Hobo Road's channel: www.youtube.com/@hoboroad Thanks so much for watching! Please leave me a thumbs up and a comment in the section below. Make sure and check out our website at www.waypointsurvival.com where you can sign up for classes and check out the required gear list!
Baby powder has been shown to be connected to cancers. I would suggest cornflour as an alternative. Bicarbonate of soda has also been used as a deodorant. Perhaps rinsing socks with bicarbonate of soda could be of help.
My god,I've never thought of that. Opening a can with a spoon, so simple yet amazing. I mean I've got into cans with effort,but this is so obvious and mind blowingly simple . Thankyou ,my god wow.
I remember back in the early 50s on Easter Sunday saw a hobo sleeping on the sidewalk covered with news paper after church when go got home that same hobo was on our back porch eating eggs and bacon hot coffee that my dad fixed for him.
@@duckhunter8387 Don't need a cheese grater, per se. A cullender, nail file or whittling knife can work just as well; you just want the soap in small, easily dissolvable bits. As for white vinegar, that's just down right useful in general. Not only does it help break down excess soap when cleaning, it also can be used as a light anti-bacterial/parasitic when added to water from relatively clean natural sources among a dozen other uses. Keeping a small bottle in your kit is worth the weight. Finally, I've never met someone thumbing down the highway or riding the rails that wouldn't share what they could spare, double so if you had something to trade in exchange. Even if you don't have something, someone you're camping with may and, again, hobos look out for each other.
@@ChefSpinney I never knew that, but after looking it up, think I’ll try that as I’m always having to be careful using only a minimal of soap, and double-rinses to being now sensitive to soap (apparently)due to age. I use vinegar for so many uses, and I save so much money not having to buy expensive specialty products!
These vids are great! My grandfather was a "gentleman of the road" after the family farm was repossessed. As I got older he showed me how to do the stuff and the equipment he made. He had his possibles bag packed and ready to go up until the day he died. He said the two years he spent on the road helped him to get rid of his anger towards the govt and banks and he found that no matter how bad things got he would survive and thrive. Thanks for your vids!
"possibles bag" A phrase that was relevant for a very long time! Now I leave house with my empty Haversack! It always has a bottle of water in it. A few "meds" for Hay fever/seasonal allergies. Plus a bandana. My "Day Bag" Not quite my "overnight bag".
Hobos were still very common during my childhood in the 1950's. We had two sets of RR Tracks that ran behind our home. Mom would leave a signal at the back door of our service porch to indicate if there was food available on certain days. Left over meat loaf was a favorite as were fresh baked pies. During harvest season there was always an abundance of peaches, apricots, cherries and apples. Mom always baked an extra pie to leave out for the Hobos.
I know a few hobos...met them them on the road, but they are old now. My hobo tip is how to do this.... Cooking bacon on a paper bag.. get a good small bed of coals ( you will need something to keep the bag above the coals) place your bag wax side down on your grate and place your bacon on top. Takes a little bit, but it cooks. Fold your bag after and put it away for later .
Good stuff brother, good stuff. My grandpa's house was near the railroad tracks in the 50's and early 60's. He used to set out leftovers on a table for the hobos. And, as a young guy tasked with taking a plate out or gathering the plates in the morning, I met a few of them and they were, as a rule, kind and engaging. One told me one time the greatest skill he had was learning to read lips, another told me to study how people sit and stand, their mouths will lie but their bodies always tell the truth. Several of them told me to learn knots, you can use them anytime or anywhere for anything. Once you learn them, you always have them, all you have to do is find some cordage. Just thought I'd share from my childhood...
A large nail is perfect for baking potatoes. When you push it through and have it in the fire it heats up cooking the potato from the middle at the same time the outside cooks . Cuts down on cooking time and helps not burning the outside black to cook the middle . I’ve done this since I was a kid having cook outs on the fire with my dad . Great video as usual 👍
Great idea! Some stores even sell actual potato nails made for this purpose. They tend to be longer than a regular nail and the metal is supposed to be non-toxic. You’ll find them in the aisle where they stock the yellow corn cob grippers-don’t know if that’s what they are called. Anyway, those potato nails are terrific.
Corn starch instead of baby powder ! 10xs cheaper . Plus u can use it to wash ur hair . Just rub it in n brush it out . I quit using shampoo / soap on my hair years ago .
Being a person with fairly severe mental illness as well as having been abused, I stay away from most people... I've had the thought in my head since about 8 years old that I will one day end up homeless, despite having some limited help as well as a regular income. It's just one of those things I've always been preparing for. The buyout bag is always prepared and being updated, these videos are always being saved. Thank you for sharing these hacks, always best to be prepared!
I love this stuff. I've been homeless and I learned a bunch of this stuff the hard way. I love to see the different ways that people come up with to survive and get along. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.
Grate as many soap scrap pieces as you have left over from old bars of soap and add enough H2O to create a thick paste. Pour into a form and allow to dry. BINGO! new bar of soap.
What a great "grate" story! Ladies who laundered other people's clothes for a living would often have each family have their own soap, then grate a portion as part of their wages for their own laundry. People often confuse soap with modern detergent---calling it "dish soap" when it is really dish detergent (detergents break down grease into smaller particles which is easier to get rid of). Trying to use soap without grating it is inefficient and messy.
My grampa would meld the smaller pieces into the 'famous' soap ball. If we were a little more grungy than usual from outdoors, we'd turn it to the 'Lava' or Dial piece. Saturday night, we'd take our baths to go to church next morning, there was bound to be a spot that had leftover Dove/Camay or Dove. I remember recognizing Irish Spring, Dial, & Ivory as well. I felt like I was playing a game "Guess that Piece." 😊. Grampa widowed in '68 with preteens & teens to still raise. He worked construction during the day so he got the main bar and as it got down to a smaller piece, he'd meld it into the soap ball for bathing time. This ball was always the size of a baseball and never really wore down. He passed away at 98. This was just one of many lessons he taught us. Waste not want not 🥰 Thank you for the baby powder reminder as well. Great for hiking.
Brother, when i worked at the local jail, we had a guy that hoarded newspaper. I was trying to figure out why. My mind, due to the evil nature at the jail went to all kinds of evil things. My boss said, "He's homeless. He was saving it for insulation under his jacket." That was an eye opener! 😮
They also use it as body armor in prison but the homeless definitely use it for insulation also. If it's crumpled up between clothes that's insulation. If it's a flat thick layer under clothes it's body armor to protect them from being shanked.
I used to do that during my hitch hiking days. It definitely does work. And then simple cardboard makes a huge difference. Nowadays it's not uncommon to find bubble wrap and other good packing materials in recycling bins behind businesses.
Here's an improvement on the soup idea. I've started using Knorr Chicken Bullion Powder as a soup for light lunches. You can have soup for a month or more from a small 8oz plastic bottle that will cost about $2.50. Plus, should you stumble across an egg, or some veggies you can make a substantial meal. It won't take up much space in your kit and you just add water.
I used to use bouillon cubes years ago, but lately the ingredients are not the same! Instead of simple chicken fat and meat particles plus flour, it has MSG and a whole lot of chemicals and herbs and spices that I don't particularly like. It's a shame, because the original recipe was the BEST. It had salt in it, which can be diluted with water or potatoes will absorb it, but we need salt for tears, blood, and sweat; sodium chloride is necessary for the body. Only people on kidney machines need to watch salt intake.
That's why I chose Knorr powder bullion. Slightly over half the sodium, but it does have MSG. The overall list of ingredients is 1/4 the length of Wyler's cubes and no unrecognizable items, which Wyler's is loaded with. Plus Knorr bullion broth tastes way better.
There was an episode of "Here's Lucy" -Lucille Ball, where she made this soup at a diner to save money, just ordering a bowl of hot water, ha. I might add, almost everywhere there are train tracks there are edible wild plants to throw in too.
