100 Skills Every Man Should Know

[TridenT]

Fixed my wording.

Anyway, to escape a sinking car what you do is shift your weight in the car so that the front aims downward. But don't remove your seatbelt as that would be dangerous. When the nose of the car impacts the bottom of the water body, the airbags will deploy, floating the car back to the surface where you should remain in your seat awaiting rescue.

Interesting. I never heard that (Sounds ridiculous). I just heard, "get one of those hammers that smashes car windows instantly and GTFO"

Read sarcasm shtuff above.

 

[DrPizza]

Due to terminal velocity in such a viscous fluid, I don't think you'll hit the bottom with enough force to trigger the air bag. It's def a gamble; are you sure it isn't easier to tie up a tarp in the shape of a hot air balloon, then fill it up with air from your tires(don't forget the spare). This technique was featured in the Transporter, so you know its guaranteed.

Not enough air in the tires unless...
you fill them to sidewall.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I can do them all. But I'm old, so it doesn't count.

Me too. I've even stopped shaking my head at 'youts' who can't do everything on that list.

 

[Anubis]

Where did you come up with bowtie ?

lol i read necktie and assumed it was bowtie above it

 

[Malak]

I did alright until it said Skipper a boat and do a perfect pushup.

Forrest Gump could do it!

I actually can't do a pushup anymore on account of physical limitations, but I could do 100 when I was 11.

 

[llee]

wow this is a horrible list.

 

[IronWing]

wow this is a horrible list.

Are you a man? Make your own list. Post it here.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I'm just over half a man. I lost most of my points on the list of "man stuff" at the end that I'm supposed to have. I only counted stuff that I've actually done successfully.

 

[Zebo]

101 - Be able to overclock everything. Motors, computers, RC cars, lawnmowers, whatever need more speed.

 

[skyking]

101 - Be able to overclock everything. Motors, computers, RC cars, lawnmowers, whatever need more speed.

Tim Taylor style!

 

[Meghan54]

Me too. I've even stopped shaking my head at 'youts' who can't do everything on that list.

I, too, am shaking my head at the number of people here who can't do the majority of that list. But, like you, I'm old and almost all that stuff on that list was a given for learning back in the '60's.

But, to be honest, I don't own a brick trowel nor have I negotiated rapids and don't care to.

Changing a fan belt? Seriously...some can't do that? Almost as simple as changing your own oil.

Really, the lack of exposure to real life learning some have is just unnerving. Don't you feel helpless? Or do some of you just enjoy being at the mercy of others....and enjoy paying through the nose to do stuff you should know how to do?

 

[Anubis]

Changing a fan belt? Seriously...some can't do that? Almost as simple as changing your own oil.

the reason people cant do it is because they don't need to or want to. most people are content with going to a mechanic.

 

[mjrpes3]

Courtsey of Popular Mechanics..

Automotive
5. Wax a car
9. Jump start a car

Handling Emergencies
10. Perform the Heimlich
12. Perform hands-only CPR

Home
14. Carve a turkey
16. Put out a fire
19. Move heavy stuff
21. Read an electric meter
25. Split firewood
28. Paint a straight line
30. Prune bushes and small trees
31. Iron a shirt
33. Change a single-pole switch
34. Fell a tree
35. Replace a broken windowpane
36. Set up a ladder, safely
40. Grill with charcoal
41. Sew a button on a shirt
42. Fold a flag

Medical Myths
43. Treat frostbite
44. Treat a burn
45. Help a seizure victim
46. Treat a snakebite
47. Remove a tick

Military Know-How
50. Drop and give the perfect pushup

Outdoors

Primitive Skills

Surviving Extremes

Teach Your Kids

Technology
76. Install a graphics card

Master Key Workshop Tools
84. Socket wrench
85. Test light
91. Sledge hammer
99. Multimeter

30 / 100 ain't bad

 

[lxskllr]

Courtsey of Popular Mechanics..

Automotive
1. Handle a blowout
2. Drive in snow
3. Check trouble codes
4. Replace fan belt
5. Wax a car
6. Conquer an off-road obstacle

8. Hitch up a trailer
9. Jump start a car

Handling Emergencies
10. Perform the Heimlich
11. Reverse hypothermia
12. Perform hands-only CPR
13. Escape a sinking car

Home
14. Carve a turkey

16. Put out a fire


19. Move heavy stuff
20. Grow food
21. Read an electric meter
22. Shovel the right way
23. Solder wire
24. Tape drywall
25. Split firewood
26. Replace a faucet washer
27. Mix concrete
28. Paint a straight line

30. Prune bushes and small trees
31. Iron a shirt
32. Fix a toilet tank flapper
33. Change a single-pole switch
34. Fell a tree
35. Replace a broken windowpane
36. Set up a ladder, safely
37. Fix a faucet cartridge
38. Sweat copper tubing
39. Change a diaper
40. Grill with charcoal
41. Sew a button on a shirt
42. Fold a flag

Medical Myths
43. Treat frostbite
44. Treat a burn
45. Help a seizure victim
46. Treat a snakebite
47. Remove a tick

Military Know-How
48. Shine shoes

50. Drop and give the perfect pushup

Outdoors
51. Run rapids in a canoe
52. Hang food in the wild

54. Shoot straight
55. Tackle steep drops on a mountain bike
56. Escape a rip current

Primitive Skills
57. Build a fire in the wilderness
58. Build a shelter
59. Find potable water

Surviving Extremes
60. Floods
61. Tornados
62. Cold
63. Heat
64. Lightning

Teach Your Kids
65. Cast a line
66. Lend a hand
67. Change a tire
68. Throw a spiral

