Year: 2011


Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 36 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and …


Everyday Carry Items, by J.C.R.

As I watched this past weekend several different television shows chronicling the events of September 11, 2001, a thought crossed my mind.  Sometimes events happen so fast in our lives that we don’t have any time at all to prepare and all you are left with is what you have on you and what you know.  Most often that “event” is not life-threatening but more of an inconvenience than anything else.  There have been lots of times when having something as simple as a safety pin would have made all the difference in the world. As I watched people not …


Making Your Water Filter Last, by F.J.B.

Making Your Water Filter Last, by F.J.B. When my four boys were young, we did a lot of backcountry hiking. Usually the trip was only a day or two and didn’t require a lot of gear to pack. Each of us carried our own water. I remember one hike we took in the middle of August. It was a two-day trip with daytime temperatures nearing 110 degrees. We were out surveying on a huge western ranch. My wife was concerned about our having enough water (in the high desert). To address her understandable concerns, I took along an Indian water-tank …


Two Letters Re: Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids and Hygiene

Mr. Rawles,  Another comment on home made laundry soap. There is a difference between Sodium Carbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate and using the wrong one will make a difference in the quality/effectiveness of your product. If you are having difficulty locating Sodium Carbonate you may want to consider checking with your local swimming pool supply store. Soda Ash (sodium carbonate) is a commonly used chemical to raise the pH in swimming pools. – W.V. Willard Mr. Rawles: There are several easy solutions, and a few economical difficult ones. I make my laundry soap out of grated Ivory bars, Borax, generic Oxy-Clean, and …


Economics and Investing:

Reader Larry W. recommended this commentary from Howard Gold: Lehman Brothers II crisis is coming soon John R. sent us several links to some recent Zero Hedge articles: Interactive Infographic of the Doomed European Financial System   DSK Says Greece Is Done   Is September 20 Greek Default Day?   Items from The Economatrix: Is China Ready To Pull The Plug? Is Revolution Hitting US Streets Tomorrow? The Economic Collapse – Part 1 Mayor Bloomberg Predicts Riots In The Streets If Economy Does Not Create More Jobs


Odds ‘n Sods:

Gail H. recommended this over at The Art of Manliness: How To Shave Like Your Grandpa    o o o Jonathan B. was the first of several readers to send this: Farmers flee as world’s deadliest volcano rumbles    o o o Another sign of the times: Father and daughter burned in alleged electrical theft.    o o o F.G. sent this: Smoking Bans Are No Match For New Yorkers    o o o Jasper recommended some practical advice over at Lew Rockwell’s site: Journey to the U-Pull…



The Home Medical Kit Revisited, by Dr. Bob

Medical supplies are an essential part of survival and planning can really save you some headaches. You cannot have too much gauze nor too many Band-Aids. Seriously, if you have the room then keep buying them. Sterile gauze is worth having a small amount of, and non-sterile a much larger amount of. band-Aids of all shapes are recommended, I really like the Nextcare tattoo type because they stick so well and help with blister protection as well as all sorts of small cuts. I am not really a big band-Aid person as I like blood and scars, but to each his …


An Overview of Handloading .45 ACP by Pat Cascio

I’ve had numerous requests from SurvivalBlog readers for some articles on reloading, and in particular, on how to reload. It is beyond the scope of any single article to teach anyone how to reload in several easy steps. There are many videos and reloading manuals available that can teach you, step-by-step, how to reload. There are also some on-line courses you can take to teach you how to reload. There isn’t anything magical about reloading, it’s really pretty simple and enjoyable – I’ve been reloading for more than 40 years now, and I personally find it a relaxing way to …


Redefining Dollar Stores, by Michael Z. Williamson

At one time, dollar stores (former called “five and dime” stores) sold closeouts, leftovers, seconds and special deals.  Increasingly, though, they’re selling purpose-made, second-rate, third world junk made just for that purpose.  I would never trust any tool from such a store–they’re of pot metal and guaranteed to fail.  They are not, in my opinion, “better than nothing”, because they cost money, give you a false sense of security, and don’t accomplish anything. I would recommend finding both actual overstock and closeout stores, and thrift stores, as well as frequenting garage sales.  At the latter two, older tools without the …


Three Letters Re: Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids and Hygiene

Mr. Rawles,   I read the article regarding “Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, and Hygiene” by Jason L. I thought I would contribute our family’s method of making laundry detergent. In stead of paying an exorbitant price for laundry soap, we make our own using Borax, Washing Soda, Fels-Naptha soap and hot water. This is the Duggar Family laundry soap recipe. I give proper credit to that family for the recipe, and it works great. Our clothes have a light clean scent and the monetary savings is tremendous. The simple and cheap ingredients make it very easy to store supplies to make literally thousands of gallons of …


Letter Re: Magpul Dynamics The Art of the Tactical Carbine DVD Set

I also thoroughly enjoyed The Art of the Tactical Carbine DVD as an instructional video to become more proficient in carbine operation.  I also agree, Chris Costa’s drop pouch explanation is hilarious but at the end, he makes a more important point: “You, the shooter, have to determine what you want to do.” In most of the training I’ve taken with tactical carbine and pistol operation, the emphasis has generally focused on winning the fight without much consideration for long term logistics.  This has given much credence to the practice of emergency reloads – dropping the mag to get the …


Economics and Investing:

America’s Poorest States. [JWR Notes: I was surprised to see Montana on the list. Of course up there they are strong on barter and self-sufficiency, and that economic activity simply doesn’t register in dollar terms. A large portion of the population in Montana cuts their own firewood, hunts, and has a vegetable garden. My consulting clients in Montana tell me that lots of transactions are paid for in firewood, shed antlers, and even frozen huckleberries.] Ayn Rand Institute president Yaron Brook the annual Ayn Rand dinner: The Coming Collapse: “We Can Buy Time, But We Can’t Change the Outcome” Deep …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Five Minutes and Twenty Nine Seconds of Terror: Dramatic New Video of Japan Tsunami    o o o Greg C. sent this: China Consolidates Grip on Rare Earths. Greg C. notes that China now dominates the world’s compact fluorescent bulb market, so they can charge what they’d like. And, by law, we will must buy these more expensive bulbs–we will no longer be able to buy traditional incandescent bulbs. Further, the fluorescent bulbs will contaminate our landfills with mercury. Doesn’t it feel great to be a part of the Green Revolution?    o o o File Under: “Most Ethical Administration …