Jim:
Seeing the following got me thinking: "JWR's Comments/Recommendations:
Mr. Sierra is typical of most suburban survivalists in that he is tied
to a Big City job. I recommend that he store at least 100 gallons of
water"
Have you mentioned the need for people to flush their hot water heaters
twice a year? This minimizes the mineral buildup and provides a fine
source of drinkable water.
Putting some chlorine in the toilet tanks does the same thing. This
kills bacteria and upon cleaning twice a year, provides more drinkable
water.
I have seen systems where people have strung together 55 gallon barrels
with removable lids. Their household water from the street runs through
these drums. One valve between the drums and the street will prevent
contamination if the city/county water supply gets contaminated. -
Dave
Hello
James,
I have had the heart rending experience of watching my neighbor's barn burn
to the ground a few days ago. His livestock fleeing out of it, in desperation...
I don't think they all made it. This brings up many topics of discussion. In
moving to the country, it is easy to use an old building like it was designed
to handle new demands, (i.e.- specifically power consumption, hot temp equipment
storage, etc...). Somewhere in your archives the topic of fire protection came
to mind. I hate to admit, but it did not sink in like it did seeing that massive
structure go from first sight of smoke to flattened, in 20 minutes.
Here are a few observations that may have contributed to this fire-
1). Old building construction methods ("balloon" type framing.)
2). Old wood will never be fireproof
3). 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s wiring is not likely to be safe to use in an
agricultural building where the wires are almost always exposed to rodents
and the elements, resulting
in damage. [JWR Adds: Any such wiring should be
completely replaced with modern wiring that is fully encased in galvanized
steel conduit!]
4). Concrete and heat do not mix
5). Leave a viable escape route for the livestock, (i.e.-light duty tube gates,
light duty flat channel gates, or just electric fence strands in aisleways.)
6). Storing wet/damp hay
7). Overloading electrical wiring/circuitry
If you own an older agricultural building and plan on needing
it because that new "Morton" building is too expensive,
than plan on some time consuming preventatives. Fire stops, (i.e.-
draft
stops) are the most important contribution you can make yourself with
little
expense. Take the time and plug every dang gap,crack,void, or cavity
that permits you to view or pass air between the levels. This at the
very least will buy you more time until the fire department arrives.
You will be better off to condemn the power service to the barn than to overload
it and have a catastrophe.
Once a structure has a fire, the foundation and associated concrete items are
severely structurally damaged. Try tossing a cement masons block into a fire
and leave there until the next day, give it a tap with a bat, and then [for
comparison] tap an unfired block. The fired block is not worthy of the
structural demands
it
was
designed
to meet any longer. In the case of my neighbors barn fire, the adjoining buildings
suffered damage that we can't see simply from the heat. The grain silos, (concrete
and steel) ignited their contents from heat alone. These are still burning
and are now a 7 story disaster waiting to happen. I have seen it happen before.
They will collapse without warning.
Wet/damp hay WILL combust and cause many barn fires. DO NOT BALE WET OR HAY
THAT IS DAMP WITH DEW! Save yourself some money and hire it done by an expert.
One last topic worth discussing is where should you put your Gun Safe. If your
safe is situated over a basement, crawl space, or basically any wood structure
below, you are asking for trouble. If/when you have a fire in the building
that houses the Gun Safe, and it collapses upon itself, you literally have
less than an hour to retrieve your safe before the contents are toast. Think
about locating your safe on a north wall, (winds in much of the U.S.A. are
predominantly from the
N.-N.W.) This could give you the ability to get closer to the safe with some
piece of equipment (in the event of a fire) and increase your chances of retrieving
it. Consider welding a heavy chain to the safe and hiding [the tail end of
it out the building, an slightly bury it [and "flag" the end, somehow.] A backhoe
could
easily
reach the chain and hook it with it's teeth to rip the safe from the hot coals.
Do not store ANY ammunition inside your vault. Once the internal temps get
so
far, the ammunition will start
cooking off. In doing so, it will likely ruin all the contents of your safe.
At least there is a chance of salvation if there is not any ammo in the safe.
I pray for those who have experienced a fire. There are
very few forces like it in nature. It was a very helpless feeling.
Plan,
Prepare, Do not despair,
-The Wanderer
JWR Replies: For any of you that might ever build a farm from scratch, even if you build a steel barn there is always a greater risk of barn fires than house fires. Therefore, it is important that, terrain permitting, you: a.) build your barn at least 50 feet away from your house, b.) Make sure that your house has a fire-proof roof, c.) Install a proper fire fighting hose rig with at least a 2,000 gallon cistern feeding a 1.5-inch or larger service line, preferably gravity-fed, and d.) Build your house upwind from your barn. (BTW, the latter is an advantage vis-a-vis barn smells, too.)
The Army Aviator recommends upgrading the plugs on pump action shotguns with fluorescent ones. He notes: "I did this on all of my shotguns and I like the idea. I've never actually shot a tube empty but a couple of times it was comforting to roll the weapon and not see fluorescent yellow."
o o o
Take the opportunity to read (and copy) the Hirsch
Report on Peak Oil before it disappears again. See:
http://www.energybulletin.net/12772.html
o o o
Another entry for the "ingenious, but stupid" file, on some storm drain denizens: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060204-9999-7m4encamp.html
o o o
As previously noted, I recently finished reading the science fiction novel "Freehold" by Michael Z. Williamson. Now I've moved on to another of his other novels, "The Weapon." (Published by BAEN Books.) It is sort of a "intra-quel" storyline to Freehold. I enjoy Williamson's writing, so I'll be posting reviews here, on Amazon.com, and at a few other sites.
o o o
NAIS became mandatory in Texas on Monday (Feb. 13 2006), with $1,000
per day fines. Could any SurvivalBlog readers living there give us
some more information? See: http://nonais.org/index.php/2006/02/04/monday-last-day-of-freedom-in-texas/?s=texas
o o o
NoNAIS.org has announced that there will be a speaker from the USDA addressing NAIS at Oroville, California on February 23, 2006. There will be time for questions during the meeting. See: http://nonais.org/index.php/2006/02/11/ca-usda-nais-speaker-223/ Be sure to watch for announcements for similar meetings and public feedback sessions in your area. Let's raise a ruckus!
o o o
A South Korean study shows that shopping cart handles have more germs than bathroom doorknobs. Yeech! See: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/2/14/112554.shtml?s=he. After you read this article, you will probably want to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car, and one in your desk drawer at work.
Note from JWR: Our new ClustrMap web hit
tracker is now working. See: http://clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://www.SurvivalBlog.com&type=small&clusters=yes&map=world. Please
tell your friends that live overseas about SurvivalBlog, and you can
watch them pop
up on the map, a day or two later.
Dear Jim:
I just finished reading an article from the Gold Anti-Trust Action (GATA)
group which quotes a Treasury Department official as saying "The U.S.
Government has the authority to prohibit the private possession of gold and
silver coin and bullion by U.S. citizens during wartime and declared emergencies..." I
have also learned that the USG also
considers "junk" pre-'64 silver coins to be bullion and therefore
subject to confiscation when the situation arises. In talking with our good
friends at Swiss America it appears that, currently, only coins minted before
1933 and having a numismatic grade of MS64 or better would NOT be confiscatable
because they are considered to be collector's coins and not bullion. Any other
type of gold/silver bar or coin is not exempt. I would appreciate your comments
on this please. - Dr. Sidney Zweibel
If there were a monetary crises, I think that gold confiscation would be far
more likely than silver confiscation. The sheer weight and volume of silver
versus
gold would make any government silver confiscation scheme problematic. (Since
dollar for dollar, silver is seventy times bulkier than gold.) This
is just one the reasons that I prefer investing in silver rather gold.
IIRC the U.S. 1933 gold
ban law exempted any gold coins "with significant collector's
value." Therefore in the event that similar legislation
is enacted, presumably any coin that is graded at or near mint
state (MS-60 or
higher--or perhaps even AU-58)
would be exempt. Why pay so much more, for MS-64 coins? AU-58 and MS-60 $5,
$10, and $20 gold pieces can still be found for as little as 30% over
their melt value if you buy coins with common mint dates.
OBTW, for any SurvivalBlog readers considering investing in numismatic coins:
Unless you have experience with coin grading, then I recommend that you buy
only PCGS or NGC "slabbed" (professionally
graded and encapsulated) coins. Buy only from a reputable dealer such as Swiss
America.
James:
That was a good article from your wife. I would love it if you post this link and let folks consider ordering from Fedco. I have no affiliation with them at all, other than admiring a company that puts righteousness ahead of making money. See: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/monsanto.htm - L.H.
...The Army Aviator might want to track down Plumrose ham. I've bought the cans at Sam's Club in 3 packs, and at CVS in singles. No refrigeration needed, but they are only one pound cans. They are not an American product, they are an import from Denmark...
The DAK brand Danish canned hams are... ...at Walmart on
occasion. I also
like supporting our friends in Denmark...
...PLUMROSE makes
a 3 pound ham in a sealed metal can... ...I buy mine at SAM's Club, WalMart,
and Publix....SAM's
have them in a 3 pack, and I usually get 2 or 3 [of the
thee packs] every time that we go to SAM's
for the quarterly buy out of goodies. They are fantastic...bake
them, chop them for beans, eat out of the can...they are really tasty.
I probably sound
like a commercial. (LOL.)
...I bought some at WalMart a while back, although I haven't seen
them recently. My family didn't particularly care for the meat
- "too
much
like SPAM". Plumrose USA is the packager. Check out www.plumroseusa.com (under
Products > Specialty Items)
...They can be found in my area at the different "value" stores like Dollar General, Family Dollar Store and Wal-Mart. The "hams" are small, but quite satisfactory...
