Popular Mechanics: 25 Skills Every Man Should Know

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: novasatori

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: Ronstang
The important thing to remember here is that it does not mean crap that you can pay someone to do any of the stuff on the list as the key here is an EMERGENCY situation where there is no one to help you. God forbid should we ever have some kind of real disaster as most of you younger people would be paralyzed without your computers, cell phones, calculators, and all the other technology that make life easy.

What emergency would require me to manually do 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 25?

18 and 19 I guess if you live on Sopranos.
:laugh:

:thumbsup::laugh:

 

[Scouzer]

Originally posted by: Queasy
This is a companion piece to this article wondering if traditional knowledge of building and fixing ordinary things is being lost today. I have to kind of agree as I'm seeing kids being able to do less handyman type stuff. Even I'm guilty of it though it has more to do with a lack of time than ability or willingness to try.

Link

The List: How to...

1. Patch a radiator hose - no
2. Protect your computer - yes
3. Rescue a boater who as capsized - no
4. Frame a wall - no
5. Retouch digital photos - no
6. Back up a trailer - no
7. Build a campfire - no
8. Fix a dead outlet - no
9. Navigate with a map and compass - no
10. Use a torque wrench - no
11. Sharpen a knife - no
12. Perform CPR - no
13. Fillet a fish - no
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - no
15. Get a car unstuck - yes
16. Back up data - yes
17. Paint a room - no
18. Mix concrete - no
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - no
20. Change oil and filter - no
21. Hook up an HDTV - no
22. Bleed brakes - no
23. Paddle a canoe - no
24. Fix a bike flat - no
25. Extend your wireless network - no

edit: Many are saying this list sucks. I have to agree. What are some other man skills that should be on this list?

3/25...do I win?

 

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: Scouzer
3/25...do I win?

Remind me not to take you...anywhere. Ever.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
26. Women

haha

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

The thing that strikes me is not how many can't do these things but, the disdain most have for needing them. If you can't ever imagine yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay or ask someone else to do these things for you then, consider yourself on par with the guy in the commercial who stands in the grocery store poking the meat. But rejoice, there may be a Darwin award in your future! Here's your sign.

 

[Leros]

Is rescuing a person in a capsized boat any different than rescuing a typical drowning person?

 

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: Leros
Is rescuing a person in a capsized boat any different than rescuing a typical drowning person?

In the sense that there's possibly air under the boat, yes, fortunately. However, if you have to navigate to a lower deck, then you're fucked.

 

[jagec]

I can do pretty much the whole list, what parts I haven't done yet, I at least understand the principle and would do OK.

Oh, and when it comes to backing a trailer, you should also know how to (a)Hook up a trailer and (b)load a trailer (Is everything secure and strapped down? How's the weight distribution? Heaven help you if the trailer's heavier in the back than the front...)

 

[grrl]

That's a pretty stupid list - and I can do all but the CPR.

Based on things I've seen people unable to do, I'd add to the list:

Jump a car
Fix a flat

 

[DangerAardvark]

Christ, that's 25 things MacGuyver should know how to do.

 

[DangerAardvark]

But a lot of stuff on that list takes about 1 minute to learn. I mean mix concrete? There's directions on the bag.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

If you are really in the middle of nowhere where you require the skills to make a campfire and fillet a fish, wouldn't the skills to catch your food be a bit more urgent than knowing how to prepare it?

Most of the list is pretty worthless. Why would I need to know how to back up a trailer if I am not trailer trash? If it's not mine anyway all I need to know is how to push it off a cliff so I can get past it

 

[WraithETC]

1. Adapt to your situation

Can't be prepared for everything so its best not to think about how unprepared you are

 

[EGGO]

Oh crap, you can patch a radiator hose? I didn't even look for the updates!

