Getting to the Point: Other Uses for Canvas Needles in Survival Situations

Last week we looked at different fabric and threading materials. This week we are going to look at our canvas needle as a multi purpose tool to really see what this thing can do. You may have several ideas spring to mind, number one being a compass. To start off with I am going to show you a few things you can pack to make sure you have a compass with you at all times.

The first thing you want is a AA battery and to make sure that your battery has power, you can hold the positive end to your compass and move it around to see if your compass needle will follow it. If it does, you have a good battery. I am now going to take an iron or steel sewing needle and I am going to swipe the tip against the tip of the positive end of the battery about 40-50 times. This magnetizes the needle. The next thing I am going to need is a tea light candle. Now if you remember in the candle blog I said that I wasn't going to pack a tea light candle, however, I am going to keep one wherever I keep my needle because I will be using it as a flotation device. Now I am placing my candle in the bowl of water and placing the needle on top of it. At this point it is as simple as waiting for the magnetized end of the needle to find north.

Now there are other ways to create a compass without having to float your needle. If you use some of the thread you have with you like I recommended in the last blog, you can tie a loop around the middle of your magnetized needle. You'll have to be careful to make sure that your needle is parallel to the floor for this to work. Now it will begin spinning but when it comes to a stop the magnetized end will be pointing north. It's a little creepy.

You could think of it as a cleaning/maintenance tool. You could use it to clean under your nails. You could roll or scrape debris out of an open would to prevent an infection. With that being said you could use it to patch yourself up with stitches or field medicine, but I think, or at least I really hope, we're a long ways away from having to practice field medicine.You could use it as a toothpick or if you get cysts like I get in my earlobes, you can use it as a lance. You could use it to pick out splinters or other foreign objects from your skin as well.

Now we are getting into the realm of fishing and trapping. Some people would tell you to heat it up and turn it over into a fish hook, but I am not one of those people. You would have to get it very hot and bend it very slowly because it would snap. I do think that it would work well as a gouge hook if you had something to help it float and prevent it from sinking to the very bottom. Theoretically you could put multiple needles together and use it as a frog gig. These ideas are all fine and good, however, if you're fishing for survival I think your best bet is going to be some type of netting system. You could use this in a windless trap for small rodents so it will stab them in the head and pin them down. I wouldn't recommend using it with a mouse trap though as it would likely break.

In terms of cooking you could use your needle to test if your dough is cooked all the way through. You could use it to pin your fish to a board if you choose to cook it or descale it that way. You may even be able to use your needle to descale the fish. If your needle was thick enough and able to bear the weight, you could use it as a toggle for your water bottle when you are boiling water over your fire. Of course you should be sure to test all of your equipment at home before taking it out and trying it in the field.

Well, I am now out of ideas for what you could possibly use a needle for. If you have any more ideas feel free to comment and tell me. I would love to hear your ideas. Next week will be our first review of 2018. We are going to review my Walmart canvas needle vs. some other canvas needles. Now the ones I've purchased are supposed to be the same ones the Dave Canterbury uses but I was unable to purchase them off of his website so I purchased them off of Amazon so they would arrive a little quicker. Either way, you know you don't want to miss it! As always feel free to comment by clicking the comment link at the end of the blog, hit the follow button in the top right corner, share this blog, and check back next week for a new one on Sunday 10pm (est). If you want to keep up with me and what I’m doing, Follow me on Facebook: @BPackBushcraft and on Twitter @BPackBushCraft. Lastly if video is more your style check out my YouTube Channel backpack bushcraft where there is a video version of this with the same title. Until next time, keep those fires burning and put another log on for me.