Our Founding Fathers Were Right, by a Florida Mom

Our Founding Fathers were right, about education, too. Have you ever wondered how a generation with one-roomed schoolhouses produced so many great thinkers? Have you wondered what types of books were available when Abraham Lincoln studied on his own? Unlike many instructional books today, the educational books our founding fathers used were designed for simplified teaching, and self-teaching. They used McGuffey’s Readers, Harvey’s Grammar, and Ray’s Arithmetic. These were not grade level books; they were progressive level books, and they produced great thinkers who became great men.

Pioneers could only pack a few books with their belongings, so they picked the best. You’ve included many resources in your prepping library, but have you included these? Are you ready to teach another generation “Reading, Writing, and ‘Rithmetic”?

Basic Library

  • The Bible is the bedrock of our faith, but the King James Version is also great literature. Familiarity with its phrasing and concepts allows you to see its reflection in the documents of our nation’s founding fathers.
  • McGuffey’s Readers(primer through the 4th reader) begin with a primer to teach reading and spelling. However, the sources they used were good literature and taught a sound moral code. By the time you’re in the Third Reader, the depth of the lessons becomes apparent: Effects of Rashness; The Consequence of Idleness, Advantages of Industry; On Speaking the Truth; and so forth. It also encourages critical thinking, if you answer the questions after each reading, and it provokes much laughter and discussion with other topic choices and antique word usage!
  • Ray’s Arithmetic(primer through higher math) starts with drills and memory work with practical applications. Practical Arithmetic teaches the rules to memorize and follow for basic operations, establishing a logical thinking model for mathematics. If you can’t get the entire set, start with Practical Arithmetic and the answer key.
  • Harvey’s Elementary Grammar and Compositionteaches sentence structure as well as composition with a structural plan to accomplish the assignment. The 8th grade graduation test that’s been floating around the Internet asks you to parse a sentence. If you make it through this book, you can do it. This also has an answer key (for busy parents).
  • Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, which Noah Webster saw as the “profitable use” of his talents. It unified spelling and language usage in the United States, reflecting usage from the great literature of the time, especially the King James Bible. A prolific writer, he also authored the Blue-Backed Speller, grammars, readers, and Elements of Useful Knowledge (the history and geography of the United States).
  • For me, this list is not complete without a newer phonics manual. The best I found was The Writing Road to Reading by Romalda Spalding. This program was developed to train children with language disabilities; then someone realized that teaching sound phonics with a multi-sensory approach actually prevented many learning problems. The method is teacher dependent: you have to study the book, listen to the “recording”, and learn how to do it. I purchased the book and set of flash cards for $30, and it gave me enough training and information to teach my children to read at an advanced level as soon as their brains were ready. It didn’t limit them to simple words, but it gave them the tools to advance at their own pace. (This methodology also makes it the best book I’ve seen for teaching older readers.) The book is still $20, and now the sound recording is available on CD or DVD. Another plus for the book is that the method requires teaching, writing, and spelling as a logical thought process, not just memorization, and not a guessing game.
  • I skipped history in the list above because the focus was reading, writing and arithmetic. We found one history book– Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Grandfather’s Chair– that relates the history of New England in light of the ornate chair sitting in their home. Hawthorne, as grandfather, didn’t hesitate to introduce the history of our nation into story time with the grandchildren, so much so that they begged him for more stories. For the history of the United States, I’d also recommend The Light and The Glory series by Peter Marshall and David Manuel.
  • When we began homeschooling, I used several “scope & sequence” charts from curriculum publishers as an outline to plan our study schedule. With a list of topics to cover each year, we started collecting a resource library instead of textbooks. The books listed above are the ones I used with my children. Those books and your preparedness library of gardening information, animal husbandry, medicine, repair manuals, country living, and a world atlas will give you plenty of information for elementary level studies.

Critical Thinking

More importantly, teach them how to think! Did you catch the hints in the list of books? Can your children think logically and critically? Do they know how to find foundational principles? Have they learned to reason from truth to its application in daily life and thought? [Disclaimer: The definition of critical thinking in education has been re-defined to be a focus on politically “correct thinking”. That is not the focus discussed here. Be aware when you read “critical thinking” in educational standards.]

