DIY GARDEN: urban

Showing posts with label urban. Show all posts

Urban Survival Tools Part One

Urban Survival Tool

Many times the tools shown being used for survival deal with rural or wilderness settings. The truth of the matter is that far more of us will be dealing with survival in an urban setting. The vast majority of people dont live in remote wilderness areas but instead must deal with the problems of surviving in an urban environment. If things go bad or take a turn for the worse, you may wish you had a different set of tools to get the job done.

In my next series of posts, we will take a look at the various kinds and types of tools you may need for urban survival. Even the simplest of tools can make an extreme difference when viewed from the perspective of an urban environment. There are many unique challenges to surviving in an urban setting. Hopefully you will have the right tools when needed.

In Part Two, we will do a real "world test" of the Smith & Wesson Extraction & Evasion Tool.

Got urban survival tools?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Urban Survival Tools Part One

Urban Survival Tools Part Two Testing the S W SW671 Extraction Evasion Tool

At first glance, the Smith and Wesson SW671 Extraction and Evasion Tool looks like a formidable tool capable of inflicting some serious damage. The test will be to see if it performs as good as it looks in an urban survival scenario.

Basic Features

The Smith and Wesson SW671 Extraction and Evasion Tool with its 3/8” thick full tang handle and Kraton grips has an overall length of 15.9 inches. It is made of 1070 high carbon steel and with a weight of 2 lbs. 11 ounces makes this a very formidable extraction and evasion tool.

It also comes with a protective nylon sheath that includes a belt loop (as if someone would actually carry this monster on their belt). The sheath has an inner nylon protector to prevent accidentally poking a hole in the sheath.

The 3/8 inch tang also allows the butt end to function similar to a hammer.

Basic Functions

The SW671 has a handle length that permits a good “two-handed” grip when in use. This allows you to exercise a lot more control, especially in close quarters. Control is an important factor when choosing a good hand tool and the SW671 gives you exactly that.

It has a good balance to it and packs enough weight to enable you to apply plenty of force with your swing. This tool is going to create some awesome damage to whatever gets in its way. After using it, don’t expect the protective blade coating to survive without some scuff marks.

Main Function

The SW671 with its combination spike tip and blade allows you to destroy a variety of different materials. The ability to hack your way through different types of material will aid in your escape or entry as determined by the situation at hand. This is the main function of any evasion & extraction tool.

The SW671 had no problem with cinder blocks and did a good job of breaking rock masonry with just a few blows. It would probably be more prudent to use it to chip away the mortar between the bricks or masonry because it will probably require less effort on your part. Once the mortar has been removed, the masonry should come apart easily.

The spike tip with its beveled edges easily punctures thinner sheet metal (such as tin roofing, etc.). It doesnt do much good on thicker plate metal of a 1/4 inch thickness or more as it merely scratches the surface. You could hack your way through a metal roof or a metal clad door fairly easily.

It chops wood quite easily and works like most any type of axe in this regard. Its size falls between a small camp axe and a regular axe. The weight also falls in between these two types of axes. It weighs slightly more than a typical camp axe but less than a full size axe.

The blade edge held up well when chopping wood and the only damage done to the SW671 was the finish. Several scuff marks and scratches were readily apparent with even moderate use but this doesnt affect its overall performance.

When tested on various materials that are normally used in home construction, the SW671 handled the destruction of all the basic home construction materials with ease. This makes it an ideal tool for extraction and evasion. You’ll need to keep a pair of safety goggles handy and a decent pair of gloves when using the SW671.

Got urban survival tools?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Urban Survival Tools Part Two Testing the S W SW671 Extraction Evasion Tool

Urban Survival Tools Part Three Making a Positive Connection

When it comes to transportation in an urban environment, you probably won’t be throwing a saddle on your horse when you need to “get out of Dodge”. You’ll most likely be cranking up the four-wheeled urban version instead. There is a simple tool that will be needed to fix one of the main problems that occurs with a mechanical form of transportation. This tool is a good set of heavy duty battery booster cables.

Whether it’s an interior dome light left on, a weak alternator or simply a weak battery, a good set of heavy duty battery booster cables can often “make your day”. Unless you have a manual transmission in your vehicle, there’s little else that can help get a vehicle with a weak battery started (pushing a vehicle with an automatic transmission doesnt work). Until you do get it started, you won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Don’t waste your money on a cheap set of booster cables. These could create a possible fire hazard and this would create additional problems you don’t need. A good heavy duty set of booster cables arent that expensive ($20 to $25) and you’ll be glad you had them when and if they are needed.

Just remember to keep a set of booster cables in your vehicle.

Got booster cables?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Urban Survival Tools Part Three Making a Positive Connection