Letter Re: Where to Find Quality-Made Hand Tools?

Hello,
Let me tell you about an experience I had the other day and my frustration. I recently purchased some tools from Sears and got the “higher quality” Craftsman brand. One of the items purchases was a bow saw. I did not look closely at the quality of the item purchased because I thought to myself, “It is a Craftsman, they have a life time warranty.” Well, a few months later
the saw broke because of bad construction. Some little nubs that were punched through the very thin sheet metal that held the saw blade in place. It does not take an expert to see that they broke soon after I started to do some hard work. Very disappointing. Sears exchanged it, and I see that they have a new model with a rivet instead of a nub. But I am not sure that it will las very long. I asked the clerk if all of their stuff was Made in China. She said “No,” and stated it surprised her that the saw was made in China.

On the way out I looked at a vacuum cleaner, it was a wet-dry “shop vac”. Craftsman and Made in Mexico. I guess that “Mexico” is not China so she was technically right. I purchased a Kenmore about two years ago because it was rated the highest in Consumers’ Reports. It is all plastic and does not work that well. The suction is pretty low. My grandmother has a vacuum cleaner that she purchased over fifty years ago. My brother and I call it “The Pig” because it looks like a pig (complete with a snout) from behind. I can not seem to find a vacuum cleaner that will last. They are all cheap and made as disposable items. I would rather purchase one good vacuum cleaner to last me 50 years instead of one cheap one every 3-to-5 years.

Where does someone buy Made in the USA products that are made out of good metal? I know a place must exist somewhere. Thanks, – Brent

JWR Replies: This topic has been raised before in SurvivalBlog. In my opinion, the best quality for your dollar can often be found in used American and European-made tools. For details, see this post from late 2008: Letter Re: Recommended Sources for Gardening Hand Tools.



Economics and Investing:

Matt B. suggested this video clip of Argentinean economist Adrian Salbuchi: Global Financial Collapse

Greg C. sent this item from McPaper: Communities print their own currency to keep cash flowing

D.G. suggested this from Eric Margolis at The Toronto Sun: Wall Street Ticks Off the World

From G.G.: A Night with the Bears: Meredith Whitney, Nouriel Roubini, Ian Gordon and Eric Sprott put on quite a show this evening in Toronto.

Items from The Economatrix:

Derivatives, the New Ticking Time Bomb

Politicized Accounting: No End to the Scams

Soros: “Zombie” Banks Could Suck Lifeblood Out of Economy

The Question that Flummoxed The Great Orator

Wholesale Inventories Drop to Lowest in 17 Years Note that it is not that sales are up so much, but that inventories are down: “Wholesalers cut their inventories in February by the steepest amount in more than 17 years, while sales rose for the first time since the summer, encouraging signs that companies may be getting their inventories under control.”

Derivatives Trading Crackdown Begins

Japan’s Goods and Services Fall By Half

Soros Warns Shares Will Fall Further

Gold Sold for Scrap Outstrips New Purchases

Is Silver the New Gold?

Irish Hike Tax and Cut Spending

World Bank Sees China Recovery from Recession this Year (Hmmmm… Do they also see World Peace and personal jet cars in the near future?)

GM Close to Bankruptcy

UK Store Food Prices Soar

Americans Feel 15.6% Unemployment as Underemployment Surges

Consumers Fall Behind on Loans at Record Rate

Credit Card Companies Shut Down 8 Million Credit Card Accounts in February

Stress Takes its Tolls on Banks

The IMF Rules the World



Odds ‘n Sods:

M.R.L. sent us a link to some fascinating details on the 1859 Carrington Solar Storm event, and some dire predictions for future similar events.

   o o o

Rob B. was the first of several SurvivalBlog readers that sent us this: [Low path] Bird flu found on Kentucky poultry farm Expert says strain poses little risk to humans; 20,000 chickens euthanized

   o o o

Greg and Kat were the first readers (of more than a dozen) that sent this Wall Street Journal article link: Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated by Spies

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Feld sent us this: Pelosi pledges compromise on assault weapons ban. Translation from the Inside-The-Beltway Lingo: “Compromise = For now, we only plan to take away some of your God-given rights.” I can only ask: What part of “…shall not be infringed” don’t the congresscritters understand?



Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"It is sometimes said that some complicated task is as difficult as herding cats. Actually, that’s not necessarily all that hard, if you’ve got a laser pointer to give the cats a mischievous little red dot to chase after." – H. J. Halterman, Along the Way, March 2009



Notes from JWR:

Today is the “Patriots” Book Bomb Day!!! If you have a blog, then please mention this one-day event, and if not, then please send a brief e-mail to friends and relatives on your e-mail list, today, to let folks know about “Patriots: A Novel Survival in the Coming Collapse”. The new edition features both an index and a glossary. This is the day to place an order. Please consider buying any copies for birthday and Christmas gifts early. This new edition of “Patriots”. is priced at just $10.17. UPDATE: When I last checked, it was ranked #7 on Amazon! Many, many thanks!

Today we present another entry for Round 22 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: Two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 22 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.



Backpackers of the Apocalypse: Selecting and Ultra-Lighting Your Bug-Out Bag, by John the Midwestern Hiker

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to get out of Dodge, a decent respect for the integrity of one’s spine demands that every item in your bug-out bag be submitted to a candid evaluation. Forgive me for cheekily paraphrasing the Declaration of Independence, but it does make a point that every preparedness minded individual needs to consider: if and when you need to get out fast with only the items you can carry on your back, what are you going to take, and what are you going to carry it in?

The first major consideration that you need to, um, well, consider, is the type of pack you will want to select (If you already have a pack and know how to use it, then, please, skip a paragraph.) There are two types of packs popular today: internal frame and external frame.

As the name implies, an internal frame pack has a rigid metal frame buried deep within the bowels of the pack. Internal frame packs are designed to perform well on rugged and treacherous terrain. They ride close to the body and are heavily padded for comfort. The actual stowage space on an internal frame is the long, narrow pack body. All your goods are accessed from the top, which can be a problem if the item you’re trying to find is tucked away in the bottom corner of the pack.

An external frame pack is essentially a metal frame with hip belts, a pack, and some convenient nylon mesh pockets attached to it. External frames are designed for easy access and a large carrying capacity: if something won’t fit in the pack itself, just lash it on to the frame and off you go! The drawback of external frame packs is that they tend not to be nearly as self-contained and well balanced as internal frame packs.

The selection of a pack really depends on your personal preference, and the environment that you anticipate you will be carrying it in. As I live near mountainous terrain, I favor an internal frame configuration. Go to a local sporting goods shop and try on a couple of different packs to find one that fits your body and the climate.
After you’ve selected your pack and figured out the straps and buckles (can’t help you there, every pack is different.) you will need to determine what to pack. Camping stores offer plenty of fun-looking, lightweight gadgets like origami snapware and ‘backpacker’ camp chairs. Resist the urge to buy these. Your pack will be quite heavy enough just carrying the essentials.

The human body needs three elements to survive in the outdoors: these are, in order of importance; water, shelter, and food. When you pack your bug-out bag, focus on these three essentials.

Water: Without water, even the toughest individual would be dead in a matter of days. Pack three means of purifying water: a hand-pump filter, preferably an easily cleaned ceramic model, water purification tablets, and a fuel efficient backpacking stove to boil water for drinking, cleaning, and cooking. Of course, you can usually build a fire to boil water with, but you may not always have the time or energy. Always, always filter water before drinking, it may look clean, but if it’s not [free of microorganisms], you could wind up ‘running’ out both ends.

Shelter: In most climates for most of the year you will want to have a tent along. Most backpacking tents are sturdy enough for hiking and camping in spring, summer, and fall, but are inadequate in heavy snow or cold-weather conditions. My advice would be to have two tents: a lightweight, well-ventilated backpacking tent for summer situations and a heavy duty ["four season"] dome tent for winter. Change the tents and clothing in your pack, seasonally.

