The Survival Weekly Dispatch - Volume 12, Issue 9
Hey folks, thanks for checking out the newsletter this week. We went from sub-zero wind chills to highs in the upper 40s, so it’s almost like spring has arrived. I know it’s Mother Nature’s annual joke, of course. She makes us think winter is over, then she turns around and dumps snow and ice again. Still, it’s nice to go outside and not feel like I’m trekking through Antarctica.
On the work front, this week I’m trying to wrap up several articles for various outlets. I have roughly 20 knives I need to test and review for a bunch of different places, including Offgrid and GAT Daily. It’s a rough job, I know, but I’ll get it handled.
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I saw this idea on the Ranger Survival and Field Craft YouTube channel. Many people carry a small tube of Chapstick with them, particularly in the winter months. Chapstick and most other similar lip balms are largely petroleum jelly. This can be helpful when starting a fire, as it lights fairly well.
The tip I saw is to stuff a cotton ball into the cap of the lip balm. Push comes to shove and you need to make fire without your fire kit, you can remove that cotton ball and smear some petroleum jelly on it. Then, fluff the cotton a bit and light it. The cotton makes it easier to catch a spark or flame.
Cost on this is nearly nothing and if you’re already carrying the lip balm, might as well get dual duty out of it.
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Listen to Craig, he knows things. This special edition of Prepper Survival Guide magazine will be hitting stores beginning this week. If you don’t see it by Friday, check back next week. It can take a little time for distributors to get it out everywhere. Another option is to order a copy here and have it shipped to your door.
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Earlier today, we recorded the second-to-last episode of How to Survive 2025. The topic this time around was OPSEC, and that episode will go live next week. If all goes as planned, our final episode will air in two weeks.
This page on YouTube has all of the currently available episodes. You can also find them anywhere you normally download/stream your favorite podcasts.
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Our hike this week was a visit to Beckman Mill County Park located just outside Beloit, Wisconsin. They have a nature trail as well as several restored buildings, such as an 1840s cooperage. It’s a bit of a drive for us to get there, but it’s a neat place to wander. The ice formations at the dam were pretty cool.
Survival Tip – Ranger Bands
These can be useful additions to the survival kit. Given that they weigh nearly nothing, it sure doesn’t hurt you to toss a few into the pack or other container.
A ranger band is simply a large elastic band. Here’s a pic from Wazoo Survival Gear showing the assortment they have available.
I use ranger bands to secure any tin or similar container in my pack. Many preppers like to use Altoids tins, for example, as fire kits and such. A ranger band applied entirely around the seam where the top meets the bottom will go a long way toward keeping moisture out of the tin.
They’re also useful for securing cordage, so it doesn’t come undone in your pack. Yes, there are ways to wrap hanks of cordage so that doesn’t happen. If you’re not proficient with that yet, a ranger band will do the trick.
Ranger bands can be put on the handles of knives, flashlights, and other gear to provide a more secure grip.
In a pinch, you can use one to help get a fire going. It isn’t really a fire starter, more of a fire extender to help you get everything burning. Lay the ranger band on its side, then fill the circle with tinder. Light the tinder and the rubber will ignite soon enough. Depending on the size of the band, it’ll burn for about five minutes. Fair warning, you don’t want to touch any part of it once it gets hot as it will stick to you.
You can buy them from numerous outlets online. As an alternative, if you have a bike shop in your area, reach out and ask if you could get a couple of used innertubes from them. Then, cut your own ranger bands to whatever size you prefer.
Backwoods Survival Guide Magazine
For those new to my little corner of the Internet, I am the Editor in Chief for Backwoods Survival Guide magazine. Here is the cover for the current issue available in stores right now.
You can find Backwoods Survival Guide just about anywhere magazines are sold, including:
Walmart
Sam's Club
Costco
Publix
Walgreens
Rite Aid
CVS
Tractor Supply
Fleet Farm
Barnes & Noble
Subscriptions are available here.
Questions, Comments, Complaints, Concerns?
I am always just an email away - jim@survivalweekly.com.