@@lyndaniel3369 Overuse of salt = increased blood pressure, risk of stroke and heart failure, and in long term, increased cancer risk too. So, in real hobo situation you may not care about that, anyway probably will not live long enough. Playing hobo as hobby - well, maybe you should care. Anyway, main problem with bouillon cubes is that, that by themselves they have negligible nutritional value, they are pretty much only a flavoured salt. Useful, though, if you have something more substantial to put in the soup.
Riding a motorcycle in nice weather and then it turns chilly. I would get a news paper and leaving the sheets flat wrap some around each lower leg. Some more flat sheets across my chest and even around my arms if wearing long sleeve shirts. You would be surprised how warm they will keep you even at 50 or 60 mph. Also works pretty good in a rain.
old school . i hadda ride a month in winter to work when the cage was down . fecking slush on the panty legs was the only issue . byt yeah brother . what you said is gospel
Used this one while cycling. Was actually surprised how god it works. But it's harder to get a newspaper nowadays where I live. About 5 years ago they were given for free at every metro station and now I can't remember last time I saw a newspaper stand. Plastic bags are better than nothing but they'll keep sweat inside so you'll get cold the moment you'll stop moving. I guess A4 office paper will work the same but harder to put under the shirt. Personally I bring some kind of running wind resistant jacket everywhere I go. Packs up nice and small, can fit inside pants pocket but more expensive than newspaper
Here’s one my neighbor taught me. Saran wrap when it’s raining or foggy. He was dating a girl out in Berkeley and the fog was terrible. To get himself home he got himself a two dollar roll of saran wrap, and had his girlfriend wrap him up in it😂. He said it worked. Two dollars means back in the day.😊
@@bobg3633*Haiti. And how so? And by “we” I wonder who you mean because you don’t specify. Maybe you’ve been paying too much attention to fearmongers or a certain fearmonger that is relentlessly trying to make people afraid when fear is unnecessary.
@Mels925 are you serious? We are in a depression. Maybe you are blind? We are 35 trillion in debt. The ship is sinking. Yes we will look like haiti shortly. We will go tribal. And those not ready are finished and will be begging or trying to steal.
I am 73 now when I was a Lad my grandfather told me about the crumpled up news papers to keep warm in your coat. That was 65 years ago. He worked on the Burlington railroad and saw Hobos doing this. Thanks for all the Tips. Bangkok John.
Back 1998 when we hit bottom yes I wash my cloths in 5 gal buck with plunger thing was tight ! Deer meat kept going wood heat 18 month before I got job !
I've lived in the woods last few summers but usually I would go back to town every couple of weeks to do laundry and restock supplies. But I saw a set up like the one you describe and I've been thinking about making it for my bug out gear.
Very useful James .in my 70s now my biggest fear my whole adult life was becoming homeless It's highly unlikely but it can happen to anyone and does .So this is great survival information . I've always strived to be successful but you never know now days . Thanks again James.
Great vid James. A nice washing machine can be made with a 5 gallon bucket, lid and an old plunger. Make a small hole in the lid that the plunger handle can fit through. Add soap, hot water and dirty clothes. Agitate by using the plunger in an up and down motion. It works well although it’s not really portable. It’s great for a camp.
50 of 74 years a hobo. WOW what a bunch of great tips ! A couple of modifications I used tho. One. For the clothes wash can I would use a travel/sample size bar of soap in a sock. Heating the water first and then washing up using the soap sock for face and hands as well as lather for shaving. The soap is well mixed into the wash can and then can be additionally used for washing clothes. So a two for one use. Two. Handles for can cooking I would open all but about an inch from the lid. I used my thumb as a rough measure. Using my pliers I bend the lid to about the inch mark and fold over. On the outside of course. Do the same to the remaining side of the lid. Outside again. Then bend in about half. A easy handle.
plastic bags in between layers of socks works to keep ya warm❤John Steinbeck drove his old green truck around with his laundry in a bucket and got it all aggitated as he went on travels with Charlie his dog ~ read the book ❤ you'll thoroughly love it
I've put plastic bags on my feet and then heavy wool socks when sleeping outdoors, which makes my feet warmer. I've also tried walking with plastic bags on my feet and then a wool or cotton sock over it, but that way the plastic tends to bunch up and make interesting creases on my feet. I'll have to try your method of putting plastic bags in between layers of socks!
My dad did this when we went sledging one year with a home made sledge. I was very young but remember it clearly, I didn't have any boots so sock and bag layers worked well.
I make a body powder out of cornstarch and baking soda. No perfume and the baking soda is a natural deodorant as well. 🙂I put it inside an empty Arm & Hammer body powder container for simplicity's sake. I love that hobo sink! I've never seen anything like that before but it's a fantastic idea and very low impact on the environment as well. I suggest that you wash your whites before your darks - there's no need to change the water. Same with the rinse cycle. Rinse the white, remove, then rinse the darks. If you ever wash anything dark that bleeds dye with your whites, you'll know why I say this (you won't have any whites anymore!). The same goes double for red, as red clothing always seems to run, regardless of how old it is. (Or maybe that's just my experience.) ;-) As always, thanks for sharing these useful tidbits, James!
Another way to prevent blisters on your feet, or even hot spots, is to wear two pairs of socks. The first pair, next to your feet, should be thin. Even the foot part of ladies nylon hose works here. The second pair should be thicker. That second pair works MUCH better if they are wool. Cotton socks are hard on your feet. Give them to somebody you don’t like. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
I am 74 and spent time in the Army 50+ years ago. I have perfectly flat feet and in all my years I have never been bothered by blisters, even though most of those years I have worn cotton socks. I have a stash of wool and even Merino wool socks for that SHTF time (which hasn't arrived yet, thank God). Not dissing wool in any way, but somehow I have managed to walk through life relatively unscathed.
Excellent. It really works, as the socks rub against themselves. Although cotton can mat and get cold when wet, wool stays warm even when wet. I've worn cotton under wool because of an allergy, but even that works fairly well. Merino wool is the softest and least likely to itch.
I learned that in the Marine Corps. Woman's nylons or thin synthetic dress socks. Only needed em if I was doing +12 miles usually. Merino wool socks worked too but cost $15 a pair back then.
Great stuff! I highly recommend everyone reading Ernest Hemingway’s “Big Two Hearted River” it’s a short story and it’s available free on the web. Very descriptive of how a man sets up a camp in the early 1900’s. Using nails to hang his pack, using his axe to cut fatwood for his fire etc.
My grandfather was a hobo. I made the mistake ONCE of confusing the word "Hobo" and "bum".. like I said.. I only made that mistake once. After he started talking about being a hobo, he started talking and talking..it was WONDERFUL hearing these stories thru his eyes!
A trick I learned from Ethan Becker for storing duck tape, wrap it around old credit/membership cards. It makes the tape easily pocketable and accessible. It’s a great hack for everyday, not just survival
Great video as always. Remember everyone its not advisable to ring out your clothes with the twisting now. Modern clothing is very cheap and made poorly. You twist out a shirt to get the water out then it will quickly stretch and deform. Just squeeze it with as much pressure as you can apply with your hands but don't twist it!
When rinsing the laundry, adding a little bit of white vinegar will neutralize the alkalinity of the soap. You can use less water and they won't feel slimey.
I have walked through many winters here in mid-Michigan with nothing more exotic than all leather New Balance training shoes. If you step in a puddle and your foot gets wet, you immediately notice the chilling effect; so, find a place to stop, take off your sock and wring it out and put it back on with one of your lovely shopping bags over it inside of shoe. It works as a vapor barrier and foot will stay warm enough til you can get somewhere and dry it out.
Okay... the 1st hack kinda made me giggle. Did something very similar to this with one of my waterproofing bags and some uniforms last month😂. (No power). Wife asked what i was doing walking around the apartment shaking my WP bag.... i just said "laundry" and kept going😂😂😂
There's a better off-grid way of using two buckets, where the inside one has holes drilled out and slightly smaller than the outside bucket. You can swish the soapy water around in it. You can also get some kind of agitator stick to beat the clothes with, and even better to have a lid where the stick goes through the hole. Same concept as the coffee tin but much more capacity.
If you don't have baby powder, but have some flour: put some flour in your frying pan and scorch the flour and apply it the same as talc! Some graat tips! Thanks!
