TOTM 2016- Long Term Recovery

I would consider Grid Failure the most likely catastrophe. Due to sabotage.
If a nuke were involved as well, it would cause an EMP through the grid as well. Since society now depends upon thier electrical devices, to a degree never before seen, this would greatly effect recovery.
All banking, food distribution, ordering of replacement parts or even groceries. I'm told, some of the Grid transformers have no spares and require months to build.
No, it would not be stone age, but it would be a large setback. The cost in infrastructure, and personal goods that would have to be scrapped and replaced is staggering.
Loss of life would be high, because of the logistics of trying to support an entire country for months to even years, without grid power. Most food prep and packaging methods would stop, freezers, coolers, equipment would all cease, unless they had backup power.
It will effect fuel, fuel pumping, payment, accounting, resupply, loading and unloading.
Even if gold and silver are accepted as payment, the guy with deep enough pockets to accept the possible loss, without effecting his own survival, might be in idaho, and you in Florida. Barter locally will rule.

 

and there will ALWAYS be someone willing to barter for gold, silver and other shiny baubles. Guaranteed. There is simply no good reason not to have some in your preps.

 

@Aeason
Electronics are another item, personally I would not depend on.

Way back when, in the Colonies, often a plow made from wood:
http://discussions.mnhs.org/collections/wp-content/imagescaler/6a4f953a1fc49b372727b9e8a09ba055.jpg
How many people have even seen one??

If SHTF happens, the days you miss will return.

 

The steel, sod cutting, plow made John Deere famous.

Also, on a personal note (my personal thoughts having been called into question a lot recently), I am in the process f overhauling a forge, so that I can be better able to respond to any needs I might have. Especially with my historical background, I have a pretty good idea as to the Kit I have not been able to find or purchase. Post SHTF? I see the need to turn scrap into swords and plowshares as the best move for me, for my community. Like my ancestors, the primitives, where not more effective, are there for me to get to the point where I can rebuild.

 

Wooden plows are actually pretty neat. I've broken ground with a hoe and rake, and it changed my thinking about owning beasts of burden. Just about anything beats that mess.

Does anyone stock grub hoes? Not the cute little garden hoes we are used to?

 

That's something I would love to learn to do...I think I will add it high on my bucket list.

 

Not in ours...but that is the story of how I got into all of this.

 

Yesterday, I dropped 2 trees. One was a +80' pine that the high winds blew over and was lodged in another tree. I used the truck and a block and tackle anchored to a big oak to pull it straight and dropped it.
The other was a dead white oak that was a threat to the driveway. I dropped it using the same technique.
The pine will be used in our fire pit and the oak for heat. I started splitting the oak with a 8# maul and wedge.

About now, a lot of folks are wondering what does this have to do with the subject of Long Term Recovery and tools? As my arms are rather sore today from swinging the maul. As I'm in good physical shape from using a bow flex type machine and iron weights; I was surprised to be sore.
Along with all the tools for a post-SHTF life being in shape to use them is as important as having them.

 

splitting my wood with a maul is one of the ways work out the stress of the day.

log splitters are for wussy.

 

Although I have a Kubota tractor, various implements and 165 gallons of diesel stored I also plan on buying new this spring three shovels, three hoes, three bow rakes, three leaf rakes and three pitchforks if we have to do it by hand. I own a seeder and I am looking for a hand push plow. I saw by father raise a garden every year with nothing more than hand tools and a push plow.

 

I watched my dad use a push plow when young, now that I am getting older found out it is for using after the ground is broken up, I couldn't do much with it. Pondering what I could use to break up ground thought about an old hand wench one of my sons acquired, not a chicken house wench a real big wench, has two speeds. Was thinking it could be anchored down and pull the plow through the field as we put a long peice of wireline cable that I got some thirty something years ago when I worked offshore. Got to think on that some more. It would work.

 

Traditionally, that is what the grub hoe was used for. Breaking ground.

 

It might. Mattocks are about as common as free gold in my AO. My understanding is that a grub hoe has a similar cutting surface shape, but with a 6" to 12" cutting surface on the hoe, plus a longer 5' to 7' handle, depending on factors. I would think that the more specialized tool would win, but I could see both working, since the principle is the same.

 

I agree with both of you I just can't help but think of different ways to get things done, never saying it's the best way, just thinking.