened to a fellow ironworker who got drunk and decided to sleep in the shanty. brought the generator in and hooked up a heater, died from the exhaust.

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87jsallisonMarch 27, 2013 at 8:03 pm

two words: toilet paper.

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88BillApril 10, 2013 at 11:02 pm

IMO, for bugging in I’ll use my Coleman 2-burner Dual-Fuel cook stove. I have 3-4 smaller backpacking stoves, but they’re not what I would enjoy cooking on for more than a few meals. Sure the Coleman’s larger, but who cares if you’re not carrying it anywhere? Plus it is way more stable, has 2 burners, and wind screens. What’s not to love?
Plus it uses the same fuel as my lanterns, and my 1-burner Coleman stove. What’s not to love? :)

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89Eavestroughs TorontoApril 18, 2013 at 2:48 am

I think it is the only blog which differentiate the two things it bugging-in and bugging-out.

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90steveMay 2, 2013 at 8:03 pm

Lot of fire making stuff but no fire extinguishers/suppression.

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91celticfiregirlMay 7, 2013 at 9:52 am

This was very helpful. Some good ideas on the food and heat.

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92Heinz DoofensmirtzMay 12, 2013 at 11:50 pm

Hunting and fishing are low on my list as food sources. In an extended crisis, everybody else will have the same idea. Game will be exhausted or scared away quickly. Many of us in the ‘burbs have “pet" deer. Not so as soon as one gets shot. You must be careful with generators. Most make a lot of noise, and that noise carries quite far when everything else is off, and is a magnet for the unprepared. The Honda and Yamaha inverter units are quiet and fuel efficient (I asked my brother how much gas he has to run his 6500W fuel-hog genny–got a blank stare), but quite expensive. I have a Yamaha tri-fuel unit and love it. It makes waaaay less noise than a lawnmower, and could be run in the garage with the exhaust vented out the ridge vent. Kerosene is a good heat source, and is prertty safe to store. Keep your cans full so there in little room for water condensation.

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93DianeMay 15, 2013 at 5:47 pm

I am preparing to take my first lessons in canning and would like to know if anyone here has canned meat that has been frozen? We raise our own hogs and steer for meet, and butcher every year. This year I would like to try to can some of the meat left from last year instead of giving it away like I usually do. (Always tried to help out a neighbor that could use it, but would like to keep some for ourselves.) Our freezer won’t hold it all. Also, I now that if disaster would happen, we could lose a great majority of it without another option. Only thing I would add is about water storage. You need water for more than drinking and food prep. I store non drinking water in everything from vinegar and bleach jugs to empty detergent bottles – suds in. Then I can at least wash off and clean up cooking or eating utensils. Thanks and really enjoyed reading.

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94S27May 28, 2013 at 11:09 pm

Diarrhea medication. Only one website has listed this so far.

Unscented candles, too much perfume is not good for allergies.

Batteries that match your supply of torches, LED candles and Fire Alarms. Check the size and buy a bunch on sale, especially if it’s not a standard size.

Gas bottles to go with your BBQs.

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95JamesAugust 14, 2013 at 9:52 am

Hey man, great post.

One thing that I found is cheap, handy, and portable is a folding bathtub water bladder. Better storage than just “filling the tub", holds 100 gallons, and it’s portable. With a decent filter system and 12v electric pump, if you have to bug out, you can drop it in your trunk or pickup truck bed, or in the cargo area of a large SUV like a Suburban, too.

http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2

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96Victor EasleyAugust 24, 2013 at 1:03 pm

To Grill or BBQ in the city when people are hungry is inviting disaster. That is why dehydrated food and a solar heater to boil water may be the wisest course of action.

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97E.M.September 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm

This is the updated location of the U.S. Army Survival Manual: http://www.ar15.com/content/webPDF/FM21-76_SurvivalManual.pdf.

Good stuff!

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98James KearneySeptember 25, 2013 at 5:49 pm

A very thorough post, and a reminder that it’s not that difficult to prep. Having a solid plan for bugging in is the first step. This is a good as any guide I’ve read on the net.

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1Eric GranataJanuary 9, 2013 at 4:29 pm

Awesome! I came upon Mr. Stewart’s original post just a few weeks ago. A family member had brought me a Shemagh from his travels and I needed to learn how to use it. Was delighted that Willow Haven’s site was at the top of my Google search.

Keep up the good work!