70. Drive a stick shift
71. Parallel park
72. Tie a bowline
73. Tie a necktie
74. Whittle
75. Ride a bike

Technology
76. Install a graphics card
77. Take the perfect portrait
78. Calibrate HDTV settings
79. Shoot a home movie
80. Ditch your hard drive

Master Key Workshop Tools
81. Drill driver
82. Grease gun

84. Socket wrench
85. Test light
86. Brick trowel
87. Framing hammer
88. Wood chisel
89. Spade bit
90. Circular saw
91. Sledge hammer
92. Hacksaw
93. Torque wrench
94. Air wrench
95. Infrared thermometer

97. Crosscut saw
98. Hand plane
99. Multimeter
100. Feeler gauges

This is what I can do without referencing any material. The rest I could do if I looked it up, or practiced. I don't know what French knife is.

Edit:
Missed one. I've never flown a stunt kite either. I can build a kite out of newspaper, so maybe that makes up for it :^D

 

[mjrpes3]

I'm just over half a man. I lost most of my points on the list of "man stuff" at the end that I'm supposed to have. I only counted stuff that I've actually done successfully.

you've never used a sand blaster and you call yourself a MAN???!

 

[DrPizza]

the reason people cant do it is because they don't need to or want to. most people are content with going to a mechanic.

Actually, I think the reason is that they're too lazy to learn. Actually, that's sort of what you said. "they don't want to." The average American (not the average ATOTer) lives from paycheck to paycheck. Given that fact, they're friggin idiots for paying people to do some of the simplest repairs around the house or car.

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but the newer generations are, to use the word twice in the same post, friggin incompetent when it comes to basic skills. I pity their children when on Christmas morning, they have to wait until the repair guy comes over to install the batteries, simply because there's a phillips head screw preventing the battery cover from coming off.

 

[ultimatebob]

edit:

stuff i can't do




4. Replace fan belt
7. Use a stick welder
11. Reverse hypothermia
17. Home brew beer
18. Remove bloodstains from fabric
24. Tape drywall
27. Mix concrete
29. Use a French knife
32. Fix a toilet tank flapper
34. Fell a tree
35. Replace a broken windowpane
37. Fix a faucet cartridge
38. Sweat copper tubing
43. Treat frostbite
47. Remove a tick
55. Tackle steep drops on a mountain bike
56. Escape a rip current
69. Fly a stunt kite
70. Drive a stick shift
72. Tie a bowline
83. Coolant hydrometer
87. Framing hammer
89. Spade bit
97. Crosscut saw

17 is easy... just get a Mr. Beer home brew kit and follow the instructions.

Out of this list I've also done 18 (cold water and detergent, easy), 35 (had to, I locked myself outside once), 47 (get an outside cat, you'll become a pro at this), and 87.

I'm embarrassed that I can't do 32... I should have paid more attention when my Dad taught me.

 

[Mo0o]

17 is easy... just get a Mr. Beer home brew kit and follow the instructions.

Out of this list I've also done 18 (cold water and detergent, easy), 35 (had to, I locked myself outside once), 47 (get an outside cat, you'll become a pro at this), and 87.

I'm embarrassed that I can't do 32... I should have paid more attention when my Dad taught me.

#32 is really easy if you ever had to do it.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I, too, am shaking my head at the number of people here who can't do the majority of that list. But, like you, I'm old and almost all that stuff on that list was a given for learning back in the '60's.

But, to be honest, I don't own a brick trowel nor have I negotiated rapids and don't care to.

Changing a fan belt? Seriously...some can't do that? Almost as simple as changing your own oil.

Really, the lack of exposure to real life learning some have is just unnerving. Don't you feel helpless? Or do some of you just enjoy being at the mercy of others....and enjoy paying through the nose to do stuff you should know how to do?

the reason people cant do it is because they don't need to or want to. most people are content with going to a mechanic.

It's more than that. The 'youts' have grown up in a disposable world and are scared to death that if they replace the fan belt with the wrong brand or don't set the factory tension with a torque wrench, their car will self destruct. So, they take it to the "professionals."

 

[Mo0o]

I'd be curious to see how many people actually know how to handle the emergencies or medical myths (ie received official training or instruction) or just htink they do because they heard something from someone from somewhere

 

[Anubis]

no magnus its because they simply dont give a fuck

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

no magnus its because they simply dont give a fuck

And, have too much disposable income due to living in Mom and Dad's basement.

 

[vi edit]

It's more than that. The 'youts' have grown up in a disposable world and are scared to death that if they replace the fan belt with the wrong brand or don't set the factory tension with a torque wrench, their car will self destruct. So, they take it to the "professionals."

No it's not really "more than that". It's the fact that many of us have grown up in the FWD era of cars with transverse mounted V6 shoehorned into a miserably compact engine bay that's almost intentionally difficult to self repair by the manufacturer. Today's Impala is not the same Impala of 1972 in terms of easy wrenching.

Shit...even changing the freaking headlights in my Malibu requires you to remove the battery and contort your hand into some freakish positions to get into the assembly.

 

[Malak]

the reason people cant do it is because they don't need to or want to. most people are content with going to a mechanic.

Definitely. Computer work is often easier than people realize too. Someone wants me to install a video card, and they have no trouble changing a belt on their car. I even did computer work for a surgeon once. But as afraid of working on a body as I am, they are just as afraid of opening electronics.

 

[lxskllr]

A mechanic isn't much good for a fan belt when you're dead on the side of the road. A 15 minute, $60 job takes 3 hours, and $350.