Browned flour (won't scorch if you use low heat and stir constantly! Browned flour was used for a baby's backside when it was raw from diarrhea or a rash.
I hate repeating my self ,but James please consider releasing one of the best survival ,prepper,books,since the SAS survival book by John Wiseman,probably the most important book I own I also have the pocket version which I recommend to any survivalist,but I know you could make a best seller my friend, and you could save some lives on the way!I been opening cans like that for years on the pavement or rough stone ,bless you James
you truly are an inspiration! I'm an old timer learning new tricks (63) as presented by you. It is FASCINATING to couple some true history in with your content, as you do!! The hobo "code" was amazing,..actually I'm glued to your whole series of vids on that! I'm looking at self-sufficiency with minimum dollars and alot of your info is SO USEFUL ! keep up the great work, indeed !
Your simple stew or soup recipe reminded me of what the Cornish tin mining families would eat when times were hard Kiddley broth, at it's simplist cubes of bread, little butter or fat hot water and any common hedgerow herbs or salt to give a little flavour!
My grandmother used grated lye soap fir much of the laundry. The soup hack reminds me of an event in my youth where kids would go from our school to the gift shop at the neighboring hospital. Order a pot of hot water and some tea bags and then proceed to use all the ketchup and Crackers to make a soup. Shortly students were banned from Valley General.
I would stick the tip of the large nail into a wine cork to protect the bag or other objects from getting punctured. I also do that to the kitchen knives and other sharp objects when I put them into a drawer so the sharp tips won't scratch the internal of the drawer of the rented apartment.
Great vids as always. A modern day twist for the washing can would be to get a waterproof bag that you can use as an insert in your backpack to keep clothes or other stuff dry in rainy weather and use as a washing bag when needed for clothing or utensils. Multiple usages and it usually hold its shape so no need to dig a whole in the ground. For the ducktape, you can also re-roll the tape around a pensil so it has a much smaller footprint (about the size of a quarter) while still having the full quantity.
You can always keep this knowledge handy,be in good times or bad. It's common sense, that we are not taught anymore. Learn as much as you can,it's fun too.
Using that hole in the ground with the plastic bag, spread your poncho over it with the hood in the hole and your poncho becomes a rain catcher. In the old days people used newspaper or old catalogs as toilet paper, crumple the paper up like you did for your coat insulation but squeeze as tight as you can and the paper fibers stretch which makes the paper softer when you unfold it so you can use it as toilet paper without getting paper cuts.
When I worked as a carpenter, 60 years ago, I used cardboard for innersoles, several layers. I sometimes wrapped the layers with plastic bags, because if I sweat in the day but it got real cold late in the day, and would stay dry. Easy to change when damp. I made footwraps from newspaper. I even stuffed my clothes because it cut the wind.
An old hobo named Vernon Sterling showed some of us young firefighters how to boil water in a paper sack over a fire. Took a little while and patience, but it worked. Also I didn’t know if you had heard, Hobo Shoestring aka Mark Nichols passed recently.
Salt pepper sugar, soy sauce mayo are all good for hiking For packet soup, mustard is is good, a strip of jerky (soak the jerky first) Sams club has kraut and yes I always buy a hot dog Subway has oil (good for frying) and vinegar
I lived in that farm house for two years. From 2004-2006. When my dad would call in the winter and ask how the weather was, I would tell him...well dad, it was a three dog night and I only have two. The house had propane and a wall heater. Between the price of propane and the lack of efficiency of the wall heater I opted for thick plastic over the window and door ways and one radiant heater and we all piled onto the sofa in the tiny living room. This is how I spent my last two years before retirement living in the So. Ca. high desert.
stuff shopping bags in a pillowcase for an excellent pillow. Tie them over your shoes to keep your shoes and socks from getting wet in the morning dew.
I've been collecting those red plastic mesh potato and onion bags that stores throw out, and they would make an excellent mattress if you needed one. Just jam a bunch in a large sack and good to go.
James, this is one of your best videos. The ketchup/crackers soup is a very neat idea! I love the can opening ideas! Incredibly simple concepts, with simple solutions. Thank you again for the video.
Your hobo sink is pretty much what I learned from my father and what he taught in his scouting trip and the purpose of that was because it was one of those things that he said he had to do sometimes during the war.
Love your hack videos. They make you think about alternate uses for common items and how to improvise in situations where your options are limited. Like Thomas Edison said, when asked how to be an inventor, "You need a good imagination and a pile of junk." Edison knew that you can't always find what you need at the local hardware store when you need it, so you have to make do. Be a latter-day Edison...learn to be creative.
These are great ideas James. Have you seen the cost of a newspaper today? The cost in Detroit for a newspaper is several dollars. I don't even read the paper anymore, because of the price. The laundromat i go to always had a newspaper laying around, not anymore. I doubt the Free Press and Detroit News will be around to many more years.
Years ago, if l remember right, some company started printing designs on gallon cans. It could have been coffee??? But these were a recycled set of cannisters. Remember coffee cans had a plastic lid to put back after the can was opened. So flour, sugar whatsoever could be stored in those cans. Now they were pretty because the company put designs on them. An even longer time back l recall taking the coffee cans with lids and covering them with contact paper.
I love the hacks very much! i carry my P-38 i got long ago in the army and still use it all the time but the spoon trick was super cool. I also use a knife to open cans but be really careful. Thank you so much!
Rite on James I really like the idea of the Outdoor sink ! It can actually be used for several different purposes, For instance, If you're working on a vehicle just build a sink on the edge of your yard and this will help keep grease off of everything from your hands
One thing my daughter and I did for homeless in our area was to tie and braid grocery bags together to make sleeping mats . It helps give a waterproof barrier between the ground and your body that can help you stay dry and warm while sleeping or sitting.
Terrific hacks! Someone has probably mentioned this, but using the nail on the cord/rope like that isn't a "fid", it's a "marlinspike". A fid has an open threaded end to act similar to a large needle.
Simply boiling your clothes will clean them every time - no soap required - boil them and hang them to dry - At the end of a day this is how I do - I never stink - I haven't used a washing machine in about 2 years or so - I imagine that was the go to method before washing machines 😊
This was another great video. At first I thought it was going to be the same old rehashed stuff everyone already knows but he does not disappoint. It was interesting, relevant and entertaining. The production value is very good but still offered in a simple and concise manner so as not to become monotonous or pandering. This channel always seems to put out a well thought out and presented topic. I appreciate the effort that goes into these presentations. Thank you for what you do.
- from UK : 100% agree. But I'm worryd an inexperienced person could badly cut their hands doing th can opening haks. : U must have a very tuf spoon, & strong RT hand! - better to carry a can opener or , a Swiss army knife ( - recommended by all Prepper channels)
One thing I recently saw on dual Survival you could use the Large nail to bust out the bottom of a piece of glass such as a soda bottle. Put the nail in the bottle head down and shake the bottle in a circular motion. Eventually, the bottom of the bottom will fall out.. you could then nap the bottle bottom to create a cutting tool.
I've been homelss. 2 yrs during covid (layoffs), plastic shopping bags work well as dead air space insulation in clothes, shelters and also improvised waterproof socks. Duct tape can be put onto an old atm , gift card or any card and can store a lot of tape in really compact method. In the last wrap or so of the tape, place fishing hooks for emergency gear. Not to be criticizing but i think the nail would be more related to a marlin spike than a fid. Fids usually allow for the threading of line akin to a needle eye by putting line into a hollow or a groove. Whereas a spike is more often related to the use you demonstrated. I would recommend the fid combo from capt. Curry out of sheffield. It is stainless and has a clevis wrench in the end as well. I have had mine for years along side my navy pea coat. They are a phenomenal combination for a homeless person. I was born in the 60s. I grew up seeing these hacks as a daily thing. Keep up the great information and the strong moral fabric of your content. Much respect for you on those vids.
