In a doomsday survival scenario, you won’t be able to go down to your local hardware store and buy the things that you are in need of. This means that if you want to have the things that you’ll need, you’re going to have to make them yourself or you’re going to have to make repairs to items that you already own at the very least.
In this day and age, most of us have long since abandoned the use of traditional hand tools. I have to admit that we’re actually quite fond of power tools around our house as well. After all, why would anyone want to use a hand tool when using a power tool could make the job go so much faster and easier?
Well, the answer is really quite simple. If you’re a prepper, you should start thinking about collecting survival tools now. By this, I mean tools that you can actually use if you don’t have electricity. Sure, most of us have backup generators but depending on how long we have to survive in a doomsday scenario, we may run out of fuel before we’re able to acquire more. Even if we do have some gasoline remaining in storage, we would probably want to save it for more important things than just running power tools.
So, now that we’ve established the importance of having good old-fashioned hand tools in our toolbox, you might be wondering what kind of tools you should actually collect.
Hand Tools That I Recommend Having
Let me make a list of the types of tools that we are collecting at our house. You can draw upon this list when you are adding to your own toolboxes or you can choose tools that you think you’ll specifically need. The basic idea is that I’d like to give you a starting point and some ideas that you might want to consider.
- Woodworking Tools
There is a very good chance that you’ll have to either make something out of wood or repair something that’s made from wood so having a good set of tools for working wood could be very important to you. Having a set of carpentry tools can mean the difference between trying to survive with broken things or being able to actually make repairs to the things that end up getting broken. I suggest that you have a selection of different types of cutting tools such as hand saws in your arsenal. Of course, you’re also going to want to have a good-quality hammer as well. Preferably one with a fiberglass or metal handle that won’t break. You’re also going to want to have a set of screwdrivers. Don’t forget to buy a variety of different types of pliers either. I’m particularly fond of locking pliers myself. Remember to stock your toolbox with a metal tape measure too. While you’re at it, see if you can pick up an old-fashioned hand drill and a set of drill bits that will work with it. Another really good tool to have in your toolset is a utility knife with plenty of extra blades. - Gardening Tools
Most preppers plan on growing a garden to provide food for their families which means having a good selection of gardening tools would be important as well. Remember, you probably won’t have enough gas to use something like a rototiller so you’ll want to have some garden hand tools such as shovels, rakes, and hoes. - Automotive Tools
Keep in mind that you also might have to make repairs to your vehicles and any other types of equipment that have engines. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to have a wide assortment of automotive tools in your kit. Having mechanics tools on hand, such as open-end and box wrenches, an extensive socket set, a good screwdriver set, a spark plug wrench, a spark plug gapping tool, and a torque wrench would all be good items to have.
There’s no need to go out and spend $1,000 right away. You can accumulate these items slowly over time. Some ideas for saving money are shopping at places like yard sales and pawn shops. Both of these places are notorious for having a good selection of hand tools for sale.
Keep in mind that good-quality tools can be quite expensive. Sure, you can go to discount supply stores and buy cheap knockoffs but when it comes to buying hand tools, you really do get what you pay for. Remember, none of us have any idea how long we might have to survive in a doomsday scenario so it would behoove us all to spend a little bit of extra money and buy quality tools that are designed to last.