Ask a Prepper
ask a prepper survival every day
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • Home
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Prepping
  • Survival Knowledge
  • How To’s
  • Food
  • Store
  • Staff
  • About Claude Davis
  • Home
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Prepping
  • Survival Knowledge
  • How To’s
  • Food
  • Store
  • Staff
  • About Claude Davis
No Result
View All Result
Ask a Prepper
No Result
View All Result
Home Survival Knowledge
25+ Survival Uses Of Resinv

25+ Survival Uses Of Resin

25+ Survival Uses Of Resin

Rebekah P. by Rebekah P.
March 26, 2021
19
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

When disaster strikes, will you be prepared?

You likely already have a list of all the foods you need to grow and stockpile, as well as the emergency and first aid supplies you need, should an emergency occur. However, resin is the ingredient you should consider keeping on hand – here’s why.

Resin is the secretion from a tree that is caused by a cut or break. Trees secrete resin to seal up injuries and reduce the likelihood of infection from disease.

Most often gathered from pine trees, there are 25+ survival uses of resin you’ve got to consider.

Waterproof Shoes

Impervious to water, pine resin can be used to treat shoes to make them waterproof. Heat it to liquid form, then apply as needed.

Make a Glue

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinBy heating resin to liquid form and adding some crumbled charcoal from your fire, you can make your own pine resin glue.

The easiest way to do this is to melt down some pine sap by placing it over a hot fire. While it’s melting, crush up some bits of charcoal into a fine powder with a stick or rock.

You will need about one part charcoal to three parts pine resin.

Once the resin has melted, you can mix in the charcoal. It will harden as it cools. To use the glue, simply heat it back up and apply it to whatever you need.

Repair Holes in Canvas

Resin can even be used to repair holes in canvas or heavy nylon.

Simply lay the material flat, heat it to liquid form, then apply using the fibrous end of a stick.

Speed Heal a Blister

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinWhen applied to a blister, resin can not only make it heal more quickly but can also stop it from getting infected.

To make a salve, simply heat some resin to an oil by using a simmering double boiler.

Heat it on low until the resin melts, then strain it through a coffee filter.

Add some beeswax and return to a double boiler, heating until the mixture is fully melted and combined.

Treat a Wound

Resin can be used to prevent bacterial infection in a wound and also to help it heal. Once applied to a cut, it will stop the growth of bacteria.

Leave It in place on the wound and reapply as needed.

Related: How To Make Antiseptic Sugardine To Treat Wounds And Inflammation

DIY Fish Hooks

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinYou can use the pine resin glue described above to make your own fish hooks in a pinch!

There are several different strategies you can employ for this hack, but the easiest way is to take a section of thorns from a bush. This will be the hook section of your fishhook.

You will then use a bit of cordage or thread to lash your hook together. In a true survival situation, you can even use something like dried nettle fibers.

The pine resin will hold the hook together, serving as an adhesive. You will also need a feather that will be used as the eye of the hook. You’ll strip the feather in half and attach the thorns, using the pine resin to keep everything in place.

Use Pine Resin Glue to Stop Splintering

Use the pine resin glue you made as described in the steps above to apply them to arrows and get them to harden.

You can also use these on the tips of fishing or hunting spears.

Illumination – or Pine Resin “Candle”

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinPine resin can be used to create a lamp.

Simply fill a stone with a depression (you can also use a large shell) with resin.

You can use some dried moss or a twisted bit of cloth as a wick, which will then ignite the resin.

Heat

If you are able to find a larger container, you can follow the same steps you’d use to create the pine resin “candle” to offer a source of portable heat.

Make a Tea

Pine tea may not sound appetizing, but it is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that will make you feel like a million bucks after you have a cup!

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinIt is incredibly easy to make. You can use the entire branch, too, to help you make the most of the heavenly aroma of the pine needles.

Simple rinse off the branch to get rid of any dirt, then pluck the needles from the branch.

Steep them in a small mug or pot, then chop them into smaller pieces. Bring three cups of water to a simmer, then remove from the heat and add half a cup of needles.

