Category: Review

Liberty Gold Water Test Kit, by Thomas Christianson

Testing for lead, free chlorine, total alkalinity, MPS, iron, nitrite, pH, bromine, fluoride, total chlorine, hardness, cyanuric acid, copper, nitrate, QUAT/QAC, carbonate and coliform/e. Coli bacteria, the Liberty Gold Standard Complete Water Test Kit gives a pretty good overview of the quality of a water source using a simple testing process. Costing $27.99 at the time of this writing at the Liberty Gold Standard website, the kit contains 140 test strips and three bacteria culture kits.


Review: Springfield Armory Kuna, by Pat Cascio

Author’s Introductory Note: I mostly retired from writing more than two years ago, for a number of health reasons. I had several strokes plus a host of other health problems. I used to be able to type 100-to-125 words per minute, but now I can only type 30 words per minute. I was in the hospital several times – at one point, I had blood poisoning, and the ER doctor said I was within a couple of hours of dying. Not a good thing. During another hospital visit, I had uncontrolled internal bleeding and was given 21+ units of blood. …


Coolfab Flaretop Rocket Stove, by Thomas Christianson

Coolfab is a custom metal-fabrication shop in Zeeland, Michigan. They are putting out some of the most innovative rocket stove designs that I have seen anywhere, at quite reasonable prices. I recently had a chance to test one of Coolfab’s Flaretop stoves. It is a real beast of a rocket stove, with its cooking surface standing 27.5 inches above the ground and weighing in at 52 pounds. The flaring at the top of the stove allows for a respectable 12 by 12-inch cooking surface. This larger surface area enabled me to simultaneously roast hot dogs and boil a half gallon …


Henson Shaving AL13 Razor, by Thomas Christianson

In the event of an extended grid-down situation, many men will probably choose to grow beards. But for those who currently shave their faces, continued regular shaving may help to provide them and their families with a sense of stability. That sense of stability, in turn, may help them to better cope with the transition to the new situation. This means that a comfortable, cost-effective, compact, and convenient shaving system may give significant psychological benefits during a disruptive situation. [JWR Adds: In a nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) warfare environment, having your chin closely-shaved is important for keeping a good …


Lehman’s Cordless Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer, by Mike in Alaska

I recently bought a Mason Jar vacuum sealer from the Lehman’s Non-Electric store located in Kidron, Ohio. The following is my informal review. Disclaimer: I paid full retail price for this jar sealer. Lehman’s has not paid me or otherwise compensated me, nor do I represent them. I am simply offering to readers of the blog our experience with this product. We have bought many items from Lehman’s over the years, from cast iron products, food, candies, to Aladdin Lamps. The quality of their products is what we call “generational quality”; that is, you can pass their products down to …


KA-BAR Dozier KA4065, by Thomas Christianson

With a price of only $20 at the time of this writing at the Dozier Knives website, the KA-BAR Dozier KA4065 Folding Knife is the best value for an everyday carry (EDC) knife that I know about today. The knife has a three-inch hollow ground blade made of AUS 8A stainless steel that is 0.11 inches thick. The blade can be deployed with one hand ambidextrously by using a thumb notch. A lockback latches the open blade securely in place. The unlined Zytel handle provides an excellent grip surface. It is light and thin and easy to carry. The knife …


ALPS Evolution Merino 150 Long Sleeve Shirt, by Thomas Christianson

Made of 100% superfine Merino wool, the ALPS Evolution 150 long-sleeve shirt is the most comfortable woolen garment in my wardrobe. It is also one of the most versatile garments that I own. The fabric is thin and breathable enough to be worn in summer, when it can provide 50+ UPF of protection from the sun. When used with a number of other layers in cooler weather, the shirt helps to hold body heat in while allowing moisture to escape. The fabric from which the shirt is made is naturally odor resistant and dries quickly after washing. Its “riverstone” color …


Demko Knives Shark-Cub AUS10A Clip Point, by Thomas Christianson

The Demko Knives Shark-Cub AUS10A Clip Point is a handy folding knife with an innovative locking mechanism. That mechanism makes it easy to deploy the shaving-sharp, 2.75 inch, stone-washed, clip-point, AUS10A blade with a flick of the wrist. The black, glass-reinforced-nylon, steel-lined handle is ergonomically shaped and nicely textured for a secure grip. The ambidextrous deep pocket clip carries the knife securely and discreetly while keeping it easily accessible. This Taiwanese-made knife cost $89.99 at the time of this writing at DemkoKnives.com.  It is a well-designed and well-made knife for everyday carry. If you are looking for a sturdy, practical …