...There is a 1.5 lb shelf stable canned ham (Royale) sold at Big Lots. It is a Canadian product priced at $2.99. We have stored it and eaten it. It's pretty good...
... both the DAK and Danish Crown brands are available as one pound units with a 5 year marked shelf life approximately $2.50-2.80 each, retail. The last batch that I got 3 yrs ago were an "After New Years" closeout at a Super Walmart for $1 each.
Mr. Rawles:
Regarding pump shotgun techniques go to this link http://www.jspublications.net/records/records.html and
scroll down to "Shotgun."
They show: six shots on knockdown targets in less than five
seconds starting with an empty gun laying on a table, and shells
in belt! -
Jim B. in WV
James,
Going back to the subject of, "Well now I live in the middle of
nowhere, how do I make a living?" The middle of nowhere is surrounded
by farms, small towns and older townsfolk. What does this mean? Antiques!
Old store signs, auto parts
signs, gas pumps, oil can racks and tools will bring in a nice price
from eBay or other auction houses. Just think of the estate sales or
farm sales! Generations of old furniture and other household goods!
Yes it's sad to watch our farms and farmers die off (I've read that
the
average age of the American farmer is in his 70s.) So if your dealing
with a widow, {be charitable and] fix the leaky sink or re-glaze the
window.
Soon you'll be known as the "Guy Who Buys the Old Stuff." So
the trick is to get the goods to the people that collect these items,
but don't have access to them. Or as they are often known as, "City
Folk." This could be an all-cash business and if you get the reputation
of being fair, then word will spread. Your truck and mileage and storage
area
and phone and office could all be a tax write-off. Any idea what a
1940s Quaker State Oil sign would bring on eBay? - Stimpy
The mainstream media pundits keep saying that "inflation remains low", yet Uncle Sugar's own statistics show that the aggregate supply of U.S. dollars in circulation (both printed and electronic) grew from $2.5 trillion in 2000 to $4.5 trillion by the end of 2005. So is it any wonder that price of gold and gasoline have nearly doubled? One might conclude that we are not so much seeing commodities going up in value as we are seeing the dollar going down in value. I recommend that you protect yourself from the mass price inflation to come. There could even a full scale monetary crisis and dollar devaluation. Invest in tangibles.
o o o
"Secret Squirrel" (a regular SurvivalBlog contributor) recommends two useful web sites: http//solarcooking.org and the CDC's page on water treatment: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/water_treatment.htm
o o o
I just noticed that Safecastle has added several varieties of large "ScramKits" to their product line (I posted a review of their smallest kit, which fits in a belt pouch, back on Friday, January 27, 2006.) Their big ChowHaul duffle bag kits are ideal to keep stowed right next to your Get Out Of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) backpacks. Because ScramKit sales have been brisk, most of their kits are currently sold out, so please be patient.
o o o
SurvivalBlog contributor Dr. Sidney Zweibel mentioned that the ubiquitous Wikipedia has added a new page titled "PetroEuro"--describing the implications of the nascent Iranian oil bourse. It will be denominated in Euros rather than U.S. dollars, so it could have major implications. The same article mentions that about the same time that the new oil bourse opens up, the M3 aggregate money supply figure will no longer be reported by the U.S. Treasury Department. I'm sure that these two developments did not escape the attention of either the oil traders or the international currency traders. Two possibilities: war with Iran or a dollar crisis--we might expect either (or both) in the near future. Buckle your seatbelts. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroeuro
o o o
A site that focuses on country, organic foods, and self sufficiency issues
was recommended by a SurvivalBlog reader. He described it as "educational
and empowering." See: http://www.metrofarm.com
o o o
Syria switches to the Euro amid confrontation with U.S.. See: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-02-13T153028Z_01_L13432231_RTRUKOC_0_US-SYRIA-US-FOREX.xml&rpc=22
o o o
A web site for those who would be interested in heirloom fruit trees and berries: http://www.treesofantiquity.com
o o o
The latest news about using RFID biochip implants in humans: http://news.ft.com/cms/s/ec414700-9bf4-11da-8baa-0000779e2340.html
Note from JWR: Please keep spreading the word about SurvivalBlog. Just by adding one line to your mail ".sig", or by pasting a SurvivalBlog banner in your web page, you could help attract hundreds of new readers. Many Thanks!
This is the time of year when all those inspiring colorful seed catalogs
are arriving. I have been spending too much time dreaming of my Spring
garden and
comparing the offerings of all the different catalogs. That was until the
latest issue of Countryside
and Small Stock Journal (March/April '06) arrived. There,
I read the article by Jerri Cook on page 60 entitled "Do You
Know Where Your Seed Come From?" According
to this article, just six companies: Dupont, Mitsuri, Monsanto, Syngents,
Aventis, and Dow control 98 percent of the world's seeds. Monsanto holds over
eleven
thousand U.S. seed patents. Monsanto is estimated to control about 90
percent of the U.S. nursery market. When an American buys garden seeds
most of the time they are buying from Monsanto regardless of which catalog
they
order from. Almost all the large seed and garden companies use the
same seed brokers to buy tons of seeds at a low price selling the same seeds
to everyone. Furthermore
seed companies can resell seeds, plants, roots, bulbs, and trees using whatever
names they wish. You may think that because you ordered string beans from three
different companies each named differently that you have three different varieties.
Think again!
Monsanto, Dupont, Mitsuri, Syngents, Aventis, and Dow are eliminating older
open pollinated varieties and replacing them with patented hybrid varieties
(which are illegal to save seed from or propagate!). They are also genetically
modifying plants so that they won't produce seeds at all or the seeds that
they produce are sterile. Since 1980 there has been a 90 percent reduction
of seed varieties available to Americans. Seed biodiversity will be compromised
globally. But we can do something about this. We can grow and save heirloom
seeds. A great place to start is The Seed
Savers Exchange (see: http://www.seedsavers.org.)
Order heirloom seeds--not patented hybrid seeds. Then save your seeds and share
them with your friends and neighbors.
James:
Jake at The Armory brings up a good point to expand on, regarding
the feeding of a Mossberg pump shotgun with a Sidewinder detachable
magazine.
[His premise was correct that] you
don't have a mag tube to feed anymore. So, if you don't have a spare
detachable magazine, you throw in a new round through the ejection
port. From a Sidesaddle this is very fast with practice. It's fastest
to load the shells in the Sidesaddle with the rim (primer end) up.
Keep the weapon at the shoulder, grab the shell, go over the top of
the receiver and drop into the ejection port. [JWR Adds: This
matches the "shoot one, load one" doctrine that is now
espoused at many of the recent tactical shotgun courses. Just
like in the early days of bolt actions rifles with a "magazine
cutoff"
device (such as Krags and M1903 Springfields) the weapon's magazine
is kept topped off and essentially held in reserve,
except in situations where you are rushed by multiple opponents. OBTW,
perhaps some enterprising
individual will invent a modern-day "magazine cutoff" device
for Remington 870s and Mossberg 500s and 590s.]
It is marginally faster to pause to load six rounds in a tube magazine,
and then shoot six rounds - but I sure wouldn't want to take that long
a pause in a real gunfight. The Sidesaddle lets you keep a steady stream
of fire, loading one round at a time. It's faster than loading a mag
to get one more round off, so you might even want to do it in an emergency,
as a stopgap before you get a fresh mag on.
Whether you have a Sidewinder detachable magazine or not, this "combat
loading" a really useful trick for anyone with a pump shotgun
so you can keep fire going downrange without a long pause feeding a
tube. It does take practice to get smooth under pressure, just like
most other gun skills.
The Powerpak shell carrier added on the SpecOps buttstock is best loaded
up with heavy slugs to counterbalance the muzzle heavy weight of shotguns.
You don't need the weight for recoil control, but a better balanced
gun is much more ergonomic.
Pistol Grip versus. SpecOps BUTTstock Options:
Knoxx, the maker of the SpecOps recoil reducing BUTTstock, also makes
two recoil reducing PISTOL grips, see:
http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/BreachersGrip.html
and
http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/COPstock.htm
My recommendation was for the SpecOps BUTTstock, since it gives you
the recoil reduction in BOTH the pistol grip AND the buttstock - and
of
course you have a proper buttstock to aim and steady the gun with.
The buttstock is even collapsible like a CAR-15 buttstock so you can
shorten up the whole weapon. The pistol grip options are more for door
lock breaching than home defense. Hope this clears up the confusion.
Regards, - OSOM - "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
James:
To catch up on several topics...
On Satellite Internet:
As you all probably know from previous letters, I do both motor home
living and the ranch, out in the country without common city amenities.
For the last 10 years or so, I've been using Direcway satellite
for the
internet and TV at both locations. I put in a real T-1 at work
back in 1996 and honestly, other than the fact that uploads do
take a little longer through the satellite, I don't see any obvious
difference
at home via satellite. Perhaps it's the fact that I have a fixed IP [address]
at each location. Beats me, but I'm happy. I even run my web page
out from
one of the motor
home servers. Pretty cool, actually, I can even access the remote
control camera at either location from anywhere I can get Internet.
Just my two cents worth regarding satellite.
Mossberg 500s:
I looked at the mag feed conversion awhile back, but didn't do it.
I figure the 500ATP with the long tube has always been adequate in
the past. Maybe they'd be nice for use with an auto-shotgun but then
I never did see anything beneficial regarding the "Street Sweeper" other
than Hollywierd Bravo Sierra. With a shotgun, mags just seem like something
else to have to carry. The military 12 pack shell holder for the belt
is pretty workable. I
comfortably
carry two on a web belt.
