Four Letters Re: A Prepper’s Guide to EMP

Jim:
That was a very good article by Chris C. to get people up to speed on EMP threats and mitigation, there is one very simple thing to add that was shared with me by a former military contractor who was involved in EMP work.   While it’s possible to protect equipment in place with shielding, grounding and specialized electronic components, the most economical solution is to store spares.  This has the advantage of protecting (remember, “two is one”) with backups from ANY type of equipment failure, EMP or otherwise.  This method uses readily obtainable and very economical materials.  There’s really no excuse not to do this, as you’ll be protected against a number of different possible problems.

Go through your your gear and determine what you need for spares.  Many, many things now have microelectronics inside.  Low startup power water pumps, tankless hot water heaters, refrigerators, LED light bulbs and flashlights, audio equipment, inverters, charge controllers, solar panel diodes, video cameras, network routers and switches, computers, cars and trucks etc. all have electronics that could be fried.  

According to my source, the best way to store electronic equipment is in it’s original box, which provides an insulator from the outside via plastic, cardboard or foam.  Many electronic components come in static protecting bags, which will provide yet another layer of protection.  Double wrap the box with heavy duty aluminum foil, being careful to seal all seams with metal ducting tape in each layer.  The outside of this is then wrapped in plastic bubble wrap and placed inside a galvanized steel 32 gallon trash can.  

The inside of the trash can needs to have the same metal tape applied over the holes in the metal from the handles on the barrel and the lid and an insulating layer of cardboard should be fitted to the inside of the metal trash can.  This is to provide an insulator between the Faraday cage of the trash can and the electronics inside.  

Place all your wrapped electronics (double foil and bubble wrap) inside this trash can and seal the lid with more metal duct tape.  This provides two layers of security from the can and each component is also separately protected inside the can.   You can test this by placing an FM radio that is turned on, wrapping it in a box, layering the foil and bubble wrap, then placing it inside the metal trash can.  If you don’t hear any radio signal after it’s been wrapped and placed inside the metal trash can, you are good to go. – C.K.

 

James:
While I appreciate the thought that Chris C. and others put into discussions of EMP scenarios, Chris and others are all forgetting one fact that makes all of this an exercise in futility:  There are dozens of active nuclear reactors operating in the US.  Any EMP burst will travel along the high tension wires that are used to distribute their output and fry them.  It’s not going to be the 1850s, it’s going to be more like The Omega Man, with most of the population dead within weeks from radiation poisoning when the cores melt down and explode. Those who survive this initial die off will be left with a land that will not grow crops for millennia to come.  That’s why I don’t worry about EMP anymore: There’s going to be nothing left. My family and I live in Butte, Montana astride the Great Divide. That puts us upwind of most of America’s nuclear reactors.

If we do ever suffer an EMP, I hope that there won’t be concurrent or subsequent radioactive fallout. The fallout from the Japanese earthquake/tsunami/reactor incident has really made me think hard about this.  If memory serves, there are 47 active reactors in the US, if they all overheat their cores [or spent fuel ponds] at once (or within the same week, say) I seriously fear for the population of the US and other countries. 

Wouldn’t the Jet Stream eventually carry the fallout around the northern hemisphere and hit us here as well?  I read that it takes several months under controlled conditions to completely shut down a reactor [and disassemble its pile], and that if the fuel rods were exposed to air because the pumps stopped that it might take years for them to cool off and stop spewing radiation. If the grid collapsed due to an EMP, there would be no heroic efforts like we saw in January, with 47 reactors going critical and no communications or transport, Sir Isaac Newton is in the drivers seat. 

I don’t want to sound defeatist, I have been following SurvivalBlog for several years, and am doing my best to prepare to keep my family alive in case of emergency.  I’m even working on a Bug-Out Bag article, which is what caused me to really start thinking about what I was prepping for.  The collapse of the grid like in your novel Patriots is obviously the biggie we all try to plan for, and if it goes down like that we all might have a chance to try the 1850s over again.  – Greg C. (A former USMC Captain.)

JWR Replies: These issues were described in detail in a SurvivalBlog article posted back in September, 2010. The only good news is that by the time that fallout clouds circle the globe, they will have already dropped most of their heavier components. In an absolute worst-case situation where all of the nuclear power plants and spent fuel ponds boil off and melt down, the worst-affected regions would be: the northeastern United States, Quebec, Iceland, and northern Europe. (Sorry about that!)

The southern hemisphere would obviously be safer, since there are relatively few nuke plants compared to the more industrialized northern hemisphere. Here in the United States, the least-affected regions would be the Pacific Northwest and the Inland Northwest (The American Redoubt.) I would not want to be living anywhere in the eastern United States!

Mr. Rawles,
We have had a couple telephone consults and I have found your knowledge to be of great use. I try to make your blog one of my first early morning reads here on the East Coast.
 
Chris C.’s article on EMP was extremely well thought out, comprehensive and full of accurate information. The only thing I take issue with is his statement regarding the reason we are a very likely target. Chris stated, “We now face an enemy who is difficult to put a face on, impossible to identify, and hates us for no other reason that the fact that we are a nation of free infidels.”
 
I find this type of thinking to be all too prevalent in America today. I am in no way a Muslim apologist. I feel strongly that the Islamic community has done little to nothing to denounce terrorism, either through fear of retribution from fellow Muslims or tacit approval of the activities of their radical counterparts. Additionally, my late father was a United States Marine, I was a U.S. Navy Corpsman and my son is presently a Marine Lieutenant attending flight school in Pensacola, so I do not take what I am about to say lightly.
 
