Thanks for watching the video! Please leave me a thumbs up ( or a thumbs down! ) and a comment in the section below. Also, check out our website, the classes we teach and the required gear list at www.waypointsurvival.com.
@@clarencesmith2305 Well... if you wanna peg them completely historically accurate they went back to at least the 16th century... remember back in the early days of manufacturing (mainly guns) onward when a screw was rounded off they filed a "cross" in order to remove it. This in essence was the first cross head screws and many people today still refer to the phillips as cross head screws. Heck that's just one more thing the hobo used his own file for as well 😉
nice to hear your differences between hobos, tramps and bums. did you know that "hobo" dates back to the american civil war? at the end of the war many veterans - probably ALL the rebs - had to make their own way home, on foot. they were called hobos from "homeward bound." thus most of them already knew how to live life rough. also explains how the early ones, anyway, got some respect from the townies as they made their way home.
You're correct, it was President Lincolns idea for all Confederate soldiers going home to ride the rails free of charge with a train pass marked "Homeward Bound" hung around their neck, the military being it's normal self shorten the train pass to Ho Bo. Thus the term continues on.
I’m 75 years old and remember my grandpa carried a pair of pliers with him nearly all the time, he wasn’t a hobo but a very gifted journeyman that could fix or build anything,thank you
James, my parents lived through the Great Depression, having been born in 1921 & 1922. Daddy died last April at age 101; Mamma just celebrated her 102nd birthday & is still holding on. I was born earluyin 1941, so I am familiar with the real Hobos; their 10 essential tools were also essential for folks fortunate enough to live in houses.; so I grew up with those tools. I remember being shocked when I saw the 1st Phillips screwdriver. We called the metal cutters "Aviation Snips." A very similar match case or pocket tackle box can be made by trimming a 20 gauge shotgun shell & sliding it inside a 12 gauge shell. Until I was grown and intermittently during adulthood, I have lived near railroad & rivers. In fact, the road in front of our house was a historic railroad built shortly after the Civil War. Obviously, rails & cross-ties have been removed, but further NE from here, the old railroad grade goes through woodlands & farmland into the next state. In fact, the old RR grade borders then backside of our deer hunting lease. I sometimes wonder if some of those old Hobo Spirits do not accompany me in that area! Thanks for another intresting & intriguing Hobo Video. A year of so ago I think that I told you that in my teens, our church youth group frequently had "Hobo Parties,"which we thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks for msking history come alive from the War of the American Revolution to the present, & for a radiant faith which always shines through. May God bless you, my brother! The Old Preacher
Patrick, thanks for your reply. It is encouraging to know that someone else was raised with the values instilled in our parents. Our parents expeienced things which modern day young adults cannot even imagine! I call it more than coincidence; perhaps it is what my wife calls a "God-Wink" moment! Have a blessed day, sir.@@patrickjb2009
Have a suggestion. This was used by both the Army or the Republic and the Confederate soldiers. Hobos have also used this technique. Take a sturdy wool blanket and place your supplies in the middle of it. you can keep a change of clothes in there if you have the space available. Place your goods in the middle of the blanket and simply roll it up. When you have it rolled up, ties the ends with extra boot laces. This way, you will have a spare in case you need them. Bring the ends together and use another set of laces, or some cordage and form a circle with your blanket. Then simply carry it over your shoulders. I have used this with a extra large wood blanket, and managed to include a old Army poncho with it. Another suggestion is simply make a bed roll and carry you belongings inside of it. After you have it assembled, just use some cordage and carry over on of your shoulders.
Okay, that's kind of useful for some. However, keep in mind that putting EVERYTHING together in the middle of said 'roll' can lead to rips, leaks, and noise. It really sucks to have to repair holes and tolerate wet spots in your protective barriers ! Let's not forget the compromise of the "structural integrity". MY GRANDPA used to say : "Common sense ain't so common!" I'm sooo happy he isn't seeing, let alone experiencing, the SEPARATION of the United States AGAIN !!! 😢...Whysguy180
At 1:16 is the rig i used when i was gonna run away from home when i was 5. My Mother told me i was going to miss the chocolate cake she was gonna make. That was some great chocolate cake. I had the best parents in the world, why run away from that.
I got a "Gold Thumb" in 1975- hitchhiked from N.Y. City to Los Angeles,California-Rode freight trains back across the U.S.A-Where ever the trains would take me.Very dangerous at times,many people aided me in my travels.The Hobo's were the best group you could run into,and I owe my life to at least 3 of them.Glad I found you,look forward to catching up on all your "stuff"- Thom Schoonmaker.
You know what "might" be interesting? If you and Hobo Shoestring were to hook up for a conversation, whether you did it in a camp beside the tracks, riding the rails, or walking into a strange town. My grandfather used to take the dinner leftovers and put them out on a picnic table under a shelter for the hoboes that came by from the tracks so they have been a part of my life from my youth. Not only did most of them know how to survive, but many carried a trade like carpenter and so on to where they could make themselves useful in the town they happened to be in. I think you've got a great niche here on preparedness that has only been scratched. There's not only skills, there's an entire culture waiting to be explored.
2023 Hobo EDC (NW Washington) As mentioned in other comments recently, I’ve been practicing Les Stroud’s suggestion to utilize pockets rather than a central bag or kit. Cross loading. Belt: Buck 119, Buck 110 (2 needles neatly taped to the side of sheath) Leatherman Wave (ferro rod & tinder snugged into the sheath) Sm. Saber Pepper Gel Neck lanyard: passport pouch w/ my phone, a flat compass & 2 pens Hip pockets: keys 2AA Coast light memo pad. I keep my hip pockets kinda empty. If a serious journey is planned I may drop my in my Old Timer Stockman, money clip and another Bic. Back pockets: PSK (in a vintage handheld fishing tackle kit from the 60’s. I think the box is made by Stanley. It’s approximately the size/volume of 3 Altoids boxes. 3.5” x6” x 1”. Fills a back pocket but slender. Zero rattling) Other back pocket = two 3mil 50 gallon contractors bags. Vacu sealed to the size of a jumbo deck of playing cards. Cargo pockets: ultralight nylon poncho (also sealed flat w/ Food Sealer) In the other is my first aid boo boo kit kept in a 5 inch white canvas poke sack that doubles as a mill bag… & a Sawyer Mini. Add a couple Bics. Also in my right back pocket lives a 24” collapsible baton made by S&W rolled neatly into 1 of 3 twenty seven inch square bandanas: 2 forest green, 1 blaze orange. By rolling the aluminum handle of the baton and snugging it w/ 2 other rolled bandanas it presents zero impression of a cudgel self defense weapon in public. All 3 bandanas are rolled tightly to the size of a cigar. We won’t get into jackets but up here you carry or wear one 250+ days per year. I carry calories and expanded thermoregulation in my jacket: watch cap, gloves, buff & calories Of course on the road I’d wear (minimum) my Gregory Jade 60 pack or Marmot 85 and thus carry a proper camp on my back in the 60-80 pounds range. Depends on the mission. Walking stick. Hand carved Pacific Alder. Timberland boots restrung w/ 7 feet each of 550 survival cord. 2 pair legit socks. The idea is to be able to set an austere camp with only what I am wearing. Because this is Boreal rainforest a fellow can gear up heavy because we wear more clothing than Los Angeles or Texas. Down south a fellow must carry a bag. If the sun breaks out unexpectedly I’ve been known to make a Russian soldier horseshoe roll out of my jacket. It’s a lost craft in America. The “possibles pouch” bedroll. Love these bits n bobs videos, brother. God bless.
You have a lot of old school items in your kit. But why carry a flintlock musket now? Of course, they can also kill, but the Kalashnikov assault rifle was invented a long time ago.
This was ,to me, one of your top videos. I enjoy history. Combining bushcraft/survival techniques with real life, tried and true methods, I found to be extremely interesting. Thanks for sharing.
James, an absolutely magic vid. Brought back memories of my youth when I roamed the hills of Scotland with a toolroll not unlike this in my rucksack. Strange to say I was a machinist too! Best Wishes from Jockland.
