Off-Grid Essentials: The Leading 10 Hand Tools when the Power’s Out



We reside in a world governed by power. Our daily lives are controlled by power sources,  especially electrical energy. We cannot go a day without becoming impacted by electrical energy. It powers our residences and all the devices we use each day. It tends to make our sector roll. Just feel about how a lot we rely upon electrical energy. Now, feel about what would come about if that power supply had been gone. What would we do? How would we reside our lives? Could we reside our lives? People go crazy any time their provide of electrical energy is disrupted. Even in a quick-term power outage, shop shelves are stripped bare, such as issues that are not necessary. Without electricity, there would be no sector, no manufacturing, transportation, communication, food or health-related supplies as we know them these days.

Right here, in the Northeast, we frequently get extreme ice storms that bring down trees and wires, knocking out energy for days or even weeks at a time. Energy will at some point come back on, we think, but when that will come about is anyone’s guess. What would come about if we suffered from a substantial EMP (electro-magnetic pulse)? It could come about. The sun is just a large ball of nuclear power, and it sends out EMPs all the time. Energy could be lost indefinitely—and then, neglect about the Web, cell phones and GPS.

I know some of you are considering, “I have a generator, so I do not need to have to be concerned about this.” That is fine. I have a couple generators myself, but what occurs when you run out of fuel? It will come about. What will you do then? Gas station pumps run on electrical energy. No electrical energy, no fuel and it will not take lengthy for the tanks to be siphoned dry by manual indicates. People who reside off the grid and rely upon solar and wind to energy their restricted electrical devices will have it a tiny greater. But let’s face it: The majority of the globe is not prepared to reside an extended period without the need of electrical energy. Even these who are off the grid need to have to purchase issues from the outdoors globe from time to time, and if there is no energy, there are no goods to buy. How would we get the issues we need—or feel we need to have?

The answer to that query is merely that we would need to have to repair issues ourselves and make the things we need to have. Humans thrived lengthy just before there was electrical energy and the many things it powers. We can—and will—do it once more.
What follows is a list of what I think about to be the leading 10 hand tools we all should really have on hand. When I say, “hand tools,” I’m speaking about tools that are not powered by electrical energy.

Energy is out, land lines are down. Cell phones are your only indicates of communicating with the outdoors. A SunJack unit will maintain your phones charged.


In spite of the doom and gloom, all is not lost. With a couple of straightforward hand tools, you can handle most upkeep and creating projects. You can repair or make just about anything you need to have with the implements discussed right here.

Ratchet and Socket Sets.

This is most likely not what you had been expecting, but these tools are worth their weight in gold. I carry a set (each normal and metric) in my truck, and I also have a set at household. There are so numerous makes use of for these tools that it is impossible to list them all. Even with no conventional energy obtainable, issues will need to have to be kept in functioning order.

Folks living off grid or these who just have solar panels on their residences will need to have to make repairs. If you are fortunate sufficient to have option sources of energy, a lot more than most likely, you will reserve that energy for issues such as the properly pump and refrigerator. These things need to be kept functioning, and a ratchet and socket will make fixing them all that a lot much easier.

Ratcheting socket wrench and a complete choice of sockets should really often be on hand.

Hand Saws.

You are going to have to heat your household or camp, so you will need to have to reduce wood. How about cutting lumber to make repairs on your household, an outbuilding or shelter? Many other repairs and scavenging tasks will need saws that reduce components other than wood. What about cutting metal or PVC pipe to repair your plumbing? There are numerous kinds of saws obtainable and, when some are appropriate for cutting a small variety of components, you will need to have numerous various kinds. I maintain numerous various hand saws on hand. There are hacksaws for cutting metal and plastic pipe, bow saws in numerous sizes for cutting firewood, and rip and crosscut saws for generating lumber or cutting boards.

Jab saws are handy for cutting holes on the inside of sheet components or boards, and coping saws let you make fine, precise straight or curved cuts.

3 crucial saws to have on hand. Top to bottom: rip saw, crosscut saw
and hacksaw.

The Gerber folding saw (bottom) can simply be carried in a pack, but the bigger saw tends to make quicker work of limbs and modest trees. Each are useful about the home.


I cannot inform you how numerous persons ask to borrow my hammers. Absolutely everyone should have a hammer on hand. Devoid of a hammer, how are you going to repair issues about the home? Keep in mind: When issues come to a screeching halt, you cannot get in touch with a person to come over and repair a leaking roof. You will have to do it oneself. Just as with saws, there are numerous various kinds of hammers. In my shed, you will find sledge hammers of several sizes, framing hammers and finish hammers. Every 1 has its job. You wouldn’t repair a roof shingle with a sledge hammer, just as you wouldn’t drive a wedge into a log with a framing hammer. Take into account tools with fiberglass or steel handles for the greatest durability.

