Ways To Use a Pencil Sharpener for Survival

Never underestimate the pencil sharpener. Believe it or not, this ordinary school item could be an awesome survival tool. Check out the rest of this article to find out how.

RELATED: 21 Camping Hacks For Beginner Campers

Pencil Sharpener as Survival Tool

3 Best Pencil Sharpener Survival Hacks

More often than not, the simplest of things could also be the most useful. Take for example a manual pencil sharpener. With the right know-how and some creativity, you can turn this common school tool into a superb survival gizmo.

So, before you throw away those old sharpeners lying around your house, think again. Or better yet take some time reading these no-nonsense tips below. You will never look at pencil sharpeners the same way again.

1. Open Locks Using Pencil & Sharpener

You’re trying to open a lock but for some reason, the key refuses to work. Before calling a locksmith and spending some good money, try this easy hack. All you need is a pencil and of course, a sharpener.

The first thing you got to do is sharpen the pencil and focus on getting those graphite shavings. Once you have enough shavings, put a good amount inside the padlock keyhole. Shake the lock a little to spread the shavings evenly inside then try inserting the key again.

After a few tries, the padlock should open. The graphite shavings function as lubricants like oil or grease. The pencil sharpener makes the shavings finer and thus more effective in loosening metal parts inside the lock.

RELATED: Survival Kits for the Prepper on the Go

2. Make Tinder and Start Fire Using Pencil Sharpeners

Starting a fire in the wild is no easy task. Particularly in a moist environment, making a tinder could take forever. A pencil sharpener would be useful in this situation.

With a pencil sharpener, you can make a tinder in seconds. The idea is to get into the driest part of a wet stick and that is its inner section. You can do this by shaving the stick using the sharpener.

In doing this, make sure you scrape the moistened part of the wood. Once done, shave the dry area of the stick. Do this until you have enough dry tinder to start a fire.

3. Make Defense Weapons Using Pencil Sharpeners

When you are in the wild, you must have weapons at your disposal. We are not talking about guns or other sophisticated blasters. You can make use of things that are available in your environment.

Wooden sticks are a good example of these. The idea is to make the tips sharp enough to make them function as a makeshift spear. Of course, you can do this using a knife but if you want the tips smoother and sharper, a simple pencil sharpener would do the job best.

The process is simple and just like the way you sharpen pencils. Yet, it is better to use sharpeners with bigger holes. This would accommodate larger sticks.

Indeed, a pencil sharpener is an excellent survival tool. It is lightweight, handy, and cheap. For less than a dollar, you can have an essential survival right at your fingertips.

Source