Nice video. I always have slingbag with a leatherman on the side, a first aid kit with a dutch victorinox soldiersknife (it has a rescuetool in it) a small cooker, a bottle of water, a steel cup with some small bags of coffee, a knife, a poncho, a small firekit and a few other things. But because of my illness I can walk very far, 1.5 km (+/_a mile) and I need a rollator to give me support. But I like to take a Walk in the park and try to practice some things. I hope I get well enough to go somewere one day to stay out overnight and build a campfire and things like that. So these video's are great to try things and make things. Thank, and keep up the good work. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Tof, ik heb zelf nog een oudje, een dienstmes gemaakt in onze eigen messen fabriek te Apeldoorn, naast het ontbreken van het bekende Zwitserse kruisje zit er geen verschil tussen dus helaas ook weinig tot niets waard.
@@tonyp.bahama9368 ik heb mijn oude dienstmes uit 85 ook nog. Maar dat is wel een victorinox. Het mes wat jij hebt is dan van amefa, als ik het goed heb.
Thank you sir for always providing me with information in a calm, peaceful, and pleasant way. I have extra appreciation and interest in the historical and social studies presentations. These hobo tools and supplies took me back to my Grandma's house when I was younger and was then already fastinated with all the cool stuff everywhere (items exactly like your showing now) and the stories about what all some of the family had done (i had one Great Uncle who hoboed from TN to CA to work and wrote letters about working in the orange fields and meeting a man who would later became president). ❤ Thank you again. Many blessings to you and yours.
Love this. I'm ex-HM Forces, as was my Dad and Grandads. I am SO familiar with this sort of thinking. Its about what are you going to need to do, and how are you going to be able to do it. I still include kit to make a fire about me! The fluff from tumble driyers is top notch. All the best from the UK.
I worked in a plastic molding company in the 70's. We took the Church key and put an edge on the curved edge at the pointed end with a grinder. Alnost like a knife. Which curved edge we used was determined by if we were left or right handed. It worked great for deburring and cleaning the edges of plastic. Because of the curve it could trim both sides at once if someone was really good at putting the edge on it. Then, we still had the pointed end by not grinding all the way to the point
I picked up the habit from my parents who picked it up off theirs who lived through the Great Depression was the ball of string was in a small bag because they didn't let any piece of string go unless it was significantly damaged, old shoelaces, bits of bailing twine they'd found, package string anything. Getting to the right piece of string needed would be a nuisance if it was all balled up so they used the small bag, probably repurposed or home made (mines a cheap sponge bag). Burlap sacks were used like thick plastic bags and thrown away like them up until the 90s. They were commonly used by outdoors people long after the Depression so I'm presuming would have been used by Gentlemen of the road. Multi use and the price was right. Two of them modified and two wooden poles and you had a stretcher like bed. Great pieces of kit.
Great video. Very useful items even today. The leatherman is really a consolation of all of those tools. I have a couple of those shotgun shell match safes. I learned about it in grade school (early 60s) from a North Woodman that came for a talk at our school. When I was a kid it seemed you could find spent shotgun shells everywhere.
That's a good line up. If was a hobo then 3 real tools that I would carry and they are light is a fencing pliers, hammer and a North Brothers Yankee screwdriver with drill bits that fit it. The first two allows me to do the job farmers and ranchers hate. Building or repairing fences. The hammer and Yanker ratchet driver allows you do a lot of small repairs in a house or even fixing a gate. A handsaw might be readily available for more carpentry work and your sheath and hopefully your pocket knife would be sharp to lightly shave wood like stuck doors. I heard a New Englander say that no wonder farmers quit using stone fences as they had no time to fix them. Many hobos were skilled at that job. They could work at that through the summer months. Many times they slept right near their work.
Watching AGAIN! Cause I enjoy these. Still haven’t watched all the 1700s , 1800s, or Hobo videos - or even all the Stanley videos… but I kerp watching over and over. This time the pliers just took me back to many years of good times and connections to two generations before me (being the grandpa now). Almost like a Barlow or slip joint pocket knife! When I worked on industrial machines and cars got 30 years, I had or had access to all the specialty tools we could get. And I carried needle nose pliers back packing for years before they had multi tools (except Vic’s and Wengers). One of the best tools I EVER have used over more than 50 years was a pair of modified slip joint pliers. My factory boss - a tool guy before WWII - had perfectly ground down the working end to half the factory width. The thing beat all the dozens of high end pliers of every type I’ve used since! And I’ve ven tied up slip joint handles in the days before Vice-Grips… Anyway, love this vid. over and over! Carry on, brother!
When my first family was growing up. we had great fun at the auction if we won a lot of old tools. My eldest son and I made quite a team after touching up a two-man saw. We sometimes would cut wood near the roadside with the old two-man saw just to watch the expression on the faces of the "flatlanders" as they passed by. Quality tools never die, they fade away. Thank you, James, for the continuing history lesson, super enjoyable.
I love the hobo series. About the simplicity and of course the hardships. Watching the journey of natty gann and it brought up interesting things about hobo camps. Basically they were just city dumps that they made shelters from the rubbish but still so miserable and wet
Hello. Very practical tools. The old timers from the depression up taught my dumb ass the right way like what you describe. 50 year hobo But bad hip retired me. I would always carry cheap keyhole saw fixed blade not hack saw type. I could cut up a pallet in pretty fair time. Twine. A cheap plastic 4 way screw driver. And what you got except tin snips I used a nail to start a hole hit with a railroad spike. Then used my hunting blade. I would say half the hobos I met were vets. Starting with the Civil War. Field conditions means providing survival for the troops.
Church Keys are still useful. Mom insists I bring home olive oil in old-fashioned metal cans. The have large openings on one end that don't require tools. But pouring from them is a huge headache since they glug constantly while pouring. Not smooth at all. Used to always spill quite a bit. Then I discovered something. If you use a Church Key on one of the opposite corners of the can's opening, just make a triangular small hole; air can flow on through that hole. Then when you pour, no glug! Smooth pour. Very nice. Unfortunately, yes it's true that most modern-day Church Keys are thin pot-metal junk. Place the pad of your thumb on the back of the Church Key, or it'll bend back upwards when you're using it. Older ones from the Golden Age of the Hobo Era were *FAR* better quality.
My grandfather and his son and my father used to hobo around the Southeast looking for work. From the late 1890’s until WWII. My father had a run in with the law and stayed gone for about 5 years until the war started and he volunteered. I learned a great deal from them, great survival and camping skills. My boys think staying at a Holiday Inn is camping. Appreciate you buddy.
In September of 78 I gave Frying Pan Jack a ride out of California. "You always hop the front end of a moving car. If you loose your grip you hit the side and bounce away." A physics lesson from a Hobo. The culture was changing and it was getting dangerous for an older man to live the life style. He was going to visit his daughter in Tacoma to see about retirement.
i was always fascinated with Hobos when I was a kid , (that was 60 some years ago) I remember they would knock on our door and ask for food, my Mother would make them something to eat. they sat on our front porch at an outside table we had, I was just a little girl about 7 years old and watch, when I got older remembering back I felt bad for watching them. Once I saw a list of ways they would communicate, one was drawing a cat face on the ground in front of a house to let others know that ment a nice lady lives here she will give you food.
James, there’s an old school cowboy down in Arizona making prepper/road videos. Immediately likable man. Mid-70’s. He’s riding the rails in a refurbished RV. His bug out bag shorts consistently come up in my queue. Decent traffic. Probably just type “cowboy bug out bag” If you have not seen his videos yet I suspect you will enjoy them. God bless
Love it. I was waiting for you to talk about the hat though 😁 Never heard of that code of ethics before, that was an interesting read. Hoboes also had (have?) their own legal system according to that document. Would be great to hear you talk more about the folks who chose this path in life - "Decide your own life; don't let another person run or rule you." Amen.
Alot of the old church keys were given free to customers that bought beer in steel cans long ago. I have a collection of them that were engraved with beer company logos and advertisements that do not exist anymore!
I saw a fellow light his pants on fire because one of the wooden matches in his pill bottle fire kit was pointing the wrong way and rubbed the striker paper he had glued under the cap. I've always been extra careful about striker paper after seeing that.
Interesting set of tools. I also appreciated your contrasting Hobos against Bums and Tramps. I hadn't heard that distinguished before, but it fits with my gut feeling. It would be interesting to contrast Hobos and Gypsies. They seem rather similar to me except that Gypsies generally traveled in family groups including their kids.
Something I learned as a model railroader. I model the 1940s at the very end of World War II hobos had their own symbols they would put them places to let other hobos know what is going on the symbols meant different things. unless you are aware of these, you would not pay them any attention. For example, a grumpy old man lives here a nice woman who will give you food. This is a safe place to camp etc. etc. etc. you can look these up online. They are pretty cool.
