1776PatriotUSA.com

Category: Preparedness

  • Electronic Survival Library – opportunity

    Electronic Survival Library – opportunity

    I have been working on the latest incarnation of my electronic survival library. Using a Kindle Fire 7″ tablet I’ve loaded it with many books, magazines, manuals, guides,PDF’s – and even movies and TV shows. The goal of the project is to put together an electronic information system easily charged via solar and can be used for both reference and entertainment.

    So far I’m really pleased with the Kindle. It is full color and handles all the media I have thrown at it. I can load it with a multiple of video files as well as PDF’s. A big advantage over similar devices is its ability to take mini-SD cards.  These small storage devices can holds thousands of books and such. The one I am using now is a 32 gb version though I will likely upgrade to a 64 or 128 gb model.

    [slideshow_deploy id=’2009′]

    If interested in the concept right now is the perfect time. Amazon has the same Kindle Fire I am using – and others – on sale. Their Fire 7″ model is only $39.99. What a bargain. At this price it would be worth getting two.

    A more detailed description of what I have done and how will be coming in the future.

    JR

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  • Panhandle Ranchers Jeep Weapons Mount

    Panhandle Ranchers Jeep Weapons Mount

     

    I’m of that generation who drove old pickup trucks to school at age 14 (yes, we had paper driver’s licenses at that age and before, way back then) with rifles and shotguns suspended from a rack behind the seat blocking the rear glass. There were no crew cabs and the pickup trucks had single bench seats. Every truck in the school parking lot displayed at least one rifle and many had fishing rods as well. Without even noticing it, those trucks sporting rifle racks in plain view – all disappeared.

    I didn’t give vehicle mounted rifle racks much attention until my first African safari. We were hunting the Big Five with double rifles, a .458 Lott bolt action rifle, and a light rifle in .300 Win Mag. Those of you who were raised reading about Karamojo Bell (Walter D.M. Bell), probably liked reading the White Snows of Kilimanjaro and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Hemingway, and know that a good double rifle in such a venerable caliber as .470 NE is likely more expensive than the median house in the US. So I had a good look at the rifle racks in the Toyota Land Cruiser pick up truck before entrusting my rifles to their safekeeping. Furthermore I knew we would be bouncing across equatorial east Africa, as there were no roads other than the ruts we might make. That opinion was amplified by observing two spare sets of leaf springs and three spare tires mounted to the roll cage.

    So what kind of rack would one entrust their rifle valued at six figures in these circumstances? The vehicle was equipped with several sturdily fabricated rifle mounts using 1” angle iron and rebar. In the cab, two sections of half inch rebar were bent into a U shape and welded at the outside bottom of the U to the angle iron separated by about 14”. Two of these mounts were affixed vertically in the cab. The U sections were then wrapped repetitively with a strip of inner tube with a piece left hanging from one end of the U long enough to wrap several times around the other open end of the U and back. Simple, strong, capable of being easily repaired, and durable. Similar, but larger size rifle mounts were affixed horizontally on the transverse portion of the roll cage. These mounts were intended to secure rifles inside lined canvas cases thus protected from dirt and debris. These mounts served me well during this hunt and subsequent with the same PH.

    When planning a rifle mount for my trusty Jeep TEOTWAWKI, I first considered duplicating those used in Africa. I wanted a mount that would hold two rifles vertically between the front bucket seats, TEOTWAWKI however did not have the room up front of those one ton Toyota trucks. The standard gearshift and transfer case shift levers were in the way and I had mounted a metal box between the seats for a duplicate ignition system, alternator, and tools). I considered all sorts of placements for the rifle rack but wanted my M1A easily accessible while driving.

    Living in hunt country where four wheelers and side-by-sides abound, I realized a lot of thought had been put into designing rifle mounts for these type vehicles. Given the space constraints and design goal, none looked as if they could be mounted directly to the TEOTWAWKI. I purchased a set of Kolpin Rhino Grips intended for two rifles (see www.kolpin.com/powersports/hunt/rhino-grip-xl-double) with the intent of fabricating a custom mount for these rifle grips.

    I ended up fabricating a lower mount adapter out of a one inch angle iron welded transverse to a strip of 1 ½”x ¼” flat iron that would bolt to the floorboard. This piece of flat iron was drilled in three places in the vertical section and tapped for 7/16 x24 tpi bolts (the size and thread of two thumbscrews I had on hand). A three inch piece of one end was bent and drilled to bolt to the floorboard. The transverse angle portion would then be bolted to two pieces of metal in turn bolted to the sides of the metal box between the seats. I then welded a five inch piece of angle transverse to a 1 ½” x ¼ flat, 16” in length and drilled three 3/8” holes. The holes in both flat iron pieces were located so that the upper mount could be secured by the 7/16” thumbscrews in either a raised or lowered position.

    The mount provides a secure way to mount driver and front passenger accessible rifles. If leaving the open top vehicle, a bicycle type chain lock can be used to secure the rifles to the vehicle by running the wire rope through the open actions and looping around the welded lower mount. The way in which the lower mount is bolted to the floorboard would require removing the lower transmission support for access to the nuts. Any cable can be cut and I loathe leaving rifles in plain sight, but this at least provides a measure of security.

    I hope this brief article perhaps gives some ideas as how to transport rifles in your vehicle. Should you employ such a mount, I recommend knowing and complying with your state and local laws, especially before picking up the kiddos at school and with two M14s proximately displayed between the seats.

    Please be careful and responsible with accessible vehicle mounted rifles and in all things, adopt Davy Crockett’s motto.

    Panhandle Rancher

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    GearBest HUGE Flashlight Sale

  • What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

    What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

    Not a whole lot accomplished this week…..

    • Accepted delivery of a CIMA Fixed Edge Knife from GearBest.com. I ordered it about 3 weeks ago and sitting on my table top it is awesome. Similar to the HX I recently reviewed the CIMA is a handy knife with a blade the is extremely sharp. Not planning to do a full testing & evaluation on the CIMA. Think I will just add to the collection. At around $21 with free shipping may get another.

    CIMA

     

    • Picked up some fishing poles and supplies. My youngest just turned 13 and wanted a new pole. I kinda went overboard and bought him a nice one and decided to do the same for me. I’ll be fishing on the Catawba SUnday morning.

     

    • Don’t forget to enter the latest giveaway. Info can be found HERE. ends the 13th.

     

    So – what have you done this past week?

    JR

  • Panhandle Rancher……Travel Kit

    Panhandle Rancher……Travel Kit

     

    Rourke: The Panhandle Rancher sent this in recently. Thanks PR!!
    Readers might be interested in the amount of equipment the wife and I travel with. Depending on how far/where we travel, the M4/M1A is traded out so that we just travel with one long rifle. My EDC includes a 1911 platform, Surefire Chroma, Emerson folder, 4″fixed blade, fire materials, and compass. I’ve laminated the attached list and stored in the safe so that if someone steals the truck, I at least have a list of serial numbers for law enforcement and a list of overall contents for my claim to USAA.
    When leaving the country, we always add a case of bottled water and a dozen cans or so of our favorite soups and the like against the off chance of getting stranded somewhere. Our backpacks, of course, contain a number of freeze-dried foods and re-packaged lifesavers (a comfort food).
    The metal box is a top end commercial box with two sets of chains bolted to the inside of the lid and sides so that the lid can be further secured apart from the factory lock with two internal padlocks through the chains. The big risk with any truck mounted metal box is someone dropping a chain around the box and yanking it from the bed using their vehicle and then making off with the whole box. My metal box was ordered to fit and is snug against the sides of the bed. The top is also 2″ below the bedsides, again making it hard for the yank it off artist. Of course, I used carriage bolts and large washers so there is no bolt head under the truck bed for a wrench.
    Hope this helps someone.

     

    Contents of metal storage container bolted to truck bed

    Green Blackhawk rifle case containing:

    Bushmaster 5.56x45NATO Model XM15E2S s/n xxx with

    Trijicon ACOG 4×32, Tenebraex kill flash, flip lens caps, NV rail adapter

    LaserLyte LED sight (flat, rail mount)

    Note: rifle has Picatinny rail top, no iron sights, recoil tube single point

    sling adapter, single point green sling

    30 rd magazines x3, 20 rd magazine, eyeglasses,

    100 rd .45acp, M4 bayonet, and sheath, flex cleaning kit in black zip round bag

     

    Ruger takedown 10-22 rifle black rifle case containing:

    Bushmaster Carbon 15 pistol 5.56x45NATO s/n xxx

    Picatinny rail with ‘iron’ sights, LaserDevices IR light s/n xxx

    xxx reflex sight, Tapco single point sling adapter and sling

    30 rd magazines x5, 20 rd magazine

    Leica Ultravid HD binoculars 8×32, s/n xxx

    Gerber AA red led light with sling

     

    Springfield M1A SOCOM black fiberglass stock with 12” rail s/n xxx

    Plate Carrier with 20 round M14 magazines x6; 1911 magazines x2, IFAK, dump bag

    .50 US ammo can marked M1A/M14 travel kit, containing:

    20 rd M14 magazines x8

    cleaning supplies and spares

    MICH US combat helmets x2 with flip up NVG monocular adapter

     

    Long US military ammunition can containing:

    Blackhawk tactical pistol holster with .45acp magazines x4 and tac web belt

    Brunton magnetic compass (surveyor grade) s/n xxx

    Leica Geovid binoculars 10×42 s/n xxx

    1 bag of batteries, CR 123, N, AA, AAA, 2032, A23

    Voodoo tactical notebook

    NVD-PVS-14+P pinnacle autogated military NVG monocular

    cage 36ZQ7 s/n xxx

    Picatinny rail adapter for NVD

    Face camo x3

    foam earplugs

    2 LED light, clip on

    Surefire Millennium Combat Light with

    white diffuser adapter and red lens adapter

    Surefire SF IR illuminator with rail adapter

    Surefire light spares containers x2 with CR123s and bulbs

     

    Hoppe’s gun cleaning tubes and bag of patches

    EI Zeta pistol light/laser combo with rail mount s/n xxx

    Cylume IR chemlights x3

    Celox blood clotting compound

    Yaesu VX-6R VHF/UHF H/T in yellow pelican box s/n xxx

    Antenna, adapters, power chargers

    Baofeng UV5RA VHF/UFH H/T in yellow pelican box s/n xxx

    Antenna, adapters, power chargers

    Garmin 530 FRS/GMRS H/T with GPS s/n xxx, LiOn battery, AA adapter

    Garmin 530 FRS/GMRS H/T with GPS s/n xxx, LiOn battery, AA adapter

    Version 2

    12 VDC truck battery jumper cables

    50’ Lariat

    48” Bolt Cutters

    Badlands Summit backpack with mountaineering tent, sleeping bag, qt canteensx4, men’s Filson clothing including oilskin coat with wool liner, Katadyn pocket water filter, titanium cookware and cups, gill net, take down fishing pole and reel, misc. fishing supplies, Silva compass, WAC aviation charts, road maps, topo charts, camp ax, 6” blade knife, misc. camping equipment.

