Survival Projects

As a prepper in 2023, you must have heard about survival projects and such items of survival gear as paracord. You can create DIY tools with it, such as bracelets, belts, and even a weapon. In this article, you will find the tutorial out about other uses of paracord, that can be extremely helpful in a survival situation of the hard difficulty level. Read on and find the most suitable type for you and make your future survival trip destined to succeed.

If you were to google “DIY Survival Gear,” you would be swept off your feet with more than 20,600,0000 results. This signifies an overwhelming amount of DIY survival gear ideas that you can embrace and put into practice straight off the bat. Yet, I have to warn you that the vast majority of these results are either a pile of junk or simply dull. I am trying to say that you can find an infinite amount of DIY survival gear sites, guides, survival hacks, videos, and articles, but I am here to help you sail through them with flying colors.

In this article, I will tell you the 11 best DIY survival gear ideas. And first, let’s uncover the reasons why some DIY survival gear projects are good, and the others are at least terrible.

I have my own ranking system based on these four points:

1. The gear and tools that you can get with this project are universal for most survival situations.
2. You do not need a gazillion tools at hand.
3. It takes less than a day to complete the project (when you have the necessary material).
4. There is an in-depth instruction video with a step-by-step guide.

So, keeping these four parameters in mind, let’s dive into these 11 carefully selected DIY survival gear projects that even a 9-old can do at home, fast, and without an Engineering degree.

1 – DIY Fire Starter

Fire can be started in many ways with a simple lighter and a swab of cotton or by the bow-drill method that requires some mastery, tools, and a bit of luck.

But as with any other ways, some of them work better than others. Having tried out a good deal of fire starting kits, I recommend to use this one as the simplest to make and keep:

For this DIY survival project, you will need a jar of petroleum jelly, a few cotton balls, and a ziplock sack. All you have to do is to coat the cotton balls in petroleum jelly a slight bit. Make sure they are not soaking wet with petroleum. Otherwise, it would be hard to set them on fire. Just put the petroleum jelly inside the sack, and with a few short touches to petroleum, your balls are coated. And you are ready to pack your bug-out bag or put the sack into your glove compartment.

You might get a bit skeptical about the easiness of this DIY project, but complicity never helps in a survival situation. Something as straightforward and easy as this method is what you would need and stick to under various conditions. And every time, it will work. No matter how tired you are and how cold it is, some basic things usually pop into your head right away. There is simply no time and energy for something more sophisticated.

2 – DIY Water Filter

I highly advise you to get a commercial water filter in case of an emergency. There is always a lack of safe drinking water when a disaster strikes.

But if you cannot afford one or do not have it yet, there are great water treatment setups. This video shows you a simple but yet effective DIY water filter setup that you can make yourself in the wilderness with a few easy-to-get tools.

If this DIY survival gear seems too simple, this is the way it should be to ensure your survival. Simple stuff never breaks or fails. And what is important you will not need a manual to start it working first place.

3 – DIY Rocket Stove

There are around 145,000 YouTube videos on how to make a rocket stove, and it took me some hours to sit through all of them. Some are ridiculous nonsense, the others strike an average of good enough but not the best, and only a few videos are simply brilliant.

With my help, you are here to discover the gems hidden amidst the useless information.

The main parts of any rocket stove are a combustion chamber to put the firewood or any fire starting material, an air intake to feed the fire, and a chimney to vent the exhaust.

In general, any container can be used to make a rocket stove, from the rustiest oil drum you can find in a shed on your homestead to a mere empty soda can. It can look preposterous as if made by a little kid for a science fair at high school, or as if it was meant to be thrown away years ago… What is important is that you get the heat and cooked food you need in a survival situation. Simple and lasting design is what you need. This video is an overview of the basics of making your own rocket stove, but I am sure from there, you will definitely unleash your creativity.

Though the stove this guy made is not as easy to move around as I would prefer, the design is still substantial, and explanations are straightforward to follow and cover every aspect of making your own rocket stove.

4 – Cordage From A 2 Liter Soda Bottle

I truly believe that any cordage, such as a paracord, rope, or a lead rope, is essential paraphernalia not only for survival but for everyday life on a piece of land. The tasks can be simple: tying loose tractor hydraulic hoses or having impromptu horse bridles and beyond this point of complexity.

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What I am trying to say is that you will need some rope in any way to ensure your survival. And sure, you can make one on your own.

When there is a natural material in abundance,e such as plant fibers, hay, and grass, making a rope is an easy task. But there is one unnatural material that is also in abundance practically everywhere, and the name for it is plastic. Not only can you make yourself a good paracord out of a simple plastic 2 Liter Soda Bottle, but also you are doing good for the environment by recycling the plastic and not leaving it lying anywhere.

I am sure that even in the area where you live, there are plenty of empty plastic bottles lying around and just waiting for you to take out your pocket knife to make a flexible and strong plastic cordage. Paracord is one of the convenient survival items that are fairly easy to make.

5 – DIY Survival Slingshot

You will absolutely love this DIY survival item, especially if you had one as a child, and remember how much fun you had at it…

Slingshots are the best way to have fun when you are a little kid, and they are also good at shooting small animals when you are in a survival situation.

This video is more about modifications than about building your own slingshot anew, but these alterations are simple and low-cost.

The slingshot is considered the best substitute for a firearm since it is easy to make and handle. It does not matter how good you are at firing a rifle. It is instrumental in knowing how to use a slingshot for various purposes.