Yes in Australia they were known as "Swaggies" as the gear they carried was bundled up to make a Swag. This was also their bedding. The signs you reffered to were carved into a wooden fence post outside of a property and indicated that, This residence was good for a feed or keep out these people are mean / stingey ect. This Is Illustrated by a early folk song Waltzing Matilta. The words start out , {Once a jolly swaggman camped beside a Billabong.Under the shade of a coolabah tree.} Billabong being a small body of water.
I am glad you tell us about hobo life and hobo travelling. I am German, and between the two world wars (maybe before, too) there were the "Rassler" in my hometown. Rassler translates to rattlers, wich means the sound of nailed shoesoles hitting the town's cobblestones. The Rassler were men who lived in the villages around the town and went into town by foot, early in the morning. They would meet at a common place and people who need a worker or some more for a day would go there and chose them. They weren't homeless, but had no job at home that was feeding the family. The other thing, and it's still alive, are "Wandergesellen" on the "Walz". Those are men and women who have been learning a craft like carpenter or stonecarver or similar things. After 3 years of learning, in olden times you had to hit the road for a year and a day to learn from as many masters as you met. You were banned from your homeplace and a mile around. After the time you were allowed to come back and further on carry the title craftsman of your profession. The Gesellen go from place to place, doing work and learning by doing, and are paid in food and a place to sleep. They are usually kind and handsome people bc as you said about the hobos, they had to protect their reputation. They usually work on church or old house restaurations, seek for workshops where a hand is needed and would travel on after some days.
I forgot to tell: Gesellen use to travel in traditional craftsmen dress of their profession, carry a staff and a hat. Their belongings have to fit into a "Bündel", usually a rolled up blanket wich contains their tools, comb and personal stuff. They carry it like a bag on their side or on the staff, if it's a small bundle.
I think that you’ve done an excellent job at covering some of the essentials that a person traveling hobo might gather together. The items you’ve listed would have been essential to the person adapting to their particular situation. Example, fashioning a hobo camp stove or lantern out of an old tin can. One additional item that maybe should be included would be a candle or a piece of a candle? - Tennessee Smoky
A candle is more finite and less of a permanent tool. The video suggests that a hobo might have traded some labor or traded goods for a candle, without losing a tool.
You are a wealth of historic knowledge! Question, how did the hobos know which rails to ride for their particular quest? And then how did they navigate? Did they carry maps, compass?
Most of them would probably get a hold of printed copies of train schedules. Or, they just had an experienced knowledge base of where certain trains went. Today, most hobos use smartphones to be able to find which train they need to catch out on.
Yes and No. While you can accomplish quite a bit with one (or both) especially crafting from sticks. The trade off in compactness of a multi tool is that you lose the full use of an individual tool. Even in children’s toy plastic tool sets you see the same essentials with a hammer and saw. As for the file on my Leatherman, used to “saw” metal more times than to file even a wood chamfer on a project. A stand alone file is just better and will generally be 6 inches versus the 4 inch Leatherman.
As the other commenter stated, a multi-tool doesn't really do anything very well it just does a lot of things okay and it's always better to have the full size tool at hand.
Hobo, Tool Room Attendant. Skilled Individual, Migrant, Transitory. From the French derived Latin, Transient, Craftsman. Closest Modern translation, One who rides Freight Trains!. A Hobo has the utmost of Reputation to Uphold, for Paid Employment and good references. First Rule, Learn, Education! True Hobo's are always asked to return, always invited. As for weather, you will get it, and then some, after awhile you become a damn good Meteorologist.
Hello James, thank you for another amazing video! I was wondering if you might be able to talk about how to make the bindle stick without using the hanger wire? Maybe a good way to carve into the stick. All the best!
I could tell you about the modern homeless loadout if you want. My personal kit is mid range for the walking folk. Car sleepers obviously have more stuff with them generally. My own setup is a backpacking tent, a camo tarp, a blanket, a sleeping bag, a backpack of personal affects and tools, a backpacking stove, a single pot, a jug of water, and a cart to put it in.
Clever hack for fellow Waypoint Survival fans: Use a Food Sealer and stiff cardboard or plastic backing to substantially decrease the loft volume of things like ponchos, emergency bivy rolls, jackets, a wool sweater. As mentioned in my previous comment I shrink contractors bags (huge 3mil bags) down to cigarette pack size with a Food Sealer. Awesome for thermoregulation & shelter kit.
@@WayPointSurvivaland if you use the "burp" method they make a sealer about the size of a small stapler so you can reseal your bag after opening and use less plastic.
Thanks so much! Yes, I'm sure that they varied from hobo to hobo as a lot of it would depend on what was available to them and their particular skill set.
Very well made video! So interesting to see how hobos would have carried the same stuff I carry now while camping, but older versions. For example I just carry a Leatherman wave, which has the file, pliers, screwdrivers, and a small pocket knife. Really shows how we need the same tools no matter the time period, but people find ways to make them more efficient. I'm also surprised to hear some of the hobo guidelines, they were very ahead of their time for the 1890s.
There are several out there. I would suggest doing a Google search as well as looking on amazon. There are quite a few books out there on hobos and their lifestyle and many of them on Amazon have a preview where you can read a little bit of it or see the chapter title headings.
If you want to read a good book on hitchhiking, read THE SHORT, SHORT HITCHHIKER by Stanley Gurcze, Edited by Richard Menzies. Here are a couple of excerpts from his book: Page 72: “So back to the highway I went, where if I was going to starve, at least I wouldn’t be working for the privilege of doing so. I headed west until I reached Indio, California, which is where I found my first hobo jungle. It was quite an experience. “A hobo jungle is a camp near a railroad division yard where trains stop and change crews. It’s also where non-paying passengers get on or off the train. These non-paying passengers consist of two different classes: bums and hobos. The difference between the two is as follows: Bums will not work, and will steal or beg or do anything to meet their needs. Hobos, also known as tramps, will work for their needs but no longer than absolutely necessary. Both classes can be found wherever trains go in the country. “I was camping alone at the east end of Indio when a man with a bedroll over his shoulder walked by. I mistook him for a fellow hitchhiker and said, ‘Hi.’ “He looked me over, saw my crutches and decided I was harmless enough. So he came over and said, ‘Howdy, Crip.’ He paused and then added, ‘You ever been here before?’ “‘No, it’s my first time.’ “‘Thought so. Let me give ya a little advice. Git over on the other side of the road by the trees there.’ He pointed to a grove of trees approximately half a mile to the north. “‘Why? What’s there?’ “‘A camp where you’ll be safe tonight. There’s a bunch of ‘bos there, pretty decent guys. This side’s the jungle with the bums and winos. They’ll take you for everything you got. You’d be lucky to wake up tomorrow.’ “‘I sure better get out of here, then. Thanks for the heads up.’ “‘Okay,’ he said, then added. ‘You see those two guys back there by them bushes?’ “‘No. Where?’ He pointed behind me. “There. That’s the reason I stopped. I noticed they had their eyes on ya.’ “‘Yeah, now I see ’em.’ There stood two of the most disreputable looking characters I had seen in quite a while. One was staring in our direction, the other was sipping from a wine bottle. Both were unshaven. Their clothing had the appearance of never having been washed. “‘Heavens to Betsy,’ I said. ‘They look worse than I do.’ “‘Come on. I’ll walk you across the road. They won’t bother ya as long as I’m here.’ “‘Thanks.’ “I got to the other camp as fast as I could. There I found a group of men with bedrolls and not much else, sitting around a large campfire above which hung a huge pot, boiling. It contained meat, potatoes, onions, and a few other vegetables all mixed together. They called it mulligan stew. “I was informed that anyone who joins the group contributes whatever they have to the pot, which keeps boiling all the time. Share and share alike. No one is ever refused hospitality unless they demonstrate by their actions that they’re not worthy, in which case they are booted out in a hurry. By contrast, the bums across the way aren’t interested in anything but scoring that first bottle of wine to start their day-in any way they can. “Sometimes bums even steal from one another, taking whatever they believe will get them ‘the price.’ Many awake to find their shoes gone, or any other item of any value they possess. They are the lucky ones, because there are others who never awake. “Unlike bums, hobos are men who have left their homes, wives, children, friends, and jobs to seek freedom from their humdrum lives and spend the rest of their days wandering about the country, searching for this elusive thing called happiness-or at least peace of mind. Some might reach this goal; others may not. Perhaps they will all find it in the beyond.” _____ Page 112: “I cook over an Indian fire-never a white man’s fire. I learned this from an Apache Indian-in Apache Junction, Arizona, of all places. Of course, no Apaches live there; they live on the San Carlos reservation east of Globe. This young Apache worked at the lumber company, which is no longer there. “I remember I was preparing to build a fire as prescribed in the Boy Scouts manual. I gathered an armload of dead branches and arranged them in the form of a tepee. Just then this young Apache came by, sat down, and watched. He started to chuckle softly. When I got my matches out and prepared to light it, he stood up, still chuckling, and kicked my campfire in every which direction, which of course made me a bit angry. “‘Let me show you how to build a fire.’ he said. “He squatted down, dug a hole approximately six inches deep and twelve inches across, took a few of the smaller branches I had gathered and broke them into little pieces, which he placed in the pit. He then took the two thickest branches and placed them across the top of the hole. ‘These two thick branches you use as a grill,’ he said. ‘Just put whatever you want to cook on top of them. By the time they burn through, whatever you’re cooking will be ready.’ “Well, I cooked a whole chicken wrapped in aluminum foil using only the few pieces of wood he put into the hole. It works, he explained, because when the wind blows, it passes over the top of the hole and creates a draft. This results in a hotter fire, and the sparks don’t blow out of the hole. With a white man’s fire, which is above ground, the sparks fly and start wildfires. “Another nice thing about an Indian fire is that when you are finished with it, just pour a little water onto the remaining hot coals, then refill the hole with dirt and tamp it down. When you walk away, nobody would know you ever had a fire there.” Virginia Avenue Press Reno, Nevada Published in 2011 [Stanley Gurcze, 1917-1989]
I got mine in February 1980 during army basic training. I've had it on my Keychain ever since. It's still sharp, and it's much better quality than the newer ones. ✌️🇺🇸
I had a Scottish friend named Kenneth who was from the NJ area and what he didn't know about survival/bushcraft/Hobo hocum wasn't worth knowing. He was the Hobo Ken from Hoboken with the Hobo Kenning 😂
I have known a couple of real hobos in my life who are no longer with us. However, I'm sure that there are those like Hobo Shoestring that are still keeping the art alive.