Chris C.’s way of thinking is short-sighted and flat out wrong. The vast majority of Muslims do not hate us for our “freedom”. That is a false narrative that [the media] has been trying to create for decades. Just as any red-blooded American would be outraged at the presence of a foreign military on our soil, so do those inhabitants of Islamic countries who have had our military occupy and/or invade their lands. There is no denying that Saddam Hussein was an oppressive and evil tyrant and the world is a better place without his presence, but the same can be said about many dictators throughout the world, particularly on the African continent. The government of Afghanistan may or may not have known the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, but did its people deserve invasion and continued occupation?
 
Let’s use a fictitious example for a moment. An American citizen or group of citizens plots and successfully blows up the Eiffel Tower. Washington D.C., for whatever reason, states they don’t know where the group is, or simply will not turn them over. Would YOU accept French planes bombing U.S. cities, breaking down doors in the middle of the night looking for suspected terrorists or knocking your car out of the way with an APC because they wanted to get through……or would YOU be planting IEDs alongside the road to blow up the French troops?
 
The hijackers on 9/11 were almost all Saudi’s, as was OBL, yet they are our “allies”. OBL was found and killed in Pakistan, yet they are our allies. Does anyone believe that OBL lived in Pakistan for years without the knowledge of elements high within the Pakistani government? Let us not be naive. America is a great country, but we serve our interests, as do all nations. That said, we must not be surprised when our actions result in hatred. Most Muslims knew nothing of the United States, but when we bomb their countries, kill thousands and call it “collateral damage”, should we be surprised when that hatred is turned towards us?
 
We have involved ourselves in the politics of oppression throughout the world to serve our own national interests and must realize that the end result is hatred directed towards us. Yes, they resent the encroachment of “Western” corruption on their generations, but don’t we resent many of the very same vices that they do: promiscuity, drugs, alcoholism, abortion. Christianity preaches against the same things. They hate us not because we are free, but because we wish them to “be like us”. Forcing your ways upon the people of another land is not freedom, no matter how backwards we may perceive them.
 
Many of us resent the way our own government is trying to force us to comply with their beliefs. Anyone with the slightest bit of intellectual honesty will admit that our country is not the beacon of freedom it once was. That oppression they feel will soon be directed upon those who disagree with our present government. You basically wrote as much in your first novel, Patriots.
 
America has much to be proud of, its people are kind, generous and caring. Our government is not. If we need to know why they hate us, we need to look no further than those in Washington, D.C. Hatred of freedom? Please, let’s not fall into that jingoistic trap of false patriotism. True freedom is when people are left alone to live their lives, safe with their families, to live their lives. It’s not having Humvees racing down the street with guns pointed at your children. Let’s at least have an honest discussion.
 
Otherwise, it was an outstanding piece. Thanks, – Ken B. on Long Island

 

Jim:
Chris C.’s essay on EMP has some false information and conclusions unjustified even by those falsehoods, and misleading advice. His essay rehashes some myths that have been circulating on the Internet for years in spite of the ready availability of reliable contradictory evidence. He tries to qualify his remarks by saying there is “debate” over situations where “no one is sure what will happen,” but in truth we do know. It’s just that the facts contradict his opinions.

He clearly wants to believe that “small transistor devices”, airplanes, modern cars, laptops, and pacemakers are at high risk from EMP, but the facts show that they aren’t. Of course, they shouldn’t be. They simply aren’t able to capture very much energy from EMP, and the features that protect these devices from electrostatic discharge (whether fingertip static on a cold day, or nearby lightning strikes during a storm) also serve to shunt EMP energy away from their critical systems. – P.N.G.

News From The American Redoubt:

A Montana television station’s regular programming was interrupted by news of a zombie apocalypse…

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FAA Releases New Drone List. (Note that there are just a few airports in the American Redoubt, compared to other parts of the country)

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Oregon-collared wolf killed by Idaho Hunter

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I heard that Armageddon Armory in Nampa, Idaho still has some firearms inventory available, and they just took delivery of a large batch of TAPCO polymer magazines. Many gun shops across the country have empty shelves. So it is nice find one that still has a decent inventory. At last report, they have available: “4 Century R1A1 .308 rifles, 6 Anderson Arms free float AR-15 rifles, 2 M1 Carbines, and just one each of the following: CETME .308, Springfield M1A SOCOM Scout, Sterling 9mm carbine, Calico 9mm, Barrett .50 BMG, Armalite bolt action .50 BMG, Bushmaster XM15 .223, Bushmaster M4, and a Stag Arms left hand AR-15.” They also mentioned that they have “…more ammo en route at this time from Magtech and Sellier & Belloit.”

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Where Are Guns Made? Mapping Gun And Ammunition Makers In Idaho. Oh, and next door: Firearm Manufacturers in Wyoming

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PNW Arms (in Potlatch, Idaho) is already well-known for their Cold Tracer bullets. They are now developing a line of bullets designed for extreme penetration through water. I’m sue that the U.S. Navy has taken notice.

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BVAC Ammunition (in Stevensville, Montana) is presently sold out of .223 ammunition. But they are doing their best to catch up. They still have several other types of ammunition in stock.

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WWII Battle of Midway hero Jim Muri dies at 93 in Billings, Montana.

Odds ‘n Sods:

MagPul Industries issues a Colorado legislative alert and says “we may have to move.” Needless to say, they would be enthusiastically welcomed here in the American Redoubt!

