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Many simple items that we take for granted can be used for more than their intended purposes. When preparing for a survival situation, you’d be surprised by the household or office items that you can put to use in ways you never imagined.
One such item is the paperclip. We use it to keep papers secured, and it does its job well. But in a survival situation, you’ll be glad you had a paperclip – and perhaps more than a few of them.
Paperclips can be bought in bulks of hundreds and at minimal prices, so you can easily store a small container of them in your survival kit. If you aren’t convinced that you need to include a container of paper clips in your survival bag, what you’re about to read may influence you.
Granted, we’ve all seen in the movies where the hero or the villain uses a paperclip to open a lock. But let’s examine other uses:
1. Makeshift Compass
Losing your sense of direction can be devastating in a survival situation; you can get lost and waste valuable time, energy and resources in the process. But with a steel or iron knife, a leaf, some water in a cup, and a paperclip, you can find your sense of direction. Simply cut off part of the paperclip into a straight line, and then magnetize it by running it against your knife – or use static electricity to do the same. (You also can magnetize it with a magnet, of course.) Then, set the knife on the leaf that is floating in the water (or on cork or anything small that floats). In a short amount of time, the paperclip will point in the north-south direction. You’ll have to use other information you have relevant to your area to figure out which of the two ways is north, but the paperclip method will get you on the right track.
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2. Repairing Zipper Tabs
There’s nothing more annoying than keeping several important items inside a pouch or bag, only for the tabs to break off, making it nearly impossible to get the zippers open. The good news is that you can stick a paperclip in the zipper to replace the tab, and the zipper will work good as new.
3. Clothing Hook
If you need to clip on anything to your bag or pouch, you can bend the paperclip to securely hook it on to your pack, and then clip on anything small to the paperclip. Additionally, you can use paperclips to hang up clothes from rope and drawers. You’d be surprised how much weight a simple paperclip or two can hold.
4. Fishing Hook
As long as your paperclip is securely fastened on your string or line, it makes an excellent fishing hook to attach bait. In addition, a paper clip can also be used as a shiny lure to draw in fish.
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5. Organizer/Key Ring
If you need a replacement for your key ring – or you are trying to organize similar items — you can take a paperclip and bend it into the shape of a key ring, and it will work just as well.
Hopefully, you see now how simple everyday items in your home or in your workspace can be put to great use in a survival situation. All it takes is a little thought and creativity.
What are other survival uses for a paperclip? Share them in the section below:
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