Traditional Skills: What Value are You to Other Preppers?, by Blacksmith Tom

Prepper communities and compounds rely on each members worth to their group, cooking, sewing, carpentry, leatherwork, gardening. There is one skill that cannot be over looked as one of the most valuable skills/trade for a prepper to possess.  Blacksmithing.  All other crafts and trades will require once again the skills of a blacksmith to replace stolen, broken tools.  In addition to making these tools a blacksmith can also make weapons, swords, axes, daggers, spears, arrow heads. 

But how would one go about obtaining these skills?  Look in your local areas for classes offered, some community colleges are now offering blacksmithing courses. Look for a local blacksmith group, a living museum that has a working blacksmith shop can help locate a blacksmith that’s willing to teach the basics. After taking the lessons or classes, it’s just a matter of practice before you’re looking for more complicated projects. A blacksmith with even the minimal skill set will be of great value, even if all they can do is make a simple knife, tomahawk or even a hinge. 

Once you’ve gotten the basic knowledge of blacksmithing practice is very important, for you to learn how to not burn your metal. (Yes metal will burn if heated too hot.) So you need to practice, how you’re asking, what next?  Build or purchase a forge, while a gas forge is great because it’s harder to heat the metal too hot in a gas forge, if TEOTWAWKI occurs, it won’t be long before propane or natural gas will become more valuable than gold.  So by all means use a gas forge to increase your skills, but also look at the many plans online to build your own coal/coke forge.  Even if you don’t have a supply of coal or coke you can use charcoal that you can produce yourself.  I believe the winner of round 42 of this contest is about making your own charcoal.  Tools, you can find blacksmithing tools at most flea markets, trade days and even on craigslist, or you can make your own tools.  Something most blacksmith will usually do when they want a specific tool for a job. That’s why when you see a picture of a blacksmith shop it’s cluttered looking due to all the tools and metal laying around. There are companies that also sell the coal forges as well, I took advantage of a sale and purchased a coke fire pot for the forge I built. Coke is coal with the impurities burnt out, coke burns cleaner and hotter making it quicker to heat your metal and finish your project in less time. Again practice is the most important thing in getting better at blacksmithing.

Hammer control is, (IMHO) the best and hardest skill to learn in blacksmithing.  Take a piece of wood and place it on your anvil, mark and X in the middle of the wood, now strike it with your hammer. Now hit it again. Did you hit the mark twice? Were you off the mark on the first and on the second? Or were you able to hit the mark twice in a row? Continue practicing this till you can hit the X every time, or until the wood splinters for your kindling.  Hammer control will allow you to finish a project in fewer hammer blows.

A source of metal is something else you’ll need, at one time I had several thousands of pounds of metal stored. When I was forced to sell out and move back into town, I sold most of it to a scrap yard. The one thing to be careful of is galvanized metals, the gas put off from heating galvanized metal is very toxic and can kill you if you breath it in. Zinc, the metal that galvanizes is the metal that creates this deadly gas. So again, classes, reading everything you can find on blacksmithing may save your life.

Speaking of heating metal to white hot, this is the perfect temperature to work metal, you want to push the metal around with your hammer. Make hard confident strikes, practice, practice, practice. Make nails, when you can make a nail in less than three heats then you’re doing fantastically well. The trouble I see most newcomers to blacksmithing is having a timid hammer strike. Once the metal cools to almost a dull red, put it back in the fire. If you see sparks, you’ve gotten it too hot. Once the metal has burnt, it’s not worth anything and after you heat it back up, cut the burnt piece off.  Remember, strike it while it’s hot is more than an old saying our grandparents used to say.

A lot of the old equipment was ran off a steam powered system or a system powered by water, they used belts and pulleys to power the equipment. If you’re homestead has the means for something like this, it will make life easier as a blacksmith to have the better equipment.

Being a blacksmith has been a great experience, you can learn a lot about life from blacksmithing. Blacksmithing as in life, you will get burned. Some will be minor irritating burns that are forgotten the next day. Some will be second or third degree and will leave a scar, a gentle reminder of a lesson learned at a price. The burns will heal, most of the scars will fade, but taking a cold hard piece of metal and heating it white hot, then molding and shaping it into something useful, there’s no greater thrill than seeing something you’ve created work like it’s supposed to.  The pride you’ll feel when someone oohs and aahs over a sword you’ve made.

Blacksmithing at one time was a common trade, many farms and ranches had a blacksmith shop for creating tools, repairing equipment, and many other tasks. In old Sears and Roebuck catalogs a complete blacksmith kit would cost less than $20. Now you’re lucky if you can find a single tool for that price. Blacksmithing as a prepper, you will gather your tools and supplies and build a nice stockpile of them. You never know when someone will come up and request a certain tool and you don’t have a piece of metal big enough to do the job.

Imagine making a hunting knife with which you can trade a hunter for two deer.  A chisel to a carpenter for a tool chest. A candle holder to someone for twelve jars of canned vegetables. The list goes on and on the things you can make and barter for.  An additional thing a blacksmith can do is create bolts for doors, hinge straps to re-enforce a door, metal for the corners of a wooden box. Just remember when you barter, you are the one that has what they want, and if they want it, they’ll make a fair trade. If not it’s up to your judgment on how to proceed, will not giving in create a hardship for you your family, will it put you in possible harms way. Unfortunately when TEOTWAWKI is gone, there are going to be people out there who won’t think twice about hurting you or your family to get what they want. A blacksmith is going to have many things that people want. Trust your instincts.