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Chris G. sent this: Department of Homeland Security Raids Gun Collector Who Didn’t Violate the Law

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Nuts! Jericho creator confirms Netflix in talks to revive series

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A reader mentioned a mail order company that is worth checking out: 1st Army Supply.

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Anthony Wile of The Daily Bell recently interviewed constitutional lawyer Edwin Vieira about his new book on the right to keep and bear arms and militias.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“They’re not going to tell you [that a collapse is coming]. You’re going to have to see it for yourself. [During the Tequila crisis], the Mexican government affirmed they would not default, that they would not devalue, almost daily. The day after they said “we won’t devalue,” they devalued by 60%. The government’s never going to tell you that it’s going to happen.

“Greece’s Yunker said recently, ‘When it becomes serious—you have to lie’. These guys are never going to tell you the truth, because they can’t tell you the truth. Their job is to promote confidence, not to tell you the truth.” – Kyle Bass

Notes from JWR:

Today is the birthday of the late Burt Blumert (born February 11, 1929 in New York City, died March 30, 2009.) He once owned Camino Coin Company. (Coincidentally, so did former congressman Dr. Ron Paul from 1984 to 1996.) I was a Camino customer before the turn of the century. I can remember Burt personally helping me dolly out my first purchase of 100-ounce Engelhard bars. That was back when they cost just $580 each. Those were the days. (The same bars now sell for more than $3,200 each.)

—

Today’s first feature article is by our Back Country Editor, Mat Stein. The second piece is by our Medical Editor, Dr. Cynthia Koelker. The third post comes from Pat Casio, our Field Gear Editor. They are all subject matter experts. I am very grateful to all of them for their volunteer work for the benefit of the SurvivalBlog readership.

Why Your Doctor Won’t Help You Prepare–And What You Can Do About It, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

This past week I had a pharmacy call me about a multi-year prescription I had written for a fellow prepper.  The pharmacy would not fill the prescription, and didn’t even know if was legal.  At first they told the patient I would have to write a note regarding the purpose of so much medication, and that the drug might not even be good beyond a year.  On further consideration, they informed him that he would have to get a new prescription written for a smaller amount.  It seemed they did not even want to keep the written prescription in their records (which are periodically reviewed).

It so happened that the state board of pharmacy was visiting that day and the pharmacist inquired as to what the law actually states.  I’m told the pharmacist was advised that they could not fill any prescription for more than one year into the future, even if the physician writes a note saying the patient is aware the medication will be considered out of date beyond a year.
This demonstrates just one of the obstacles to obtaining long-term medication for TEOTWAWKI that I’d like to address.  There are other barriers as well – perhaps you’ve encountered a few.

To begin, here’s my short list of reasons your doctor won’t help you prep:

  • He or she believes all is well – From your doctor’s point of view, tomorrow will be much like today, and on and on, indefinitely.  All this doomsday stuff is mere malarkey. 
  • Your doctor may be an employee – Even if he’s a hard-core survivalist, your doctor is obligated to comply with his employer’s policies.
  • Your physician is afraid of getting in trouble – How many people are looking over your doctor’s shoulders?  To name a few, your physician may be answerable to partners or peers, a practice manager, a hospital or other employer, pharmacies, drug boards, the DEA, insurers, Medicare, Medicaid, the state medical board, and no doubt the IRS.  Would you risk losing your license and livelihood under these conditions?
  • Your doctor thinks you’re a nut – Perhaps your questions are perceived as paranoia rather than preparedness.
  • Depending on your condition, your doctor may fear you’ll hurt yourself – Medical concerns include overdosing, under-dosing, not recognizing certain side-effects, drug interactions, necessary lab tests, and many others.
  • Your doctor does not want to be responsible for someone he or she is not seeing regularly – Current law requires a doctor to oversee a patient’s care on a regular basis, and to document this in a legal medical record.  Physicians are required to document every prescription written or dispensed, as are pharmacies.  Doctors are responsible for treatment regimens we prescribe.
  • Your physician may fear lost income – Doctors still have to make a living, which is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly for primary care physicians.
  • Society as a whole and medical providers as well believe the field of medicine should be left to professionals – The person who learns enough to care for himself may be more feared than respected, a loose cannon beyond societal norms.

The point of this list isn’t to make you give up, but rather to recognize and quantify the challenge.  There is much you can do, depending on your motivation.  You, too, can make a difference.   
So here’s a list of suggestions to overcome the above obstacles:

  • Convince your doctor that all is NOT well – When you see your doctor, take a brief moment to ask a question about the economy, or where our medications come from, or what you should have on hand if a tornado strikes, or how your community is set to handle a disaster like Hurricane Katrina.  
  • Learn whether your physician is an employee – If so, don’t expect much cooperation in the prepping department.  You may want to seek out a second, independent medical professional.  Solo practitioners are becoming a rare breed, but are much more likely to be independent thinkers.
  • Don’t put your doctor at risk – Ask only for small favors, perhaps an extra month of medication at each visit. 
  • Don’t act like a nut – Doctors appreciate patients who act responsibly, who know the names and doses of their medications, and who follow-through on agreed-upon treatment plans.  There could come a time when your doctor comes to you for advice on a preparedness issue.
  • Educated yourself thoroughly about your own medical condition, medications, and other treatments – There is nothing that prevents you from studying up on your own disease.  Your doctor likely has more clinical experience, which is an enormous advantage, but otherwise you can learn an great amount about any medical condition.  A good place to start is with the American Academy of Family Physicians journal which is online free at www.aafp.org.  You should know the common side-effects, potential for poisoning, and common drug interactions for all your medications.  Although doctors are aware of many of these, they cannot memorize them all.  A free online Interaction Checker is available at www.drugs.com.
  • If you have a chronic medical condition (such as diabetes, hypertension, etc.) see your doctor regularly – I cannot emphasize this enough.  The point is not only your current care, but your future health as well.  If you demonstrate trustworthiness in small things (such as keeping appointments), your doctor is more likely to trust you with bigger things (such as extra medication or a prescription for antibiotics for a future need). 
  • And now for the fine print – I recognize the above will only get you so far.  I strongly advise taking advantage of your current freedoms.  Currently you are allowed to seek medical care from more than one physician, perhaps one within your insurance network and one out-of-network, or even in a different city.  Currently you are free to obtain prescriptions from more than one pharmacy.  Currently you have access to a vast and amazing array of effective over-the-counter medications, about which I’ve written previously.  Currently you are permitted to acquire a wide variety of A-B rated USP generic antibiotics intended for aquarium use.  Currently you have access to as much medical information as physicians enjoy.  Currently you have the freedom to acquire medical items for potential future barter.  Currently there is no restriction regarding obtaining medical skills for personal use, such as suturing and casting, as taught in my classes and elsewhere.   Currently you can acquire insulin over-the-counter.  Currently desiccated thyroid replacement may be obtained without a prescription.  Currently herbal medications are available in abundance.  Currently you can purchase new or used books on physical therapy, massage, and chiropractic.  Currently you have the freedom to attend EMT or nursing school, even if you don’t intend to pursue a career in the field.

Fortunately there is much you can do to build your self-reliance in the medical arena, but it cannot be accomplished overnight.  An abundance of free information to get you started is available at my ArmageddonMedicine.net web site, and I suggest reading my other articles in the SurvivalBlog archives. (Put “Koelker” in the Search box.)

Winter Survival Tips, by Mat Stein

Note: This article is adapted from my book When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival

Tips for Surviving Outside in Extreme Weather and Subfreezing Temperatures

Every year people get lost in the backcountry near where I live in the High Sierras, and end up spending one or more unplanned nights outside in the snow and extreme cold. Some of those folks live to tell the tale, and some of them don’t. Hopefully you will never need to spend unexpectedly long hours outside in extreme weather, but in case you do, here are a few tips:

  • Stay Dry: If at all possible, keep your clothing dry, including hat, gloves, and boots. It takes a huge amount of energy to dry clothing using just body heat, and wet clothes will not insulate nearly as well as dry clothing. If you must lay down to sleep, break fresh green pine boughs off evergreen trees to make a somewhat insulated “bough bed” that will help you stay drier and warmer than lying directly on the snow.
  • Check for numb hands and feet: The extremities of your body will tend to cool and freeze first, so keep a watchful eye on your hands and feet. At the first signs of numbness, you should stop what you are doing and get the blood circulating again, or you will risk frostbite and potentially permanent damage due to freezing your flesh. For the feet, brace your arms against something, stand on one leg, and vigorously swing the other leg back and forth, like a ringing bell in a bell tower. The centrifugal force of the swinging motion will usually restore blood circulation and warm your toes, unless they are already truly frozen and not just cold. If they burn and hurt, that is okay and the painful condition should only last a few minutes, unless the feet had actually suffered frostbite. The easiest technique for restoring feeling and circulation to the hands is similar to the previous technique for the feet. Swing your arms in wide rapid circles to help drive blood into the fingertips. Alternately, take your gloves or mittens off and stick your bare hands under your jacket and into your arm pits until your hands are warm.
  • Check each other for signs of hypothermia and frostbite: A few years back a father and son skied out of bounds into the Granite Chief Wilderness and survived several nights out until they were rescued. The father kept the son moving most of each night to keep his feet and hands from freezing, and to help prevent him from succumbing to hypothermia. A couple winters back, a female snow boarder descended out of bounds into the Granite Chief Wilderness. She perished from exposure while trying to hike her way out of the wilderness, not realizing that in the direction she chose, it is about a 50 mile snow covered backcountry trek to reach the nearest all-season road. If you have no companion to help each other check for frostbite and/or hypothermia, you must be vigilant and do this for yourself. Frostbite on the skin shows up as a bright white patch of skin, usually surrounded by pinkish colored flesh. It is caused by freezing of the flesh, and actual frost crystals start forming on the skin’s surface. See below for more details on both frostbite and hypothermia.
  • When in doubt, backtrack: Surprisingly few folks who get lost in the wilderness try to backtrack. Downhill skiers and snowboarders who travel out of bounds inherently dislike the idea of hiking back up the mountain the same way they came down, but this course of action would have saved many a life. However, when snows are incredibly deep, like they can be in the high mountains, backtracking may not be a viable option.
  • Seek Shelter: Tree wells and snow caves can provide shelter from storms and extreme cold. Snow is an excellent insulator, but try to keep yourself from getting wet both while building your snow shelter and when staying inside the shelter. If you must sit or lie down in the snow, a layer of fresh green pine boughs can provide insulation and help minimize getting wet from melting snow with body heat
  • Build a Fire: Your chances of starting a fire in extreme weather, using primitive methods, like a fire drill, or flint and steel, are pretty slim, but if you happen to have matches or a cigarette lighter on hand, by all means build a fire! Look for standing dead wood, or drier branches sheltered underneath fallen logs that may be drier than the rest of the available wood. For kindling, look for branches on trees that have a bunch of dead brown pine needles. The dead pine needles on these branches will usually burn even if they are fairly wet. Make sure you knock the snow off any overhead branches before you start your fire, so they won’t dump snow on your fire as it heats up. You can build a fire directly on top of the snow. Just lay down a bunch of branches to keep your drier wood separated from direct contact with the snow.

