Hair

reply to post by SeenMyShare


A short hairdue helps prevent you from being grabbed by it in an hand to hand situation. If you do not want that enhancement my femal friend then just get it braided up.

reply to post by bekod

Thank you Bekod. This answered my question.. does cut hair have a use.

One further use for hair that comes to mind, though due to the smell it's not always the most desirable option.

One word: Tinder.

Hair is light weight, easily stored, does not decompose quickly at all, and best yet, it catches a spark in a heart beat. If you are adamant about doing away with it, id say make as many small braids of it as you can (six - twelve inches), tie them off on both ends, then cut them off. Wa-La! Near instant fire starter!

Originally posted by blood0fheroes
One further use for hair that comes to mind, though due to the smell it's not always the most desirable option. One word: Tinder. Hair is light weight, easily stored, does not decompose quickly at all, and best yet, it catches a spark in a heart beat. If you are adamant about doing away with it, id say make as many small braids of it as you can (six - twelve inches), tie them off on both ends, then cut them off. Wa-La! Near instant fire starter!

Well, the only problem with that suggestion is that although hair may ignite it does not burn, but just like skin it melts! Hair would be no better suited for use as tinder as magnesium flash paper. You'd seriously be better off using newspaper as tinder.

(Of course, if you use hair-care products that are combustible, then the hair-care products may burn even though your hair is merely melting. Think Michael Jackson in that Pepsi commercial. Ah, good times! But otherwise, hair honestly doesn't burn for longer than a second or two.)

reply to post by fraterormus


This just goes to show you that ANY topic can get started here and people will reply.

reply to post by fraterormus


Unfortunately I have to disagree. When I was younger I had a burning barrel flare up in my face. Trust me when I say that hair does indeed burn, and well at that..and a second or two is all that is needed to ignite heavier tinder.

reply to post by amc621
I'm sorry you feel that way. Since I'm going to cut it I might as well know if its useful for something. Even if I weren't going to cut it its still nice to know if its useful since most of us have this with us at all times. Your issue with that is ?

So I tested the hair as tinder theory.

I pulled all of the hair out of the hairbrush (no sprays, conditioners, etc. - just hair) and took it and the flint outside.
While I had the smelly smoke rolling the hair would not catch fire. I lit the bundle with a lighter and it burnt for about half a second, melted for another half and then went completely out.

Based on the test above I'd say hair as tinder is a no-go.

reply to post by SeenMyShare


you can donate it to a cancer charity and make money. money helps in survival. so does altruism sometimes.

You could make a kind of hat out of it, and put it on your head for warmth.

I am a man with long hair, I will be keeping this hair as I will be fleeing to the coldest regions of this country.

Seriously if you don't let it grow (beards too guys) then you will most likely be confused with UN Troops or [insert your favorite US invasion theory here] and will be subject to what beckons for you in my B.O.B.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't cut your hair off when SHTF! You'll still need to look attractive for a mate if you survive.

Just sayin..

Originally posted by tooo many pills
Don't cut your hair off when SHTF! You'll still need to look attractive for a mate if you survive.

Just sayin..

I think Ridley from Aliens is pretty hot when she's bald.

Originally posted by tooo many pills
Don't cut your hair off when SHTF! You'll still need to look attractive for a mate if you survive.

Just sayin..

That's me buggered then. My hair has not so much receded as retreated, surrendered and disappeared.

The 'Fallout' already hit me.

reply to post by SeenMyShare
hair is used in this method, take your tinder, down (bird feathers) dried leaves, twigs, and wrap them with the hair, 10 bundles per tin, the hair it self could be used but it would take a lot to get a fire going using hair. the hair acts like a fuse when warped around the tinder bundle. grass or straw is the best to use easier to lite and less smelly

reply to post by SeenMyShare


One use that I think has not been mentioned for hair:

Use hair clippings around the base of your food plants to keep the slugs off-It works great,I do it all the time and never get slug holes on my lettuces etc.
My grandmother showed my that when i was a kid(we actually got a slug and tried to make it slime across a pile of hair,and it just could not do it.

Another one,the old spy trick:

Lick a single hair and stick it to the door and frame,so you can tell if anyone has been in that room when you were out.

A bit of a silly one:

If you are female,stick it on your face like a fake beard if you ever needed to pass of as a male(at a distance).


I would go for short hair in a survival situation,as it would be better for hygene etc.Dries quicker too,so less chance of getting a chill if its cold(of course you need a hat then )

reply to post by blood0fheroes


I was going to agree here, use it for tinder.

Personally, unless the crisis calls for it (like a zombie uprising, where long hair would be a bad idea), I doubt I'll worry about hair though.

Originally posted by Signals
Seriously if you don't let it grow (beards too guys) then you will most likely be confused with UN Troops or [insert your favorite US invasion theory here] and will be subject to what beckons for you in my B.O.B.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, this is probably the best advice for growing your hair long one could have. Even now, any civilian with long hair who has traveled overseas knows that they get treated far differently than those with military cuts. Much of the world may hate Americans, but they hate American Military Personnel far more. Having hair longer than shoulder length can be an asset when abroad (or in the off-chance of occupation). It's the next best thing to having a Canadian Passport.

Originally posted by SeenMyShare
So I tested the hair as tinder theory.

I pulled all of the hair out of the hairbrush (no sprays, conditioners, etc. - just hair) and took it and the flint outside.
While I had the smelly smoke rolling the hair would not catch fire. I lit the bundle with a lighter and it burnt for about half a second, melted for another half and then went completely out.

Based on the test above I'd say hair as tinder is a no-go.

*GRIN* Having long hair and having done my fair share of firedancing (Don't judge! It's a survival skill in the noveau-Bohemian town where I live), I was speaking from personal experience, not hypothetical. I learned long ago that hair melts and doesn't burn the hard way.

However, it is nice to know that there are some who try all things and hold fast to that which is true. That's the mark of a both an incredulous skeptic and a good scientific mind.