While the government may track down and take the guns away from the registered owners, they’ll overlook the knives, arrow heads, spear heads, thinking they’re just pretty flea market items. If someone breaks into your house and all they’re armed with is a small knife or club, pulling a sword or spear on them will make them change their minds quickly.  As will a crossbow with a sharp arrow head you’ve put the finishing touches on. England defended many invaders with nothing more than swords, axes and spears. If I can make a nice stockpile of weapons that don’t have to be registered with the government to keep my family safe, then light the forge and heat the steel, it’s time to increase my value.

A great place to start is with the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA), you can locate local smith’s, classes and even find a few projects to try. Another good place is Anvilfire.com, with loads of useful tips and projects. Last but not least is The Blacksmith’s Journal, they publish a small booklet that contains new projects and tips each month that will be mailed to your house each month, you can also purchase past issues as well.

Remember, while you have the chance to enjoy this wonderful craft, do just that, enjoy it. Because when it’s no longer a hobby, but a matter of putting food on your table for your family, or protecting them. There won’t be many days you’ll be able to remember to enjoy it. Don’t be afraid to contact a blacksmith, most are eager to share and pass on their trade especially if they’re doing it mostly as a hobby. It’s a little harder to get someone to share their knowledge when it’s what pays the bills.

Blacksmithing can be enjoyable, profitable and useful. It’s never too late to learn, and you can start out with simple equipment like a piece of railroad rail, hammer and a long handle pair of pliers for tools. I hope this helps put a spark in your life and will help create a few more blacksmith’s in the world.

Letter Re: IED Awareness

I received the following from an embedded mil-blogger friend.  His personal information has been redacted:

Sir, 
If I may, I would like to share some information with you.  Some is based on personal experience, and some comes from experts I know and trust.  What you do with this is up to you, but I wanted you to have it to think about just in case.  

First, I can commend an I-phone app (should be available for other platforms as well) that the Army had suggested to me called IED Aware.  It is actually pretty much the basic Army awareness course (pre-deployment) done as an app.  Maker is ForceReadiness.com, that does other education and training apps as well.  Not sure if it is free or not, but quite a few of the study apps are.  

Something I can share with you based on experience is that situational awareness is the key.  But, not just in trying to spot something — you need it to be prepared for realistic options.  

Visually and otherwise scout your AO immediately.  You are not just looking for potential IED sites, you need to get an idea of cover options.  Concealment is NOT cover.  Things that can hide you from view are concealment, not cover.  Cover is something that can protect you from bullets, blast, and fragments.  Cover is concrete, it is thick metal as in armor or even the engine block of a car, it is a ditch, a culvert, or other thing that can stop/deflect incoming.  And, yes, cover can help deflect a blast wave, as they are strange creatures that can and do bounce, deflect, and reflect.  Buy me a beer and I will tell you of one (non-IED generated) I know first-hand caused a relocation of a wall without breaking a pane of glass in that glass wall.  

You need to know cover not just for yourself, but if something happens you need to be able to direct people away using as much of that cover as realistically possible.  So, scout, plan, and plan options so that you do not have to think about things if something happens, but can assess and be proactive in an emergency.  Having to stop and think can and does get people killed.  Plan ahead. 

Then, scan the area thinking of where an IED can be easily concealed (trash can, paper bin, etc.) and check those for anything suspicious.  It looks suspicious, call out and call in.  Clear the area, and hunker down in a place that gives you as much cover as possible yet still allows you to control the cleared area to keep idiots and others from wandering in.  

If the area is clear, scan for distance markers.  One of the most common currently is a plastic grocery bag tied to a branch or otherwise secured; but, the key is to look for something out of place and or a series of things that also happen to be a uniform distance apart.  Just as we use distance and aiming stakes, so to does the enemy.  While it is often that such a bag or other signal marks the spot of the IED, it can also be a trigger point so that a vehicle or group moving at a steady speed will be in the blast zone if the remote detonator is triggered as they pass that point.  Using this method, someone can be at home or a nearby bar watching an event on television and know when to dial the phone or press the button.  If you see something that could be a distance/location marker, call out and call it in.  If that marker is near a culvert or sewer line under the street, it needs to be checked out immediately.  Admittedly, IEDs in such are mostly for vehicles, but… 

It is doubtful that most terrorists would try to bury anything, but do keep an eye out for a freshly plowed or dug flower bed or such, just in case.  

Watch for suspicious behavior.  Someone moving a bit too nonchalantly, exceedingly nervous, obviously drunk or on drugs with a coat or such over themselves (amazing how many suicide bombers have to have chemical enhancement to do the job), or someone who may or may not be praying but has a look on their face and/or in their eyes that really can’t be described other than to say that when you see it, you know it.  They will usually move confidently and force their way towards their destination no matter what, and one hand is usually at their side or in a pocket.  It’s not just someone moving in quickly, dropping a backpack or other container and then moving away, it is a host and range of behaviors that don’t fit the norm.  If you spot someone like this, don’t approach if at all possible, but here stay calm, talk normally and call in and have LE come and intercept the person.  

