what if?

[wolf]

How many of us carry some sort of metal container on their belts?,ive read about people carrying their possibles/survival pouches,so if god forbid you had to use that pouch because of some situation, ie separation from your kit, would your pouch contain a container to boil/cook with and drink from?If you never had this,and you were of the beaten track well away from civilisation, what would you do?Would you assume the water safe and not boil,therefore risking illness? How would you collect it ,and drink it?

 

[Longstrider]

Good point. My immediate thought was that I would salvage whatever discarded can I could find for the job, as these tend to litter the British countryside in profusion, but if caught out without my main kit in the middle of nowheresville where there was no litter, I guess it would be a case of having to try boiling water in a leaf or something. I have done this many years ago, but would not want to have to boil all my drinking water this way. Not only would it mean using a hell of a lot of leaves (they tend not to hold much), but you would have to make certain that the leaves you were using were non toxic to avoid contaminating your water.
You might think that a depression in a rock would do the job. Adding hot stones from the fire to the water until it boiled. This would be fine IF you could actually find a rock that would hold water in the first place, and you would need to have a lot of hot rocks to add to it as boiling water for purification requires the water to boil for some time,n ot simply get to boiling then cool again. Lets face it, when did you ever find just the right rock or stone right when you really needed it?

I once saw (But cannot find in the shops anywhere) some extra strong aluminium type foil bags that would be great for this job as well as the "cook it in the bag" that they are sold for. Adding one or two of these, folded up small, to your belt kit would make a good deal of sense. If only I knew where I could get some....

 

[cronos]

I have 2 foil (take away) containers, folded flat which are tucked into the back of my note book holder. I know its not on my belt, but my note book is carried every where, so does that count?

Cronos

 

[RovingArcher]

That's a great question and I hate to say that unless I have one of my rucksacks with me, I do not carry a metal container that's large enough to boil water in. However, when away from home, I do carry my possibles bag that contains a 1 gallon freezer grade ziploc bag that folds up to a small package and water treatment tablets. A bandana to filter out as much particulate matter as I can, is stuffed into a pocket and a couple of quart sized bags, usually used for collecting flora are reassigned duty, one to collect the water and the other receives the filtered water and then chemical treatment is added. Once the water is fit for drinking, it is placed into the larger container for ease of carrying a larger supply of the wet stuff.

If I lose my kit, there are plenty of water bottles and tin cans spread around the country side that can be scavenged and I always carry the makings for fire on my belt, along with a Victorinox SAK.

 

[Great Pebble]

My equivalent of the (in)famous 'baccy tin kit is in a slightly deeper than average container, which actually contained promotional Jack Daniels items....
Still far from ideal, but would work in a pinch.
I also have a take-away style container in the bottom of it, folded flat....
I knicked it from a place I was working and that's the way it was...flat.
Wish I'd grabbed a few more to be honest as I've tried folding the ones that have contained my fried rice and it never works the same.

 

[Abbe Osram]

How many of us carry some sort of metal container on their belts?,ive read about people carrying their possibles/survival pouches,so if god forbid you had to use that pouch because of some situation, ie separation from your kit, would your pouch contain a container to boil/cook with and drink from?If you never had this,and you were of the beaten track well away from civilisation, what would you do?Would you assume the water safe and not boil,therefore risking illness? How would you collect it ,and drink it?

My survival tin is metal, so I would use that. Most water here up north should be safe. I never tried it out but one should be able to boil water even in a paper cup / birch bark cup as long as you fill it with water and see to it that the flame or whatever you use doesnt reach the areas of the cup where there is no water.
The water will absorb the heat and will not burn the paper cup. But that is theory for me, I havent tried it yet. Hot stones in a birch bark cup will do fine too.

cheers
Abbe

 

[fa11en ange1]

I guess one option in the event of not carrying any suitable metal container, and not being able to salvage something from the inevitable mess in the country, would be to carve a make shift cup/bowl from wood and boil in that using stones. Seems fair to assume you would have your knife with you, I certainly keep mine on my belt when out in the woods.

 

[rich59]

I have heard that one may be able to accustom your gut to unboiled water. I read somewhere that when preparing to go on holiday to out of the way places that it is a good idea to drink a little water from a local stream every day - starting with a tiny amount and working up.