“Mom, why do we have to learn this?” As a parent and teacher, I wanted to be able to answer that question. In a teaching workshop, I learned how to research with my children to find the answers to questions they had. Also, as we looked up answers together, I realized I was laying a foundation for critical thinking. With a Bible, a concordance, and Webster’s 1828 dictionary, we could find a Biblical answer: We learn to read so we can read the Bible and learn from what others wrote. History is studied to remember what God has done for us and can be seen in the greater picture of what God is doing in the world. Math and algebra are practical, but they also teach logical thinking. Grammar, composition, and spelling are essential to effective communication. Science is important in recognizing God’s hand in an awesome creation, in everyday life to avoid disasters and scams, and to teach principles of life. (“Consider the lilies” implies a lot more than looking at pretty flowers!)

One way we learned to apply logical thought was during the disciplinary process. We didn’t ask “Why did you do that?”; instead, we asked, “Why was that wrong?” We asked them to make a connection between one or more of the commandments and the choice they had made. For example, “You shall not kill,” includes deliberately causing hurt to your brother or sister! (Questions 99-153 in the Westminster Larger Catechism deal with the applications of the 10 commandments. The questions clarify very specifically “where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden….” In the example above, “You shall not kill” then also encourages actively looking out for the safety and welfare of others.) Another interesting (non-disciplinary) activity is reading Leviticus case law to see if you can figure out which commandment is being clarified. (Hint: Building a parapet around the roof is based on preventing injury and thus comes under “You shall not kill.”) Eventually, they will realize they can’t “keep all the rules” without God’s help and you have the joy of explaining to them that Jesus did it for them and offers it as a gift.

By “Teach your children to think critically”, I mean teach them logical thought processes. Start with the foundation of absolute truth. Explain why you do things the way you do. (“I wear gloves/use safety glasses for this activity because…”) Talk through your decision-making process with them. Evaluate what went wrong with a project and why. Learn to ask leading questions that guide their thoughts to logical conclusions and accurate analogies. (“What would happen if I did it this way?” “What do you already know that could help you figure this out?”)

Tell them the goal of an activity or lesson and give them several options for achieving it. Eventually, they will come up with creative options on their own that meet the goal. Also, be prepared! Pray! Teachable opportunities will present themselves, sometimes when you don’t expect them. You’ll have to be ready to give an answer, so think ahead. There will be times you aren’t ready with an answer for a decision you have to make, so please come up with something better than “Because I said so!” (“Will you trust me on this one and just obey?”)

[Another Disclaimer: When you teach your children to think, they will sometimes come to different conclusions than you have. Listen to them; evaluate their thinking process; correct any logic errors; and let them have their own opinions! Aren’t we teaching them to be independent thinkers? Lay the foundation in God’s word and His principles; trust Him with the outcome.]

Another application for high school involved essays and papers. For my children, no paper was complete unless there was also research and application of principles from Scripture. They started with research on their topic, defining terms; then they used those terms with a concordance to find the principles in Scripture. The conclusions included summarizing main points and bringing in applications. Your children will amaze you, when you give them the tools they need to succeed.

Find a good logic book. We used Better Thinking and Reasoning by Ron Tagliapietra. Have your children evaluate advertisements or commercials based on the reasoning being used to sell the item. What are they appealing to? Editorials can be interesting to analyze. Start with the definitions of the key phrases. Is the writer using the words accurately or twisting the meaning? Are the facts accurate? Do the reasons given support the conclusion?

I mentioned Webster’s 1828 Dictionary compiled by Noah Webster. The information contained in the definitions is challenging. For example: Education “The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.” A government school cannot address all of these issues. We, parents and grandparents, have a great responsibility to train up the next generation.

Letter: Storm Pump

I have first hand experience with the Storm Pump, made in Sagle, Idaho in the American Redoubt. This is a hand pump that attaches to your well head and sits next to your submersible pump. It costs about the same as the Simple Pump. I actually took a second job to save up for it, but the peace of mind was well worth the effort. They are manufactured by Terry Deal in Sagle, and he will also install them for a reasonable price. I have had the pump for about a year and a half now, and I am very happy with its quality. My well has a static level of 150′, and the pump retains its prime so well that it never takes more than 20 pumps to bring water to the surface, even after being left alone for several months. Terry has torture tested one of his pumps by hooking it to an engine and cycling it 250,000 times with no loss of pressure. I seriously doubt that my storm pump will be cycled more than a quarter million times, during my lifetime and my children’s lifetimes.

