Good point. Matches, fire starters, candles, etc. would all be good items. Matches could be like "pennies" in a barter situation.
PREP 90 Best Items to Barter with Following a Societal Collapse
- Thread starter BigFootsCousin
- Start date
Good point. Matches, fire starters, candles, etc. would all be good items. Matches could be like "pennies" in a barter situation.
Milkweed Host
Veteran Member
On the topic of matches, I have both the Diamond strike on the box and the strike anywhere
matches. I've noticed that the strike on the box matches are far more durable to
humidity than the strike anywhere matches. With the strike anywhere matches, humidity
will cause the tip of the match to fall off when trying to start/strike it. I've had to throw
an entire box of the Diamond strike anywhere matches as they were worthless.
I do have a couple of ammo cans of the Diamond strike anywhere matches stored with
silica desiccant. They were stored like a dozen years ago. Someday I'll have to check on them?
matches. I've noticed that the strike on the box matches are far more durable to
humidity than the strike anywhere matches. With the strike anywhere matches, humidity
will cause the tip of the match to fall off when trying to start/strike it. I've had to throw
an entire box of the Diamond strike anywhere matches as they were worthless.
I do have a couple of ammo cans of the Diamond strike anywhere matches stored with
silica desiccant. They were stored like a dozen years ago. Someday I'll have to check on them?
day late
money? whats that?
I say, be real. When (NOT IF) this happens, people are going to continue to be people. EVERYONE is going to be thinking 'ME first' everyone else later. It is human nature. The next on the list is 'Mine', meaning people close to you, be they family of just close friends. THESE are the people you will begin bartering with. Human nature is such that you trust and deal with those you know and trust, first. They are the least threat. Once gaining bartering skills by dealing with them, THEN you start dealing with other people.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Just as a tip:
Buy a bottle of clear nail polish, and find about a 1 X 4 piece of wood, probably wouldn't hurt to put something like old newspaper or other throw away paper, under the board.
Dip your matches in the nail polish, and place on wood with the head hanging out over the edge, and is the reason for the paper, in case it drips some off. Let dry for a day or two. Repackage.
To test: place the match head under running water, and then pull out from under the water and strike. If you use a thumb nail be careful. Should fire off just fine, mine do.
That won't work with strike on box though. If the box gets damp, it's done. Notice it's the box and not the match that matters.
Hope that helps.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yep and candles like dimes or quarters. Small purchases.
You got a needle? Give you a match for it. Alright, alright a candle.
Milkweed Host
Veteran Member
Thanks, I'll give that a try!!!
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
While that may be true.
My plan is to have all I need on hand for the beginning when all the death and destruction is going on, and only come out and barter with those who are left.
If they decide to take me out then, it would be like lacing fentanyl in heroin killing off their customers, or suppliers.
And nothing says they would be the one left standing.
packyderms_wife
Neither here nor there.
I have those and two of those huge lenses from overhead projectors.
Codeno
Veteran Member
We have quite a few of these - windproof, waterproof and will light after having been submerged in water.
Case is waterproof, replaceable striker on the side.
ainitfunny
Saved, to glorify God.
For $40 you can get 300 large tealights ( in metal cups) and if you have been listening to me you can heat food,
boil water, perk a small pot of coffee, fry eggs, with ONE TEALIGHT CANDLE, by ADDING A HUGE WICK!
With the small tealight candles with big wicks you can probably get 2 heating uses out of it and a large tealight with a BIG wick will give you 3-4 two cup of water boilings.
It works as well or better than Esbit or other fuel tablets!
You will save wax and boil water, heat food, etc, TWICE as fast if you heat it COVERED.
Put the tealight in a small frying pan or cake pan to contain the fire.
For a wick , I took a half of a kleenex and twisted it and dippped it in wax and made a circle of it cutting it about as big as the tealight cup, and propped it up as a circle wick in the candle against the side of the cup so it wouldnt fall in the melted wax and go out. Keep a glass or cup handy to cover the tealight and put it out.