I did that once when I ended up in a city in Fall and had to rough it for a night. I used clothes/towel I had in my backpack though. The problem I had was all the animals that come out at night were always waking me up when they were checking me out (deer, coyote) lol
I think that your nail is being used as a MarlinSpike. A "Fid" is generally hollow and used in splicing. The corkscrew on Swiss Army Knives is also very useful it getting knots loose.
The movie was loosely based on a book written by A No. 1 ( real name Leon Ray Livingston ) called Coast To Coast with Jack London in the late 1800s. Jack London's nickname was cigarette . It was updated to the Great Depression era in the movie.
The laundry hack i learned while homeless but we spent s few bucks on a 5 gallon bucket with lid and a clean plunger. This is also great if the power goes down and you need some clean clothes. I always have a 2 cup plastic container full of powdered laundry soap for emergency. If you have liquid softener a few drops after washing during the rinses helps to get excess soap out.
Oh yeah, thank you Waypoint for teaching me the name of the larger can size, because of that I was able to look up his diameter and compare that to a paint can. Now I have a double walled insulation stove.
Also a good idea to put baby powder in your shoes as well. That way they stay dry but also stop any smells. And an alternative cornstarch which keeps feet dry and stop smells. But also can be used in stews or to make gravies.
Another trick for shoe smell is to leave a chunk of charcoal in them overnight. It will absorb smell. It's good for camp jobs where you wear boots most of the day.
Great tips. Love the series. Your can washing system reminded me when I backpacked I carried a two quart pot and would use it to wash cloths. I’d wet the close first then rub them with a small hotel size bar soap then aggregate by hand. Worked great. I also used the pot to clean dishes, bathe, and oh yeah, to cook in 😊
When using a nail as a fid rather than as a punch, the tip should be configured a bit differently. While a punch tip would usually be a sharp point, the tip of a fid is rounded. It’s called a ball tip. That’s so that rather than a damaging puncture into the cordage, it can slide along the cordage, and into the knot. Then, when prying apart components of the knot, it doesn’t tear or rupture the cordage itself, and weaken it. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
Great video.Ill be looking for that handihandle and the grater at every flea marker and yard sale.Growing up we used home-made lye soap to help cure poison ivy..THANKS
What we now know about PTSD we look back on history and realize that many hobos were suffering from it. This relates to how many of these hacks came from the trenches and military service. It’s interesting how things converge the way they do
Ive used brown paper bags and newspaper for insulation, and later with plastic bags. This is especially handy if youre wearing BDU pants. Cinch ankle cuffs, get the big batch of paper or plastic bags shoved down your BDU pantslegs. If you sre carrying a pack, those bags, paper or plastic can be comptessed very small and weigh almost nothing. I have done this in dead of winter and works well. The colder it is put more bags in the legs. Add dry leaves also, i you need more warmth than the bags can give.. Really really changes things for you in a hard winter wind.
That handy handle is interesting. I bet one cold be made with a wire hanger. Actually I bet many things could be made with wire hangers that would be great for the Hobo. That might be a great video... cool things that can be made with a wire hanger
Watching you shake your laundry can this popped into my mind: If you couldn't find a lid for one of those cans but could get ahold of a large paint can and lid that had never been used I bet that would work, too. From there mind went to the thought that if you found a sympathetic person in an old, Mom and Pop type hardware store - or maybe you got a job helping clean the place for a few days - imagine if you put your laundry, water, etc. in there and they were willing to put it in the machine that shakes cans of paint to make sure they are mixed well. You would have some seriously clean clothes! 😊
![Hobo Christmas Treat! [ Poor Man! ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/39lMrxvkS4Y/mqdefault.jpg)
Hobo Road's channel: www.youtube.com/@hoboroad Thanks so much for watching! Please leave me a thumbs up and a comment in the section below. Make sure and check out our website at www.waypointsurvival.com where you can sign up for classes and check out the required gear list!
Soo much great info in one video!
Thank you!
God bless!😊
Baby powder has been shown to be connected to cancers. I would suggest cornflour as an alternative. Bicarbonate of soda has also been used as a deodorant. Perhaps rinsing socks with bicarbonate of soda could be of help.
@@serenepeacefulrelaxingmusi3874
Cornstarch, rather than corn flour. 😊
My god,I've never thought of that. Opening a can with a spoon, so simple yet amazing. I mean I've got into cans with effort,but this is so obvious and mind blowingly simple . Thankyou ,my god wow.
The concrete block,Jesus I never would of thought that possible.
Hack of the day sir,hack of the day.
I remember back in the early 50s on Easter Sunday saw a hobo sleeping on the sidewalk covered with news paper after church when go got home that same hobo was on our back porch eating eggs and bacon hot coffee that my dad fixed for him.
I remember, the unspoken rule was the back porch.
You can also use baby powder and corn starch for dry shampoo, just brush it through your hair and it will take the dirt and oil out of your hair
He was in calico creek
Wash hands first!!
@@glock-pt6fm was a joke 🤞
For the cloths washing bit: if you add a little white vinegar on the second rinse it breaks down any leftover soap and acts as a fabric softener.
Every hobo I ever knew always had a cheese grater and white vinegar. Not!
@@duckhunter8387 Don't need a cheese grater, per se. A cullender, nail file or whittling knife can work just as well; you just want the soap in small, easily dissolvable bits. As for white vinegar, that's just down right useful in general. Not only does it help break down excess soap when cleaning, it also can be used as a light anti-bacterial/parasitic when added to water from relatively clean natural sources among a dozen other uses. Keeping a small bottle in your kit is worth the weight. Finally, I've never met someone thumbing down the highway or riding the rails that wouldn't share what they could spare, double so if you had something to trade in exchange. Even if you don't have something, someone you're camping with may and, again, hobos look out for each other.
Thank you!
@@ChefSpinney I never knew that, but after looking it up, think I’ll try that as I’m always having to be careful using only a minimal of soap, and double-rinses to being now sensitive to soap (apparently)due to age. I use vinegar for so many uses, and I save so much money not having to buy expensive specialty products!
@@ChefSpinneyI prepare my soap before I leave home. Add a spot of vinegar on final hand rinse.
These vids are great! My grandfather was a "gentleman of the road" after the family farm was repossessed. As I got older he showed me how to do the stuff and the equipment he made. He had his possibles bag packed and ready to go up until the day he died. He said the two years he spent on the road helped him to get rid of his anger towards the govt and banks and he found that no matter how bad things got he would survive and thrive. Thanks for your vids!
"possibles bag" A phrase that was relevant for a very long time! Now I leave house with my empty Haversack! It always has a bottle of water in it. A few "meds" for Hay fever/seasonal allergies. Plus a bandana. My "Day Bag" Not quite my "overnight bag".
@@davesanders9203 😀
Exactly, great point.
Great story/truths/wisdom. Thank you.
I find it amazing just how much we really DON'T NEED.
Hobos were still very common during my childhood in the 1950's. We had two sets of RR Tracks that ran behind our home. Mom would leave a signal at the back door of our service porch to indicate if there was food available on certain days. Left over meat loaf was a favorite as were fresh baked pies. During harvest season there was always an abundance of peaches, apricots, cherries and apples. Mom always baked an extra pie to leave out for the Hobos.
We had the Vietnsm Vet hobos in the 1970s. My father would always make sure they had something to eat.
I love hearing this
awesome mom
I know a few hobos...met them them on the road, but they are old now. My hobo tip is how to do this.... Cooking bacon on a paper bag.. get a good small bed of coals ( you will need something to keep the bag above the coals) place your bag wax side down on your grate and place your bacon on top. Takes a little bit, but it cooks. Fold your bag after and put it away for later .
What do you think the homeless are now, their hobos
Good stuff brother, good stuff. My grandpa's house was near the railroad tracks in the 50's and early 60's. He used to set out leftovers on a table for the hobos. And, as a young guy tasked with taking a plate out or gathering the plates in the morning, I met a few of them and they were, as a rule, kind and engaging. One told me one time the greatest skill he had was learning to read lips, another told me to study how people sit and stand, their mouths will lie but their bodies always tell the truth. Several of them told me to learn knots, you can use them anytime or anywhere for anything. Once you learn them, you always have them, all you have to do is find some cordage. Just thought I'd share from my childhood...