I recommend you go through some other YouTube videos to get your head filled with ideas for slingshot design. The slingshots are perfect for hunting and even self-defense, and they are uncomplicated and cheap.

6 – DIY Cigar Tube Fishing Kit

Good news for cigar smokers: the cigar tube is the vital part of the DIY survival gear that will ensure your fish’s survival supply. If you are a non-smoker or do not like this option anyway, you can also you a protein drink cylindrical bottle or a small piece of wooden dowel instead of a cigar tube.

In my humble opinion, anyone should know about this fishing kit since it is easy to make and handy in usage. Just wrap a few hundred feet of a fishing line around the tube or something similar and tape it, and the inside of the tube you can fill with anything you might need for fishing – hooks, sinkers, artificial baits… For a dowel, though, you would need a separate bag for this necessary paraphernalia.

This is one of the best DIY projects that preppers have to look into, and though I did not manage to find a video for a cigar tube, here is the one on “Hobo Fishing Kit” that is practically the same:

7 – DIY Survival Knife

The skill of knifemaking might not be the easiest one to get the hang of. That is why if you are not specifically good at it, you should not worry. You can still get yourself a prototype that will exhibit all of a real knife’s vital properties, such as cutting and stabbing.

To call yourself a successful owner of a handmade knife, you will need a set of items:

• a hacksaw or a Sawzall blade
• a paracord to wrap the handle
• a grinder or something metal

These should be enough to get a simple blade that will, for sure, come in handy in emergencies such as carving a hole in a tree to get drinking water or cutting down food.

This video provides you with a simple guideline for getting a home-crafted knife with a few easy steps.

8 – DIY Bow and Arrow

Archery is the art of shooting arrows. A bow is a deadly weapon even at the hands of an inexperienced archer. Yes, even a hand-crafted wooden longbow is able to punch holes in the walls and get stuck in hay bales.

According to my YouTube research, it is possible to make a bow out of tree limbs if you are lost in the woods, PVC pipes that are available at any store, fiberglass rods if you opt for a modern and scientific solution, as well as you can hew it and harvest. As with other items in this article, plastic and fiber glass’s options appeals more to me as one of the DIY projects due to its simplicity and “home-craft” trend.

Here is the video link for easy-to-follow instructions on making your own bow and arrow and not killing yourself while doing it.

9 – DIY Survival Spear/ Walking Stick

A spear is a tick with a sharp ending that saved the lives of hundreds of dozens of humans in the old times by helping them hunt mastodons and saber-tooth cats. The ancient Roman army also used spears in close combats with their enemies by modifying them into pikes. To do so, you have to elongate the shaft.

As you may have already guessed, the weakest part of the spear is its sharp end. I researched videos that are all about making spears with removable sharp ends.

Have you ever thought that a broom can be added to survival items even if you are not a wizard? Yes, the broom is a shaft for our hand-crafted spear, and the sharp point is the cold steel blade with a hollow conical ending that allows you to mount the blade on the broom. Sure, instead of a broom, you can use a gardening shovel.

If you opt for a real hand-made survival project, then you are free to carve your own shaft and mount a blade that I described earlier in the article.

Anyway, here is a link to the video that features the cold steel blade that I liked way more than any other videos and articles on the topic.

Remember that wielding a speak is also a skill that must be manifested before you are in a survival situation.

10 – DIY Solar Battery/ USB Charger

If you are good at working with electricity (just like Tesla), a soldering gun, and you are fond of meticulous tasks, then building up your own portable solar charger will not be much of a problem. The solar charger is one of the important survival items since it will provide you with energy to power up the gadgets that you can later use to send a distress signal. I would not recommend it, though, as one of your first DIY projects. Even though it takes time and skill, it is a way of challenging yourself to be a better prepper.

11 – DIY Ranger Bands

My storage space at home was always packed with some gardening things, an old refrigerator on its last legs, and an enormous amount of old bicycle tubes. Yes, you can call me a packrat, but I somehow hoped and knew that later I would find a use for these things.

And then I found out about Ranger Bands that a basically a cross-section piece of an inner bicycle tube if it is not rotten and still stretchy enough.

You can have your own Ranger Bands in a few minutes and use them for whatever purpose you want.

DIY Survival Gear – Wrap Up Remarks

Sure, you may say there are a lot of DIY projects for survival. I have just shed light on some of them that may be of use for many people, and I chose those projects that come with videos where an experienced prepper shares his tips on making this specific thing easier, faster, and at home. I hope that you found these projects useful, interesting, easy to implement and make at home. Some things cannot be found in the book, especially when it comes to survival.

FAQs:

Make Your Own Snare Trap

A snare trap is a good way to catch small animals in outdoor survival since it requires just a rope and a trigger system. Set it a bit away from your shelter, so you do not share your food and wait till the trigger pulls.

How to Tie A Monkey Fist Knot for Survival

A Monkey Fist Knot is a knot that adds some weight to the rope. Though it is easy to wrap, it is better to refer to a specific article on the issue.

How To Make Your Own Lip Balm

Lip balm might not be considered the most useful survival item of them all, but it is one thing that may come in handy when there is not enough water to hydrate your skin. Just get the ingredients (usually oils, milk, and honey), mix them all, and pour them into jars when the mixture is medium-like consistency.

How To Can Meat Products

Canned meat products are one of the best prepper food ever that are easy to make. Just cut the meat into a small piece,d boil it, add salt, pepper,r and put them into the clean jars. Then boil it one more time, cool down, and leave in a dry cold place.