Liquid Fuel Lanterns:
I got the PetroMax/BriteLyt lantern and it's ok, but I still like my
Coleman Peak 1 better. It's my opinion, and I feel comfortable with
it, that the PetroMax style should not have gasoline used in it. Just
my decision and if others want to use gasoline in them, good for them.
I think most people should have a couple Petromax style, a couple normal
railroad style kerosene, a couple of Aladdin's and some coleman gas
lanterns as well. All in all, they are actually inexpensive and each
is suitable for particular purposes. Similar to different calibers
need different needs too. The particular thing I like about the little
bitty Peak 1 is that I can turn it full bright or all the way down
to run all night, which is
kind of like an electric lamp.
I just wish somebody made a neat brass lampshade for the Peak like
they do for the PetroMax. I have to admit I really LIKE the lampshade.
Liquid Fuel Stoves:
In addition to my Optimus and MSRs of many years, I still use my Military
issue Coleman Peak 1. Nice if you have gas, ok if you have kerosene
or diesel, JP8, etc. Lately, I've been using two others. One is a low
pressure Kerosene, a old Perfektus and the other is a 10 wick stove,
both about the size of a coffee can.
The Optimus, MSR and Peak 1 have lots of heat but they are noisy. The
Perfektus is the first low pressure kerosene stove I've ever used and
it's a pleasure. Just a quiet blue flame same as the kitchen gas stove.
Now here's the surprise. I like the 10 wick stove best. No
pumping. Just light it and wait couple of minutes and go for it.The
stove looks
really cheesy but what a joy. If you get yellow under your skillet,
you've got it cranked up too high. Between the 10 wick stove and 2
Lodge cast iron skillets (made by John Lodge in South Pittsburgh, TN.)
I
made the best shrimp scampi and linguini
with garlic sauce that I've made in a long time... WOW!
Butane Lighters:
I'm pretty sure it's been brought up but here it is again. BUY a CASE
of butane lighters. Cheap and great barter. Even seen a smoker who
has cigarettes and no flame while stuck four miles up a trail?
Now I need some advice. What was the name of that book, circa1962,
written about a nuclear war on the USA and was set in northern Florida?
Just can't pull it up. Anyway, that's what lead me to the
next thing: The fellow in the book had, on a whim, put away a canned
ham for a special time.
So, remembering that, I went looking for canned hams that don't require
refrigeration. You know, like a big SPAM can only tastier.
All I can find in Safeway, Albertsons, King Supers, Walmart, etc. is
a Hormel Black Label ham (three pound) in a white plastic container
with a metal top and it has to be refrigerated. So what's up with this?
Even the FDA site you listed
showed these hams with just a two month usefulness if unopened and
refrigerated. (Not good for storage, eh?)
All the clerks I asked knew what I was looking for but were surprised
that they no longer carry them.
The FDA site also listed the non-refrigerated canned hams I was looking
for as good for two years at room temperature and longer if kept cooler.
So who out there has a good site for canned hams in real "all
metal" cans that taste good and aren't too expensive? Help?
One last request, any good leads for MCW/LRP meals?
They sure disappeared from the market. Best Regards, - The Army Aviator
JWR Replies:Yes, the efficacy of storing cheap butane lighters has been mentioned by several SurvivalBlog contributors including the gent that wrote the article on Flea Market shopping, as well as David in Israel in his recent article of fire starting.
I believe that the novel that you were referring to was Alas Babylon,
by Pat Frank. It is a bit dated, but I still highly recommend it. BTW,
that book is included in my "must read lists" at The
SurvivalBlog Bookshelf web page.
Perhaps some of the SurvivalBlog readers will be able to answer your questions about the canned ham issue, as well as a source for MCWs and/or LRPs.
Readers on the East Coast should make plans to attend the specialized Tactical Lifesaver Course on April 15-16, 2006, in Douglas, Georgia. A Iraq war vet Physician's Assistant will teach you a lot of skills that the American Red Cross doesn't. (Such as: how to prep an intravenous infusion, how to insert and orthopharyngeal airway, wound debridement, suturing, how to treat a sucking chest wound, and much more.) Don't miss this one. In fact, SurvivalBlog readers from Canada or the West Coast ought to seriously consider burning some of their accumulated frequent flyer miles to attend this course. See: http://www.survivalreportblog.com/Tactical_Lifesaver_Course.html
o o o
A tip of the hat to Noah at the Defense Tech blog, who pointed out a blog article at Intel Dump about the soft life led by some of the "Fobbits" at the nicer FOBs in Iraq.See: http://inteldump.powerblogs.com/posts/1139566139.shtml. I wish that all of our deployed troops lived in such safety and comfort. Sadly, most do not.
o o o
H5N1 Asian Avian Flu has now spread to Italy: See: http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/02/11/birdflu.wrap/index.html. Granted, it still isn't a strain that is easily transmissible between humans, but the more it spreads, the statistical chance of the dreaded mutation increases.
Note from JWR: Many thanks for all of the recent "10 Cent Challenge" contributions! One gent kindly sent $200. That was way above and beyond the call of duty! (All that we ask is 10 cents a day.)
Hello James,
I was faced with making decisions on how to connect to the Internet at a faster
connection as the city technology has not reached me yet. I looked into
DirecWay and Dynamic Broadband, and I can't find the other company off
hand. In my research, there was a hefty out of pocket to acquire the equipment,
and bulkier fees per month with contracts running years. I found in looking
further that claims of download speeds were just that--download only. It
turns out that the upload speed,(at least to residential isolated
candidates) was comparable to a conventional dial-up modem or less. In retrospect,
do the research, if seeking a home based career, access speed can shape your
options. -The Wanderer
Sir:
I'm not sure about one letter you posted on February 10th. While I have
no direct experience with them it is my understanding that the conversion
for the [Mossberg 500] Knox drum and magazines do not allow the
use of the gun's original magazine tube. Thus, the Sidesaddle
and shell carrier on the butt COULD be used to "combat load" through
the ejection port with the Knox drum/mag conversion [in place] but otherwise
it only
adds weight
to the gun. The conversion (I believe) only allows feeding from the box
mag/drum). Hopefully someone with hands-on experience will be able to confirm
or refute my understanding of things.
I can comment on the recoil reduction from their pistol grip stock, one of
our customers had one for a short time and I did try it a few times. When used
as most of us have been trained, firmly pull the butt into the shoulder, it
does little to reduce felt recoil. The trick is too hold it loosely against
the shoulder to allow the recoil reducing device in the pistol grip to do it's
thing. I think if it requires a different grip and mount on the gun the same
thing (reducing recoil) can be done without shelling out the cash for a fancy
stock. I don't know who first started pushing the new shooting style for shotgun
but it works, let me try to explain:
Shoulder the gun as you would normally but don't pull hard into the shoulder
as we all have been told for all these years, only use the force needed to
keep the butt in place. Use your support hand to pull forward and use it to
absorb recoil. Don't lock the support arm out, allow it to flex some at the
elbow and let your support arm function as a shock absorber. You can even use
this in close quarters by allowing the stock to ride over your arm/shoulder
and rotate the gun a bit inboard (counterclockwise for the right handed shooter).
This allows the muzzle to come back as much as 5 inches in my limited experience.
The key to all this is to pull the gun forward against the force of recoil.
It is especially useful on short, pistol gripped breaching guns (the only real
use for a pistol gripped shotgun, as I see it) as it keeps the recoil from
pounding against the web of the shooting hand. If my shoddy explanation makes
sense
to you, take the wife and kids out and try a box or three and you will see
a difference, I have had good results with some timid and recoil sensitive
shooters. - Jake at The Armory
I just finished reading the science fiction novel "Freehold" by Michael Z. Williamson. It is a fast-paced Libertarian think piece. "Freehold" is a tale of interplanetary colonization, set some 500 years in the future. The descriptions of the bureaucratic totalitarian central Earth government are contrasted with the "Freehold" colony planet, Grainne. The main character is an Earth army logistics soldier that is unjustly accused of embezzlement. Realizing that she can never get a fair trial on Earth, she flees to Grainne. There, she finds a new world with a minimalist government and the sort of freedom that is only dreamed of. She soon acclimatizes to the new society, but things get complicated when Earth decides to invade Grainne, to "civilize" it. The novel is marred by some unnecessary descriptions of rape, torture, and assorted kinkiness. However, there is so much good in this book that I still recommend it. But keep in mind that it is definitely not a book to let your kids read. I should mention that Michael Z. Williamson is a SurvivalBlog reader. Oh yes, I should also mention that Williamson starts each chapter with a quote. Starting today, I plan to shamelessly high grade some of those great quotes for use as "Quotes of the Day" on SurvivalBlog. Thank you, Michael!
o o o
H5N1 Asian Avian Flu had spread to Nigeria and Azerbaijan. See:
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-02-10T174548Z_01_L09218784_RTRUKOC_0_US-BIRDFLU.xml&archived=False
o o o
The folks over at The FALFiles mentioned a very clever product: A compact bow saw (a triangular-framed Swedish saw --commonly called a "Sven saw") that disassembles in such a way that all of the parts can be stowed inside the handle tube. It comes with three blades: wood, meat/bone, and hacksaw. It is called the Arkan Saw Camping Backpacking Ultra Lite Saw, made by Allenall Associates. (See: http://www.lanavaja.com/webapp/eCommerce/product.jsp?Mode=Cat&Cat=7&SKU=ARK26043.) With blades only about 18" long, it appears to be limited to cutting branches or small diameter firewood, but that is the inescapable trade-off to achieve compactness. It looks ideal for backpackers or perhaps someone in the military that needs a saw that can easily be stowed in a pack that can quickly cut a lot of branches for camouflaging. I am surprised that these sell for under $10. (Hopefully, this pricing isn't because they are manufactured in mainland China. I hope that they are American made.) If the folks at Allenall send me a sample, I'll test it and will write a full review. (Hint, hint.)
o o o
Those sneaky NAIS types are implementing their plan, whether folks want it or not. NoNAIS.org reports that farms and ranches are being premise enrolled in the NAIS database without their knowledge or consent. Often, the modus operandi is a "telephone poll", with calls to farmers and ranchers to gather pertinent data. The other method that they've used is surfing the Internet, looking for web pages of livestock breeders. They've found all the data that they need for initial enrollment, particularly at the web sites of folks who are touting their rare breeds. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky. It is no wonder that the USDA now claims that half of the farms and ranches in some states have been "premises registered." They've apparently done much of it on the sly. Please call your legislators. The NAIS scheme represents the intrusive "Nanny State" at its worst. It must be stopped!
