Aviation Prepping – Part 1, by Sky Captain

Max Rockatansky, the hero of the Mad Max movie series, accomplished the seemingly impossible, including single-handedly thwarting a diabolical biker gang, safeguarded a developing community from marauders, bested Master-Blaster, rescued a group of feral children, and liberated Immortan Joe’s harem. However, as fate would have it, the tables were turned on him by a near-sighted weakling and his young child. Recall the moment when Max was knocked off his rig and left to wander the wasteland until he stumbled upon Bartertown? The reason why Jedidiah and his son were able to best Max? They were able to fly. Having a …


Alternative and Improvised Weapons – Part 6, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.) Fire I’ve saved what will probably be the most controversial type of weapon for last – the use of fire for self-defense. Humans have an instinctual fear of fire, so you can harness that fear by adding fire-based weapons to your potential arsenal. There are a number of such options you should consider, but be aware that carrying pretty much any of these during ‘normal time will most likely get you in trouble with law enforcement. Molotov Cocktail – This is any breakable container filled with flammable liquid with a soaked wick …


Alternative and Improvised Weapons – Part 5, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 4.) Blunt Force Projectiles Picking up something and throwing it at an attacker or game is another deep-seated instinct most people have, and it provides a number of additional options for weapons. A 9oz. projectile thrown at 45mph results in around 40 ft-lb of kinetic energy at impact, which is enough to break some smaller bones and cause a concussion. Throwing something accurately and hard enough to do damage requires a lot more practice than just swinging a club, but it can give you a stand-off capability to mitigate threats before they can get close to you. …


Alternative and Improvised Weapons – Part 4, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 3.) Tasers and stun guns are another type of disruptive weapon, but regulations regarding possessing them tend to vary widely. Tasers are generally gun-like devices that shoot barbs on wires to deliver a high voltage to the target’s body, while stun guns require direct physical contact to deliver the voltage. I’m not crazy about any weapon that requires you to get close enough to an attacker to touch them, but it might be useful in some scenarios or as a last ditch option. A useful type of stun gun is the Stun Pen ($17), which doesn’t look …


Alternative and Improvised Weapons – Part 3, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 2.) I’ve also got a smaller kit with just some very basic tools that fits in a wallet-size pouch (except for the Shomer-Tec saw) and weighs just 2.2oz, not including the .7oz trauma shears since I’m already carrying those in my FAK. It consists of: Wazoo tube wire saw w/1 extra titanium split ring (for handles) Shomer-Tec diamond bow saw Lever Gear Toolcard Pro (wrenches, cord cutter, additional screwdrivers, pry bar) Big Design Titanium Pocket Bits (I replaced the OEM split ring with a titanium one) Small 2” file from old multitool (on same split ring as …


Alternative and Improvised Weapons – Part 2, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 1.) Some Theory While most people instinctively understand the concept of ‘pick up something heavy and hit them with it’, it’s useful to understand some of the theory behind weapons in order to make more informed decisions about what to carry and how effective it can be. The goal of most weapons is to apply energy to the target, whether through simple impact force, penetration, explosion, chemical reaction or other methods. For impact weapons, Newton’s Law of motion say ‘Force = Mass x Acceleration’, which roughly translates to the heavier something is and the faster it’s moving, …


Alternative and Improvised Weapons – Part 1, by J.M.

Whether you’re attacked by a mugger walking down the street, suddenly caught in a horde of “mostly peaceful” Antifa thugs, or trying to to make your way home through streets filled with desperate people after a massive grid-down event, there are always going to be potential scenarios where you have to fight to protect yourself and your loved ones. Unfortunately, the world is becoming increasingly less permissive regarding the use or possession of any kind of weapons for self-defense, with liberal government officials seeming to care more about the rights of the criminals than the victims. It’s gotten so bad …