I will say that when you are pumping your own water from 150′, you become VERY aware of your water usage. It should be a regular event for your family to shut off the breaker and practice living without grid electricity.

Aside from personal preparedness, I would like to discuss the mindset behind owning a manual well pump. If in the future we are reduced to a society without electricity, access to water is going to be of significant importance. I have heard other preppers talk about locking up their well pumps to prevent people from stealing water from them. I ask you, if Jesus owned a piece of property and installed a hand pump onto his well, would he deny his neighbors and their children access to the near limitless supply of clean drinking water God has provided beneath his feet? Instead of allowing your neighbors to die of thirst in a grid-down situation, causing them to resort to desperate (or deadly?) measures to obtain water for survival, would it not be preferable to allow them access to your well, thus strengthening your community as a whole? – D.R.

HJL Responds: Locking a water pump is always a good idea. You can still share your water; however, allowing unfettered access is a sure fire way to get your well sabotaged by the fellow down the road who wants to sell his water at a premium price. It happens all the time in water scarce areas now. Many wars and battles have been fought over scarce water resources. When water is the currency of the day, you still have your “evil bankers” to contend with.

Economics and Investing:

This digital currency has an unusual gold spin

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The College Debt Bubble Is Collapsing Now; 33% Of All Student Loans Are Delinquent On Repayments

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

You May Want to Pay Extra Close Attention to the Economic Data This Week

Philip Haslam: When Money Destroys Nations – This is a great article and good podcast interview

Why The Mania Is Getting Scary—-Central Bankers Are Running A Doomsday Machine

Gold In Fed Vault Drops Under 6,000 Tons For The First Time, After 10th Consecutive Month Of Redemptions

Notes for Tuesday – March 31, 2015

March 31 is the birthday of economist Dr. Walter E. Williams, PhD., who was born in 1936.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less then one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  8. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. *Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 57 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Long Good-bye, by Captnswife

Well, it has begun. Today, I closed my Paypal account. This is just the first step in the slow and admittedly painful process of disconnecting from the Internet. I’ve known it was coming for awhile, but I can’t say that made it easier. Honestly, I love this thing. The greatest joy in my life was the moment, at age six, I realized that because I could read I would never have to stop learning. The invention of the information super highway was beyond my wildest dreams. It’s the largest and most diverse library in the world, and it’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

However, I must go. Like any relationship, it is only healthy as long as the boundaries are clear, strong, and respectful. My technology partner has now violated them beyond repair.

All of this began the day I read about the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC), the White House drive toward universal biometric identification for every person using the World Wide Web. I was literally sick when I realized the “trusted identities” were not the government departments, public institutions, or big box retailers responsible for managing our records. No, the trusted identities are us… but only after we are “authenticated”.

If you haven’t heard of NSTIC (nastique!), you are not alone. Most Americans have no idea there is a public-private partnership between government and technology companies whose mission it is to propel us into a brave new world of human-machine integration in every aspect of our lives.  The plan, which is well underway and well-funded with our tax dollars, will require you to prove you are you before you can go online. This authentication is to be carried out by a third-party and can only be achieved after you submit a part of your body– a fingerprint, iris, palm, or some other uniquely patterned part– to be stored in some great cloud server. When you wish to go online, then you will present your biometric part to the proper digital authority; if it agrees that you are who you say you are, then you will get access.

Not surprisingly, this universal or “federated” ID is being sold to consumers as a convenient alternative to passwords. Once you get on with your authenticated ID, you don’t need passwords any longer. You will be free to check your bank balance, go shopping, video chat, et cetera without having to remember all those letters and numbers and %&*!$.  The Apple iPhone 6, with Apple Pay, was the first major consumer product to fully integrate the technology. Next time you see an ad for Apple Pay on television, look closely. Notice how carefully the thumb scan is edited out.

The other big sales job on biometric is that it will be more secure against fraud. The IRS, in documents discussing biometric ID programs for tax filing, justifies its use by highlighting the amount of money they lose to cheaters every year.  Some politicians apparently like it, too. One state senator from New Mexico asked the secretary of state in March 2015 to force citizens to use biometric ID to vote.