If an IED goes off, take cover.  If possible, choose cover that provides overhead cover as well.  Roll under a vehicle, concrete bench, etc.  If there is no cover, go flat:  shrapnel tends to go out in a cone, and if you can get under the cone, all you have to deal with immediately is blast effect.  Quite a few wounds in Iraq and Afghanistan from incoming happen because people kept trying to run to a duck and cover or other shelter, instead of going flat.  You hear blast, or get an incoming warning, you go flat if you can’t make shelter in about five seconds.  

Keep in mind that immediate shrapnel is only part of the issue:  blasts like that tend to toss things in the air, sometimes substantial things.  That’s why if you can get to cover that provides overhead cover, you should.  Keep in mind that in Boston, parts of the bomb were found on a rooftop some ten stories up.  Debris can be coming down for up to a minute after a blast.  If there is no cover, after the initial blast front and shrapnel wave has passed, you go turtle (legs and arm under you, head back so your helmet goes over back armor as much as possible) or squat with your feet flat, knees to chest, back to blast, and hands over head so that you make the smallest possible area from a vertical perspective.  

Next, know that there are likely to be more explosions, as various online manuals (and generally smart terrorists) will do secondaries or even tertiaries to get first responders.  You will have seconds to a couple of minutes to regroup, try to get people moving in a safe direction, and get set for the next blast.  Use it well.  

For any form of IED, tourniquets are essential.  In Boston, we saw a lot of improvised and it is likely that we will have to do so at need as most IGR do not have combat tourniquets.  People are going to be screaming, there’s going to be blood and debris, and triage needs to be with traumatic amputations first and foremost.  If a limb is gone, or just about gone, get the tourniquet on as low as possible on the limb and as quickly as possible.  Then worry about shrapnel wounds.  Know that if they follow standard doctrine, bleeding is going to worse because the shrapnel was coated with rat poison, warfarin, which is known medically as Coumadin.  It is an anti-coagulant, and the idea is to get as much as possible into the wound to make the victim bleed out.  

Now, to something I put last because it is against most current doctrine.

One thing that is not to the liking of academics and other rear-echelon types is that you want to see if there is a dump point in your immediate AO.  A dump point is something that will reduce blast effects and shrapnel.  Good foxholes have a grenade sump for this, when you are on foot or at an event, you don’t have that but you do have other options.  Keep in mind that blast waves, no matter how powerful, like to follow the path of least resistance as much as possible.  You want to spot a dump point in advance because sometimes you roll snake eyes don’t have a lot of options.  A dump point can be a concrete road barrier, a dumpster, a sewer opening, or anything that gives thicker sides and no top or a weak top.  You dump an IED into such, it will be destroyed, but most of the blast and shrapnel is likely to go up, not out; and, what does go out will not go out as far.  

Two quick scenarios under this heading.  First, someone drops a bag of some type nearby and takes off running.  If they do that, things are out of control on both sides and your options are very limited.  If they have dropped it, and there is no boom, the odds of it having any form of movement trigger are slim to none.  If they are running, they are panicked and no longer thinking and can trigger immediately or even forget to do so.  If it is a timed bomb, then they may be running because time is running out — but you have time to think and act.  Right then, you have to make a choice.  

First thing you do, is get people to get down and/or move away as quickly as possible, because even if it is someone playing a “joke” on security, you have to treat it as real.  If you are that close, there are few realistic options for survival unless you have a dump point planned.  Get the bag to the dump point, then try to get people and yourself away if no immediate boom, and do so as low as possible.  If you hear any noise from the direction of the bag, go flat.  You can’t help anyone if you are dead.  The second scenario is a suicide bomber near/next to you.  Your only viable option is to try to control them, get them into the dump point, and try to get away.  Odds are you won’t, but you are pretty much out of options at that point anyway.  If you are within about 15 feet of either, odds are that you are going to die, the only difference being how many die with you. – X.

– Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog Editor at Large)

Letter Re: Penny and Nickel Debasement Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress

Sir,
I often received assorted mail in flat rate VHS videotape-size USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes.  I found that these will hold 27 rolls of nickels.

Not near as heavy as a .30 caliber ammo can when full.

Folks (like me, over 60 and female) that find the .30 cal ammo cans a bit heavy might like to use these boxes.  I just use strapping tape and run a band around the box horizontally, fill it with the nickels and then run two bands of tape around it to seal it.  They stack nicely and I can move them with ease. – P.W.

Economics and Investing:

The perception of currency inflation is derived through the contextual prism of our daily lives. For my neighbors who burn a lot of gasoline commuting more than 40 miles each way every work day, the perceived inflation rate is more than 30%, per annum. And for my #1 Daughter, who’s main commercial interaction involves .22 cartridges, the perceived inflation rate is more than 200%, per annum. And for almost everyone, the fact that 32GB iPods are deflating in price because of economies of scale is a meaningless abstraction, when groceries have risen around 20% since last year. We don’t buy an iPod every week. But we do buy bread, milk, eggs, and 89 octane.

Jim W. recommended: Hoarding Alternative Money & Reforming Banks. The article begins: “Argentina is going through the classic stages of economic collapse. The government seized all pensions. They are destroying everything that gives the people incentive to be a society that emerges from the cooperation of everyone. When government turns against its own people, even as the USA is currently doing, you end up with deflation insofar as the economy collapses and wages are not available, while hoarding emerges as does barter.”