    Backpack with women’s clothing and black zip flex weapon cleaning kit

    Danner boots, men, size 13

    Browning kangaroo leather women’s boots size 5 ½

    Irwin combination tool set 3/8 and ¼” drive socket set

     

    Bag, black with miscellaneous tools including hydraulic jack

    Cloth-backed woven ripstop nylon mat 8×10’, greenish brown with green liner

    200 rounds .45acp in plastic boxes

    Beta magazine for M4/Carbon15 (100 rounds 5.56×45, rotary)

    Chest rig containing 30 round M4 magazines x 6, IFAK, Dump bag

    Gerber folding shovels x2

    Surgical kit, Celox bandages, Israeli tourniquet, x2

    3/8” nylon climbing rope, carabineers, wedges, etc.

    Hearing protectors, muff style x2 (unused, new)

    36” handle single bit Plumb ax

    Gerber machete

    Flexicuffs

     

  • What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

    What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

    The most major accomplishment this week was a “Tactical Response” class I attended with Prepper Ralph(my co-host on The Patriot Podcast). This class was offered by Wolf-Fire Firearms based in Mooresville, NC. The class was held Saturday. Weather was extremely hot (over 90 degrees) and humidity was high.

    Four people total took the class. Safety was always emphasized. Rules were in place where firearms were kept between sessions. Shooting using different grips, stances, while moving, behind cover, etc. was covered.

    Below is a clip of myself running up to engage a threat located on the other side of the barrels. I had to shoot around the left side single-handed which is not my forte but I did well.

    I had a great time and instructor David Stutts is informative, patient, and thorough.

    I was very happy with my performance. Hits on target were consistent. I feel my skill has progressed and my overall comfort with my firearms – especially the carbine – is getting closer to where I want it.

    Also during the week I did a thorough cleaning on all my guns. It was long overdue.

    So – what have you done this past week?

    JR

     

  • Take Action: Guns. Magazines, Ammunition versus Gun Control

    Take Action: Guns. Magazines, Ammunition versus Gun Control

    This is the first of a new ongoing series – Take Action – which will emphasize a very specific action to take based on my recommendations. The recommendation may be due to current events, predictable future events, or just importance for preparation.

    Recommended Action: Secure supplies of firearms, ammunition, and magazines as soon as possible.

    This first Take Action recommendation is related to firearms.  Ever since Barack Obama won the Presidency there have been a massive run on guns, ammunition, and magazines. Year after year historical sales have awarded Obama “Gun Salesman of the Year”. The reality is little has been accomplished on the gun control front  certainly not due to a lack of desire. A Republican Congress, the NRA, and a vocal gun owners have stopped gun control efforts in their tracks.

    Enter: Hillary Clinton.

    Watch at least the first couple minutes of the video below:

    Hillary leaves little doubt of her desires to remove guns from the hands of law abiding citizens. I will be the first to admit that I fell victim myself to “panic talk” and believing that after Sandy Hook serious gun control measures were likely going to be implemented. I am not ashamed as I took what I felt were logical steps to secure my supplies. With the potential election of Hillary Clinton I see right now as no different.

    July 25th marks the Democrat National Convention.  I believe that once Hillary is the official nominee it will just be a matter of time before the next massive sales run on guns, ammunition and magazines will begin. Thus my recommendation to secure any needed firearms, ammunition and magazines NOW. Once the run starts prices will go up and supply may dwindle depending on how likely it is for her Hillary to win the election.

    There are many that say Hillary cannot accomplish her gun control desires due to Congress will not pass such laws. Folks – I don’t make plans on what is likely or what should happen. I make logical and fact-based decisions on relevant possibilities taking into consideration the impact the event will have on my life. I agree that Hillary likely will not be able to accomplish Australia-like gun confiscation but who knows? What if the makeup of Congress moves way Left? What if there are a series of mass shootings and there is an outcry for gun control?

    Who knows?

    Recommendations to Take Action:

    1. Purchase any firearms you wish to own as soon as possible at the current prices.
    2. Purchase firearms “off the books” via private sale if at all possible.
    3. Purchase ammunition for any firearms you have as much as you can afford.
    4. Purchase extra magazines for all firearms you own in quantities.

    That’s it. Not rocket science. The four above steps will help cushion the blow of any future implemented gun control.

    Thoughts?

    Rourke

     

    If you have enjoyed this article and would like to receive email notifications when new posts are published – feel free to subscribe for email updates. No SPAM will be sent to you.

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    From the Supply Depot:

    Anker 21W Portable Solar Panel – highly rated portable charging solution. Includes 2.1A USB outlets for charging cell phones. ALso great for charging batteries of all kinds.

    Chili Mac MH Freeze Dried Food – my favorite

    Becker BK9 – THE BEAST of the knife world.

    The Pocket Fisherman – a classic that is fun and actually works!

    YAESU FT-1900R Ham Radio – powerful option from a quality company.

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    Looking for Preparedness Supplies? Check out the Fantastic Monthly Sale at Emergency Essentials.

    Emergency Essentials has been an industry leader for over 25 years. Excellent service and prices have kept them leader of the pack.

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    From food storage products to camping supplies Emergency Essentials carries it all.

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    Looking for AR magazines? 

    Magpul PMAG 30 round AR Magazines (1)

     

  • What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

    What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

    This week was I spent a lot of time trialing my Sawyer Bucket Kit and enjoyed the success. Most important thing in putting the kit together is screwing the Sawyer on TIGHT. If not strong enough per instructions use a pair of pliers or channel locks.

    Spent some time testing an 80% lower. I am very happy to report that it worked great.  I installed a complete lower parts kit and stock/buffer tube. No extended testing but it shot great. The lower came from 80-lower.com.

    Here are a few pictures:

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    20160527_194400 2016-05-28 22.41.08

     

    ……and a picture of me while on the range testing the 80% lower.

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    So – what have you done this past week?

    JR

  • Win with GearBest and 1776PatriotUSA.com

    Win with GearBest and 1776PatriotUSA.com

    I am pleased to offer up a great giveaway sponsored by GearBest.com.

    There are 5 items listed. You can choose which item you think would make the best gift for the coming Father’s Day or you can pick up other items in the Make Summer Perfect with GearBest.

     

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    1 – Nextorch UL360 Handy LED Camping Light – Special Price: $20.89 with Coupon: NULGB

     

     

    2 – Manker E14 1400 Lumen Nichia 219B Mini EDC LED Flashlight – Special Price: $42.99 with Coupon: ME14GB

    20160523105938_82428

     

    3 – HX Outdoors Survival Knife – Special Price: $37.99 with Coupon: HXDJ

    hx

     

    4 – Fenix UC01 45 Lumen Nichia LED Keychain Light

    1463596563978430994

     

    5 – Boruit LT-069 5000 Lumen CREE T6 Bicycle LED Headlamp Pack

    1461851197970878632

    How to Enter: Write a comment below with the item (number) you want.

    One winner will be picked via random number generator on June 2nd.  The prize will be the item win most votes (under $60).

     

    Good luck!!!

    JR

     

     

     

  • Q & A Day…..gardening, Reagan, magazines, recipes, and Tom Selleck

    Q & A Day…..gardening, Reagan, magazines, recipes, and Tom Selleck

    Alright folks – another installment of “Q & A Day”. Basically, ask me a question and I will give you an answer. It can be about pretty much anything – politics, firearms, current events, survival, preparedness, and “At the movie theater which armrest is yours?” – whatever.

    Looking through last week’s questions thought I would mention a couple things here:

    • goingray58 asked about snares. Click HERE for a free downloadable book on the subject. Looks decent.
    • goingray58 was on a roll and asked about a bivvy bag. I have a MSS(Military Sleep System) and love it. The individual components can be purchased separately including the outer waterproof bivvy.

    Go ahead – “make my day.”

    JR

     

    mylar bags, survival, food storage, preparedness
     

  • Panhandle Rancher: The Value of Multiple Income Streams and other Musings

    Panhandle Rancher: The Value of Multiple Income Streams and other Musings

     

    Two is one, one is none, this applies to most things in life except wives where multiples can cause unimaginable problems, but it certainly applies to streams of wealth.

    We often get caught up in working for someone rather than for ourselves. Uncle Sam gave me a comfortable life with the right amount of travel and excitement. I lived long enough to collect a supposed secure and generous retirement. I thank each you who toil daily in order to keep my retirement check in the mail, regular.

    It is start up businesses that create real wealth and the capacity to underwrite reasonable risk goes hand in hand with those start ups. Back when I was more foolish, I looked to the various markets for financial security. I had something called ‘laddered investments’ in the bond market with hundreds of munis and thought I was doing well. Thankfully, I got out of that mess, got out of the commodity and the stock markets, and put surplus monies into businesses of my own invention. When I look back, I shudder at the unwitting risk I had underwritten with those so-called investments. Several of my laddered investments were with cities or municipal developments that are now bankrupt. How was I to know? Who had ever heard of a city project in this great country going bankrupt? I didn’t even think it was possible. We all know better now. 

    For those thinking you are secure with your multiple market investment strategies, I urge each to consider the sad case of Enron (not to be confused with emrods but depending upon your investment strategy, one may begat the other). One could have performed all of the due diligence possible before committing to invest in Enron. One could have read every market analysis, every company report, every audit report, and from these, rightfully conclude Enron a good business in which to invest. And been flat wrong. You would have been underwriting an allied version of insidious risk, just as did I with the laddered munis. You ‘assumed’ Enron company officials and its auditors were honest. Only the most insider of insider knowledge could have let you see the real risk with Enron , and we all know trading based upon inside knowledge is illegal. Corrupt company officials using a corrupt auditing firm ran Enron. That was the real risk.

