Two Letters Re: Refurbishing Dead Gasoline

Jim,
Here are some additional thoughts in regard to the letter, “Refurbishing Dead Gasoline”, from my perspective as an oil refinery chemist:
 
Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, and there are many different flammable materials that can be blended to achieve the desired specifications.
 
In regard to vapor pressure of U.S. gasoline blends, a mixture resulting in about 15 psi Reid vapor pressure is ideal for winter conditions, and a mixture resulting in about 7 psi Reid vapor pressure is ideal for summer conditions.
 
The gasoline blend should exhibit enough vapor pressure for ignition to occur while not over-pressuring and causing vapor lock.
 
Butane is superior to propane as a gasoline additive mainly because it has a higher octane value and a lower Reid vapor pressure, giving it properties that more closely resemble those in the desired gasoline blend.  Reid vapor pressure is about 50 psi for pure butane and about 150 psi for pure propane.  Although some winter gasoline blends may contain as much as 10 percent or more by volume of butane, much less propane would be needed to achieve the same vapor pressure in the gasoline blend.  Keep in mind that vapor pressure does not blend linearly – one-third the amount of propane would not give you the same vapor pressure as butane. 
 
In addition, propane has more value as a petrochemical precursor than butane so refiners typically blend butane to add vapor pressure to gasoline while selling propane as a separate product.
 
Pure ethanol or isopropyl alcohol (distilled with no water), acetone, paint thinner, or other flammable chemicals added in small amounts can also help add vapor pressure without overly affecting the other qualities of the gasoline blend.  
 
Without a gauge for measurement, I would recommend adding just enough propane or butane to hear a bit of vapor release when opening the container, but not enough to bulge the container.  A little butane or propane will go a long way in restoring the vapor pressure of old gasoline.  Ventilation and the absence of ignition sources is absolutely essential when mixing, of course.
 
Thanks for your blog.  It’s still the best out there. – Michael S.

 

Mr. Rawles;
First off, I need to state that I am a physical chemist who works with mostly inorganic chemistry, so I know far less than a petroleum chemist would, but I suspect that the fuel industry uses butane over propane for three major reasons.

First, we could approximate that gasoline will obey Raoult’s Law, and a heavier hydrocarbon (like butane) will “self-distill” out of the rest of the gasoline more slowly than a lighter one (like propane).  If they are trying to keep the gas viable as long as possible, using butane would be a better choice, of course.  In very cold climates, refineries might add some propane to keep the hydrocarbon vapor pressure as high enough for cold starts, but that is pure speculation on my part.

Second, there is a significant market for propane, less so for butane.  It makes economic sense for the refinery to use the butane that they would have a harder time selling.
Third, for storage concerns, propane vapor will effuse out of plastic containers even faster than butane, per Graham’s Law of Effusion, so if one must try to refresh gasoline using propane, it should be done at the point of use.

Personally, given the danger of working with gasoline, and given this idea likely won’t be of much use until after all the Hospitals, with their high-tech burn care, have ceased working, I would not try this.  Frankly, I would never have thought of this and it seems to be a very clever idea, but I think the dangers outweigh the benefits.  I think we would be better served learning to exploit fuels that will be available for the long-term: wood, coke, peat and coal.  Burning oil is a silly thing to do anyway (given all else that oil is good for). – The Tennessee chemist who belongs in Idaho

JWR Replies: I concur. It is much safer to use “dead” gasoline as-is, and simply get engines started with the aid of ether-based starting fluid. (Although even that has its own set of hazards.)

News From The American Redoubt:

Kyle T. mentioned that he found on Craigslist: “…a complete business for someone to buy in Idaho if they are interested in blacksmithing.  The listing is entitled  “Blacksmith, wheelwright shop complete (Nampa, Idaho)”  Things like this don’t come every day!”

   o o o

I recently heard some details from a reader about Obadiah’s Woodstoves, in Troy, Montana. They have great prices, a huge selection, and top notch customer service. They sell nationwide.

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With friends like this, who needs enemies? New Jersey governor coming to North Idaho.

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Although it obviously comes from a strident leftist with an axe to grind, it is interesting to see the delineation of The American Redoubt’s western border so distinctly in the map accompanying this article: Up in Arms. (Thanks to J.M.A. for the link.)

