Dear SurvivalBlog,
Can I use a bucket that had paint in it to store food, even if I use mylar bags? – L.J.
JWR Replies: No. The seals on mylar bags are too iffy.
HJL Adds: Additionally, plastic is permeable to many chemicals. You really don’t want any of those chemicals to end up in your food products. You would especially hate to store a food product and then need that food product, only to find it was unusable due to some paint chemical contamination.
Mr. Hugh,
I am a long-time reader of Survival Blog. A recent diagnosis requires a lifetime commitment to receiving IV medication every month in a hospital setting. This does not bode well for my long-term survival, when the world falls apart. I am right with God, so no worries there. My children think my views about prepping are somewhat eccentric. I am okay with that too. I am ready to move forward to help the grandchild generation. Would you ask your readers to comment on tasks I could complete to accomplish this? – J.G.
Now this is worth drooling over! – Colt M2012 Bolt Rifle – Cooper Arms of Montana
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H.L. spotted this evidence that attitudes are different west of the Cascades: An Oregon man riding a public bus was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Jail Tuesday for allegedly mentioning firearms during a conversation. Man Arrested For Talking About Guns
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An interstate highway through the middle of the Redoubt! I-11 & Intermountain West Corridor Study
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Two links from opposite sides of the “wolf” story: How Wolves Change Rivers -and- Idaho Fish and Game pays $30,000 to kill 23 wolves.
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In a continuation of the eminent domain saga, a proposed bill in Idaho will make the state pay the court costs if the homeowner successfully defends their property.
Not bad for a prototype: Watch a Fully Automatic Electromagnetic Pulse Rifle Demolish a Laptop – RBS
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S.C. sent these two articles in with the statement: “I realize that there are many factors that affect both situations. However, I think that these two articles give a good idea as to the twisted views of our country. I feel ashamed to live in a country who will not allow a seven year old boy, who is fighting for his life, the medication that he needs. While, on the same day, the attorney general pushes for a drug to be widely distributed to assist people who have overdosed on illegal drugs. This is a sad state of affairs.”
Drug company refuses to give lifesaving medication to 7-year-old boy
Heroin overdoses pose ‘urgent public health crisis,’ US attorney general says
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Two Americans Convicted of Economic Espionage for China – B.R.
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I’m not sure about the validity of this, and it might just be a self-fulfilling prophecy, but… Think the ammo market is about to get better? Think again.
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An interesting video on a very small number: 0.00672%: Why Concealed Carry Permit Holders Will Want to Hear About Such a Small Number From a Former Navy SEAL
“The one aim of these financiers is world control by the creation of inextinguishable debt.” – Henry Ford
Today, Safecastle (A SurvivalBlog advertiser) is starting their first Mountain House Sale of the year. This sale will only run until the 15th, so visit their site soon!
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Mike Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large) sent in a link to an interesting book I am currently listening to: Army Life in a Black Regiment. It’s about some of the adventures of the First South Carolina Volunteers, the first slave regiment mustered into the service of the United States during the late civil war. It makes for more interesting commuting.
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Today, we present two guest articles along with our usual reviews from Pat Cascio.
In Staying Mobile in a Collapse Situation, M.C. walks us through his plans for maintaining mobility as a priority. Second, D.D. gives us some history and recipes for making pemmican. This is something I have always wanted to try, but just have never gotten around to. Maybe today is the day.
Staying Mobile in a Collapse Situation by Matt Conner
I have seen countless disaster movies set 30+ years after the collapse of society where, somehow, people still have gasoline and diesel fuel to run their vehicles. I am a professional diesel mechanic, operating two vehicles retrofitted from their original gasoline engines to run on older mechanical diesel engines. I feel I could stay mobile longer because I would not be dependent on service stations to provide me fuel, and I could make my own. I would like to share my methods here with fellow like-minded readers. The concept I will be detailing is burning used engine oil for fuel in older mechanical diesel engines. The first of the two engines I run is a 1991.5 Cummins 6bta, commonly referred to as the “12 valve”, installed in a 1998 Ford F150. This engine was commonly found in the 1988-1996 Dodge ¾ and one ton trucks but is very popular to swap into other vehicles. The engine has many benefits and the only negative aspect I have found so far is that it is loud. The key feature here is it will run on used oil. The second engine is a Mercedes Benz OM617– the 5 cylinder diesel found in various cars from the mid-1970s to late ’80s. This engine has been installed in my girlfriend’s 1996 Jeep Cherokee. Both the OM617 and Cummins are 100% EMP-proof, which means it will run without a battery and no alternator and will also run on used oil.