    Seek motive in all things financial. Consider the common fishing lure, a fake fish food whose appearance is intended to induce fish salivation (but not their salvation). We all probably have hula poppers, jitterbugs, spinners, and the like in our tackle boxes. So what is the purpose of these lures? To catch fish, you might remark. Catching fish is in reality but a sideline of the fishing lure business. The real purpose of fishing lures is to remove money from your pocket and put it into the pockets of those who manufacture fishing lures. The catching of fish is but a fortunate byproduct.

    That broker urging you to buy this or that stock is likely getting a huge kickback from each offering be they great, average, or poor, and the poorest of offerings may have the greatest kickback. His real motive is not to make you wealthy with wise investments, instead it is to move money from your pocket into his pocket. Folks no matter how nice or friendly he might be, that broker is not your friend; he is your financial enemy. Big market returns are all about underwriting risk.

    I had qualified to invest in a few IPOs and for the most part they turned out well – except for one that rapidly went belly up and sucked away profits from the others. As a producer of commodities, I naturally moved from the stock markets into the commodity market where leverage can get one into serious financial difficulties. This is the realm of puts and calls, of splits and straddles – and of margin calls. My investment risks increased, but also the potential for profit. I discovered investing with the CBT required even greater personal maturity, self-control, discipline, and knowledge of the natural and national forces driving the production and selling of commodities.

    Approaching my fifth decade and full of the world’s wisdom (or so I thought), we risked everything, bet the ranch, bet our house, bet our so called investments, and laid everything on the line to drill an oil well at the ranch. I was so stupid. I hadn’t a clue as to the immense risks we had just underwritten. All I could envision was Jett Rink with his nice toys (from the movie GIANT) and the Ewing’s of that movie series DALLAS. In fact, greatest risk we were underwriting was also the most insidious. You see, the pursuit of immense wealth put our very souls at risk.

    God blessed my family (or so it seemed) and we struck natural gas and oil… and again, and again, and again. We now fit my boyhood image of what being rich really was. The kids became young adults. The daughter was off to SMU and partied with the Highland Park crowd. We dined at the Fort Worth Petroleum Club. I realized our lives were out of control when one day the daughter remarked she wouldn’t go out with a boy unless he spent at least $500 on the date. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, I thought. I didn’t spend that much in total while dating the wife. It wasn’t long until a pickup truck pulling a trailer appeared at her nice apartment. With gnashing of teeth and other troubles, the daughter was whisked away from her smart rich friends and enrolled in my much less hoity-tioty, alma mater (and she now admits dad was right after all).

    As a lad, being raised during the Great Depression (my parents were stuck in the mentality of those times), I lived what I thought was life being poor. I would grow up to remark that I was raised in a culturally and socially impoverished culture (a small dusty west Texas cow town where the new fangled blinking red light was called the ‘electric stop sign’). My parents never wasted a thing; it was used until past dead and likely then would be put back against the possibility of ‘hard times.’ I knew that I never wanted to see those hard times my parents were always talking about. My friends all lived in nicer houses, wore better clothes, they took exciting vacations. All we ever did was toil, toil, toil. I now realize my parents were actually wealthier than my richer friends.

    I was raised in a Christian family full of love. No greater legacy can be given to a child. Never had I cause to doubt, that my parents always had my best interests at heart. It wasn’t until dad died that I realized he and mom were really very wealthy and had been all along. They didn’t trust banks very much and kept just enough in the local bank so the banker would acknowledge them when passing on the street. Looking back on those days, I realize mom and dad were far smarter than their only son, and likely smarter than most living today.

    I’ve since almost completely renounced that ‘good life of worldly riches.’ We have real estate properties but nary a creditor with a nose on the fence line. Some assets were converted to specie; others re-invested, not in markets but in people with solid intangibles, some whose whole lives are invested in the execution of our Great Commission. In so many ways, we are now ‘poor’ just like my parents. The children have a good start in life. The best daughter (my only one, hence the appellation best), is a physician engaged to a surgeon; the son runs a heavy equipment dealership. My affairs, when finally placed in God’s generous hands, turned just like they should. I finally became mature enough to recognize all the things claimed as mine, were in fact responsibilities God had trusted me to with, to use and to invest wisely (Matt 25:14-30).

    There are all kinds of wealth, but the very best result from intangible untouchables, love, charity, compassion, generosity, these and so many similar superlatives are all measures of real wealth. “…we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18.

    Health is such a wonderful wealth and is oft overlooked until gone. Good health is one of the very best of income streams, if only because of the expense stream poor health generates).

    Those over 30 should get to a physician on an annual basis for a physical and blood analysis. I hope you have had regular dental care and cleaning from the days of your youth. If not there is nothing like doing getting it done today. I was fortunate thirty years ago to be part of a pilot program that put every one of us males on a low dose of Lipitor (generic Atorvastatin), regardless of cholesterol levels. A few years ago, the doctor recommended Fenofibrate for triglycerides. Fish oil capsules help keep one regular when riding in vehicles a lot or bouncing on a tractor seat (tends toward compaction or is it, impaction – bricks regardless). 

    Having experienced my fair share of broken bones and other trauma, I discovered by actual trial, that OsteoBiflex at least twice a day has a remarked benefit in that fingers and kneecaps (that have been broken) move almost pain free. After only a few weeks without Osteobiflex, my finger joints are almost locked up and I can move them only in pain. For me this is a wonderful product.

    Blood pressure has been called the silent killer, as there is little effect until that major event known as an infarction. Cut down on salt. Get proper medication if your blood pressure is regularly high. We’ve gradually eliminated added salt from our diet, recognizing we receive more than we need from processed foods. Heart healthy baby aspirin (many are coated so as to pass into the intestine to avoid any so-called heartburn) once a day can help prevent clots in blood that may cause stroke – what a cheap preventative. 

    All the money in the world, all the food in the world, all the toys in the world, are little good without robust health. We have access to the best medical care in the history of our species. I think us fools not to avail ourselves of that care on a regular basis. There are few better investments.

    I always thought I’d die a traumatic death in some overseas hellhole. Yet here I am pecking out this sentence. I managed to retire at age 50, retire again a few years later, and then retire once more. Today finds me looking for something meaningful to do, something that adds to the good in this world. Sure I’ve lots of physical work, of that there is no apparent end. Yesterday I put out three fruit trees, two pecan trees, and some blue spruce. Today, there’s fence to build and to mend. The wife even ended up with new redbud and dogwood trees and the garden is doing well. That kind of work is not what I seek. 

    Bismarck in Germany invented the concept of retirement. He thought it ought to be at age 70 (when most of his generation of that time and locale only lived until mid 40s). Now too many have bought into living the good life, but only at the end of life. Folks, now are the times of your lives. Live for today. Live for the day. Set aside a surplus of resources against an uncertain future sure, but don’t keep waiting until some magical retirement age to live the good life. Most of you reading this live in the richest civilization in the history of mankind, under for the most part, an enlightened government. Thanks to the sacrifices of our ancestors and the gifts of a most generous and gracious God, we amongst all who have ever lived, are indeed most blessed.

    This I know, there’s nothing quite so honorable and quite so wise, be ye rich or be ye poor, as he living within his own means.

    It is human nature to look at the wealthy as being better in some way, more intelligent, more handsome, more beautiful, even more, lucky (and as a Christian, I don’t subscribe to the concept of luck in our lives). Many of those we envy aren’t worth adoration. I can’t think of a national politician I’d invite to my home, or popular singer, or popular movie actor for that matter. There are generous patrons of all things good in our society. Our civilization produces more of these good people than any other in history. In reality, I suspect most of the really wealthy are driven people whose Midas like quest always for more, has driven out all in their lives that was once good and decent. Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem, RICHARD COREY, offers us a glimpse of that human condition.

    Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matt 6:34).

    Panhandle Rancher

  • Prepper Ralph on Bug Out Bags

    Prepper Ralph on Bug Out Bags

    Rourke: This post was originally published over at ThePatriotPodcast and written by my co-host Prepper Ralph.

     

    By Prepper Ralph

    So to begin with… Bug Out Bags(BOBs) are meant to let you leave on a moment’s notice with no questions asked and escape to a safe place or at least one less dangerous. Hopefully you’ll have a Bug Out Location(BOL) picked and you may even have considered hiding some supplies or a weapon w/ ammunition there. BOBs are meant to be lightweight, efficient in what their purpose is, and have as much equipment as is needed to see you through an initial SHTF/Unrest period. The Federal Gov’t through FEMA and also Red Cross states that 3 days of supplies should be enough to see you through whatever disaster there is until you can receive help. That help will typically be some sort of gov’t assistance(handout) and in the case of Katrina, took sometimes weeks or months to get to you. I personally recommend 1 week’s worth of supply, or the ability to procure it. So here is my list of the top things you would need in a BOB to keep you ready to go.

    1) The bag… do not go cheap. As you know, I use the Spec-Ops Brand UAP(Ultimate Assault Pack) for mine. I highly recommend either you get one of these, or a similar bag of similar quality. Maxpedition makes a good one, Condor has brought out a “Pro” line of gear, and there are many more. If nothing else, go surplus and get a US Marine’s ILBE pack.

    Spec Ops Ultimate Assault Pack

    2) A Full tang knife between 5-7 inches long in the blade. I like Ka-Bar, Ontario makes great ones, Benchmade… the list goes on and on. Do not go cheap on this as this will in many cases be your primary tool. Make sure it is a good quality steel that is at a minimum High Carbon Steel

    3) 7 strand mil-spec paracord. I suggest anywhere from 100-200 feet of it in a dark or earth tone color. Other’s like bankline, and that would work great as well, but consider this… With 1 foot of paracord, you get a total of 7 feet worth of 50# tensile strength cordage. It simply makes sense.

    4) Shelter options. G0 light weight with this. I prefer a tarp set up and keep 2 ready to go in the trunk of my car. There are literally hundreds of ways to use them, and several uses outside of shelter as well. Either way, it needs to be lightweight. I’d suggest a 6×8 minimum and no larger than 10×8. You could also use a hammock setup as well.

    5) Your cooking setup needs to be durable, but lightweight as well. I use a simple stainless steel pot and cup with a lid that fits both. My cookset cost less than $20 and is capable of being used directly in a fire.