Food: You will be limited in how much food you can carry, regardless of the size and weight of your pack. My personal favorite is Mountain House freeze-dried food. Pound for pound, freeze-dried food weighs less and tastes better than any other backpacking food I have ever used. An additional bonus is that, being dehydrated, all you have to do is add water, swish it around and eat it right out of the pouch. I have experimented with many other kinds of food over the course of my backpacking career, and none has matched the convenience, weight, taste, and portability of freeze-dried food.

For food preparation, consider carrying a lightweight stove. You can survive without one, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Some models of stove can run on multiple fuel types, and if you are planning on roughing it long term, a flex-fuel model is a smart choice.

Personally, I use the Jetboil, because it is self-contained, lightweight, easy to clean, and very, very fuel efficient, which is good, because it runs off of a specialized fuel mix.
If you want to eat the food you prepare, bring along an insulated metal mug and a fork/spoon/knife combination utensil. Do not, under any circumstances, pack or buy origami eat ware. Although it is lightweight, it is also ridiculously flimsy. So, unless you want to be eating out of your bare hands, go with a good old fashioned mug and spork.

Some items are not absolute essentials, but are very, very nice to have. The first and most important nonessential item is camper’s toilet paper. Some locales, especially in the west, lack herbage with soft, fluffy leaves, so unless you want to use pine needles (very strongly not recommended.) or hay (again, from personal experience—don’t try it.) bring along camper’s toilet paper, which is essentially super-absorbent toilet paper on a streamlined roll. Supplement this supply with natural substitutes whenever you can.

In that same vein, bring along a sturdy plastic garden spade to bury your waste with. Make sure you store this shovel in a sealed plastic bag.

A tough, sturdy plastic tarp is another useful nonessential. A tarp can serve as the footprint for your tent, or you can use it as a ground cloth to sleep out under the stars in nice weather. Bring along a spool of medium-weight nylon cord so you can use the tarp as a cooking fly or to augment your tent in heavy rain.

A sturdy, closed-cell foam sleeping pad will make your nights much more comfortable. Avoid generic brands if you can, because they tend to be much thinner and are more prone to tearing. I have a Thermarest Ridgerest foam pad that has lasted me for five years and is still in good shape. Although inflatable sleeping pads are more comfortable than foam pads, they tend to leak, and are generally more prone to failure.

Another item that should probably be an essential is a good knife. A sharp cutting tool is essential to human survival. Bring along a sharpener that is effective and that you are comfortable using. If you are planning on making a fire, a hatchet is also useful, but not essential.

Well, that’s it. This is all the essential gear that you will need for your bug-out bag. Remember, these are the essentials. You will want to pack other items in order to fill out your bug-out bag; things like ammunition, a slingshot, and duct tape (of course.) After you assemble your pack and gear, make sure that you go on at least one week-long trek, so that you can practice packing and carrying your bug-out-bag. Keep your bag packed and ready if you don’t live at your predetermined retreat site. You may be carrying it sooner than you think.



Letter Re: Knob Creek Report on Ammunition, Magazines, and Parts

Jim,
I just got back from attending the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot near Fort Knox, Kentucky. I have never seen the ammo situation as bad there as it was on April 3rd to April 5th. I took four other people that have never been there and told them that they would be able to satisfy their needs at this show over any other. Boy, was I wrong! Supply on certain items was either non existent or had decreased dramatically. Several nationwide ammo dealers didn’t even show up and I have seen them there for 10 consecutive years.

9mm +P+ Israeli SMG ball or tracer – last November.was $100 now $150 per thousand (Pat’s Reloading told me that they had gone through four Semi-trailer loads of the stuff and this was nearing the end of it.) I loved this stuff because I couldn’t even touch the components for $100, especially tracer.
.223 Israeli ball was $375 per thousand at Pats reloading
.223 Israeli tracer was oddly less expensive than ball at $149 per 500. I looked through mine and about 10% appears to be Lake City (early to mid-1990s). Purchased at Pat’s Reloading
.223 Federal 2008 production XM193 was $450 per 500. Don’t even think about what that equates to, “per case”.
9mm was in somewhat short supply. I heard one supplier tell a customer that he brought two pallet loads with him, but the dealers bought it all before the show even opened.
7.62×39 Last November Golden Tiger was $180 a case. I didn’t see one single case of the stuff and Wolf was $300 a case.
7.62x54R was holding steady at $160 for two sealed tins (about 880 rds)
30-06 Greek sealed tins of 240 rds was up from $59 to $100.
.308 South African $90 per battle pack of 200 rds.