Don’t boil the mixture, as this will break down vitamin C and lead to an unpleasant taste in your tea.

Calm a Sore Throat

Rather than reaching for the cough drops, give pine resin a try to soothe your sore throat. This is a common medicinal treatment favored by Native Americans.

Just chew on a bit of pitch to make you feel better!

Stop Bleeding

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinNot only is pine resin a great treatment for preventing infection and sealing up a wound to keep dirt and debris out, but it can also quickly stop bleeding.

Just dab some pine resin on your cut and it should stop the flow.

Related: Best Natural First Aid: Stops Bleeding In 10 Seconds

Substitute for Stitches

If you have a deep cut that would normally require stitches, you may want to use pine resin to seal it up.

It will offer cross-sectional strength when combined with a bit of hair as a binding agent.

Eat it to Reduce Inflammation

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinAgain, pine resin won’t taste the best. However, if you make a habit of eating a nibble or two on a regular basis, it can help reduce swelling and inflammation.

Some preppers swear by adding basic ingredients like honey, maple syrup, or molasses to their pine resin to help improve the flavor.

Calm an Abscess

Whether it’s an external abscess or an abscessed tooth that’s causing you misery, resin can help.

For an abscessed tooth, simply chew on a bit of resin to heal it up quickly.

Start a Fire

25+ Survival Uses Of ResinIf you’ve ever burned a pine log, it will probably come as no surprise that pine resin is a great way to get things going.

It is incredibly flammable and can even help you light wet wood.

Related: How to Get a Year Supply of Firewood for $10

Make a Torch

Soak a bandana in liquid pine sap, then wrap it around a stick and set it on fire.

You’ve got a portable torch that you can take with you wherever you need to go!

Patch Holes in Water Containers

Make a pine resin glue.

25+ Survival Uses Of Resin

Then, use a stick to apply the glue to holes in water containers.

This is an excellent strategy for preppers who want to be more self-sufficient, as this technique will allow you to repair your things rather than running to the store to buy new ones, cutting out unnecessary expenses in the process.

Patch a Tire

In a pinch, pine resin can even be used to patch a tire to get you home. How’s that for resourceful?

Heal Rheumatoid Arthritis

JointsBecause it is so powerful as an anti-inflammatory, pine resin can also be used to treat arthritis.

This is vital if your joints are aching and you need to keep moving!

Just apply some resin to your aching body as needed, wherever the pain is.

Treat a Rash

From poison ivy to burdock, there are all kinds of plants out there that can really make you itch!

Consider using pine resin to treat a rash – it’s far better than the store-bought alternatives

Heal a Stomach Ulcer

Tincture A liquid pine resin (heated up and combined with water) will create a tonic that Native Americans once used to treat stomach ulcers.

Related: Lost Native American Survival Skills

It can also be used to calm sore throats and to treat symptoms of the common cold.

Extract a Stinger

If you’ve been stung by a bee or wasp, you can put some over the inflamed area and allow it to harden.

When you remove the resin, the stinger should come right out with it.

Make a Chewing Gum

Chewing gum While this doesn’t seem like a survival use of pine resin at first glance, the reality is that a pine chewing gum can actually provide a valuable source of nutrients that can serve as a placeholder until you can get to your next mealtime. Just combine a bit of honey and beeswax for an edible mixture.

Remove a Sliver

Slivers aren’t just annoying – they can be dangerous and even deadly if they get infected.

Soften some pine resin and form it over the embedded sliver. Let it harden, then pull it away.

Find Your Way

One more unique use of pine resin is that you can use it to help mark your way when you’re out in the woods.

Leaving large globs of pine resin behind you as a “trail of breadcrumbs,” ideally on trees or on other landmarks, will help you navigate so you don’t end up walking in circles.

You can mix in charcoal or other ingredients to help it stand out more brightly in the wilderness.

Pine resin might not seem like anything but a sticky, aromatic mess.

However, it offers plenty of benefits to the average prepper – many of which you may not have yet considered.

Try out these tips and you’ll be prepared for whatever sticky situation life happens to throw at you!