An aside:

On a solo trans-Sierra backcountry ski trip, while I was setting up my camp for the night, I made the mistake of not bothering to stop what I was doing in order to swing my feet and regain the circulation in my toes. My route had taken me to lower elevations in the warmth of the midday, and the snow had been quite wet, soaking through my old leather ski mountaineering boots. It was a clear night as I was pitching my tent, and the temperature had dropped to well below zero. Figuring I would soon be inside my sleeping bag, boiling a hot pot of tea on my camp stove, I did not pay attention to my numb toes. Turns out I froze the last half inch of my big toe. It blistered up, became quite sore, and turned black. I eventually lost my toenail and a large hunk of blackened flesh peeled off the tip of my big toe, but I did not need any surgery or have to deal with infection problems, so I consider myself lucky, having learned a valuable lesson that could have been a lot worse.

Warning Signs of Hypothermia

Hypothermia, and its evil twin, hyperthermia, are both very dangerous life-threatening conditions. The human body is designed to function within a relatively narrow core body temperature within a few degrees of 98.6°F (37°C). When the body’s core temperature rises a few degrees above this, hyperthermia (overheating) occurs, and when it drops a few degrees lower, this condition is described as hypothermia (overcooling). When left uncorrected, either case can rapidly lead to impaired mental and physical performance followed by death. When people die in the wilderness due to either overheating (hyperthermia) or overcooling (hypothermia), their cause of death is usually referred to as “exposure”.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of hypothermia is extremely important. Most people who died of exposure probably had ample time to recognize the situation, and may have been able to do something about it had they realized what was going on. The following are warning signs of hypothermia:

  • Shivering
  • Decreased awareness and inability to think clearly
  • Numbness, especially in the extremities
  • Pale skin color and skin cold to the touch
  • Poor dexterity

As hypothermia advances, and the body core temperature approaches the “death zone”, the following symptoms may occur:

  • Apathy
  • Feelings of blissful warmth
  • Sleepiness and the desire to lie down and take a nap
  • The victim may start to feel hot and start shedding clothes
  • Difficulty or inability to walk
  • Slurred speech followed by inability to speak, or speech not making any sense whatsoever
  • Ashen cold skin, looking like a corpse that can still move a little
  • May or may not have waves of uncontrollable shivering

Treatment for hypothermia:

  • It is absolutely critical that core temperature be raised as soon as possible.
  • Monitor pulse and breathing. Give victim artificial respiration, or CPR, if necessary.
  • Get the victim out of wet or frozen clothes and immerse in a warm bath (not hot, optimum is from 102°F-105°F/39°C-40.5°C), if available. Change victim into dry warm clothes. Alternatively, wrap victim in pre-warmed blankets.
  • Drink plenty of hot liquids, such as tea, coffee, or simply just hot water.
  • If prior options are not available, have a warm person crawl into a single sleeping bag alongside the hypothermic victim for body heat transfer from the warm body to the hypothermic body. NOTE: Simply placing a hypothermic victim inside a sleeping bag by themselves is usually not good enough, since their body will at that point be pretty much shut down and not generating enough body heat on its own to rapidly restore correct body temperature.
  • Seek medical attention— hypothermia is life threatening, so time is of the essence!

Pat’s Product Review: Blackhawk’s Gideon Knife

I believe I first started writing about knives for Knives Illustrated magazine back around 1994. Since that time, I’ve probably had the opportunity to test literally thousands of knives, both fixed blade. folders, and out-the-front knives. Most knives I’ve tested are really pretty good blades. If something is junk, I just won’t waste my time writing about it because folks don’t want to read about junk! Once in a while, something new catches my eye, and I sit up and take notice, when it comes to knives.

Blackhawk Products caught my eye with their Gideon drop point fixed blade knife. I’ve designed several knives over the years, and they have all been fixed blade knives, of the survival or combat style, so I know a little something about designing a good knife. I have one sitting here on my desk that I co-designed with custom knife maker, Brian Wagner, at Okuden Knives – that we are attempting to do a collaboration with a big knife company, in order to get it into the hands of consumers at a reasonable price. We call it the OC-3 for lack of a better term, because it is our third collaboration together.
 
The Blackhawk Products Gideon is one of those smaller fixed blade knives that has perfectly flowing lines from the tip of the blade to the butt of the knife. It just seems to “sing” if you ask me – it feels great in the hand, and many people have handled my sample. I think the first thing that catches your eye on the Gideon is the handle design, it’s made out of G-10 and this is some seriously tough material – almost indestructible. However, it’s not just the material itself, it’s the curve of the handle and the sculpted design that catches the eye, that feels “oh-so-nice” when you hold it in your hand. There is also a somewhat pointed skull-crushing pommel on the end of the knife, with a lanyard hole in it.
 
