So called BARTER-TRADE items for Post-SHTF.

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I saw this out in the back woods of Alabama I don’t remember where it was it might have been in Tennessee or Georgia we were lost and it was a long day.

I did manage to talk to the fella that was standing around so if you have any questions feel free to ask we had a very long conversation and I feel I know everything about this thing
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Instead of a coil which sits in a buck of water. The pipe you see on the vertical far right is called a lieber condenser
It is a 1/2” pipe inside a 1” pipe water enters the 1” pipe at the top and exits at the bottom cool water from a faucet circs around the 1/2” pipe cooling the product On the outside of the 1/2” pipe is a piece of 10 gauge copper wire wound around the pipe. It is soldered in place. It causes the water to swirl which adds a. Oops …..I am not allowed to enter nerd territory without a pocket protector. And a slide ruler

Fun fact. Surprised me that this boiler is all electric , does not require an open flame, which an open flame has always been a huge safety issue and many buildings have burned down because of a leak
At the bottom of the boiler is a 1” thread-o-let a stainless steel element screws into the O-let. And the element has control box. 220 wiring.
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How do it work?

First you fill the boiler with 10 gallons of mash
Remove the thumper.
Run a stripper run
Fill the thumper with that run
Fill the boiler with no more than 12 gallons mesh
The boiler boils the mash steam goes up and out into the bottom of the thumper where it is once again cooked then turnxx DC into steam. Steam goes up the pipe and is forced through the lieber where it turns into
A wee drop of nectar
 
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@Sourdough I was thinking on this - you mentioned things you can use. I don’t know what all you use, but I do think baking soda is a good idea and the other thing is various ropes. I know paracord is the cool prepper thing, but it drives me nuts. Various diameters and fibers for different tasks. I’m sure you have some but think it will be more sought after in shtf situations. Lastly is chain - along the same frame of mind as rope but more all weather.
Anyhoo, those are the things I thought you might be interested in.
 
LadyLocust said:
@Sourdough I was thinking on this - you mentioned things you can use. I don’t know what all you use, but I do think baking soda is a good idea and the other thing is various ropes. I know paracord is the cool prepper thing, but it drives me nuts. Various diameters and fibers for different tasks. I’m sure you have some but think it will be more sought after in shtf situations. Lastly is chain - along the same frame of mind as rope but more all weather.
Anyhoo, those are the things I thought you might be interested in.
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Screws, nuts, washers
Bolts.
All thread rod
Welding rod
Flux
Etc etc etc
 
Morgan....I have a couple of them newfangled Zippos.
I only fill it once a month like the older models but they have to be adapted a bit.
Just buy a 1 3/4 bicycle inner tube cut a little over an inch wide band and wrap around the lighter at the lid seam .
This is an EDC item it is in my pocket, to my surprise this band has lasted almost six years and I still do not see any reason to swap out to a fresh band.
 
Cheap knives are always a low cost investment, that will sale after the fall.
A lot of hand tools like ax, shovel, saws, any tool used to convert carts & trailers will be in great supply, because any car can be converted into a cart by removing gear systems.
 
Metal trades will be a MAJOR thing Blacksmithing and casting will be a premium so will Farriers and wheel rights.

AMISH and MENNONITE families will be well up even on most farming families of today because they can live without all of the electronic marvels,

Corn and rye grass for alcohol, a BIG STILL, learning to make and burn charcoal (WITHOUT WASTING) a cord of wood for cooking and heating ,, catch methane from burning wood, rejet carburetors for alcohol. and having a few large tanks of alcohol to sell and trade.

Finally some well trained BIG Timber Wolves and bone crushing pigs to eat anyone who comes to steal it.
 