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Some troubling news from Gongaza University, in Eastern Washington: A rock and a hard place: Students fend off intruder with legal gun; face potential expulsion for school violation.

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Atlanta (Idaho) residents worried they could be snowed in this winter. (Atlanta is a tiny town with just 32 residents.)

Economics and Investing:

Whopping 932,000 Americans Drop Out Of Labor Force In October; Participation Rate Drops To Fresh 35 Year Low

Congress Passes Bill To Remove Derivatives Regulations That Were Just Put In Place

Why The U.S. Dollar Is In Trouble

Items from The Economatrix:

Which America Do You Live In? – 21 Hard To Believe Facts About “Wealthy America” And “Poor America”

October Mortgage Purchase Applications Collapse To Decade Lows

Congress Sells Out To Wall Street, Again

Odds ‘n Sods:

More bad news from the P.I.: Typhoon that smashed houses to smithereens: Full horror of destruction in Philippines revealed as rescue workers says two thirds of dead are children. We also read: The Chaos After the Super Typhoon. And the president has declared a national calamity amid widespread looting. If you want to help with the relief effort, please don’t send contributions to the bloated, top-heavy charities like the Red Cross. Instead, please send your donations to any of the dozens of small charities that have had a long-established presence in the country.

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Reader M.P. in Seattle found a link to the UK version of the fictional “Blackout” that was created by the same production company.

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I recently heard about a new Christian retreat community that is being planned for 150+ acres in North Florida.

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Woolsey warns of EMP threat: Inside the Ring: North Korean missiles deemed a serious threat to U.S.

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I heard that Hidden Hybrid Holsters is offering a 10% off coupon for the month of November, 2013. Customers can enter coupon code jdubs1113 at checkout to receive the discount. Oh, and speaking of hybrid holster makers, I noticed that Crossbreed Holsters has further expanded their product line.

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World’s First 3D Printed Metal Gun Manufactured by Solid Concepts

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New homeowner opens shelter sealed since 1961. (Note the still very practical Zenith Transoceanic multi-band receiver. If the new owner is wise, then he will re-stock the shelter with lots fresh food supplies and plenty of ammunition.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"What we do in life echoes in eternity. " – Russell Crowe (as Maximus), Gladiator (Screenplay by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson)

Notes from JWR:

In recognition of Veteran’s Day, I must mention this article: World War II’s surviving Doolittle Raiders make final toast.

—

My book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” is now available in a Romanian translation (“Ghid De Supravietuire“) from Editura Paralela 45 in Bucharest. I was pleased to hear that it was translated by Ioan Es. Pop. (Mr. Pop is a famous poet, translator, and academic in Romania.) So now the book is now available in seven editions: American English, British English, German, Spanish, French, Bulgarian, and Romanian. Translations to several other languages are in progress and should be released in 2014. The book has a been a perennial bestseller for both Penguin USA and Penguin UK. My next book from Penguin is titled “Tools for Survival.” It should released in the summer of 2014.

T.M.’s Book Review: The Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson

This is actually three books telling one story that is pertinent to preppers.

An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943
© 2002  ISBN: 0-8050-6288-2    681 pages

The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
© 2007  ISBN: 0-8050-6289-0    791 pages

The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945
© 2013  ISBN: 978-0-8050-6290-8    877 pages
All three volumes have excellent maps, indexes, bibliography, and a flawed endnote system.
All three volumes are published by Henry Holt and Co. in New York City, NY
All three volumes are available at your favorite bookseller in paperback, e-book, or hardback.
The author has also created a web site at www.liberationtrilogy.com to complement the books.

The Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson is the story of World War II in the Mediterranean and Western Europe. It took fourteen years for the author to write the story, and it is a good read for any military history buff and preppers. I purchased the set as they were first issued since 2002, set the first two on the shelf, and did not begin reading until a few months ago when volume 3 arrived. Reading the entire story at one time helps to maintain the flow.
I found the books to be well written, interesting, and informative to me as an historian and a prepper. Although I have been reading about WWII for fifty years, I learned a great deal from these books. The author does not shy away from criticizing the well-known generals and highlights their personality disorders and their genius.
I dislike the authors’ choice of endnote style. The endnotes are bunched by page numbers, and partial quotes leading to the actual source. I found it difficult to navigate when looking for a reference and in some cases the reference for a quote is missing. The author also likes to use uncommon words. Examples are “a crepuscular gorge,” “a lunatic tintinnabulation”, “a pellucid day,” “a bells deep, fatidic toll,” have you ever been “gobsmacked,” or seen any “vitrified clinkers.” Keep your dictionary handy.
In spite of those problems, if you like military history, I recommend you purchase the boxed set and enjoy yourself.