Gee, this was inevitable: Canada to tax Bitcoin transactions. Of course it is mainly the cash-outs and other transactions with the mainstream banking and credit system that can be tracked. Private (peer-to-peer) transactions are still invisible. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Economy Showing Signs of “Spring Slowdown”

A New Report From Wells Fargo Reveals A Scary Fact About The Economy

The Economic Depression Is Deepening

Durable-Goods Orders Sink 5.7% in March

Odds ‘n Sods:

Building Your SHTF Gunshot Survival Kit

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Here is a new online publication that might be of interest: The Preparedness Review. Their latest edition includes an excerpt from my novel “Survivors.”

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Some good news from an anti-gun state: The Connecticut State Police today released their training memorandum regarding the open carry of firearms in the state. This is a significant concession in a Nanny State where up until now many police have treated Open Carry with contempt and high suspicion, and often with unjustified detainment. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)

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And some more good news: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) signed H.B. 2455 into law Sunday, thereby banning the destruction of guns turned in at gun buybacks or otherwise seized by or surrendered to authorities.

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The first Doomsday Expo in Denver is scheduled for June 27-29, 2013.

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Lynn G. mentioned a Boston Globe article that cites’s SurvivalBlog’s glossary, titled: How to talk like a doomsday prepper.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 46 ends on May 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.

Silver Thoughts For The Beginner, by Jay in Missouri

One doesn’t have to look far in the news today to catch a conundrum in any article talking about precious metals. If you read the news shops you will have noticed articles crowing titles like “Silver and Gold Have Lost Their Shine!” and “The Precious Metals Market Tanks!”. The strange thing is if you are to walk into any coin or jewelry shop tomorrow and ask to buy a few coins, you will most likely be told the wait time is several weeks, and you’ll be paying prices above the current silver price. While the news outlets are singing the death knell of precious metals, truth is the demand for physical is higher than it has ever been, and is far outstripping the market prices. This happens when people remember their history lessons from school and determine to not get Weimared into trading a wheelbarrow of greenbacks for a sack of ‘taters. My article hopes to inspire you be a canny investor, and buy on the dips to create a shield for yourself. 

Well, perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. I will reel things back a bit and go over a some goodies I have leveraged in order to stack a little more argentum, and to be a little more prepared in the task of saving a portion of my family’s hard earned money.

First of all, the web is your best friend. What better resource available to you, short of the library, where you may research any given topic and educate yourself. You are on the right path in checking out Survival Blog. In addition to Survival Blog, there exists a ton (troy, not avoirdupois; ha-ha) of other resources out there, so much so that it all can be a bit intimidating. Before one simply throws their hands up in frustration, or is afraid to start something new, I’d like to flatten out some of the bell in your learning curve and link you up by and by to a few resources (as well as offer a few ‘why’s’).

First things first. Let’s turn to the Good Book:

I take great comfort in Luke 12:32: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

And in 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Acknowledging God, I believe we should move forward in faith.

Here are those web sites I mentioned earlier. I check these on a daily basis:

The first resource I check is one called Coinflation. It is an easy-to-read site which strictly talks coin values. They have an up to the minute feed on US coins, and you will see later why this comes in handy. They list each denomination, list it’s face value, it’s silver value, and the silver % against face value. Right here you need to know a couple of things; these coins are called ‘junk silver’, not because they are junk, but because they aren’t desirable from a collectable aspect. The ‘junk coins’ are the normal run of the mill coins our grandfathers used to to pay the shoe shine guy, to buy a slice of pie and a cup of coffee, and to lend to the fella who asked “Hey brother can you spare a dime?” This old pocket change was in circulation before someone set it aside realizing the silver content made it worth more than the .05/.10/.25/.50/1.00 stamped on the reverse. You see, in the US, nearly all minted coins (except for pennies and nickels) prior to 1965 had silver content in them. Congress in 1964 passed an act taking silver out of all the coins except for a few. We’ll get to that in a wee bit. If you’d like to do a bit of light reading, you can read the address from President Johnson. (Please note he calls the material ‘valuable’ in his address). 

As you can imagine the value of these pre-1965 coins far exceeds their face value, meaning that a 1964 quarter is worth far more than the .25 marked on it. These coins are made of 90% silver. The other key date to keep in mind here relates to half-dollars (a.k.a. fifty cent pieces). The next time you are in line at the grocery store, ask for your change in any ‘odd coins’ if they’ve got them. The cashiers count their till before and after their shifts, and know when they get a ‘weird one’. In looking at halves, certainly look for pre-1964 dates, but don’t forget the 1965 to 1970 dates either. Those years of Kennedy’s are 40% silver and still fetch far more than fifty cents at the coin shop (presently the 40% ones are going for $3.58). Now, armed with the numbers from the Conflation calculations, it is easy to do a little math in your head before you go into your brick and mortar coin shop. If you have a cell phone with a data plan, check it right before going in; as silver and gold are a commodity and can fluctuate. If you are still a bit nervous, ask for a print out of current prices. The good shops will accommodate you, because they want your business. The shady ones will pan out real quick; they want to turn a quick buck on the desperate folks. They don’t typically stick to current market prices, or accommodate you in a printout of current prices. Spend your hard earned federal reserve notes at the place that wants your business. 

The next web site falls in the category of ‘read up, student’. It is Zero Hedge. The comments section can be quite coarse and rough in language, but the owner (Tyler Durden, an obvious nom de plume) will publish stories and guest posts with a bent to telling the truth. They speak heavily of the markets. Go, read, and educate yourself. 