You may also like: 

40 Bizarre Home Remedies Our Grandparents Taught Us That Actually Work

How to Make Bark Bread from a Tree that Grows on Almost Every Street in America (Video)

8 Small Survival Projects You Are Missing On Your Property

How Much Land Do You Need to Be Self-Sufficient?

Tags: remediesself-sufficiencysurvival
ShareTweetPin68

Comments 19

  1. Al says:
    4 years ago

    What’s the best way to harvest pine resin?

    Did you like this comment? 10
    1
    Reply
  2. MamaD says:
    4 years ago

    Thank you. Didn’t know any of that.

    Did you like this comment? 1
    Reply
  3. Earl Baysinger says:
    4 years ago

    My favorite way to store the resin glue is to roll a nice dollop onto the end of a small stick and allow it to dry. This way, you can use it by simply putting the end in a fire, or even a candle, and having the outermost layer warm up. You can then apply it just like a glue stick, or use a smaller stick as a pen for finer detail work.

    Did you like this comment? 8
    Reply
  4. lou lou says:
    4 years ago

    This is great we never knew these things about pine. Actually all your articles are fantastic.

    Did you like this comment? 1
    Reply
  5. Judge Holden says:
    4 years ago

    Resin from the sweet gum tree has many of the same uses, it’s a common southeastern tree, witch hazel family.

    Did you like this comment? 1
    Reply
  6. chip says:
    4 years ago

    White Pine in the North East has plenty of free-flowing “resin”.
    Research White pine Blister Rust for some interesting supplemental reading.

    Spruce Gum, although never a big seller, was available into the 70s.

    Did you like this comment? 1
    Reply
    • left coast chuck says:
      4 years ago

      chip: Interesting read. Thanks for the reference.

      I guess I won’t be planting a white pine in my back yard as the article indicates they grow to 100 feet tall and 35 feet in diameter. A little large for my suburban SoCal microscopic lot. I will have to stick to the tar seeps which are common in this county. In one area occasionally the road has to be scraped to remove the seepage that has encroached upon it.

      Did you like this comment? 2
      Reply
  7. Chris Brown says:
    4 years ago

    Glue or any other adhesive has two qualities: adhesion and cohesion. Adhesion is how well it sticks to surfaces and cohesion is how strong it is within itself. Improve adhesion with proper surface preparation. Improve cohesion by adding fibers to the resin ( plant, hair, feathers, fiberglass etc.). Disgruntled citizens would show their ire by coating local politicians with hot tar and then rolling them in feathers. The feathers weren’t to make them look like a chicken but to reinforce the tar and make it harder to pull off.

    Did you like this comment? 4
    Reply
    • Judge Holden says:
      4 years ago

      The tar used was pine tar, made from pine resin, it liquefies at a much lower temperature than oil based tar. So there are actually 26 uses for resin.

      Did you like this comment? 1
      1
      Reply
  8. Robert Wilson says:
    4 years ago

    How could we get better at survival and living better without you, Claude ?? Thank you for all the knowledge you give us…

    Did you like this comment? 1
    Reply
  9. left coast chuck says:
    4 years ago

    Bitumen is frequently referred to as tar. In its crudest form it is natural seepage that is semi-liquid. It can be applied to the body without being heated. Western Pennsylvania where tarring and feathering of revenue agents reached its peak during the Whiskey Rebellion probably at that time was home to open tar pits. Such tar pits can be seen today at the La Brea Tar Pits where many pre-historic and modern animals were trapped in the viscous substance and preserved in the “tar”.

    We also have tar seeps here in this county from the oil that still remains underground but which can’t be used to provide fuel for the numerous SUVs and huge pick-up truck that clog the streets and highways of the PDRK. It is physically able to be recovered but the political climate of this schizophrenic state plus the innumerable rules and regulations covering its pumping make the recovery uneconomical while gasoline at the pump remains the highest in the country There is even a point called Coal Oil Point north of us due to the continuous natural oil seeps in the ocean releasing crude that cover the beaches in that locale.

