Friday's Thoughts and Other Stuff (Maintenance)

Dear Preppers and Survivalists,

Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Timmy Sharp
checks for leaks on an engine before installing it
into a Chevy Coupe V truck in Okinawa, Japan (ca 2005)
photograph by
Photographer's Mate 3rd Class John P. Curtis

Two is One. One is None
If you have been prepping for a few months, you have probably read about the importance of having duplicates, from the statement:

Three is Two. Two is One, and One is None.

Of course, like all general statements, it is informative and misleading.


Important
First, it is important for you and your family to have multiple ways of doing certain tasks. An example is creating a fire. when you and your family are out and about in the wilderness, you and your partner should carry a pack of matches and some tinder, have a butane lighter and know how to make tinder from resources at hand, and a firesteel and a striker and have a cotton handkerchief that you're willing to turn into tinder for a fire. Doing this would insure your family can keep warm, discourage insects and animals from attacking your family, signal rescuers, cook your food or warm a drink for your family, and many other things during an event.

But, ... It is ...


Misleading
For many other tasks, you and your family don't need three or two of everything.

However, ...

You do need to know how to improvise a solution, take shelter.

First, do you really need two homes to provide adequate shelter for your family?

Maybe, depending on the situation, but probably not, especially if you can improvise a shelter from natural material, have a close friend or relative that will allow you to shelter with them during an event, or have a credit card or some emergency cash to rent a motel room for a few nights as your homeowner's insurance gets up and running.


Another way the "Two is one. One is none." statement is misleading is when it comes to spare parts and maintenance. Let us take spare parts, first.

Spare Parts Shop,
Gambia (ca 2008)
photograph by
Ikiwaner

Spare Parts
Currently, do you have two cars of the same exact model year? How about, do you or a family member take spare parts off another vehicle, like an oil filter, and put those spare parts on your vehicle?

Well, ... Of course you don't because it would be a waste of money to take parts off one car to fix another car when it's cheaper to buy a new oil filter, v-belt, or other maintenance part.

The same thing for many other items, like grinders. You don't need to buy another quality grinder . You need to purchase some spare parts to replace likely breakable parts.

Take the Little Ark-series grinder, from Retsel. You don't need another grinder, at $120. You need some spare parts.

The same goes for firearms. You don't need another rifle for everyone in the family, you need some spare parts to replace parts that will become worn or broken.

Which this thought, leads to ...


Maintenance
You and your family, also, need the tools and supplies to take care of your equipment. This means you need to store oil and grease. This means, you need to have the skills to use these tools and supplies.

So, ....

What do you think, all of us need to store?