SHTF Survival

Coleman Camp Axe (Hatchet) Review

2011-11-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

I would like to start off by saying that I am not paid or affiliated with Coleman in any manner. That being said, I would like to offer my honest opinion of the Coleman Camp Axe. There are both positives and negatives about the Coleman Camp Axe.

Among the Positives is quality for price. The Coleman Camp Axe cost around $8.00 making it very affordable. The Coleman Camp Axe weighs 1.6 pounds making it very lightweight for backpacking. The axe head is made out of drop forged carbon steel. The handle is constructed out of forged steel making it very strong. We beat up the handle really bad and could not damage it. The Coleman Camp Axe has a nice rubber grip. The axe chops small trees quickly and with ease.

For the price, we did not find many things we did not like about the Coleman Camp Axe. To be honest we were very surprised with the axe. Among the negatives is the fact that the axe comes very dull and will need to be sharpened. Another negative is because of the axes super light weight it is not a very effective splitting tool. We were able to split wood without damaging the axe by buttoning the handle with a larger piece of wood, but this is not recommended.

Overall we found the Coleman Camp Axe to be a reliable quality product from Coleman. We feel that the positives outweigh the negatives greatly. If you are on a budget or just need a low price axe I recommend the Coleman Camp Axe. Below is a video demonstration of the Coleman Camp Axe in Action.

Every Day Carry (EDC) (SHTF Survivalist)

2011-10-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Every day carry items are things you carry with you every day. From a survival stand point there are a few things to keep with you at all times. There are three items no one should leave home without.

A good pocket knife should be part of your EDC. There are many uses for a good pocket knife. Pocket knives can be used to cut rope, build shelter, skin animals, and personal defense just to name a few. I recommend never leaving home without a good pocket knife.

A fire steel or lighter should also be part of your EDC. Being able to start a fire on demand is something no one should be without. A Fire can be used to boil water for safe drinking. A fire can also be used to keep warm or ward off dangerous predators. Having a way to make a fire can mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation.

The last item no one should leave home without is a multi-tool. Multi-tools can be used to cut, bend, and pry things. Multi tools can also be used to put together or take apart mechanical things with screws and bolts. Multi-tools can be used in unconventional ways too. With so many uses a multi-tool is something everyone should carry every day.

A pocket knife, way to start fire, and multi-tool should be part of your EDC. These three items are the best tools you can keep on your person. Having these three items will greatly increase your chance of survival should a survival situation occur. Don’t forget to check your pockets next time you leave your home.

Bug Out Bag

2011-10-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

A bug out bag or BoB is a great way to be prepared for disaster. There are a few things to consider when preparing a bug out bag: what kind of bag to get, the duration your BoB will need to be able to sustain you, and what to pack.

There are many bug out bags on the market. Among the more popular bug out bags are Molle and Alice packs. These military style packs are great and come in many different sizes with many attachments. Mountaineering packs, like Alps produce, are also great for bugging out. Whatever type of bag you get make sure that it fits your personal needs.

When picking out a bug out bag, you will have to have an idea of how long you would like your bag to be able to sustain you. The longer you need sustainment, the larger your pack will have to be. Some bug out bags are meant to sustain you for one day, other bags for 72 hours or more. Packs start around 2700 cubic inches and go all the way up to 6200 cubic inches.

After you have a Bug out Bag, you will need to decide on what to pack. Water and food should be high on your list of priorities. Any medication you are taking should also be included in your BoB pack. A medical kit and way to make fire is also a good idea. I also recommend a sleep system and some cook wear.

Now that you know a little about bug out bags, get moving and start you own. A bug out bag can greatly improve your chances of surviving in an emergency situation. Below is a video of my bug out bag for your enjoyment.

Ozark Trail Hobo Tool

2011-10-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

I would like to start off by saying that I am not paid nor am I affiliated with Ozark Trail in any manner. That being said I would like to give you my honest review of the Ozark Trail Hobo Tool. The Ozark Trail Hobo Tool is a neat little multi tool for eating. In this blog I will go over the positives and negatives pertaining to the Hobo Tool.