Of course, the bureaucrats and geeks claim biometrics will prevent the compromising of your debit and credit cards, or any card, for that matter, including school IDs. K-12s all over the country are now using fingerprint scans in the lunch line. You won’t be surprised to learn that biometric readers are now being rolled out in airports for passenger “security”.

So, let’s stop for a moment. Do you see the pattern?  The focus of online security has changed since our mutual Internet journey began nearly 20 years ago. In the past, the onus was on the site you patronized. However, universal biometric IDs shifts the responsibility to you, the individual user. If you are a responsible citizen, the thinking goes, you will gladly be authenticated to “stay safe”.  Instantly, all global corporations and bureaucratic quagmires involved in online communications and money handling have been absolved of their duties to make your personal actions private and secure.

It almost goes without saying that none of them bothered to ask customers and tax payers what they thought about it, which might be because they already know nobody likes this “666” thing, except the companies in line to make billions. Wherever I mention it– whether at the bank, with my hairdresser, or at family gatherings– every single person makes a face. Not one has smiled and said, “Oh, what a good idea!” when hearing about it the first time. The most common response is the word “creepy”. Even the non-religious can see it is very much like the descriptions of the Biblical “mark of the beast” https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Revelation%2013:17, including the part about buying and selling. In the very near future, you may find yourself prohibited from commerce and basic transactions– from Coke machines to banking – without having first been authenticated by your biometric mark.

So I made the decision to unplug.  I know a lot of folks have been prepping for a time when the Internet and other products and services are not available, but I don’t think this was the crisis most people anticipated. We expected an external event to turn out the lights and stop the trucks. It was to be an act outside of our control that forced us to rely on stored supplies, strong bodies, and community support.

Now, we see that the day we prepped for isn’t coming from out of the blue after all. It will come by our own hands. If we choose not to submit the intimate details of our biological imprint, we might not be able to get money from the bank, or buy food at the grocery store with a credit or debit card, which must be authenticated. We might not receive healthcare or be able to sign in at work.

So I started with PayPal. The security chief there is one of the leaders of the push into a “passwordless” world. His statement forced me to realize we were beyond both “if” and “when”. I honestly thought I’d have a couple more years before I had to start pulling the plug, and I am truly sad to be making this decision.  We, the people, should be the innocent ones. We have committed no crime. We have done nothing to deserve this forced reduction of our human personhood into a series of zeros and ones that fit through a digital gateway.

A couple of years ago I understood that my beloved country was not the one in which I was raised, and I spent several weeks in deep grief.  I remember the 60s and 70s and 80s, and the years before 9/11 plunged us into a state of constant surveillance. It’s good that I do. A life without Internet is slow. Fortunately, I have the benefit of having lived the majority of my life before on-demand movies and instant cash and an around-the-clock digital encyclopedia.

Today, I leave PayPal, but tomorrow it will be something else, and so on, until the separation is complete. You, too, have a decision to make. Will you retain your individuality, or will you join the biometric collective?

I leave you to think and to plan. Unlearning, or discovering, a life without “login” will be a lengthy process. For those of us who choose liberty, the time has come.  

Two Letters Re: Choices, Choices, Choices

Hugh,

In response to Choices, Choices by KC, I would like to comment: In the interest of education and operational challenges I once did a show-and-tell to my teenagers and wife of different kinds of rifles. Of the various platforms, my family chose the Ruger Mini-14 (.223) as their rifle of choice. While I personally dislike the tilt in nature of the magazine, they all felt that this was less important to them compared with other operational issues. They practiced the mag insertion and felt most comfortable with this rifle. This might be a good option to consider for non-gun or new-to-gun people. Regards – C. R.

