Here are some of it’s applications:

FISH GORGE – bait is placed on the fish gorge with the purpose that the fish will swallow the bait and gorge in whole that in turn will twist within the fishes gullet or mouth allowing the fish to be caught and retrieved.
TRAP AND DEADFALL TRIGGER – Traps and deadfalls use stored energy from a bent sapling or from elevated dead weight. The toggle enables a delicate trigger to be placed in such a way as to release these devices to snare or crush the intended small game animal.
TARPS / CLOTHING – A toggle can be passed through a grommit or loop and when turned 90 degrees and will hold fast a tarp or join the seam of clothing.
HAMMOCK SUSPENSION – Hammock enthusiasts have found that a quick way to attach tree straps to their hammock lines is by using a toggle. In lieu of an actual toggle a small bar is used as a marlin spike that in turn performs as a toggle for connection.
SURVIVAL WRIST BAND – A simple attachment for the popular paracord wrist band is a small ferro rod that can be used to start fires when needed. The ferro rod is the toggle that is placed through it’s corresponding loop.

You can see from these examples how effective toggles can be which is why this is such a valued tool throughout history. You may find other applications but it’s a good tool in your survival knowledge base that could make a huge difference in a survival situation.

 

I was introduced to “hawks” at a Boy Scout camp when I served as an assistant Scout Master where I hung out in the “Mountain Man” area. It seemed like such a manly thing to throw hawks at the thick slices of pine log targets. It was quite addictive.

Several years ago I visited Turtle Island Preserve where I began to occasionally teach classes and do survival skill demonstrations. During an open house event I met Justin Burke who has since then opened a blacksmith business. A few years ago I made a trade with him for a throwing tomahawk. It has beautiful craftsmanship and throws wonderfully. Recently I acquired a second “multi-purpose” hawk from him that includes a hammer portion and he asked me to “try it out”, hence this article.

I started my tests by throwing the hawk into a pine log target. I decided to throw both of my hawks in order to compare them. I threw my original hawk and stuck it on the first try. When I threw the new hawk I discovered that it was a little heavier and would spin slightly slower so I backed up a couple of feet to find it’s range and then stuck it on the third try. The photo shows my results. They both throw wonderfully.

Then I set out to chop and split wood in the same manner as a hatchet. I initially choked up on the handle a little but as I grew comfortable with chopping I held it lower toward the end to feel the difference. It worked as well but “the jury’s out” on which position I’ll like best. I chopped both seasoned wood and a sapling. The wood chips really flew fast. I took a split seasoned log and easily reduced it down to kindling.

Finally I got some nails to drive in some lumber using the hammer end. Again, with a little handling adjustment for the longer handle the nails yielded to the hawk very well. The linear motion of the head made smooth strokes with a solid hit.

I’m delighted with this style tomahawk. I imagine that a slight “V” cut on the inner blade might facilitate pulling nails but a tomahawk isn’t meant to be a carpentry tool per se. I appreciate the quality of workmanship produced by my friend Justin Burke. You can visit his webpage at https://www.facebook.com/JustinBurkeTraditionalCraftsman and perhaps begin your own venture into the legacy and skills of the tomahawk.

In my pursuit of primitive and survival skills I have watched numerous survival reality shows and I’ve seen folks chase grasshoppers as a food source unsuccessfully while wasting precious calories in the process. One of the secrets of catching grasshoppers is that in the early morning hours the temperature is lower and thus the grasshoppers are slower. As the day warms up the grasshoppers are faster. This is where a butterfly net will give you a greater advantage over their accelerated evasion techniques.

Most towns these days have a “dollar store” that often have inexpensive nets for sale in the toy section. For a few dollars you can stock up on these “fishing” tools that you can store in your car, boat, or other convenient locations for easy access when spontaneous opportunities for fishing strike.

– tin can opener (duh!)
– tasting spoon
– striker for ferrocerium rod
– hearthboard coal transfer
– screw driver
– pry bar
– paint can opener
– shipping box opener
– letter opener
– label removal
– staple remover
– thumbtack remover
– paint spot scraper
– putty knife
– clean under finger nails
– privacy door knob key
– Velcro hook pad dethatcher

For more uses and ideas, you can use various web search engines that will provide many other lists to choose from. I’d love to hear from you in the comments section on different ways that YOU have used a P38. If you don’t have a P38 of your own, you can purchase one in the Survivaltek Store.

Bandanas… provide shade from the sun, warmth from the cold, filter air and water, provide padding, binding and signaling. They can even be used as a wick for a lamp or torch. They are a great addition to your Bug-Out-Bag (BOB), especially because they are not a specialized piece of equipment, making them incredibly versatile.

I would love to see comments from Survivaltek readers on the ways that YOU have used yours.

“…Another thing I like about your movies/techniques is that they seem to be a part of life itself. Does this sound strange? Let me try to explain; I can get by in English but explaining something important in another language isn’t that easy.. it is like painting with only a few colours….

Everything is everything whether we realize this or not. All questions we may ask ourselves – all the answers must and can be found here, they are within Life itself. It is therefore impossible to separate one thing from another since they are somehow connected with each other.

Survival is a part of Life, a part of the wilderness but also a part of civilization. There is something I prefer to call “city survival,” and I have practiced this many, many times in my life. There has been many times I’ve come to a “new” city, it was late – too late to find a room or maybe I was out of money. So – where could food and shelter be found, right in the middle of a city? It was then I made use of my knowledge – city survival.

This knowledge has comforted me more than once and the ability to make the place I sit down my home has helped me many times – when I had to wait for a train or bus at a station, for instance. Then my mind became my best survival-tool – again, city survival.

So there really is no difference between living in the city or in the wilderness. The knife I use for carving outdoors I use for slicing bread in my kitchen – do you understand what I mean? There is no “wall” between daily and outdoor life. They are both sides of the same coin. This is the feeling/message I get when I see your videos, Ken. I guess that this is what you really want to tell us, even though very few understand the message. Survive, simplify life when you have to, adapt to the present situation you are in and make the best of it.”

Thank you Anders… for saying it so well!