For The Survival Homestead. Something to consider.

For The Survival Homestead.  Something to consider.

Many of the old crafts & skills have been forgotten, & for the most part are only used in 18^th century Living History. Skills such as spinning & weaving are often restricted to use in special interest groups & few ordinary common people posses the skills of a tailor or dressmaker. Yet in a long term survival situation, these are the very crafts & skills that will be required if society is not to sink to the level of stone age living.

Modern technology is good providing it is sustainable or renewable. Modern medicine is seen as being indispensable, but even this technology will not last for ever in a long term survival situation. Traditional remedies & herbal medicines may yet save the day, IF we have that knowledge!

The modern homestead has many electrical & motorised items to help with the day to day work, both in the kitchen & outside. But in a long term survival situation, these items may no longer be of any use, unless you are already off the grid using alternate power or have a means of converting modern equipment to manual operation. Here then are some items you may not have but may be useful post SHTF.

·      Felling axes.

·      Half axe.

·      Hatchet or tomahawk.

·      Scythe.

·      Sickle.

·      Sledge hammer.

·      Picket driver.

·      Post hole shovel.

·      Mattock.

·      Pickaxe.

·      Crosscut saw.

·      Block buster.

·      Fencing wire & strainers.

·      Fencing pliers.

·      Horse hoof rasp for making stails & helves.

·      A good supply of nails in a variety of sizes.

·      A good supply of various tools for metalworking & woodworking.

·      Basic leatherworking tools, nothing fancy. Linen thread, awl, scissors, knife, palm pad (which you can make).

·      Spinning wheel.

·      Table loom.

·      Inkle loom.

·      Butcher & skinning knives.

·      A good whetstone.

·      A grinding stone.

·      A bench vice or post vice.

·      An anvil or a piece of railway rail.

·      Any blacksmithing tools you can get your hands on.

·      Mortar & pestle.

·      Glass & or ceramic cooking vessels.

Useful Skills.

·      Spinning.

·      Weaving.

·      Tailoring/Dressmaking.

·      Metalworking.

·      Blacksmithing.

·      Carpentry.

·      Stail & helve making.

·      Sewing.

·      Knitting.

·      Button making.

·      Making cordage.

·      Gardening.

·      Hide tanning/Brain tanning.

·      Knowledge of herbal medicine & production.

Can you think of any I have missed? (equipment or skills).