If military history is not your first choice, there is a ton of good information in these three books for anyone interested in prepping and using history as a learning tool. Read this with pen and paper nearby for note taking. The author spends a lot of time relating logistical difficulties on both sides of the fight, and for civilians caught in the middle. When war comes to your neighborhood, the first thing you lose is physical safety, and then food and water. Cats and dogs rise to the top of the menu within days. All other animals follow quickly. Foodstuffs and personal weapons are immediately seized by the military forces. Firewood is scarce due to a lack of tools and manpower. The American forces needed one million cords in the winter of 1944-45, but could only obtain 36,000. That is a huge deficit that lead to frostbite and hypothermia on a large scale. Even General Eisenhower slept fully clothed at times. Allied forces used 50 million rolls of toilet tissue per month. How is your supply? The Allies used 40 billion rounds of small arms ammunition in thirteen months just in Western Europe. The city of Cologne, Germany had no food, fuel, water, gas, or electricity for almost eight months. If you wisely left town you did so on foot. The trains were not running. Socks used by American soldiers lasted three washings before disintegrating. During combat, they were sometimes worn for weeks at a time between those washings due to a lack of replacements. Boots and uniforms lasted just about as long. In short, everything a combat soldier required on a daily basis had to be transported from the USA. Without that supply line, they would starve. The civilians were on their own until arrangements could be made by the military. Civilian authorities were out of business. Hunger was normal. Cannibalism was not unknown. The Dutch ate cats, dogs, nettle soup, and tulip bulbs. Can you live on 600 calories per day?
That said, I pray the USA will not suffer such a tragedy again, as we did in our civil war, and the people of Europe suffered twice in one century. Remember, not just wars bring chaos and hunger to a nation.

My suggestion is to be prepared to be totally on your own. This trilogy relates some harsh realities for people who do not prepare for bad times. If you are a prepper, read and take lots of notes.
I recommend this set of books.

Pat’s Product Review: Eberlestock F4M Terminator Backpack

When I was young – quite young – I had a serious thirst for adventure, and I was always undertaking something dangerous – many called it “stupid” or “foolhardy” as I recall. I was very independent (still am) and many also used the term “hard-headed” to describe me and some of my exploits. It’s okay, I believe everyone should follow their heart and their dreams, when possible. Which leads me to my youngest daughter, who just got out of the US Army – where she served as a Combat Medic. Now, those who know me, especially from the past, know how hard-headed I was back in the day. However, my youngest daughter easily has me beat in the “hard-headed” department.
 
As I write this article, on Nov. 7, 2013, my youngest daughter is in New Zealand, and is undertaking a 2,000-mile trek across that country – on foot – all alone! She wants to experience life, and not just live it. Okay, I can understand that, I really can! But being a parent, one naturally worries about their children – no matter how old they are – and want them to be safe and protected – if anyone ever wonders why a father has so many gray hairs – like I do – look no further – our kids give us gray hairs! My youngest daughter has been planning this trek for about 5 months, and even though I was (still am) against it – especially by herself – I promised her I’d help get the best gear available for such an undertaking.
 
Much of the equipment and gear she purchased was very good, still it was (is?) meant for weekend camping in my humble opinion – not for an extended 4-6 months trek in the boonies of New Zealand. The pack she had, while a nice commercial one, simply wouldn’t hold up for that kind of long-term use and abuse. I mentioned this to the nice folks at US Tactical Supply http://www.ustacticalsupply.com/ and they insisted that my daughter come in and pick out any backpack she wanted for her adventure. And, to be sure, US Tactical Supply only carries the best of the best when it comes to all the products they sell. After visiting the US Tactical Supply walk-in store, and checking out their backpacks, my daughter decided on one made by Eberlestock called the F4M Terminator backpack – go to that web site for a video of the features of this backpack. And, here is a link to the pack, that is sold at US Tactical Supply. Now, to be quite honest, I couldn’t have picked a better backpack myself – I’m proud my daughter took the time to exam all the packs, for the best features, to help serve her needs for this trek. BTW, in New Zealand, they call what she is doing “tramping” around the country.
 
