Modernizing an Old Coleman Stove, by Lodge Pole

A few months ago, my father gave me some camping gear he bought in the 1970s when he and my oldest brother started camping.  He gave me a red Coleman lantern, and a large, green Coleman, dual burner stove.   I remember using both pieces on occasion when he took me camping as a young boy.  On the last camping trip we did together, when I was in college, neither the stove nor lantern would work.   It was a dark night, and our food was cold. Both pieces were put on the shelf for many years. I have rebuilt many stoves …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations. …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — January 31, 2025

On January 31, 1616, Cape Horn was rounded for the first time by a Dutch expedition led by Jacques Le Maire and Willem Corneliszoon Schouten. They named Cape Hoorn after Schouten’s hometown. — The Last Day! In honor of the birthday of John Moses Browning (January 23rd, 1855), we are running a 10-day sale at Elk Creek Company.  This January sale is always our biggest sale of the year. These discounts range from 10% to 40%. All of our gun and knife inventory has been deeply reduced until midnight, Pacific Time today  (Friday, January 31st, 2025.)  Don’t miss out on …


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, we look at Government Spending and Deficit Reduction. Precious Metals: Spot gold just posted another record high, yesterday. It was up $51.20 to $2,844.70 per Troy ounce at mid-day. That was a 1.8% gain for the morning.   Meanwhile, spot silver jumped $1.02 to $31.77. That was a 3.3% gain for the morning. Platinum was up …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“One thing I hate about the New Deal is that it is killing what, to me, is the American pioneering spirit. I simply do not know what to tell my own boys, leaving school and confronting this new world whose ideal is Security and whose practice is dependence upon government instead of upon one’s self. All the old character-values seem simply insane from a practical point of view; the self-reliant, the independent, the courageous man is penalized from every direction.” – Rose Wilder Lane


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 30, 2025

On January 30, 1835 two single-shot muzzleloading pistols carried by Richard Lawrence both misfired when aimed at President Andrew Jackson in Washington, D.C.. This was the first recorded attempt at an assassination of a US President. — “The Lone Ranger” debuted on WXYZ radio in Detroit on January 30, 1933. The masked vigilante lawman and his Native sidekick, Tonto, became a dynamic duo of multimedia fame. — January 30th is the birthday of historian Barbara Tuchman (born 1912, died February 6, 1989). She wrote some very engaging history books. — January 30th is also the anniversary of the 1945 Great …


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, reports on a couple of Chinese cyber advances. A Major Kansas TB Outbreak Recently reported by USA Today: Kansas tuberculosis outbreak is now America’s largest in recorded history. …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 29, 2025

On January 29, 1879 the Custer Battlefield National Monument was established in Montana. — Today is the birthday of actor Tom Selleck (born 1945), best known for playing the title role of Magnum, P.I. He is an avid shooter and quite pro-gun. — Today is also the birthday of journalist and inventor Thomas Paine (1737–1809.) — Just a few days left! In honor of the birthday of John Moses Browning (January 23rd, 1855), we are running a 10-day sale at Elk Creek Company.  This January sale is always our biggest sale of the year. These discounts range from 10% to …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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. — This article was posted back in December: Costco now has truncated book sections at only 100 of their 600 stores. JWR’s Comment:  The good old days of book shopping at Costco (as pictured above), are over. I suppose this change explains why Costco did not place a repeat order for my book …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 28, 2025

On January 28, 1813, Jane Austen‘s “Pride and Prejudice” was first published by Thomas Egerton in the United Kingdom. — January 28th is the anniversary of the rescue of General James L. Dozier from his Italian Red Brigades kidnappers. Tangentially, Colonel Jeff Cooper created a shooting drill in honor of those who freed him – The Dozier Drill. — Today’s feature article is a guest post that was written by JWR’s #1 Son, Jonathan Rawles.  It is not part of the writing contest judging. — We are now seeking entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. That …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, a round-up on winter sports in the American Redoubt. Idaho Funky Towns & Awesome Skiing – Northern Idaho Ski Resorts. o  o  o Southern Idaho Skiing & Snowboarding Road Trip.  Here is a quote: “SKI Magazine ranked Sun Valley the #1 resort for the 2020 …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 27, 2025

On January 27, 1649: The English High Court of Justice found King Charles I  “…guilty of the crimes of which he had been accused, did judge him tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemy to the good people of the nation, to be put to death by the severing of his head from his body.” — January 27th 1880: Patent No. 223,898 was granted to Thomas A. Edison for “an electric lamp for giving light by incandescence.” — In honor of the birthday of John Moses Browning (January 23rd, 1855), we are running a 10-day sale at Elk Creek Company.  This …