Year: 2024

Tools For The Next Generation

In this article, I’d like to emphasize the importance of tools that will be needed by our descendants. To begin, I’d like to stress the importance of buying quality tools. Don’t buy junk tools from Mainland China, often sold at places like Wal-Mart and Harbor Freight. I prefer tools made by companies like Snap-On, MAC, Matco, Irwin, Stahlwille (of Germany), Proto (called Plomb in the company’s early days), SK, Klein, Husky (pre-Taiwan), Cornwell, Kobalt (pre-China), Facom (of France), Worx, Fiskars (of Finland), Knipex, Ridgid, and Craftsman (pre-China). Sadly, many tool companies like Craftsman, Husky, Kobalt, and Stanley have moved part …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, a report on possible lower crude oil prices. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Silver and gold prices have continued to be quite strong. When I checked on Thursday evening (Friday morning in Asia), Spot Gold was at $2,677.70 per Troy ounce, and Spot Silver was at $32.43. Wow!  The COMEX short sellers must be …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — October 3, 2024

On October 3, 1712, the Duke of Montrose issued a warrant for the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor. — Today is the 31st anniversary of the Mogadishu, Somalia raid. 18 Americans were killed. The Somalis killed were unnamed and un-numbered, but estimates range from 315 to 2,000 KIAs. The events of October 3, 1993 were memorialized in the movie Black Hawk Down. — We are running a 3-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 11th, 2024, all of our blackpowder revolvers, all of our M1891 Argentine Mauser rifles, and all of our sporter rifles are deeply discounted.  Take a …


Lessons Learned from Hurricane Helene, by N.C. Ham

I really did not give a lot of thought ahead of time about the approaching storm. I spent time at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo in Cuba growing up and I have lived through several hurricanes in the Southeast. I won’t make that mistake again. I now see how we can get way too comfortable with the daily situation live in and not see the forest for the trees. My work location is several hours from my home which is in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I work from home about half the time and was in the mountains when …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at the current dock workers strike. East and Gulf Coast Ports Strike, Stranding Billions in Trade Over at left-leaning CNBC: East and Gulf coast ports strike, …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — October 2, 2024

Solar Flare Update: An X7.1 category solar flare was detected on Tuesday.  It is unknown whether the flare’s CME will be a direct strike or a glancing blow to Earth.  The main effects are expected between Friday and Saturday, October 4th-5th. I recommend disconnecting antennas and putting all of your spare radios and other sensitive electronics into Faraday containers for at least a few days. — On October 2, 1535, French explorer Jacques Cartier first visited the Iroquois settlement of Hochelaga. (Later named Montreal.) — October 2, 1835: The story of the “Come and Take It” flag began at the …


Writing Contest Judging Results (Round 114)

We’ve completed the judging for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. First Prize goes to N.C., for Basic Sewing: Cloning Clothes. (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, posted August 9-11, 2024.) His prizes will include: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value), A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried …


Practical Furniture for End of the World – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Table Project #2 was just the Project #1 design retrofitted with heavier lumber that supports seating for up to six people. It is very comfortable. This design is very sturdy and the table is stable enough that three people can sit on one side without tipping the table. The design lends itself to quick disassembly so that it can be loaded into a full-size 8-foot pickup bed.   Table #3 is similar to Project #1, although its legs are different. There is no cross beam, so standard chairs can be pushed completely …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — Officials warn that EVs could catch fire if inundated with saltwater from Hurricane Helene. o  o  o A Patrick Feeney video interview with Tucker Carlson: Do This With Your Family and the Apocalypse Might Not Be So Bad. o  o  o News from Nanny State California: Newsom Signs Bill Banning Single-use Propane …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 1, 2024

On October 1, 1880, John Philip Sousa (pictured) became the new director of the U.S. Marine Corps Band. — On October  1, 331 BC, the army of Alexander the Great defeated Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. — Please keep the folks inside of Tropical Storm Helene’s devastation in your prayers.  We’d appreciate reading “After Action” reports from SurvivalBlog readers in the area. There are certainly some lessons to be learned. – JWR — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present the first entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round …


Practical Furniture for End of the World – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Because I only have a small cabin, when doing large-scale canning, I use my outdoor kitchen that includes a deep stainless steel sink. While there is relatively inexpensive used furniture for sale at thrift stores and online places such as Craigslist, most of it does not meet my standards for that which is rugged or sturdy construction and durable when exposed to a long duration of many years exposed to the elements. This means that it is better if we can make our own, especially if we can not purchase it in the future bad times ahead. Furniture can be …


October, 2024 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance and silver’s performance and examine the factors that affected the metal prices. WHAT DID GOLD AND SILVER DO IN SEPTEMBER? It was yet another month of solid gains for silver and gold, including fresh all-time highs for the latter. As we enter the fourth quarter of the calendar year, the precious metals continue to reinforce the conviction that they are experiencing a durable bull market. Both metals started the month lower on the …