Most of us don't venture out on an excursion of any sort without having the appropriate maps or a compass, etc. But survivalists like to prepare for scenarios outside the realm of their control. So it always essential to have a backup in the event of an emergency.

Handmade Compass – What You'll Need

• Needle
• Cork (in the wild you can use a leaf)
• Magnet
• Bowl of water (in nature you can use a pond, lake, etc)

Magnetize the needle. Whether you're using a sewing needle or another metal item, rub the item with the magnet. Stroke the needle in the same direction, rather than back and forth, using steady, even strokes. After 50 strokes, the needle will be magnetized.

Insert the needle in the cork. If you're using a sewing needle, insert it horizontally into the edge of the coin-sized piece of cork, so that the needle pierces through the cork and comes out the other side. Push the needle through until the same amount of needle protrudes from either side of the cork.
– Any small item that floats can be used in place of the cork coin. If you're in the wild and in need of something on which to float your needle, you can use a leaf.

Float the compass. Fill a bowl or jar with a few inches of water and place the compass on the water. The magnetized needle will align itself with the earth's magnetic field to point north to south.

– If a breeze hits the compass, it may have trouble aligning itself north to south. Try to shield the compass from wind by using a deeper jar or bowl.
– Currents will also disturb the direction of the compass, so you can't expect to get an accurate reading if you suspend it in a lake or pond. You might be able to use a still puddle.

To view this post in full and to identify ways to read this handmade compass, head over to Wiki How. They have additional photos and helpful information! The benefit of the simplicity here is that the tools you'd need to create this are small and could easily fit into a mint tin or even the pill bottle survival kit we posted about here. If you have a bottle of wine, save the cork. That way you'll have what you need when you need it.

Do You Have Any Tips for Compass Creation? 

If you know of an alternate way to create a compass, share it with us! We want to infuse our brain with as many options for survival as humanly possible.