If you can boil water you can make instant rice, mashed potatoes. Ramen noodles, instant oatmeal, warm sausages, heat canned food, make coffee , tea, and any number of other things.
You can also melt paraffin or candles and refill your tealight cups!
boil water, perk a small pot of coffee, fry eggs, with ONE TEALIGHT CANDLE, by ADDING A HUGE WICK!
With the small tealight candles with big wicks you can probably get 2 heating uses out of it and a large tealight with a BIG wick will give you 3-4 two cup of water boilings.
It works as well or better than Esbit or other fuel tablets!
You will save wax and boil water, heat food, etc, TWICE as fast if you heat it COVERED.
Put the tealight in a small frying pan or cake pan to contain the fire.
For a wick , I took a half of a kleenex and twisted it and dippped it in wax and made a circle of it cutting it about as big as the tealight cup, and propped it up as a circle wick in the candle against the side of the cup so it wouldnt fall in the melted wax and go out. Keep a glass or cup handy to cover the tealight and put it out.
If you can boil water you can make instant rice, mashed potatoes. Ramen noodles, instant oatmeal, warm sausages, heat canned food, make coffee , tea, and any number of other things.
You can also melt paraffin or candles and refill your tealight cups!
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BigFootsCousin
Molon Labe!
That's why you wear Level IV armor AND have someone in your Tribe as an overwatch SNIPER. And let the buyer know that!
BFC
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Hand tools not power tools unless you can recharge the battery
BigFootsCousin
Molon Labe!
Look, this is like the 4th or 5th article that's supposedly written by AI that I've posted. If it's not obvious, I am more than likely to run it if there's a good chance of having some discussion with it.
I cannot be expected to be the AI police. It would hurt my head too much and I would/will probably just quit posting. You guys just need to understand that AI is here to stay and it will undoubtedly become much more prevalent IMO.
It is what it is........
BFC
hiwall
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Rebar has a thousand uses and can be sold by the foot.
But really, stock food. Then stock more food. Then if you still have money stock more food.
Every person needs food. Most people will run out in the first week. Many regular food items can be stored for decades. Most stored food can be easily bartered away in very small increments. You will also need food so stock some more.
Plan on a garden to supply your needs? Every year, every garden in every state is a crap shoot. Master gardeners can have a bad year. I would suggest storing more food.
But really, stock food. Then stock more food. Then if you still have money stock more food.
Every person needs food. Most people will run out in the first week. Many regular food items can be stored for decades. Most stored food can be easily bartered away in very small increments. You will also need food so stock some more.
Plan on a garden to supply your needs? Every year, every garden in every state is a crap shoot. Master gardeners can have a bad year. I would suggest storing more food.
I appreciate the articles you post. Don't stop and don't think I took offense to you posting.
They grate on my nerves like scratches on a chalkboard. That's not your fault.
You keep posting and I'll quit complaining. Maybe it just becomes glaringly obvious to a few of us...
Doc1
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Just a few notes on ammunition:
I would, with care and consideration of the other party, possibly barter ammo in a WROL situation. I wouldn't worry about one of the rounds you sold or bartered being the one that would kill you. It's a remote possibility, but there is so much ammo in this country that the ne'er do wells almost certainly have their own supply or other sources. It's like selling a car and then worrying that the car you sold would hit you in an accident. After a collapse there will be an infinite number of things you'll have to worry about besides that!
For many years I have implored people to learn reloading and I'm not going to get on the soapbox about it now. You either have the smarts to act on the advice or you don't. I'm beyond caring. Don't bother reading the rest of this post.
I will note a few things about reloaded ammunition that you should be aware of. In a WROL scenario these things probably won't matter, but...
