(DailyDig.com) – Many of us have used super glue to fix a broken piece of glass or perhaps maybe a toy. However, super glue isn’t likely seen as an effective tool for survival. Well, let’s change your mind and show you how useful super glue can be.
Survival Use #1: Repairs
As with any adhesive, super glue is meant to hold items together. This property comes in handy when the bottom of your boot comes off and starts flapping with every step. Simply add some super glue, hold the two parts in place and eventually the boot will stay together.
Say you have a hole in your tent, and you need to patch it. Well, super glue can be used to bond the patch over the hole in the tent, and it’ll be ready to use in seconds as super glue dries rather quickly.
Super glue can also be used to fix your fishing pole, gear and tools. It can also stop ropes from fraying at the ends. Broken strap on your pack? No problem, just apply some super glue and reattach it. Good as new! Just be sure to patch-test the materials first to make sure they’re safe to glue.
Survival Use #2: First Aid
There are medical-grade super glues available, which can be used for sealing wounds until stitches can be sown in. Super glue not only stops bleeding, but it will also help keep the wound clean and free of dirt and other foreign objects.
While on the topic of foreign objects, splinters can be a serious annoyance, sometimes leading to infection. However, super glue can easily get rid of them. Simply apply a small amount of glue over the splinter, allow it to dry and when you pull the glue off, the splinter should come out.
While super glue can be effectively used when first aid is needed, it’s important to avoid using it in areas like the face, on puncture wounds, deep cuts, dirty wounds and jagged edges. Super glue should also not be used on animal bites or wounds that may be infected.
Survival Use #3: Crafting
Survival is more than just having the correct tools and knowledge. Sometimes, you need to be able to improvise weapons and tools. Of course, most improvised tools and weapons require something to hold the pieces together. (You’re probably starting to see where this is going.)
Super glue can be used to hold arrows, spears and other tools or weapons together — and effectively. After all, one square inch of super glue can hold about one ton, or 2,000 pounds. So yeah, superglue can be used to fashion weapons and tools.
Survival Use #4: Fire Starter
You may be wondering how on Earth can super glue start a fire. Well, super glue is a simpler name for cyanoacrylate, which causes combustion when combined with certain items. In fact, if you add enough super glue to cotton balls, the chemical reaction can be enough to ignite the cotton. Wool and many other porous surfaces also react with super glue in a similar fashion.
Super glue can be found in just about any store, making it readily available. The uses of super glue are basically limited by one’s imagination. The name does serve the product well, as it has some pretty astonishing uses that could even save your life. Don’t hesitate to add it to your camping packs or prepper stockpile. You may never need it, but you’ll be happy to have it if and when you do.
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