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Goods for Barter
Best of Survival Talk
You can prepare, stash, cache, save and survive
the end of the world as we know it, but chances are, you will run out of
something or have overlooked one important item. That leaves you a few
options:
- Do without
- Make what you need, if you can
- Try to buy it, and pay inflated prices
- Barter for it
Hey, this barter idea is starting to look good,
huh?
What are good barter items? Captain Dave compiled the following lists from
participants of Captain Dave's Survival Talk. See for yourself:
From Tripp
We store ammo in .22 LR, 5.56 NATO, 7.62 NATO, 9mm PARA, 12 gauge shot shells in
#2 buck, #4 buck, and assorted birdshots as well. When I do trades at gun shows
I sometimes get other calibers as well and just store them away in case someone
else needs em.
We also store pencils, paper, toothpaste and toothbrushes, bolts of cloth
material, threads, needles, buttons, assorted sized zippers, and patterns for
homemade clothes.
Seeds for gardens, tools, nuts and bolts of all sizes as well as washers, nails,
wood and sheet metal screws.
Radio frequency books as well as maps seem to be good ideas to us and so do
radio type fuses and the assorted wires and cables to support them.
Rachael stores toilet tissue, feminine goods, cotton diapers (no kids
here....yet), condoms, candles, matches, cookbooks, spices, and assorted kitchen
utensils.
We of course store foods, water, and water purification materials. Also fuels
such as kerosene, diesel, white gas, and gasoline. motor oil, and other
automobile fluids are on our lists to get as well. Automotive maintenance
manuals for our vehicles and other very common vehicles as well.
Tons of survival related reference books as well as study books for educating
children of all ages.
We are looking into some property and a house soon with quite a few out
buildings on it such as a workshop, barn, and kill house to support out growing
collection and ourselves as well as friends and some family. I pride myself in
collecting firearm parts and other assorted items as well for our future use and
maybe for barter.
From Skip Church
Tripp's list reflects the same thinking as ours. We don't have the ammo stock up
to spec so I don't consider that as barter material for us yet.
Our "barter store" includes toilet paper, disposable razors, fem
hygiene supplies, dental floss (for sewing as well as flossing), drug store
reading glasses, small bottles of whiskey (the kind we get on the airlines),
little sewing kits like you get in hotels, tooth powder, salt, baking soda,
fishing kits which I make up and pack in sealed tins, motor oil, nails, paraffin
blocks and string for candle-making, butane lighters, miniature golf pencils
& medium spiral notebooks, batteries, Coleman lantern mantles, pre-1964 US
silver coins, and one-tenth ounce gold coins.
There is other stuff which we would certainly consider bartering as we probably
have excess inventory, like: short-wave radios, flashlight bulbs, trip
wire, blankets, kids cold weather clothing, past-date pain killers and
antibiotics, books and games, 33 gal. garbage bags, road flares, Russian "pumper"
flashlights, various manuals, maps, radio frequency books or lists, and hand
tools. We also have very large stores of cut fire wood.
The .22LR ammo is a great item, but I am resistant to investing in ammo for a
weapon I don't own.
Ball jars are probably good. We pretty much use ours, though. Spark plugs?
Bicycle repair stuff? Sling shots?
There is so much free stuff you can pick up which may be of future value! Don't
pass up those hotel toiletry freebies, sewing kits, or free booze on airlines
(okay, free in fist class). There is a ton of brass lying around my indoor
shooting range-- maybe I should pick it up.
While the wasteful society is giving, gratefully receive the free bounty.
From Ajab
You hit the nail squarely on the head if it's free -- and you may be able to use
it later -- grab it! I even salvage such freebies as ketchup, salt,
creamer, taco sauce packets when I can I don't store em away but put them in my
lunchbox. In that sense, I'm saving money to use for other survival/barter
goods.
The hotel toiletries are wonderful. My dad is a trucker and has to stay in
hotels frequently. The company he works for has accounts with the big chains, so
he has access to top notch goodies, shampoo, soap, matches, paper,
envelopes, pens, pencils etc. I have tons of mini soaps, shampoo packets,
matches, fly swatters, disposable cups stashed away.
I was never much of a yard sale hound until my wife started dragging me around.
Unless you go to any you can't imagine the stuff that is practically given away,
sometimes you even find sales with freebie boxes with useful items.
From Terri A
Don't forget blankets, old clothes and anything from fabric-makes great quilts
(heck, you could make them and barter them for something important...) to make
them extra warm, you could line them w/even garbage bags (someone is doing this
for the homeless already) And DON'T forget "knowledge"-the one
commodity that could make you more valuable alive than dead...trade how- to's
for things or barter services.. if you could convince someone you could teach
them to survive, it would at least buy you some time....