 

[Zugzwang152]

Things I can do:
2. Protect your computer
5. Retouch digital photos
7. Build a campfire
9. Navigate with a map and compass
11. Sharpen a knife
12. Perform CPR
13. Fillet a fish
16. Back up data
21. Hook up an HDTV
23. Paddle a canoe
25. Extend your wireless network

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

1. Patch a radiator hose - Yes
2. Protect your computer - Yes
3. Rescue a boater who as capsized - Yes
4. Frame a wall - Yes
5. Retouch digital photos - Yes
6. Back up a trailer - Yes
7. Build a campfire - Yes
8. Fix a dead outlet - Yes
9. Navigate with a map and compass - No (That's what GPS is for)
10. Use a torque wrench - Yes
11. Sharpen a knife - Yes
12. Perform CPR - Yes
13. Fillet a fish - Yes
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - Yes
15. Get a car unstuck - Yes
16. Back up data - Yes
17. Paint a room - Yes
18. Mix concrete - Yes
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - Yes
20. Change oil and filter - No
21. Hook up an HDTV - Yes
22. Bleed brakes - No
23. Paddle a canoe - In circles? Yes
24. Fix a bike flat - Yes
25. Extend your wireless network - No

 

[foghorn67]

1. Patch a radiator hose - yes, and have done so
2. Protect your computer - I summon my certification skillz
3. Rescue a boater who as capsizedI'm sure I can think of something
4. Frame a wall - helped someone do this, no load bearing, no electrical
5. Retouch digital photos - I do it for my 2nd job
6. Back up a trailer - yep
7. Build a campfire - haven't tried rubbing stics, but have used flint
8. Fix a dead outlet - I'm sure I have done this
9. Navigate with a map and compass - learned as a scout, but forgot
10. Use a torque wrench - owns a 40 yr old Mustang
11. Sharpen a knife - yes
12. Perform CPR - requires a course, I should take this up
13. Fillet a fish - only trout so far
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - again, owns a 40 yr old Mustang
15. Get a car unstuck - yes, mud sucks
16. Back up data - yes
17. Paint a room - yes
18. Mix concrete - does quickrite count?
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - yes
20. Change oil and filter - yes, it's good quality time
21. Hook up an HDTV - yes, ummm cables are color keyed
22. Bleed brakes - yes
23. Paddle a canoe - canoe yes, rowboat, no that is weird
24. Fix a bike flat - yes
25. Extend your wireless network - yes

I think a more appropriate skill set would be this...
linky

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: yamadakun
The writer forgot the skill to come up with a good list.

Did you misplace your village again???

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

1. Patch a radiator hose - Haven't had to do this yet
2. Protect your computer - Protect with a gun or with antivirus? Sure to both
3. Rescue a boater who as capsized - Uh rescue someone floating I can do but if they're in the boat that's capsized.... uhhh. Hey I'm a swimmer though so I'm sure I could figure something out.
4. Frame a wall - Maybe, but let's just say I don't really know because I don't want to mess up.
5. Retouch digital photos - Sure, photography is one of my hobbies
6. Back up a trailer? - I don't tow stuff
7. Build a campfire - I started a bonfire with newspaper and matches? Good enough?
8. Fix a dead outlet - Never had to deal with that
9. Navigate with a map and compass - Sure
10. Use a torque wrench - How freaking hard is this? I guess the hardest part is actually setting the torque rather than to use the wrench itself.
11. Sharpen a knife - Yes. I sharpen my kitchen knives all the time.
12. Perform CPR - Not CPR certified but I've watched enough TV to figure this one out right?
13. Fillet a fish - Not really
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - Maybe but I have yet to get in one.
15. Get a car unstuck - What do you mean unstuck. How stuck is it to begin with? I mean we got cars unstuck in the snow with just sheer manpower before.
16. Back up data - Of course
17. Paint a room - Yes
18. Mix concrete - Uh sure. I've watched people do it but I've never actually mixed it myself. It's not that hard though.
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - I've shot a bolt action rifle once in my life... so no.
20. Change oil and filter - No. I know how to do it in theory but I've never done it yet. I don't have jack ramps. Plus all the time I spend trying to do this is just better off taking it to the local shop which the guy is nice enough to put some decent oil in. Asian shops ftw!
21. Hook up an HDTV - Yes. Comcast doesn't get to touch my TV.
22. Bleed brakes - This is why I take my car to the shop. I don't have time for this. It's like doing cable management in my case. To do it properly, it takes like a good hour or so unscrewing the back panel, etc etc.. If I have more interest in computers and I can't even justify wasting time to recable my case I don't see why I would bother bleeding brakes.
23. Paddle a canoe - Uhh done it once
24. Fix a bike flat - No, I take it in the shop for that reason. Now I'm sure I can just slime it following the manual.
25. Extend your wireless network