I was totally impressed with the F4M Terminator backpack when I checked it out at US Tactical Supply. However, I didn’t get a chance to fully exam all the features of this pack, until we came home. To say I was totally blown away with all the features this pack offers, is putting in mildly. To start with, the pack is called dry earth in color – a very clay-like color that blends in no matter where you take it – it also comes in other colors, too.  And, I honestly lost count of the number of pockets this pack has, but if my public school math is correct, there are 12 different pockets for carrying your gear. Plus, what I really liked was that this pack has a top opening and front opening pocket – with heavy-duty zippers for getting to the main compartment – really sweet!
 
The carrying capacity of the F4M Terminator is 5,000 cubic inches, and the empty pack weighs in at a little over 8 pounds if our bathroom scale is correct. All loaded-up, with the gear my daughter will be carrying, the pack weight about 35-pounds – a bit much, however, she has it down to the absolute bare essentials she’ll need on her trek – and she will be adding some freeze-dried foods – which will add a little bit more weight to the bag. The carrying straps/system is worth mentioning, too. There is a heavily padded lumbar support on the back of the pack, as well as several more padded areas, to help keep the load from cutting into your back. Also, the adjustment straps – there are several – allows you to carry the F4M Terminator higher or lower on your back – super cool – as well as being able to adjust the main shoulder straps for the size of your body – moving the straps inward or outward with Velcro adjustments, and my daughter spent a lot of time getting the pack just right – however, once out on the trail, more adjustment will probably be made to keep the pack just where she wants it on her back.
 
On each side of the Terminator, there is a long side pocket – one on each side – for carrying more gear. My daughter placed her walking sticks on one side and they fit nicely. There are several other pockets on the outside of the pack, the bottom pocket held her tent, sleeping bag (a light-weight one – wish she had gotten a heavier-duty one) and her inflatable mattress and inflatable pillow – they all fit in there like this pocket was made especially for them. Again, the pockets are secured by heavy-duty zippers so nothing will fall out.
 
The top of the pack deserves mention, as it is a small pack itself, that you can remove from the pack. My daughter is using it as a fanny pack, during her flight, for carrying her ID and other stuff she’ll need. And, while in Auckland, New Zealand, for several days before her trek, she will use it as a purse of sorts. The pack can be fastened around your waist like a regular fanny pack, or used across the front of your body like a courier pack. And, in an emergency, if you had to bug out and run like the wind, and the F4M Terminator was too heavy and/or bulky to carry, you could place survival items in the removable top pack and run with just the gear you have in there.
 
The F4M Terminator is manufactured out of 1000 Denier Nylon – super heavy-duty material. All pockets on the pack have tensioning straps, for snugging down each pocket – if you’ve ever gone hiking or on a long range patrol, you know the importance of having your pack and everything in it, nice and tight, so nothing rattles around, and nothing moves around causing a hot spot on your body. There is a waist belt, and it can be removed if you don’t need it – I suggest you always use the waist belt of a more secure fit – and there is a chest strap there if you need it – once again, I’d use it. All straps attaching the F4M Terminator to your body are nicely padded and thick – heavy-duty in all respects. On top of it all, the Terminator also comes with a rain cover – for nasty weather.
 
There is PALS webbing all over the outside of the Terminator, for attaching more pouches if you feel the need for carrying more gear. And, there is also PALS webbing on the inside of some of the pockets – for carrying even more gear. You can also add a hydration bladder to the pack. And, to top it off, you can purchase rifle scabbards if you desire to carrying rifles/shotguns in the Terminator. And, depending on the size of your rifle, if it’s a folding stock model, you can actually fit the rifle inside the pack and no one would be the wiser that you were carrying a rifle.
 