So very cool! I really appreciate you sharing those tidbits!
A large nail is perfect for baking potatoes. When you push it through and have it in the fire it heats up cooking the potato from the middle at the same time the outside cooks . Cuts down on cooking time and helps not burning the outside black to cook the middle .
I’ve done this since I was a kid having cook outs on the fire with my dad .
Great video as usual 👍
An excellent Boy Scout trick You re-minded me of, Miss!
I can't wait to re-try it.
🙂
Rick Bonner Pennsyltuck
@richardbonner2354 make sure it's an iron nail not galvanized
Great idea! Some stores even sell actual potato nails made for this purpose. They tend to be longer than a regular nail and the metal is supposed to be non-toxic. You’ll find them in the aisle where they stock the yellow corn cob grippers-don’t know if that’s what they are called. Anyway, those potato nails are terrific.
Corn starch instead of baby powder ! 10xs cheaper . Plus u can use it to wash ur hair . Just rub it in n brush it out . I quit using shampoo / soap on my hair years ago .
Canned goods keep decade or two out of date!!! As long as it’s not dented bad or swollen!!!! Don’t throw away perfectly good food!!!
Being a person with fairly severe mental illness as well as having been abused, I stay away from most people... I've had the thought in my head since about 8 years old that I will one day end up homeless, despite having some limited help as well as a regular income.
It's just one of those things I've always been preparing for. The buyout bag is always prepared and being updated, these videos are always being saved.
Thank you for sharing these hacks, always best to be prepared!
You're very welcome, thanks so much for watching and I'm glad that you're enjoying the channel! God bless!
"Homeless" I've never been ... "Houseless", at times. Home is wherever you make it :) Stay safe ... God Bless
I love this stuff. I've been homeless and I learned a bunch of this stuff the hard way. I love to see the different ways that people come up with to survive and get along. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.
Grate as many soap scrap pieces as you have left over from old bars of soap and add enough H2O to create a thick paste. Pour into a form and allow to dry. BINGO! new bar of soap.
👏 👏 👏
Nice. You could also just keep the grated soap in like a soda bottle or something and use it as soap flakes for laundry, dishes and other washing up.
I heard you could do that with the paint on your car too. Sand, disolve in solvent, and reuse the paint!
What a great "grate" story! Ladies who laundered other people's clothes for a living would often have each family have their own soap, then grate a portion as part of their wages for their own laundry. People often confuse soap with modern detergent---calling it "dish soap" when it is really dish detergent (detergents break down grease into smaller particles which is easier to get rid of). Trying to use soap without grating it is inefficient and messy.
My grampa would meld the smaller pieces into the 'famous' soap ball.
If we were a little more grungy than usual from outdoors, we'd turn it to the 'Lava' or Dial piece.
Saturday night, we'd take our baths to go to church next morning, there was bound to be a spot that had leftover Dove/Camay or Dove. I remember recognizing Irish Spring, Dial, & Ivory as well. I felt like I was playing a game "Guess that Piece." 😊.
Grampa widowed in '68 with preteens & teens to still raise. He worked construction during the day so he got the main bar and as it got down to a smaller piece, he'd meld it into the soap ball for bathing time. This ball was always the size of a baseball and never really wore down.
He passed away at 98. This was just one of many lessons he taught us. Waste not want not 🥰
Thank you for the baby powder reminder as well. Great for hiking.
Brother, when i worked at the local jail, we had a guy that hoarded newspaper. I was trying to figure out why. My mind, due to the evil nature at the jail went to all kinds of evil things. My boss said, "He's homeless. He was saving it for insulation under his jacket." That was an eye opener! 😮
Now that is true Christianity...well done to your dad.
They also use it as body armor in prison but the homeless definitely use it for insulation also. If it's crumpled up between clothes that's insulation. If it's a flat thick layer under clothes it's body armor to protect them from being shanked.
I used to do that during my hitch hiking days. It definitely does work. And then simple cardboard makes a huge difference. Nowadays it's not uncommon to find bubble wrap and other good packing materials in recycling bins behind businesses.
And years ago, you could put newspaper in your shoes to cover holes.
Great tips, 99 percent of the world population will need to know these things in the near future.
Mostly the western world honestly
yes, a hard and crazy truth
@@johnjustice127correct
The sky is falling
Or it’s the end of the world
Here's an improvement on the soup idea. I've started using Knorr Chicken Bullion Powder as a soup for light lunches. You can have soup for a month or more from a small 8oz plastic bottle that will cost about $2.50. Plus, should you stumble across an egg, or some veggies you can make a substantial meal. It won't take up much space in your kit and you just add water.
I used to use bouillon cubes years ago, but lately the ingredients are not the same! Instead of simple chicken fat and meat particles plus flour, it has MSG and a whole lot of chemicals and herbs and spices that I don't particularly like. It's a shame, because the original recipe was the BEST. It had salt in it, which can be diluted with water or potatoes will absorb it, but we need salt for tears, blood, and sweat; sodium chloride is necessary for the body. Only people on kidney machines need to watch salt intake.
That's why I chose Knorr powder bullion. Slightly over half the sodium, but it does have MSG. The overall list of ingredients is 1/4 the length of Wyler's cubes and no unrecognizable items, which Wyler's is loaded with. Plus Knorr bullion broth tastes way better.
There was an episode of "Here's Lucy" -Lucille Ball, where she made this soup at a diner to save money, just ordering a bowl of hot water, ha. I might add, almost everywhere there are train tracks there are edible wild plants to throw in too.
@@lyndaniel3369 Overuse of salt = increased blood pressure, risk of stroke and heart failure, and in long term, increased cancer risk too. So, in real hobo situation you may not care about that, anyway probably will not live long enough. Playing hobo as hobby - well, maybe you should care. Anyway, main problem with bouillon cubes is that, that by themselves they have negligible nutritional value, they are pretty much only a flavoured salt. Useful, though, if you have something more substantial to put in the soup.
Great video! I’m going to be homeless at the end of the month. Your videos give me some comfort. Thank you!
Don't let it happen to you
Just like most things. You can come out of if a better Man. Good Luck
@johnr.1749 Thanks for the encouraging words!
For a time, you will be "shelterless", not homeless. The earth itself will be your new home. Try to think of it that way and you'll survive just fine.
You're welcome!
Nothing beats old school hobo mentality. Cheers mate from Australia.
Riding a motorcycle in nice weather and then it turns chilly. I would get a news paper and leaving the sheets flat wrap some around each lower leg. Some more flat sheets across my chest and even around my arms if wearing long sleeve shirts. You would be surprised how warm they will keep you even at 50 or 60 mph. Also works pretty good in a rain.
old school . i hadda ride a month in winter to work when the cage was down . fecking slush on the panty legs was the only issue . byt yeah brother . what you said is gospel
On my motorcycle I would use the plastic bags over my socks as raincoats for my feet
Used this one while cycling. Was actually surprised how god it works.
But it's harder to get a newspaper nowadays where I live. About 5 years ago they were given for free at every metro station and now I can't remember last time I saw a newspaper stand.
Plastic bags are better than nothing but they'll keep sweat inside so you'll get cold the moment you'll stop moving.
I guess A4 office paper will work the same but harder to put under the shirt. Personally I bring some kind of running wind resistant jacket everywhere I go. Packs up nice and small, can fit inside pants pocket but more expensive than newspaper
Here’s one my neighbor taught me. Saran wrap when it’s raining or foggy. He was dating a girl out in Berkeley and the fog was terrible. To get himself home he got himself a two dollar roll of saran wrap, and had his girlfriend wrap him up in it😂. He said it worked. Two dollars means back in the day.😊
It is terrible to live in a first world country and need these skills but we absolutely do needs this skills now more than ever.
No longer first world.
Not kidding we are about to look like hati/Venezuela
@@bobg3633*Haiti. And how so? And by “we” I wonder who you mean because you don’t specify. Maybe you’ve been paying too much attention to fearmongers or a certain fearmonger that is relentlessly trying to make people afraid when fear is unnecessary.