First, it's illegal to sell or barter with ammunition that you reloaded. A lot of folks don't know this, but it's a Federal crime. You're on safe ground if you give ammo away, so I think you're probably safe if you just give away some ammo to a person who bought a gun from you. Make sure you're really giving the ammo away though, and don't adjust the price with or without the ammo. Interestingly, it's legal to sell or barter with ammo that another licensed person or a company reloaded! It's completely legal to sell or barter with new, factory loaded ammunition. Understand that these are the Federal laws and that your state laws may be different. After a societal collapse, I doubt that these will be things will be enforced or even considered. You buys yer ticket and youse takes yer chances.
If you are reloading or even taking steps towards reloading, you should be collecting lead. Currently I get most of my lead from a local, nonferrous metals scrap yard. It's cheap relative to the number of bullets you can cast per pound. Very little lead you find these days will be pure. It's almost always going to be alloyed with other metal. If you can easily press a knife blade into it and make an indentation, it'll be soft enough for most casting. With pure lead, you can make an indentation with your thumbnail. If you find any pure lead (like roof flashings), buy it. Black powder shooters are always looking for pure lead and it's excellent barter material. You can mix pure lead with a little tin or old 50-50 solder to make it hard enough to use in modern handguns.
If you've never cast bullets before, buy a cheap Lee mold on eBay and find a small, cast iron sauce pot at a yard sale or flea market. Then you'll need a small heat source. I use an old propane, Coleman camp stove. A large tablespoon to dip the lead out and pour it into the mold will round out your basic equipment. Oh, get some kitchen matches and use them to "smoke" the interior of the mold. You want the mold's interior to be covered in black carbon. Eventually the mold will become seasoned and you won't need the smoking treatment very often.
If you save your brass (or scrounge it from other sources) and cast your own bullets you can crank out rounds for very, very little. Eventually you'll get to the point where you never buy factory ammo again.
Best
Doc
I would, with care and consideration of the other party, possibly barter ammo in a WROL situation. I wouldn't worry about one of the rounds you sold or bartered being the one that would kill you. It's a remote possibility, but there is so much ammo in this country that the ne'er do wells almost certainly have their own supply or other sources. It's like selling a car and then worrying that the car you sold would hit you in an accident. After a collapse there will be an infinite number of things you'll have to worry about besides that!
For many years I have implored people to learn reloading and I'm not going to get on the soapbox about it now. You either have the smarts to act on the advice or you don't. I'm beyond caring. Don't bother reading the rest of this post.
I will note a few things about reloaded ammunition that you should be aware of. In a WROL scenario these things probably won't matter, but...
First, it's illegal to sell or barter with ammunition that you reloaded. A lot of folks don't know this, but it's a Federal crime. You're on safe ground if you give ammo away, so I think you're probably safe if you just give away some ammo to a person who bought a gun from you. Make sure you're really giving the ammo away though, and don't adjust the price with or without the ammo. Interestingly, it's legal to sell or barter with ammo that another licensed person or a company reloaded! It's completely legal to sell or barter with new, factory loaded ammunition. Understand that these are the Federal laws and that your state laws may be different. After a societal collapse, I doubt that these will be things will be enforced or even considered. You buys yer ticket and youse takes yer chances.
If you are reloading or even taking steps towards reloading, you should be collecting lead. Currently I get most of my lead from a local, nonferrous metals scrap yard. It's cheap relative to the number of bullets you can cast per pound. Very little lead you find these days will be pure. It's almost always going to be alloyed with other metal. If you can easily press a knife blade into it and make an indentation, it'll be soft enough for most casting. With pure lead, you can make an indentation with your thumbnail. If you find any pure lead (like roof flashings), buy it. Black powder shooters are always looking for pure lead and it's excellent barter material. You can mix pure lead with a little tin or old 50-50 solder to make it hard enough to use in modern handguns.
If you've never cast bullets before, buy a cheap Lee mold on eBay and find a small, cast iron sauce pot at a yard sale or flea market. Then you'll need a small heat source. I use an old propane, Coleman camp stove. A large tablespoon to dip the lead out and pour it into the mold will round out your basic equipment. Oh, get some kitchen matches and use them to "smoke" the interior of the mold. You want the mold's interior to be covered in black carbon. Eventually the mold will become seasoned and you won't need the smoking treatment very often.