The blade material is AUS8A, one of my all-time favorite stainless steels for knives – it holds an edge a good long time, and its easy to re-sharpen as well, and pretty darn corrosion resistant . On top of it, this steel is one of the more affordable stainless steels on the market. Value! The 5-inch black Ti-Nitride coated blade design flows, and there are also two holes at the base of the blade for tethering the blade to a pole for use as a weapon or for spearing fish – I’ve done it before – not with this knife, with with others, and it’s a lot of fun spearing fish instead of just using a fishing pole. Something to think about in a wilderness survival situation. There is also an additional finger groove in front of the quillion that provides an additional grip area for choking-up on the blade for close up work, like in caping big game, and for more control when cutting. the overall length of the knife is 10.250-inches – and the knife is a total brute!
 
When dealing with a wilderness survival situation, where you aren’t able to get resupplied with gear, you want the toughest gear you can find, you can’t afford to have equipment failure in the field. The Gideon won’t let you down, this little knife is brutally strong and the blade is very thick – real thick! This is the proverbial sharpened crow bar, that we’ve all heard so much about. However, unlike some other “sharpened crow bars” the Gideon is very graceful in design and the way the knife feels and handles. If a knife doesn’t feel good or “right” in my hand, I won’t use it or carry it. There is also a slight upward rise on the top of the knife for placing your thumb for use in the fencing grip, too. An injection molded sheath, with Nylon and mounting plates set-up for PALS/MOLLE or in a drop leg platform helps you carry the Gideon.
 
My Gideon sample came hair-popping sharp right out of the box, something you don’t get with some knives – I’ve had a good number of custom knives pass through my hands over the years, and there are some companies and custom makers that don’t put a really keen edge on their knives for some reason. I don’t understand this, a knife is a tool, that is supposed to be sharp in order to get the most benefit out of it. Blackhawk did a great job on the Gideon – it came super-sharp, and held an edge a good long time.
 
I put the Gideon through a lot of testing, more than my usual routines. I did a lot of chopping – while the Gideon worked as a chopper, the blade and overall length of the knife is a bit too short for this task, but it worked if I put some extra effort into it. I used the Gideon to split wood – using a big piece of wood, to pound the Gideon through another piece of wood – and the knife held-up just fine. There were some rub marks on the Ti-Ni coating, but that was it. I used the Gideon as a throwing knife, but the balance wasn’t there for this chore, and I never did get it to stick in a target, tip first. I did however, note some serious indentations in the target from the skull crushing pommel. The pommel’s design can easily crush a skull, with a downward movement – so this is something to think about – you don’t have to just cut or stab an attacker, you can put them out of commission by cracking their skull open – a last resort method of self-defense.
 
I used the Gideon for all manner of kitchen chores, and the edge never dulled – even cutting cardboard boxes – which really dulls and edge, didn’t affect the sharpness of the Gideon. I whittled on some wood, and finally the blade’s edge started to dull, but it was still very useable. I also stacked cardboard and “stabbed” the Gideon into it – and it easily penetrated the full length of the blade – the knife’s point and the sharpness of the blade helped in this regard, as well as the shape and contour of the handle! I’m not sure who designed the Gideon, there’s no info on the Blackhawk web site, but whoever it was, did a great job on this knife.
 
I also pounded the point of the Gideon into a tree and snapped the knife out sideways…no damage to the tip of the knife at all. I said the knife blade was thick – it is, but it is strong, too! I’ve tried this same test with some other well-known fighting knives over the years, and the tipped either bent or completely snapped off – either the blades were too thin or poorly heat-treated causing the tip to fail. Not something you want in a combat or survival situation. The Gideon won’t fail you.
 
As a bit of a Bible scholar, I know a little bit about Gideon in the Bible. And, the name means “Destroyer” or “Feller of Trees.” Gideon was one of the Judges in the Old Testament. So, the name Blackhawk Products gave this new fixed blade seems to fit…now, I wouldn’t want to try and fell a tree with the Blackhawk Gideon, but it might just do to fell an attacker or destroy him, or save your bacon out in the wilderness, too.
 
I like to save the best for last, whenever possible. The Gideon has a full-retail of $129.99 and for what you get, this is one of those best buys in my humble opinion. (They also make a Gideon tanto point variant.) You are getting a very well designed fixed blade knife, that is made from top materials, from a company that backs-up all their products. Blackhawk doesn’t make any junk – they can’t afford to, many of their customers are military and law enforcement and they demand and need the best of the best. The Gideon won’t let you down – they are a bit hard to find right now, but you can find one, and if you do, lay claim to it.  – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Plan B: Key Phrases to Memorize for Citizens’ Reservation of Rights

I’ve posted numerous articles and links in SurvivalBlog that emphasize the importance of remaining silent whenever you are contacted by law enforcement officers. I strongly recommend that before reading the rest of this post, you take the time watch this lecture: Don’t Talk To The Police, and take it to heart.

I’ve heard from several readers who say that that they’ve been pulled over by police officers on “fishing expeditions”. The officers refused to let the motorists go, even though it was obvious that no crime had been committed. These readers did everything right. They presented their identification and proof of insurance, and repeated: “On the advice of my attorney, I am exercising my right to remain silent and I do not consent to any search.” This has to be repeated over and over.

The officers pressed on, with all their usual tricks, to try to get the motorists to agree to an unconstitutional search. Repeated queries were made, with the words: “Officer, am I free to go?” Finally, after more than an hour, a supervising officer would arrive on the scene, and the entire litany would then be repeated, for the umpteenth time. Then they were finally allowed to continue their travel. This is real fun in southern states when the outside temperature is 100 degrees F and the temperature inside your car is even higher.