Among the positives is affordability. Priced at three dollars U.S. currency the Ozark Trail Hobo Tool is priced to sell. The Ozark Trail Hobo Tool is constructed well and feels durable. Seven in one tool makes the Ozark Trail Hobo Tool a versatile tool. The seven tools are as follows: can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew, awl, knife, spoon, and a fork.

The negatives are as follows. The can opener is not engineered very well making it a time consuming process just to open a can. There is no locking mechanism for the knife, fork, or spoon making the Ozark Trail Hobo Tool dysfunctional for a left hander person to use. I find the awl to be a waste of a tool. I would of much rather have a tooth pick.

In all I give the Ozark Trail Hobo Tool 5 out of 7 stars since five out of the seven tools are useful. As long as you are not a left hander the Ozark Trail Hobo Tool is an affordable and compact way to take care of your utensil needs.

Buck Paklite 143 Review

2011-10-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

I would like to start off by saying that I am not paid or affiliated with Buck in any manner. That being said I would like to offer my honest review of the Buck Paklite 143. There are both positives and negatives about the Paklite.

Among the positives is quality for price. The Paklite cost about twenty U.S. dollars compared to the ESEE IZULA’s sixty dollar price tag. The Paklite is constructed out of 428C stainless steel and come razor sharp. It weighs in at 2.8 ounces. Although designed as a light weight skinning tool the Paklite is a cutting machine for its size. The Paklite slashes through hardwood with ease and also batons size appropriate wood fairly well.

Although the Paklite is a great knife there are some negative things about it. The handle is a little short for the average person’s hand. The Duracoat falls off quickly with regular use. Underside of the Paklite is a little dangerous because of the short handle.

For the most part the Buck Paklite 143 is a great knife for the price. If you are looking for a light weight and durable knife that can take a beating than this is the knife for you.

How to Make a Paracord Survival Bracelet (Cobra Weave)

2011-10-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

From lashing things together to hanging you gear in the trees paracord has hundreds of uses. A paracord bracelet is a great way to take a little extra with you. In this short video tutorial I will show you how to make a cobra weave paracord bracelet.

Gunstock Survival Cache

2011-08-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

If you have a hollowed out gunstock it makes for a great small survival cache. I put a lighter and two candles for starting fire in the gunstock. A small fishing kit with a rubber worm, two hooks, about 50 feet of 30lbs fishing line. A small sewing kit composed of a needle and thread, and 200 rounds of ammo in mine. Check out the short video on my gunstock survival kit.

How to Make Gun Powder

2011-05-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for what you do with this information. This information is strictly educational. If you use this information for purposes other than educational, you do so at your own risk.

There may come a time when knowing how to make gun powder could come in handy in an emergency situation. There are three main ingredients in gun powder: potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur. Here is a list of materials you will need.

· 3 cups of granulated potassium nitrate

· 2 cups of powdered charcoal

· ½ cup of powdered sulfur

· 10 cups of rubbing alcohol

· 3 cups of water

· 2 two gallon metal buckets

· 1 metal window screen big enough to fit on top of your buckets

· 1 large wooden spoon

· 1 old T-shirt

· A heat source

The amounts above will produce 2 pounds of gun powder. Below is a step by step guide for making gun powder using the materials listed above.

1. Mix 3 cups of potassium nitrate, 2 cups of powdered charcoal, 1 cup of water, and ½ cup of powdered sulfur in one of the metal buckets. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly.

2. Add 2 cups of water to the mixture and begin heating. Heat the mixture while stirring until it starts bubbling.

3. Pour 10 cups of alcohol in the unused metal bucket.

4. Take the mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur off of the heat and pour the mixture into the bucket with the alcohol while mixing vigorously.

5. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.

6. Take your old t-shirt and secure half of it over the now empty bucket. Pour the alcohol mixture through your t-shirt filter.

7. Discard the liquid in the bucket. Take the powder that is left on the cloth and squeeze out the rest of the liquid.

8. Dry your empty bucket with the rest of your t-shirt.

9. Place the screen over the dry empty bucket.

10. Push the damp gun powder through the screen.

11. Take the powder that has been pushed through the screen and spread it out thinly on a clean dry surface free of debris. The mixture should be dried as fast as possible. The longer the mixture takes to dry the less powerful the gun powder will be.

gun powder is dangerous and caution should be used when handling it. Store your gun powder in a moisture proof container away from sparks and heat.