The third recommendation I make is for you to find the web site of your local coin shop – The ones who do a lot of business will also have an up-to-date price list. This comes handy to see what they are charging over spot, if they have a lag to the current market, and what their inventory is; saving you gas money before you drive over there. My local coin shop even lists the past several years worth of their auctions on their more rare/collectable stuff; helping me further by building my case history on my next purchases. If your local shop has such a resource, use it and arm yourself with knowledge. In my experience, fair business means letting your customer know what the current prices are, by providing a safe place to buy and sell, and by running an honest shop. The coin community will quickly oust unjust or dishonest businesses (and FYI, the ‘We Buy Gold” places do not sell, they only buy, and only at reduced prices). If you have a friend who collects coins, ask them what stores they go to, I guarantee they will have an opinion on the shops in your area. 

My next web site recommendation is to point you to a forum for numismatists (in simple terms, numismatists are folks who collect coins.) If you get into the collectible aspect of things (called numismatics), you will want to know more about grades, dates, mint marks, fakes, if one cleans a coin versus not cleaning it, coins in holders (called ‘slabbed’) or coins loose (called ‘raw’). Once you sign up to participate in the web site, don’t be afraid to ask questions; I recommend the CoinCommunity site due to the culture of courtesy and sharing there. I further recommend it as the site has a whole passel of folks who are the real deal. Not only will you see some beautiful coins, but exonumia (items other than coins; the medals, tokens, and scrip) and also ephemera (the boxes, holders, news ads and other various ‘throw away’ stuffs the coins came with way back when). Some of these folks just have to be of the museum curator ilk.

The final recommendation I will make is for you to buy yourself a Red Book. This spiral bound yearly publication talks about history, rarity, collectibility, and mintages of coins. Start with a section you are interested in (say Morgan dollars) and read it. Mark the interesting bits. Refer back to it. If you are truly abstemious in spending any money on printed materials (my father comes to mind here), or simply want to start this on the cheap, Whitman has a web site with an electronic edition.

I am in no way associated with any of these companies, and stand in no way of profiting from these recommendations. I instead pen this article in hopes of reaching the reader who is much like the very kind/very confused approximately 80 year old lady I met last week at my local coin store. Her husband had cashed out a sizable chunk of their retirement to take delivery on a ‘monster box’ (a 500-count case of 1 oz silver coins, a.k.a. American Silver Eagles, .999 pure silver rounds) and some fractional gold coins (called fractional because they come in various denominations; $50/$25/$10/$5, effectively a tenth oz, fifth oz, half oz and 1 oz coin; a.k.a. Gold American Eagles, .916 pure gold rounds). She was supportive of her husband, but had a bunch of questions, and was too timid to ask the sales guy. I struck up a conversation with her and talked about what I was looking at that day (so happened to be looking at commemorative slabbed coins; I saw an amazing MS65 Lafayette dollar!). Her interest was piqued, she was polite, and though I may sound like an apologist here, the people behind the counter were way too busy to do anything but fill orders (the line was something like four people deep when I was there). My only regret, looking back, is I never got to tell her how impressed I was was that she and her husband were trying to hedge themselves against the craziness in the investment markets. 

Okay, lets shift gears here a bit. If you, as a potential silver stacker, have stuck with me this far, perhaps I am almost convincing you to try some of these suggestions. Read on then, and lets talk a bit more about some helps.

Before you rush off to the coin store, begin to keep a close eye on silver spot price against what your local coin shops are asking per/oz. As of about 13:00 central time, when I began this article, there is a lot of stuff going for ‘over spot’ depending on what you are trying to buy. When I started stacking coin (at Mr Rawles’ suggestion), prices were a bit lower than now, and the ‘over spot’ margin was significantly smaller. The huge surge in demand of physical (instead of paper; like all the other physical commodity markets from pork bellies to sweet light crude oil), has combined with the present lower prices, and the resulting action is that dealers have raised their prices. 

As of today, according to my local coin shop’s web site, ASEs (American Silver Eagles) are about $5.80/oz over spot, “About Good” condition Morgan or Peace dollars (.773 pure silver) are $4.22/coin over spot, and ‘junk silver’ is going for $4.34 over spot/for $1.00 worth of ‘face value’. The smallest ‘over spot’ margins (on coins minted by the United States mint) I have found are the 5 oz America The Beautiful bullion coins. Bullion, for simplicity of explanation, is for precious metal content, and is not typically collected for numismatic factor. There are however some limited strike, proof strike, or limited release bullion coins. I state this as it can be confusing to see a bullion America The Beautiful coin and a slabbed America The Beautiful coin. The slabbed one will cost more because it is graded, and collectible. Yes, we numismatists can be a wee bit zany. s

I am not even going to start into Canadian, Mexican, Australian, Chinese, or other mintage coins, be they bullion (.91 and higher) or even numismatic. This article today is just for US Mint products to help the starting investor, as they are recognizable by everyone in the event of a Schumer/Oscillation Device occurrence. Ideally you can position yourself to not have to explain to your neighbor why your Peso from 1943 is 90% silver. As my late grandmother use to say,”K.I.S.S. stands for ‘Keep It Simple, Son'”.

I also tend to shy away from the odd weight/off-brand/hand poured stuff due to the influence of Chinese fakes out in the market. Fears over fakes is an entire other conversation (there is at present some noise out across the wire that regular ‘junk silver’ is the next target; Morgan and Peace dollars have been faked for years), but to arm yourself against them keep three ‘M’s’ in mind.  Measurements: the weight, thickness, diameter of coins (there are accepted dimensions), Magnetism: a silver coin when held at an angle will let a small strong rare earth magnet slide slowly across it’s face, and Melody: when you flip a silver coin on a hard surface , it should ‘sing’ or ring. 