I tested the Terminator for comfort myself, and found it to fit nicely, after a few pulls on the carrying straps to make it fit my body – large! My daughter also tested the pack, fully loaded, on her back, and the fit was just great for her. She was against getting another pack, she liked the one she had, but I explained the benefits of a military-grade backpack, over any commercial hiking backpack, and she is glad she visited US Tactical Supply with me and found this pack. I wanted my daughter to have the best of the best for this trek, and without a doubt, I think she has some great gear, and I have no worries that this pack will ever fail her. And, as I’ve mentioned before, about the nice folks at US Tactical Supply, they are great to do business with – they donated this pack to my daughter (no charge) for her trek – asking nothing in return – they just wanted her to have the best pack available. After checking out this pack, I wanted to let SurvivalBlog readers know about it. I’ve mentioned before, that some Preppers feel they need the biggest pack they can find – and then stuff it with everything they can – including the kitchen sink – only to discover, that they can’t walk even a mile with those monster packs.
 
The Terminator isn’t too big, nor is it too small – you can easily make this your BOB and never look back, knowing you have a pack that will last you a lifetime. And, just before my daughter left for New Zealand, US Tactical Supply got word from Eberlestock, that the New Zealand Defence Forces, adopted the Terminator backpack in an open competition. What’s the odds, of my daughter picking a backpack that she will carry in New Zealand, that the New Zealand Defence Forces will be using?
 
As I’ve said many times, quality never comes cheap – you can buy all the junk you want – and you will be buying it over and over again. If you buy quality, you only have to buy it once. The F4M Terminator retails for $399 as it comes from US Tactical Supply – however, you can add rifle scabbards if you wish, and other smaller pouches to the pack, too. If you are looking for the best pack around, then save your money and get the Terminator – it will be money well-spent, and you wont’ have to worry about this pack failing you. Then load the pack up with the gear you need – and just remember, you don’t have to fill the pack completely – take what you need for bugging out purposes…
 
If I were looking at getting a new BOB, I would, without a doubt, save my money, and get the F4M Terminator and never give it a second thought – I was “that” impressed with this pack.

If SurvivalBlog readers are interested in following my daughter’s trek, you can do so at her blog site. Of course we are all hoping she can make the 2,000-mile walk. But one never knows what may happen along the way, injuries and illnesses can stop a trek like this, as can severe weather – luckily, in the Southern Hemisphere, it is Spring right now, and as I write this, it is Fall in the USA. However, I’ve been told that a person can experience all four seasons in one day on certain parts of New Zealand. So, I ask all SurvivalBlog readers to keep my little girl in your prayers, as she undertakes this adventure. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: Why Is Utah Not in the American Redoubt?

Dear Mr. R.:
Why don’t you include Utah in your American Redoubt states? I’m asking because we’re right next door [to the Redoubt region] and Utah seems so much like the Redoubt states in so many ways. Just curious. – L.W.J.

JWR Replies: Although Utah’s crime rate, taxes, and insurance rates are low and family food storage is quite popular there, the state has several distinct drawbacks. They include:

  • Utah is is not an open carry state. A government-issued permit is required to carry a fully-loaded gun openly. I find that abhorrent.
  • Utah is a predominantly desert state. In the event of a grid-down situation, nearly all of the irrigated farmland in Utah will quickly revert to desert. Even with electrically-pumped irrigation water, the state would be hard-pressed to feed itself if it became economically isolated. (Most of their groceries are trucked in from California.)
  • Utah’s annual precipitation is generally low, quite regionally isolated, very seasonal, and much of it comes in the form of snow. By comparison, most of the Redoubt has more evenly distributed precipitation, annually. (One exception is eastern Oregon, which is also fairly arid.)
  • Utah is a net energy importer. By comparison, the Redoubt states are all energy exporters. (In Utah, coal is used to generate about 90 percent of the state’s electricity. In 2010, Utah imported 3.3 million short tons of coal to make up the shortfall for its power plants.) This is not an issue in Idaho, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and Montana, which are powered predominantly with hydroelectric power. Wyoming gets most of its power from coal and natural gas, but unlike Utah, Wyoming is a net exporter of coal, oil, and natural gas. Virtually all of Utah’s coal is used for either electricity generation or by local copper and steel industries. The bottom line is that the state has insufficient coal production to meet its growing needs, and its production is gradually decreasing. But at least its natural gas supply appears to be improving.
  • Utah’s population density is fairly high compared to the Redoubt counties, and rapidly growing. (It now has 34.3 people per square mile–a substantial jump from around 28 per square mile when I first formally evaluated the state, six years ago.) Most of the Redoubt counties range from 3 to 10 people per square mile, and most of those counties are seeing much more gradual growth than in Utah. (Take note that the Redoubt region does not include the more populous western halves of Oregon and Washington.)
  • Given the tight-knit family bonds of Mormon families, I predict that the population of the state would at least double in the event of any “slow slide” nationwide disaster. (It is safe to assume that their large extended families will immediately “flock back to the nest,” as long as highways remain passable.)
  • Utah has fairly strict home schooling laws, with mandatory registration.
  • Utah has a growing criminal gang problem which is unheard of in most of the Redoubt counties. (Although there is some gang activity in southeastern Washington.)