Under normal operation (not the end of the world), I collect used engine oil and fuel from changed filters off Peterbilt trucks I service (roughly 120 trucks). I filter and blend this used oil with a setup at my house that I will detail later. However, in a SHTF scenario, the theory would be collecting the engine oil and automatic transmission fluid or even power steering fluid from abandoned vehicles, which will have run out of fuel on the road, to make a custom blend of usable emergency fuel for your diesel.
W85 blend is what oil burners call a blend of 85% WMO (waste motor oil) and 15% RUG (regular unleaded gasoline). Since the viscosity of oil is higher than diesel fuel, the gasoline is used to lower it to something similar to diesel by thinning it out. Now in our SHTF scenario, we would shoot for making w85 in 5-gallon batches; we would collect all the crank case oil and ATF and power steering fluid (do not use brake fluid) from a derelict vehicle, which should yield about five to six quarts engine oil and about six to eight quarts of ATF and power steering fluid. Then we would collect the remaining gasoline from the fuel tank, because most vehicles still have a considerable amount of fuel in the tank even after they “run out”. This would be done simply by puncturing the fuel tank with a screwdriver or ice pick and a hammer. If you could get ¾ gallons of RUG that would cover your needed 15%, and the rest would be your WMO.
Water separation and filtration is the key. My fuel filtration set up is gravity fed and constructed of almost entirely “junk”. It consists of two 55-gallon drums, some plumbing pipe, some filter heads, and spin-on CIMTEK filters. Search “up-flow processor WMO” to see detailed info on how they work.
The basic concept is described here. The first drum is the settling tank. The 55-gallon drum has a 2-inch opening and a ¾-inch opening. The 2-inch bung has a 4-inch pipe nipple threaded into it, and inside the pipe nipple there is a 2-inch diameter exhaust pipe section welded to it that extends down into the barrel close to the bottom. The top of the pipe nipple has a smaller 16-gallon drum with a 2-inch bung in its center, threaded onto it with the top of it cut off to act as a funnel. On the opposite side, at the ¾ bung, is a 90-degree street elbow that has two filter heads with CIMTEK water separator filters at 15 and 5 microns. The concept is as follows. The WMO/RUG mix is poured into the funnel at the top of the barrel; the weight of the oil forces it down the down tube to the bottom of the barrel where any large solids and water will settle. Then once the barrel is full, the settled oil will be forced out the top through the ¾ bung, through the filters, and out as finished product. On my set-up I have it go into another 55-gallon drum, used as a storage tank that has a 12 volt pump that runs on a battery and pumps the product through a final third filter, but this is not necessary. A smaller version of this filter concept could be constructed for portability and maybe even mounted in the truck, but the basic concept is the same.
The proper vehicle to run this fuel would be one with a mechanically-injected older diesel engine, pre-1997 would be safest. All older IDI Fords, 6.9 l and pre-powerstroke 7.3 l engines do well on it.
The pre- common rail Cummins engines in Dodges, like I run, love it; all your Mercedes 300 series cars and many others run well on it as well. One important thing is to stock up on fuel filters for your vehicle. This will save you hassle later down the road, as trying to go to Auto Zone in the end times might not be a good idea.
I have been running this blended fuel for several years in my Cummins-powered Ford F150 with no issues, and the Mercedes-powered Jeep has run for several months now as well. Still, as always, do your research, and know what you are doing before you start. I hope this will inspire others to look into making their own emergency fuel and having the survival advantage when it counts.
Food seems to be a most popular subject for Prepper’s and Survivalist’s, and why shouldn’t it be? We all live to eat and eat to live. In an effort to expand my knowledge of shelf-stable food, I started thinking about the way indigenous peoples in different areas of the world survive, or survived, without refrigeration, dehydrators, or freezers. What I found was very interesting and helpful in my shoring up of shelf-stable foods for my family’s security in a SHTF situation. There is one thing, more than the rest, that I really have enjoyed researching and implementing. Of all the different foodstuffs I came across, my favorite was the traditional Native American food known as pemmican. Now I have lived on the boarder of a small well-developed reservation for quite some time. Being out here in the Redoubt area one meets quite a few self-sustaining individuals on a regular basis, so in the past I had heard of pemmican but never put any serious thought into it until recently. Pemmican is a very easy to make, highly shelf-stable, tasty, and a highly nutritious food source, if made correctly. It is also nice to take camping/hiking, road-tripping, and tour bicycling, due to its low weight and caloric density.
