The Novice Survivalist
A novice outdoorsmen learning camping, fishing, bushcraft and survival. "KNOWLEDGE IS A SURVIVAL SKILL"
Survive on a dime – Can you?
Hi Campers, I was rummaging around in my camping and survival goodies as usual. I do this about once a month on average. I’m a geek with camping and survival stuff. Love to look at, touch and feel them in my hands. Yes a little odd but what can I say. Sharp shinny things amuse me.
Fortunately I am not rich, Or I would become one of those hoarders you see and hear about on television. I would spend all my days, hours and minutes sitting on the floor in the basement, surrounded by my stuff.
Back on track. I was going through my camping bags, packs and pouches. I am constantly looking for better ways to sort and spread out my goodies amongst the carriers. You know the quick Walkabout pouch, the daypack, the kayak pack, the overnight camp pack (Hammock and tent options), the more than one night camping backpack etc. etc.
In each pack, I try to have a survival pouch, that I have put together basic survival tools for that particular use pack. I try to match the survival pouch to the size and use of the pack it goes into. I was rummaging through at a small belt pouch I have for quick wandering about in the outdoors. Its a military pouch, designed I believe for a quick access for most used items to be made readily available,(map, compass etc.). I think!. Anyway I had bought this a couple years ago while searching a local Military Surplus store in Fresno California. (Another problem I have. Cannot walk past a surplus store.) I opened it up and inside I found a tool I had thrown in there without much thought.
And that got me thinking about tools we choose and will they work.
This particular little tool is the GERBER DIME.
Its a small, Ok very small multi tool I had purchased on a visit to home depot. It was cute and the price was not about to break my much depleted bank account. Plus of course it was shiny and sharp. My addiction kicked in right away. So I bought it, brought it home and threw it into my belt pouch. My attention is short lived. But hey here I am about to have a better look at a purchase on a whim about a year later. Will it work as a survival tool. Or is it just another extra I have in my emergency pouch that I will probably never use.
Keeping in mind the survival bag its going into, Namely my small belt pouch I use it for just going on a VERY quick walkabout, locally not to far from home.
Like all survival pouches it has the bare minimum I would need in an emergency. In this case, basing the emergency on local access to help should some thing on a larger scale occur. But you never know. Would this tool be good enough to get me through the night. Say a 24 hour period. This pouch actually has a fairly small survival knife in it. As well as some other basic first aid / survival things, (band aids, medical tape, fire starters (Cotton balls with petroleum jelly), 550 cord and a small flash light and batteries.
Aspirin, whistle and water purification tabs. And I always have my main belt knife on me where ever I go.)
The DIME as explained on the Gerber Website.
And I quote “We took the standard keychain multi-tool and made it better. In addition to stainless steel pliers, wire cutters, a fine edge blade, spring-loaded scissors, flathead screwdriver, crosshead driver, tweezers and file, the Dime includes a unique blade designed to safely cut and score plastic packaging and a bottle opener that is exposed even when the tool is closed. Compact and lightweight, the Dime is the most valuable change you’ll find in your pocket.”
The specifications from the Gerbergear.com
Details:
Overall Length: 4.25″
Closed Length: 2.75″
Weight: 2.2 oz
Compact, lightweight size fits perfectly in pocket – a daily companion for any task
Convenient, easily accessible butterfly opening
Sturdy stainless steel construction.
I have used it a couple times. Namely the scissors (used to cut some small para cord) The tweezers to take a small splinter out of my forearm. (No, I have no idea how that happened) and I just tried it out as a Ferro rod striker to get some sparks to start a fire. And yes it worked adequately on the first two but as a striker I could not get the back of the blade to strike. For 2 reasons. One the back of the small blade was not a clean 90 deg. cut needed to strike and the blade closed in the direction of the pressure needed to strike the Ferro rod. I did get it to work on the actual sharp side, no problem and maybe by using the “inside of the blade” near the handle will save the blade some what.
As far as the other items it has, The screw drivers, file and pliers/wire cutters, well I am not sure I would need them in a survival scenario. But you never know. Personally I think it makes a great tool for your key chain just as Gerber says. As a survival tool, maybe not. But I will keep it in the belt pouch simply for the tweezers and scissors if anything.
Click on the short video I made showing the DIME and trying out some fire starting skills with it. Good practice to say the least.
Remember Knowledge and maybe with a DIME is a survival skill.
The Novice Survivalist
The Novice Survivalist 
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This design is incredible! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
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Great blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your theme. Kudos
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It is from a template in WordPress
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It was a template on wordpress who host my site
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