While there was some pistol ammo, it was not stacked up by the pallet load as usual and self defense loads were either in short supply or exorbitant in price. I did somehow manage to stumble into some Blazer nickel plated case 165 grain solid point 40 S&W ammo for $15 per 50 and some .223 IMG (Guatemalan) that was boxed but tarnished for $375 per 1,200 round case. Time to dig out the reloader and supplies.

On the Magazine front, nearly all [of the once inexpensive and plentifull magazines] now have jacked up [prices].
DSA still had nice metric FAL mags for $7 and 30 round [.308 L4] Bren gun mags that fit FALs (inch and metric) for $30. I would have bought some but I am still mad at them at playing “the DSA waiting game” for some [FAL] receivers. I have waited on two of those receivers now for going on a year, continually being promised that they “have them in stock”, and being sent my money back twice. This is my forth go around with them 1997, 2001, 2003 with only one [order] being successful. [Minor rant snipped.]
AK magazines: still some around for $12
G3 aluminum mags $5
[HK] G3 steel and CETME were all $15 except for one guy who still had them for $5
Cope’s Distributing was completely out of the used (law enforcement trade-in) Glock and SIG magazines that they formerly had for $10 each. They did have some KCI Korean Glock magazines for $12 that looked respectable and see to have a good reputation so far.
SVD and Romak 3 mags had dropped from $100 to $60 (for a 4-pack) in November. Now back up to $85.

AR parts kits were in short supply. Model 1 sales sent a reduced table and barely had anything. a FFL dealer behind me at the Doublestar/J&T Distributing table told me he had bought 55 full kits from Model 1 Sales and he would be sold out in 2-3 weeks so he was buying more from J&T. The owner of J&T told me that she ran out of stuff before the show even opened to the public and had to send a van back to load up with more stuff. J&T’s cheapest kit was $555 without a chrome bore. They sold out of kits by noon and were going to have to send another van back for more.

On the AR-15 lower receiver front, a FFL dealer friend of mine there told me that the log jam for receivers appeared to have eased as he was able to buy them for $88 wholesale once again and take delivery in a reasonable amount of time.

On the whole, the current situation seems to favor those moving into the AK-74 realm. AK-74 kits were $495, receiver flats were $12, transferable receivers were $60 and the ammo was $300 per 1,300 rds (in sealed tins). There never seems to be much competition for that ammo. I am thinking about getting a 5.45mm AK.



Economics and Investing:

Laura H. suggested this Wall Street Journal piece: From Bubble to Depression?, by Steven Gjerstad and Vernon L. Smith

Kevin A. sent us this: Geithner’s Stress Test “A Complete Sham,” Former Federal Bank Regulator Says

Items from The Economatrix:

West Must Deal with $600 Trillion in Derivatives

Bernanke’s Financial Rescue Plan: The Growing Prospect of a US Default. Here are two keyquotes: “It is impossible to know what the long-term effects of Bernanke’s excessive spending will be, but his plan has the potential to trigger hyperinflation or spark a run on the dollar.”, and: “The recent 22 percent uptick in the stock market is a sign that Bernanke’s monetary stimulus is beginning to kick in. Oil rose from $33 per barrel to over $50 in little more than a month. Other raw materials have followed oil. The dollar has plunged every time the stock market has gone up. These are all signs of nascent inflation which is likely to accelerate after the current period of deleveraging ends. Food and energy prices will rise sharply and the dollar will come under greater and greater pressure. This is Bernanke’s nightmare scenario; a surge in inflation that forces him to raise rates and kill the recovery before it ever begins.”