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Hugh,

I very much enjoyed the two part article on Choices. Even though we came to different conclusions, I enjoy looking at the thought processes of others because I am always making sure I didn’t forget something. One comment I think is important concerning his comment that 1911s are not reliable. I agree with him concerning race guns and tricked-out custom pieces. The standard 1911 on the other hand is the standard for reliability. I asked around to the CCW instructors I know, trying to see if they had similar issues. None did, specific to any gun model. The issue they did bring up was breaking the gun in. Most manufacturers recommend a 300-round break-in period for any service or carry piece. Several of the used carry guns I have looked at in shops had not been shot enough to polish the rails. Any gun can be twitchy if not broken in. This has apparently been more of an issue since the ammo issue of recent past. In over four decades of carrying handguns, I have never found a more reliable design than the 1911, but it must be broken in. Also avoid cheap surplus magazines. The few failures I have witnessed were directly traced to crappy mags. Your opinions may differ, but if I ever choose another gun to carry, the deciding issue won’t be reliability. – R.H.

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Real Reason For Partisan Gridlock: Democracy Is Falling Apart. – G.P.

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The “politically Correct” Supreme Court rejects free speech appeal over Cinco de Mayo school dispute. – P.M.

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Texas Bill Would Bar Physicians From Talking Guns With Patients. – D.S.

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1,000-year-old onion and garlic eye remedy ‘kills MRSA’

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Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria From American Cattle Become Airborne, But Is It Life-Threatening?

Notes for Monday – March 30, 2015

On March 30, 1981, President Reagan was shot and seriously injured outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by John W. Hinckley Jr. Also wounded were White House news secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent, and a District of Columbia police officer. Known for his quips and unaware of the injury to others at the scene, President Reagan walked into the hospital, despite his wound, and was heard telling his wife, “Honey, I forgot to duck.”

Scot’s Product Review: Horseshoe Leather Products

Horseshoe Leather Products http://www.holsters.org/index.htm isn’t one of the best known holster makers, but that doesn’t really matter. What is important is that it is one of the best holster makers on the planet. Horseshoe holsters are of impeccable quality and superbly designed for the concealed carry of handguns. One of the keys to this high level of quality is that Horseshoe is a one man shop and each holster is handmade for each customer by Horseshoe’s owner, Andy Arratoonian. If he made it, it bears the distinctive Horseshoe symbol he hand stamps on every item.

The quality of Arratoonian’s work is so good that despite Horseshoe Leather being relatively unknown in the new age of plastic, he is back-ordered by almost a year at present. His customers tend to be very knowledgeable professionals who need high-quality, concealment holsters rather than dilettantes. His designs have been copied, but his quality is very, very hard to equal.

The strangest thing to me about Horseshoe Leather is its location– North Yorkshire in the hoplophobic United Kingdom. It is about halfway between London and Edinburg. One might not think that he would have many customers in his home country, but apparently there are quite a few British professionals who know a good thing when they use it. There is also a knowledgeable following around the world for Horseshoe Leather.

As a side note, if you want to know more about why hoplophobia has won out in the old country, take a look at Arratoonian’s excellent article on the handgun ban there. He makes it clear that what has struck there is a danger we must combat here.

One misconception I’ve often heard about his work is that he uses horsehide. In reality, he prefers prime English full-grain cowhide, which he feels allows him to make a better holster due to cowhide having superior rigidity. This translates to better weapon retention. Cowhide can also be finished better than horsehide in Arratoonian’s view, so it will have a finer appearance. He once offered holsters in American tanned horsehide, but I found none currently available on his website. He has an informative webpage http://www.holsters.org/which.htm on the subject of horsehide vs. cowhide, if you want to know more.

There are, in my view, two limitations of Horseshoe holsters. First, Arratoonian no longer makes them for revolvers. While my favorite handgun is the 1911, I am still fond of revolvers and have been in the market for a holster for one. The second problem affects me even more personally, since I am left handed; these days, he only makes a couple of models– his shoulder holster and his inside the waistband holster– for we persecuted few.

Some may also resent the fact that he does not work with Kydex, but I revel in high quality leather and could care less. I find leather more comfortable to wear and pleasing to the senses than Kydex. If it weren’t for what sweat does to fine leather, I doubt I would own any plastic holsters, despite the fact they can work well if the maker knows the business of design and construction.