    6) Fire making is pretty simple and a no brainer. Buy Bic lighters and buy a lot of em. I keep several in my pack, my car, and all over the place at home. Survival is all about making life easier on your trek, not just living through it. An instant flame is just common sense. Carry also a good quality medium sized ferrocerium rod, and matches as well. I would use the Bic until it died, then the ferro rod. The matches would be my last hope.

    7) Finally self defense. We are talking about survival, not a camping trip. Have yourself a good quality handgun in your pack or on your person, 2 extra mags at least, as well as another 100 rounds to replenish. I would suggest you have available at least 4 extra mags, other than the one in your weapon. Don’t use FMJ’s in your weapon since they provide the least amount of damage and transfer of injury. Use a quality HP round that you can test and insure that it work in your weapon. Remington, Federal, and Hornady are good ones, with Independence and some other’s being cheaper. A compact folding rifle in .22LR or 9mm would also be ideal, but it adds a lot more weight to your pack.

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    8) Water… Have a few water bottles full, but don’t worry about toting water as it weighs about 8# per gallon. With everything in your BOB and on your person, you can filter or sanitize water easily. You could also try a Sawyer Mini filter, Lifestraw, or the water tablets to purify it. Either way, this is going to be lightweight and minimal.

    9) Food is pretty easy. Something dehydrated so that all you have to do is add hot water. Mountain House, Patriot Pantry, Thrive, Wise and several others make great food. Even something as simple as a flavored rice pack would be perfect. Have enough to last a week so 14 meals/servings will be perfect. Knowing what to forage along your route, as well as hunting/fishing can help you but food isn’t a main priority here – getting to your location is.

    10) Cash should be kept and I would recommend $100 in smalls. 1’s, 5’s and 10’s only. No silver and no gold.

    11) Pics of your family/loved ones. You may be able to provide a pic to the police or first responders if you can’t find your family.

    12) A secure, encrypted flash drive with your personal information on it. Photo copied ID cards, SS Card, Medical info, insurance info etc. goes on this.

    13) An extra phone charger… Duh! Add in an external battery power pack as well and you should be good. I would HIGHLY suggest you start using a smart phone. Android is the most popular system to use followed by the various Iphone models. If you have a new android, it can be encrypted and you can save hours of music, videos, GPS maps, pictures, and all the info on your flashdrive as well. It’s what I do. Plus you have internet, phone, text and voice messaging you can use, and in most cases a flashlight is built in.

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    14) A compass with a quality and up to date street level map. I keep a book of the entire state, as well as a folding map of the region I live in.

    15) A good quality flashlight that is lightweight but very bright. Make it a simple one with off/on only. No need in a strobe effect. Streamlight, Olight, and many more would be perfect. Carry a pack of extra batteries as well.

    16) 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear, and 1 package of sanitary wet wipes.

    17) Finally your medkit. It has dozens of uses and can be a whole other subject on it’s own. Should care for things from Major trauma, to boo boos and pain. If you want a good suggestion on what I carry, look up my posting on my personal IFAK.

    All in all, this pack and it’s contents together should weigh less than 30#. Hope this helps and if you need advice on what to get, let me know via commenting below.

    Thanks – Ralph

    Hey! Check out my new YouTube Channel….

     

     

  • Adapting a Sawyer Mini Water Filter for Bucket Use

    Adapting a Sawyer Mini Water Filter for Bucket Use

    Appreciate the interest that has been shown regarding the Sawyer Mini Water Filter Bucket Kit. I have enjoyed using the Sawyer. It is simple to operate, reliable, and is a great value. The biggest drawback of the Sawyer is using it with multiple people. It can be done but you’re either all sucking on the same straw or using a lot of time and energy filling small bags or bottles with dirty water and squeezing through the filter. I figured there had to be a better way to use this great filter.

    Enter: the Sawyer Bucket Kit.

    This simple kit adapts the Sawyer for bucket use. Once a hole is drilled in the supply bucket the components are assembled(instructions included) – and then the Sawyer is attached. That’s it.

    Currently, the needed drill bit is not included as I didn’t want to add the expense for something that people may have already. Regardless – any local Harbor Freight, Home Depot or Lowe’s carries the bit and of course Amazon.

    Here is one of my most recent trials with the Sawyer Bucket Kit.

     

    #1: Started with a bucket and threw in a bunch of dirt and added a couple gallons of water.

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    #2: Used a towel as a pre-filter to remove the larger particles.

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    #3: Towel caught a lot of crap. A finer pre-filter for capturing more of the larger particles would be suggested(coffee filters good for this).

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    #4: Below is the water ready to go through the Sawyer.

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    #5: Filtering operation in progress.

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    #6: Close up of the stream of filtered water exiting the filter.

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    #7:  This is what the non-filtered water looked like sitting in the bucket.

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    #8: Filtered water is crystal clear.

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    I was pretty happy with the results. I was interested in seeing how well the water flowed from the bucket through the Sawyer as well as what the water would look like afterward. I was not surprised that the water looked crystal clear after all that is what is supposed to happen. Flow rate was excellent at around 5-6 gallons an hour.

    I drank the entire glass of filtered water and found it had no off-taste and tasted like….well…..water. Granted this test was dealing really with only sediment and suspended particles in water. I have no way of knowing about potential pathogens or bacteria but I am still alive so I consider the test a success.

    Currently, the kit is priced at $10.99 with free shipping. This is an introductory rate and will likely go up to $12.00 which I think is still a bargain. A 2-pack is only $16.99. Add the Sawyer Mini Water Filter for less than $22 and a high volume filtration system can be put together for around $30. Not bad.

    You can visit the 1776PatriotUSA Survival & Preparedness Store to order.

    Thanks

    Rourke

  • REMINDER: Emergency Essentials May 2016 Sale

    REMINDER: Emergency Essentials May 2016 Sale

    May’s awesome Emergency Essentials monthly sale is almost over with some products discounted over 50%. This is truly an opportune time to stock up if finances will provide.

    Most hear “Emergency Essentials” and think food storage. While they are an industry leader in food storage solutions they are much more. They carry a variety of preparedness products including solar and alternative energy, water filtration, and all kinds of other survival great items. They even offer monthly food storage plans with an auto-ship feature.

    Here are a few examples from the Emergency Essentials April sale:

    Aged Wisconsin Mac and Cheese 2 Gallon Bucket – Reg. $69.99 / SALE: $34.99

    Peanut Butter Powder Large Can – Reg. $24.00 / SALE: $16.95

    Freeze Dried White Chicken – Reg. $54.99  / SALE: $29.99

    Freeze Dried Tomato Chunks – Reg. $49.99  / SALE: $24.95

    Freeze Dried Fruit Paradis Combo Deal – $205.20 / SALE: $119.99

    FAVORITE!! #10 Can EE Granola – $17.99 / SALE: $14.99

    Goal Zero Nomad 7 Plus Portable Solar Panel – SALE: $99.95

    Canned Heirloom Garden Seed Plant – SALE: $39.95

    Teton Scout 3400 Internal Frame Backpack – SALE: $59.99

    Look – there are a ton of companies out there trying to get you to spend your money with them. Emergency Essentials is a proven company offering potentially lifesaving products at great prices. ‘Nuff said.

    Take care all –

    JR

     

    Live Well!
     

  • VIDEO: American Blackout 2013 Full Movie

    VIDEO: American Blackout 2013 Full Movie

     

    I’ve watched this apocalyptic/SHTF movie several times and have enjoyed it. Overall seemed to be a pretty realistic depiction of what could transpire during a similar event. When discussed on other websites and on forums I often see a lot of criticism of it being unrealistic and pointing out all the mistakes people make. That is what makes it more genuine as most people will not be prepared and will make mistakes.

    Thanks to BiblesNBarbells for posting it. Not sure how long it will stay up so watch when you can.

    Judge for yourself:

     

        *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

    -The Beast!!- (2)

     

  • Special offer on HX Outdoors Survival Knife

    Special offer on HX Outdoors Survival Knife

    UPDATE: THIS SPECIAL DEAL IS STILL ACTIVE AND WILL BE SO UNTIL MAY 31st.

     

    After publishing my review of the HX Outdoors Survival Knife I was contacted by GearBest.com. They created a special coupon code that will reduce the HX from $45.32 down to $37.99.

    Remember – there is still Free Shipping even with the discounted price.

    HXsurvivalknife

    As with all orders from GearBest this is shipping directly from China so a wait time of 2-3 weeks is necessary. No big deal to me especially if money is being saved.

    If interested click HERE and use the coupon code “HXDJ”.  I’m not sure how long the code is good for.

    Take care all –

    Rourke

     

     

  • REVIEW: HX Outdoors Survival Knife

    REVIEW: HX Outdoors Survival Knife

    Full disclosure – Gearbest.com sent me the HX Outdoors Survival Knife for free with the acknowledgement I would conduct an honest review.

    The HX Outdoors Survival Knife is one of many knives in the “all-in-one” category. When carrying the HX not only do you have the knife itself but included in the sheath is a firestarter and sharpener. Often these types of knives are looked down upon and looked at as a gimmick. So, is the HX Outdoors Survival Knife any good?

       *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

    The photo slideshow below pictures the HX in new condition prior to testing.

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     *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

    The HX Survival Knife is 8.6″ inches overall in length.  Blade length is 3.5″ inches. This is not a large knife and most of it is handle. In the hand this thing feels rock solid and very controllable. For a knife this size it is rather heavy but for good reason. It is built form one solid block of steel – from tip to end.

    The HX is made from “D2” steel. D2 steel is often used in applications such as shears, planners, and industrial cutting. Although not technically stainless it is very resistant to rust.

    The handles are made from an extremely durable material called “G10” – which is very similar to Micarta. They are held in place by screws having Torx heads. I did throw the knife numerous times and was able to get it to stick consistently once distance and rotations were determined. In the process the knife hit the tree many times on its side and the handles never loosened up and no damage incurred other than scuff marks.

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    The blade came out of the box extremely sharp. In fact this was one of the sharpest knives I have ever had new. Coated with a flat black coating they call “vacuum plating black titanium”. Whatever it is so far it has held up well. The 3.5″ blade combined with large handle lends itself well to fine detailed carving and cutting. This is not a batoning knife.

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    The handle has two lashing holes and there is a third hole(lanyard) in the pommel. I did not try to attach the knife to a stick but it should be fairly easy. I like the size of the holes which seem sized perfectly for paracord.

