Personal Floatation Device Review - By Montezuma

How do you prepare for  Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) warfare? What about an EMP attack? I personally believe that we get bogged down with some of these BIG TICKET items and don't spend enough time preparing for some of the basic survival needs. Statistically speaking we are much more likely to die from drowning in a flash flood than we are from NBC..., but you almost never hear a "survivalist" suggest that you keep a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) in your survival kit. Why not? 

The recent floods of Nashville and Arkansas show us that it doesn't take long to find yourself in a bad situation.

Carrying a PFD like the Stearns Inflata-Belt Lite could be a valuable asset to your Survival Kit.  It is light weight, easy to store, easy to wear and with a $70.00 price tag, realatively affordable. A PFD like this one gives the user the option to select when they would like the it to inflate, while other systems are water activated and automatically inflate upon contact. The "manual" system makes more sense for most survivalist because we may be exposed to the elements of nature and get our kit wet before we are in need of it. The Inflata-Belt uses a small CO2 cartridge that can be replaced... so you can "re-arm", re-pack and re-use the device.

I suppose we could all spend our time worrying about anthrax, dirty bombs and zombies OR we could spend some time thinking about the things that pose a real threat to us on a regular basis.

12 easy things you can do to help yourself get Survival Ready - By Montezuma

• My wife taught me all about BOGOs!!!
• Women's clothing and shoe stores do it all the time... BOGO - Buy One Get One and you should do it too. When you go to the store for your weekly supplies, pick up an extra item here and there for your survival pantry (bottled water, canned goods, dry goods, shot gun shells)

• Learn how to bake bread.
• In our modern society many of the things that our grandparents knew how to do have been lost with us... and we are sure to be exposed in a SHTF scenario. Even if you are baking bread, you are probably using a bread making machine. Give it a try without the machine. I've followed several recipes and my bread still isn't exactly right, but it will do in a pinch. Next, I want to learn how to bake bread on a grill.

• Add survival into your mental checklist; Make survival a priority.
• Notice that I say make it A priority... Life requires balance. Spend some time on planning for the future..., but don't forget to live for today.

• Learn how to shoot.
• Many gun ranges (the good ones anyway) will provide you with a variety of fire arms to rent for use at the range and there are regularly scheduled safety and instructional courses as well. Not only is it a great way to educate yourself for survival or home defense, it is also a great way to blow off some steam after a hectic week or maybe an idea for a something different to do on date night (maybe not the best idea for a first date). 

• Make a fire.
• I'm not talking about lighting a bag of charcoals here. Get yourself a fire steel, some materials that you might have available in a survival scenario and build one. For extra credit, you might want to try making a bow drill

• 
  
  Go shoe shopping.
• 
  
  If you are like me, you probably have usually purchased shoes based on asthetics and very few of my shoes were actually designed to serve a true purpose. Once I started thinking about a survival situation and not knowing when it was going to hit, I started to realize that my flip-flops and CROCS weren't going to serve me very well for a long walk and that my Go-Fasters (jogging shoes) were as equally dismal for the purpose of survival. Think long distance hiking, keeping your feet dry and comfortable.

• Wean yourself away from cotton.
• There is a common saying in the hiking community -- "Cotton Kills". Basically, cotton is a great material if you are not going to get wet, but is horrible in the event that moisture is in your future (Think wearing soaking wet blue jeans and trying to go for a hike --- MISERABLE). Much like the shoes, start thinking about the materials that you are putting on your body and how they may fair in a survival scenario.

• Start a garden.
• Much like with baking bread, growing and harvesting our own food has really become a lost art. Give yourself the opportunity to gain some confidence by growing some food for yourself and your family. You may want to just start with something simple... Grow a tomato plant... and then expand from there. This is also a great project for the whole family (kids LOVE it).

• Eat a salad.
• Eat a salad and lose a few pounds... a good survival mindset needs to be physically fit too.
• Just a thought... A great form of exercise is hiking.

• Get a bag and a box.
• There are TONS or resources online that can give you specifics on Bug Out Bags (BOB)and Get Home Bag (GHB)... this isn't going to be a how to on how to build one (they are very personal and need to meet your needs)... the point here is get them. I keep a BOB/72 hour kit for myself and the family at home... in the event that we need to grab and go, I have a nice cache of gear (and documents stored on a water proof flash drive) stored and ready to go. I keep an emergency kit and Get Home Bag in my vehicles.

• Read a book.
• Not all survival books are how to manuals... many of them are light hearted in nature and actually quite fun to read. Like the Survivor's Club
• Some aren't "survival books" at all, but provide you with information that just might give you some insight on current events that allow you to react to a world event while the rest of the "sheeple" are still trying to figure it out. I highly recommend Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg

• Go for a drive.
• Go for a "Sunday Drive" --- heck, make a picnic out of it. Think about alternate routes, areas that you may be able to use as safe havens... perhaps "roads" that aren't actually roads. Look at your surroundings... and make notes on your map (water here, service tunnel here, etc).

