The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.” – George Washington

Preparedness Notes for Monday — April 24, 2023

On April 24, 1898, Spain declared war on the United States.

—

Today we present a feature review article by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

—

We are still seeking entries for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 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.

TOPS Mini Scandi Folder 4.0, by Thomas Christianson

The Bottom Line, Up Front

Simply put, the TOPS Mini Scandi Folder 4.0 is a great knife for everyday carry (EDC). It is compact, sharp, easy to open, easy to grip, and durable.

For the more technically inclined, the TOPS Mini Scandi Folder is a flipper-style folding knife with a 3.25 inch full Scandi grind blade made of N690Co steel. It has a stainless steel liner-lock frame with a 4.25 inch tan canvas Micarta handle. It uses ball bearing washers on the pivot point for smooth opening, and features a reversible pocket clip.

I would like to zoom in on a few of those technical details.

The Flipper

Flipper-style knives are opened by manipulating a tab on the blade. On the Mini Scandi Folder, this tab protrudes through the frame of the knife opposite the side into which the blade nests. Flipping the tab rotates the blade around the pivot point into the open position. This makes the knife deploy quickly and easily, much like a switchblade, but without the legal restrictions that switchblades face in many jurisdictions.

I found the flipper to function very smoothly and consistently during my testing. I also found manipulating the flipper to be oddly satisfying, somewhat like the sensation of opening and closing a Zippo lighter.Continue reading“TOPS Mini Scandi Folder 4.0, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Italian-Style Lentil Patties with Cheese

The following recipe for Italian-Style Lentil Patties with Cheese is from Reader Susan in Oregon. These are topped with either mozzarella or provolone cheese. Susan says:  “I got this recipe from a friend who is on a vegan diet that cooks these at last once a week.”

Ingredients
  • 3 cups dried lentils (brown, red, or green)
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups uncooked instant oatmeal
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 10 slices mozzarella cheese or provolone cheese
  • Marinara sauce, warmed (optional)
Directions
  1. Rinse the lentils. Drain off that water.
  2. Soak them for at least eight hours with at least 1-inch of water over the top. Drain off that water completely.
  3. Cook lentils according to package directions; drain and cool slightly.
  4. In a large bowl, combine eggs and seasonings; stir in cooked lentils and oatmeal. Shape the mixture into ten 3/4-inch-thick patties.
  5. In a large greased or non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.
  6. Cook patties in batches for 4-to-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and a thermometer reads 160°, adding additional oil as needed.
  7. Top with cheese; cook 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
SERVING

Serve with marinara sauce, if that suits yours taste.

—

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the rising price of platinum, in U.S. Dollar terms.

Precious Metals:

On Thursday: Platinum price hits $1,100 as it outperforms gold and silver, driven by improving fundamentals.

Then, on Friday, platinum jumped to $1,147.40 USD per Troy ounce! With a jump that big, I expect to see some profit-taking today. (Monday, April 24, 2023.)

o  o  o

I gave you plenty of warning, folks: New bipartisan bill would let the U.S. Mint alter the metal content of coins to save money. JWR’s Comment: Lopping one zero off of the value of printed currency and leaving the coinage circulating would make more sense. But, of course, that would be a tacit admission that they’ve horribly inflated and debased the so-called dollar.

o  o  o

Inflation may moderate, but pension funds aren’t taking any changes as they increase their exposure to gold and commodities – Ortec Finance

o  o  o

At Gold-Eagle.com: Ascent of Central Bank Digital Currencies Bodes Well for Gold.

Economy & Finance:

50,000 stores could close in five years due to a slowdown in consumer spending, ecommerce demand.

o  o  o

More Bidenista do-gooder socialist nonsense: Biden rule will redistribute high-risk loan costs to homeowners with good credit. (A hat tip to Tracy M. for the link.)

o  o  o

Credit Investors See Defaults Rising, 84% Chance of US Recession.

o  o  o

At the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: US Facing “Stagflation-Lite”: How Asset Returns Are Changing and What Portfolios Should Do.

o  o  o

Lock-outs, mass emails, closed offices: Virtual layoffs are normal now.

o  o  o

Over at The Washington Standard: U.S. Credit Crunch Has Started.

o  o  o

Bridgewater’s Dalio to open family office branch in Abu Dhabi.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“No kingdom can be secured otherwise than by arming the people. The possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman and a slave. He, who has nothing, and who himself belongs to another, must be defended by him, whose property he is, and needs no arms. But he, who thinks he is his own master, and has what he can call his own, ought to have arms to defend himself, and what he possesses; else he lives precariously, and at discretion.” – James Burgh, from: “Political Disquisitions: Or, an Enquiry into Public Errors, Defects, and Abuses”, London, 1774

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 23, 2023

On April 23, 1931, the American film classic The Public Enemy was released in theatres, and James Cagney‘s landmark performance as a gangster made him a star.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 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.

