14 Ways a Beer Can Could Save Your Life

Motomom34 · Jan 26, 2017

I love this list. I always knew you could use a beer can as a stove but I never thought of all the uses that a beer can has. I am sure there are some more that you all may know that are now listed. Beer cans have changed over the years but I assume that it is still safe to boil water in a beer can.

Here is 14 Ways a Beer Can Could Save Your Life

beercansurvival_01

**Boil water **
One man's trash… right? Just a single can of beer is capable of becoming a life saver if the can is used to boil raw water to make it safe for human consumption. The trick with boiling in cans is to set the water-filled can next to the fire; in the ashes. Do not place the can in the center of the fire, as the metal will break down quicker. In 10 or 15 minutes, the water will start to boil. Then boil for 10 additional minutes just to be on the safe side. Let the water cool and have yourself a pathogen-free drink.

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**Make char cloth for flint and steel **
This will be a one shot deal, but a beer can is capable of producing usable char cloth for flint and steel fire making. Cut the top off the can and pack the inside with fibrous tree bark, punk wood or cotton cloth. Fold the top of the can shut and throw the can into the camp fire for exactly five minutes. The can should be melting by the end of five minutes, but if you are lucky, your char cloth will be ready before the can disintegrates.

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**Fishing reel **
This classic fishing reel can be made of almost anything cylindrical, but the beer can makes a fine spool for storing the fishing line. It's even possible to cast the line right off the can. To make your fishing kit, tie the monofilament to the can's pull tab, or better yet, tie the line through a small hole that you have pierced through the can. Wind up the line around the can, trying not to overlap the mono too much. For storage, put a rubber band or tie a string around the can and mono to keep it from unraveling. The can fishing rig casts a bit like an open face reel, so be patient and be cautious to avoid tangling the line.

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**Fire starter **
This method plays off the principles of optical fire making. Polish the can with little smears of chocolate to create a shine so the light of the sun can be reflected off the can's concave bottom. Select a fine, fluffy tinder, preferably one that has a dark color. Play with the zenith and azimuth angles of the can until you get some smoke coming from your tinder.

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**Pull tab for a fish hook **
While a soft, malleable fish hook is just about the worst fish hook you could ask for, you can catch fish by using a gorge hook fishing technique and some pretty flimsy improvised hooks. Break off the can's pull tab, and cut out a section of tab so that it looks like a fish hook. Sharpen the hook tip to a point, attach it to your line and bait it appropriately. Instead of trying to set the hook in the fish's mouth when he bites, give him some line and let the fish swallow the hook. The pull tab hook will hang up on the soft stomach or esophagus a lot better than it would pierce the fish's jaw. Be advised that this is not a catch-and-release method, as you'll probably be ripping the fish's guts out to retrieve the home made hook. This is survival fishing.

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**Candle lantern **
I love a good, cheap little camp lantern. A simple candle nub and a creatively carved up can will give you a surprising amount of light for a cheap price. It's even lightweight. Just cut a line down the side of the can. Cut two more lines so that the cuts resemble a capitol "I". Fold open these little double doors and drop in a tea light candle, or add a hand full of sand and stick a candle chunk inside the lantern. Hang it from the pull tab on a nearby twig, or hang it from a piece of wire. Don't hang the lantern from the pull tab with a meltable or flammable line. Trust me, those lines won't last long above the hot candle.

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**Bow drill friction fire socket **
Another way to get fire from the can is to use it as a bow and drill fire component. The bow and drill method has the muscle to work through cold and wet situations, but it needs to spin freely at the top of the drill. Crush the can so that it has folds in the side which will receive the top of the drill. The slick metal will not require any lubricant, like a wooden block would. However, it will get hot very quickly.
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Please follow to link to the complete list. Survival Skills: 14 Ways a Beer Can Could Save Your Life

Dunerunner · Jan 26, 2017

Good list, I like the last one best....

Motomom34 · Jan 26, 2017

@Dunerunner that was #15.

I want to try and make this one-

Projectile points
More dangerous than a wooden point, any sharp projectile point can add damage to an arrow or spear impact. You could even fashion the harpoon tip to be detachable, and run a line off of it. Cut the can into different size and shape pieces, and fold the pieces into cones and flat triangles to assist in small-game hunting during survival situations. Obviously this isn't as good as a store-bought broadhead, so stick to small game with this one.
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Abandon cans are easy to find and if you can make a tip to attach to something for a weapon, it would be useful.

Ura-Ki · Jan 27, 2017

Cans make an excellent stove, make great camp coffee makers, can be used for emergency razor blades, and really nasty boom devices! I found a really good video on making a rift stove out of cans, you can do them with out the J-B Weld epoxy just fine!

Oltymer · Jan 27, 2017

Wow, I saved 6 lives last night and didn't even realize it...

BlueDuck · Jan 27, 2017

Don't forget the beer itself. Saved me many a time....

arleigh · Jan 27, 2017

I;m out a luck ,
I don't drink beer.

chelloveck · Jan 27, 2017

arleigh said: ↑

I;m out a luck ,
I don't drink beer.
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I'm amazed at the similarity between beer cans and soda pop cans....the differences being the contents and the labelling.

Ganado · Jan 27, 2017

well today... me drinking beer could save a life, someone elses's life!

all kidding aside
this is a really great post @Motomom34

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