Wikipedia describes pemmican as follows: “Pemmican is a concentrated mixture of fat and protein used as a nutritious food. The word comes from the Cree word pimîhkân, which itself is derived from the word pimî, “fat, grease”. It was invented by the native peoples of North America. It was widely adopted as a high-energy food by Europeans involved in the fur trade and later by Arctic and Antarctic explorers, such as Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen.
The specific ingredients used were usually whatever was available; the meat was often bison, moose, elk, or deer. Fruits such as cranberries and saskatoon berries were sometimes added. Cherries, currants, chokeberries and blueberries were also used, but those are almost exclusively used in ceremonial and wedding pemmican.
Traditionally, pemmican was prepared from the lean meat of large game, such as buffalo, elk, or deer. The meat was cut in thin slices and dried over a slow fire, or in the hot sun, until it was hard and brittle. About five pounds of meat are required to make one pound of dried meat suitable for pemmican. Then it was pounded into very small pieces, almost powder-like in consistency, using stones. The pounded meat was mixed with melted fat in an approximate 1:1 ratio. In some cases, dried fruits such as saskatoon berries, cranberries, blueberries, or choke cherries were pounded into powder and then added to the meat/fat mixture. The resulting mixture was then packed into rawhide pouches for storage.
A bag of buffalo pemmican weighing about 90 pounds was called a Taureau by the Métis of Red River. It generally took the meat of one buffalo to fill a Taureau.
I have found pemmican to be a good food source for myself. I personally did a 24-hour trial run of eating nothing but pemmican, and I personally had no ill side effects. I have included a few of the recipes I used and had great success with.
Here are some tips for you to improve your ability to use pemmican recipes properly and make good pemmican:
God Bless all of you in your endeavors.
Can keep and be consumed for several years.
Some months ago, I tested and reviewed the portable WorkStar 2000 floodlight from Maxxeon for SurvivalBlog readers, and it was a huge hit. I heard from a number of readers about how pleased they were with the product. Today, we’re looking at the new and improved Hunter’s http://www.maxxeon.com/led_hunters_worklight_workstar_2030.html floodlight from Maxxeon. Some SurvivalBlog readers have requested that I list the country of origin– where the products are manufactured– in all of my articles. Maxxeon products are made in China. Like it or not, we now live in a global economy, and in order for many companies to compete or even introduce a new product at an affordable price point, they are having their products manufactured in other countries.
The new Workstar 2030 Hunter’s Floodlight from Maxxeon has all the same tough features of the original WorksStar 2000, with some improvements, to make it even better. Maxxeon listened to suggestions from folks who purchase their products and went to work to improve an already excellent product. I personally know this to be a fact, because I suggested some improvements to one of their products, and they jumped right on it. The Hunter’s 2030 model still has a high 270 Out The Front lumens and on low, 90 Out The Front lumens. It also has the easy-to-adjust brightness level, at the touch of a button. The entire unit can be fully recharged in about three hours and has it’s own charging unit.
The unit can run on high for about two hours and on low for about eight hours. The Fresnel-like lens creates a huge floodlight beam. It can light up my entire huge front yard at night, and it has all the same uses that the original 2000 WorkStar had, with some new additions and changes that make it more suitable for hunters.
First of all, the unit is covered in REALTREE Camo that is topped with a rubberized soft-touch grip coating, making for a secure grip in all weather conditions. I’ve had to track game after the sun went down. As any hunter can tell you, you need a good, bright light. The 2030 gives you a real advantage in this area. There is an unbreakable LED “bulb” that never needs replacing, too. Ever drop your flashlight at night and the bulb breaks? Yeah, me too. With the 2030 Hunter’s model, you don’t have to worry about the bulb breaking.
You can also carry the 2030 model on your belt, with the detachable belt clip. That’s handy! Also, Maxxeon has added indents to the 180-degree tilting action of the neck, so the light stays where you shine or aim it. No more having to adjust where the light is aimed; it’s super cool! If you’ve ever had to dress-out game in the dark or under low-light conditions, you’ll certainly appreciate the titling action of the neck on the 2030 Hunter’s model. In the dark, I once had to search for a large buck that I had taken. When I found it, I then had to dress it out, in the dark. It was a total pain to dress out the deer while trying to hold my small flashlight in one hand and dress-out the buck with my knife in the other hand. Oh, how I wish I had owned the Maxxeon 2030 Hunter’s model back then.
