Survival Ideas that POP!

My last two  blogs contained some examples of useful ways to use a soda pop can in a wilderness survival situation.  These examples were just to get the reader thinking about how to use so called “junk” that you may find in the wilderness, as wilderness survival aids.  We will continue the next few blogs with some more examples of fun pop can uses.  Eventually we will go back to the “Take a Break” blog from February.  

Pop can Lantern - Full Flame

One of the examples showed how to make a lantern from a pop can and some cooking oil. .  So what if you find a pop can but you do not have some cooking oil?  Another option I have seen is to punch a hole in the bottom of the can and make a small door on the pop can and then push the candle up through the bottom hole as needed.  An easily made and useful lantern.  So what if you do not have a candle in your survival kit?  Well here is another example of a wilderness survival lantern.

"I" shape cut

Tab Hanger

Make a “I” shaped cut on the can which results in two doors that fold out from the can.  The bottom of the doors is about 1 to 2 inches from the bottom of the can.  Leave the pull tab on the can as this is useful for if the can is to be attached to a cord and hung suspended.

  

Some friends of mine recently gave me some deer steaks and a few deer ribs (Thanks Kami and Ivan!).  I decided to make some soup from the deer ribs. After boiling the ribs, I set the pot in the  refrigerator over night.  In the morning I skimmed off the very dense grease which had risen to the top.  I figured the fat could be used for making a candle.  I packed the cooled fat or tallow into the can then I found a small piece of scrap cloth which was stuffed in the center of the fat but just a little bit above the fat.  This was the wick to the candle.  Most any cloth will work or even a tightly rolled piece of paper or small piece of cardboard will make a sufficient wick.   

Wick is Lit

Melting Fat - Partial Flame

Once the wick is lit on fire, the heat wicks up the heated fat.  The fat then becomes the burning element rather than the wick.  If you are in a wilderness survival situation, you may come across an animal carcass.  Chances are the carcass still has fat that can be used for a lantern.  So here are a few pictures from my deer fat / pop can lantern.  The can reflects the light very well and the lantern gives off a good amount of heat too which could be a double benefit in a snow cave shelter.

   

The pictures below are simple pop can cooking pots.  I’d love to hear some thoughts and comments from readers regarding wilderness survival pop can uses.

Simple pop can cooking pot

Alternate pop can cooking pop configuration