The only other thing I can suggest with regards to fakes is to buy from a reputable dealer. Craigslist may have some mighty tempting ads, but you are truly on your own, and if you are just starting out, Caveat Emptor, buyer beware! Learn what to look for before you spend a passel on comparatively worthless plated copper fakes.

In closing, let me reassure the folks who feel like they are ‘too late’ to start. Fear not! I started in 2010 (as I mentioned, at the recommendation of Mr. Rawles), and have taken many small steps since then. While it is true that many people started pulling silver coins out of circulation back in 1965 (45 years before I started, mind you), I am still moving forward with my plan. Stock up on beans, bullets, and Band-Aids, and then (only after all the other bills are paid) pick up any bullion in small denominations. For the folks who feel it is too late, don’t let hindsight poison your faith. Take the small steps and God will bless you. 

I hope these thoughts help. In parting, I quote Mother Theresa; “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” God Bless, – Jay in Missouri

Letter Re: Sewing, Mending and Altering Your Clothing After the Ball Drops

James Wesley,
I have a few comments on the recent clothing article:
 
Good heavy work clothing is around, if you know where to look. Carhartt, Prison Blues, Roundhouse, Wild Ass jeans and Dickies to name just a few of the better known names. Treat this clothing as an investment and buy it even if its expensive as it’s worth every penny.
 
Buttons.  Lay in a store of metal buttons.  I can’t tell you how many plastic, conventional buttons I’ve smashed working on something.  Metal shirt and pant buttons don’t break and wear for years. Plan on making clothes using buttons, including suspender buttons.  Zippers break, jam and are far harder to replace than good metal buttons. 
 
Lay in a pattern for overalls.  Sure, they look dorky but there isn’t a better piece of clothing for hard work.  You can get them with double knees, all of them have the metal buttons, and the well made ones are made with 12 ounce denim, so they wear well for years.  Lots of pockets for tools, easy to layer up under them in cold weather, it’s no wonder they’ve been in use for decades. – Bill S.

Economics and Investing:

Check Out These Insane Levels of Youth Unemployment In Europe

Fed Money Printing Games Out of Gas – Karl Denninger. (Thanks to Jim W. for the link.)

Bob in Virginia recommended this by Bill Gross: Here Are The Four Big Ways That The Government Will Steal Money From Bondholders

While the paper market is in the doldrums, the physical metals market is searing hot: U.S. Mint Sales of Gold Coins Jump to Highest in Three Years. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Internet Sales Tax: What You Need to Know

Online Sales Tax Overwhelming Passes Cloture Vote

Sand Castles in the Midst of an Economic Tsunami

US Mint Suspends Sales of Small Gold Coins–Premiums Rising

Odds ‘n Sods:

Ready Made Resources is in the middle of a 25% off sale on Mountain House canned long term storage foods. The sale ends on May 6th, so order soon.

   o o o

S. 336, the Internet Sales Tax bill, can still be stopped. So can the Illegal Immigrant Amnesty Bill. Please contact your U.S. Senators.

   o o o

Diana suggested this by former congressman Dr. Ron Paul: Liberty Was Also Attacked in Boston.

   o o o

Reader Mark A. mentioned that Widener’s has D&H mil-spec AR-15 magazines back in stock for as little as $14 each. Oh, and speaking of AR magazines: Magpul begins making ammunition magazines outside Colorado. (Thanks to F.G. for the latter link.)

   o o o

Despite its abundant lame-iosity that makes it just marginally watchable, the television series Revolution has been renewed for a second season. I hope that eventually a much more realistic post-collapse television show will be produced. (Jericho came closer, but it was still short of the mark.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Therefore do not let our princes accuse fortune for the loss of their principalities after so many years’ possession, but rather their own sloth, because in quiet times they never thought there could be a change (it is a common defect in man not to make any provision in the calm against the tempest.)” – Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

Notes from JWR:

Reminder: There is a “silver strike” on the banks planned for today, May 1, 2013. Send the banksters a message and withdraw your extra cash today and use it to buy physical silver!

—

May 1st is also the birthday of Louis Cukela, a Croatian-born American Marine, born 1888, died March 19, 1956. He was one of only 19 two-time recipients of the Medal of Honor.

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Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 46 ends on May 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.

Make Your Own Inexpensive Frangible Slugs, by Sailor Frank

]Editor’s Note: See my warning about this technique, below!]

With the current ammo shortages that have been plaguing the country and seem to have no end in sight, having a way to stock up on a key caliber for your preps is vital. Hindsight being 20/20 many of us now wish we would have put more of our valuable prepping budget towards stocking up on ballistic wampum. I believe I’ve found a way to still stock up on some very useful ammo while still making your valuable prepping dollars stretch just a bit farther.

The shotgun is universality accepted as being a part of almost every prepared person’s arms locker due to its flexibility and firepower. Of course the ammo shortage has also reached into the shotgun gauges, trying to find a box of 00 buck or slugs is almost impossible, and if you do their price has significantly increased in the last year. On the other hand a box of bird shot can be found relatively easily and for less than ten dollars ($8.99 at our local Wal-Mart.) While I wouldn’t want to be hit with bird shot its use as a self defense round is very limited. I’d like to discuss how to turn readily accessible bird shot into a formidable self defense frangible slug.                 