From Skip Church
More Good Stuff:
steel safety plate ("diamond pattern") ,used
sheets of galvanized steel or tin
tar paper
eye protection goggles
hard hats
salt blocks for still hunting deer, pronghorns, etc.
MACE or pepper spray
animal food
rabbits- yum! goes good w/garden carrots
snares, pre-made
light stick holders- can adjust amt of light shown
light stick trip devices for perimeter
padlocks
bolt cutters
PVC pipe - for a really "nice" latrine
toilet seat- for a really "nice" privy
Bibles - for foxhole converts
fish poison
dynamite & caps - let's clear those stumps now that we've got the time (g)
creosote
copies of US Constitution & Declaration of Independence- lest we forget
Kerosene heater
silicone caulk & caulk gun
hair cutting gizmo, manually operated
little butane welding torch
snake bite kit
folding stove
gas mask
Velcro
extra sunglasses
locking carabineers
body bags
hope, love, humor, determination
From Ajab
Something useful to think about is sinking a frost-free type hand pump well,
when there is no more power your still in business. Even if you have a
backup generator this would cause less strain on the gen. motor and conserve
fuel to power things like a fridge or freezer.
Saving your brass is a good idea, I've been doing it for a few years now, with
the popularity of surplus rifles and ammo there is an abundance of Berdan brass
left over hell you'd be surprised at how much boxer brass gets thrown away.
Another barter item is dogs. When the time comes people will want
protection, especially when on the move. I'd stay away from purebreds since they
generally have inherent health problems. Stick with a good mutt preferably
a shepherd mix. A mutt now isn't worth much but in the future will be
priceless. A good male and female will continue to produce barter goods
for quite awhile.
From Osprey
And let's not forget livestock. Chickens and other fowl are great barter items.
They are great to eat, edible eggs, feather for pillows and mattresses; and they
make great fertilizer. Plus when your vegetable plants get large enough, they
will take care of any insect pest you might have. Rabbits are nice to have
because of the way they reproduce. And lets' not forget about goats. They
produce hides, meat, milk.
From Skip Church
The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, Nebraska is a virtual supermarket of
early barter goods. Here, you will learn that the trade goods had to be
portable, hard for the Indians or mountain men to make for themselves, and had
to represent a high value-to-weight.
Here are some of the best sellers, pre-1850: guns; powder and bullets; flints;
hatchets; traps; blankets; cloth; awls; needles; whiskey; tobacco; beads;
mirrors; knives; salt.
From Lucas
One class of items that will always be needed are ropes and cords. One that I
find particularly useful is a 5/8" wide flat nylon strap called "mule
tape". It's used by phone companies to pull line through underground
conduit. They can only use the tape once and then they throw the stuff away.
If you know a lineman you can get it that way. I happened (twice) to catch a
couple of guys pulling line and stopped and asked them if I could have the tape
when they finished. They said sure and that they would leave it there for me
instead of throwing it in the truck for cleanup. A couple of hours later I had
more than 3000 feet of the tape. The stuff is incredibly strong. I use it to tie
down loads in the back of the pickup, drag brush piles behind the 4trax, hang
ductwork, etc...etc... Best of all is the price . . free. You might be able to
call the phone company or the contractor that pulls line for them and ask if
they have any if you don't know anyone or don't want to rely on luck. Just an
idea. Good luck.
From Ajab
Some other things you didn't mention would be bars of soap, toothbrushes, band
aids, gauze, tape, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and other non-expiration
first aid items, disposable razors, Trioxane, milsurp 1 qt. canteens, axle
grease(1-5 gallon container), batteries, bleach, mosquito screen.
Another item to look at is hard liquor, pint and half pint bottles of whiskey,
vodka, and rum are possibilities.
I agree with stocking common ammo, even oddball calibers you may not have, but I
would be hesitant on who I traded with in the future. I would have to know
the individual real well before I traded ammo, may end up wounded or killed with
your own ammo you traded. Remember, it'll be chaotic times when bartering
is commonplace people will be desperate so be careful who you trade with.
Other than that your list is very thorough and well thought out, your definitely
ahead of the game keep up the good work.
From Skip
Passing over the web gear, firearms, knives, and so on here is some Good Stuff
you may not have thought of:
Surveyor's tape
reflectors-- put on trees to mark known range
Daiwa "Executive" (ugh!) fishing rod- comes apart for compact
transport- good rod & reel, too!
parachute cord
Book "The Klutz Book of Knots"
Baygen handcrank radio- SW/AM/FM & it works!
Russian "pumper" flashlights- handpowered
survival cards-- double as playing cards
mil spec rappelling rope
magnesium fire starter
cyalume light sticks- attach to the kids at night
USAF signaling mirrors
bug repellent- we use DEET (Eddie Bauer "Yukon" but "Jungle
Juice" is gentler)
mil spec storage- ammo cans, jerry cans, etc.