At the end of the day, it can really all be summed up with this... take a step... and then take another. What are some quick preps that you suggest?

5 Multitools - By Montezuma

When I was a kid, I once asked my Dad why he carried his pocket knife... and he told me that he kept it with him in case he was with a "lady friend" and needed to open a bottle of wine. Yep, my ol' man was a playa and I guess that's part of the reason why Mom and Dad split up when I was a kid... LOL. Multi-tools have come a long way since then, but you still need one to be a playa.



Multi-tools are a great item to keep with you as an EDC, GHB and BOB and there are plenty to choose from... here are just a few to consider:

Leatherman Juice S2

About $40

Measurements:

• 3.25 in (closed)
• 4.4 0z
• 2.6 in (blade length)

 Tools:

• 420HC Clip Point Knife
• Needlenose Pliers
• Regular Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Hard-wire Cutters
• Extra-small Screwdriver
• Small Screwdriver
• Medium/Large Screwdriver
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Scissors
• Bottle Opener
• Can Opener

 

Gerber Suspension

About $23

Measurements:

• Overall Length: 6"
• Closed Length: 3.5"
• Weight: 9oz.

Tools:

• Needlnose pliers
• wire cutter
• fine edge knife
• serrated edge knife
• saw
• scissors
• crosspoint screwdriver
• small and medium flatblade screwdrivers
• can opener
• bottle opener 

SOG 66

About $63

 Measurements:

• Closed 4.675"
• Open 7.125"
• Weight 9.3 oz.

Tools:

• Straight Blade
• Serrated Blade
• 3-Sided File
• Large Screwdriver
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Can Opener/Small Screwdriver
• Bottle Opener/Medium Screwdriver
• V-Cutter
• Blast Cap Crimper
• Wire Crimper
• Wire Cutter

  

 

Victorinox SwissTool Spirit

About $60

 Measurements:

• 4.13 inch
• 5.75 oz

Tools:

• Needle nose pliers 
• Screwdriver (2 mm)
• Screwdriver (3 mm)
• Wire cutter(for wire up to a hardness of 40 hrc)
• Bottle opener
• Screwdriver (6 mm)
• Crate opener
• Combi-edge blade
• Scissors
• Metal file
• Metal saw
• Wood saw
• Reamer
• Phillips screwdriver
• Chisel/scraper
• Isolation length cutter
• Wire bender
• Wire stripper
• Wire scraper/round cutter
• Can opener
• Multi-purpose hook
• Coupling for corkscrew
• Hard wire cutter

 

Leatherman Wave

About $60

 Measurements:

• 4 in (closed)
• 8.5 oz
• 2.9 in (blade length)

Tools:

• 420HC Clip Point Knife
• 420HC Sheepsfoot Serrated Knife
• Needlenose Pliers
• Regular Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Hard-wire Cutters
• Wire Stripper
• Large Screwdriver
• Large Bit Driver
• Small Bit Driver
• Scissors
• Wood/Metal File
• Diamond-coated File
• Saw
• Bottle Opener
• Can Opener
• 8 in /19 cm Ruler
• INCLUDED BITS: Phillips and Flat Tip Eyeglasses Screwdriver Bit, Phillips #1-2 and 3/16" Bit

THOUGHTS:

No doubt, when it comes to multi-tools there are tons of choices and tons of variables. I personally carry the Gerber Suspension and have been very pleased with it. One of the key features that I like about the Suspension is that the pliers are spring loaded so that you don't have to manually open the jaws (same thing with the scissors). It isn't the lightest multi-tool, but it is very functional and I don't have any complaints. I have heard great things about the Leatherman Juice, which is billed as being great for scouting and general outdoor use.

Based on weight, size and the amount of tools and the reviews on amazon, I would be very interested in the Victorinox Swiss Army SwissTool ...

Which tool do you carry playa?

Paracord and Duct Tape - By Montezuma

Paracord and Duct Tape is a staple of any survival (or kinky weekend) kit. There are thousands of uses and a million reasons why you should have some with you.

While I understand that SILENCE is GOLDEN and DUCT TAPE is SILVER, I'm just going to put this out there as a pet peeve... I can't stand it when they use a small piece of duct tape to cover someone's mouth in the movies. It may pull a little on your face, but that tape will come of if you don't wrap it. :) 

Paracord

Paracord, 550 Cord, Parachute Cord are all synonyms. When shopping for paracord, you want to make note of the Minimum Breaking Strength, which should be 550 lbs, if it is less, you are dealing with an inferior product. A few examples of what you may find useful:

• Repair a broken lace on a boot or pack.
• Along with a tarp or poncho create a shelter.
• Secure food out of reach of bears.
• Clothes line
• Inside lines can be used for a makeshift fishing line.
• As a tether to keep your gear secured to yourself or bag.
• Make a snare for small game.