The “Waxer Slug” is a simple but great idea in my humble opinion. By removing the shot from a bird shot shell and mixing it with melted wax and putting it back you have made a frangible slug. The benefits of a waxer slug are pretty impressive. First and foremost is cost, they are dirt cheap to make, giving us the ability to stock up. Another benefit is that the effective range of the birdshot is actually increased, but it still has the low recoil of a bird shot load. Another benefit the waxer slug has is its slug like penetrating power, along with its unbelievable stopping power. This is due to the high transfer of energy into the target that frangible rounds are famous for. Basically when a wax slug hits something it penetrates a bit then shatters (fragments) back into its original shot form which can create massive wounds and unreal destruction to tissue and bone. You have to see these in use to really appreciate their destructive power. Of course there is always a downside to consider. High temperature can affect these so desert climate users beware.  Taking into consideration the melt temperature of wax, I would never uses these shells in Temperatures over 95 degrees. Also range is less than a real factory slug. A wax slug just isn’t very aerodynamic and has been known to tumble, so the optimal range is 50 yards, with 65 yards being the limit that I’ve been able to hit a torso target with six out of seven shots. Please balance the pros and cons to decide if this is for you.

Okay if you’re still interested… the first step you need to do is gather a few low cost materials. Of course Bird shot shells are the first item to procure. I’ve found the best success using shot ranging from 7.5 to 9. The larger size pellets tends to tear apart the slug while these smaller sizes cost less and work better (Win-Win). There are some other very basic materials that are needed and as you become familiar with the process you can add or substitute a few of them. One item that you will need will be a small pot (that your wife will not want back) this will be used to melt the wax. A larger pot that the small pot can fit into is optional but this you can borrow from your wife as you won’t mess it up. You’ll also need a cheap soup spoon (that your wife won’t miss). I suggest using a vice or a pair of pliers to bend the spoons end into more of a scoop to approximately fit the diameter of a shot shell. This will significantly cut down on the mess. The next item you will need will be a pair of scissors or a box cutting knife. Gloves also might come in handy as you will be dealing with hot items and lead.

Of course you will need some wax. The wax can be found in any number of places. Focusing on keeping this process as cheap as possible I have used broken crayons which of course are free if you have children. Another supply source of course is candle wax. My candle wax is also free because I recycle the last ½ inch that seems to never be used from my wife’s scented candles. Yes I have to put up with scented shells but I keep them in a separate ammo can so I don’t take them into the field by mistake. I don’t want to chase away game or give away a position because I saved a few pennies on wax. Another source of wax is of course is gulf wax. For only a few bucks a block of Gulf wax will make a couple hundred shells easily with none of the afore mentioned scent problem to mess with.
A side note, if are a organizational freak like me, you can color code your wax for different shot sizes to be different colors or you can color code all the scented shells are red while the unscented shells are blue. Pick which ever colors work for you. My good friend has mixed up a “Zombie Green” color just to look cool. No one said you can’t have fun while getting prepared.  

After you have gathered all of your materials, the first step is to trim off the top 16th of an inch off of the shot gun shell. If possible just remove the crimped edge of the shell so that you can remove the top. You can use scissors, a sharp knife, or a box cutter whichever you are more comfortable with. Please be careful as it is easy to slip and trim your thumb instead of the plastic shell using a box cutter.  Something to keep in mind before you trim your first shell is that your goal is to remove (and retain) the shot pellets and leave as much of the shell intact as possible, so the wad doesn’t become loose. It only takes 1-2 shells to get the amount to trim right. After the top is open pour the shot (small ball bearings) into a small container as we will need it again in a few minutes.
If you wife will let you play in her kitchen, it will save some additional money, if not a single eye hot plate for your work bench is the answer. At around twenty dollars it might be worth it if you plan on making a lot of wax slugs. Either way take your large pot and fill it 1/3 full of hot water. Place your chosen wax supply in the smaller pot and then put the smaller pot inside the larger pot.  Then turn up the heat to bring the water to a boil.  This will melt the wax while reducing the risk of overheating it. The melt temperature of wax differs but 125 to 175 degrees is a good target.  Be careful as wax can combust. The flash point is different for different waxes but the rule to follow is “If the wax begins to smoke lower the temperature!”  Practice vigilance when you melt wax, don’t leave it unattended while heating.  If it does combust DO NOT pour water over it, remain calm turn off the heat and put a lid over the pot to smother the flame.  I have never had this problem but we are supposed to be prepared aren’t we?

After the wax has liquefied pour in the shot from the prior step. Mix them with the wax and let them warm up a bit so the wax infuses the shot.  Take your shells from the first step and place them on a paper plate or a pie pan. This is to contain the mess, no matter how steady your hand is you will spill some shot.  Slowly spoon the shot into the shell directly onto the wad. You can use the bent spoon as I do, a small funnel, or I’ve even used a folded piece of paper for this step. Whatever works best for you. As you fill the shell with the shot mix, wax will leak through the cuts in the plastic wad but this is fine as it will keep your slug from falling out on accident. The goal is to fill the shell with mostly shot–not all wax. Some wax is fine, but you want as much shot as possible up to the top of the wad. Do not have shot past the top of the wad.