 

[fa11en ange1]

That strike me as a bad idea. You may get use to the difference in composition of the water but you can't build up any defence against parasites that may be contained.

 

[Rod]

I have heard that one may be able to accustom your gut to unboiled water. I read somewhere that when preparing to go on holiday to out of the way places that it is a good idea to drink a little water from a local stream every day - starting with a tiny amount and working up.

That strike me as a bad idea. You may get use to the difference in composition of the water but you can't build up any defence against parasites that may be contained.

Would agree with Fa11en ange1 on this. There seems to be a marked increase in occurances of parasites and viruses in water - event the domestic supply on occassion. :yikes: Dysantry, Giardia & Cryptosporidiosis don't make for happy campers. Would always suggest boiling water before drinking even if you had used a treatment (iodine/chlorine) or a filter system

 

[wolf]

you can also use animal hides to boil water in using hot stones.

 

[Roving Rich]

Yup I have read that too. Tho much more was made of the art of procuring water.
ie - don't take it from the local river, take it from the secluded spring on high ground, where you don't get run off from the local agricultural chemicals or the indigenous wildlife peeing in it. And as said a little at a time to build up resistance to the bacteria within.
That said i still wouldn't trust this approach in some dodgy regions of the world.
Belt order wise its probably easier to carry water purification tablets or potassium permangenate and filter the water through a shemagh and charcoal ?
Cheers
Rich

 

[pierre girard]

How many of us carry some sort of metal container on their belts?,ive read about people carrying their possibles/survival pouches,so if god forbid you had to use that pouch because of some situation, ie separation from your kit, would your pouch contain a container to boil/cook with and drink from?If you never had this,and you were of the beaten track well away from civilisation, what would you do?Would you assume the water safe and not boil,therefore risking illness? How would you collect it ,and drink it?

Where I live, the only thing you have to worry about in the water is giardia. You need water more than you have to worry about giardia. Giardia can be cured. Dehydration can kill you. I've drank the water all my life and never had giradia. Don't drink water from a stream or river. Drink from larger lakes - away from the shore if possible. Best to find a spring. You will often find them on hillsides above a stream and below a spruce swamp.

If I didn't have a container, I would make one of birchbark. To boil, heat rocks and place them, with water, in the container. To make a watertight birchbark container, you can make a cone, or a makok (box). To make the seams, dig spruce or balsam roots, split them, and sew the seam. Cover the seam with pine gum (found in chunks near the base of evergreens).

PG

 

[British Red]

Firstly, first post on this forum - so hello to all you "veterans"

A couple of "builds" on the ziplock posts on this thread that I have found useful

1. If you use oven bags rather than freezer ziplocs, they are designed to withstand up to 240 deg C - way above water boiling point. Half fill the bag and suspend above (not in) a fire. Its a slow and steady process and requires some practice but boiling can certainly be achieved. I tend to use these to line side pockets on my bergan - double purpose!

2. For small water carriers in survival kits, try breast milk bags rather than ordinary ziplocks. They take 3/4 pint or so and are designed to carry and store fluids. I have dropped full ones from a metre onto a hard floor - no problem. Rolled up they are about the size of a bookies pencil / cigarette

Hope thats useful to someone!

Red

 

[wolf]

not bad for first post

 

[TallMikeM]

many years ago, in my soldiering days, I bought a metal mug to replace the plastic one issued with your water bottle. The idea being you could boil water in the mug rather than digging out your messtins. They had a detachable plastic rim so as to not burn your lips. I think I got mine from Survival Aids, dunno if they're still going tho (been out of the scene for years).
Have to say, it worked a treat. You could boil on a fire, a hexe burner or a gas stove, wish I still had it.

 

[wolf]

yes i used one,then one night i forgot to take the plastic rim off and melted it

 

[TallMikeM]

yes i used one,then one night i forgot to take the plastic rim off and melted it

my mate did that also. It was amazing how much he was willing to pay to hire mine

 

[wolf]

my mate did that also. It was amazing how much he was willing to pay to hire mine

its amazing what you do when youve gone without sleep and its dark,i even put orange powder in my tea one night i thought it was sugar...