"If a man neglects to enforce his rights, he cannot complain if, after a while, the law follows his example." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
Note from JWR: You may have noticed that #1 Son added a nifty new web mapping tool down at the bottom of our scrolling ad bar. This plots the source of SurvivalBlog web hits on a global map. Tres cool, huh? (Sufficient data to plot "clusters" should be available by Monday. Be sure to click your browser's "reload" button to see the results.) We didn't do this just for the wow factor. Our goal is to find some more international correspondents for SurvivalBlog, who will serve in the same capacity as David in Israel. (They'll have to be be in just for the glory, and perhaps a few free books.) So if you have any friends that live overseas, let them know about SurvivalBlog. Perhaps you have a relative or a buddy that is deployed down in Bananaland, or over in the Big Sand Box. Perhaps someone living in some other exotic locale? It need not be a place that is particularly inimical. Granted, it would be particularly interesting to read the insights of folks who are are currently surviving hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, or secessionist turmoil in Kashmir, or convoy IED attacks in Iraq, or kidnappings in Columbia. But we'll settle for mundane...
There a lot of self-proclaimed "experts" on wild game out
there. Years ago, I shot a deer with a bow just before dark and he
ran off. At 8:00 P.M. that night we found the arrow covered in blood.
The blood trail started two feet wide and my friend said: "This
deer is dead. We'll find him in an hour." At midnight
we lost the blood trail. To make it easier to get back to the truck
at night, every 20 feet or so we had places a few pieces of toilet
paper. This really paid off because we were able to back track right
to the truck. The night cooled off to below freezing. Next morning
bright and early I was back on the trail. The cool morning frost crunched
under my feet. The fall colors blazed out at me. The smell of fall
was in the air. My favorite time of year.
Following the toilet paper trail it was an easy walk in to where we lost the
blood trail. I started circling around the the last known blood spot. I began
checking under small pine trees and brush piles, looking for the buck. This
is a slow and tedious process. Slowly, I expanded the circle. Sometimes a wounded
deer will jump 20 feet to one side change direction and lay down watching their
back trail. I will never forget what happened next. The circle had expanded
to about 100 yards from the last spot and I came out to a wide, slow moving
creek. I looked down the creek to my left and then to my right just as the
sun broke above the tree top. I saw a log with a single branch sticking out.
I thought: "That branch looks just like part of the buck that I shot." Curiosity
took the best of me and I just had to see this branch better. Walking a little
closer something almost magical happened: The "bark" on the log turned
into deer hide and the branch had turned into an antler. I ran up laughing
and thanking God for leading me to the buck.
I dragged him out tagged and gutted him. Now the fun began; dragging the deer
out by myself. Slowly I worked my way back to the truck dragging my prize.
Loaded him up and drove home. Skinned and butcher him putting the wrapped meat
in the freezer. Of course I rewarded myself with back straps for dinner. Wow
that was some awesome eating. The next day at work I was bragging about it
and one guy said that the deer I had bagged was "unfit to eat." I
replied: "You're crazy. I already cooked up some backstrap and it was
fine. He then said: "I used to work in butchering shop and any deer not
found within an hour after it was shot is no good to eat." Needless to
say I ignored his ranting and the deer was eaten over the course of the following
winter.
Now if I would have listened to "Mr. Expert" I would have wasted
a whole deer. There was recently another "expert" saying that a snared
deer is unfit to eat. A snared deer is dead in less than one minute. How that
somehow make is not fit to eat is beyond me. What the heck is the difference
if you shoot a deer and he runs off and dies 30 minutes later? Is that
deer unfit to eat? Of course not. People are weird when it comes to wild game.
I trust wild game one heck of a lot more than I do store bought meat. Like
I have said many times, I should have been been born in Missouri because I
come from the "show me" state. I test everything and taste test all
this unfit to eat meat. (Grin.) Not that I have ever snared deer but have eaten
plenty of snared animals and never found one to be "unfit to eat."
Even if the animal was still alive in the snare it is still good to eat. I
just shake my head at these experts and wonder how the human species survives.
If you are starving are you going to waste a whole deer because some expert
said it was unfit to eat? I hope not. Don't let other people sway your opinion.
You hunt and trap in the fall for a reason. Why? Because the little ones have
had a chance to grow up, the disease is down to almost zero. You know the funny
part is these are the same people who spend hours typing up what is the best
slingshot, bow, crossbow, pellet gun to buy for silent game gathering. A properly
trained trapper/snaresman will out-produce any hunter alive. I guess it is
just more fun to talk about silent game gathering weapons then it is to talk
about traps and snares.
After eating wild game going on 35 years I should have been dead years ago
from eating all these "unfit to eat" animals. But I keep finding
myself waking up every morning. I wonder why? Oh I know, it is because I didn't
listen to the "experts" and I tested it myself. - Buckshot (http://www.buckshotscamp.com)
Jim,
One point that should be made regarding obstacles around the retreat
such as ditches barricades etc. Be sure to look at them from the "other" side
as well. You don't want to give your adversary firing positions and
areas you can't put fire into. Ditches may keep vehicles out, but it
gives the opponent some place to run to and get out of the field of
fire. Walls, barricades, road blocks and other obstacles can do the
same. Perhaps you can go into more detail on that later on. Enjoying
your blog and learning quite a bit.Good luck! - Old Retailer
Sir:
I recently bought a "no FFL" antique German (Oberndorf) Mauser
Model 1893 (Turkish contract) from The
Pre-1899 Specialist that had been rebarreled to .308 Winchester
and turned into a nice sporter that looks just like a modern hunting
rifle. I
read on another web site that they don't recommend re-barreling Model
1893 or Model
1895 Mausers
for modern
high pressure cartridges like.308. What do you think?
JWR Replies: The re-arsenalized Turkish contract Mausers were far and away the strongest of the 1893-to-1896 series small ring Mauser bolt actions. Because of their re-heat treating (quite deep), they are stronger than even the famed Swedish Model 1896. And it is noteworthy that back in the early 1990s thousands of Swedish Model 1896s were rebuilt by Kimber with "as is" receivers as sporters in calibers that included .308 Winchester and .243 Winchester. I have seen no reports of problems with any of those. The warnings on M1893s and M1895s that P.O. Ackley, Kuhnhausen, and others have made (and that you often see repeated on the Internet) were primarily regarding Spanish arsenal-made Mausers (from the Oviedo and La Coruna arsenals), which had very poor (shallow) heat treating.
If you are REALLY concerned and ultra conservative, then have the headspacing checked before you shoot the rifle the first time, and again after you fire the first 100 rounds of factory soft nose ammo. If there is no sign of increased headspace then you have a rifle that will be good for a lifetime of shooting full house loads.
OBTW, for any of you reading this who are wondering about the legalities
of re-barreling a Federally exempt pre-1899 rifle into a modern caliber,
see my Pre-1899
FAQ for details. The FAQ includes scans of a BATF letter
that specifically confirms that re-barreling, rechambering, or sporterizing
a pre-1899
does not in any way dilute its "antique"
exemption.
Have you ever wondreed how to decipher the date codes stamped on canned foods? See: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Food_Product_Dating/index.asp
o o o
A Portland Oregon TV station warns of the Tsunami risk on west coast of the United States: http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=82990
o o o
More on the planned non-nuclear "Global Strike" Trident
missiles:
http://www.flightinternational.com/Articles/2006/02/07/Navigation/194/204486/Global+strike+concept+raises+hopes+and+fears.html
o o o
Another record trade deficit: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/02/10/D8FMANN00.html
"In Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock." - Orson Welles as Harry Lime in The Third Man (Screenplay by Graham Greene)
Jim:
An appropriate addition to your selection of firearms should be a black powder
(BP) revolver and longarm.
Many very fine guns of these types are sold all over the U.S. and so detailing
the good and bad of each is probably beyond the scope of this commentary. Many
prefer their own experience in the area when choosing a good BP firearm, and
so I will not try to express my own biases here. What counts is having
them.
In terms of mobility, pre-cast bullets would be the best bet. In terms of a
permanent site, storage of raw lead is perfectly fine (since it never goes
bad!).
Quality casting equipment [for lead bullets] helps as does some experience
in that area - like anything there is a learning curve which in this case allows
for
a quick
level
of expertise derived from having a good time learning. Errors in casting bullets
can be re-cast allowing for very cost effective on the job training. Lead essentially
becomes the ultimate recyclable material
- very little wastage. Recovering bullets from a day's shooting of your cartridge
firearms simply adds to your supply of lead for either your BP or conventional
cartridge firearm (assuming that you reload).