So what if an officer persists? What if it goes on for more than an hour? At that point, depending on your patience or the volume of your bladder, it might be time for Plan B. Here is what I recommend:

1.) Keep your hands in view, preferably resting at the classic “10 and 2 o’clock” position on your steering wheel. To make the officer feel more at ease, leave your hands there throughout the encounter unless specifically ordered by the officer to move them for some specific reason.

2.) When the officer approaches your window–or the passenger’s side window, depending on the situation–roll the window down a crack and slowly and without and sudden movements hand him your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance. If you are a CCW permit holder, then also hand him your CCW permit at the same time as the other paperwork, and tell the officer: “I am obliged to tell you that I am a concealed carry permit holder and that in accordance with the concealed carry law of ______ (state) I am carrying a ________ pistol/revolver/whatever, located ___________.”

3.) If a traffic citation is issued, read it and then ask: “Am I free to go?” If you are told “Yes” then go. Don’t stick around for any debates, lectures, or pleasantries.

4.) If the officer asks you any questions, say: “On the advice of my attorney, I am exercising my right to remain silent and I do not consent to any search. Am I free to go?”

5.) If the officer start playing fishing expedition games to try to trick you into consenting to a search, simply repeat: “On the advice of my attorney, I am exercising my right to remain silent and I do not consent to any search. Am I free to go?”

6.) Repeat this as many times as necessary.

7.) If this goes on for more than 20 minutes, then add the phrase: “You seem to be unreasonably delaying my freedom to travel. Please contact your supervising officer. Will you please do so?”

8.) If, after an hour you still cannot get permission to proceed, I recommend that you ask: “Officer, may I contact my attorney?” If permission is refused, of if you do not have a cell phone with you or you are not in a cell phone coverage area, then you will be in a bit of jam. Then, and only then, I recommend that you politely elevate the encounter with another series of questions:

A.) Ask: “Officer, please explain why you are arresting or detaining me?” He will probably answer: “You are not under arrest.”

B.) Then ask: “So, am I free to go?”

C.) If the answer is still no, then ask: “Officer, I need to ask you: Are you familiar with the legal standards of Probable Cause, Reasonable Suspicion, and Plain View?” He will probably answer: “Yes I am” or perhaps: “What, are you some kind of an attorney?”

D.) Then ask: “Do you have Probable Cause to believe that I have committed or am about to commit a criminal offense?”

E.) If the answer is no, then ask: “Am I free to go?” If the answer is no, then ask: Then ask: “Do you have Reasonable Suspicion to believe that I have committed or am about to commit a criminal offense?”

F.) If the answer is no, then ask: “Am I free to go?”If the answer is no, then ask: “Is there anything that you see on my vehicle in your Plain View that would lead you to believe that I have committed or am about to commit a criminal offense?”

G.) If the answer is no, then ask: “Am I free to go?” If the answer is no, then ask: “Is there some new legal doctrine or standard that I am not aware of that would give you cause to detain me? Please explain.”

H.) If the officer gets obstinate and orders you out of your car, and declares that he (or they) are going to conduct a search or you witness them initiating a search, or they tell you to wait while a K-9 unit is being be summoned, you should ask: “Officer: Are you familiar with the Fruit of the Poisonous Tree legal precept? I must warn you that this is an nonconsensual and unconstitutional search and that anything that you might find will not be admissible as evidence. I must insist that you cease this search. By continuing, you are opening yourself up to litigation and I will not hesitate to sue both you personally, and your Department. Because you are proceeding with a clearly unconstitutional search you will not benefit from any immunity. “

Memorize these phrases, and their sequence. Beyond them, I don’t know what else I can recommend.

Note that almost everything that I have recommended that you say should be IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION. This keeps the officer on the defensive at all times.

May God Bless you, in your travels. Be safe out there! – JWR

Letter Re: Advice on Joining the Canadian Army

Hello James,
 
Over the last number of months I have really enjoyed reading articles on your survivalblog.  I like to thank you for all the good and commonsense information.
 
What are your thoughts on joining the army?  I have a 16 year old son who has his mind set on joining the Canadian armed forces.

I like the fact that he is willing to serve his country, but as a Christian is it wise to expose yourself willingly to crude and foul language and other foul behavior. I spoke to a Canadian veteran and told me that you are as a Christian on an ”island” on your own with few exceptions. (Those who claim to be Christian but their daily living shows otherwise).
 
With all the developments in your country (police state? financial collapse?) Canada is surely not far behind. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Regards., K.

JWR Replies: That is a tough question.  But I do have some recommendations.

First, he should be at least 19 and well-grounded as a mature Christian before he enlists.  Younger and less discerning recruits are more likely to succumb to peer pressure and fall into sinful, self-destructive patterns.

Canada announced the end of combat operations in Afghanistan in 2011, but there are still about 1,000 Canadian troops there–mainly trainers for the Afghan army.  Deployments to Afghanistan are still a possibility if you son goes active duty.

I’d recommend that your son join the Army Reserve, directly.  This way he will get the same valuable training that he would receive as an active duty soldier, but he’ll be safer and probably happier. The Reserve units probably won’t get called up in the event of a major economic collapse. And even if they do, they will probably stay close to home.

Do some checking and find out the branch specialty of your local Reserve unit.  If it is not Infantry or Transportation, then he’ll probably be quite safe, even if his unit unexpectedly mobilizes and deploys to Afghanistan (or elsewhere.)

If he finds that he really enjoys it, then your son can always transition of active duty, later.