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    The butt-end is solid and has numerous raised points to help it stay on task when pounding on nails – or trying to break a window. Remember – this knife is all from a solid piece of steel thus there is no concern of the butt-end coming off. I pounded the pommel on a large rock 50 times with nothing happening but some scuffs on the knife and creating some dust on the rock. It is solid.

    The sheath is Kydex and the knife slides in easily then locks in place with an audible “snap”. Retainment is excellent. There is a slight wobble once in the sheath. No issues and it works well.

    20160515_101605

    The built in fire starter works better than I do. I tried to start a fire a couple days after some torrential downpours and had little success. Strikes on the fire starter threw large sparks easily. Finding the right tinder was unsuccessful. While making my attempt one of my husky’s ran by and I reached out and grabbed a handful of fur(they are throwing their undercoat now). Placed the fur down and struck the ferrocerium rod and the fur lit right up. I tossed a Wetfire Tinder cube in and a fire was started.

    The T-handle fire starter snaps into place on the sheath securely.

    20160423_092617

    The sharpener is embedded along the spine of the sheath and feels rather rough. For putting an edge on a dulling blade to get it back into action it works well. Want a razor sharp edge? Look elsewhere as that is not its intended purpose.

    The HX Outdoors Survival Knife is an excellent value. It is an extremely rugged knife with an excellent sheath and the side benefit of having a built-in fire starter and sharpener. It is machined from a solid block of steel and feels fantastic in the hand.

    Cost is around $45.00 with Free Shipping.

    Recommended.

  • What did you do to prep this past week?

    What did you do to prep this past week?

    This past week had me thinking a lot about preparedness and goals to reach over the next 18 months. Feel pretty good where I’m at and where I need to go.

    Over this past week:

    51zcy3D+bQL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_

     

    • I managed to assemble the parts to attach a Sawyer Mini Water Filter to a bucket. This allows several gallons of water to be filtered at one time with the Sawyer. Works great! It was not easy to locate the necessary parts.

    bucket

    •  Received notice that my Polymer80 Glock 80% Lower has shipped. I pre-ordered this a few months ago kinda on an impulse. It will make an interesting project gun.

     

    • Planted a few more things in the garden which is doing well. A few days of rain really helped the corn burst into the sky.

     

    • Delivered the bug out trailer to local fabrication shop to add an enclosed tailgate. Hope it will be done this week. Next up is building a wooden top hinged on one end.

     

    • Put back 3 pounds of salt and 2 jars of peanut butter(freezer).  Completed seed banks for all group members. Filled 2 propane tanks and one 5 gallon gas can.

     

    So – what have you done this past week?

    JR

  • What did you do to prep this past week?

    What did you do to prep this past week?

    Hope everyone is doing well.

    This week has been extremely busy – kids, work, etc. I managed to get a few things worked on in the realm of preparedness.

    • Picked up some cinder blocks needed for the next rain barrel installation.
    • Completed a set of seed banks for my group.
    • Found cardboard needed to line the inside of the galvanized trash can I picked up a couple weeks ago. Going to put together an EMP kit. Should have completed this project already.
    • Pulled out a few knives and sharpened them up. This was also long overdue.
    • I’m putting together a kit that allows a Sawyer water filter to be connected to a bucket for larger volumes. Sourcing all the parts is not easy but think I am almost there. This could end up being the most cost effective, high volume water filtration system I’ve come across.
    • Worked more on the homemade ham radio repeater with zero success. Going to keep trying.

    “Ambitious college student, Daniel Walker, has his world turned upside down when he begins having prophetic dreams about the judgment coming upon America. Through one of his dreams, Daniel learns of an imminent threat of an EMP attack which will wipe out America’s electric grid and all computerized devices, sending the country into a technological dark age. Living in a nation where all life-sustaining systems of support are completely dependent on electricity and computers, the odds for survival are dismal. Municipal water services, retail food distribution, police, fire, EMS and all emergency services will come to a screeching halt. If he wants to live through the most catastrophic period in American history, Daniel will have to race against time to get prepared, before the lights go out. Buy your copy of Behold Darkness and Sorrow and jump into this post-apocalyptic, prepper-fiction thriller, today!”

    • Caught up on watching some YouTube.

     

    So – what have you done this past week?

    JR

     

    Woon5-wjMySO
    t3-tactical
     

  • The Patriot Podcast episode #6 is live!

    The Patriot Podcast episode #6 is live!

    A few people have inquired for updates on the podcast I co-host with Prepper Ralph. It has been slow going and a few technical difficulties have limited how much I wanted to promote it. For the most part issues have been fixed.

    Visit ThePatriotPodcast.com to listen to episodes. We cover topics suggest as the state of the country – and the world, preparedness, and all stuff related to guns.

    Visit our page on Facebook and Like and Share our post. Pretty good stuff!

    If there are any specific things you would be interested in hearing about please leave a comment here or over at the site.

    Episode 6 is my favorite s far. We talk a bit about our “weapons of choice” for the zombie apocalypse. We also cover a controversial video recently uploaded by SouthernPrepper1. While recording we received some surprising news and it created an interruption. Lastly – the bathroom policy at Target is brought up.

    It would be very helpful if you feel so inclined to share the website, the episodes and the facebook page via email and/or social media.

    Right now we are posting about once per week. No set day just depends on when we can get to it.

    Take care all –

    JR

     

     

  • What did you do to prep this past week?

    What did you do to prep this past week?

    All last week I looked forward to camping on Friday – and attending a firearm class on Saturday. Friday night I set up my new Eno doublenest hammock for the first time using the Helios suspension system. The Enos is a great hammock but what really shined was the Helios. It makes the hammock setup and adjustment incredibly easy.

    While setting up had a fellow group member go over a few things including finding fatwood, identifying some of those horrible 3 leaf plants such as poison ivy, and we found some edible local plants.

    After the sleep system was put in place Prepper Ralph(partner over at The Patriot Podcast) and I did some night shooting using my M&P15-22 with attached light. It was a great experience. We did a lot of shooting with the M&P and I think Ralph was pretty impressed. It continues to impress me with its accuracy and reliability.

    The temperature dropped overnight down to 43 degrees.  The black bag from my MSS(Military Sleep System) kept me very comfortable.

    Saturday morning I woke up just prior to 7:00 am  and fired up my Coleman propane stove and cooked breakfast. I discovered Prepper Ralph doesn’t like bacon. I am now contemplating that he may be a communist. Who doesn’t like bacon? I mean…..it’s BACON!

    bacon

    Once the whole group arrived we began training. Of course safety was covered first and then we got down to business. It was a good refresher and a lot of fun. I felt good with my performance and also that of my guns. I used my AR pistol and my Canik TP9SA. I ran a Condor Plate Carrier.

    temp_regrann_1460857217966

    It was a great time and look forward to doing it again soon.

    So – what have you done this past week?

    JR

  • What To Do With $1000 Right Now

    What To Do With $1000 Right Now

    budget, prepared, preparedness, SHTF, supplies, top,

    Tax season is well underway and as a result, many receive refunds of varying amounts and provide an opportunity to better positions on preps. In 2019 the average tax refund was well over $2500. If one is lucky enough to receive even half that amount and a decision is made to put it towards preps – what could the money be spent on?

    Everyone’s list will be different due to numerous reasons such as geography, level of current preparations, and the targeted event preparing for. Taking advantage of these “extra” funds could mean adding to an area that is truly lacking such as pandemic supplies. Maybe there’s a backpack you’ve picked out for a GHB or you need to add a few magazines to the stash.

    ****Note: This post was revised in March of 2020. Many items have an elevated demand at this time so please double check pricing before ordering.

    Here are a few suggested preparedness ideas:

    Food Storage:

    20 Lbs Rice –  $10 at Walmart(grab 5)

    Tools:

    Helko Werk 4.5 Lb. Felling Axe –  $169  Beautiful, gorgeous axe

    Gerber Suspension Multi-Pliers – $26  Useful tool to keep in a get home bag or BOB

     

    NyQuil Cold and Flu Medicine – $10  Highly recommended to help with the symptoms of flu

    Renogy 100 watt Solar Panel Starter Kit – $195  Great kit to get started!!

    Nikon BDC .223 3-9X40 AR Scope – $195   Calibrated for the .223/5.56. Nikon quality.

    3V Paratus 3 Day Backpack – $75   Well made, respected, and budget-friendly

    NiteCore Battery Charger – $20   Nitecore has excellent quality and does a fantastic job.

    Natures Way Black Elderberry Gummies – $12   Supports immune system

     

    So – what would you get?

    JR

     

     

     

  • Review: The MecArmy SGN3 CREE XP G2 Keychain LED Flashlight

    Review: The MecArmy SGN3 CREE XP G2 Keychain LED Flashlight

    I am an admitted flashlight junkie. Ever since I was a kid I loved flashlights. Not sure what is was that created that fascination but it has stuck with me and I know I’m not alone. A couple of weeks ago Gearbest.com offered to send me a flashlight I was not familiar with – the MecArmy SGN3 G2 Keychain Light. Think I’m going to turn that offer down? Nope!

    There are plenty of keychain lights out there and I have had several. Generally they throw out a low-level of illumination which is fine for seeing a key when opening a door. Battery life has been an issue in my experience as they have not last but a few months. This is where the MecArmy separates itself from the pack and makes this review so easy – 160 lumens. That’s right – the MecArmy throws out 160 lumens. This is unheard of in such a small light especially one that easily fits on my keychain.

    The light pattern is flood covering a very large area. Pictures will follow that show how this tiny keychain light will light up a huge area in front of my house. Pictures really just don’t do it just. I would love to see this thing with a weapons mount to make a very small but bright light on one of my AR’s.

    The MecArmy SGN3 G2 is rechargeable. No more throwing it away when the battery dies and having to buy another light. Simply plug it in every week or so and it will be there when needed.

    There are several light modes which I suppose can be useful. I am one that likes a flashlight to turn ON – and OFF. That’s it. No multiple levels of brightness and strobe options. I want OFF and BURN THE HOUSE DOWN. Maybe I’m exaggerating a I think you get what I mean. Well – the MecArmy has numerous levels of brightness as well as different colors and even a red flashing mode that someone might like. It is pretty cool and I suppose the red light would be good for reading at night.