So all in all, I don’t believe that Utah has enough plusses to qualify it for inclusion in the Redoubt region list. But of course my qualifications for inclusion in the Redoubt are subjective. They are also skewed toward survivability in the absence of grid power. If the grid stays up, then parts of Utah would probably be quite viable.

Letter Re: Refurbishing Dead Gasoline

JWR,
The shelf life of gasoline is one of the lurking problems with the prepper community. With this short article I will show you a simple process to take that lifeless gas and make it usable again.

One of the issues with very old (several years) gas is the formation of deposits and gum via oxidation. Ethanol doesn’t help either, except to line the pockets of the Ethanol Lobby.

Another issue is water absorption over time.

Gasoline is not one cut of hydrocarbons, but a mixture of light and heavy fuels. Over time the lighter elements [“fractions”] evaporate, leaving a fuel that can’t start an engine.

I’ll show you how to deal with all three major issues. Always be outside and downwind of any dwellings – and of course, no nearby ignition sources or flame.

The first step in refurbishment is filtration. Depending on the amount of gum and deposits, you first should filter through a rag placed in a funnel. Then pump it through a standard fuel filter – the kind found on a car. I’ve used a Mr. Gasket 12 VDC fuel pump for years without problem.

Water in gasoline can be nullified by Gumout. Keep plenty on hand.

The final step is adding in the volatiles that have evaporated away. An interesting fact is fresh gasoline is around 1% butane – that’s what leaves the storage tank first. You can safely and easily add butane or propane back into the gasoline without owning an oil refinery.

WARNING: What is described here are actions to take in extremis, a TEOTWAWKI situation. Only add butane to gasoline outdoors and downwind of any ignition source or dwelling!

Winter gasoline has a higher percentage of butane than summer products. The refinery does this to keep the vapor pressure higher on cold days.

The process to add butane / propane to gas is simple. Take a 1 lb. propane or butane container with regulator. Attach a gasoline-rated hose to the regulator which can reach to the bottom of your gas can. Slowly bubble the contents of the propane tank into the gas – the gasoline will readily absorb the butane / propane. The mixture ratio is 1:100, or a 1 lb. propane canister to 18 gallons of gasoline. A 20 lb. propane tank can refurbish over 270 gallons.

My friends and I did some experiments to validate this. The first was bubbling a small 2.5 oz butane lighter refiller into a gallon of gas in a clear container. I noticed that the butane bubbles hardly made it to the top level of gas; the gasoline hungrily absorbed the butane.

The second experiment was with four year old gas that was stored in a black tank. A large riding lawnmower simply refused to start with this old gas – a great opportunity to try the new recipe.

Propane from a 20 lb. container was bubbled through the gasoline to get to 1:100. After draining the lawnmower tank and refilling with the refurbished gas it started right up. There were no issues with how the engine ran, either.

If you are storing gas for prepping I would suggest these tips:

1) Use gas that does not have ethanol in it 2) Always use PRI-G in recommended dosages to pre-treat the gas, and also treat it every year thereafter 3) Keep the gas in a cool spot in a metal container. I use surplus stainless steel drums but carbon steel could work as well. (Plastic containers allow the volatiles in gas to leak out.) 4) Have a water absorber additive around as well.

Good luck! – Hugh F.