Each and every tool kit should really have a superior hammer.

Exactly where to Come across the Greatest Values

If you get tools new, it can get incredibly high-priced. So, where do you get them? Areas such as yard sales, estate sales and flea markets are wonderful alternatives, as are salvage yards. You’d be shocked what you can pick up for incredibly tiny funds.

When you discover tools this way, make confident they are in good shape. Dirty and rusty is fine, mainly because these can be removed with incredibly tiny work. What you should look for (and keep away from) are tools with broken handles or harm to components not worth repairing.


An axe is an indispensable tool. Used to split wood, reduce down a tree, de-bark a log for lumber or double as a hammer in a pinch, no household should really be without the need of at least one. I really have two—a complete-sized and a smaller sized 1, at times referred to as a “camp” or “hand” axe. If I have to bug out quickly, the camp axe goes with me.

Adjustable Wrenches.

You can have a toolbox complete of wrenches (I do), but nothing replaces a superior adjustable wrench. They come in numerous sizes and are ideal for getting into locations a ratchet and socket can’t handle. With the turn of a thumb screw, you have a single wrench that will fit many nuts and bolts in U.S. and metric sizes.

I carry a couple of in my truck and have some around the home. If I could have only 1 kind of wrench, this would be the one—but make confident you have a couple of every single size.

“With a couple of straightforward hand tools, you can manage most upkeep and creating projects.”


Currently, we rely heavily on screw guns to make our jobs much easier, but these tools run on electrical energy. Even with no energy, you will nevertheless need to have to deal with screws. It might take longer and need a lot more effort to achieve a job, but you should really have a good set of screwdrivers, each slotted and Phillips, on hand.

Hand Drills.

I know it is difficult to think, but there was a time just before the invention of energy drills when persons created holes in things. A hand drill was how it was performed. Slowly, but effectively, a hand drill will get the job done—as lengthy as you have a decent set of drill bits. There are two kinds of hand drills: the “egg-beater” style, with a side crank, and the hand brace, which appears like a squared letter “C,” with the head or knob extending above and the chuck finish extending under.


Shovels come in all sizes and shapes, every single 1 obtaining a particular objective. A lengthy-handled spade can be made use of for everything from digging a latrine, generating a root cellar or turning soil for your garden (which, by the way, you will most likely need to have, because food will not be capable to be shipped in). If you live in an region that gets a lot of snow, you’ll need a flat snow shovel to maintain the snow from creating up on your roof.

Shovels of all kinds are superior to have on hand, but the crucial version is the spade. Its pointed blade is perfect for digging in most kinds of soil, and it can reduce through roots or building debris.


A couple of car or truck jacks are always handy to personal. In addition to lifting your automobile, jacks can be made use of to lift buildings, move heavy logs (fallen trees, and so on.) and other heavy things. My favorites are the old scissor jacks that came with  older Fords, even though I also have a floor jack. Verify your regional auto salvage yard for some of these old jacks, and be confident to maintain the workings lubed.


No one is going to show up to remove a stump or pry some thing open for you. You need to have to be ready to do it oneself. Whether it is removing embedded rocks when digging your latrine, scavenging a creating for scrap or gaining leverage on some thing heavy, a crow bar is the tool for the job. These tools can be quite difficult to discover, mainly because a lot of persons do not use them. Verify yard sales or estate sales—both are wonderful for choosing up all sorts of things. These are the 10 tools to often have on hand. On the other hand, add other individuals as you see fit for your situations. Keep in mind that when some thing drastic occurs, you will be on your personal. With these 10 tools, you should really be capable to manage virtually something. It would be smart to gather them now so you will be ready when some thing occurs. And if you discover some wonderful bargains, it is the ideal way to replace broken tools or to use for bartering purposes.

“… the majority of the globe is not ready to reside an extended period without the need of electrical energy.”


If you have tools and other things that use rechargeable batteries, but the energy is out, there are many  portable solar panels on the market place these days that will do the trick. I have two that I have made use of numerous instances throughout energy outages or when in the field.

A SunJack solar charger is shown topping off a Rubicon headlamp and a flashlight.

1 unit is the Powersync Solarwrap Mini-Max, sold by Bushnell the other is created by SunJack. Each hook directly to your device through USB ports. They each have internal batteries that charge themselves when you are functioning (as long as you have sufficient sunlight). At the finish of the day, all you need to have to do is plug your device in and charge it from the power stored in the battery.

“Humans thrived lengthy just before there was electrical energy and the numerous issues it powers. We can — and will — do it once more.”

Editor’s note: A version of this write-up initially appeared in the July 2017 print challenge of American Survival Guide.