How to Start a Fire with a Magnifying Glass

2011-05-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

A magnifying glass should be a part of everyone’s survival kit. The great thing about a magnifying glass is that it can be used over and over again. On dry sunny days it makes no sense to waste your waterproof matches, magnesium strip or other fire starters. You will only need to gather some basic items to start a fire with a magnifying glass. You will need some dried out grass, cattail, or any other easily combustible material. You will also need some pine straw or leaves. Gather some pine and hard wood twigs and gather some bigger pieces of wood. Hard wood will burn longer than soft wood, but soft wood is better for starting the fire.

1. Form your dry grass into the shape of a birds nest.

2. Focus the suns light through the magnifying glass. The focused light will appear as a very bright small dot. The pile of grass should start to smoke immediately. Keeping your light focused work around in an outward circular motion slowly. It should take about two minutes to catch on fire. It may take longer than two minutes so be patient if it does not ignite quickly.

3. Once your grass or cattail has ignited place the pine straw or leaves on top. The leaves and pine straw should combust quickly.

4. You are now ready to add your twigs make sure you do not smother your fire or it will go out. Cross the twigs leaving gaps for the fire to breath.

5. You can now start adding bigger pieces of wood to your fire.

When making a fire in the woods make sure to clear a five to ten foot radius around your fire area to avoid catching debris outside the area on fire. Below is a quick video tutorial. Be sure to properly extinguish your fire as it may reignite later.

Preparing an Emergency Food Supply

2011-04-30T16:39:00.001-07:00

Every family should have an emergency food supply; do you have yours? When planning your food supply there are a few things you will have to consider. You will have to take into account how many people are in your family and what kind of special needs they might have. You will also have to decide how much food to stock. Other considerations are what kind of food to stock up and how long you will want your supply to last are. Some people have enough food stocked up to last five years. There are basically two types of foods that have a long shelf life. There are canned foods and there are dried foods. There are also a few foods that have an indefinite shelf life. Water is another item that should be on everyone’s food supply list.

Canned goods are a great emergency food. Test conducted by the military showed that canned food was still good to eat 46 years after the expiration date. There is a wide variety of canned foods you can choose from. Another benefit of canned food is that it is already cooked. While it may taste better warmed up, there is no need to cook it. Food that does not require cooking or water makes for an excellent emergency food.

Dried foods are another great emergency food. I recommend that all dry foods be stored in mylar bags. Mylar bags have a barrier that keeps moisture and oxygen out of the food keeping the food fresh and free of microorganisms. Mylar bags also come in a variety of sizes. Rice, beans, and pasta are all great dry foods to stock up on. Powdered milk and instant potatoes are also another great dry food item. Spices are a great food item to stock up on. A long time ago spices were used as a form of currency. Dry foods have a long shelf life if they are stored properly. Powdered milk if stored in a Mylar bag in a cool, dry, and dark place has a shelf life of 20 years. The down side with dry foods is that some of them require water and cooking.

Here is a list of some foods that can be stored indefinitely:

· Honey

· Vinegar

· Hard liquor

· Sugar

· Salt

· Corn starch

· White rice

· Pasta

· Vanilla extract

· Corn syrup

As long as these foods are stored properly they can be stored indefinitely.

Water is extremely important to have in your emergency food supply. The average person consumes almost a gallon of water a day. I recommend purchasing 1 to 5 gallon jugs of distilled water. If you collect your own water make sure you filter and treat the water before drinking. There are two main ways to treat water. Boiling water is by far the easiest way to treat water. Boil your water for at least one minute. If you live in a high altitude area you should boil you water for five minutes. You can also treat your water by using non scented bleach. Use 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water. Do not drink the water for at least 30 minutes. The water should have a slight smell of bleach.

Having an emergency food supply can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. Remember to also store your food supply properly.

How to Stockpile Antibiotics

2011-04-28T16:52:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for what you do with this information. This information is strictly educational. You should always consult your doctor before taking any medications.