American Hat Company Range Hat, by Thomas Christianson

A range hat is designed to allow over-the-head, earmuff-style hearing-protection to be worn comfortably over the hat. It accomplishes this by forgoing two features that are common to most baseball caps. Those features are a fabric-covered button (squatchee) on the crown of the hat and the hatmaker’s buckram reinforcement of the front two panels of the hat. Without the squatchee and the buckram, a ranger hat is better able to conform to the shape of the wearer’s head under the muffs. The American Hat Company version of the range hat is made of lightweight, ripstop cotton with a comfortable sweatband …


Buck 0722 Spitfire Folding Knife, by Thomas Christianson

The Buck 0722 Spitfire Folding Knife is a rugged, well-conceived, American-made design that is hampered somewhat by stiff blade deployment. The Spitfire has a shaving-sharp, 3.25 inch blade made of 440HC stainless steel; a nicely-machined, anodized aluminum handle; a robust locking back; and a thumb-hole deployment notch. The knife weighs 3.2 ounces. At the time of this writing, the knife had a manufacturer suggested retail price of $49.99 at www.buckknives.com. That is an excellent price for a good, American-made knife. If they can figure out a way to smooth out blade deployment, this will be an outstanding knife. With the …


Makers and Riders Pants, by Thomas Christianson

Two friends and I each recently had the opportunity to test several pair of Makers and Riders Pants. We each tested their “Traveler” softshell jeans and their 3 season “Dispatch Rider” jeans. We found the Traveler jeans to be extremely comfortable for everyday wear during cool weather. They cost $109 at the time of this writing at www.makersandriders.com . The Dispatch Rider jeans were outstanding for everyday and field wear during cold weather. They are water resistant and fleece lined. They cost $118 at the time of this writing. The owner of Makers and Riders got caught up in supply …


Silver Stag WTS2.5C Trapper, by Thomas Christianson

Good things come in small packages: A fine watch, a Faberge egg, or a new baby are all precious gifts. The Silver Stag WTS2.5C Trapper is another good thing that comes in a small package. With a 2.5 inch, full-tang, hollow-ground D2 blade, and a cocobolo handle, the knife is an ideal size and shape for skinning, caping and game processing. With the textured mill scale which is left on the flat of the blade, the mirror polish of the bevel, the rich glow of the cocobolo handle, and the accent of the brass pins, the knife is also a …


Charter Arms Double Dog in .357Mag/9mm, by Thomas Christianson

The Charter Arms Double Dog is a sturdy, weather-resistant, and reliable revolver that can alternately utilize two different cylinders: one chambered in .357 Magnum/.38 Special, and the other chambered in 9mm. This gives the user a great deal of versatility in ammo selection. That could be a real advantage during an ammo shortage. The most remarkable feature of the Double Dog is the extraction system on the 9mm cylinder. Rounds can be loaded directly into each chamber in the cylinder without the use of moon clips. Then when it is time to unload the revolver, the cylinder can be swung …


Vala Alta Irish Linen Handkerchiefs, by Thomas Christianson

Other than using cotton balls for starting fires, it is generally best to avoid cotton for field use. Cotton fabric tends to attract and retain moisture, at which point it becomes uncomfortable and loses its insulating value. As a result, “cotton kills” has become a common saying regarding wearing cotton in the field. Although there are not too many situations in which one’s life might depend on the insulating value of their handkerchief, there are many times when one’s comfort is dependent upon that article being dry. Linen handkerchiefs provide a stronger and faster drying alternative to cotton handkerchiefs. As …


DA Targets, by Thomas Christianson

Recently I read about an attempt by a couple of politicians to try to convince gun owners in their district that they were “gun guys”. They invited the media to a range event in which they were shooting handguns and AR-15s. But there was a problem. They were shooting steel targets with those AR-15s from only about 10 to 15 yards away. Predictably, shrapnel became an issue. One of the reporters at the event was wounded. The politicians were lucky to get away with just one relatively minor injury. In addition to shooting steel targets with rifles from inappropriately close …