Ruger's products are very well respected - the Old Army is perhaps the best
choice in BP revolvers, Colt's BP series is also an excellent choice (though
more pricey). Kit guns can be fun to assemble, but normally require some amount
of hand-work to fine-tune. Italian-made BP revolvers by Uberti, or Navy Arms
are good choices too.
Personally, I would not buy a Walker-sized revolver simply because of the weight
issue. Colt's Army, or Ruger's Old Army are well-balanced and handy.
Browning's discontinued Mountain rifle was an excellent product and pretty
collectible. One should track one of these down if you can find one for sale.
But like the
revolvers mentioned above, the Browning Mountain rifle is not the only great
BP rifle
available. Kit rifles can be excellent choices too. Aside from being an adult,
Federal regulations are very liberal. It is well-worth your investigation of
State
and Local regulations though, to be sure of you area's
laws.
Calibers do not matter much past knowing what you need your firearm to do.
BP hunting journals are excellent sources for this information, while there
are typically many books published on the subject available in larger gun stores.
Finding a copy of the Foxfire book that deals with making BP wouldn't
hurt, but read as much as you can.[JWR Adds: He is referring
to Foxfire
Volume 5: Iron making, Blacksmithing, Flintlock Rifles, Bear Hunting...]
Making BP is something I cannot comment on as I have not made it myself. You
would be best advised to learn such an art VERY cautiously for two good reasons.
Poor BP makes for poor performance, and mishandled BP - poor or good - can
be volatile. Learning from BP enthusiasts is a good start, though most will
probably tell you to opt for factory made powders.
There is no great mystery to BP grain sizes - though archaic the grains sizes
used in most rifles or revolvers is FFFG - you can work with different grain
sizes but the largest size is really not going to be an option.
Simply put, any well-stocked retreat should have BP arms, just like it should
have a good hunting bow.
For hunting in some areas, the BP seasons are run longer and earlier. Using
them conserves your precious cartridge supply. There is no need to worry about "reloading" cartridges
cases that soon split, or complicating your life with re-loading equipment.
- Falsemuzzle
JWR Replies: I agree that BP guns do have a place in survival planning. However, if someone's main goal is getting guns that are outside of Federal jurisdiction (with no purchase paperwork required in most locales), from a practical standpoint they are better off buying pre-1899 cartridge guns from the 1890s, such as the Mausers and the S&W top break revolvers that are sold by dealers such as The Pre-1899 Specialist. If, in contrast, the intent is to have guns that will remain useful in the event of a multi-generational societal collapse, them BP guns make a lot of sense. Lead for bullet/ball casting can be stored in quantity, and even salvaged wheel weights or battery plate lead could be substituted. Black powder and percussion caps could conceivably be "home brewed"--although there are some serious safety considerations.
BP arms have lower velocity and hence less stopping power than modern smokeless powder cartridge guns. However, they can still be fairly reliable stoppers. I would NOT want to be a burglar confronted by a homeowner that is holding a pair of Ruger Old Army .44 percussion cap revolvers! OBTW, since black powder is inherently corrosive, I recommend buying stainless steel guns whenever possible. So make that a pair of stainless steel Ruger Old Army .44 percussion cap revolvers.
If you ever envision BP guns being pressed into service for self-defense, then get models that optimize fast follow-up shots and fast reloading. For example, consider the the Kodiak brand double rifle. Some brands of BP revolvers have cylinders that are relatively quick to change. For those, it makes sense to buy two or three spare cylinders for each gun that can be kept loaded. Of course be sure to have each gun tested with all of the cylinders to make sure that they all function and "register" correctly.
Dear Jim:
Mr. Bravo is right on the money regarding Mossberg shotguns. They are inexpensive
and reliable. At IDPA shoots (www.idpa.com) I see problems EVERY match with
auto
shotguns,
but far fewer problems with pump guns. The pump gun is a little slower to
run, but the major problem of short stroking the pump is quickly corrected
on the fly, while the autos can jam and are completely out of action.
The only mechanical thing I have had go wrong with my Mossberg 500 or 590 is
the safety's spring loosening up after 10 years, with the safety coming on
with recoil. The factory fixed the 10 year old gun at no charge.
Combat Pump Shotguns:
You can now add a recoil reducing pistol grip stock to your Mossberg or other
pump gun. This actually tames 12 gauge birdshot down to .223 recoil levels!
00 buckshot is a breeze to shoot.
http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/SpecOpsStock.html
In my opinion the Mossberg 500 home defense model with the lighter and shorter
18.5" barrel is the way to go, vs. the 20" barrel, 8 shot 590. See: http://mossberg.com/pcatalog/Specpurp.htm
Save the money on the shotgun model because you can add the "Sidewinder" 10
round DETACHABLE drum magazine for 10 + 1 firepower. The Sidewinder detachable
mag is only made for Mossbergs, a critical reason to go Mossberg....
http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/SideWinder.htm
Put a SpecOps recoil reducing stock on the Mossberg 500, and add the "PowerPak" 5
round stock ammo carrier for more ammo on the gun, see
http://knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/PowerPakSystem.html
and then add the 6 round "SideSaddle" mag on the side of the receiver,
see
http://www.lymanproducts.com/tacstar/sidesadd.htm
Now you have a 10 round mag + 5 on the stock + 6 on the receiver = 21 rounds
of 12 gauge on the gun! Ideal for the emergency "grab and go" situation
where you don't have time to put on all that Tommy
Tactical gear. In a real
emergency time is often the most critical asset. If you do have time to put
on gear, you can keep the optional 6 round box mag on your belt.
You can even get cute, and load birdshot or buckshot in the mag for less penetration,
and then put specialty rounds like flechettes, or slugs on the Side Saddle
and PowerPak.
Rough pricing, Mossberg 500, $230 and up, all the other accessories total
roughly $ 450. As always shop around - links are to manufacturers, but retailers
are often cheaper, e.g., Cabela's is $220 on the Sidewinder. Regards - OSOM
- "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
Jim -
Use "Ed's Red" for a great home made weapon
cleaning solution. See: http://www.building-tux.com/dsmjd/tech/eds_red.htm.
I made a couple of gallons a long time ago and I'm still working on them...
Regards,
- G.T.
Hi James,
Possibly the best information source on the web for "homemade cleaners" is
here: http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm
Regards, - "Moriarty"
Jim,
As with any obstacle, roadblocks will only be effective if covered by fire.
Also obstacles must be tied into the terrain and the overall fighting plan.
Digging an anti-tank ditch across a road [in level country] won't stop anyone
if they can just drive around it. The French Maginot Line was a great
obstacle, but the Germans just went around it. So any roadblock has to tie
into other
natural or artificial barriers. A roadblock that denies the only bridge that
crosses an otherwise impassible river is a good example of one that ties into
the terrain. However, if that obstacle is not covered by
fire, then it only provides a delay. An enemy will still
reach it's objective, it just might take longer. It's pretty simple. If there
is no covering
fire,
then the obstacle can be reduced sooner or later. A tree across a road might
stop a truck, but a few sandbags on each side and a truck can get over it.
If no one is there to provide "discouragement", then the obstacle
will be breeched. Adequately covering that tree with fire prevents it's reduction,
and the obstacle prevents
mobility. So each enhances the other. Also, the obstacle has to be sufficient
for the desired effect. The tree has to be big enough, or the wall tall enough,
or the river deep enough, etc. The Alamo had one portion of it's wall that
was very weak and thrown up
at the last minute. While covered by fire, it was inadequate for what was needed,
and this is where the Mexican Army was able to breech the fortress by concentrating
force at the weak spot. So think obstacle, not speed-bump.
In your defense planning, remember that an obstacle NOT covered by fire will
not STOP anyone.
Use OCOKA (Observations and fields of fire, Cover and Concealment, Obstacles, Key terrain, Avenues of approach) when you analyze the terrain. Tie your obstacles in with your overall fighting plan. They're just one tool in the box, and must be used with other tools to get the job done. By themselves, they do nothing but cause you to expend resources on them. Tie them in with your retreat defense plan. - "Doug Carlton"
James:
A point that I raise
with heavy equipment is not a new one, but important to know. Most manufacturers,
(even to this day) have one key, (meaning all matching door knobs, ignitions,
etc...) for that brand. This means in simple terms, if you own a CASE skid
loader, then you can start everyone else's too. Not much for piece of mind!
As a kid, I remember my Dad sticking the old Ford pickup keys about 1/4" into
the dozer ignition and voila! It starts. He ended up putting a push button
start in a secret place and it took the key and the button to start it. I would
hate to have a D4 dozer aimed at my retreat no matter the construction!
-The Wanderer
JWR Replies: I'm sorry that I did not make myself clear. It almost goes without saying that to be relatively "immobile" a vehicle needs to have its ignition system rendered useless. This is best accomplished by removing a key part. (which will vary, according to the engine and ignition type.) In regard to Doug's comments: A great description of the futility of constructing roadblocks that are not covered by small arms fire is described in the Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's novel "Lucifer's Hammer."
Disarming gun owners wasn't enough for the hopolophobic Scots. Now they
want to ban knives, too. See: http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/55905.html and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4691634.stm Laddies,
its time to call Mel Gibson. You
could use another William Wallace "Sons of Scotland!" speech about now...
o o o
Only six year too late, President Mugabe is asking Zimbabwe's displaced farmers
to return: The http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/09/wzim09.xml.
Good luck Comrade. They'll come back, but not until after you and your henchmen
have been sent packing.
o o o
Some of the Cell Phone Tracking web sites that we mentioned last week are being
shut down: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/8/212731.shtml?s=ic
o o o
The folks at NoNAIS.org have posted a new article that warns that RFID biochips could be "hacked" or copied and used to point the finger of blame for any misdeed (real or imagined), at will. Please write your congresscritters. NAIS must be stopped!
