It doesn’t take a MacGyver to turn ordinary binder clips into a survival tool. Yup, you got that right. You can turn those humble metal binder fasteners into a versatile gizmo and this article will show you how.
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From Boring Metal Clips To Awesome Survival Gears
An OG prepper can make regular objects more useful. A binder clip for instance is originally intended to organize stacks of documents in the office. But with a bit of creativity and imagination, this humdrum thingamajig could turn into something extraordinary.
When we say extraordinary, we really mean it. Metal binder clips for baking? Nah. We’re talking about using those clips for catching food, cooking, first aid, and other uses you would not imagine.
Top 10 Binder Clip Survival Hacks
1. Binder Clips for Making Shelter
Metal fasteners are designed to bind stuff. In the absence of strings or wires, these objects would be great in pitching improvised tents. Because of its strong grip, clips could hold pieces of cloth, leaves, barks, and even regular-size sticks together.
A binder clip is also easy to use. Even if you have zero knot-tying or lashing skills, you can pitch a tent in minutes using these tools. So next time you plan on going on a camping trip, make sure to bring several binder clips along with your cordage.
2. Binder Clips as Cordage Organizers
Speaking of cordage, sometimes these strings could be unwieldy. Aside from the annoyance of having to disentangle knots, it would also cause serious delays during emergencies. Not to be alarmist about it but in certain situations, a well-organized set of cordage could spell the difference between life and death.
A simple metal fastener is an excellent solution to chaotic cordage. You can easily organize strings and even wires with regular clips. And since metal clips are lightweight, these wouldn’t cause extra load in your backpack.
3. Binder Clips as Compass
Believe it or not, that dumb-looking clip could also double as a navigation tool. Yup, you read that right. With the proper know-how, you can easily convert a metal fastener into an improvised compass.
First, remove the metal wire part of the clip, cut the straight portion, and magnetize it with a steel knife. Mount the wire on top of a stick or leaf then have it float in a basin of water. Afterward, leave it be until both tips settle in the true north and south direction.
4. Binder Clip as Finger Splint
Did you know that you can use a metal binder clip as a splint? Metal clips would come in handy during medical emergencies. This is practical, particularly when you are stuck in a remote area.
A metal clip would help secure a broken finger or toe in place. All you need to do is clamp the fastener on the injured part then wrap it around with tape or gauze. While you are waiting for real medical help, this will be a good stop-gap measure.
5. Binder Clips as Fishing Hooks
Stuck in the jungle? You need to nourish yourself while waiting for help. Brooks, rivers, and other bodies of water are excellent sources of food provided you have something to catch it with.
Good thing you brought those metal clips in your bag. Fashion your hook out of a clip by bending it into a J shape then sharpening one end with a stone. Once sharp, tie the other end with a string attached to a branch and you are all set.
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6. Binder Clips as Makeshift Grill
Skewering meat or fish using wooden sticks is fine. But if you want to cook your food evenly and with style even in the jungle, you can use a grill. Guess how?
Binder clips, particularly those metal wires attached to it, could be converted into a grill. All you need to do is remove the wires and straighten them one-by-one using rocks. Afterward, mesh the straightened wires together to form an improvised grill.
7. Binder Clips as Blow Darts
In a post-Apocalyptic setting not unlike the film Book of Eli, you will be hunting your ass off to survive. Hunting weapons during that scenario could be anything from regular kitchen knives to unlikely objects like office fasteners. You can create a blow dart out of an ordinary metal clip.
It is not that hard. You just need to straighten the metal wire part of the clip then sharpen the end until it’s good enough to penetrate the flesh. Making the blowgun is another matter but you can build one out of hollowed stick or metal pipes.
8. Binder Clips as Sewing Needles
In the wild, your regular clothing, if there are any left, will be subject to extreme wear and tear. Needles would be handy in this scenario but scoring some from the store wouldn’t be an option. Yet you can make one out of a metal clip.
The first thing you need to do is cut a straight part from the binder. Once cut, flatten the other end of the wire using a stone. Then, with the use of a nail or any sharp tool, drill a hole through the flattened part and you’re done.
9. Binder Clips as Dental Tool
This would sound tacky but in a desperate situation, you need to maximize everything available. A binder clip, for instance, could function as a toothpick. Toothpicks are excellent dental hygiene tools along with makeshift branch toothbrushes.
The method of creating metal binder toothpick is the same as that of making clip needles. However, make sure that you sterilize it on a regular basis by boiling it in water. This will keep your toothpick clean and prevent infection.
10. Binder Clip as Walkie-Talkie Antenna
If you are lucky enough to secure a walkie-talkie in the wild then good for you. The problem is, getting a decent signal would be difficult due to thick foliage. This is where your metal fastener would come in handy.
Wires from binder clips could stand-in for an antenna since it is metal. You just need to straighten it and attach it to the existing antenna. This would help in boosting the signal of your communication device when done right.