One of my favorite holsters from Horseshoe is the Model 32 Max Protect. This is a pancake style that holds the pistol close to the body for concealment. Its most distinctive features are the two wings of leather that protect the top of the pistol. I usually carry a 1911 pattern handgun, and I like how the wings protect the ambidextrous safety I have on my weapon. Since the safety is on both sides of the gun, it is exposed to bumps that can knock it off in a normal holster. The Max Protect prevents that, which is something I appreciate. The wings also add to its comfort, as they prevent the sharp edges of the pistol from ever contacting my body. Further, they smooth the outline of the pistol, enhancing concealment.

One thing that puzzles me is that Arratoonian warns that this feature slows the draw, since there is extra leather around the pistol. I personally don’t find that to be the case, but it might be I’m not adept enough for it to make any difference.

I sometimes wish it carried the pistol slightly lower. On my body, it places the pistol’s center of gravity a little bit higher than I like, when I use it with a Commander– my primary carry pistol. That allows the pistol to lean out slightly from the torso, but it isn’t a major problem.

I’ve been trained that it is important to reholster without needing both hands or looking, which is why I fret over this issue. I have thought that a metal reinforcing band around the mouth would be nice. That would ensure the holster is always open to receive the pistol, but in truth I have had no issues with that when using a 1911 style pistol. Still, Arratoonian warns that the holster isn’t suitable for really wide pistols, like Glocks, for this reason.

The holster is superbly blocked to the pistol and is a thing of beauty and joy to hold in its saddle tan finish. Mine was made for an Officers ACP, and I have crassly stuffed my Commander into it, which sticks out just slightly, but it works well. The holster costs $120.

Arratoonian makes holsters that are quite popular with security and protection officers, and among those are his holsters that position the pistol on the back. The first is his SOB2, which sells for $110. He tells us that he designed it originally for gun shop owners in France (who knew there were such things!) but that it became popular with airport security officers, body guards, and others who needed a highly covert method of carry. The pistol is positioned at the middle of back, where there is an anatomic pocket into which the pistol nestles and where it essentially disappears. The pistol butt is positioned up and the holster offers a surprisingly smooth and fast draw stroke, though it does require a bit more flexibility than a conventional carry.

There are some drawbacks. When seated, it is uncomfortable and hard to access the pistol. Don’t bend at the waist to pick a dropped quarter up, as it will print out the back of your cover garment. Some worry that if you were to take a fall and land on it, it could cause spine damage.

The SBU2 holster is similar to the SOB2 in how it positions the pistol, but it runs the belt over the holster which enhances concealment by pulling it in tighter against the body. Personally, I like this version better, as the belt provides better support for a heavy service pistol, like the 1911. Again, all of the warnings for the SOB2 apply to the SBU2. These cost $110.

Truthfully, I haven’t used either holster very much since I often spend time sitting. They work well within the limits of the design.

I have also used the Horseshoe 62L holster inside the Waistband holster, though in a moment of bad judgment, I gave it to someone who I hope still cherishes it. This is an inside the waistband holster that is very reminiscent of the Summer Special, produced by Bruce Nelson and Milt Sparks in the United States. It is made with the rough side of the leather facing out, so that it grips against the body and clothing to hold everything in place. He will make it smooth side out, if you wish, but he points out the advantages of rough side out. The one advantage of smooth side out is that you can keep it waxed so it doesn’t absorb as much sweat.

I’m not sure who was the first to make interchangeable belt loops for this style holster, but I know Horseshoe had it in the mid-1980’s. As well as allowing you to modify the holster for different width belts, it allows you to adjust the rake to exactly the position you require for comfortable placement on your belt. You can make it a straight drop or adjust it for cross draw or FBI carry on the strong side behind the hip. It is truly versatile and ideal for experimenting. The loops have snaps so you can easily remove the holster as needed.

The 62L has a steel reinforced mouth, so you don’t have to worry about the holster collapsing and preventing you from putting the pistol away when you need to. You can also buy it with a protective tab that extends up between the pistol and the wearer’s body for comfort. I highly recommend this option.

Finally, there is a version that uses a metal clip rather than leather belt loops. As with the belt loops, the clips can be selected to fit 1¼- or 1½-inch belts. I have not tried this version of the holster, but I expect it is made to the same standards as the one with belt loops. I personally prefer belt loops as I find them easier to deal with than the clips.