"I tell ye true, liberty is the best of all things; never live beneath the noose of a servile halter." - William Wallace, Address to the Scots, circa 1300
Note from JWR: If you have been putting off signing up for our "10 Cent Challenge", then here is a quick and easy way to set up an automatic monthly PayPal billing (just $3 per month.) Is reading SurvivalBlog worth 10 cents a day to you? If so, then please click this button:
SurvivalBlog reader L.M. alerted me to an informative article at Armalite's web site about how automatic transmission fluid can be used as a firearm bore cleaner, and how motor oil can be used as a gun lubricant. Even if you are committed to Break-Free and Hoppes #9 (like me), this is good to know WTSHTF and cleaning supplies get scarce. See: http://www.armalite.com/library/techNotes/tnote64.htm.
Hello James,
I have been thinking back upon your novel Patriots and
the importance the "spider
holes" played. That sparked another memory, one of discussion some
time ago in the blog about blocking roads, one gentleman even mentioned dropping
a tree
across his drive if necessary. What would be a good, better, best barricade
of the next four,... and what else could you suggest?
1). Dropped Trees/ telephone pole, logs, et cetera
2). Large boulders, (3' on up)
3). Posts buried but sticking up to random heights
4). Some sort of a berm or trench
In line with my first question, what is a suitable tactical layout, (i.e.-
spacing) for "foxholes" [or "spider holes"] and what type
of construction would you recommend? - The Wanderer
JWR Replies: I generally recommend mobile roadblocks, in all but the absolute worst case exigent circumstances. (Waves of crazed mutant cannibal zombies.) In wooded or steep country, a D4 (or larger) Caterpillar tractor parked perpendicular to a road with its blade dropped works just dandy. Nobody is going to be able to move it unless they have the ability start it up. BTW, a large car or truck with its tires deflated (remove the valve stems) can work nearly as well. Don't forget that permanent road blocks work both ways. The beauty of a mobile road block is that you can still exit your property on short notice.
As for foxholes and spider holes, their spacing depends on the terrain and vegetation. In open, fairly level country, they should be spaced as much as 20 yards apart. In densely wooded country, perhaps as little as 5 yards apart. They should be arrayed in a "Lazy W" pattern, as shown/described in U.S. Army Field Manuals (FMs) such as Chapter 2 of FM 21-75 (See: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/21-75/.) I describe construction techniques fox holes and spider holes (the latter are one man fox holes with camouflaged covers) in my novel Patriots. They should be lined with plywood. BTW, don't forget that drainage is crucial for fighting positions in all but the driest of climates.
Jim,
Why [do you] recommend [serialized] 100 ounce silver bars when 90% silver
coins are selling at spot and the bars are at spot plus $.30 (this is from www.cmi-gold-silver.com in
Phoenix)? It seems like silver coins would be the better choice because they
are cheaper and more versatile than 100 ounce bars. - Springmtnd
JWR Replies: If you can buy circulated pre-1965 U.S. silver
coinage at spot, that is fantastic. Even after the recent
dip, most dealers currently
charge
around
7 times face
value ($7,000 per $1,000 face value bag.) As a point of
reference, a $1,000 bag with typically worn coins contains about 715 ounces
of silver. Here is the math: 715 x $9.50 per
ounce
=
$6,792.
That--or near that--is what most "storefront" (coin shop) dealers
would pay, wholesale. Typically they would then re-sell it for 3% to
10% more. (Closer to the lower end of that range on half-bag or larger quantities.)
I agree that coins are more versatile that bullion bars. I only recommended 100 ounce bars for non-barter investing, because they generally carry a lower dealer premium. Coins only take up a bit more storage space, and they weigh only 10% more that bars, per dollar value. So if you have the opportunity to buy coins cheap, then go for it! For any of you reading this who are wondering about size and weight: A $1,000 bag weighs around 55 pounds, and is about the size of a bowling ball. Like the 100 ounce bars, the bullion bags make great "ballast" for the bottom of a gun vault.
Sir,
Firstly let me congratulate you on taking your blog full-time. It has proved
an excellent resource for myself and getting friends and family to see
the benefits of preparedness. Almost as effective as your novel, in fact!
I hope
resources will permit me to become a contributing reader in the very near
future.
A quick note on Cellular Broadband for remote locations, several companies
are now offering broadband speed to cell phones or mobile devices(such
as the Palm Treo or the RIM Blackberry). Several of these phones can act
as
a modem: by attaching the cellular phone to the computer it can act as
the wireless PC card mentioned in Keith's letter. This has two benefits:
the
phones often have better antennas then the PC cards(at least in my experience)
and the monthly data plans for handheld devices are often cheaper than
for dedicated PC cards.
The downside is that while you are away from the computer (with your cell
phone) the computer is no longer online. The newest Verizon Blackberry
offering has this ability, I am certain we will see many more to follow.
Having Email and Internet on one's cell phone may seem frivolous, but I
see a very real benefit in being able to receive emails and notifications
about
news, severe weather, etc while away from my computer. Thank you again
for such an excellent resource. Sincerely, - Pat
James:
To begin with, MOST of the sat connections are NOT for multiple people.
The key is to setup a NAT/Proxy on the computer that connects to the satellite
service
and let it be the gateway to the net for all the other machines behind that machine.
We have used a directPC unit with 20 people getting net access via one account
and machine. the business version is designed for letting lots of folks access
at the same time, but the consumer units are way cheaper and the monthly charges
are about $99 per month.
I am considering getting a RV unit for my search and rescue vehicle to setup
mobile command posts and information units.
ALL of it costs, so take baby steps. I also have some experience with HF packet
radio rigs,
but they are mostly suited for sending emails, and not in great volume.
A good HF radio with a Packet TNC runs
about 1000 to 2000 [baud], but can give you some
email from way away places.
a combination of a sat connection along with and HF rig could be mighty handy
if TEOTWAWKI materializes. - M.R.
I just learned that Ken Timmerman, my former colleague at Defense Electronics magazine, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! See: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/8/111611.shtml?s=ic Back in the late 1980s Ken was living in Paris and was a columnist for Defense Electronics. At the time I was an Associate Editor, and I edited some of his columns. Since he was in tight with folks in both Parisian defense and diplomatic circles (he speaks fluent French), we had some fascinating conversations and on-line chats.) In the same era, Ken edited the Middle East Defense News newsletter (a.k.a. MEDNews.) His most recent book, "Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran," was published in Aught Five. I highly recommend it.
o o o
Doc at Big Secrets recommends this site with tons of "hands on" practical info: http://www.enterpriseworks.org/vita.asp
o o o
Here is an Agriculture Department report on the efficacy of drilling or digging do-it-yourself water wells: http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/X5567E/x5567e00.htm
o o o
A reader pointed me to an interesting site on general survival topics: http://www.survivalmonkey.com/ It is particularly useful for its PDF files and links.
o o o
For those of you that are into gardening and livestock, be sure to visit the Homesteading Today web site. (http://www.homesteadingtoday.com). Don't miss their interesting discussion forums.
o o o
There is a site with a handy graphical summary of current hacking and Internet virus threats: http://securitywizardry.com/radar.htm
"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." - Sun Tzu
Important Note from JWR: Well, I've taken the plunge: I just gave my boss two months notice. (Up until now, I have been working a "day job" as a full time salaried technical writer, and just blogging part time.) As of the last day of March, I will be devoting myself to writing about survival and preparedness topics and will be republishing my novel "Patriots."
My immediate goal is to build up the number of SurvivalBlog advertisers as well as the number of "10 Cent Challenge" contributors. If you feel convicted to do so, please pitch in your 10 cents. Thusfar, only 65 readers (out of 9000+ who read SurvivalBlog at least once a week) have ponied up 10 cents a day, or more.
More importantly, if you have any personal contacts with a company that is a potential advertiser, please ask them to get a SurvivalBlog banner ad. Our ads are very inexpensive compared to a magazine ad. (Starting at as little as $55 per month!) BTW, you can mention that our current advertisers report that their business has increased anywhere from 25% to 300% after they started running their SurvivalBlog ads.
The big 48 cent "profit taking" drop in the spot price of silver yesterday
represents a great buying opportunity. For those of you that felt that
you "missed the boat" this dip is your chance to buy some
silver before the bull resumes his charge. For those of you that already have
a pile of silver, don't let short term volatility like this spook you.
We are in the opening stages of secular bull market in precious metals that
may last a full decade. The
long term charts at Kitco.com should
convince you.Quit hesitating and Buy! (Yes,
I mean you too, Fred.)
JWR,
Regarding your post on the above topics, another new satellite service of interest
might be www.wildblue.com, who have been marketing themselves through rural
telephone and electricity co-operatives.
As an alternative to a satellite ISP, [cellular services such as] Cingular,
T-Mobile, and Verizon are beginning to offer wireless broadband services in
limited areas.
Cingular,
for example,
offers something they call BroadBandConnect, which can be added to your current
account. One would then obtain a wireless PC card (modem card) and install
it into your laptop or desktop(with additional hardware). For a static desktop
setup, I have looked into replacing the built-in antenna on the wireless PC
card with a better antenna from Wilson Antennas (www.wpsantennas.com.)
All this for much less money invested in hardware and a less costly monthly
fee
than
for satellite (about $100 in hardware and $60-70 for monthly service for the
wireless broadband.) Right now these wireless services are offered in limited
locations, but the networks will expand quickly, I believe. Another alternative,
I'm hoping Wi-Max will begin to show up at the end of this year!!!