    Here are a few specifications:

    • Charges from dead to fully charged in 90 minutes
    • Charges from any USB port using a common mini-USB charging cable
    • Contains 3 LED’s including a CREE XP-G2 as the main
    • Main LED is bright white/UV while the low power secondary LED’s are red and white(looks bluish to me)
    • Body and reflective cone are aluminum

    Below are several pictures I took with accompanying descriptions. This is not a long-winded review. This thing is solid and works.

    Brief summary follows the pictures:

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    Above: The MecArmy SGN3 G2 is about the size of a standard USB thumb drive.

    Below: Simple push button operation turns on the main LED and offers two levels of brightness with multiple presses.

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    Above: The mini-USB charging port is protected from dust and grime with a tight-fitting rubber cover that inserts into the cavity. It is permanently attached to the light so it does not get lost.

    Below: With the rubber cover removed the port can be accessed using any common mini-USB charging cable. Super easy to charge while driving or sitting on a counter.

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    Above: The MecArmy is extremely bright with the main LED turned on.

    Below: The low power bluish light offers what a typical keychain light does – enough light to find a key and open a door.

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    Above: The red light works well for map reading and reducing the loss of night vision when navigating at night and not wanting to use the main LED.

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    Above: Outside my house at night. Only illumination is from a street light quite a ways away. To the human eye area is too dark to walk.

    Below: The MecArmy flooding the area with 160 lumens of light. Impressive.

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      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

    Summary:

    It should be obvious I like the flashlight. At around $45.00 with Free Shipping it is certainly more expensive than your typical keychain light. Here is the difference: With the MecArmy if your normal flashlight is not available you have a very suitable flashlight with you as long as you have your keys. In fact – the MecArmy may be brighter than many of the flashlights people out there have in their get home bags and survival kits.

    I have given a lot of Pro’s – are there any Con’s? Other than wishing it just had OFF and ON function for the main LED I haven’t found any yet.

    Current price is $42.90(on sale) and price may go up at any time. There is also a coupon code for 8% off – GBLED2016. I am not sure how long the coupon code will be good for and it will work on other MecArmy flashlights as well.

    If interested in the MecArmy SGN3 G2 LED Keychain Flashlight just follow this link.

    JR

  • VIDEO SERIES: The Modern Minuteman – SouthernPrepper1

    VIDEO SERIES: The Modern Minuteman – SouthernPrepper1

    What follows is a video series from SouthernPrepper1. SP1 has a great Youtube channel offering up tons of valuable information. He is ex-military and shares a lot of information to help those of us who never served. I took particular interest in his Minuteman series as I believe this country needs as many Minutemen as possible.

    It is unfortunate that I foresee the need for Minutemen in the future – possibly a repeat of their role back in the late 1700’s.

    SouthernPrepper1 also co-wrote a book with author Mark Goodwin – Retreat Security and Small Unit Tactics.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Review: Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife

    Review: Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife

    Most people know who Bear Grylls is. He is one of those survivalists guys on TV. What many do not know is he spent several years in the British SAS and eventually broke his back in three places in a free-fall parachuting accident. He spent months in military rehabilitation and celebrated his recovery by climbing Mount Everest. He has raised millions of dollars for charity and appears in numerous television shows. He has written numerous books and has led record-breaking expeditions in Antarctica and the Arctic.

    He also got busted staying in a hotel while filming one of his survival shows.

    Hey – nobody’s perfect.

    Bear has worked with Gerber in development of numerous survival tools and knives. Particularly popular is the Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife.

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    General Information

    The Ultimate Survival is a fixed blade knife with a 4.75″ blade partially serrated. The tang is 3/16″ thick. Research on the steel used varies from a type of 440A stainless to a “special Gerber formula”. Regardless – it is Chinese stainless steel. Many consider the tang to be full although it does not come completely to the end if the handle. – but extremely close. The knife has a soft comfortable handle with a flat pommel end for striking and hammering.

    The knife comes with a multi-functional sheath containing a fire starter, diamond sharpening stone, emergency whistle, and a small sheet of survival instructions/tips.

    Build looks good with smooth lines and finishes. Note: All the pictures below were prior to testing.

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    Above: Blade came very sharp with fairly aggressive serrations. Holes on either side of the handle contain lashing holes for securing to a pole or stick.

      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

    Below: Coloration is the typical dark grey and orange which represents the Bear Grylls line. I like it. The handle itself feel extremely comfortable and almost supple in the hand.

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    Above: Early models reportedly had problems with the pommels falling off during batoning and hammering. Gerber made a change in their manufacturing process and fixed the problem. 

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    Below: The included whistle is small in size and came attached to the knife handle itself. 

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    Above: The sheath contains a ferrocerium fire starter. It is carried in the lower portion of the sheath and rides very securely. 

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    Below: On the back of the sheath sits a diamond sharpening stone which is well positioned. 

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    Below: The Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife complete with its sheath.

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    TESTING & EVALUATION

    I have spent the last few weeks testing the knife in a variety of ways. Certainly more time and use will lead to more thorough testing.

    Below are a few pictures I took during this time period along with some commentary.  A final summary follows.

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    Above: After a good amount of use the blade definitely needed sharpening. Based on my experience the Chinese stainless is not the best for edge retainment. The diamond sharpener worked well for bringing the edge back to more than usable. 

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    Below: One shining star of the Ultimate Survival Knife is the fire starter. It works great sending a showering spray of hot sparks with each strike from the blade. There is a small section along the spine of the blade which is used to strike the ferrocerium rod.

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    Above: I was surprised to find I had great success throwing the knife. Time and time again I had consistant turns and sticks. This is not the knife’s fortey but just a bonus.

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    Below: Beyond smashing the knife into trees when I missed my throws I tested the pommel by hitting the flat section on a large rock exactly 50 times. Nothing loosened up or fell apart. I have never understood the need to use a knife as a hammer as I would much rather grab a large rock.  For testing purposes I felt the need to go ahead and pound the crap out of it. Seems Gerber did in fact fix their previous issues.

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    SUMMARY

    Many who dislike Bear Grylls or the commercialized coloring of the Ultimate Survival Knife will never give it a chance. Its origin of manufacture and suspect steel quality will also omit it from numerous survival kits and get home bags. There are many knives out there that are a better choice especially at higher pirces. At the price point of $32.00 it is an excellent deal.

    The Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife is one of my favorites. The testing was uneventful – as it should be. Hammering on the back if the spine to split firewood was easy and no damage to the knife occurred. The whistle works – not the best – but works well. The included knife sharpener was easy to use and within a minute or two brought the edge back. The fire starter was great. The sheath itself is well designed and holds the knife securely.

    $32.00. Not bad at all. I think I will get another.

    One is none and two is one….right?

    JR

  • Operational Cache Part 2: Reasons for Creating a Cache

    Operational Cache Part 2: Reasons for Creating a Cache

    After publishing Operational Cache Part 1: Quality of Selected Equipment, I received a few emails questioning why a cache would be needed in the first place. Although in years past I felt the need for a cache really wasn’t there times are changing.

    Here are a few reasons to have a cache(or several):

    Property Destruction – If there is  some type of destruction to your property having a cache located somewhere would at a minimum provide some supplies.  In this case a cache located at someone’s house or at a storage facility may be best.

    Gun Confiscation – In the book series Days of Noah the main character Noah Parker is charged with a crime – teaching Christian beliefs in a public school. This in turn creates a tidal wave of governmental intrusion in his and his family’s life. DSS comes into the home to investigate that Noah’s children there are in no danger. After all – dad was charged with a crime(never mind innocent until proven guilty).  Part of the standard practice of the investigation is to REMOVE ALL FIREARMS FROM THE HOME. Noah’s wife had buried a cache under the corner of their shed containing a pistol “just in case.”

    This is not very far fetched in the real world where the Constitution seems to become more and more irrelevant to governmental agencies with each passing day. A cache containing firearms at a minimum will help protect your ability to protect yourself and family.

    SHTF/WROL – Probably not the most talked about reason for having a cache. The SHTF happens and you’re on the way to your bug out location. Along the way and in the area around your retreat area supply caches are buried/located. These can be accessed for resupply or supplying others. There are many scenario’s around this one.

    Robbery – If your home is robbed and all weapons are taken a cache could provide an avenue to gain a method of self protection quickly. In this case weapons are the main area of concern. It is doubtful anyone will come steal all your freeze dried scrambled eggs and bacon.

    Bugging In – This is not just staying at home it is getting home. Let’s say you are at work and something happens. Having supplies buried/located along the route could mean the difference between life and death. Distance from home and geographical factors play a big part in whether a cache would be truly beneficial. I work 20 miles from home. If I wasn’t able to drive home I have what I need in my Jeep. No cache is necessary. If I was 40 miles? That might be different.

    There would certainly be a peace of mind knowing that those supplies are there…waiting….in case they are needed.

    Part 3 coming soon.

    JR

     

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    Supplies for the Zombie Apocalypse..... (4)

    Here are a few recommended preparedness supplies and items:

       *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

    Check out the Emergency Essentials Monthly Sale!

    Emergency Essentials has been a leader in the preparedness industry for well over 20 years. Monthly featured sales offer huge discounts on many preparedness products including freeze dried foods.

    728x90march2016

    Emergency Essentials carries Mountain House as well as their own house-brand of freeze dried foods. Great prices and inexpensive shipping provides a great way to increase food stores and save money in the process.

    Visit the Emergency Essentials website for more information.

     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

    Want to help support what we do here at 1776PatriotUSA.com? Follow any link from this website to Amazon, make a purchase, and we receive a small commision at no additional cost to you. Zero. Nada.

    Amazon-Logo-schwarz

    Amazon carries a huge amount of preparedness supplies. I use Amazon all the time as they offer fantastic prices and free shipping on most orders over $35. Here are a few things  you might be interested in…..

     

    Thank you!!

     

  • Operational Cache Part 1: Quality of Selected Equipment

    Operational Cache Part 1: Quality of Selected Equipment

    This is the first installment of a multi-part series on Operational Caches.

    An Operational Cache is a resupply of critical items often accessed while on the go. These caches are often – but not always – buried to hide from others. Major components often placed in an Operational Cache are defensive supplies.

    I am putting together an operational cache right now to be placed at a friend’s house. For a container I am using a large Rubbermaid ActionPacker. Beyond the specific supplies to be placed in the ActionPacker what about the quality and cost of those materials?