Thousands of apocalyptic zombies are coming down every road towards your house and you only have 5 minutes to grab 10 items modern or old and hit the back way thru the woods outta there! What 10 items do you take?
The Hobo Code of Ethics is fantastic, and just as true and applicable today as it was 134yrs ago. Love the bit about "the worst garbage to infect any society". One wonders what those old-timers would make of what our 'betters' insist we put up with today. :(
Thanks for watching the video! Please leave me a thumbs up ( or a thumbs down! ) and a comment in the section below. Also, check out our website, the classes we teach and the required gear list at www.waypointsurvival.com.
From Wikipedia the Phillips head screw was first used by GM in the making of their Cadillac line in 1936.
@clarencesmith2305 yes, I should have said the 1930s. Thanks for the correction!
@@WayPointSurvival Aw what's 20 years between friends LOL
@@clarencesmith2305 Well... if you wanna peg them completely historically accurate they went back to at least the 16th century... remember back in the early days of manufacturing (mainly guns) onward when a screw was rounded off they filed a "cross" in order to remove it. This in essence was the first cross head screws and many people today still refer to the phillips as cross head screws. Heck that's just one more thing the hobo used his own file for as well 😉
You only make two kids of videos James. Good and Great! Love it man. Keep up the good work. Blessings.
nice to hear your differences between hobos, tramps and bums. did you know that "hobo" dates back to the american civil war? at the end of the war many veterans - probably ALL the rebs - had to make their own way home, on foot. they were called hobos from "homeward bound." thus most of them already knew how to live life rough. also explains how the early ones, anyway, got some respect from the townies as they made their way home.
He was right as a matter of fact
So you hate (All the rebs). ??? Did you know that you Should probably keep your hate to yourself instead of bothering this guys channel
Thanks for watching. There are several etymologies for the word hobo. It is a word of uncertain origin, although there are several contenders.
Very interesting. Thanks for the factoid that I had never considered but I’m very glad to have learned
You're correct, it was President Lincolns idea for all Confederate soldiers going home to ride the rails free of charge with a train pass marked "Homeward Bound" hung around their neck, the military being it's normal self shorten the train pass to Ho Bo. Thus the term continues on.
I’m 75 years old and remember my grandpa carried a pair of pliers with him nearly all the time, he wasn’t a hobo but a very gifted journeyman that could fix or build anything,thank you
You're welcome!
Hobo is often a misunderstood group. My Father was born in 1913 and had known a few. Everyone was in the same boat during the depression.
Yes, Unfortunately they received a bad rap from others who committed crimes or misdeeds.
We are entering in the worst-case depression America has ever see right now!
Rich people got richer
@@jacobmackey4142 you're out of your mind - you need to read a history book
@@jacobmackey4142what?????
Don’t listen to the haters, this is informative and well researched!
Thanks!
James, my parents lived through the Great Depression, having been born in 1921 & 1922. Daddy died last April at age 101; Mamma just celebrated her 102nd birthday & is still holding on. I was born earluyin 1941, so I am familiar with the real Hobos; their 10 essential tools were also essential for folks fortunate enough to live in houses.; so I grew up with those tools. I remember being shocked when I saw the 1st Phillips screwdriver. We called the metal cutters "Aviation Snips." A very similar match case or pocket tackle box can be made by trimming a 20 gauge shotgun shell & sliding it inside a 12 gauge shell. Until I was grown and intermittently during adulthood, I have lived near railroad & rivers. In fact, the road in front of our house was a historic railroad built shortly after the Civil War. Obviously, rails & cross-ties have been removed, but further NE from here, the old railroad grade goes through woodlands & farmland into the next state. In fact, the old RR grade borders then backside of our deer hunting lease. I sometimes wonder if some of those old Hobo Spirits do not accompany me in that area! Thanks for another intresting & intriguing Hobo Video. A year of so ago I think that I told you that in my teens, our church youth group frequently had "Hobo Parties,"which we thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks for msking history come alive from the War of the American Revolution to the present, & for a radiant faith which always shines through. May God bless you, my brother! The Old Preacher
Thank you so much, brother! It's my honor to be able to make these videos and I'm so glad that you enjoy them! God bless!
Thank you for sharing your story.
Patrick, thanks for your reply. It is encouraging to know that someone else was raised with the values instilled in our parents. Our parents expeienced things which modern day young adults cannot even imagine! I call it more than coincidence; perhaps it is what my wife calls a "God-Wink" moment! Have a blessed day, sir.@@patrickjb2009
That 20 gage and 12 gage trick sounds pretty good, I would have never thought of it but now I can see how it would work , thanks buddy !
hag
Have a suggestion. This was used by both the Army or the Republic and the Confederate soldiers. Hobos have also used this technique. Take a sturdy wool blanket and place your supplies in the middle of it. you can keep a change of clothes in there if you have the space available. Place your goods in the middle of the blanket and simply roll it up. When you have it rolled up, ties the ends with extra boot laces. This way, you will have a spare in case you need them. Bring the ends together and use another set of laces, or some cordage and form a circle with your blanket. Then simply carry it over your shoulders. I have used this with a extra large wood blanket, and managed to include a old Army poncho with it. Another suggestion is simply make a bed roll and carry you belongings inside of it. After you have it assembled, just use some cordage and carry over on of your shoulders.
Yes, that was certainly a way of carrying things in the old days. And, it still works well.
Sounds like what a swagman(Australian version of a hobo) would carry.
hag
I know it as the horseshoe pack.
Okay, that's kind of useful for some. However, keep in mind that putting EVERYTHING together in the middle of said 'roll' can lead to rips, leaks, and noise. It really sucks to have to repair holes and tolerate wet spots in your protective barriers !
Let's not forget the compromise of the "structural integrity".
MY GRANDPA used to say :
"Common sense ain't so common!"
I'm sooo happy he isn't seeing, let alone experiencing, the SEPARATION of the United States AGAIN !!! 😢...Whysguy180
At 1:16 is the rig i used when i was gonna run away from home when i was 5. My Mother told me i was going to miss the chocolate cake she was gonna make. That was some great chocolate cake. I had the best parents in the world, why run away from that.