An additional nifty piece of equipment is a cellular docking station which
allows you to connect your hardwire house phones into your cell phone and forget
about a land line. To improve reception, go to Wilson Antenna and get a better
antenna hookup for your cell while it's in the docking station. Regards, -
Keith
Hi,
I just completed reading a book entitled, "Return of the Black Death:
The
World's Greatest Serial Killer" by Susan Scott and Christopher Duncan.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470090014/qid=1139236750/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-5674396-9500863?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
This book is a history of the Black Death that gripped Europe from October of
1347 through the late 1600s. The premise of the book is that the disease that
caused the plague was NOT the Bubonic Plague - which is spread by rat fleas and
is a bacteria - but a viral disease and a version of hemorrhagic fever possibly
related to Ebola. They make the case rather convincingly based upon accounts
of the course of the disease that were written at the time and on records kept
by local church parishes of deaths from the plague via which they are able to
follow the course of the disease in a number of small towns.
From the records it is easy to see that the disease did not spread in
a manner which would be typical for a disease spread by rats and fleas, but was
consistent
with a disease spread by human contact. The book convinced me that their
premise is correct and that we have much to fear from a possible re-emergence
of this
disease. At the time of its first emergence the disease took three years to kill
half the population of Europe - moving at essentially a walking pace from its
point of origin in Italy up through central Europe then England, Scandinavia,
and finally even Iceland. Today the progress would be MUCH more rapid. The really
scary part about the original Black Death is that a person is contagious for
about three weeks before they even become aware that they are infected. The course
of the disease is generally about 37 days. The latent period (the period where
one is infected but not infectious) being about 12 days, followed by an infectious
period of about 21 days which is BEFORE the first symptoms appear. Then the symptomatic
period is generally one to five days before death finally occurs. The symptoms
initially consist of red and/or black splotches on the chest known at the time
as God's
Tokens - from the time the "Tokens"appear a person generally has about
three days to live.
On your web site there is has been talk about self quarantine and what sort of
time frame one would need to prepare for. This book gives a pretty good idea
based on real events. First they tried 30 days and the disease still spread so,
over time the quarantine period was changed to 40 days. This fits with the books
view of the course of the disease - a person who is infected might not be showing
any signs at 30 days so the quarantine must extend beyond that. The 40 day quarantine
period was enough to stop the spread of the disease, but only in households where
they already knew the disease was present. So, if someone in a house became sick
with the plague the house was quarantined for 40 days from the last signs of
the disease. For example, if the father becomes sick and shows signs of the plague
then the house is quarantined for 40 days from his death or recovery. If anyone
else becomes sick after that time - during the quarantine - the quarantine period
is extended for an additional 40 days from that person's death or recovery.
Finally, it can be seen from examples given in the book that a better self quarantine
period for people trying to avoid the disease completely is something on the
order of 18 months to 2 years. For example, in the town of Penrith, in England,
the disease struck in September of 1597. The last recorded case of death by plague
in the town from this same outbreak was in January of 1599! The population of
the town was about 1350 people at the start and by the end of the epidemic about
640 people died from the black death - 48% of the town died in the epidemic!
In another town named Eyam - also in England and also using the church records
- the disease follows the same course, with one twist. The inhabitants of the
town agreed to create their own quarantine or "cordon sanitaire" around
the town and allow no-one in or out as they were the only town in the area with
the plague and did not want to spread it to others. The outbreak started in the
summer of 1665 and continued through the following fall and winter and re-emerged
with renewed intensity during the spring and summer of 1666 until it finally
burned out during that winter with the last recorded death from plague being
in December 1666. The town had 350 inhabitants before the plague and 260 died
of it - a death rate of 75%! The Rector of the town, who survived the epidemic,
wrote the following in a letter to his father after the plague has passed: "The
condition of this place hath been so dreadful that I persuade myself it exceedeth
all history and example. I may truly say that our Town has become
a Golgotha,
a place of skulls; and had there not been a small amount of us left, we had been
as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah. My ears never heard such doleful lamentations.
My nose never smelt such noisome smells and my eyes never beheld such ghastly
spectacles."
I consider myself fairly knowledgeable on a lot of these things, but this book
was a real eye opener on what happened during the time of the Black Death and
how drastically it affected society. Another thing that I found very interesting
was how quickly society recovered. However, I think that is based on the level
of knowledge at the time. Virtually everyone knew how to raise their own food
and specialization was not so pronounced. If the same plague were to strike today
I am quite sure that our society would collapse for an extended period of time.
We are much too interdependent and people do NOT have the knowledge of how everything
worked as the people of that time did. I came away from reading this book with
a new found desire to increase my supplies and preparedness! - Tim P.
Hello Mr. Rawles
Several years back, I would go with my church on mission trips to Northern
Mexico, while there I would stop at the local Pharmacies and stock up on
antibiotics. I bought several full treatment doses of Zithromycin, Cipro,
and some Neosporin eye drops, and paid less than $50.00 American for all
of it. It was not out of some dusty bottle off a dirty shelf, but boxed and
in foil packs for long term storage in a clean modern Pharmacy with an English
speaking pharmacist. They also had a more realistic shelf life than we have
here in the U.S. The U.S. will allow you to bring back a three month supply
for personal use and will let you import (Mail order) a three month supply
for personal
use. I have no interest in ordering “RED FLAG” items like narcotics,
but I would like to restock my supply of antibiotics, and others may want
to stock up on home meds. Do you or any fellow readers have any experience
with dealing in this by mail order, and or have someone that they recommend?
Thanks as always, - Rusty
The UPI recently ran a news story from the RussianNovosti news service about a Russian astronomer that has predicted that Earth will experience a "mini Ice Age" in the middle of this century, caused by low solar activity. See: http://upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060207-041447-2345r. Here is an excerpt from the article: "Khabibullo Abdusamatov of the Pulkovo Astronomic Observatory in St. Petersburg said Monday that temperatures will begin falling six or seven years from now, when global warming caused by increased solar activity in the 20th century reaches its peak, RIA Novosti reported. The coldest period will occur 15 to 20 years after a major solar output decline between 2035 and 2045, Abdusamatov said. Dramatic changes in the earth's surface temperatures are an ordinary phenomenon, not an anomaly, he said, and result from variations in the sun's energy output and ultraviolet radiation. The Northern Hemisphere's most recent cool-down period occurred between 1645 and 1705. The resulting period, known as the Little Ice Age, left canals in the Netherlands frozen solid and forced people in Greenland to abandon their houses to glaciers, the scientist said."
Jim,
The Mossberg Model 500 has some very good safety ergonomics that make
it a good choice for an "under the bed" shotgun for families with children.
When
it is stored with the action closed on an empty chamber, it requires several
steps before shooting. While it is not difficult to learn to press the action
release button behind the trigger guard, rack the action, and switch off
the intuitive forward/rearward safety, before shooting, it is difficult for
an untrained child or a miscreant to do this.
An uninformed/untrained burglar who finds a Mossberg in this condition, and
who intends to shoot it, is likely to do the following: pull the trigger. Nothing.
Slide
the safety forward. Nothing. Try to rack the slide. Nothing. What is
easy for the informed shooter is difficult for the uninformed, making the Mossberg
an
ideal choice. - Mr. Bravo
JWR Replies: It is also noteworthy that the Mossberg 500 series is a very robust design with dual slide bars. It has proven much more reliable than some more expensive models, such as the Ithaca Model 37/87 series and the finicky Remington 1100. Don't let the low price of the Mossberg 500 dissuade you. It is like buying a Chevy instead of a Ferrari. Both will get you from Point A to Point B. But one of them will cost you a lot more for the fancy name. In many ways, I would rather have three Mossberg 500s than one Benelli. (And the cash outlay would be about the same, either way.)
"Naturally, as with every opportunity, equally true is the fact that the country is standing on the edge of a cliff which threatens to take us downhill if we do not move boldly forward with speed to address most our shortcomings." - Zimbabwean Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono, describing Zimbabwe's economy, in a speech on his monetary policy in late January, 2006. (This statement was a classic Freudian slip, since Zimbabwe's economy is indeed "moving forward with speed" off "the edge of a cliff." The Zimbabwean dollar's inflation rate recently jumped back up to 585%, and climbing.)
Mr. Rawles:
David from Israel wrote in with some interesting suggestions on fire
starting. The method that I use in severe weather conditions is to first
dig a small
hole,
about 6 inches in diameter and about 8 inches deep. Facing into the wind,
I dig a small channel into the side of the hole, about 2 or 3 inches wide and
sloping up
from the bottom of the small hole, about 6 inches long. Then I put tinder
in the pit and arrange short twigs around the tinder so that the twigs look like
a teepee. To make tinder you can use cotton balls
dipped
in paraffin wax, or take a small block of resinous wood such as yellow pine
and cut slivers and shavings off of it, then cut the block making slivers
still attached to the block. You can also use straw or dry grass for tinder
- if
the grass on top is wet usually you can find dry grass below. I cover the
circular hole with twigs and tinder, leaving the channel open, and then put
small (1
inch diameter) sticks on top arranged ends inward, in a circle. If the wind
is blowing hard, it's a good idea to make a windbreak so that the hole does not
have wind blowing directly
into it. Sticks, grass, and rocks make a good windbreak - place it about
a foot away from the hole. Now take a match and strike it in the channel and
put
the flame on the tinder, or
take a piece of flint and rub it against a piece of steel to produce sparks
and
make sure they land on the tinder. You'll see the tinder catch, and then
blow carefully on the tinder so as not to put it out. It takes a bit of practice,
so try this when your life doesn't depend on it (surely people camped out
when
they were growing up and know about all this?) When you see a flame, put
sticks and dry grass in the channel, and soon you will have a good fire.