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2AresJanuary 9, 2013 at 4:41 pm

Wearing a shemagh isn’t just useful for protection against weather and the like. It also prevents you from having to do the hot-brass-dance every time you end up being unfortunate to catch a casing in your collar.

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3MattJanuary 9, 2013 at 4:44 pm

Neat!

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4Kyle LJanuary 9, 2013 at 6:15 pm

I work at an airport an the openess of the tarmac allows for some harsh winds especially in our sometimes frigid winter mornings. My shemagh makes for a night and day difference driving around on bag tugs at 4am. I happen to have the same color and print as the one pictured. Much smaller though.

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5ClayJanuary 9, 2013 at 6:38 pm

I love mine! Have taken it on every trip for the past 3 years. It has been a blanket, a pillow, a scarf and a protective wrap for valuables. It proved its usefulness while backpacking last summer on an extremely hot day when I had to cross the top of a mountain ridge. There were no clouds, and no trees as the area had been burned out and resembled a desert. Just dust and sun. We had misjudged our next campside, and ended up having to detour across the ridge to find water. After about 20 minutes of hiking in direct sun, we had used all of our water and were quite dehydrated. The reason desert dwelling people wear full length clothes is to allow their sweat and breath to convex. Long pants, a long shirt and a shemagh allowed me to retain a drastic amount of moisture and while my companions were dehydrated, I was just beginning to feel the effects. These can really be life-savers.

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6PaulJanuary 9, 2013 at 6:53 pm

Very interesting post – thank you.

You say “the shemagh can be a tool with literally hundreds of uses". Perhaps you can do another post where you share some of these with us – I love these sort of multi-use items.

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7StephenJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:22 pm

Practical advise and yet they want you to finish it with a granny knot? (K)not very ‘manly’ if you ask me. Make use of a reef knot instead.

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8OkieRoverJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:30 pm

I bought one of these to use as a scarf during the winter. I wish I’d had them when I was in the Marine Corps.

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9JoshJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:40 pm

Not only protects you from wind, but great for camouflage. If they dont already, the military needs to issuing these.

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10HunterJanuary 9, 2013 at 8:01 pm

I do a fare amount of snowboarding. Would this work for that when paired with a pair of snow goggles or would it leave some skin uncovered?

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11Ben W.January 9, 2013 at 9:22 pm

I should add that if you wore this in a city like Los Angeles or New York that you might get stopped by the police. They tend to think you are up to no hood because your face is covered like that, even if your intentions are to keep the cold out. I know that it’s pretty obvious but I figured I’ll point it out to be safe.

Moving onto a more positive note… Good job on the article! I look forward to new ones that detail the hundreds of uses. The immediate one I have in mind is to soak it in water and wrap it around my neck, useful for when it’s 100+ outside and we are shooting a match.

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12BenJanuary 9, 2013 at 11:33 pm

Living here in Australia, I can tell you all with perfect confidence that it gets hotter than the surface of the sun here. So seeing how to do one of these so that I can learn how to put one on after dousing it in water is absolutely PERFECT for what I need. Heck, if i could figure out how to freeze one and then put it on, I would.

FYI for all Americans out there: the US army comes here to train for the heat in the middle east. Yeah, it gets THAT hot. So if you think you guys have it bad with a heat wave there, you got nothing on Australia.

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13RufusJanuary 10, 2013 at 12:34 am

They’re useful and great items. Unfortunately too many people see wearing one as supporting Palestinians and against Israel. To those who know the colors they are matter more.

Just something to consider.

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14MorgenJanuary 10, 2013 at 1:14 am

My brother-in-law brought one home from Kuwait just before I moved to Idaho. I ended up buying a tightly woven bit of wool fabric the right size and it’s been amazing.

It’d be way too hot once it gets north of 50F, but anything below that it’s great, and once you drop past 0F it’s indispensable.

There’s one modification that I make to the standard tie he showed. If you fold a little bit over and make sure it’s on the inside it tends to slip off the nose less. It’s probably not noticeable with a proper cotton keffiyeh, but it help with the stiffer wool.

As for other uses:

Look up Furoshiki for some really useful ways of improvising a carrying device with a square bit of cloth that just happens to be about the same size as a keffiyeh. There are several basic ties that’ll handle a range of regular to really awkwardly shaped objects.

Another fertile area for alternate uses is first aid: bandage, sling, split, tourniquet, etc.