If you save your brass (or scrounge it from other sources) and cast your own bullets you can crank out rounds for very, very little. Eventually you'll get to the point where you never buy factory ammo again.
Best
Doc
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West
Senior
And you got a sealer to cover chigger bites, to keep them from getting infected.
Though I stack gallons of rubbing alcohol in all the different percentages. And witch hazel and make our own yarrow using 100 proof vodka that's a stacking asset on its own.
ainitfunny
Saved, to glorify God.
Also car
Very cheap on Amazon. I bought some for trade, and gave oone to all the men in my church, and all single women. I told them to put it in their wallet RIGHT NOW
So if they ever desperately needed a fire they coud eventually make one with it. ( they were almost ALL NON-SMOKERS and none carried a lighter.)
Also carry a Fresnel magnifying lens (credit card size) wrapped, in your wallet. It will start fires and magnify.
Very cheap on Amazon. I bought some for trade, and gave oone to all the men in my church, and all single women. I told them to put it in their wallet RIGHT NOW
So if they ever desperately needed a fire they coud eventually make one with it. ( they were almost ALL NON-SMOKERS and none carried a lighter.)
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
That's very true. And I was headed over here this AM to mention that clear finger nail polish could also be used in the first aid kit, for minor cuts.
Because you can do a couple of those big strike anywhere kitchen matches boxes and waterproof them, and have a bunch of polish left over, but not to throw it away, but stick it in the first aid pouch.
I see someone put up a link to waterproof matches, which is cool, but if you have the strike anywhere kitchen matches, that you waterproofed, with finger nail polish, you can put them in an old prescription bottle, or pocket Tylenol (of whatever bottle) just trim to fit, if you need to, and you don't need a striker strip. Zipper, rivet, thumbnail, or a Clint Eastwood back of the leg and get it hot enough to fire off, rock will work fine.
I can't figure how Clint carried those matches around loose without loosing them, or breaking them. But got to say he was much of a man. LOL
Back in the old days the old timers would make fancy match holders where the matches just laid in a cup holded type thing, grab one and strike it on the brick or stone of the fireplace, and you were good to go.
A simple one for the kitchen and in case anyone is wondering: 
And for the living room fireplace:
I buy all the sewing boxes I can at yard sales etc. Needles, thread, buttons etc. Pennies on the dollar and absolutely vital.
Immediately after I would agree but the reality is trade will be needed eventually. No man or group is an island. There is stuff that you and your tribe can’t produce that you will need.
psychgirl
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Delete
I have a stash for barter but I look at things differently. If there is anything that I am saving stuff to barter for, I just get that item so I don't have to try and barter for it. That just leaves fresh produce and things I can't store as a thing that I may need to barter for one day. I topped off my extensive antibiotic supply last month before the fish antibiotic ban.
tech
Veteran Member
Just remember they only last a couple of years before the gas leaks out and the fake flint turns to powder.
One of the things we store is Dollar Tree toothbrushes. Pack of 5 for a dollar isn't bad and wife figures moms will possibly want toothbrushes for their kids. Also at Dollar Tree is a great place to pick up barter items, needles, thread, matches, lighters, even long-term food such as dried beans etc.
Bad Hand
Veteran Member
According to both the Germans and Americans the 2 number 1 items for barter Cigarettes and eggs during WW II.
Being able to start a fire without matches is a skill everyone should learn. Using a hand drill, fire bow drill of flint and steel. These skills remove the need for matches, their are taught at all Primitive Skills gatherings along with other valuable skills.
Being able to teach these skills is a great barter item.
Being able to start a fire without matches is a skill everyone should learn. Using a hand drill, fire bow drill of flint and steel. These skills remove the need for matches, their are taught at all Primitive Skills gatherings along with other valuable skills.
Being able to teach these skills is a great barter item.