I used this method to start a fire in a blizzard where the snow was blowing
straight
across (and made a six-inch layer on my sleeping bag in the morning)
and the fire was really hot, but there was still six inches of ice around
the fire, then snow. BTW, if you want to sleep soundly in such a situation,
make sure your head is covered. - H.L.
James:
For those that already own a sporting shotgun, you should know that riot-gun
barrels can be had rather inexpensively used. Many people buy a 20-22" cylinder
bore barrel with rifle sights for deer season, then sell it later. eBay commonly
has barrels selling for $100 or so, for common shotguns such as the Remington
1100, Mossberg 500, etc.
Add an extended magazine [tube] for $30, and you've got a pretty good tactical
shotgun for about half the price of a new one. Plus you can switch it back
for bird season, et cetera. - J.N.
JWR Replies: That is a great idea. IMHO, it is best
to find barrels that are threaded for screw -in choke tubes, to maximize
their employment flexibility.
OBTW, if you
hunt around, you can even find used slug barrels that already have tritium
front sights installed. As they say on Firefly: "Shiny!"
Hello,
Just a quick note to say Great Blog Column! Being prepared is important. Checklists
help a great deal. We all need a little organization. Sometimes in our quest
to prepare we forget about the immediate pressing details of ordinary life.
Here's an article I find helpful as they update with the seasons: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2002699796_checklistwinter24.html This last one is a little dated (Dec. 24) but still very much applies.
Regards, - M.R.
Jim:
Sorry about an error in my previous e-mail. After the article went out
a friend told me that he couldn't find the pack plans on thru-hiker.com. I
was
mistaken
about
where
I had seen them.
Gossamergear who the makes the GVP4 pack also posts plans for the pack on their
web site. See the link. http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/myog.html
Ray Jardine also sells a pack kit for $49.95 on his site. http://www.ray-way.com/php/order-form.php
Ah, I found it! See: http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html.
Check out the Lab 2300. The first two [designs] seem unnecessarily complicated.
I would take a close look at the last one.
My pack is 37" in
diameter by 21" tall. This gives it a volume of
about 2300 cu. in. The top pocket is not included. After looking at mine it
also
looks
complicated
but I have
added a lot of details that the basic design doesn't need to be functional.
The top pocket the water bottle pockets and the main pack body were all made
with a technique I call "boxing the corner". If you take a pillow
case a push the bottom corners to the inside and pin them flat so the bottom
of the pillow case now looks square you will see what I mean. Sometimes you
see sleeping back stuff sacks made this way. Anyway, it is a simple way to
get a three-dimensional shape.
The gray on this pack is silnylon and the green is lightweight coated oxford
nylon ( maybe 2.5 oz.) I hemmed the edges back on the silnylon before sewing
the seams to make the seams stronger and to distribute the seam loading over
more of the fabric.- Springmtnd
SurvivalBlog reader Warhawke mentioned that he recently downloaded an excellent book called "The Farmer at War" about the terrorist war in Rhodesia in the 1970s and how the farmers responded. Not a lot of detailed information but well worth the read. See: http://www.rhodesia.nl/farmeratwar.html
o o o
In yesterday's issue of the Defense Tech blog (http://www.defensetech.org/)
our buddy Noah has a snippet and a photo about the U.S. military's new
facial armor. It looks a bit reminiscent
of Star Wars storm troopers.
o o o
Yahoo News reports: "Firewood in Vogue As Oil Prices Rise." See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060205/ap_on_re_us/fashionable_firewood
o o o
Cell phone tracking, for a fee: http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/48872
o o o
The editors of Slate have issued a summary of the Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR.) The Slate editors opine: "The document envisions a world where the U.S. military's main missions are homeland defense, the war on terrorism, and "irregular" or "asymmetric" warfare (i.e., wars against enemies that are not nation-states or that use weapons and strategies, such as roadside bombs, that make the most of their relative weaknesses). Much ink is spilled in discussing these new kinds of wars and the new kinds of soldier and command structures that they require. But look at what the Pentagon is really doing, how it's spending its vast sums of money (close to $500 billion next year, not including the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan). With a few notable exceptions (most of them inexpensive), you'd think that we were still fighting the Soviet Union and that the Cold War were still raging on... For the full text of the article, see: http://www.slate.com/id/2135343/fr/rss/. And if you are a more ambitious reader, for the full text of the QDR itself (a 113 page PDF), see: http://www.defenselink.mil/qdr/report/Report20060203.pdf
"Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)." - Ayn Rand
Whenever I talk with my consulting clients, the topic of retreat
locales almost inevitably comes up. When describing their criteria
for a new retreat property they almost always say something to the effect
of: "The property has to have an existing phone line or one nearby,
so that we can have Internet service." But
these days, I'm now quick
to
point out: "That shouldn't be an issue." Why? Because
things have changed. Lots
of Asians, Europeans, and Americans now have no traditional "land
line" phone
service at all. They utilize the steadily expanding network of cellular
phone towers.
Even more crucially, reliable and affordable two-way
satellite
Internet systems are now available. Early in 2001, two companies,
DirecPC (DirecWay) and Starband, began to fill the pent-up need for two-way
satellite
Internet systems.
For
a satellite
dish
to both send and receive signals, the alignment between the dish and the
satellite must be precise. This can be a bit tricky. A few experimenters
have put these same
dishes atop RVs and fifth-wheel trailers. (See: http://eduscapes.com/mm/motosat/.)
For more information on two-way satellite Internet systems, see
these sites:
http://www.satsig.net/ivsat.htm
http://centre.telemanage.ca/links.nsf/key/Direcway
In essence, you can now put a survival retreat just about anywhere south of the Arctic Circle (or north of the Antarctic Circle) as long as there is a source of potable water. Thanks to photovoltaics and modern sine wave inverters (a la Xantrex), a connection to the power grid is not an issue. You can make your own power. The aforementioned factors open up lots of new retreat possibilities such as remote regions in the western U.S. or "The Wet" of northern Australia, and perhaps even lightly inhabited islands out in the South Pacific. Wait a minute. Do I hear ukuleles?
James:
Here is a dry topic that most people have no skill in they just rely on the old
Indian fire trick (liquid fuel on wet wood) which is wasteful, dangerous,
and teaches you nothing. My school of thought is as follows:
Carry two major tools:
2 or more - butane/flint lighters
1 - Longer life flammable (such as Hexamine fuel tablets or bars and/or a 15
minute
road
flare)
The butane lighter can be quickly dried and burns for many minutes about as well
as hundreds of strike anywhere matches in a match safe. The flint over
electrical ignition makes a bright spark which while not a real strobe is visible
in darkness. Carry several they are super cheap and easily replaced.
Flame transfer can be a pocketful of tea-lites (candles in aluminum tins), oil
and floating wick in jar, or a Hexamine Esbit stove brick. What we are looking
for
is something which will transfer enough heat into your collected fuel to dry
and
ignite it.
American style road flares can not be carried in large numbers in your pack but
in a real hypothermic emergency that pop-fizzzz and knowing you have enough
fire to light all but the wettest fuels is a comfort.
Another home brew gadget for lighting fires is carrying a short length of of
brass
tubing
with
several feet of surgical
tube (doesn't get stiff when cold) to blow air to feed a small flame if you can
get it started with matches/sparks. The Coleman battery-powered air mattress
inflaters also work for this application. Some aluminum foil can help concentrate
heat in a tiny
incipient fire, practice using it.
Have a good supply of replacement generators (vaporization tube) gaskets and
pump cups. In my experience leather is the best because it rots less than
rubber. In my opinion Pellgunoil (intended for air gun lubrication) is the
best oil for anywhere on your lamp.
I personally have run kerosene for several years in my Coleman dual fuel (unleaded
gasoline/Coleman fuel) lanterns, use this info at your own risk light
is not
as bright as the generator jet is optimized for gasoline/white-gas/Coleman
fuel. Everclear/ethanol is good for cleaning out gunked generators, they can
often be rebuilt. Coleman used to make a pin pricker tool for opening the jet
orifice as well as unscrewing the generator, buy several wrap in foil and wire
to the lantern. If running kerosene, diesel, or jet fuel in your lanterns (at
your own risk) have a lighter or squirt bottle of alcohol to preheat the generator
especially in very cold weather.
Most of this advice can be transferred to liquid fuel stoves.
You can make a replacement crystal from steel window screen. Proper sized jar
can be etched and hot/cold cut if you break your lantern crystal.
Reinforce your mantle with a coil of steel wire anchored to the tubing or generator
for longer life.- Anon.
Hi Jim,
I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who is considering purchasing
a wind turbine to generate electricity for his house. He has a constant breeze
at his hilltop location. I told him I didn't think it would be a good idea
because they require a lot of maintenance. Any input would be appreciated.
Blessings, - Find 1
JWR Replies: I only recommend wind generators for locales that are both windy and cloudy, and/or that have minimal solar exposure. The cost per watt is so low for photovoltaic (PV) panels these days that they make more sense in nearly all areas. The maintenance for PVs is trivial compared to wind generators. Also keep in mind that there are safety hazards involved (tower climbing. lightning strikes, et cetera), and that wind generators are surprisingly noisy when in operation.
James:
Regarding your reply to Jerry T., who was interested in purchasing junk
silver... For those of us who can't afford (or don't wish to purchase) $1,000
bags, there
is an alternative: eBay. Search for "silver dime roll" (or a similar
search phrase for other denominations) and you'll find tons of them for sale.
To simplify the bidding process, use eSni