Category: Contest

Basic Sewing: Cloning Clothes – Part 1 , by N.C.

Being able to make your own clothing is an old-time skill that shouldn’t have been forgotten. Our forefathers made their own hunting shirts and buckskin leggings out in the wilderness but with modern cheap clothing few of us know how to make our own clothing anymore. I taught myself how to hand-sew garments and what I found is that it is an excellent project for intermittent spare time or for multitasking. It doesn’t tie up all your attention. You can make useful progress in 5 to 10 minutes. It’s easy to pick up and put down. You’re practicing a skill …


Mitigating the Drone Threat, by Tunnel Rabbit

This article is a response to an article on SurvivalBlog.com and other recent discussions that are beginning to examine this threat. To wit, here is the most recent: As Ukrainian Defenses Collapse, What Can US Patriots Learn?, by Brandon Smith.  Therein, Smith observes: “The real danger is in constant air-based surveillance, 24/7, around the clock, always watching. Maneuver warfare requires the swift relocation of larger units without the enemy being aware; with cheap drones this is no longer possible. All large-scale troop movements can be predicted and countered using nothing more than a handful of $3,000 toys.” As the discussion …


Bartering in a Post SHTF World – Part 2, by D.K.

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) Equivalent Value When most people think of the word ‘barter,’ they think ‘trade,’ or ‘like-for-like.’ The following is a list of possible items that you might want to consider having for bartering purposes, or charitable giving, should the need ever arise. These are merely suggestions. Barter Item Categories & Suggestions Air Gun/Archery: BBs/pellets, CO2 cartridges Spare bow strings, arrows/bolts Food: Freeze dried, #10 cans, MRE Flour, yeast, sugar, wheat Coffee/tea, drink mixes Hand crank grinder (meat/grain), spare parts Alcohol: Homemade wine/liquor Airline mini-bottles Fuel: 93-octane, diesel, kerosene, white camp fuel, 1 lb. …


Bartering in a Post SHTF World – Part 1, by D.K.

What is Bartering? Bartering is the exchange of goods and services between two interested parties that does not utilize the current U.S. fiat monetary system, or any national currency system for that matter. Movies and television have presented numerous visuals that help people conceptualize what this might look like on a large scale like “The Hob” in the movie The Hunger Games. In lay terms, incorporating barter items in your preparedness plans is an attempt to anticipate the future needs of those near you or at your destination if bugging out. Words of caution when it comes to bartering: Anyone …


Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article. Handloading to Getting Top Performance from Classic Rifles For the same reasons that the military has developed high-performance ammunition, I’ve worked hard to find this load in a common cartridge that is the .30-06 and 6.5×55 for my personal rifles.  It is competitive or superior at mid range to extreme long ranges out to 1,200 yards with .300 Winchester Magnum commercial hunting loads, because the bullets used have extremely high ballistic coefficients.  Like the .300 Win Mag, 7mm Magnum, .30-06, and others in this class, they are good all-around cartridges for any …


Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced: Round 113

We’ve completed the judging for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  Round 113 began on June 1, 2024, and ended on July 31, 2024. (The contest runs in rounds that each last two months.) The prize-winning writers for Round 113 are: First Prize First Prize goes to A.F., for: Stocking Up: OTC Medications Part 1 and Part 2. It was posted on July 9 &10, 2024. He will receive the following prizes: 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 …


Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction I would argue that if Donald Trump’s would-be-assassin on July 13, 2024 had used a bullet with a higher ballistic coefficient, or if the wind had changed, regardless of the cartridge actually used, then Trump would have been killed or gravely injured.  How is it that Trump turned his head just before the bullet passed by?  This attempt on Trump’s life is a clear indication of the lateness of the hour.  Only by an act of God do we have more time to prepare.  Like many other SurvivalBlog readers, I was an admirer of the late Bob Griswold who …