The rubberized coating is a nice touch that keeps your hand from getting cold holding the light, which happens with aluminum flashlight barrels. Additionally, the REALTREE camo is just a nice touch for hunters. The 2030 is very attractive.
If you work on cars all the time, you know how hard it is to get the light just where you need it. I have no problems with the original WorkStar 2000, but the new and improved 2030 Hunter’s model is just a little bit better in my humble opinion. So, if you haven’t already purchased the WorkStar 2000, then take a close look at the 2030 Hunter’s model. It might be just what you’re looking for, whether for working on cars, tracking lost game at night, or lighting up your yard at night when something goes “bump”. Full-retail on the new and improved 2030 model is $155.00. It’s a light that will serve all your needs.
SurvivalBlog isn’t going to review products that aren’t up to our highest expectations, so don’t look for those reviews on our website. However, from time-to-time, we will review a product that doesn’t quite measure up to our high standards, and we’ll alert our readers that they might just be wasting their money on that product. Sometimes products arrive in our hands that are a good idea, however, it is poorly executed when the final product is manufactured. I’ve worked with some companies lately to help them improve on their products BEFORE bringing them out on the market. I enjoy when a company listens to an outsider, instead of having the NIH (Not Invented Here) attitude, and not interested in hearing from an outsider on how one of their products might be improved. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Today, we’re looking at the Rift, automatic folder from Benchmade knives. The Rift is proudly made in the United States of America and is from the black box line– a working line of knives for professionals. I remember when I first started writing about knives. I was a freelance field editor for Knives Illustrated magazine. I contacted Les d’Asis at Benchmade and requested a sample to do an article on. This was more than 22 years ago, and Benchmade has continued to keep me supplied with samples for articles.
Benchmade knives are always in demand. A good number of our military personnel use Benchmade knives, as well as many folks in law enforcement. Benchmade Knife Company is a leading manufacturer of automatic folding knives. Even though Benchmade has been producing automatic folders for a number of years right here in Oregon, there are large numbers of law enforcement officers who do not know they are legal to own in Oregon.
The Benchmade Rift model number 9555S is a reversed Tanto blade for toughness. It also has a large belly blade for utility cutting, and its textured G10 handle scales help you get a firm grip in any situation. There is also a manual safety on top of the handle scales, for locking the blade in the open or the closed position. The blade is manufactured out of 154 CM stainless steel with a Rockwell hardness of 58-61. The knife can be carried in the pocket with the reversible pocket clip for a tip up carry only.
The blade length is ideal at 3.67 inches; the blade thicknesses is 0.114 inches. Its handle thickness is 0.556 inches. What is unique about the Rift is that it has the Axis locking system, which releases the blade with either hand by simply sliding the axis pivot point to the rear. Overall, the length of the knife is a 8.27 inches; closed its length is 4.60 inches.
The model 9555, Rift, can be had in several different versions. You can get it either satin finished blade or a black coated blade with a plain blade or partial serrations and a blade. The sample I received is the satin finished blade with partial serrations, which are very handy when cutting wet rope, rubber, or cardboard and many other tough materials.
The textured G10 handle scales are black, and the texturing is just in the right places on both sides of the handle to assure you a firm and secure grip in all kinds of weather conditions. At the top of the handle scales, there are friction grooves for proper thumb placement in the fencing grip. Additionally, on the bottom of the handle there are also friction grooves, once again, for a sure grip in any position that you hold the knife. G10 is one of toughest materials you can use for handle scales on a knife or handgun grips.
During my testing of the Rift, I used it for chores around the house, including chores in the kitchen as well as outdoors on my small homestead. The blade came shaving sharp out-of-the-box, which is typical of all Benchmade knives. During my testing, over a period of several weeks, I did not have to touch up the blade one time. It held the edge.
For the past several years, I’ve carried an older model Benchmade folder that has long been discontinued, yet is one of my favorite folders. However, the new Rift is making headway and fast becoming a favorite. It may replace my old discontinued model that I’ve carried for so many years.
