15 Hand Tool Groups For Preparedness

ByKen J. Last Update

‘Be prepared’. It’s an enormously general statement. Most people think of food storage with regards to preparedness. And it’s certainly important. However, there are countless additional categorical ambitions that one might choose to get into when it comes to being prepared. One of them is tools. Or maybe hand tools. Tools to assist with your self-reliance and sustainability.

Many such categories involve a set of practical skills to go along with it. With that in mind, each skill set requires some of their own unique tools – of which many require electricity to operate. A significant challenge arises when there is no electricity. Could today’s skilled craftsman (for example) successfully perform their craft without the aid of electricity? Would it require additional hand tools (albeit a much slower process)?

Tip: Battery powered tools. If you have a way to charge them (solar, for example), you’re good to go without the grid. For example, in addition to my gasoline powered Stihl chainsaw, I also have a battery powered chainsaw because I know that I can simply recharge it with my off-grid solar system. Same goes for hand tools like my circular saw, drill, and many others (battery opereated).

Having basic categorical groups of hand tools (and of course the skills to use them) could (will) be an asset to one’s overall survival preparedness. Fewer people today know basic trades, and fewer have the ability to use and apply basic tools than years gone by. Particularly since the country as a whole has moved away from manufacturing (and the jobs and skills that went with it).

In a SHTF world, those who have the tools, the skills, and the ingenuity to perform the basic tasks of building, repairing, modifying and adapting to circumstances which require ‘do-it-yourself’…those people will be better off.

With that said, it might be advantageous to consider the tools (hand tools?) which might become significant assets in such a world…

Here’s how I would go about it. First, think about the tools that you may need to literally keep you alive. This may be somewhat unique, depending where you live too.

For example, ‘Peanut gallery’ here on the blog once said, “We put the tools in order of importance. What is needed to keep us alive. Living in the North East we have to be able to cut wood in order to keep warm. So we have many tools to cut wood. Although we have chainsaws, they are not considered our primary. We may also have to consider noise, which is why we have a multitude of options for cutting wood.”

See what I mean? The same may likely go for Gardening. Gardening tools may be high up on your list…

Okay, a few categories which come to mind include the following:

  • Carpentry Tools
  • Plumbing Tools
  • Electrical Tools
  • Mechanical Tools
  • Firewood Tools
  • Clothing, Sewing, Textile Tools
  • Gunsmith Tools
  • Gardening Tools
  • Livestock & Animal Husbandry Tools
  • Canning Tools
  • Kitchen Tools
  • Automotive Tools
  • Hunting, Fishing, Trapping Tools
  • First Aid Tools
  • ‘Moonshine’ Tools ;)

There certainly are many more, however the intent is to get you to thinking about it – perhaps as it relates to your own current skills.

Do you have supplemental hand tools, just in case? Leave your comment and add your own thoughts about categories and/or tools for survival preparedness…

[ Read: Cordless Chainsaw – Battery Powered 40 Volt Powerhouse ]