@Mels925 are you serious? We are in a depression. Maybe you are blind? We are 35 trillion in debt. The ship is sinking.
Yes we will look like haiti shortly.
We will go tribal. And those not ready are finished and will be begging or trying to steal.
@Mels925 why is it allways people with a cat or dog in the in the profile pic.
Good luck to you i can tell you will need it.
@@bobg3633 ...and it was just 14 trillion ten years ago. It went from less than a trillion to 14 in like 24 months.
I am 73 now when I was a Lad my grandfather told me about the crumpled up news papers to keep warm in your coat. That was 65 years ago. He worked on the Burlington railroad and saw Hobos doing this. Thanks for all the Tips. Bangkok John.
We used to use feed bags.
Back 1998 when we hit bottom yes I wash my cloths in 5 gal buck with plunger thing was tight ! Deer meat kept going wood heat 18 month before I got job !
I've lived in the woods last few summers but usually I would go back to town every couple of weeks to do laundry and restock supplies. But I saw a set up like the one you describe and I've been thinking about making it for my bug out gear.
Hard times make tough people 💪
Very useful James .in my 70s now my biggest fear my whole adult life was becoming homeless It's highly unlikely but it can happen to anyone and does .So this is great survival information . I've always strived to be successful but you never know now days . Thanks again James.
Many cool tips. Maybe you should publish a "99 Hobo Hacks" book when you get enough recipes? That would be something.
Yep I think we need a tally chart to see who'd be up for a book release?
Me!
Great vid James. A nice washing machine can be made with a 5 gallon bucket, lid and an old plunger. Make a small hole in the lid that the plunger handle can fit through. Add soap, hot water and dirty clothes. Agitate by using the plunger in an up and down motion. It works well although it’s not really portable. It’s great for a camp.
Make sure you rinse it well, so when you are churning the butter, it stays clean..lol. dual purpose unit!!
50 of 74 years a hobo. WOW what a bunch of great tips ! A couple of modifications I used tho. One. For the clothes wash can I would use a travel/sample size bar of soap in a sock. Heating the water first and then washing up using the soap sock for face and hands as well as lather for shaving. The soap is well mixed into the wash can and then can be additionally used for washing clothes. So a two for one use. Two. Handles for can cooking I would open all but about an inch from the lid. I used my thumb as a rough measure. Using my pliers I bend the lid to about the inch mark and fold over. On the outside of course. Do the same to the remaining side of the lid. Outside again. Then bend in about half. A easy handle.
Good ol' "Yankee ingenuity"!
Force multi-pliers.
Good tips, Beau.
🙂
Rick Bonner Pennsyltuck
plastic bags in between layers of socks works to keep ya warm❤John Steinbeck drove his old green truck around with his laundry in a bucket and got it all aggitated as he went on travels with Charlie his dog ~ read the book ❤ you'll thoroughly love it
First thing I thought of too!
I've put plastic bags on my feet and then heavy wool socks when sleeping outdoors, which makes my feet warmer. I've also tried walking with plastic bags on my feet and then a wool or cotton sock over it, but that way the plastic tends to bunch up and make interesting creases on my feet. I'll have to try your method of putting plastic bags in between layers of socks!
@@lyndaniel3369 did it at -44 below a few times and really made a difference
I remember putting bread bags on my feet as a kid to keep my socks dry in the winter.
My dad did this when we went sledging one year with a home made sledge. I was very young but remember it clearly, I didn't have any boots so sock and bag layers worked well.
In Europe the shopping bag is banned and nobody reads a real newspaper but the digital one. That's why we used to stuff dry grass as insulation.
Thrifty and very practical tips. Exactly what the 1930’s hobo lifestyle calls for. Thanks James.
You're welcome!
And the 2030's too! 😅
@@arthogof 100 year cycle - on repeat? Probably!
I make a body powder out of cornstarch and baking soda. No perfume and the baking soda is a natural deodorant as well. 🙂I put it inside an empty Arm & Hammer body powder container for simplicity's sake.
I love that hobo sink! I've never seen anything like that before but it's a fantastic idea and very low impact on the environment as well.
I suggest that you wash your whites before your darks - there's no need to change the water. Same with the rinse cycle. Rinse the white, remove, then rinse the darks. If you ever wash anything dark that bleeds dye with your whites, you'll know why I say this (you won't have any whites anymore!). The same goes double for red, as red clothing always seems to run, regardless of how old it is. (Or maybe that's just my experience.) ;-)
As always, thanks for sharing these useful tidbits, James!
You're welcome!
Another way to prevent blisters on your feet, or even hot spots, is to wear two pairs of socks. The first pair, next to your feet, should be thin. Even the foot part of ladies nylon hose works here. The second pair should be thicker. That second pair works MUCH better if they are wool. Cotton socks are hard on your feet. Give them to somebody you don’t like.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
I am 74 and spent time in the Army 50+ years ago. I have perfectly flat feet and in all my years I have never been bothered by blisters, even though most of those years I have worn cotton socks. I have a stash of wool and even Merino wool socks for that SHTF time (which hasn't arrived yet, thank God).
Not dissing wool in any way, but somehow I have managed to walk through life relatively unscathed.
@@grantdavis5992 G’day, Grant. You’re lucky.
Excellent. It really works, as the socks rub against themselves. Although cotton can mat and get cold when wet, wool stays warm even when wet. I've worn cotton under wool because of an allergy, but even that works fairly well. Merino wool is the softest and least likely to itch.
I learned that in the Marine Corps. Woman's nylons or thin synthetic dress socks. Only needed em if I was doing +12 miles usually. Merino wool socks worked too but cost $15 a pair back then.
@@1980Baldeagle Women's knee highs first then your cotton issue og socks. Never got a blister. I was told this by an SF guy back in 1980.
Great stuff! I highly recommend everyone reading Ernest Hemingway’s “Big Two Hearted River” it’s a short story and it’s available free on the web. Very descriptive of how a man sets up a camp in the early 1900’s. Using nails to hang his pack, using his axe to cut fatwood for his fire etc.
Cool tip off. Cheers Bub!
Just found the story very good!
The handi-handle and carabiner was pure gold.
Can't find one for sale. Gutted
My grandfather was a hobo. I made the mistake ONCE of confusing the word "Hobo" and "bum".. like I said.. I only made that mistake once. After he started talking about being a hobo, he started talking and talking..it was WONDERFUL hearing these stories thru his eyes!
So very cool!
A trick I learned from Ethan Becker for storing duck tape, wrap it around old credit/membership cards. It makes the tape easily pocketable and accessible.
It’s a great hack for everyday, not just survival
Absolutely!
Great video as always. Remember everyone its not advisable to ring out your clothes with the twisting now. Modern clothing is very cheap and made poorly. You twist out a shirt to get the water out then it will quickly stretch and deform. Just squeeze it with as much pressure as you can apply with your hands but don't twist it!
Thanks for watching!
I've always been fascinated with "hobo" and the lifestyle.
When rinsing the laundry, adding a little bit of white vinegar will neutralize the alkalinity of the soap. You can use less water and they won't feel slimey.
I have walked through many winters here in mid-Michigan with nothing more exotic than all leather New Balance training shoes. If you step in a puddle and your foot gets wet, you immediately notice the chilling effect; so, find a place to stop, take off your sock and wring it out and put it back on with one of your lovely shopping bags over it inside of shoe. It works as a vapor barrier and foot will stay warm enough til you can get somewhere and dry it out.
Okay... the 1st hack kinda made me giggle. Did something very similar to this with one of my waterproofing bags and some uniforms last month😂. (No power). Wife asked what i was doing walking around the apartment shaking my WP bag.... i just said "laundry" and kept going😂😂😂
There's a better off-grid way of using two buckets, where the inside one has holes drilled out and slightly smaller than the outside bucket. You can swish the soapy water around in it. You can also get some kind of agitator stick to beat the clothes with, and even better to have a lid where the stick goes through the hole. Same concept as the coffee tin but much more capacity.
Brilliant spur of the moment invention.