    It wasn’t necessarily hot refined tar which only becomes liquid at about 100°C which is 212°F. A substance that hot would cause death without quick, 20th century medical treatment.

    Viscous molasses was used in one instance of “tarring” and feathering a woman in Oklahoma in the 19th century.

    Wikipedia states that tarring and feathering was rarely fatal which leads me to believe that it wasn’t hot tar that was smeared on the subject of T&F but some other viscous substance resembling tar that would retain the feathers or straw which apparently was sometimes used.

    Once again this site moved me to research a topic which I doubt I would have researched without the spur of the article.

    Did you like this comment? 6
    Reply
  10. City Chick says:
    4 years ago

    Quite a few pine tar soap products for both body and hair readily available on the market today online and at specialty shops.

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply
    • left coast chuck says:
      4 years ago

      Ichthammol ointment which is a drawing salve is made from petroleum. It looks like the stuff I smear on my roof to waterproof it and smells like I am standing by a tar seep here in the county. I have used it for decades to draw infections on my skin.

      Interesting. I just read the label for the first time in decades. It says it contains petrolatum, lanolin and mineral oil. My dictionary defines petrolatum as petroleum jelly. Ichthammol is a far cry from Vasoline which is also petroleum jelly. Ichthammol looks and smells like it was just dug out of a tar pit and stuffed in a tube.

      I believe the local Chumash Indians used the tar from tar seeps for a multitude of uses from waterproofing their reed canoes to healing skin lesions and perhaps even more serious wounds. In pre-antibiotic days many substances were used to ameliorate infections as bacterial infections were a significant causative of the loss of life and limb.

      Did you like this comment?
      Reply
  11. left coast chuck says:
    4 years ago

    My curiosity got aroused and I explored what the internet had to say about ichthammol ointment. Apparently it is still in common use in veterinary circles to treat various ailments of animals.

    Wikipedia has an interesting article about its uses. They recommend against using Chinese ichthammol ointment as it does not meet the standards of neither U.S. nor European ichthammol.

    Wikipedia did have this to say about it: “According to the “list of preferred Specials” by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) Ichthammol can be used in dermatology prescribing to treat acutely inflamed atopic eczema, among others.”

    I have always used it as a drawing salve but I see that it can treat some types of eczema which is an interesting bit of information to have.

    A little off topic but as long as we are discussing tar . . .

    Ichthammol apparently is sulfated bitumen. When our dog had a horrendous case of mange, the doctor (no vets around for miles) recommended covering him with flowers of sulfur and lard. I forget the exact formula. My brother also painted the poor suffering animal with paint thinner which had white paint dissolved in it. I am not sure which cured the mange but shortly after receiving both “treatments” the mange started to disappear. The doc also recommended a tablespoon full of cod liver oil with every meal. Now that, the dog really liked. Between the three treatments the dog always had the richest, thickest coat of fur of any dog we ever had.

    Moral of the parable: I am not sure which to recommend if you have a case of the mange. Personally, I would stick with flowers of sulfur and lard and a tablespoon full of cod liver oil (can you still buy that stuff?) with each meal. I have serious reservations with bathing in paint thinner with white paint (which at that time contained white lead) as a skin emolument.

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply
  12. clergylady says:
    4 years ago

    Interesting article. Dad sometimes used pItch as a hot glue. When I’d find it in the woods I’d chewed it like gum, heat it to pull a splinter, or take it to dad. I have burned it just to enjoy the scent. Warm but not burning hot it was healing to somewhat minor injuries involving broken skin and cuts. Dad sa I d he l earned to b use it from his parents as a kid. He didn’t collect it in Eastern Kansas but they traded with folks traveling through to head toward Oregon.

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply
  13. clergylady says:
    4 years ago

    By the way LCC the La Brea Tar pits were interesting. Saw them and the museum as a kid.

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply
  14. left coast chuck says:
    4 years ago

    You will be pleased to know that one can purchase real cod liver oil from Walmart. It is $22 and change for 16 ounces which I am sure is quite a bit more than my mother paid for the stuff we gave the dog, although one purchaser who buys it for their lab highly endorsed it and confirmed that dog really liked it.