Arratoonian recommends this holster and inside the waistband carry in general for single stack rather than double stack pistols. I don’t carry a double stack one and can’t address this point, but I do know people who carry them this way successfully. I presume the holster would work just fine for that purpose, if the owner is comfortable with a blocky pistol stuffed in their pants. You can get yours for $105.

The last Horseshoe item I have tried is the 68LS inside the waistband magazine pouch for a single magazine http://www.holsters.org/iwb-mags.htm. Like the 62 series holsters, it is made rough side out. The version I used does not have the protective tab that extends up and behind the magazine. I would recommend the 68L that does have it. You can get it with belt loops, with snaps, or a metal clip, as your tastes dictate. As with the holster, I prefer belt loops. These pouches run $40.

This style magazine pouch is also available for two magazines, though only with the belt loops and only for single stack magazines. They cost $70.

Horseshoe has several other style holsters and magazine pouches I have not had the chance to view or use. His outside the waist band magazine carriers http://www.holsters.org/single-stack.htm look lovely on his web page, and he gives you the option of forward, rear, or vertical rake. I have always used vertical rake carriers and wonder if the forward rake might work better for me. These go for between $55 and $75.

He has a horizontal carry shoulder holster that is equally lovely, though with my build the muzzle on a Commander or 1911 would probably print through the back of my cover garment. I should have worked out more. He gives you the option of magazine carriers or a second holster on the off side.

There are also belt slide and pancake-style holsters going for $85 and $100 respectively. Both are pretty similar to the Max Protect, just without the wings to protect the top of the pistol. Again, Arratoonian feels they aren’t for thick pistols. He offers a $110 variant– the Covert 22– with a metal reinforcement, for those who like wide body handguns.

His last holster is a wrap around with a metal reinforcement at the top called the Covert 28; it goes for $105.

Shipping cost to the U.S. is 10% of the purchase price for air mail.

I have a Horseshoe belt; sadly, he no longer makes them. He feels that there are a lot of good belts out there and his time is best devoted to holsters. I can’t argue with that, but I’m glad I’ve got mine.

Arratoonian offers some sage advice around his website, and it is well worth your time looking for it. I particularly liked this line: “Remember that clothing should be adapted to conform to the weapon you carry, not vice versa!” I might add that you need to consider the threat you might encounter and choose your weapon accordingly. I wish I could remember where I heard the comment that you will never want a smaller, lighter gun that shoots fewer, smaller bullets during a lethal encounter, but it is a good thought to keep in mind, too.

I wasn’t able to confirm it, but Arratoonian appears to be a musician as well as a holster master, playing Big Band music with the group Firefly http://www.fireflymusic.org/index.htm.

There is a degree of magic when you pick up something a master has made by hand just for you. Horseshoe holsters have that magic. Surprisingly, you can pay as much for a production holster. The only drawback of getting the master’s work is having to wait for it, but waiting does build character.

I’ll close with another line from Arratoonian: “Do not regret growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.” May all of us have that privilege.

AR500 Armor

I recently purchased an armor plate from AR500, a vendor in Phoenix, Arizona, and had a disappointing customer service experience. The armor itself is fine, but I wanted a left-handed plate. They cut their plates to allow more space for the butt of a long gun on the shooting shoulder, which is in my view a good thing. As one would expect, they mainly make right-handed ones, but they did say you could order it with a left-hand cut. I specified in the notes field of their online order form that I wanted a left-handed plate. I got a right-handed one.

When I contacted them, they were a bit slow to reply. After a series of exchanges, they finally told me that they would replace it, but I had to cover the shipping back to them and I had to provide photos of the box it came in and the plate before they would agree to discuss replacing the plate. They also required me to provide a copy of the invoice, which was easy enough to download from their website.

AR500 claimed I had not specified that I wanted a left-handed plate, but I distinctly remember doing so. I suspect that somehow the information got lost. I’m not concerned that I got sent the wrong product because mistakes happen; I was unhappy that I was the one who would have to cover shipping the heavy steel plate back and would then probably have to wait another couple of months to get what I originally wanted.

After pondering it a bit, I decided to just give in and keep the plate to use on the backside of my carrier and obtain another plate for the front. I already had a set of plates, but they lack the anti-fragmentation coating that one really should have on steel armor. At some point, I’ll order another plate for the front, but I will probably be checking out other vendors.

– SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Erie