Yes, having great parents is one of the greatest gifts in the whole world!
I got a "Gold Thumb" in 1975- hitchhiked from N.Y. City to Los Angeles,California-Rode freight trains back across the U.S.A-Where ever the trains would take me.Very dangerous at times,many people aided me in my travels.The Hobo's were the best group you could run into,and I owe my life to at least 3 of them.Glad I found you,look forward to catching up on all your "stuff"- Thom Schoonmaker.
Thank you so much and I'm glad that you are enjoying the channel!
You know what "might" be interesting? If you and Hobo Shoestring were to hook up for a conversation, whether you did it in a camp beside the tracks, riding the rails, or walking into a strange town. My grandfather used to take the dinner leftovers and put them out on a picnic table under a shelter for the hoboes that came by from the tracks so they have been a part of my life from my youth. Not only did most of them know how to survive, but many carried a trade like carpenter and so on to where they could make themselves useful in the town they happened to be in. I think you've got a great niche here on preparedness that has only been scratched. There's not only skills, there's an entire culture waiting to be explored.
Thanks so much, and I would love to do a collaboration with Hobo Shoestring.
Yup, ppl can learn A LOT from Hobo Shoestring; the modern way to live simple & ride the rails!
@@WayPointSurvival I would love to see it. And now I'm going to find this HO BO SHOESTRING CHANNEL. Thanks again.
Rest in peace, hobo shoestring 💔
Thank you for the hobo series. Goes back to a very simple way of life.
Glad you enjoy it!
2023 Hobo EDC (NW Washington)
As mentioned in other comments recently, I’ve been practicing Les Stroud’s suggestion to utilize pockets rather than a central bag or kit. Cross loading.
Belt:
Buck 119,
Buck 110 (2 needles neatly taped to the side of sheath)
Leatherman Wave (ferro rod & tinder snugged into the sheath)
Sm. Saber Pepper Gel
Neck lanyard: passport pouch w/ my phone, a flat compass & 2 pens
Hip pockets:
keys
2AA Coast light
memo pad.
I keep my hip pockets kinda empty.
If a serious journey is planned I may drop my in my Old Timer Stockman, money clip and another Bic.
Back pockets:
PSK (in a vintage handheld fishing tackle kit from the 60’s. I think the box is made by Stanley. It’s approximately the size/volume of 3 Altoids boxes. 3.5” x6” x 1”. Fills a back pocket but slender. Zero rattling)
Other back pocket = two 3mil 50 gallon contractors bags. Vacu sealed to the size of a jumbo deck of playing cards.
Cargo pockets:
ultralight nylon poncho (also sealed flat w/ Food Sealer)
In the other is my first aid boo boo kit kept in a 5 inch white canvas poke sack that doubles as a mill bag… & a Sawyer Mini.
Add a couple Bics.
Also in my right back pocket lives a 24” collapsible baton made by S&W rolled neatly into 1 of 3 twenty seven inch square bandanas: 2 forest green, 1 blaze orange. By rolling the aluminum handle of the baton and snugging it w/ 2 other rolled bandanas it presents zero impression of a cudgel self defense weapon in public.
All 3 bandanas are rolled tightly to the size of a cigar.
We won’t get into jackets but up here you carry or wear one 250+ days per year. I carry calories and expanded thermoregulation in my jacket: watch cap, gloves, buff & calories
Of course on the road I’d wear (minimum) my Gregory Jade 60 pack or Marmot 85 and thus carry a proper camp on my back in the 60-80 pounds range. Depends on the mission.
Walking stick. Hand carved Pacific Alder.
Timberland boots restrung w/ 7 feet each of 550 survival cord. 2 pair legit socks.
The idea is to be able to set an austere camp with only what I am wearing. Because this is Boreal rainforest a fellow can gear up heavy because we wear more clothing than Los Angeles or Texas. Down south a fellow must carry a bag. If the sun breaks out unexpectedly I’ve been known to make a Russian soldier horseshoe roll out of my jacket. It’s a lost craft in America. The “possibles pouch” bedroll.
Love these bits n bobs videos, brother. God bless.
Well said. I love your list and description and mind set etc...
You have some very expensive tools for a hobo
Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your list with us. Very interesting!
I believed this idea too, ntil last week, when I had a fall and everything thatwas in my pants pockets fell out on the ground. Oh well.
You have a lot of old school items in your kit. But why carry a flintlock musket now? Of course, they can also kill, but the Kalashnikov assault rifle was invented a long time ago.
This was ,to me, one of your top videos. I enjoy history. Combining bushcraft/survival techniques with real life, tried and true methods, I found to be extremely interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome, thank you!
Murray,the King of Hobo 's would appreciate your episode. Thanks for telling a true story of ethics etc.
Thanks so much!
6:30 apple juice/orange juice cans triangle can opener could be used as well .
Absolutely.
James, an absolutely magic vid. Brought back memories of my youth when I roamed the hills of Scotland with a toolroll not unlike this in my rucksack. Strange to say I was a machinist too! Best Wishes from Jockland.
Sounds wonderful
Awesome, thank you so much for watching!
Nice video. I always have slingbag with a leatherman on the side, a first aid kit with a dutch victorinox soldiersknife (it has a rescuetool in it) a small cooker, a bottle of water, a steel cup with some small bags of coffee, a knife, a poncho, a small firekit and a few other things. But because of my illness I can walk very far, 1.5 km (+/_a mile) and I need a rollator to give me support. But I like to take a Walk in the park and try to practice some things. I hope I get well enough to go somewere one day to stay out overnight and build a campfire and things like that. So these video's are great to try things and make things. Thank, and keep up the good work. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Excellent, sounds like a good list and I'm glad that you are working on getting out there and putting this into practice!
Tof, ik heb zelf nog een oudje, een dienstmes gemaakt in onze eigen messen fabriek te Apeldoorn, naast het ontbreken van het bekende Zwitserse kruisje zit er geen verschil tussen dus helaas ook weinig tot niets waard.
@@tonyp.bahama9368 ik heb mijn oude dienstmes uit 85 ook nog. Maar dat is wel een victorinox. Het mes wat jij hebt is dan van amefa, als ik het goed heb.
@@jaggiecz klopt, enorm degelijke dingen en omdat ik een enorme chauvinist ben dan ook erg blij mee en dagelijks te vinden in m'n broekzak.
I was homeless for a few months many years ago, and this is very good information.
Thanks for watching and I'm glad that your situation has improved!
Thank you sir for always providing me with information in a calm, peaceful, and pleasant way.
I have extra appreciation and interest in the historical and social studies presentations.
These hobo tools and supplies took me back to my Grandma's house when I was younger and was then already fastinated with all the cool stuff everywhere (items exactly like your showing now) and the stories about what all some of the family had done (i had one Great Uncle who hoboed from TN to CA to work and wrote letters about working in the orange fields and meeting a man who would later became president).
❤
Thank you again.
Many blessings to you and yours.
Very cool story and may God bless you as well!
Well done. I love historic stuff like this. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love this. I'm ex-HM Forces, as was my Dad and Grandads. I am SO familiar with this sort of thinking. Its about what are you going to need to do, and how are you going to be able to do it. I still include kit to make a fire about me! The fluff from tumble driyers is top notch. All the best from the UK.
Thanks so much for watching! I'm glad that you enjoyed the video!
I worked in a plastic molding company in the 70's. We took the Church key and put an edge on the curved edge at the pointed end with a grinder. Alnost like a knife. Which curved edge we used was determined by if we were left or right handed. It worked great for deburring and cleaning the edges of plastic. Because of the curve it could trim both sides at once if someone was really good at putting the edge on it. Then, we still had the pointed end by not grinding all the way to the point
Very interesting application!
I picked up the habit from my parents who picked it up off theirs who lived through the Great Depression was the ball of string was in a small bag because they didn't let any piece of string go unless it was significantly damaged, old shoelaces, bits of bailing twine they'd found, package string anything. Getting to the right piece of string needed would be a nuisance if it was all balled up so they used the small bag, probably repurposed or home made (mines a cheap sponge bag). Burlap sacks were used like thick plastic bags and thrown away like them up until the 90s. They were commonly used by outdoors people long after the Depression so I'm presuming would have been used by Gentlemen of the road. Multi use and the price was right. Two of them modified and two wooden poles and you had a stretcher like bed. Great pieces of kit.