Letter Re: U.S. Army Recipes Available Free Online

Jim,
I have been building a library of preparedness-related documents to store on a DVD data disc. In my search for cooking recipes, I found this web site: U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps School: Food Service Publications & Links

The page contains a link to a ZIP archive of recipes use by the Army — about 100 MB of indexed recipes of all types.

A direct link to the ZIP file is here.

Watch ‘Yer Top Knot and Keep Your Powder Dry, – The Wyoming Geezer

Letter Re: Report on the Dulles Gun Show

This afternoon I went to the 3 day gun show (Friday 3-8 and all day Sat, Sun) which began on Friday at 3PM.  Being retired it was easy for me to go but clearly a very large number of people left work early to get ahead of the Saturday morning crowds.

So we all got the Friday afternoon crowd instead!

Parking in a disabled slot, a gentleman in security noted that I was a 100 percent disabled Veteran and allowed me to walk straight in rather than wait in either of the two lines which went at least 500 meters in either direction.  The line was far bigger than I’ve ever seen.  It was astonishing!

Once in the door the line went straight to the back where the ammo dealers were.  The dealers were advising people to not even shop for themselves but to simply line up for the cash register and tell their staff what ammo they wanted and it would be handed to them as they waited for their turn to pay.  No mention of brands, just calibers and quantities.  

It reminded e of the old Soviet Union and people lining up to buy shoes.  “I’ll take a case of .223, five boxes of .45 ACP and three boxes of 9mm and a box of .38 Special if you have it.  They would move along the line and await their ration and turn to pay.

Everyone bitched about the prices and the profiteering but few left the line.  They just adjusted what they were willing to buy or what they were willing to spend to match the new reality.  

Shooter grade ammo in .223 and.308 was a buck a round!  AK ammo was only slightly less.  And that was the price by the case!  A 1,000 round case was $1,000.  No negotiation.  No discount.

I bought two ammo cans of Lake City GI issue M2 ball .30-06 in en bloc clips to feed my M1 Garand rifles for a comparative bargain price as most people were in a feeding frenzy for the modern stuff.  Luckily I had stocked up before the election so I just shook my head and figured I’d wait for the furor to die down in a year or so.

Magpul PMAGs were averaging $50 to $60 each. As low as $45 if you bought in quantity or were a regular customer of the dealer.  [JWR Adds: These magazines were selling for as little as $11 wholesale and $16 retail, just before the frenzy.]

Genuine AK mags were $60 bucks each.  Perhaps somebody had them at a better price but I never saw them except for the cheap plastic junk.  

Cruddy old metric FN FAL mags that had sold for $4 each were $20 each.

I brought along a marginal quality Vulcan flat top AR and it was quickly snatched up for $1,600 within minutes of my walking in the door.  Most people were asking $2,000 for ARs but mine was an off-brand and a plain Jane version which I didn’t really like.  Besides, I have a half dozen better ones at home so I was happy to unload it for a hefty profit.

Oh, just so you understand, people were BUYING.   Why?  

Because they knew that on Saturday most dealers would be sold out and there would be nothing at any price.  It reminded me of the panic before a blizzard hits when people strip the stores.

Most buyers said they believed there would be a ban and or confiscation.  Some said they were expecting an economic and society collapse.  A few said they believed we were about to have all of the above and it would cause a civil war between the Constitutionalists and the Federalists.

Best Regards, – Gunwriter

JWR Replies: Reader K.A.F. recently sent me the link to article that dovetails with comments, nicely: SITREP.

Recipe of the Week:

Cynthia C.’s Carrot Cake

Here is a very good and easy from-the-pantry recipe for Carrot Cake made with canned carrots.

2 Cups flour
1 Cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground ginger
1 egg (or 1 heaping tsp soy flour with 1 tsp of water)
1 cup raisins
1 can sliced carrots- NOT drained
1 snack cup of pineapple bits -optional (drain but retain juice in case batter is dry)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts nuts- optional
1/2 Cup oil

Put the carrots in a large bowl and mash a bit with a fork or pastry cutter. (to look like shredded carrots)
Add dry ingredients and raisins (and pineapple & nuts if using) and mix well. (The carrot liquid should be enough but if batter is too dry add a bit of the pineapple juice or water)

Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet and put the batter in it, cover and cook on low heat about 30-40 minutes. 
If desired, when cool, drizzle with confectioners sugar icing.  It is delicious!

Chef’s Notes:

I have also baked this in a 350 degrees oven in two 6″ cast iron skillets and made it up as a layer cake with cream cheese frosting.

I baked it for about 25 minutes and checked to see if it was done. Your mileage may vary, depending on your oven.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Best Canned Food Recipes

Canned Chicken Recipes

Currently Available as Free Kindle e-Books:

31 Leftover Ham Recipes

The Compleat Cook: Expertly Prescribing the Most Ready Wayes, Whether Italian,Spanish or French, for Dressing of Flesh and Fish, Ordering Of Sauces or Making of Pastry (from 1658!)

I’ll Have The Soup And Salad

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

Economics and Investing:

Top Marginal Tax Rate Now Exceeds 50% in California, New York, and Hawaii

Venezuela Sharply Devalues Its Currency

Jim W. sent this: Days After Freezing Prices, Argentina Bans All Advertising

By way of Professor Paul Caron’s TaxProf blog: Tax Hikes Backfire, Greece’s Revenues Plummet

Items from The Economatrix:

$5 Gas Hits California

US Postal Service Ends Saturday Delivery In August To Save Itself

Are Junk Bonds Warning Stocks Are About To Fall?