How To Make SHTF (charcoal) Pencils

In this video, my new hero, Kirsten Rechnitz (man she’s awesome!), demonstrates how to turn small twigs into little charcoal pencils to use for marking maps, writing messages, and anything else you might need a pencil for in an emergency situation.

How To Make A Primitive Pencil

Check out how to make a primitive survival pencil in these five super easy steps. All you need is a few small twigs, and Altoids can, and a fire.

Step One: Break a twig into small pieces.

Look around and find a pretty straight, thin twig. Since Kirsten suggests using an Altoids tin to create the charcoal pencils, break the stick into pieces small enough to fit inside the tin. She didn’t say what type of wood to use, so it probably doesn’t matter too much. Whatever you can find.

Step Two: Put the sticks into an Altoids tin.

Place the broken twig pieces into the tin, fitting as many as you can inside.

Step Three: Let it smolder.

Place the filled Altoids tin into a bed of hot coals, covering with coals. You don’t want to have a blazing fire going for this, just the remnants of a fire. Allow it to sit for a while so that the heat turns the sticks in the tin into charcoal.

Step Four: Cool to touch.

Use a couple of sticks to retrieve the hot tin from the coals, and allow it to sit and cool to touch before attempting to open the tin.

Step Five: Use your new pencils.

Take out one of your new charcoal pencils and use it to write a message. If you’re lost in the wilderness and want to leave a note for search parties, use the pencil to write down all of your pertinent information: where you’re headed, your name, the date (if you know it), your hair and eye color, your age, gender and height, your shoe size and what kind of shoes you’re wearing, etc. Anything to help your rescuers locate you more quickly.  And if you’re looking for more ideas, make sure you also check out Kirsten’s video on making Yucca root soap.  It’s one of the two videos she’s giving away to promote her new DVD series.

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