Homesteading – A Cautionary Tale – Part 3, by SaraSue

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) Why I will continue to homestead It’s really fun to watch videos of the perfect “permaculture” setup.  It’s quite another to implement it.  Sitting down and thinking it all through is a great idea, even drawing up plans – which will require you to know the lay of your land, the slopes, the direction the wind comes from, where the morning sun comes up, what shadows are thrown during the day, the climate and growing zone, etc.  But, what if you have no idea what you’re doing? When I started out, I …


Homesteading – A Cautionary Tale – Part 2, by SaraSue

(Continued from Part 1.) The urgent drives out the merely important on a homestead Maintenance is of critical importance.  If you do not maintain the fencing, for example, you may find yourself chasing animals down a country road.  That seems to happen often around these here parts.  Someone’s horses or cows are always out.  Dogs abound.  I have a neighbor who brings their pregnant cows to the adjacent acreage to calve.  I only had to track my neighbors down once to let them know a cow was out.  The cow was peacefully grazing in the graveyard nearby!  They have since …


Homesteading – A Cautionary Tale – Part 1, by SaraSue

Living The Dream First off, why do I homestead?  My passion is to provide a safe haven for my large family away from the world’s chaos.  A place where food can be grown, the air is clean and fresh, no noise or people pollution, no homeless encampments, and precious little crime.  A safe, productive, hideaway.  Realizing that nowhere is completely safe, we know that some places are better than others.  Just look around.  If you live in the country, you might have a million-dollar view from the porch of a humble home.  I do.  I can scarcely take it in.  …


Mobility Without Petroleum or Electricity, by C.H.

Introduction This article will focus on the bicycle as a transportation solution in a situation where the electrical grid has failed, and petroleum products are either completely unavailable or in extremely limited supply. Given those parameters, I will not be discussing E-Bikes. I also have no experience with them. I bought a hybrid bicycle in early 2005 due to a fuel spike that was killing my budget. With further deployments and changes in employment the bicycle was set aside and gather dust in the garage. My semi-serious foray into cycling only begins a couple years ago when I pulled the …


Building a Retreat Kit, by Mark C.

Anyone who has seriously considered preparation for TEOTWAWKI knows that the ultimate preparation is to have a well-outfitted retreat located in a remote location. Unless you are rich and you can purchase one with all the trimmings or you’ve been working on it for several years already—you’re feeling significant apprehension as current events imply time is short and you are unprepared. Now, if you are the diligent one who built a well-stocked retreat, but find that over time civilization has overtaken the area; this is also for you. Finally, if you have your retreat, it has not been encroached on …


Worth Reversal, by 3AD Scout

Being a serious preparedness-minded individual, I often look at venues that offer used or previously owned items for sale. These venues could be flea markets, thrift stores, antique stores, yard or garage sales, auctions, or online sites like Craigslist. It never ceases to amaze me the items that are offered for sale at these venues. When I go to these venues, I have prepping in mind and am looking for items to help make me and my family better prepared. Often, I have to wade through piles of, in my opinion, useless junk. What is useless junk in my book? …


Some Last-Minute Purchases and Preps – Part 2, by M.M.

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) #6   12-volt deep cycle batteries and at least two battery charges. (I prefer the 2-,6-, and 10-Amp chargers. I do have a 50-amp charger, but it is hard on a battery. The slower the charge, the better the life expectancy of the battery). These are extremely important and are actually my #2 priority item only after fuel. Get several if they are available. You can build a light system for your property using 12-volt lights or buy an inverter that switches to A/C  use. For outside lighting go to an RV/off-road store …


Some Last-Minute Purchases and Preps – Part 1, by M.M

It appears that we are close to World War 3 according to all the reliable news outlets and the unfolding of current events.  It is only going to take one mistake to get a full-scale war going in several countries, maybe here also.  Pastor Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas has a wonderful video explaining why Hamas hates Israel. It began during King Saul’s time and has escalated to modern-day Iran (Persia). Dr. Graham states we are perilously close to the end of days, and that the current events may be prelude to the end of time. A few military experts …