Excellent. Thanks so much for watching the video and for sharing this information with us!
@@WayPointSurvival Apologies, that comments a mess, shouldn't comment when I'm on shifts!! Thanks for overlooking this!!!!
Great video. Very useful items even today. The leatherman is really a consolation of all of those tools.
I have a couple of those shotgun shell match safes. I learned about it in grade school (early 60s) from a North Woodman that came for a talk at our school. When I was a kid it seemed you could find spent shotgun shells everywhere.
Yes, I still occasionally find them in the woods.
Generally most train hoppers in the travelling community will eventually get some kind of multi tool.
I appreciate all the effort you put in the historically accurated hobo kits. That worth my subscription. Greetings from Spain.
Thank you so very much and welcome aboard!
Hope you do a video on Top 10 Essential Hobo Tools Every Traveler Needs TODAY. Sillcock water key immediately comes to mind. 🤔
Yep, I’d love to see that video too!
also might wanna get a "quick coupler valve sprinkler key"
Thanks for watching and for the suggestion!
thanks for idea, I added flathead and philips screwdriver to my pliers. It's a bit hard to shape philips head but flathead works great
That's a good line up. If was a hobo then 3 real tools that I would carry and they are light is a fencing pliers, hammer and a North Brothers Yankee screwdriver with drill bits that fit it. The first two allows me to do the job farmers and ranchers hate. Building or repairing fences. The hammer and Yanker ratchet driver allows you do a lot of small repairs in a house or even fixing a gate. A handsaw might be readily available for more carpentry work and your sheath and hopefully your pocket knife would be sharp to lightly shave wood like stuck doors. I heard a New Englander say that no wonder farmers quit using stone fences as they had no time to fix them. Many hobos were skilled at that job. They could work at that through the summer months. Many times they slept right near their work.
Yes, there were many skills that a man might put his hand to if he were willing enough.
String can be used as a comfort handle for making art with the modified nails by sticking them threw the ball. Nice Vid. Thank You!
Thanks!
Thanks James I love the hobo stuff you produce. Good show.💯
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it my friend!
Watching AGAIN! Cause I enjoy these. Still haven’t watched all the 1700s , 1800s, or Hobo videos - or even all the Stanley videos… but I kerp watching over and over. This time the pliers just took me back to many years of good times and connections to two generations before me (being the grandpa now). Almost like a Barlow or slip joint pocket knife! When I worked on industrial machines and cars got 30 years, I had or had access to all the specialty tools we could get. And I carried needle nose pliers back packing for years before they had multi tools (except Vic’s and Wengers). One of the best tools I EVER have used over more than 50 years was a pair of modified slip joint pliers. My factory boss - a tool guy before WWII - had perfectly ground down the working end to half the factory width. The thing beat all the dozens of high end pliers of every type I’ve used since! And I’ve ven tied up slip joint handles in the days before Vice-Grips… Anyway, love this vid. over and over! Carry on, brother!
Very cool! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
When my first family was growing up. we had great fun at the auction if we won a lot of old tools. My eldest son and I made quite a team after touching up a two-man saw. We sometimes would cut wood near the roadside with the old two-man saw just to watch the expression on the faces of the "flatlanders" as they passed by. Quality tools never die, they fade away. Thank you, James, for the continuing history lesson, super enjoyable.
Thanks! That must have been a lot of fun for everyone!
For years I carried my matches in a spent 16 gauge shell slid inside a spent 12 gauge shell, perfect waterproof fit.
Excellent!
Thanks James, always learn something from your videos. Be safe brother.
Thanks, you too!
Really great idea for a video! You mentioned some thoughts on a modern version, but I’d love to see that as a separate video too. ✌️
Two multitools, tin snips and a Hank of paracord would probably cover but yeah I'd love to see his take on a modern version.
Thanks so much for watching and for the suggestion!
Yup,, nice "old time" kit,,, but i am thankful for my "modern" kit 👍
Yt Hobo Shoestring.
I love the hobo series. About the simplicity and of course the hardships. Watching the journey of natty gann and it brought up interesting things about hobo camps. Basically they were just city dumps that they made shelters from the rubbish but still so miserable and wet
Yes, it was a hard life but it definitely offered a freedom that many people never experienced in that day.
Hello. Very practical tools. The old timers from the depression up taught my dumb ass the right way like what you describe. 50 year hobo But bad hip retired me. I would always carry cheap keyhole saw fixed blade not hack saw type. I could cut up a pallet in pretty fair time. Twine. A cheap plastic 4 way screw driver. And what you got except tin snips I used a nail to start a hole hit with a railroad spike. Then used my hunting blade. I would say half the hobos I met were vets. Starting with the Civil War. Field conditions means providing survival for the troops.
Thank you so much for watching the video and for sharing your experiences!
Church Keys are still useful. Mom insists I bring home olive oil in old-fashioned metal cans. The have large openings on one end that don't require tools. But pouring from them is a huge headache since they glug constantly while pouring. Not smooth at all. Used to always spill quite a bit. Then I discovered something. If you use a Church Key on one of the opposite corners of the can's opening, just make a triangular small hole; air can flow on through that hole. Then when you pour, no glug! Smooth pour. Very nice.
Unfortunately, yes it's true that most modern-day Church Keys are thin pot-metal junk. Place the pad of your thumb on the back of the Church Key, or it'll bend back upwards when you're using it. Older ones from the Golden Age of the Hobo Era were *FAR* better quality.
Read “Education Of A Wandering Man” by Louis L’Amour. It is his autobiography from the time he left home at 15 years old.
The littlest hobo didn't carry anything and he would help people and solve mysteries every week! Only older Canadians will understand this ... lol
I don't get the reference but thanks for watching!
@@WayPointSurvival canadian tv show called the littlest hobo. A smart german shepard that roamed around helping people lol
Or fans of the Trailer Park Boys! 😎❤
And Brits! That was a staple of kids TV back in the day.
@@A-Cat-in-Dogtown what
My grandfather and his son and my father used to hobo around the Southeast looking for work. From the late 1890’s until WWII. My father had a run in with the law and stayed gone for about 5 years until the war started and he volunteered.
I learned a great deal from them, great survival and camping skills.
My boys think staying at a Holiday Inn is camping.
Appreciate you buddy.
Thank you so very much! If you have any stories or skills that you want to share with me, you can contact me through www.waypointsurvival.com.
In September of 78 I gave Frying Pan Jack a ride out of California. "You always hop the front end of a moving car. If you loose your grip you hit the side and bounce away." A physics lesson from a Hobo. The culture was changing and it was getting dangerous for an older man to live the life style. He was going to visit his daughter in Tacoma to see about retirement.
Very interesting! Thanks for watching and sharing the story!
i was always fascinated with Hobos when I was a kid ,
(that was 60 some years ago) I remember they would knock on our door and ask for food, my Mother would make them something to eat. they sat on our front porch at an outside table we had, I was just a little girl about 7 years old and watch, when I got older remembering back I felt bad for watching them. Once I saw a list of ways they would communicate, one was drawing a cat face on the ground in front of a house to let others know that ment a nice lady lives here she will give you food.
So love your ingenuity! I can’t wait for your next video!
Thank you so much!
Minor comment, since I once made the steel for ca- Mill- us
Cutlery in upstate NY.
Very cool!
This was epic! Nicely done Sr.
Thanks!
James, there’s an old school cowboy down in Arizona making prepper/road videos. Immediately likable man. Mid-70’s. He’s riding the rails in a refurbished RV. His bug out bag shorts consistently come up in my queue. Decent traffic. Probably just type “cowboy bug out bag” If you have not seen his videos yet I suspect you will enjoy them. God bless
Thanks for watching and for the suggestion!
Love it. I was waiting for you to talk about the hat though 😁 Never heard of that code of ethics before, that was an interesting read. Hoboes also had (have?) their own legal system according to that document. Would be great to hear you talk more about the folks who chose this path in life - "Decide your own life; don't let another person run or rule you." Amen.
Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoyed the video!
Excellent video James. I love that can opener. I did not know that about the nickels . Thank you.Have a great day.
Thanks so much for watching and I hope that you have a great day as well!
Sir I do enjoy your videos! Thanks for your work
Glad you like them!
Thanks James, really enjoy these Hobo videos
Glad you like them!
