Year: 2017

Passing on Family Prepping and Gardening Experience, by J.L.

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Continuous Learning I officially became a prepper during the Y2K experience, but upon reflection I have been prepping most of my life. I have always been fascinated with how things work. Learning became a lifelong occupation. I sometimes wish that I could focus on one discipline and become an expert. But looking back at the age of 61, I suspect that I’ve always had a little ADD (attention deficit disorder). Because of that, over my life, I have been involved in most phases of construction. I’ve been a welder, an instrument technician, a tree worker, an environmental analyst, and a …


Letter: Heating Oil and Kerosene Uses

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Hello Jim: I wanted to write a note about an idea for heating. We use a Nestor-Martin as well as a napoleon oil stove to heat. These are very, very efficient. They burn one and a half to three gallons maximum per day and can heat a 2000 square-foot home. They require no electricity in their gravity fed from oil tank. I’ve heated with wood most of my life. (There is nothing like a wood fire.) To give you an example of how much the world has changed, in the late 70s and 80s as a Boy Scout our troop …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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This column is posted on Tuesdays. Here, we present news and announcements from around the American Redoubt. We also mention companies in the region of interest to preppers. Today’s focus is on the proposed Scotchman Peak wilderness area. Idaho (Scotchman Peak) First, over at Redoubt News, we read: Scotchman Peak Still A Hot Topic. JWR’s Comments: This proposed wilderness area straddles the Idaho/Montana State line. (On the map, look east of Clark Fork, Idaho.) The Wilderness designation will eliminate motorized access to a huge swath of National Forest. But presently the lower elevations have well-established roads. These are  National Forest …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods – a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. Digital Face Reconstruction Remember the days when it was important to get the victim or witness of a crime to a sketch artist as quickly as possible so they could remember the facial features? The sketch artist of the future is here now and it’s a bit different. Researchers are now able to use brain scans and direct neuron recording to identify and recreate “faces” with uncanny accuracy. I guess I’m …


Editors’ Quote Of The Day

“There is no word that has admitted of more various significations, and has made more different impressions on human minds, than that of Liberty. Some have taken it for a facility of deposing a person on whom they had conferred a tyrannical authority; others for the power of choosing a person whom they are obliged to obey; others for the right of bearing arms, and of being thereby enabled to use violence, others in fine for the privilege of being governed by a native of their own country or by their own laws. Some have annexed this name to one …


Preparedness Notes for Monday – June 19, 2017

June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died 31 January 1892. He was a British Particular Baptist preacher. His sermons are still widely read, for good reason. o o o Summer is a great time to finish writing that article you have been planning on for SurvivalBlog. We are in Round 71 and there are nearly $11,000 worth of prizes on the line so get cracking and get it submitted!


CRKT Rakkasan, by Pat Cascio

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The CRKT Rakkasan was designed by Austin McGlaun as part of Columbia River Knife & Tool’s “Forged By War” program. Austin McGlaun is a military veteran who served in the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and chose to donate 10% of net profits to the Green Beret Foundation. CRKT- Rock-Solid Designs Anyone who has seen my many knife designs knows that I like designs that are simple, uncomplicated, easy to manufacture, and tough. There are several knife companies producing some of my designs, with more on the drawing board. One company is Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT), of which …


The Editors’ Preps for the Week of June 19th, 2017

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To be prepared for a crisis, every prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. Steadily, we work on meeting our prepping goals. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors share their planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, property improvements, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We also welcome you to share your planned activities for increasing personal preparedness in the coming week. (Leave a Comment with your project details.) Let’s keep busy and …



Letter: Kitchen Water Filter Advice

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Hi, I listened to JWR on yet another interview (making the rounds) and wanted to know if you (or Hugh) would be able to suggest a water filter I could use for my kitchen sink.  I live in an apartment. Management informed me that a Water-Filtration System (as in reverse osmosis) is not allowed. Is there anything, not super duper pricey, that I could attach to my faucet? Thanks! – T.N. HJL’s Comment: Many of our readers use a Berkey water filter. You can get these for under $300 from many of our advertisers. The advantage of the berkey type …


Economics & Investing for Preppers

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Here are the latest items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on the world’s best-known cryptocurrency,  Bitcoin. Precious Metals: First, there is this, over at Kitco: Ignore the Hawkish Fed, There’s Still A Case for Gold – Traders o  o  o The Taipei Times reports: India plans gold policy revamp for US$19 bn sector Alternate Currencies (Bitcoin): …


Editors’ Quote Of The Day

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“The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed — where the government refuses to stand for reelection and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake a free people get to make only once.” –  Justice Alex Kozinski, US 9th Circuit Court, 2003   



Killing the “HAKA”, by The Recovering Feminist

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Pushing Too Far Have you ever wondered why God spared Job’s wife? Have you nagged? Ladies, can I ask you a few personal questions? It’s a question about nagging. Have you ever nagged a man so much that you pushed him too far? Basically, have you nagged him to the point where you regretted it? I’m not going to discuss the topic of abusive male aggression here or domestic violence. On the contrary, I’m hinting at the reality of how we, as women, have the innate ability to nag men. We all know how to do it. Some are more …


Letter Re: The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load and Weight Considerations

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Hugh, I’ve been reading the MAX V articles about practical application of tactical gear, et cetera. This spurred me to add my .02 cents. During a 2014 deployment to Kandahar with the Air Force Reserve, I had an ankle injury that wasn’t serious enough to send me home but serious enough to slow me down for my entire tour. I had brought with me a Tactical Tailor H-harness and belt set, which I set up to wear under my armor. (Once the armor was on, I never felt it.) I kept one magazine pouch and a small admin pouch, used …