Little Known Vietnamese Survival Trick

Simple Aluminum Can Hack Might Just Save Your Life!

It’s dark. You’re in the jungle. You need light and a way to disinfect water. All you have is a blade, aluminum cans, oil, and the shirt off your back. What do you do? Call Macgyver? No need.

You have all the supplies needed to make a Vietnamese survival lantern in three simple steps. These are what the Vietnamese made during the war that helped them survive.

They provide a light source and an invaluable way to heat and disinfect water.

Be prepared. Follow the Steps Below.

From Root Simple:

  1. Remove the top off a can by scoring the inner ring of the top with a razor blade; remove.
  2. Cut a 2 1/2-inch square window out of one side of the can with blade.
  3. Cut the bottom 1 1/2 inches off of another can. TIP: tape a razor blade to a piece of metal and insert it in a book. Simply rotate the can against the blade a few times and you will get a nice even cut.
  4. Punch out a 1/4-inch hole in the bottom of the can for the wick.
  5. Cut a 1/2 x 3-inch piece of cotton from an old shirt for the wick.
  6. Cut out a 2 x 1 1/2-inch piece of aluminum and use it to wrap up the wick tightly.
  7. Fill the can with the window with lamp oil. Insert the aluminum wrapped wick in the hole you drilled in the other can and squeeze both cans together as shown in the image at top.
  8. Trim the wick, light it, and wait for WWIII or heat some water for instant coffee or soup.

Image Sources: 1, 2