 

[TallBill]

Cant believe that so many people are posting so much info. We dont care.

 

[walkur]

1. Patch a radiator hose -ducttape FTW
2. Protect your computer -duh
3. Rescue a boater who as capsized -got someone out of a submerged car once, does that count?
4. Frame a wall - almost all walls here are brick/concrete
5. Retouch digital photos - just make good ones that don't need no touch-up
6. Back up a trailer - Mwa.. only done it once
7. Build a campfire -old books make great kindling :evil:
8. Fix a dead outlet -depends on the amount of dead
9. Navigate with a map and compass -Surival ftw
10. Use a torque wrench -can't everyone do this?
11. Sharpen a knife -do swords count?
12. Perform CPR -had ER training
13. Fillet a fish -*choke
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid -powerslides ftw.. oh wait that's the virtual world
15. Get a car unstuck -depends on the amount of stuck
16. Back up data -duh
17. Paint a room -check
18. Mix concrete -nope never tried this before
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle -I cleaned a shotgn once...
20. Change oil and filter -check
21. Hook up an HDTV -check
22. Bleed brakes -nope
23. Paddle a canoe -canoe + kajak
24. Fix a bike flat -check
25. Extend your wireless network -check

I would like to add...
26. Do your own taxes -now that would be an impressive (and profittable) skill.

 

[StageLeft]

I actually think that list is quite good. I can do most of it, but not a few like framing a wall. I hate it when guys can't do anything beyond what they learned from their mom or school or playing video games, though.

Cant believe that so many people are posting so much info. We dont care.

QFT

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: LoKe
Most of the computer-related stuff does not need to be known. There's someone you can pay to do it for you.

or the car stuff

Except when you're in the middle of nowhere. Mind you, some of them can be dropped, but patching a rad hose could be critical (and is critical if you value the life of your car).

Bah. I just drive without a rad

 

[SKORPI0]

1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 13, 19, 22 - Nope

 

[TheStu]

1. Patch a radiator hose - no idea, but could if i was shown
2. Protect your computer - not sure what they mean
3. Rescue a boater who as capsized - I guess I could
4. Frame a wall - Sure why not
5. Retouch digital photos - yes
6. Back up a trailer - yes
7. Build a campfire - yes
8. Fix a dead outlet - maybe
9. Navigate with a map and compass - I have a general idea...
10. Use a torque wrench - maybe
11. Sharpen a knife - yes
12. Perform CPR - not a chance
13. Fillet a fish - yes
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - yes
15. Get a car unstuck - have rope will travel
16. Back up data - yes
17. Paint a room - yes
18. Mix concrete - yes
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - yes
20. Change oil and filter - yes, though i haven't in a while
21. Hook up an HDTV - Hrm, I wonder if I should plug this flat rectangular cable into this round hole?
22. Bleed brakes - maybe
23. Paddle a canoe - yes
24. Fix a bike flat - yes
25. Extend your wireless network - annex surrounding wireless networks and declare them as your own. Have the users of new territories pay tithing for the privilege to surf in your domain. Use peasantry tax income to buy longer range devices, repeat process.