After the shell is full of shot (within a 16th of an inch of the top) top it off with a bit of liquid wax to make a sort of smooth top seal. This is an important step as you do not want any shot sticking out on top. There is a very slim chance of a pellet that does protrude striking another shell’s primer in a loading tube thus ruining your weapon and possibly ruining you. Plan for the worst and make sure that never happens by having strict quality control.                 

Set the shells to the side for a few minutes to cool. After about two or three minutes the wax will have cooled and hardened enough to clean off the outside of the shell. I use the knife from the first step to lightly scrape off the excess wax that tends to drip down the side of the shell.  This is a tedious final step but vital to ensure proper feeding in pump shotguns.

Now to answer two questions before they are asked:

1. I’ve shot a few hundred wax slug rounds and have found no noticeable wax build up in the barrel. Of course I still clean my weapon after each use, but I’ve found no additional cleaning was needed above what I do when I shoot normal factory rounds.

2. How is adjusting the weight of shot sent downrange safe? The truth is that you’ll actually end up loading slightly less shot following this procedure and the weight of the wax is insufficient to change the weight of the shot in any significant way. So the power load is still well within the safe range.          
       
One other thing to consider, adding some extra flexibility to this process is another option.  Instead of using wax try using hot glue. Hot glue will increase your cost but it will make a much harder slug which will not fragment as easily thus ensuring greater penetration, also using hot glue instead of wax will significantly reduce the temperature limitation of wax. Depending on your needs this option might be useful to you, but as always YMMV.

I realize this isn’t for everyone but with the proper safety checks in place, I do believe that the ability to turn an inexpensive, readily available round into a formidable defense round is worth sharing.

JWR Adds This Important Safety Warning: Reader Ken S. wrote:

“Making slugs using wax is VERY DANGEROUS!!!!  It is an old idea from the past that got some traction in the old timers myth telling.  On the second or third shot you can have enough wax build-up in the barrel to cause the next shot to stick [part way down the barrel] resulting in a blown up shotgun [when a subsequent shell is fired.]  I know.  It happened to me about 50 years ago.   I totally destroyed a Remington pump gun and am very lucky I escaped with some minor cuts and bruises.  [The usefulness of wax-filled shells] is a rural myth.  Do not try it.  I have heard this story re-surfacing every few years and everyone I ever heard of that tried it ended up blowing up their gun.  Sometimes with serious injury.  Please alert your readers.”

Based on Ken’s experience, clearly the wax shell technique would only be suitable for a single-shot shotgun, and only then if the gun’s bore were inspected and thoroughly cleaned between shots. Therefore, I cannot recommend using “waxers” for self defense, or anything beyond single shot use, in absolutely desperate situations. (And I mean truly desperate, such as: You have ONLY a handful of birdshot shells, yet you must kill a deer or face starvation for the coming winter.)

As previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, a much more safe technique that yields similar results is making cut shells, but this is not advised for repeating (pump or auto) shotguns. As with any other ammunition modification, use great caution. If a cut shell were to come apart inside your gun’s magazine tube, it would create a horrible mess and probably result in a jam that might take a long time to clear. Therefore, I cannot recommend using cut shells for self defense either. (That is, where someone is returning fire–unless you are desperate and have no other alternative.) But cut shells might suffice for hunting or for culling large garden raiders like deer or feral pigs.

Penny and Nickel Debasement Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress

Reader Joe K. sent this news link: Bill Seeks Steel Cents, Nickels, Dimes, and Quarters. Note that the bill’s main sponsors are from Ohio, which is a steel manufacturing state. But this legislation is more than just grandstanding. Unlike similar legislation in previous sessions of congress, this new bill will probably gain traction in the current congress, since the government has now been losing money with the seigniorage costs of pennies and nickels for many years. Well, I’ve been warning you since 2009, folks. While this bill is still in committee, I suspect that a coinage composition change will take place before the end of 2013. The ravages of inflation made the change inevitable. The Coinflation web site presently lists the scrap value of the base metal content of the current U.S. zinc penny at $0.021192 (211.92% of face value) and the cupronickel five cent piece at $0.045671 (91.34% of face value), and their actual minting and distribution costs are actually much higher. According to Coin Update, it cost the US Mint $0.1009 to produce and distribute each nickel, as of fiscal year 2013. They can’t go on spending 10 cents producing each five cent coin much longer.

You gave been warned. I strongly urge you to go to your local bank or credit union and ask them to order you some $200 U.S. Mint Boxes of nickels. In just a few years, after the debasement is completed and the rational self interest of Gresham’s Law psychology purges all of the real cupronickel nickels from circulation, rolls of pre-2013 nickels will sell at a substantial premium. Because nickel is a base metal, this premium will never be as high as that for silver coins, but at least you’ll know that you possess some genuine money that will hold its value, even if the Quantitative Easing monetization process continues indefinitely. (Quantitative Easing is debasement of the dollar, writ large.)

In addition to hedging against gradual inflation, holding nickels will also provide you insurance against the less likely sudden revaluation of the Dollar. As I’ve explained previously, if a zero is ever lopped off the Dollar, new paper currency will be issued, but the old coinage will probably still circulate. (Since it would be too expensive to replace.) This will make anyone holding coins the beneficiaries of an overnight 10X gain.

This may be your last chance to stock up on nickels at face value, and without any sorting, folks! If you don’t already have four or five .30 caliber ammo cans full of rolls of nickels, then you are behind the power curve. Don’t dawdle any longer. – J.W.R.