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randyt said:
I think what is also important is how folks are going to communicate and advertise their goods and services for trade....post SHTF
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Good point. Some items will advertise themselves Smokes,booze will not require advertising.
At Christmas I gave the garbage collection crew a bottle each as a appreciate gesture
Damn. A week later some guys are inquiring. I had to play stupid and sent them away.
Morse code over telephone lines will be an option
 
I can see camps and trading posts coming into existence after SHTF but not right away. Unless of course someone belongs to a large group and has protection. For instance the cartel or the Russian mafia. I am curious how many peppers belong to a group large enough to be protected, like a tribe?

Most trappers belonged to a group usually hired by the likes of Manual Lisa or someone like that. A free trappers life expectancy was short. Most were not a John Colter or Hugh Glass. I not sure if either one of those were a free trapper

For me though a SHTF world is a world without rule of law.
 
Morgan101 said:
The new Zippo lighters are no where near as good as the old ones. I had one I carried for thirty years. Refilled it about once a month. Sadly that was confiscated by the TSA. The new Zippos have to be refilled about once a week. For me it is a Saturday morning ritual.
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No offense intended here, but why would anyone want something like that? Back when I was heavy into hiking and backpacking, I made several "pocket survival kits" out of little metal tins holding bare minimum survival essentials. One of those things was always a Bic lighter. I mention this because sometime back in the 90's (or maybe it was the 80's?) I bought a six-pack of Bic lighters. Probably cost about $1.59 for the six-pack. Used two of them in my kits. The others ended up in the junk drawer in my kitchen. I just now pulled two of those 25 - 30 - 35 (?) year old lighters out of the back of that drawer. They both lit up perfectly on the first try. As if they were brand new. Zero maintenance over the years. No refilling every week. They had just sat there for several decades, untouched, except for maybe lighting a birthday candle here and there over the years. And they still worked perfectly.

FWIW, the Bic lighters in my survival kits were what I called my "convenience fire starters". I knew they wouldn't work in all outdoor conditions (high winds, after getting soaked in water, in the freezing cold, etc.) But when they work, they are super convenient. My kits always included a ferrocerium rod for starting fires in super adverse conditions. And of all things, one or two of those "can't blow 'em out" trick birthday candles. If you could manage to get one of those puppies lit, you were in like Flint for starting a fire - even in a significant wind or rain storm.
 
I store tea candles & Hanukkah candles that l bought on clearance. Harbor freight mag/ flit fire starter & bic lighter. Also have a few stones& steel.
 
Haertig said:
No offense intended here, but why would anyone want something like that?
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Redundancy, and maybe force of habit. I have carried one for so long it is like having a pocket knife. It is always there.

I usually have at least three ways to start a fire with me at all times. Zippo lighter, Bic Lighter, matches of all kinds.

It is almost an obsession. I have half a dozen Zippo lighters; half a dozen butane lighters; dozens of Bic lighters; dozens of Scripto lighters, although they are not as good as Bic, and I won't buy anymore. Matches of every variety including paper book matches.
 
I have made a switch in regard to carrying a Bic lighter. I've found multi burner Cigar lighters, 2, 3, or 4 burner torches. Not much bigger than a Bic, but a much higher output flame, much hotter, and a longer reach. It'll catch damp wood after a few seconds.
I still carry a Zippo, Ferro Rod, Mag bar, and some good dry tinder. Typically a Altoids tin of small pieces of Fatwood.
 
If you are in a plane crush, maybe different, but with every day travel you should have dry tender & a little dry kindling in a ziplock bag with a bic or lighter. Maybe 🤔 a candle for back up in every vehicle. Human hair works well as tender also.
 
joel said:
If you are in a plane crush, maybe different, but with every day travel you should have dry tender & a little dry kindling in a ziplock bag with a bic or lighter. Maybe 🤔 a candle for back up in every vehicle. Human hair works well as tender also.
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I carry a Ranger lighter, a small kit with everything you need. Instead of a cotton ball, I cut two Q-tips in half and insert them into the Chapstick at 12-3-6-9. Like having four candles and the Chapstick, paracord, and gorilla tape can all be used as fire starters,

 
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