As "earth changes" type survivalists we have extensive extreme cold
weather stuff which might not be on your personal list.
I want to get a field telephone to connect the main house to the barn. And I
haven't given up on my wood-fired steam turbine generator yet!
A small 18th century cannon, such as my local "reenactor" Colonial
artillery company has would look very decorative in the right spot, but I don't
think my wife would agree!
The Old Guide
When I went to my first meeting in 1949, somebody handed me a piece of paper
with the following on it: To prepare for the future you need the four Bâs;
Bible, Beans, Bullion and Bullets.
This has also been stated as five Gs; God, Grub, Gold, Guns, and Goods.
Or six Gs God, Grub, Gold, Guns, Goods and Ground. Wise words then and
wise words now. Going on 50 years in the Patriot movement.
From Buckaroo
I would be sure to have a GOOD anvil among your tools. You should have the
knowledge and tools to make effective use of it also.
From Ajab
And a good bench vise.
From Rick
I know that this is a week late, but I would add books, lots and lots of books.
How to manuals will be a top "seller", but I think that good fiction
will be priceless. It is a great form of entertainment, requires no electricity,
and can be shared with others when done. A well stocked library (personal) will
go a long way.
From Mary
I've read with interest the suggestions for bartering/storage items. I have a
few suggestions of my own:
Weapons -- firearms are best for protection but sometimes hunting must be done
in a 'discreet' manner. What about crossbows or blowguns. Anyone over the age of
8 or 9 can become deadly with a blowgun & it requires only skill, not
physical strength.
Even a BB gun could be used for small game if necessary.
Dogs -- I agree that dogs would make great bartering goods but a trained dog
would be even better. Not only should they be trained to obey voice commands
&, especially, hand signals, but they should also be trained to carry a
pack. A large dog is fully capable of carrying their own bug-out bag containing
food & a little water. I am currently designing a backpack for large dogs.
I'll let you know how it comes out.
Salvaging goods -- I have been salvaging goods that everyone else considered
junk all my life. My husband & I salvage good, useable lumber, tar paper,
nails, etc. from construction sites. The construction companies love this, as it
saves them from hauling it all to the dump & paying a dumping fee. We also
salvage from dumps, although most dumps won't allow this anymore. We go to yard
sales, flea markets & second-hand stores often. There's no end to the
'goodies' you can find at these places.
From Gunbunny6
Greetings all;
Another excellent source of salvaged goods are dumpsters, especially those at
commercial buildings undergoing remodeling. An early Sunday morning drive
allows you to look without interfering with normal business. Once a promising
location is found, ask permission to salvage from the dumpster in
question--we've rarely been told "no".
You'd be shocked silly at what can be found. I know one guy who completely wired
a 1700 square foot house with wiring, conduit, a circuit breaker box and light
fixtures scrounged from dumpsters. I personally have never had to buy a plastic
bucket for storage of foodstuffs---they're readily available behind any
restaurant--just need a bit of washing. I've found tools, furniture, undamaged
mirrors, useable building materials, electronic components--the list is endless.
Found a CB radio that only needed a wire re-soldered and now works fine. also
found a 17" computer monitor that only needs a $10 repair. One electronics
company bought new tool boxes for all their technicians--guess what they did
with the old ones. I've got some great storage
boxes for radios, binoculars, etc. that were absolutely free.
Sure, some people are too proud to be "trash pickers"--just leaves
more for the rest of us.
Good luck and God bless.
From Ajab
Gunbunny,
I had a similar experience a few years back, the shop I work at was in the
process of renovating, everyday I visited the dumpster after work and loaded up
my truck with conduit, heavy gauge wire in long lengths,4 foot shop lights,
breaker panels, outlet boxes w/switches & plugins,2x4's 2x6's 2x8's(the old
kind when 2x4 & 2x6 measured up),terra cotta bricks(4x4x8).
One of the buildings was beyond repair and was leveled I ended up with 3 steel
doors that needed wire wheeling and a fresh coat of paint, after the new pole
building erected I snagged leftover aluminum siding in unbelievably long
lengths. I ended up with enough supplies to wire up my garage and barn, reside,
hang new doors and traded some of the shop lights to my neighbor for underground
wire he salvage from his workplace. The terra cotta bricks ended up in the
shape of a patio grill.
Had I bought the materials I would have paid a few thousand and ended up paying
less than a hundred for wire wheels, paint and mortar. I regularly find
extension cords, hammers with broken handles, and other odds and ends. One
of my co-workers found a Milwaukee saw -- all it needed was a new cord -- and a
shop-vac needing a $3.00 motor bearing.
I could go on and on.
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