What good is five years worth of food supply if you get sick and die because you didn’t have antibiotics? Every person serious about prepping for disaster will eventually run across this problem. Luckily there are a few ways that you can stockpile antibiotics. We will be talking about four ways you can get antibiotics in the U.S. without a prescription.

Fish supply stores carry antibiotics. Fish suffer from infection and disease just like we do. The antibiotics used to treat fish are the same antibiotics used to treat humans. You might be limited on what your local fish supply store carries but over the internet you can find a wide variety of antibiotics in capsule form. The greatest part about buying from a fish supply store is that it is perfectly legal and you do not need a prescription.

Another way to obtain antibiotics is to take a drive to Mexico. In Mexico you can buy prescription antibiotics over the counter no questions asked. Make sure you check all state and federal laws before bringing antibiotics back from Mexico. While it is legal to purchase the antibiotics, there are still restrictions to bringing them back in to the country. Never attempt to bring narcotics over the border.

The internet is a great way to get antibiotics without a prescription. Any country that does not require a prescription for antibiotics will gladly sell them to you and ship them right to your door. Custom officials tend to look the other way when it comes to antibiotics. I have never heard of anyone going to jail because they purchased antibiotics illegally. When buying antibiotics from a foreign country verify that the company is a reputable distributor of antibiotics.

Ethnic stores are another place in the U.S. that you can buy antibiotics without a prescription. Immigrants purchase prescription antibiotics from ethnic markets all the time. Immigrants are used to purchasing antibiotics over the counter at local stores. If you live within driving distance of a bodega, you know where to get your antibiotics.

Remember stockpiling food, and guns are not enough. If you get sick or a family member gets sick you will need antibiotics. If you haven’t gotten antibiotics yet, you’re not fully prepared.

Make your own bullion

2011-04-27T12:26:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for what you do with this information. This information is strictly educational. Use extreme caution when dealing with molten metal.

Have you ever thought about investing in gold or silver just in case of economic collapse? Well you are not alone; many people are doing just that. You might be thinking there is no way that you can afford to invest in gold or silver bars or any other metal for that matter. Well that's fine, because you can make your own.

Everyday materials contain a wealth of metals that can be melted down and formed. Collecting old soda pop cans is a great way to stock up on aluminum. Copper is used in many electrical devices, especially the power cords, making it easy to come by. Once you acquire the scraps, the next step is to melt the metals down.

You will need to make a furnace. You will also need a crucible to hold the molten metal and tongs to pick up the crucible. Once the metal is molten you will need a mold to cast your ingots.

When making a furnace you will have to decide what kind of fuel source you will be using. There are three common types of fuels used in backyard casting. The three fuels are charcoal, propane, and waste oil. Using charcoal is by far the simplest and cheapest way to go. Although in my opinion the simplest and cheapest way is not always the most efficient. A propane furnace is very efficient but propane can get expensive. A propane furnace design is also a little more complex compared to a simple charcoal furnace. A waste oil furnace is by far the most complicated furnace to build. This type of furnace is great for someone that has a lot of ingenuity. There are not many plans on the internet for this type of furnace so expect to have to do a lot of experimentation. The plus side to a waste oil furnace is that the fuel is free. You will find that friends, neighbors, and restaurants will be more than happy to get rid of their old oil. The efficiency of a waste oil furnace will depend upon your design. I do not recommend a waste oil furnace for the beginner.

Crucibles are used to hold the molten metal inside of the furnace. Crucibles come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on your application. Commonly backyard metal casters will use a crucible made out of iron. More expensive crucibles made of graphite or silicon carbide can be purchased through a foundry supply store. You can even make your own ceramic crucibles.

Molds come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can find molds made out of graphite and iron on ebay. You can also make your own. Another way to make a mold is by using casting sand. There is a variety of casting sand available. Green sand is common sand used in sand molded casting. Green sand is a mixture of silica sand, bentonite clay, and water. The great thing about sand casting is not only can you make ingots but you can cast just about anything you like.

Well I hope this information sets you on your way to making your very own bullion. Remember always wear proper safety gear when working with molten metal.