75 US Towns Now Have Barter Currency

Swiss Deflation Next Chapter in World Crisis

Larry Summers, Tim Geithner and Wall Street’s Ownership of Government

No Return to Normal

Jobless Aid Running Out for Many

The Crash of ’09, The Collapse of ’10

“Recession Rage” Growing in US

G20: A Citizen’s Guide

Goldbugs Rest Assured, Inflation Will Return

US Watchdog Calls for Bank Execs to be Fired

Tea Prices are Surging. is Your Mug Next?

Empty Tables Threaten Some Restaurant Chains

Bill Moyers with William K. Black on Wall Street

Poll: Americans More Optimistic on Economy Since Obama’s Inauguration. Huh? What newspapers have they been reading?

Soros: US Recovery is Far Off; US Banks “Basically Insolvent” “The U.S. economy is in for a ‘lasting slowdown’ and could face a Japan-style period of relatively low growth coupled with high inflation….”

Dollar Devaluation is Inevitable…Just Like In 1934

So Much Nonsense (The Mogambo Guru)





Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Baruch Atah A-donai E-loheinu Melech Ha`olam Oseh Ma`aseh Breishit.” (“Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the Universe who makes the works of Creation.”) – From the Birkat Hachamah recitation, April 8, 2009 (14 Nisan 5769). A mitzvah recitation made just once every 28 years.



Note from JWR:

Tomorrow (Wednesday, April 8th) is Book Bomb Day! This is a reminder to please wait until tomorrow to order your copies of the new edition of my novel “Patriots”. The new edition features both an index and a glossary. Many thanks for making the launch of the new edition a success. OBTW, brief positive reviews at various forums and on Amazon.com would also be greatly appreciated.

Coincidentally, I’ve been told that April 8th of this year is also a special Jewish blessing (mitzvah) day, called Birkat Hachamah, “the sun blessing”. This blessing is recited just once every 28 years. I wish our Jewish readers a meaningful Passover. (Christ is my Passover!)



Letter Re: Preparedness Mindset and Logistics Pay Dividends

Hi James,
I am 30 years old and began my survival mindset when I was about 25. I am a single father of three and that is part of what motivated me to begin to prepare years ago. 2008 was a real eye opener for me though as it all begin to hit home. I began to sell off my possessions when times got tough. Eventually I had to file bankruptcy and move my family into a smaller more affordable place. Settled in our new place I began adjusting thinking the worst was over, I was wrong within two months I was laid off. I had no money and no job, with three mouths to feed I didn’t know what I was going to do. Fortunately, I had family who was kind enough to let us stay with them until I got back on my feet. We have been here several months and am working hard to remedy our situation.

I must say when I started preparing I tried to place emphasis on having a firearm and ammunition along with adding an occasional few cans of food here and there as we could afford, and eventually we ate the food I put back. At no time were we ever well off In fact I could have been on welfare and food stamps all along but always thought I would make it. I had to sell my off road/family vehicle which was our daily driver to buy a four-door car because of gas, but we are still blessed and much more fortunate than many. I always watched the news and it all seemed so distant and never thought it could happen to me, but it did. This along with your help has really strengthened my mindset. I really wanted to send you this e-mail not just to tell you my story, as there are so many who have similar ones. I sent this to sincerely say thank you. You have opened my eyes to so much that I had never even attempted to consider, I was and honestly still feel like an infant with the sea of knowledge of preparedness.Your web site has truly put me on track to preparing in so many areas right down to me saving the lent from the dryer. Money is tight but with your help and that of your subscribers we are still preparing.

I recently ordered your novel [“Patriots”]and I haven’t been able to put it down! Congratulations, James. It is a great book! I have learned so much from the book as well and am still not finished. I do truly believe hard times are upon us and because of you the children and I will have a much greater chance of survival. You not only have affected my life but also the life of my 10 year old son, and eight and two year-old daughters. Rest well knowing you are truly making a difference and may God bless you and your family.
Sincerely, – Kyle



Letter Re: Bastion Structures and Vauban Architecture

Jim,
I remember a while back there was some chatter about building fortifications and the subject of “bastions” was brought up. Bastions, of course, being the protrusions from castle walls that allow all exterior walls and outside corners to be defended from within the fortification. Well, I was looking at some aerial photos of the epicenter of the recent Italian earthquake and found this fortification – in L’Aquila, Italy.