    Another evaluator is taking it for a foot ulcer that has not responded to typical medical treatment?????

    There was nothing that could really start your day off right like a tablespoon full of cod liver oil before breakfast. Guaranteed to give you fish breath all day long and a nauseous after taste ever time you burped which seemed to have its frequency enhanced by the cod liver oil before breakfast.

    Ahh, the fond memories of growing up in the 40s. M wife also had to take cod liver oil at school in Japan during the war. They got a big capsule of it, didn’t have to mainline it right out of the bottle. She also was not fond of the after taste which apparently was not eliminated by capsule form.
    They lined all the students up and the teacher handed out the capsule and made sure each and every student gulped it down.

    Cod liver oil capsules are available from several sources and apparently are the preferred method for consuming cod liver oil these days. I am not sure a horse pill of cod liver oil is preferable to mainlining it off a tablespoon straight from the bottle. That’s sort of like “Do you want to be shot or hung?”

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply
  15. City Chick says:
    4 years ago

    Some folks are allergic to resin, especially pine resin. My sister unfortunately is one of them. She had a bad reaction to a Johnson and Johnson’s bandaid that used resin to make the adhesive. Like anything else, before you stock up, make sure it works well for you.

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply
  16. Saifan says:
    3 years ago

    Can we uses any other kind of tree resin beside of pine tree resin? Because not all of the area have pine trees.

    Did you like this comment?
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

FOLLOW US ON:

PREPPER RECOMMENDS

HOW AN EMP WILL AFFECT YOUR STATE

HOW TO GET 295 POUNDS OF EXTRA FOOD FOR JUST $5 A WEEK

THE FIRST STATES THAT WILL GO DOWN IN A CRISIS. DO YOU LIVE IN THE RED ZONE?

IF YOU HAVE THIS ON YOUR PROPERTY, HIDE IT IMMEDIATELY

SIMILAR TO MORPHINE: THE BEST NATURAL PAINKILLER THAT GROWS IN YOUR BACKYARD

YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE AN EMP ATTACK WITHOUT THIS

Banner Generator

RECOMMENDED READS:

BEST PREPPER BOOKS – 9 BOOKS TO SURVIVE ANY CRISIS!

THE PIONEER DISH THAT NEVER ENDS: PERPETUAL SOUP (STEW)

HOW TO TIE AND USE A BOWLINE KNOT

LEARN IN 5 MINUTES HOW TO WHISTLE WITH YOUR FINGERS REALLY LOUD

$5 DEPRESSION-ERA RECIPES

HOW TO MAKE POTTED MEAT

A NAVY SEAL’s BUG-IN GUIDE: BOOK REVIEW



Banner TLW2

How to looter-proof your property

This House is Actually The Safest Place On Earth

The Good Prepper Beef



Logo Header

Whether you’re a seasoned survivalist or just starting your preparedness journey, Ask a Prepper offers practical advice, time-tested skills, and expert insights to keep you and your family safe. Learn how to thrive in any situation with proven techniques for food preservation, homesteading, defense, and more.

Latest Posts

The 10 Cooking Mistakes That Might Kill You

The 10 Cooking Mistakes That Might Kill You

May 23, 2025
Why Your Stockpile Might Be Doomed from Day One

Why Your Stockpile Might Be Doomed from Day One

May 22, 2025
iodine pills for radiation

Why You Should Have Iodine Pills in Your Stockpile Right Now

May 21, 2025

POPULAR ARTICLES

A NAVY SEAL’S BUG-IN GUIDE: BOOK REVIEW

US FALLOUT SHELTER MAP

10 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS YOU NEED TO STOCK UP ON BEFORE THE UPCOMING GREAT DEPRESSION

BETTER THAN GOLD

FOLLOW US ON:

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

PATH TO SURVIVAL

THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

TRUE PREPPER

Copyright © 2014-2025 Ask a Prepper
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact

Manage Consent

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy with it. Privacy Policy

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
  • Home
  • All Articles
  • Store
  • About Claude Davis
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2014-2025 Ask a Prepper
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact