If you’re looking for some effective, off-the-wall weapons for survival, you’ve come to the right spot.
A traditional gun, bow, or knife will get you far in a survival situation. However, should you really be putting all your chances of survival in one of these weapons?
After all, you may end up in a situation where you, for whatever reason, don’t have access to your weapon of choice. And, if that’s the case, you’ll be up a creek with no other way of defending yourself.
If you really want to be able to defend yourself in any situation – without one of these traditional weapons – it appears that you have two options available. You can either master self-defense strategies (which is a great option, but takes forever), or you can learn how to make your own survival weapons no matter where you are.
For instance, most of us know that we can use a survival knife to fashion a dagger out of a stick. But what you may not know is you can also use common household items like broken screwdrivers, hardened bolts, and metal-cutting files to do the job as well.
You’ll be even more ready for an emergency situation once you learn how to make these…
Simple DIY Ninja Weapons For Survival
An Introduction To Ninja Throwing Spikes
One of the most effective DIY projects you can make is that of Ninja Throwing Spikes. These weapons are meant to be thrown by hand at short-range distances.
They’re also different than throwing stars or knives – and, frankly, these are often simpler to make. That’s because you don’t have to cut out some complex shape to make these work. All you have to do is cut the material you’re wanting to use, and then hone it to the right amount of sharpness.
You can cut throwing spikes to have either one pointy side or two. The advantage of having spears with two sharp ends is that you don’t have to look at it before you throw to make sure it strikes.
Typically, the throwing spikes’ diameter will measure between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. Keep in mind that thicker spikes will be heavier to throw, but are more likely to make an impact when they hit their target.
These are relatively easy to build, too. All you have to do is cut the material to the length you want, and then sharpen either one end or both ends.
When you fashion the points, be sure to have them be two inches long (at minimum). This length allows the spikes to be sharp, and will increase the likelihood that they penetrate the target. Remember, the thicker the material you’re using, the longer your point should be at the end.
Materials You Can Use
If you want your spikes to penetrate your target without bending or breaking apart, you’ll need to use hardened tool steel. You can buy rods made out of these, or use things made out of this material that are already at your disposal.
One of the best tools you can use to cut this hard material is a band saw that has a blade that cuts metal. However, if you’re going to use a power saw OR a band saw, make sure to cool down the steel with oil first, and then continually spray the oil onto both the metal and the blade every few seconds. This helps stop them both from overheating, which can dull the blade.
When it comes down to it, you can make these throwing spikes out of a large variety of everyday items. According to Survivopedia, these include:
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Broken screwdrivers
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Hardened (grade 5 or 8) bolts
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Leaf springs from cars
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The rods from old shock absorbers
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Engine lifter rods (these are just about perfect)
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Metal-cutting files and woodworking rasps
Keep in mind the engine lifter rods and the broken screwdrivers may be your best bet if you’re lacking in resources, since these are already at the diameter you’ll need. So all you’ll have to do is cut them to the length you want, and then sharpen them.
The DIY Process
When it comes down to it, the process of making a throwing spike is pretty simple: just cut it to length, and then sharpen one or both of its points.
You can do this in a couple different ways. For one, you can use a bench grinder. However, this tends to give you a rather segmented surface (unless you use extreme care when moving the material across the grinding wheels).
You can also use a belt sander that mounts on a bench. This is an easier option, since it gives you a broad surface to grind the spikes on. It also helps you to have more control over the cut, and tends to give you a cleaner grind without the segmentation.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll have to temper them. This involves using a torch or forge in order to get the metal red hot. Once it gets to this temperature, it will need to go into an oil bath (never water) in order to cool it and provide the final temper.
Here’s a handy video you can watch showing the DIY process. Enjoy!