    The most popular theory on cached supplies is to place secondary – or “B” grade items in storage. You may have a really nice high quality Smith & Wesson AR as part of your kit. For the operational cache a $350 Hi-Point 9mm carbine is stashed along with extra magazines and ammunition. Another example would be having a Benchmade Nimravus Tanto as an SHTF-EDC knife while placing a Cold Steel GI Tanto in the cache for long term storage.

    hi-point
    Hi-Point 9mm Carbine

    Another proposed theory is almost the opposite. If you are having to access your operational cache then things must be extremely dire. Now more than ever “A” grade equipment is needed.

    I understand both perspectives and agree the absolute best equipment should be cached. The deal here is the absolute best equipment THAT CAN BE AFFORDED. It is certainly better to have a Hi-Point cached than nothing at all. If a duplicate Smith & Wesson AR can be cached that is all the better.

    There are lots of budget-friendly AND high quality supplies out there so that a cache is not full of junk. Specific equipment selections are certainly dictated by environmental and situational conditions. That will be covered in a future installment of this series.

    Take care all –

    JR

     

      *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

    Supplies for the Zombie Apocalypse..... (4)

    Here are a few recommended preparedness supplies and items:

       *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

    Check out the Emergency Essentials Monthly Sale!

    Emergency Essentials has been a leader in the preparedness industry for well over 20 years. Monthly featured sales offer huge discounts on many preparedness products including freeze dried foods.

    728x90feb20161

    Emergency Essentials carries Mountain House as well as their own house-brand of freeze dried foods. Great prices and inexpensive shipping provides a great way to increase food stores and save money in the process.

    Visit the Emergency Essentials website for more information.

     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

    Want to help support what we do here at 1776PatriotUSA.com? Follow any link from this website to Amazon, make a purchase, and we receive a small commision at no additional cost to you. Zero. Nada.

    Amazon-Logo-schwarz

    Amazon carries a huge amount of preparedness supplies. I use Amazon all the time as they offer fantastic prices and free shipping on most orders over $35. Here are a few things  you might be interested in…..

       
     

       
     

       

    Thank you!!

  • What did you do to prep this past week?

    What did you do to prep this past week?

    If you have been reading this weekly series you may have noticed a trend – guns & ammo.

    I have made some strides over the past few months especially in food storage. My latest order from Emergency Essentials should be arriving this week. Still need to put back some more rice, beans, salt, sugar, etc. Freeze dried food is my main priority now for food stockpiling.

    Here’s what I have done prepping this past week:

    • I sold off 4,000 rounds of CCI Mini-Mag .22LR and funded the purchase of a used Ruger SR9 9mm pistol. A few days later I traded it plus $200 for an AR-15. The AR only had a total of 30 rounds shot through it. I know the history and build as a friend of mine built it. I’ll post a picture soon.

    ……and yes, another gun.

    • Local Cabela’s is having a huge 2nd Amendment sale. Went in to check things out and found an unadvertised special – Century Arms RAS47.

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    I love the AK-47 and its variants. Drawback is this is another caliber and magazine type I need to stock. That’s fine. I have been needing to increase my long gun count so this helps(in addition to the AR already mentioned).

    • 280 rounds of Tula 122 grain 7.62 x 39mm rounds for the aforementioned RAS47. Paid $4.96 for each box of 20, Best price I have seen in years.
    •  Added 2 jars of peanut butter to the freezer. Totals up to 10 I believe.
    • Went to the local Dollar Tree and bought men’s deodorant, 2 women’s, and 5 tubes of triple antibiotic.
    • Happy Valentines Day everyone.

    Your turn!

    JR

     

     

     

     

     

  • Letter Re: Woodcutting Post response by Single Mom

    Letter Re: Woodcutting Post response by Single Mom

    JR: What follows is a response to a comment left on the post Panhandle Rancher: Felling and Splitting

     

    Re: Woodcutting Post comment by Single Mom

    To reiterate, some technology provides the test before the lesson. I first came to believe this with firearms, then with airplanes, and later with chainsaws. I was a commercial, instrument rated pilot when I had my first (hopefully) and only thus far, gear up landing. Experienced airplane pilots remark their peers all come in two categories, those how have (landed gear up) and those who will. This is contrary to professional training and detailed checklists. The same case can be made for dry firing weapons. Do it long enough and sooner or later you will hear an unexpected loud noise. You make my point about chainsaws being dangerous beasts. That is why I never cut with one alone. Heating the house with wood just about requires a chainsaw as does living in the forest. I’m glad your father survived.

    Somewhat like St. Paul, I have thus far survived hardship and peril and have come to believe that the concept of ‘safety’ exists only in weak minds and timid souls. Ladd said it best, “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are made for.” This world is a dangerous place full of risks, sadly most unrecognized. When encountering hardship with complaint, I remind my children they come from a long line of survivors, quit whining.

    I knew the potential for a gear up landing when I first soloed a retractable gear airframe. Knowing that risk, I received the best commercial training possible at Flight Safety, stayed instrument current, and took regular check rides. Understanding this risk, I enjoyed flying my high performance, complex retractable until one nice summer day when flying solo and on final approach, a retina detached. I thought someone hit the cockpit with a laser. A tribute to the classic stable approach, the plane landed itself with a blinded pilot at the helm. It was the classic good landing; I was led away from the wreckage unhurt other than being blind. A great landing would have left the airframe flyable again without repair. A copilot would have left the airframe flyable without repair. Hence my insistence on having someone else present when using the chainsaw (if only to apply a tourniquet).

    Like so much technology, axes and cutting instruments of all kinds sometimes provide tests before lessons. This does not mean we should eschew all technology and live the life of a latter day Luddite.

    Sincerely,

    Panhandle Rancher

  • What did you do to prep this past week?

    What did you do to prep this past week?

    This past week has been interesting.

    Facebook announced they were banning all groups which provide for private sales of firearms. Many on Facebook that have utilized these groups as a way to trade and sell guns are very upset. I am one of them. I have made many deals with local people and it has been a great way to network and connect. There are other methods of course but none which were as easy and effective as Facebook groups.

    In know many are not a fan of Facebook and that includes me. I am constantly evaluating whether to stay on the site or not. I wish there was an alternative.

    I placed an order with Emergency Essentials getting some Mountain House freeze dried food. Also ordered a Mountain House “Just in Case” bucket along with a pack of 12 CR123 lithium-ion batteries on Amazon. I feel real good with my efforts in food storage lately.

    Lastly – I test fired two new firearms I acquired. One was the custom Ruger 10/22 I put together and another a CZ P-09. Article being worked on for the 10/22 and eventually on the CZ after I get more rounds through it. So far – the CZ is phenomenal!!

    Your turn!

    JR

     

  • Panhandle Rancher: Felling and Splitting

    Panhandle Rancher: Felling and Splitting

     

    The following was developed in response to Christmas wish lists in a recent post from MSO. One wish was for a high quality axe. Living in a forested area and heating with wood has taught much about woodcutting, splitting, and felling. We heat our house and water with wood and go through stacks each winter. The house is equipped with a circulating heat fireplace, a Sopka wood-burning cook stove (see: http://sopkainc.com/sopka/project/magnum/) modified to also heat water, and a HeatMor high efficiency wood-burning furnace (see: http://www.heatmor.com/residential-models.php). This is a marvelous device and works seamlessly with the existing compressor/propane fired HVAC to deliver copious amounts of cheap heat and hot water. The HeatMor actually converts wood to charcoal that is in turned burned for high efficiency heat.

    Nothing cuts wood better than a high speed Husqvarna chain saw. There are a lot of very good powered saws on the marked but Husky and Stihl are among the best. My largest saw is the Husky 455 Rancher (see: http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/chainsaws/455-rancher/965030290/) and the smallest a Stihl MS271 Farm Boss (see: http://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms271/). Less you think bigger is automatically better, consider the weight of the saw when bending over. Too suddenly off horses damaged my back and I tend to use smaller saws whenever possible. Smaller saws are quieter, easier to start and handle, and more economical with fuel and cutting oil. Size the saw to the work.

    Be sure your new chain saw includes a proper combination tool (screwdriver/hex socket) necessary to tension the chain. Sure you can get by with a screwdriver and adjustable wrench but every quality chain saw is sold with one of these tools. The Husky and Stihl saws I purchased came with the factory multi-tool included in the price. There are two different size socket wrenches for saws popular in the US. Make sure yours fits before leaving the store. If you purchase the manufacture’s recommended case with that new chain saw it will protect the cutter bar and chain from damage during transport and provide space to store limited accessories such as a sharpening guide, file, and combination tool. I paint my combination tools red so as to stand out as they are easily misplaced in the leaves.

    Every modern internal combustion chainsaw I am familiar with uses a high efficiency two cycle engine. Two cycle engines derive lubrication from the fuel and a two-cycle engine oil is mixed with gasoline in a manufacturer specified ratio. My chain saw fuels are kept in metal spark proof gasoline cans (see: http://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetailRootItem?modelnumber=H-1848). I like the smaller two gallon cans for my chainsaw fuel /oil mix because these cannot be mistaken for my larger five gallon cans that hold stabilized unmixed non-ethanol gasoline. The best fuel stabilizers for gasoline, diesel, and kerosene are Pri G and Pri D. I use a black magic marker to label the small chainsaw fuel cans with the specific fuel/oil ratio needed for individual saws. Metal cans are more durable than plastic and likewise safer, albeit more expensive. You will only run that chain saw once with straight gasoline and then not for long. Be sure to only use fuel properly mixed with the correct two-cycle oil. Use proper fuel containers, never plastic milk jugs and the like.

    Other consumables needed with chainsaws are cutting chains, cutting oil, and cutter bars. Chains dull with use, and quickly if striking dirt or rock. Buy a chain saw sharpening guide and files. Learn how to properly sharpen the cutting chains and you will be money ahead. Your chain saw dealer can help you with this purchase. Have a look at what the vendor uses in their repair shop. Chainsaw cutting oil and fuel tanks are sized to run out together. Cutting oil lubricates the chain on the cutting blade and does nothing for the engine. Like motor oil, it is available in seasonal weights. Never use a chain saw without blade lubrication.

    Every time I replace a dull cutting chain for a newly sharpened chain, I turn over the cutter bar. This practice equalizes wear on both sides of the bar, but with time, this bar will need replacing. As a cutting chain is used, it lengthens. New chains seem to lengthen more quickly than used. Your chainsaw will have a tensioning device. Consult the chainsaw manual to determine how to properly tighten the chain. Loose chains can come off of the cutter bar. This is a potentially dangerous situation. Never use a chainsaw with a too loose cutting chain.