Two Inexpensive and Easy Food/Pollinator Crops, by Mrs. Alaska

In the past, people who migrated from one country or region to another invariably brought seeds with them. This is prudent. But many times, the plants of one ecosystem cannot grow in another, due to temperature or soil conditions. Imagine the problems (hunger) that ensued. The most valuable seeds at the end of a journey, I imagine, were those that could grow the fastest to some edible stage in a variety of new locations, proliferate, set seeds, and repeat. Here, I would like to sing the praises of two modest plants, wild and domesticated in a broad range of USDA …


Pandemics: I Hope I’m Wrong, by SaraSue

Ever since the Plandemic hit the scene a few years back, I have been following dissenting medical voices.  I watched while they were silenced and banned for daring to disagree with the “regime” of the pharmaceutical industrial complex partnered with government and so-called “healthcare”.  Some were stripped of their medical licenses, others pushed out of practice, and some sued into oblivion.  It was shocking to me that our formerly “agree to disagree” society had stooped so low as to punish people, quite literally, for having a different opinion.  I had to pinch myself to see if I was in a …


The Well-Rounded Prepper, by Cactus Jack

The recent Crowdstrike computer/IT outage got us thinking about a host of things that affect our everyday lives. How do we get cash out of the bank, fuel for our vehicles, food, water, etc. when the power or internet is out? Start pulling on a loose thread and we soon realize that in life everything seems to be connected. There are ‘must have’ items that we always carry with us. Cash, a small amount of US 90% silver coins, firearm(s), knives (as in more than one), water, food, some tools, gloves, hat, and some cordage (rope or heavy twine) In …


Building a Utility Trailer – Part 2, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) What to store in the trailer truck box? Because of the current mindset of theft with little to no penalty in many states, I do not have a truck box attached to my personal truck any longer. Since I do not take my trailer out, except for outdoor activities where I am typically within eyesight of it, I feel comfortable having a toolbox permanently attached to the trailer frame. The following is a list of what I carry in my toolbox and why. This is an extremely personal list suited to what …


Building a Utility Trailer – Part 1, by Lodge Pole

On a family camping trip earlier this year, I realized how little room, rather how much “stuff” we take with us when we go anywhere. As much exercise as I get from climbing in and out of the back of our tall truck, I wanted something that could carry all our camping gear, that was easy to unhitch and move by hand, and was easy to load and unload. After talking over some ideas with my wife, I decided it was time to get a utility trailer that we could use not only to carry our camping and exploration gear, …


Unexpected Homelessness: An AAR, by A Grateful Mechanic

Editor’s Introductory Note: This article is an After-Action Report (AAR).  At more than 6,400 words, it was long enough to serialize into three parts. But because it is in narrative form, I thought it was best to present it all in one piece. — In late 2019 into early 2020 I experienced a several month unexpected period of homelessness. This was during the incipient stages of the COVID-19 pandemic situation where there was significant “fog of war.” The severity of the situation was unclear. This was an exceptional learning opportunity that yielded significant operating experience that I am sharing here. …


What is Old is New Again – Part 2, by 3AD Scout

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Keeping warm will be another area where we revert back to old ways. I see lots of prepper articles and YouTube videos about sawing wood for heat. Back in the bygone days, one of the daily chores of children was picking up “sticks”. Many of us may remember the old nursery rhythm with the line “five, six pick up sticks”. These sticks were used for cooking. Heat from the daily food preparation was just an added bonus in the colder months. We may want to lower our expectations of post-TEOTWAWKI comfort. Trying …


What is Old is New Again – Part 1, by 3AD Scout

As consumers, we are bombarded with new and improved devices and other consumer goods constantly. Buying something to make our daily work and tasks easier has been ingrained in our psyche over the centuries. As I prepare for the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI), I don’t look for the “new and improved” devices that have electronics, require power (either AC or DC), are made of plastic or that are made in China. That does not mean that I don’t have a Ham (amateur) radio, flashlights, solar panels, and plastic items made in China. What I mean …