Although they’re not quite so common these days, wire coat hangers can still be found. Especially if you’re scavenging round multiple houses or if you manage to come across my nans place.
They can be used to suspend metal canteens over a fire in the same way as mouth spreaders that are used by fishermen. This not only gives you can easy way to suspend your canteen in order to boil your water but it also gives you a handle that makes it easier and safer to remove the canteen from the fire using a stick.
Wire coat hangers can also be used to make thick hooks for larger fish such as pike or sea bass. Simply sharpen one end with a file and bend them into shape. If you have a good multitool you should have a file on there. If not you can use concrete or something similar to grind it down to a good sharp point.
They can also be straightened out with a hook shape on the end for reaching down into small gaps or over ledges. For example, you could use this to lower a container into a fuel storage tank at a gas station to get to the fuel or for lowering a container down a river bank to collect water.
You can even make stands for things like penny stoves out of wire coat hangers. I will explain penny stoves later on in the book if you haven’t heard of them before.
They can also be used for replacement antennas for radios. Or as an antenna extension that you can attach with some tape or by winding it round the existing antenna.
You can also utilize them by making a safety pin style clasp for hanging gear on your bag or jacket or belt, which is always useful. Or you can make hooks for hanging items round camp and for hanging pots over the fire.
Making tent pegs is another use for wire coat hangers. Even if you don’t have a tent they are great for securing tarps for lightweight shelters if you’re on the move.
They can be used for breaking into cars, although this is quite a difficult skill to master and it only works on old cars too.
Let’s not forget the most important use, toasting marshmallows! Ok I’m joking but they can be used to secure food and hold it over fire while it is cooking.
General wire, the kind that you get on a spool also has many very useful applications in a survival situation. Any kind of electrical cables can be scavenged and just keep an open mind when scavenging. For example if you find an old beaten up bicycle that other scavengers may not take a second look it, the brake cables are still good wire that you can take. The spokes can be used instead of coat hangers for all of the things I just mentioned. Also the inner tubes make good tinder for a fire and the chain can be used as a saw to cut through wood. Anyway, I’m getting carried away! Back to wire.
Firstly, it’s great for shelter building purposes. It’s strong enough to be used to bind branches together when making a wooden shelter. This is much safer than just leaning your wood up against a tree and hoping it holds, especially in high winds.
You can use wire to suspend things over your fire especially if your bottle has a lip around the top, the wire can be tied around this and made into a loop. This enables you to boil water directly in your canteen.
Obviously wire can be used to make electrical connections which could come in very handy if your radio breaks for example.