    Eventually you will acquire a number of cutter chains. After sharpening, mine are placed in a partially filled can of motor oil (lubricates the chain and prevents rust). I take this can with me when felling/cutting. In the course of a day’s work, many cutter chains will be used and with a surplus of sharpened chains, I don’t have to stop the day’s cutting to sharpen chains.

    There are a number of ways to start a chain saw. The most common way is to hold the chain saw by the upper handle and pull the rope starter cord with the strong hand. This is the FOOL’S way and highly dangerous. I think ‘FOOL’ whenever I see anyone start a chain saw in this manner. You should likewise. No chain saw manufacturer recommends this technique.

    The proper way to start a pull cord chain saw is to place it on level ground with the blade/chain out of the path of debris or dirt and facing away from you. Put the toes of one foot in the lower hand guard and one hand on the upper handle. With the other hand, pull the rope start. This is the only safe way to start a chain saw. As you start the chain saw, you may be bent over the blade. Some chain saws have a fast start and the centrifugal clutch will engage and cause the chain to rotate over the cutter bar. Imagine falling on a running chain. Be careful even when walking with a running chain saw as tripping could be deadly. Likewise never cut overhead with a chainsaw. Overhead cuts are best made with something called a pole saw. If you need to trim overhead branches, invest in a pole saw. I have the Stihl HT250 with telescoping pole (see: http://www.stihlusa.com/products/pole-pruners/professional-pole-pruners/ht250/).

    Like riding motorcycles with helmet and leathers, there is safety clothing and other protective gear one should use when operating chain saws. Chain saw resistant pants (that are also marvelously briar resistant), sturdy boots, leather gloves, EYE PROTECTION, and even hearing protection is prudent. Unmuffled airplane engines started my hearing loss. You likely have hearing protection for use when shooting; please don it when using your chain saw. Chain saws produce saw dust. Wind can blow that dust into your eyes. Chain saw type saw dust is likely to scratch the cornea. Unless you are a FOOL, you will wear both eye and hearing protection.

    Modern chainsaws, like firearms, have user protective features. Like safeties on firearms, these devices will not protect against gross stupidity. I’ve remarked that airplanes and firearms often provide tests before the lesson. Chainsaws do likewise. There will be an anti-kickback locking device on the upper handle of the chainsaw. This device declutches and/or brakes (meaning to stop, not sever) the cutter chain rotation. If you have problems starting your chainsaw, be sure the kickback device isn’t engaged. On the bottom of the saw near the drive sprocket, there should be a metal tab extending over the chain. This tab is very important and serves to protect the user from a chain so loose that it jumps off of the cutter bar. Ensure this tab is intact and in the proper position before using a chain saw and of course periodically check the cutter chain for proper tension.

    Remember that old horror movie, Texas Chain Saw Massacre? Your chain saw is so well designed to cut wood and will lop off an arm or leg with amazing ease. When felling, first clear any brush around the base of the tree. Study the mass distribution of the upright tree and imagine where it would fall with an uniform circular cut around the bole perimeter. Books have been written about the proper cutting of hinge notches to direct where the tree will fall and I shall not belabor here. Whenever possible, I try to cut a notch and hinge so the tree will fall according to its distribution of mass. I plan how to carefully move away from the tree as the hinge starts to break and clear a path of brush in the direction of that movement if necessary. You will be taking your running chainsaw with you as you leave the breaking hinge/falling tree and both are dangerous beasts. I plan the work so as to never run, and walk away calmly. Those of you who have worked with explosives know to leave enough fuse time to walk away and not run; for in running, you may trip, and in tripping fall, perchance breaking or injuring a part of you critical to escape.

    Sooner or later, you will have a cut tree hung up in the branches of an adjacent tree. Now you have a problem indeed, and dangerous as well. I try never to have this happen but sometimes it just does. When a tree hangs, I attach a steel cable as high as possible to the upright tree, cut an appropriate notch and hinge but not to a depth to cause the upright tree to fall. I then winch the upright tree down from a safe distance, bringing the leaning tree with it. Never leave a tree hung up as this condition is rightfully called a ‘widow maker’ because the leaning tree is just waiting to fall unexpectedly and hurt someone. Every year, experienced woodcutters are hurt felling trees. A wise soul inexperienced in felling will find someone experienced to work with at first. Another word to the wise folks: never, never, fell trees without a partner. This is a danger I refuse to underwrite solo.

    Eventually you will have a cut bind the chain/cutter bar. A wedge, second chain saw, or even a hand axe is the solution here. Do not try to twist the saw in hopes of removing it. Doing so will likely damage the cutter bar and/or chain. Stop the engine promptly. You may be able to use a rope and come along to take up the strain on the bind and remove the saw. Use of a second chain saw to relieve the bind is an easy solution. If there is a danger the falling tree/log/branch could damage the bound chain saw, remove the saw from the cutter bar and relocate the engine body to safety before proceeding.

    If you plan to fell more than the occasional tree, you should have at least two chain saws.

    After felling the tree, I trim the branches, eventually leaving the large trunk. Nothing kills a sharp cutting chain faster than running it into the ground and rocks. I raise the thin top end of the trunk off of the ground using a Peavey Timberjack (a modified cant hook than can also be used like the cant to rotate the trunk. See: http://store.peaveymfg.com/cart/category/1988/Timberjack/1/). As the trunk is shortened, I move the Timberjack successively toward the thick heavy end of the tree. No one cutting wood for fuel should be without one of these wonderful devices. Just remember to cut on the free end of the elevated piece of wood. Otherwise you will bind the cutter bar.

    Periodically, I remove the chain and cutter bar from the saw, and use high-pressure air to clean these parts and the engine assembly from the oily sawdust residue. This is a great time to examine the cutter bar for wear and replace with a new bar if necessary. At the end of the cutting season, I run the saw until empty of fuel and drain any remaining cutter bar oil. The saw is cleaned with high-pressure air and dismantled to provide access to the air filter. I clean or replace this filter seasonally. Every other year, I replace the spark plug and clean and re-gap the old plug. This old plug ends up on a box with other similar used plugs. Of course it can be re-used many times but as plugs are cheap, I replace with new plugs, keeping the old for emergencies. A newly sharpened chain is installed when the saw is reassembled. Pri G is added to any remaining oil/gasoline mix fuel in the bulk can. I re-paint any axes that were used and check the handles and head. After repainting, I sharpen the blade and replace the sheath/blade protective device.

    When I was younger, I split large pieces of hardwood with a sledgehammer and wedges. You should have at least two 8-12” steel wedges (see: http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/Products.asp?mi=66994&itemnum=75152&redir=Y). Two are the minimum, as occasionally the wedge will get hung up without completely splitting the sectioned log, hence the need for another wedge to free the bound wedge. Plastic and aluminum wedges are just too soft for long term use. Over the years, I ended up with a number of sledgehammers with head weights from 5 to 35 pounds. The 35 pounder is a beast but used properly, all one has to do is rise it, gravity alone will lower it onto the wedge with nice result.

    When using a sledgehammer, start with a lighter head weight and as muscles and coordination develop, graduate toward heavier head weights. One horse wreck too many causes my back to hurt and I now have a gasoline engine powered 35 ton hydraulic splitter. Folks this splitter is a real labor saving device. I thought about making one powered from the tractor hydraulic pump but didn’t like tying up the tractor during cutting season. If you cut much wood, a 35 ton splitter is optimal. Lesser-powered splitters will just burn out their hydraulic pump and/or limit you to small diameter logs. The splitter ram is allegedly driven with force to lift 35 tons. It will split wood. It will also remove and or/crush fingers and hands. I keep my hands off of the wood and away from the ram when splitting wood.

    Most of us are self-reliant. Absent fuel for chainsaws or needing to avoid the sound of the engine, a crosscut timber saw is most useful. These things are available in one and two man styles, the two man being the most efficient. See: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/144795/two-man-crosscut-saw.aspx). The four-foot length crosscut blade is the smallest recommended. Here in timber country, I have seen eight-foot long monsters.

    A tad noisier is the axe. Everyone should have a variety of axes. I have single bit (one bladed) axes in sizes from a hand camp axe (useful for making slivers to start fires) all the way up to 28” handled heavy headed single bits. The wife is shorter and she likes a 20” handle. Men, in case you haven’t noticed, women are built different. They throw different and even walk different. Likewise they use an axe different than men. With practice, they can learn to swing and not just hit with an axe. It is important for everyone’s safety that they have properly sized and weighted axes. Not many women can swing a heavy double bit axe safely. When you’re laying in that axe for you, find one that will fit the wife as well (what a wonderful Christmas present for the missus!). She may not be able to fell the big trees (unless she works for Duluth Trading, whose ads I laugh at, especially the young women carrying the roll of barbed wire over the shoulder – a sure sign she has never worked with wire), but the wife can sure make kindling with that smaller axe.

    There are many manufacturers of quality hand axes. I like the ox head double bit felling axe (made in Germany, see: http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/ox-headdoublebitfellingaxe.aspx). Husky also makes some fine economical axes (see: http://www.husqvarna.com/us/accessories/axes/traditional-multi-purpose-axe/576926201/). Along with that axe, one should purchase a sharpening file and stone and learn how to properly sharpen your axe. A dull axe is dangerous to all as is an axe with a loose head. Learn how to properly tighten an axe head and either make or purchase properly sized head wedges.

    My father taught me how to make hammer and axe handles. We use ash almost exclusively and shape with draw knives (see: http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/Draw-Knife-9-Straight-Blade-by-Iltis-Oxhead/productinfo/598%2D2250/). This tool along with a spoke shave is most useful and likely more so grid down. Living in a forest, there is no shortage of ash for handles. If you are unwilling to learn how to make axe and hammer/sledge handles, at least purchase several spare handles for each of your cutting tools.

    Power down situations will likely see many amputation, crushing, and puncture type injuries. If you intend to heat with wood and to defend yourself with firearms, the medical trauma kit should be stocked accordingly. This is a separate topic but worth the comment and something to think hard about when you purchase that first new chain saw or axe.

    Best wishes and may each of you stay warm this winter.

    Sincerely,

    Panhandle Rancher