A Family Health Emergency, by Hollyberry

I live in Maine and my mom lives in New Jersey. We talk several times a week and she has generally been blessed with good health until taking a certain vaccine (which I won’t get into). After experiencing some falls due to “dehydration” and Bell’s Palsy, she casually mentioned she needed a new aortic valve. This caused me to sit up and pay attention. The echocardiogram showed (in less than 2 years) a change from mild stenosis to severe. The next phone conversation was that the doctor would reassess her in six months and she should go on with her life. I suspect there was more to that conversation with the doctor than I was told. Lesson learned: I should have asked her if it was okay to speak with her physician.

Two weeks later, her other half, a wonderful man named Bob called me and told me that Mom was in the hospital. She passed out in Macy’s, and hit her head in the process. Bob got a ride up to the mall and retrieved her car and a neighbor retrieved her packages and mail. We found out that mom needed a new heart valve, immediately. Fortunately, she did not need bypass grafts and this could be done via catheterization thru the femoral artery. Sounds simple and straightforward, right? Lesson learned: nothing is simple!

Other tests needed to be done before the valve replacement and hosptial time is slow time. She collapsed again in the hospital while sitting in a chair and now has a foot injury. Finally, the procedure was done and went well but after 8 days in the hospital on complete bed rest, she was very weak. She had 2 falls in the hospital and one fall in Macy’s and was a sore and bruised up mess. Lesson learned: It is hard to be a patient’s advocate from a distance but it can be done if you are persistent.Continue reading“A Family Health Emergency, by Hollyberry”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Hebrews 10:1-10 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 22, 2023

On April 22, 1918, during World War I, German forces introduced the systematized use of chemical warfare when they released chlorine gas along a 4-mile front at the Second Battle of Ypres.  Pictured are some Australian troops wearing gas masks, during World War I.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 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.

Building a Dedicated .22 Small Game Rifle – Part 2, by Steve A.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

The stock:

I chose a gray Magpul Hunter X-22 stock because it is a full-sized stock and I have used one before. I did not want a folding stock. The stock has an adjustable length of pull, a nice butt pad, and an optional higher cheek riser. The grip is somewhat vertical which works very well to position the trigger finger properly on the trigger, which helps practical accuracy. This stock is fairly sleek, with not much to snag on. The bottom of the fore-end is flat to better stabilize the rifle when shooting from a rest. The stock can be set up for a sling, which I recommend and intend to install on my rifle.

An adjustable spacer is included to support the front of the bull barrel, which I think is a good idea. Adjust the spacer to just touch the barrel. The original Ruger 10/22 had the single action screw in the receiver but the front of the barrel was held in contact with the stock by the barrel band. A full floated heavy barrel can tip the receiver since there is still only one mounting screw in the receiver. Many people epoxy bed the rear of the receiver and the front of the barrel above the front tip of the stock with zero pressure with good results.Continue reading“Building a Dedicated .22 Small Game Rifle – Part 2, by Steve A.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress Saturday April 22, 2023

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

For most of this week, I’ve been working in the barnyard with Lily.  Lily disced the near meadow that with our Plotmaster and then I rototilled it with our Troybilt tiller, to really work it into the soil. Then we hauled and spread a lot of manure in the near meadow.  Then I rototilled it again. We still have more meadow to manure. This coming week, we will be broadcasting Pasture Blend seed, and then raking it into the loose fertilized soil, to minimize the amount of seed that gets eaten by birds.

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress Saturday April 22, 2023”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the Lord your God.

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God.

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.

None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord.

The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.

The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.

The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.

And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — April 21, 2023

On April 21st, 1828, Noah Webster published the first American dictionary.

April 21st is Aggie Muster, for all Texas A&M University graduates. Aggie Muster celebrations/meetings are held as far away as Japan, Germany, and Iraq.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 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.