The last one that comes to mind is that I have a 3 yr old who gets cold much easier than I do. When the wind kicks up unexpectedly I put the triangle folded scarf around her shoulders, cross the ends in the front and tie them (reef knot) a bit looser than snug in the small of her back. This keeps it from falling out, and the cross in the front makes little ‘pockets’ she can tuck her arms in. The wool keeps the wind off her, and really helps her stay comfortable.

I’d say carry one around with you for a week or so, it’s like a knife and three 1 yd bits of cord – if you have a tool, uses for it will just sort of come up.

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15KevinJanuary 10, 2013 at 1:50 am

They make for great scarves too, with a lot of different ways to tie them. With one item, you can look like you belong in a Counter Strike match or a Soho cafe.

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16Rocket JonesJanuary 10, 2013 at 8:03 am

Or you could just use a Buff.

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17The PrepperJanuary 10, 2013 at 8:07 am

Nice! I always wondered what the “correct" way to wear one of these was.

I hadn’t realized that this has been adopted by so many military forces around the world either.

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18J.J. VicarsJanuary 10, 2013 at 8:24 am

Drape one with skulls printed on it around your neck and you’ll have the Keith Richards look down.

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19JoshuaJanuary 10, 2013 at 8:27 am

The pictures from all different sides are very much appreciated here, makes it easier to understand. I do agree with other posters about hearing some of the uses you or others have come up for one.

P.S. to Ben W. I’ve found that if you keep it losely around your neck and about ear height like a rather thick or fluffed scarf you can get away with wearing one in even the largest city or past the most stop happy officer.

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20ConnerJanuary 10, 2013 at 9:26 am

On the source site, you mention that it could be used as a makeshift backpack. Does that mean just holding it like a sack, or is there a way to tie one that keeps it on your back without having to use your hands?

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21Pastor JoshuaJanuary 10, 2013 at 10:10 am

This is one of the many things I learned at Creek’s “Survivacation." I recommend it to any man willing to stretch himself by learning the basic techniques to survive in the wild. I wear my shemagh everyday as either a scarf or as a face mask when I am sledding with my kids on Hines Drive outside of Detroit.

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22ChristianJanuary 10, 2013 at 11:41 am

As a new dad, found that my old shemagh works great as a baby swaddler too. The method Creek shows is very similar to how we wrap the boy up before putting him to bed.

Have to remember to wash it before I wear it again, though- sometimes his bowel contents act as a liquid breaching tool through Pampers.

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23TimJanuary 10, 2013 at 12:48 pm

An earlier poster wanted some other ways this innovative item can be used. When I was in the army back in the 80′s, we used our t-shirts modified for the same use, but here are some other ways to use the shemagh: water strainer, hammock, belt, saddle bag, tournequet, sling, strangler, rope, smoke signal, wind sock, wash cloth, hand climbing protector, harness, bandage, headrest on hard surfaces, sponge, reins, cover, undergarment, windshield cleaner, heat shield. That’s twenty just to get your creative juices going.

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24TonyJanuary 10, 2013 at 2:41 pm

I have two keffiyehs that I bought in the Middle East, one in Israel, and the other in Jordan. One is a red checked pattern on white, and the other is black checked. Unfortunately, as expected, one is often given the stink eye when wearing one of these in public.

They are totally awesome for wearing in the summertime, as the cotton fabric breathes yet keeps the sun off your skin. In wintertime, they are nice and snug, and keep the wind out of the ears. Now if I could just convince the local rednecks from trying to shoot at me when I wear one.

(By the way, I sometimes wear mine with the agal if I am not trying to keep my face covered so closely.)

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25SaudiJanuary 11, 2013 at 8:11 am

I am a saudi and the badu invented the shumagh its much much harder and it needs a specific way to be ironed and folded but its okay to do this

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26DenisParisJanuary 11, 2013 at 11:11 am

@ Hunter “I do a fare amount of snowboarding. Would this work for that when paired with a pair of snow goggles or would it leave some skin uncovered?"…

… Wear one in the wrong place and you’ll do a fair amount of waterboarding :-)

Joke aside, there is another manly oriental/military alternative to the keffiyeh : the chèche or tagelmust. French elite troops with a Saharan history still use it.

First link : a retired Legionnaire wears his chèche “leisurely". Second link : a Spahi wears his “professionnally" during the first Gulf War.

http://www.maison-legionnaire.com/modules/actualite_seule.php?id=918&block=2&titre=cheche

http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickpeccatte/6923821726/

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27dfolandJanuary 12, 2013 at 12:03 am

we use to use them to keep the flies off in a guard tower ( there was no other escape) if you dunk them in water the wind cools you down and the bugs stay off

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28HunterJanuary 12, 2013 at 2:43 pm

@ DenisParis- Where can I buy a chèche? And I like the way it looks, but it also sort of looks like I might be viewed as a terrorist or something. I am not trying to be stereotypical myself, but hey, this is America. Anyone else’s opinions on other people’s opinions who might think it is unacceptable?