You can buy or make parcord bracelets, rifle slings, belts, dog collars, bikini tops, etc, etc, etc. The advantage being that if you have a bracelet holding up to 24' of cord and the need presents itself, you are prepared and it doesn't need to take up extra space in your pack.

There are several places that provide woven paracord products, Survival Straps has a policy that if you unravel it and use it in a survival situation, they'll replace it.

Duct Tape

I am sure everyone is aware at the legendary reputation of duct tape, but let's talk about some ways that you could deploy duct tape in a survival situation:

• Repairing torn tents, tarps, clothes, etc
• Sealing/Waterproofing 
• Making minor/temporary repairs to a vehicle.
• Fixing a sole on a shoe/boot
• I put some on my neosporin to prevent it breaking and making a mess in my kit.

Paracord and Duct Tape, obviously the list just goes on and on and on.... How do you use them?

What Knife Blades Are Made Of

Steel Knife Blades

•A-2 and 0-1 - Are tool steels with very high carbon content. They offer excellent edge holding and these alloys must have frequent maintenance to prevent rust.

•D-2 - is a high carbon tool steel that has a high chromium content. It has better stain and rust resistance than A-2 and 0-1. One of the finest steels made for edge retention.

•Damascus Steel - Is simply a high carbon steel that takes on a layered appearance, because of certain methods used during the manufacturing process. It is attractive, tough, flexible and holds an edge well.


Non-Steel Knife Blades

•Titanium - Is extremely rust resistant and is non-magnetic. Popular as expensive used as dive knives with the Navy Seals.

•Ceramics - Numerous knives have been offered with ceramic blades. Usually, those blades are very brittle, and can not be sharpened by the user. They do hold an edge well and Boker and Kyocera make some knives with this material.



Stainless Steels:

•420 - Lower carbon content than the 440 series makes this steel very soft, and it doesn't hold an edge well. Normally used for cheaper knives.

•440A - 440B - 440C - All three resist rust well, with 440A being the most resistant and 440C the least. If your knife is marked with just 440, it is probably the less expensive 440A. In general the 440A is just good enough for everyday use, 440B is a solid performer and 440C being excellent.

•425M and 12C27 - Both of these are very similar to 440A. 425M is used by Buck Knives. 12C27 is a Scandanavian steel.

•AUS-6 - Japanese stainless steel, roughly compared to 440A.

•AUS-8 - Japanese stainless steel, roughly compared to 440B.

•AUS-10 - JapaSimilarnese stainless steel, roughly compared to 440C.

•GIN-1 - A steel with slightly less carbon, a little more chromium, and alot less moly than ATS-34. Used by Spyderco, a very good stainless steel.

•ATS-34 - Very high carbon content, giving it a very good edge retention.

•ATS-55 - Similar to ATS-34, but without the moly and some other elements added. Looks like the attempt to get the ATS-34 edge with increased toughness. Spyderco is using this steel also.

•BG-42 - Similar to the ATS-34, with two major differences. It has twice the amount of manganese and has vanadium added. These additives make an even better edge holding.

•CPM T440V and CPM T420V - Two steels that hold an edge better than ATS-34, but difficult to get the edge there. Don't expect the toughness of ATS-34.
 
 
 
article provided by Cheaper Than Dirt

SOG Flash II Knife Review -- By Montezuma

I picked this knife up from Lowes actually, but as of right now there is a better price for it at Amazon. I've had this blade for a month or two now and have been very pleased so far.




Specifications:

Blade Length	3.5" x .125"
Overall Length	8"
Weight	3.1 oz.
Edge	Partially Serrated
Steel	AUS 8
HRC	57-58
Handle	Zytel
Finish	Satin
Sheath	N/A

SOG is well known for their knives and the Flash II is not a disappointment. The 3.5" blade is excellent for daily chores, food prep, etc. AND at 3.1oz is light weight enough for an Everyday Carry. The clip is well designed and allows for a secure, flush storage in a pocket.

As the name implies, the Flash series of knives are easy to open and deploy. They are equipped with SOG Assisted Technology™ (S.A.T.), which employs a powerful piston lock that is easily released with a sliding button.

One feature that I am not crazy about is the "safety". There is a small lock that could be activated while in your pocket and could slow down your ability to get this knife deployed if you really did need it in a hurry. I have heard other people say that they have overcome this by putting a little bit of super glow on the safety switch, but I have yet to get to it and honestly I haven't had any situations arise that made me feel that this was really critical to take care of immediately.