Day: May 16, 2007

Notes from JWR:

Today we welcome our latest affiliate advertiser: Life Gear. They sell a nifty pre-packaged three day kit in a backpack, lanterns, flashlights, and much more.Please give your patronage to our paid banner advertisers first. If they don’t have exactly what you are looking for, then consider our Affiliate Advertisers. When you shop with our affiliates via our links, we get a little piece of the action to help support SurvivalBlog. Thanks! Congrats to Chris D., the high bidder in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction that ended last night. (The auction was for a pre-1899 Mauser rifle.) A new auction begins today. …


Letter Re: How to Harvest, Process, and Store Vegetable Seeds

Jim: [I recommend an article on seed storage available in PDF. Here is a brief summary:] “Storing seeds by immersion in CALGLY is a simple and cost-effective method for enhancing medium- or long-term longevity of orthodox seeds at ambient temperature.” CALGLY is easily made from readily-available chemicals – Calcium Chloride and Glycerol. The article gives instructions on how to prepare it. Also, note that this study shows that 2 percent moisture content is the optimum for seed viability. (The article by “Grandpappy” on May 11 [incorrectly] stated that below 5% will kill the seed.) Regards, – Stephen M.


Letter Re: A 250 MPG Bicycle Gasoline Engine

Jim, This is an unusual bike engine that uses standard gasoline (no oil mixing!) and delivers something in the neighborhood of 250 MPG, with a top speed of about 25 MPH. It might be just the thing to turn one’s emergency bike into a viable vehicle, despite hills to climb. Although the tank will only hold about 23 miles worth of fuel, it’d be a simple matter to carry extra fuel to get one 50-to-100 miles. While probably not the perfect way to “bug out”, it’d be nice to have motors like this on hand, “just in case”. – Hawaiian …


Letter Re: Employment as a Gunsmith, Both Before and After TSHTF

Mr. Rawles, I am a new reader of your blog. One of my co-workers recently told me about it and I am hooked. I never knew there was such a large gathering of like minded people. The reason for this e-mail is to ask about gunsmithing courses. Being new to your site I may not be looking in the right direction. If this is a subject that has not been covered can you or any of your readers recommend an online or correspondence course? Thank you. – Randy G. JWR Replies: I have not yet covered this topic, so here …


Letter Re: Retreat Locale Recommendations in Northern Idaho?

Hi Jim: Well a momentous time is upon me. After long conversations and deliberations, my dear wife has herself brought up the idea of relocating to Idaho. We’re planning a trip up to check things out. Wondering if you have any recommendations for areas to see, like the sub-20,000 population town with mixed economies. I’ve just started my information gathering and was hoping to get input from you on good areas to consider housing in. – Eric JWR Replies: I wish you the best on your upcoming move. First, my congratulations! You represent one of the less than 5% of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Countrytek mentioned: More mass fish kills, in the upper Midwestern states. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is blamed.   o o o KT sent us a link to video from Taurus, hyping their “Judge” .45 Colt/.410 shotshell revolver. This revolver might sense for folks in bear country. And bear country is also often grouse or ptarmigan country. So this whompin’ big revolver might be practical in several ways. I certainly wouldn’t want to make it my primary self-defense handgun (versus two-legged predators), but it does offer some interesting possibilities. As for the Taurus marketeer’s suggestion of using The Judge as a counter-carjacking …