The Rift is one of those knives that you will have a hard time putting down, once you pick it up. It just feels like a natural extension of your hand, no matter which position you hold the knife in– fencing, reverse, hammer, et cetera. The Rift just feels great in the hand. I also like the fact that the Axis locking mechanism is self-adjusting. As the blade/handle wear over the years, the Axis will keep the blade firmly locked when opened, without any wiggle.
I’ve toured the Benchmade plant several times over the years, and I’m always amazed at the growth they have experienced and how much the product line has expanded. To be sure, Benchmade, during my last tour, was working two shifts, and they would work three shifts if they could find enough qualified people. Benchmade takes pride in hiring the best of the best. Also, it is of interest that Benchmade doesn’t have many knives in-stock. They go out the door just as fast as they can produce them, which says a lot. Another reason why Benchmade knives are always in short-supply is that we keep buying them as fast as they are made.
Now, for those who don’t live in areas where automatic folding knives are legal, Benchmade also produces a manual opening version of the Rift, and it opens pretty fast with the thumb stud. The Rift 9555S sample I tested retails for $250. Remember, you are getting a near custom, if not custom knife from Benchmade.
I really like the Rift, and if you are looking for a new EDC (Every Day Carry) folder, take a close look at the Rift. Shortly before this article was done, I somehow lost or misplaced my Rift sample. So, when funds permit, I’m going to get another one, and it will more than likely replace my well-worn and abused older Benchmade folder that I’ve been carrying in my right front pocket for about six years. That says a lot, in my book. I test a lot of knives, but for my everyday carry folder, I’ve stuck to my older Benchmade folder, which may just get replaced…soon! – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Fry the chicken in olive oil. When done, add the garlic, oregano, cumin, and sage, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Add the vegetables, cooking until the onions start to become wilted, then add the cilantro.
Add the posole and corn, then add chicken broth as necessary.
Serve with sides of sour cream, salsa, fresh chopped cilantro, grated cheese, and wedged limes.
As a side, serve either with tortillas or good, crusty sourdough or rye bread.
Chef’s Note: This version of Posole is known as “Festival Posole” or “Harvest Posole,” in that it has all kinds of extra goodies in it that would be added at the beginning of the harvest. Basic Posole is often just the hominy, some kind of meat (on the Navajo Reservation, where this particular dish originated, it would likely be ground or cubed lamb or mutton), maybe an onion and a little bell pepper, some oil or lard for frying, and some water.
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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
Hello,
I love the website but having difficulties. I live in an urban environment, in a good town but near a rough section of Chicago…which causes crime to seep into our borders (theft a huge problem). I live in an apartment, with limited storage space….limited space in general. So much seems geared to those who live in a bit more suburban or rural communities. I want to be prepared but overwhelmed is an understatement, as well as feeling stymied by many factors outside of my control, i.e. space and lack of land. I have looked through the archives, perhaps not carefully enough, so forgive me for the following question: Are there any resources you can recommend for someone urban like myself?
JWR Replies: It is fine to plan to stay in the city for a few days during a discrete event wherein the power grid stays up, or when it only goes down briefly. However, attempting to hunker down in an apartment in a major metropolitan region during a grid-down collapse would be foolish. That has already been described at length in the blog, as far back as 2007. See: https://survivalblog.com/letter-re-hunkering-down-in-an/
Your best bet is to have a well-stocked retreat that is well-removed from urban areas, and plan to get there quickly, ahead of the inevitable flood of refugees. My novel “Patriots” was about a group of Chicagoans who planned to do just that.
Some techniques for storing supplies in an apartment have been discussed in the SurvivalBlog on several occasions. See, for example:
The bottom line: Do the best you can with your resources. Team up with like-minded friends and relatives. Always have a Plan B.
More on the Penny and Nickle: Penny and Nickel Mentioned in Obama’s 2015 Budget
Items from The Economatrix:
ADP: Mediocre Job Growth Continues
We’re Going to be Hit with a Tsunami of Inflation-Peter Schiff
February Payrolls 175K, Beat Expectations Of 149K, Unemployment Rate Rises To 6.7%
Video: For those that love the Mosin rifle: The winter war 1939 – F.S.
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Every where you turn, somebody wants to know what you’re doing. The NSA, Corporations and now:Warrantless Spying Is Becoming The Status Quo At Local Police Department
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In a sad statement on the current morals of people: Redwood park closes road to deter burl poachers
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Prepping is big business and CWalton on survivor.com has posted an article that shows an excellent example of how you should do your homework before participating or purchasing from any company dealing with survival products.
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