JWR Adds: Use extreme caution when handling gasoline. You will need to work in open air, well away from all structures and take precautions against static electricity sparks or other sources of ignition. (This includes any wands that you might try to use for injecting butane. And you will of course need to protect yourself with gloves from skin contact and protect your lungs from anything more than brief and incidental contact with vapors. Quite importantly, a couple of helpers should be standing by a short distance away with Class B or ABC-type fire extinguishers.

Do not attempt to bubble butane from a butane lighter into a container of gasoline unless you have first completely removed the striker wheel mechanism! As Hugh mentioned, using butane lighter refiller canisters and a wand would be far more practical and safe.

Older gasoline that has lost its butane and other highly volatile components (do some research on Reid Vapor Pressure) will often fail to start an engine, but that same gas will often run an engine, once it has been started. So be sure to stock up on several cans of ether-based starting fluid.

I’m not a chemist, so I don’t know whether propane will stay in solution in gasoline as long as butane does. But I suspect that butane must be superior in some way, since that is what the petroleum industry uses as a gasoline additive. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can chime in.

Letter Re: Remembering Dear Aunt Flow

Dear SurvivalBloggers,
I have used folded up cloths as pads for years for my monthlies.  As long as you use a cotton cloth at least as big as a bandanna, bleed-through of a pad is surprisingly not that likely. 
 
Have several, that way you always have a dry one and they can hand wash and hang dry in shifts.  There is no reason why they can’t be as sanitary as the commercial ones.
 
To wash one, soak it in soapy water.  Once it’s soaked a bit (like 10 minutes), rinse it and wash it again with soap until it’s clean.  It doesn’t take a lot of water if you do it that way, and it takes most of the work out of it too.  At the end of the period, put the clean ones through the laundry for real with very hot water. 
 
I suppose one could make a plastic shield out of a piece of a trash bag, and fold it up in the pad near the bottom.  That would help with bleed-throughs.
 
The only thing that is truly inconvenient about cloth pads, besides that they like to migrate more than the ones with the stickum, is if you are traveling and have to use public rest rooms, you’ll probably have to stick the used ones in a Ziploc bag until you get the chance to wash them in private.   I just use commercial pads when I am traveling, that way I don’t have to worry about it.
 
Back in the day, the commercial pads didn’t have stickum.  We had special underwear with straps to hold the pads on, or we would safety pin them on. – Penny Pincher

Avalanche Lily Replies: One of our writing contest sponsors, Naturally Cozy, makes hand-sewn washable cloth menstrual pads as well as incontinence pads. Buying these is a great option for anyone who isn’t handy with a sewing machine. (Or for those of us who are handy, but who don’t have the time to sew because of a busy schedule.)

Recipe of the Week:

Old Kimber Girl’s Pear Honey

12 pears (14 if they are small) 4 large apples
2 large oranges
3 pounds of sugar

Peel apples and pears. Remove core and seeds.  Grate orange rind and set aside. Peel orange-remove excess pith, remove seeds.

Grind pears, apples and orange.

Add sugar and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add orange rind. Cook until thick.

Process a you would any other jam.

Yield:  Approximately nine ½-pint jars

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Pear Recipes

Spiced Apple and Pear Pie Recipe

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Odds ‘n Sods:

Bad news from the Philippines: “Super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday…”

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James C. mentioned that an important piece to print out for your reference binder was recently re-posted over at Preparedness Advice Blog: Chemical Names, A List Showing the Older Names vs the Modern Names. [JWR’s Comment: Credit for compiling most of this list (nearly verbatim) should be given to Kurt Saxon. He was the first one I know of to have published an earlier edition of this list, back in the late 1970s.]

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Safecastle is continuing their last Mountain House cans sale of the year, with maximum allowable discounts, free shipping, and some special loyalty reward bonuses for buyer’s club members. The sale ends on November 20, 2013.

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Some good news for Ayn Rand fans: Atlas Shrugged Part III is now in pre-production and is scheduled for release on July 4, 2014.

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H.L. sent this headline from Colorado: “We have established a beachhead for secession” [JWR’s Comment: A point of clarification: I often see journalists and a few patriots tossing around the word secession when they are really talking about partition of counties into a new state under the existing Union. There is an important distinction!]