Guns:
For many survivalist, the first thing they want to do is to go out
and buy some guns and a bunch of ammunition. As a teenager, I wouldn't
suggest this. First of all, most of us have a limited income and there
are other things that are much more important for us to spend time and
money on, including food, water and first aid supplies. Also, for most
of us, obtaining guns would involve breaking the law. DO NOT BREAK THE
LAW TO GET A GUN! There are other ways to get the experience/supplies that
you need. If you are lucky, try to get your parents to get you a gun, LEGALLY,
but then see if you can go to gun safety classes and the firing range with
them, to show that you are responsible. It might even be better to go to
the classes and the range before you get the gun, as it shows them that
you are ready for the responsibility and actually gets you ready.
There are several ways for teenagers to get a gun. One of these ways
is if your parents will sign the papers for you to get your gun card.
Another, is to make a deal with your parents that, if you pay for a gun,
they will buy it and hold it in their name until you are old enough to
own it. This might be a good idea as you never really know if you'll
still be able to get a gun when you get older.
What To Get: Admittedly, I have limited expertise in the area of guns. But from what little I know, and from everyone I talk to, there seems to be a pretty good consensus on the first gun to get as a survivalist. Just about everyone agrees that the first thing you should get is something chambered in .22, generally some type of long gun(rifle). Some of the most popular are the Ruger 10/22, Remington model 522 viper, or a Marlin Papoose. There are many reasons for choosing the .22 cartridge, I will try to give a few. The .22 is one of the most popular cartridges in the United States. .22 and 9mm are basically the too most often sold cartridges in the US> So chance of resupply is better. Becuase it is a popular cartridge, the guns that fire them are also popular, or vice versa. So parts for .22 long guns are easy to find. Heck, I can go over to Walmart or Sportmart and buy extra clips for these guns. .22 shells are CHEAP!! According to everyone I've talked to, it's generally about $10 for 500 rds!! Lastly, .22 shells are small and light. You could add 500 rds of .22 to your pack and have no problems carrying it.
Knives:
I agree with the other writers of this page in suggesting the Kabar
as just about the best all-around knife, especially for the price.
Kabars can be bought for 30 to 40 dollars, and will take just about any
beating you can give them. Knives, as other edged tools, are only
good if they are sharp. You should keep a whetstone or other sharpening
device with every knife. I like the Eze Lap Diamond drystones,
but I also have several good old Arkansas whetstones, too. With hatchets,
you should also keep a small file with them, or two. I keep one bastard
cut file for each hatchet and one crosscut file for every two people.
Here are instructions for long term storage of knives(but this can be adapted
to just about any hand tool). First, wipe the blade down with gun
cloth. Then, wipe down with vegetable oil, wrap in waxed paper, and
put in a sealed plastic bag. For leather sheathes, wipe down with
saddle soap, spray with silicone sealant (Camp Dry, at least 10% silicone),
and store in a sealed plastic bag with sawdust. For Kabars and other
knives with pressed leather handles, I wipe down the handle with saddle
soap, and then shoe polish, to help preserve the leather. For routine cleaning
of tools and knives, I just use plain old WD-40. It can also be used to
oil joints on things such as folding knives, though I generally prefer
something like Marvel mystery oil for this job.
You're listening to "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!!"