Very interesting information. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Alot of the old church keys were given free to customers that bought beer in steel cans long ago. I have a collection of them that were engraved with beer company logos and advertisements that do not exist anymore!
Very interesting!
Thanks, James. Have you ever been to the hobo convention in Britt, IA? I think it's usually in early August.
No, I haven't but I would really like to go one of these years.
I saw a fellow light his pants on fire because one of the wooden matches in his pill bottle fire kit was pointing the wrong way and rubbed the striker paper he had glued under the cap. I've always been extra careful about striker paper after seeing that.
Yes, always fold it up with the striker on the inside.
Interesting set of tools. I also appreciated your contrasting Hobos against Bums and Tramps. I hadn't heard that distinguished before, but it fits with my gut feeling. It would be interesting to contrast Hobos and Gypsies. They seem rather similar to me except that Gypsies generally traveled in family groups including their kids.
I heard that hobo is short for homeward bound.
There are few similarities
Yes, it does seem that they share a lot of similar ideals and values.
@@WayPointSurvival except one group is kinda known for picking pockets and such...
Gypsies are an ethnic group I believe.
Awesome vid... absolutely enjoyed watching
Something I learned as a model railroader. I model the 1940s at the very end of World War II hobos had their own symbols they would put them places to let other hobos know what is going on the symbols meant different things. unless you are aware of these, you would not pay them any attention. For example, a grumpy old man lives here a nice woman who will give you food. This is a safe place to camp etc. etc. etc. you can look these up online. They are pretty cool.
Yes, those symbols are very neat!
Yes in Australia they were known as "Swaggies" as the gear they carried was bundled up to make a Swag. This was also their bedding. The signs you reffered to were carved into a wooden fence post outside of a property and indicated that, This residence was good for a feed or keep out these people are mean / stingey ect. This Is Illustrated by a early folk song Waltzing Matilta. The words start out , {Once a jolly swaggman camped beside a Billabong.Under the shade of a coolabah tree.} Billabong being a small body of water.
I am glad you tell us about hobo life and hobo travelling. I am German, and between the two world wars (maybe before, too) there were the "Rassler" in my hometown. Rassler translates to rattlers, wich means the sound of nailed shoesoles hitting the town's cobblestones. The Rassler were men who lived in the villages around the town and went into town by foot, early in the morning. They would meet at a common place and people who need a worker or some more for a day would go there and chose them. They weren't homeless, but had no job at home that was feeding the family.
The other thing, and it's still alive, are "Wandergesellen" on the "Walz". Those are men and women who have been learning a craft like carpenter or stonecarver or similar things. After 3 years of learning, in olden times you had to hit the road for a year and a day to learn from as many masters as you met. You were banned from your homeplace and a mile around. After the time you were allowed to come back and further on carry the title craftsman of your profession. The Gesellen go from place to place, doing work and learning by doing, and are paid in food and a place to sleep. They are usually kind and handsome people bc as you said about the hobos, they had to protect their reputation. They usually work on church or old house restaurations, seek for workshops where a hand is needed and would travel on after some days.
I forgot to tell: Gesellen use to travel in traditional craftsmen dress of their profession, carry a staff and a hat. Their belongings have to fit into a "Bündel", usually a rolled up blanket wich contains their tools, comb and personal stuff. They carry it like a bag on their side or on the staff, if it's a small bundle.
Thanks so much for the wonderful history lesson!
I think that you’ve done an excellent job at covering some of the essentials that a person traveling hobo might gather together. The items you’ve listed would have been essential to the person adapting to their particular situation. Example, fashioning a hobo camp stove or lantern out of an old tin can. One additional item that maybe should be included would be a candle or a piece of a candle? - Tennessee Smoky
A candle is more finite and less of a permanent tool. The video suggests that a hobo might have traded some labor or traded goods for a candle, without losing a tool.
Yes, people would of course carry the items that would be most beneficial to them according to their skill set and abilities. Thanks for watching!
Really great EDC for then and today!
Indeed! Thank you for watching!
@@WayPointSurvival I really really appreciate your channel and family and kid friendly educational material on practical history lessons.
Great video James. I really enjoy learning about the skills depression era hobo's had to have to survive during that time. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
I love your hobo videos, it's like a journey back in time. :D
Glad you like them!
You are a wealth of historic knowledge! Question, how did the hobos know which rails to ride for their particular quest? And then how did they navigate? Did they carry maps, compass?
Most of them would probably get a hold of printed copies of train schedules. Or, they just had an experienced knowledge base of where certain trains went. Today, most hobos use smartphones to be able to find which train they need to catch out on.
The ability to fix, fab and survive hard times is lost today, but will come back in vogue.
Pain and lots of it, will be the catalyst.
Hi, it looks like a SAK Huntsman and/or a Leatherman would replace most of the tools.
Yes and No. While you can accomplish quite a bit with one (or both) especially crafting from sticks.
The trade off in compactness of a multi tool is that you lose the full use of an individual tool.
Even in children’s toy plastic tool sets you see the same essentials with a hammer and saw.
As for the file on my Leatherman, used to “saw” metal more times than to file even a wood chamfer on a project.
A stand alone file is just better and will generally be 6 inches versus the 4 inch Leatherman.
As the other commenter stated, a multi-tool doesn't really do anything very well it just does a lot of things okay and it's always better to have the full size tool at hand.
Well done, good idea to do this, was of value!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hobo, Tool Room Attendant. Skilled Individual, Migrant, Transitory. From the French derived Latin, Transient, Craftsman. Closest Modern translation,
One who rides Freight Trains!.
A Hobo has the utmost of Reputation to Uphold, for Paid Employment and good references.
First Rule, Learn, Education!
True Hobo's are always asked to return, always invited.
As for weather, you will get it, and then some, after awhile you become a damn good Meteorologist.
Thanks for watching and for the support!
A P-38 is great to have. I carry one on a keyring.
I do as well.
I love that old can opener! The tin snips are cool as well! I'm surprised they didn't carry a hammer of some kind to use on building jobs...
Thanks! I'm sure that some hobos probably carried them. Of course not everyone carried the same list of tools depending on their skill set etc.
Love the hobo code.
Thanks!
Hello James, thank you for another amazing video! I was wondering if you might be able to talk about how to make the bindle stick without using the hanger wire? Maybe a good way to carve into the stick. All the best!
I have thought of putting together a video on the bindle stick. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching the video!
I also recommend an unable to house letter from the local shelter. So when your stealth camp is discovered, you don't catch a trespassing charge. 😅
Good tip!
I could tell you about the modern homeless loadout if you want. My personal kit is mid range for the walking folk. Car sleepers obviously have more stuff with them generally.
My own setup is a backpacking tent, a camo tarp, a blanket, a sleeping bag, a backpack of personal affects and tools, a backpacking stove, a single pot, a jug of water, and a cart to put it in.
Clever hack for fellow Waypoint Survival fans: Use a Food Sealer and stiff cardboard or plastic backing to substantially decrease the loft volume of things like ponchos, emergency bivy rolls, jackets, a wool sweater. As mentioned in my previous comment I shrink contractors bags (huge 3mil bags) down to cigarette pack size with a Food Sealer. Awesome for thermoregulation & shelter kit.
Great idea!
@@WayPointSurvivaland if you use the "burp" method they make a sealer about the size of a small stapler so you can reseal your bag after opening and use less plastic.
Outstanding video James.
Makes me want to head out on a travel adventure
Thanks for watching!
I am loving all these Hobo life videos. The information is excellent and useful, and you give a great insight into that life with respect.
Awesome, thank you!
Jim think these bindles changed a lot I would imagine they changed completely ?great video love these and the 1700 series
Thanks so much! Yes, I'm sure that they varied from hobo to hobo as a lot of it would depend on what was available to them and their particular skill set.
Very well made video! So interesting to see how hobos would have carried the same stuff I carry now while camping, but older versions. For example I just carry a Leatherman wave, which has the file, pliers, screwdrivers, and a small pocket knife. Really shows how we need the same tools no matter the time period, but people find ways to make them more efficient. I'm also surprised to hear some of the hobo guidelines, they were very ahead of their time for the 1890s.
James, to your knowledge, what book(s) about hobo's could you suggest for study ?
There are several out there. I would suggest doing a Google search as well as looking on amazon. There are quite a few books out there on hobos and their lifestyle and many of them on Amazon have a preview where you can read a little bit of it or see the chapter title headings.
