A stitch in time saves nine (or more):

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by DKR, Mar 3, 2019.


  1. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    [​IMG]
    Sewing kits come in all sizes. This one is housed in an older (Oh, the horror!!) Cigarette case. While the two halves fit together tightly, this is by no means waterproof. I do believe it can be classified as dustproof...

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    When opened you find this. The plastic card is the size of a common credit card.
    To the left of photo is a thimble, small spool of nylon thread and a threading 'helper'..


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    Five (5) each safety pins and a pair of very sharp folding scissors. All held in place with even more rubber bands.

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    Surprise! It is actually a pair of plastic cards. I put a sample above the one so you can see what they look like uploaded.
    The felt holds needles.

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    Big and small, curved (large) and straight.

    Of course, how to use these tools are up to you!

    There are a million ways to put together a portable sewing kit.

    The military has come up with a few good ideas:
    US Army,
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    Das Bund:
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    Current edition for the Brit army
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    enjoy!
    .
     
  2. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Many items, other than clothing need sewing, and some jobs are made easier by using specialised needles, including: leather, canvas/sail cloth, carpet, upholstery, mattresses, sacks, etc etc

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    Oh...a needle threader in your kit will save a lot of frustration and heart ache with the smaller needle gauges.

     
  3. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    In basic training in the USAF we were marched to the PX, "bought" a basic kit, soap, soap dish, tooth brush, razor, shaving cream, tooth paste, sewing kit, shoe polish, rag, brush, and I don't remember what else, they all had to be the same brand, placed in the same place in the footlocker, and if not present and in working shape, you got gigged and x number of gigs, and no pass or extra kp or guard duty. Clothing was issued but soap, etc weren't as I remember. Only real option was Bible etc was allowed, but not required.
    After about 6 weeks, we were issued cloth name tags and told to sew them on our outer wear, except 1 st class uniforms, and I used it to sew on my A/C 3 stripes.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2019
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  4. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Its the bane of most recruit training around the world. Standard kit layouts to instill self discipline, and soak up "free time" that could be used for better things, or getting into mischief. We used to get around that by having two sets of kit...one set for "window dressing", and another kit for day to day use and consumption.

    Different army, similar methodology

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    The Minute Book

    I have an Australian Army (Housewife) sewing kit dating back to the Sixties, similar to this kit, which I still occasionally use:[​IMG]Sewing kit : Private R J Barry, 6 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment which I still have and use. Most folk don't bother darning socks these days, but it is a useful skill to have and the materials are useful for making other repairs than to socks.

    Velcro or similar material is also useful for a field sewing kit. as would be sturdy canvas patches to repair packs and webbing.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2019
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  5. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    lol don't make me post my button collection! @DKR

    i have sewing kits everywhere. and safety pins for emergencies
     
  6. One of these days, I need to get a cell phone or one of those small digital cameras to take pics with. I have nether. My kit (or housewife) has a couple of useful additions I added. 1st off, A small t handled pin vise. With it, I bought a couple of heavy duty sewing machine needles to use in it (Because it has an "Eye" at the point of it. Also make sure you buy the ones for sewing leathers. their much heavier made.). As well as a couple small drill bits. And a 3" chunk of an awl I cut off. Those with a roll of waxed dental floss, allow me to sew heavier canvass and leathers. I also carry 2 specialty leather needles the hold leather lacing. Instead of scissors, I also carry an exacto knife handle cut to 3" and about 6 assorted blades to use in it. which allow me more ability in cutting and working leather. I find these additions to be well worth the extra size and weight of the kit. Just my 2 cents... something to think about.
     
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  7. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

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    For sewing canvas and fixing things like ruck straps there is the sewing awl. I don't have one of these in any of my bags, but do keep one in Das Kamper. While active duty kept one of these bad boys in my toolbox. This and some internal 'threads' form 550 cord (Parachute shroud line) and you could stitch almost anything.

    Using one is simple enough:

     
  8. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    @Ganado -- Speaking of spare buttons, many of the guys carried a "RANGER Rosary" or "Ranger Odometer" - there are many different names for a pace counter:
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    worn on the LBE (harness)
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    and used regularly off the beaten path, they can help you to be quite accurate. On any kind of roadway, they are spot on.

    All kinds of variations could be seen - some quite artistic:
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    Since I had to hump a Basic Load, GAU-5 and an Aid bag in addition to the rest of my kit, I made a set from boot laces and the nylon buttons used on uniforms at the time. This was worn around my neck rather than have something dangle off of my LBE harness.
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    Since I am loath to carry a single purpose item, this also gave me a spare set of bootlaces and spare buttons.

    I suppose the next point of discussion would be why buttons are superior to zippers in a field environment and that Velcro is a bad idea for nearly everything....

    Edit to add
    GAU-5 (Gun, Aircraft Unit #5) - a USAF item
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    Oddly, to many, in the USAF, medical people can choose to use / carry a weapon for 'self-defense'. Medical ID cards were different, mine was as issue, by choice. This because everyone we had fought since 1940 didn't seem to GaS about a Red Cross or medical folks - the Japs bombed the hospital where my father worked in the PTO more than once.... I figured, if I gotta play, I want the best ball bat there is..
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2019
  9. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Luvs me velcro, but never in OPSEC mode.
    I've got the basics covered in the sewing department, even canvas repair. But give the age of the retinas, a needle threader is going on the next Amazon order.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YZ462E/?tag=survivalmonke-20
     
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  10. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Hint,
    If you cut your thread with a knife it creates smaller frays in the thread difficult to see for rethreading a needle ,
    If you use sharp scissors to cut thread, the cut is usually strait and no fine threads to inhibit the re threading of a needle .
     
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  11. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Speedy stitchers work great and in a true survival situation would be the one tool that lets you make all kinds of leather and canvas items. I have used fine electric wire out of a bad field on a power drill as thread and it held up well. You get the same type of stitch as you would using two needles and 1 piece of thread, but much quicker and neater. Have patched shoes, canvas, belts, rubber roofing, heavy plastic with them quite easily and neatly. One of those tools like an axe that every farmer had 70 years ago for a very good reason. Grand dad used one to make and patch harness, mocs, binder canvas, shoes, blacksmith leather aprons, etc.
    The TI explained the military anal attitude towards neatness and every thing in its place. It is handy if the barracks catches fire at 2 am and you are trying to get out of the building full of smoke, if you know where the door is and no left a footlocker in the middle of the aisle, likewise, if the airplane is on fire it is handy if the fire extingisher is where it is supposed to be and if that don't work out, you really don't have time to look for the parachute. If 500 people are using some of the same tools, if they aren't put back in place every time, in a few days there will be no tools. Military may seem crazy, but only the winners continue to field armies, so over time they have some very hard lessons pounded into them.
     
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  12. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Don't even think about not putting a tool away in the sub force. Death is too easy to find if it isn't where it' supposed to be. If the boat doesn't sink, the division chief won't leave enough of your behind to bury.
     
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  13. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    needle threader I have half dozen of these they are tinfoil thin, about an inch long, and sewing stores give them away for free
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    I love the pace counter.!!
     
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  14. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    I keep losing them, quite a few so far, maybe closing in on a hundred. That thing on order is big enough I will have a harder time dropping. (Found one, several years ago, with my instep. Was not happy with the infection ---)
     
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  15. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    that is a problem... we are going to start calling you butter fingers [grouphug]
     
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