What useful old time skills do you have?

[Arch]

A spin off from a straying off-topic on another thread...

When the world all goes belly up, what skills have you got that would be valuable? Can you make things, grow stuff, skin a rabbit?

I like to think I could manage, although much of my knowledge is theoretical rather than well tested. At a pinch, I could probably start a fire and build a shelter - if necessary I could just about make a sharp edge from flint. I've got a basic idea about what's edible, and could deal with hunted prey. I could grow stuff, and know how to turn it into food.

With access to the detritus of modern life, I could probably make handy enough tools, maybe harness wind or water or human pedal power - but electrics is a bit beyond me.

The one advantage I reckon we all have on here is the ability to actually move under our own power - there must be a lot of the population who'd be stumped once the petrol ran out!

 

[coffeejo]

I can kill, pluck/skin and gut poultry and rabbits

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

There is a programme on one of the National Geographic (I think) channels about all these people in the U.S. (where else?) who believe all the usual nonsense that the world as we know it is about to end, the 2012 prophesy etc etc.

Yes, they might be a bit unhinged, paranoid and so on, but actually, a lot of what they are doing wouldn't hurt if it was taught in a sensible way to people.

 

[mickle]

I can do lead flashing.

 

[Night Train]

I can work wood, metal, and stone. I can make tools out of stuff I find. I can cook, skin and gut animals (though not kill them), make fire, source, store and purify water, process dung, make a small amount of electricity, dug the ground for someone else to grow crops, make/build a cold store for excess food and make wheeled transport. I can work with dogs and ride horses, fell trees, devise ways to move heavy and awkward objects, survey the terrain, and build shelters from whatever local materials are to hand.

I also used to be a pretty good aim with a bow and arrow, and a thrown rock.

 

[Typhon]

Nothing. At all.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I can work wood, metal, and stone. I can make tools out of stuff I find. I can cook, skin and gut animals (though not kill them), make fire, source, store and purify water, process dung, make a small amount of electricity, dug the ground for someone else to grow crops, make/build a cold store for excess food and make wheeled transport. I can work with dogs and ride horses, fell trees, devise ways to move heavy and awkward objects, survey the terrain, and build shelters from whatever local materials are to hand.

I also used to be a pretty good aim with a bow and arrow, and a thrown rock.

Pfft, is that all?

 

[Ian H]

I can cook, skin and gut animals (though not kill them)

Doing that to live ones is probably a bit controversial.

 

[Night Train]

One thing I'm really not good at is leading a tribe.

My brother used to describe me as Scotty to his Captain Kirk. I like sitting quietly in the back ground making things happen while someone else does all the pontificating.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I'd like to think I could survive, but when I think about it, I would actually need to learn a lot of things.

 

[Night Train]

Doing that to live ones is probably a bit controversial.

No!

Someone else has to kill them first!

 

[Fnaar]

I can do wicked arm farts, and impressions of Shaggy out of Scooby Doo.

 

[Drago]

Survival and Mountain Survival trained, E & E trained, various weapons trained, rifles, subs, sword (bayonet to you commoners in other regiments), knife, MILAN and Javelin. Handled pistols enough to operate one without a thought, revolvers and semi-auto, but not actually trained or proficient. Not jungle or desert trained. In any case,t was oh such a long time ago that by the time I've remembered any of it I'd be dead.

I think if things got bad vis a vis society ending I'd probably resort to extreme brute force and violence to take what I need Actually, that was meant as a joke but it'd probably be the only way.

 

[02GF74]

I can do wicked arm farts, and impressions of Shaggy out of Scooby Doo.

I hope you have that on your CV.

 

[Milo]

I can skin an animal and use a hammer etc. Not exactly Ray Mears though. Oh and I could probably hunt small game with an air rifle if I had to. I can map read and like to think my hill walking experience may come in useful. Also I know a little bit about wild food.