If you want to read a good book on hitchhiking, read THE SHORT, SHORT HITCHHIKER by Stanley Gurcze, Edited by Richard Menzies.
Here are a couple of excerpts from his book:
Page 72: “So back to the highway I went, where if I was going to starve, at least I wouldn’t be working for the privilege of doing so. I headed west until I reached Indio, California, which is where I found my first hobo jungle. It was quite an experience.
“A hobo jungle is a camp near a railroad division yard where trains stop and change crews. It’s also where non-paying passengers get on or off the train. These non-paying passengers consist of two different classes: bums and hobos. The difference between the two is as follows: Bums will not work, and will steal or beg or do anything to meet their needs. Hobos, also known as tramps, will work for their needs but no longer than absolutely necessary. Both classes can be found wherever trains go in the country.
“I was camping alone at the east end of Indio when a man with a bedroll over his shoulder walked by. I mistook him for a fellow hitchhiker and said, ‘Hi.’
“He looked me over, saw my crutches and decided I was harmless enough. So he came over and said, ‘Howdy, Crip.’ He paused and then added, ‘You ever been here before?’
“‘No, it’s my first time.’
“‘Thought so. Let me give ya a little advice. Git over on the other side of the road by the trees there.’ He pointed to a grove of trees approximately half a mile to the north.
“‘Why? What’s there?’
“‘A camp where you’ll be safe tonight. There’s a bunch of ‘bos there, pretty decent guys. This side’s the jungle with the bums and winos. They’ll take you for everything you got. You’d be lucky to wake up tomorrow.’
“‘I sure better get out of here, then. Thanks for the heads up.’
“‘Okay,’ he said, then added. ‘You see those two guys back there by them bushes?’
“‘No. Where?’
He pointed behind me. “There. That’s the reason I stopped. I noticed they had their eyes on ya.’
“‘Yeah, now I see ’em.’ There stood two of the most disreputable looking characters I had seen in quite a while. One was staring in our direction, the other was sipping from a wine bottle. Both were unshaven. Their clothing had the appearance of never having been washed.
“‘Heavens to Betsy,’ I said. ‘They look worse than I do.’
“‘Come on. I’ll walk you across the road. They won’t bother ya as long as I’m here.’
“‘Thanks.’
“I got to the other camp as fast as I could. There I found a group of men with bedrolls and not much else, sitting around a large campfire above which hung a huge pot, boiling. It contained meat, potatoes, onions, and a few other vegetables all mixed together. They called it mulligan stew.
“I was informed that anyone who joins the group contributes whatever they have to the pot, which keeps boiling all the time. Share and share alike. No one is ever refused hospitality unless they demonstrate by their actions that they’re not worthy, in which case they are booted out in a hurry. By contrast, the bums across the way aren’t interested in anything but scoring that first bottle of wine to start their day-in any way they can.
“Sometimes bums even steal from one another, taking whatever they believe will get them ‘the price.’ Many awake to find their shoes gone, or any other item of any value they possess. They are the lucky ones, because there are others who never awake.
“Unlike bums, hobos are men who have left their homes, wives, children, friends, and jobs to seek freedom from their humdrum lives and spend the rest of their days wandering about the country, searching for this elusive thing called happiness-or at least peace of mind. Some might reach this goal; others may not. Perhaps they will all find it in the beyond.”
_____
Page 112: “I cook over an Indian fire-never a white man’s fire. I learned this from an Apache Indian-in Apache Junction, Arizona, of all places. Of course, no Apaches live there; they live on the San Carlos reservation east of Globe. This young Apache worked at the lumber company, which is no longer there.
“I remember I was preparing to build a fire as prescribed in the Boy Scouts manual. I gathered an armload of dead branches and arranged them in the form of a tepee. Just then this young Apache came by, sat down, and watched. He started to chuckle softly. When I got my matches out and prepared to light it, he stood up, still chuckling, and kicked my campfire in every which direction, which of course made me a bit angry.
“‘Let me show you how to build a fire.’ he said.
“He squatted down, dug a hole approximately six inches deep and twelve inches across, took a few of the smaller branches I had gathered and broke them into little pieces, which he placed in the pit. He then took the two thickest branches and placed them across the top of the hole. ‘These two thick branches you use as a grill,’ he said. ‘Just put whatever you want to cook on top of them. By the time they burn through, whatever you’re cooking will be ready.’
“Well, I cooked a whole chicken wrapped in aluminum foil using only the few pieces of wood he put into the hole. It works, he explained, because when the wind blows, it passes over the top of the hole and creates a draft. This results in a hotter fire, and the sparks don’t blow out of the hole. With a white man’s fire, which is above ground, the sparks fly and start wildfires.
“Another nice thing about an Indian fire is that when you are finished with it, just pour a little water onto the remaining hot coals, then refill the hole with dirt and tamp it down. When you walk away, nobody would know you ever had a fire there.”
Virginia Avenue Press
Reno, Nevada
Published in 2011
[Stanley Gurcze, 1917-1989]
Great video James God bless you brother stay safe
Thanks, you too!
I'm not a hobo but, I've been carrying my P-38 on my key ring for over 40 years.
I got mine in February 1980 during army basic training. I've had it on my Keychain ever since. It's still sharp, and it's much better quality than the newer ones. ✌️🇺🇸
@@redsorgum Spot on. The new ones bend.
I carry one as well. However they did not come out until the 1940s and the era that I am speaking mostly about was before that.
Hobo legends were something I was told as a kid. Love the videos on these workers.
Thank you!
I had a Scottish friend named Kenneth who was from the NJ area and what he didn't know about survival/bushcraft/Hobo hocum wasn't worth knowing.
He was the Hobo Ken from Hoboken with the Hobo Kenning 😂
Lol. Thanks for watching!
@@WayPointSurvival You have to say it five times fast, failure is a shot of your favourite tipple haha!
Good video James, thanks for sharing, God bless brother !
Thanks for watching and God bless you too!
Don't forget a good spoon. :)
I have one in the bindle.
That shotgun shell match holder on the open end, I used another cleaned out shotgun shell brass to slide over the open end.
Good idea!
awesome video man love the history u put into it
Glad you enjoyed!
Are there any modern hobos that you know that you can interview? I think that world be interesting.
Hobo Shoestring has his own rail riding channel on TH-cam
I have known a couple of real hobos in my life who are no longer with us. However, I'm sure that there are those like Hobo Shoestring that are still keeping the art alive.
Pretty fascinating. Thank you for keeping this history alive. And passing along a very useful knowledge.
You're welcome!
Camillus is pronounced "Kuh-mill-us". The history knife factory that was once there is now gone and knives are no longer made in Camillus, NY.
Thanks for the correction. Like a lot of people that never lived in an area we commonly mispronounce the names.
From Denmark. Thank you. I liked your Hobo code very much. 🙂
Awesome! Thank you!
Thousands of apocalyptic zombies are coming down every road towards your house and you only have 5 minutes to grab 10 items modern or old and hit the back way thru the woods outta there!
What 10 items do you take?
Well, hopefully, you already have a bag packed with the essentials and you just grab it and go.
Nomads. Me....& Others. Where did this guy find these beautiful antiques? His can opener, beauty
The can opener I discovered at an antique shop when I was cruising the east coast.
@@WayPointSurvival cool. I love antiques. It's nice cool video
I would add a pack of fish hooks and a fire striker.
Some of that what you suggest is in the bundle. This was just the tool list.
The Hobo Code of Ethics is fantastic, and just as true and applicable today as it was 134yrs ago. Love the bit about "the worst garbage to infect any society". One wonders what those old-timers would make of what our 'betters' insist we put up with today. :(
Someday, I'll own a real hobo nickel. Great job, sir.
That would be really cool, wouldn't it!
Fun video! Kind of a trip down memory lane with the old implements.
Glad you enjoyed it!
FORGET the regular can opener! You want a military P38 (also known as a "John Wayne"). WAY LIGHTER, and never needs sharpening.
The P-38 can opener was introduced in the 1940’s. The heyday of the hobo was in the 1830’s.
gear he showed was from the 20s and 30s p38 wasnt around until the 40s and even then it wasnt civilian
That's a little after the era that I am talking about
Interesting video. I carried some of these while camping and living out of my van doing seasonal and temp work. Really enjoyed the video. ❤
Thanks so much!
This is a comment to feed the algorithm
Comment to send spider under your sheets