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29DenisParisJanuary 13, 2013 at 6:36 pm

@ Hunter – If you’re interested mostly in the ethnic/cultural aspects try
http://www.ethnicembellishments.com/Tuareg-Scarves_c_7.html
- if it’s a “fashion" thing try
http://yhst-64477706453472.stores.yahoo.net/motudeves.html
- and it it’s a military thing try
http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B009OEVAH0/ref=asc_df_B009OEVAH011461859/?tag=hydra08-21&creative=22710&creativeASIN=B009OEVAH0&linkCode=asn&hvpos=2o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3718913602023949120&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=

Personnally I couldn’t touch a keffyeh as people wearing them in France are 1° 2nd-generation Muslim immigrants who are basically “would-be Palestinians" 2° leftist activists (Trotskyites, anarchists, etc) 3° neo-Nazis, and none of those people are precisely role-models for me :-) On the other hand, chèche/tagelmust (I’m leaving aside girls using them as fashion accessories) are used by young white conservative Christian males from the well-heeled parts of Paris, or by authentic soldiers. Hence my (obvious) preference. But let’s be clear : Westerners wearing a chèche in a Western context, do it “leisurely", not “professionnally" (cf my previous post). I can’t imagine anyone associating a chèche used in that way, to terrorism. Even in America.

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30Mountain Evan ChangJanuary 14, 2013 at 5:26 pm

Who knew hipsters were wearing something so practical…

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31MatthewJanuary 15, 2013 at 2:55 am

I have to say, the Kefiyah looks really stylish and can you look awesome, male or female, if you wear one. Obviously the Kefiyah is just a piece of clothing, but the big problem I would have wearing one is they make everybody who wears one look like a Palestinian activist. Obviously if I was visiting the Middle East, I would do as the Romans do and just wear one if I wanted to dress like a local, in a hot desert climate, but they just seem so inherently political…

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32Daniel KimJanuary 18, 2013 at 5:40 pm

If it is adjusted properly, it can serve as a set of blinders to cut out peripheral vision. That, and the tendency to muffle ambient sound, can make this an accessory to enforce work focus.
Joke? No. I used to do this kind of thing with a towel when I was in college. I called it the “turban of focus", and it made me look like a complete fool. Still, I could keep at my studies when I had it on.

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33GreydogJanuary 18, 2013 at 7:21 pm

Good post. I hadn’t concieved of the general usefulness of such a piece. In times past, the Scots wore long wool cloth wraps that served many purposes, though they were not so much head wraps as body wraps.

DenisParis, how are the longer Taureg scarves or the French soldier type wrapped/tied? They have much more cloth, and look different when worn.

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34CTJanuary 22, 2013 at 7:49 am

Great. Now all we need is an article on how to ululate.

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35Grant SchooleyJanuary 24, 2013 at 4:38 pm

Thanks for the tutorial Creek. I work on a farm in Montana and will be working on a fruit orchard in California this summer. I am pale skinned and will use this over the summer to help prevent sun damage :-). Cheers!

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36Ian SJanuary 25, 2013 at 7:51 am

If you don’t have a 3×3′ piece of cloth then try this…

T-shirt Ninja Mask
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAZ7fB8PJk4

Not exactly the same thing but pretty close IMO.

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37FlynnMarch 16, 2013 at 6:51 pm

@ Eric This dance?: http://terminallance.com/2012/10/23/terminal-lance-231-the-dance-of-our-people/

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38stanApril 1, 2013 at 3:02 pm

When I was in the sandbox I never could bring myself to wear the same headgear as those who were shooting at me. I always just wore two big bandanas, one over my mouth and one as a do rag. Just me.

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39SoniaApril 26, 2013 at 2:01 pm

Great tutorial… thanks for sharing it!

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40JTMay 24, 2013 at 8:58 am

First tried one of these about 10 years ago as protection from the sun here in SE Arizona. Amazing that it kept me cool in searing 100+ degree desert temps.

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41emtdragon383October 13, 2013 at 4:52 pm

Love mine I work offshore and it keeps the sun off when I work the deck of the boat for hours chipping and painting.

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