20 Century old life hacks that still work wonders today
We just love the old ways of doing things, sure, some things can be done better now but they used to manage amazing things with very little resources and that’s reflected in the hacks below.
We’ve been playing in the Outdoor Revival Office and put a few of them to good use, see how you do with them and let us know.
During the 1900s, cigarette manufacturers used to put stiffening cards into their packs of cigarettes to give them strength and help make them last longer.
In the 1910s, Gallaher Ltd of Belfast & London and Ogden’s Branch of the Imperial Tobacco Co printed “How-To” series, with clever hints for both everyday and emergency situations.
From steaming out a splinter to stopping a mad dog, these cigarette cards told you the smart way to handle many of life’s problems.
Someone during this time had an ingenious idea to put trivia, artwork and even famous people (Elvis Presley anyone?) and athletes onto the stiffening cards.
1. How to Extract a Splinter
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041577-4612-index-387x640-387x640.jpg)
Gallagher’s Cigarettes made a special series of 100 cards that included “How to do it”, useful tips and tricks for everyday problems in the early 20th Century.
2. How to Light a Match in the Wind
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041577-6946-index-2-385x640-385x640.jpg)
3. How to Tell the Points of the Compass with a Watch
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041579-5815-index-4-386x640-386x640.jpg)
The whole 100 card collection was recently digitized and made part of the New York Public Library’s George Arents Collection.
You can visit the NYPL Digital Collections at digitalcollections.nypl.org/ to see all 100.
4. How To Treat Sprains
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041581-6652-index-6-377x640-377x640.jpg)
5. How To Make a Fire Extinguisher
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041582-2964-index-8-384x640-384x640.jpg)
6. How To Carry a Heavy Jug
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041583-7697-index-10-383x640-383x640.jpg)
7. A Hint When Boiling Potatoes
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041584-4775-index-12-382x640-382x640.jpg)
8. How To Kill a Tree Stump
![George Arents Collection Photo credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041585-5623-index-14-383x640-383x640.jpg)
9. How To Make Corks Fit
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041588-8548-index-16-381x640-381x640.jpg)
10. How To Pull Out Long Nails
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041589-7424-index-18-383x640-383x640.jpg)
11. How To Measure With Coins
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041588-6900-index-20-387x640-387x640.jpg)
12. How To Detect Escaping Gas
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041591-5670-index-22-387x640-387x640.jpg)
13. How To Cool Wine without Ice
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041591-9336-index-24-387x640-387x640.jpg)
14. When Boiling Cracked Eggs
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041593-6612-index-26-388x640-388x640.jpg)
15. How To Preserve Valuable Vases
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041595-9220-index-28-381x640-381x640.jpg)
16. How To Remove Sea Stains from Brown Shoes
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041595-2920-index-30-379x640-379x640.jpg)
17. How To Make a Simple Gate Latch
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041596-3110-index-32-385x640-385x640.jpg)
18. How To Clean an Oil Painting
![How To Clean an Oil Painting Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041598-3992-index-34-389x640-389x640.jpg)
19. How To Test Butter
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041598-7556-index-36-385x640-385x640.jpg)
20. How To Draw a Circle Without a Compass
![George Arents Collection Photo Credit](/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2017/01/1484041597-3619-index-38-390x640-390x640.jpg)
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We live in a beautiful world, get out there and enjoy it.
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