If you don't have baby powder, but have some flour: put some flour in your frying pan and scorch the flour and apply it the same as talc!
Some graat tips! Thanks!
Browned flour (won't scorch if you use low heat and stir constantly! Browned flour was used for a baby's backside when it was raw from diarrhea or a rash.
I hate repeating my self ,but James please consider releasing one of the best survival ,prepper,books,since the SAS survival book by John Wiseman,probably the most important book I own I also have the pocket version which I recommend to any survivalist,but I know you could make a best seller my friend, and you could save some lives on the way!I been opening cans like that for years on the pavement or rough stone ,bless you James
Thanks so much, my friend! Maybe one of these days I will indeed get around to that.
@@WayPointSurvivalI second that a book of hobo style survival hacks would really sell I'd order one now.
you truly are an inspiration! I'm an old timer learning new tricks (63) as presented by you. It is FASCINATING to couple some true history in with your content, as you do!! The hobo "code" was amazing,..actually I'm glued to your whole series of vids on that! I'm looking at self-sufficiency with minimum dollars and alot of your info is SO USEFUL ! keep up the great work, indeed !
Wow, thank you!
Your simple stew or soup recipe reminded me of what the Cornish tin mining families would eat when times were hard Kiddley broth, at it's simplist cubes of bread, little butter or fat hot water and any common hedgerow herbs or salt to give a little flavour!
Sounds good!
From Yorkshire in the U.K. , just have to say how much I like your videos and your presentation is outstanding, thank you and keep up the great work .
Thanks so much!
My grandmother used grated lye soap fir much of the laundry. The soup hack reminds me of an event in my youth where kids would go from our school to the gift shop at the neighboring hospital. Order a pot of hot water and some tea bags and then proceed to use all the ketchup and Crackers to make a soup. Shortly students were banned from Valley General.
😂
I would stick the tip of the large nail into a wine cork to protect the bag or other objects from getting punctured. I also do that to the kitchen knives and other sharp objects when I put them into a drawer so the sharp tips won't scratch the internal of the drawer of the rented apartment.
ketchup soup got many a college students through school back in my day.
Yes an hobos
My mom used it in place of spaghetti sauce when we were out. We survived.
Great vids as always. A modern day twist for the washing can would be to get a waterproof bag that you can use as an insert in your backpack to keep clothes or other stuff dry in rainy weather and use as a washing bag when needed for clothing or utensils. Multiple usages and it usually hold its shape so no need to dig a whole in the ground.
For the ducktape, you can also re-roll the tape around a pensil so it has a much smaller footprint (about the size of a quarter) while still having the full quantity.
The newspaper trick is great because the newspaper is easier to ignite when warm.
Soon with the failing economy .... I will need all these hacks Thank you
You're welcome!
The economy is sky-high! Best in years. Don't believe Fox News.
A bunch of us
You're not wrong
You can always keep this knowledge handy,be in good times or bad.
It's common sense, that we are not taught anymore.
Learn as much as you can,it's fun too.
Hi. I have used a plunger and a 5. gallon bucket to wash clothes. About 100 pumps really get things. cleant
We learn in it scouts use many times
Using that hole in the ground with the plastic bag, spread your poncho over it with the hood in the hole and your poncho becomes a rain catcher. In the old days people used newspaper or old catalogs as toilet paper, crumple the paper up like you did for your coat insulation but squeeze as tight as you can and the paper fibers stretch which makes the paper softer when you unfold it so you can use it as toilet paper without getting paper cuts.
When I worked as a carpenter, 60 years ago, I used cardboard for innersoles, several layers. I sometimes wrapped the layers with plastic bags, because if I sweat in the day but it got real cold late in the day, and would stay dry. Easy to change when damp. I made footwraps from newspaper. I even stuffed my clothes because it cut the wind.
An old hobo named Vernon Sterling showed some of us young firefighters how to boil water in a paper sack over a fire. Took a little while and patience, but it worked. Also I didn’t know if you had heard, Hobo Shoestring aka Mark Nichols passed recently.
We may need these in the future
Thinking the same thing.
Right!
Dude the handy handle for the can is an absolutely genius idea.
Salt pepper sugar, soy sauce mayo are all good for hiking
For packet soup, mustard is is good, a strip of jerky (soak the jerky first)
Sams club has kraut and yes I always buy a hot dog
Subway has oil (good for frying) and vinegar
Fun fact, they used newspaper's for house insulation in the early 1900's.
I lived in that farm house for two years. From 2004-2006. When my dad would call in the winter and ask how the weather was, I would tell him...well dad, it was a three dog night and I only have two. The house had propane and a wall heater. Between the price of propane and the lack of efficiency of the wall heater I opted for thick plastic over the window and door ways and one radiant heater and we all piled onto the sofa in the tiny living room. This is how I spent my last two years before retirement living in the So. Ca. high desert.
And everything else they could get their hands on, too. Mud and strips of cloth, rammed in the cracks and let dry..
stuff shopping bags in a pillowcase for an excellent pillow. Tie them over your shoes to keep your shoes and socks from getting wet in the morning dew.
Great tip!
I've been collecting those red plastic mesh potato and onion bags that stores throw out, and they would make an excellent mattress if you needed one. Just jam a bunch in a large sack and good to go.
A bit of white vinegar in the rinse water helps to remove soap. It’s also anti bacterial.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
Good point!
That’s true, people use too much soap when they do their laundry, you really don’t need that much and as you stated it Rinse is a lot easier!
James, this is one of your best videos. The ketchup/crackers soup is a very neat idea! I love the can opening ideas! Incredibly simple concepts, with simple solutions. Thank you again for the video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Women used to use crackers and apple pie spices if they were out of apples.
Your hobo sink is pretty much what I learned from my father and what he taught in his scouting trip and the purpose of that was because it was one of those things that he said he had to do sometimes during the war.
Thank You James in this Day and Time it is comforting to know these survial skills.
Glad you liked them!
Love your hack videos. They make you think about alternate uses for common items and how to improvise in situations where your options are limited. Like Thomas Edison said, when asked how to be an inventor, "You need a good imagination and a pile of junk." Edison knew that you can't always find what you need at the local hardware store when you need it, so you have to make do. Be a latter-day Edison...learn to be creative.
Creativity comes from our CREATOR😊
These are great ideas James. Have you seen the cost of a newspaper today? The cost in Detroit for a newspaper is several dollars. I don't even read the paper anymore, because of the price. The laundromat i go to always had a newspaper laying around, not anymore. I doubt the Free Press and Detroit News will be around to many more years.
Years ago, if l remember right, some company started printing designs on gallon cans. It could have been coffee??? But these were a recycled set of cannisters. Remember coffee cans had a plastic lid to put back after the can was opened. So flour, sugar whatsoever could be stored in those cans. Now they were pretty because the company put designs on them. An even longer time back l recall taking the coffee cans with lids and covering them with contact paper.
I do that now to store extra kibble for my pets so we never actually run out!
Excellent! I’ll probably watch this video again
I love the hacks very much! i carry my P-38 i got long ago in the army and still use it all the time but the spoon trick was super cool. I also use a knife to open cans but be really careful. Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
Rite on James I really like the idea of the Outdoor sink ! It can actually be used for several different purposes, For instance, If you're working on a vehicle just build a sink on the edge of your yard and this will help keep grease off of everything from your hands
One thing my daughter and I did for homeless in our area was to tie and braid grocery bags together to make sleeping mats . It helps give a waterproof barrier between the ground and your body that can help you stay dry and warm while sleeping or sitting.
Great idea!
I don't know how this video came up on my feed, but I really enjoyed it! Thank you
You're welcome!
Terrific hacks! Someone has probably mentioned this, but using the nail on the cord/rope like that isn't a "fid", it's a "marlinspike". A fid has an open threaded end to act similar to a large needle.
Yes. Thanks for watching and for the correction!
Save that water from the improvised sink, when returning the greenary to the original spot, water it in after you're done.😊❤
Simply boiling your clothes will clean them every time - no soap required - boil them and hang them to dry - At the end of a day this is how I do - I never stink - I haven't used a washing machine in about 2 years or so - I imagine that was the go to method before washing machines 😊
Absolutely. Hoboes called it "Boiling Up."
There are plants with high levels of a natural substance called saponin that can replace soap, such as the Amole Lily.
Excellent video, thank you!
You're welcome!
Yucca and bouncing bet also are high in saponins and have been used as soaps.
This was another great video. At first I thought it was going to be the same old rehashed stuff everyone already knows but he does not disappoint. It was interesting, relevant and entertaining. The production value is very good but still offered in a simple and concise manner so as not to become monotonous or pandering. This channel always seems to put out a well thought out and presented topic. I appreciate the effort that goes into these presentations. Thank you for what you do.
Thanks so very much, I really appreciate it!
- from UK : 100% agree. But I'm worryd an inexperienced person could badly cut their hands doing th can opening haks. : U must have a very tuf spoon, & strong RT hand! - better to carry a can opener or , a Swiss army knife ( - recommended by all Prepper channels)
One thing I recently saw on dual Survival you could use the Large nail to bust out the bottom of a piece of glass such as a soda bottle. Put the nail in the bottle head down and shake the bottle in a circular motion. Eventually, the bottom of the bottom will fall out.. you could then nap the bottle bottom to create a cutting tool.
things i learned in a hobo jungle were things they never taught me in a class room,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Those old timers could certainly learn you a thing or two!
🎵I take a lot of pride in what I am. 🎵Great song.
@@baldeagle5297 its, but i take a lot of pride in what i am,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the hag.
Things like punctuation?
@@olskool3967
No, that's the hook. The actual title on the album is *I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am*. I have the album. It's also on the single.
I've been homelss. 2 yrs during covid (layoffs), plastic shopping bags work well as dead air space insulation in clothes, shelters and also improvised waterproof socks. Duct tape can be put onto an old atm , gift card or any card and can store a lot of tape in really compact method. In the last wrap or so of the tape, place fishing hooks for emergency gear. Not to be criticizing but i think the nail would be more related to a marlin spike than a fid. Fids usually allow for the threading of line akin to a needle eye by putting line into a hollow or a groove. Whereas a spike is more often related to the use you demonstrated. I would recommend the fid combo from capt. Curry out of sheffield. It is stainless and has a clevis wrench in the end as well. I have had mine for years along side my navy pea coat. They are a phenomenal combination for a homeless person. I was born in the 60s. I grew up seeing these hacks as a daily thing. Keep up the great information and the strong moral fabric of your content. Much respect for you on those vids.
I spent a long time without using a washing machine. And this tip about using tape on your pants seems good.
The newspaper/shopping bag idea is okay, so long as you don't get arrested for rustling!
Lol, right?
I did that once when I ended up in a city in Fall and had to rough it for a night. I used clothes/towel I had in my backpack though. The problem I had was all the animals that come out at night were always waking me up when they were checking me out (deer, coyote) lol
Ouch!😅😂🤪
I think that your nail is being used as a MarlinSpike. A "Fid" is generally hollow and used in splicing. The corkscrew on Swiss Army Knives is also very useful it getting knots loose.
A really good movie to watch about hobos is emperor of the north.
A really bad movie to watch about hobo survival would be "Into The Wild".
@@willoughby1888 “into the wild” a great movie! IMO “Hobo games”
The movie was loosely based on a book written by A No. 1 ( real name Leon Ray Livingston ) called Coast To Coast with Jack London in the late 1800s. Jack London's nickname was cigarette . It was updated to the Great Depression era in the movie.
MMM, sauerkraut and metal shavings, my favorite! Don’t forget to bring a magnet!
Wut?! Not feeling like Monsieur Mangetout?! 😂
Have you seen the literal iron shavings and shards that are in breakfast cereals?
@@QueernMental That’s why I have such iron, rich blood and I’m built like a brick shithouse!
Lol
If your hungry you'll open it with whatever you can use and not even think about it
The laundry hack i learned while homeless but we spent s few bucks on a 5 gallon bucket with lid and a clean plunger. This is also great if the power goes down and you need some clean clothes.
I always have a 2 cup plastic container full of powdered laundry soap for emergency.
If you have liquid softener a few drops after washing during the rinses helps to get excess soap out.
Oh yeah, thank you Waypoint for teaching me the name of the larger can size, because of that I was able to look up his diameter and compare that to a paint can. Now I have a double walled insulation stove.
Thanks for all you survival tips. I learned a lot from your videos 🎉
Thanks so very much for the support! I really do appreciate it!
Also a good idea to put baby powder in your shoes as well. That way they stay dry but also stop any smells. And an alternative cornstarch which keeps feet dry and stop smells. But also can be used in stews or to make gravies.
You can probably just shake it straight from your shoes into the gravy?🤔😂
@@patriotpreacher43 add some toenail clippings, a ball of belly fluff and bunion whittlin's and you have a well rounded and tasty stew!
@@elkoposo686 lol
Another trick for shoe smell is to leave a chunk of charcoal in them overnight. It will absorb smell. It's good for camp jobs where you wear boots most of the day.
Lol. just don't REUSE it.
Fantastic, James.
One of my favorite series.
Thanks so much!
Great tips & tricks! Also on that soup, add a pkg of creamer for tomato bisque. 😁
Great tips. Love the series.
Your can washing system reminded me when I backpacked I carried a two quart pot and would use it to wash cloths. I’d wet the close first then rub them with a small hotel size bar soap then aggregate by hand. Worked great.
I also used the pot to clean dishes, bathe, and oh yeah, to cook in 😊
When using a nail as a fid rather than as a punch, the tip should be configured a bit differently. While a punch tip would usually be a sharp point, the tip of a fid is rounded. It’s called a ball tip. That’s so that rather than a damaging puncture into the cordage, it can slide along the cordage, and into the knot. Then, when prying apart components of the knot, it doesn’t tear or rupture the cordage itself, and weaken it.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
Good point!
21:00 - baby powder, Gold Bond works well, too and feels cool to hot feet. Another one - Nivea cream on inside of thighs to treat/ avoid chafed skin.
Great video.Ill be looking for that handihandle and the grater at every flea marker and yard sale.Growing up we used home-made lye soap to help cure poison ivy..THANKS
What we now know about PTSD we look back on history and realize that many hobos were suffering from it.
This relates to how many of these hacks came from the trenches and military service. It’s interesting how things converge the way they do
Indeed.
Love these somewhat forgotten hobo tips! Very helpful for current and upcoming times... Thank you, and God bless you!
This man knows his craft
You are so welcome and God bless you!
Ive used brown paper bags and newspaper for insulation, and later with plastic bags. This is especially handy if youre wearing BDU pants. Cinch ankle cuffs, get the big batch of paper or plastic bags shoved down your BDU pantslegs. If you sre carrying a pack, those bags, paper or plastic can be comptessed very small and weigh almost nothing. I have done this in dead of winter and works well. The colder it is put more bags in the legs. Add dry leaves also, i you need more warmth than the bags can give.. Really really changes things for you in a hard winter wind.
Good to know!
“That soap” the hobos used was likely Fels Naptha”, ehh?
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
Very possibly!
I use fels naphtha to make homemade washing detergent.
@@thisbeem2714 G’day, This. BINGO!!😏
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
That handy handle is interesting. I bet one cold be made with a wire hanger. Actually I bet many things could be made with wire hangers that would be great for the Hobo. That might be a great video... cool things that can be made with a wire hanger
Watching you shake your laundry can this popped into my mind:
If you couldn't find a lid for one of those cans but could get ahold of a large paint can and lid that had never been used I bet that would work, too. From there mind went to the thought that if you found a sympathetic person in an old, Mom and Pop type hardware store - or maybe you got a job helping clean the place for a few days - imagine if you put your laundry, water, etc. in there and they were willing to put it in the machine that shakes cans of paint to make sure they are mixed well. You would have some seriously clean clothes! 😊
Right!
I like your can opener... I'm a painter and I carry a 5-in-1 putty knife which is come in handy to open many a can