It is a perfect example of a structure for which not one single inch of exterior wall cannot be defended from within. The various angles guarantee that fire can be directed down the full length of any outside wall. I just thought it was an interesting illustration of the [Vauban fortification] concept. – Matt R.



Letter Re: That Leaking Body in Your Living Room

Sir,

There have been innumerable discussions on this web site, and others across the internet, about the mindset, preparations, training and physical responses to the use of deadly force. Every gun owner (or would be owner) has had to ask themselves if they have what it takes to kill another human being. We all know the argument. When it comes down to life or death, you or them, could you pull the trigger? Let’s assume, for the sake of this segment, that your answer is yes. Now let me present you with a hypothetical situation:

It’s TEOTWAWKI. Infrastructure is nonexistent. Government collapsed. You’ve bugged out to your retreat, or hunkered down in place. Late one night, an intruder enters your home. He is armed, and threatens your family. You confront him, and shots ring out. When the smoke clears, you get a SITREP, just like you practiced. You and your family are unhurt. The intruder is dead. What do you do now? Normally, if no one had already done so, your first step would be to call the local police or sheriff’s department. They would send out uniformed officers who would interview your family, gather evidence, take photographs of the scene, fill out an incident report, and then the coroner or ambulance would cart off the intruder.

There’s only one catch. It’s TEOTWAWKI. Even if the phone would ring, there are no police on the other end. No one is coming to help. There will be no uniformed officer, no incident report, no photos, no evidence taken. It will be completely up to you to discern how he gained entry, and repair any damaged caused by his entry, and the ensuing firefight. Do you know how to fix the door he kicked open? The window he shattered? The fencing or gate he drove over? More importantly, do you have the parts and tools needed to repair or replace them? Another door? Door frame? Door knob? Deadbolt? Strike face? Spare keys to new locks? Window pane? Window frame? Whole window? Fencing? Fence posts? Gate? Do you have anything to just cover the hole where your window to be?

Oh, and there’s one more little detail you may have overlooked. There will be no coroner to call. . There will be no trained, experienced, seen-it-all-nothing-shocks-me-anymore medical examiner to rid you of your recently deceased criminal mastermind. So, what do you do with the dead guy in your living room?

Honestly, how many of us have ever actually gone so far as to consider the possibility that one day we may find ourselves in a situation like this? An intruder in the home, certainly. A firefight, probably. Taking a life, likely. But who has actually come up with a plan for dealing with the aftermath, the body growing cold between your comfy chair and coffee table? I highly doubt your spouse and children would be keen to leave it where it is, playing the role of “lumpy, rather morbid area rug/ottoman.” And that would be ignoring the fact that corpses have this annoying (and stomach-churning) habit of, well, evacuating on themselves. And rotting. Never forget the rotting. So what do you do with it?

Do you drag it outside and bury it? Burn it on a funeral pyre? Throw it in the nearest body of water and hope it floats downstream? Stake it up on the lawn like some macabre scarecrow, a warning to others? Feed it through your wood chipper? What sort of treatment or rites (if any) do you give during the internment of your would-be murderer? Does he get a pine box, a pit just deep enough to keep the wildlife from digging him up by morning, or unceremoniously dropped in a heap next to your mailbox, waiting for a trash pickup that’s never coming?

Can you even stomach the idea of handling a dead body (and its various fluids) for the length of time required to actually dispose of it? Including transport to burial site, preparation of burial site, internment, and blood stain/brain matter/bowel contents cleanup? Do you even have a cleaner that can get blood, brain, and bowel contents out of your carpets, drapes, clothing, and upholstery? Are you going to be reminded of the life you took every time you sit in your favorite chair? Will you spend hours staring out the back window at the patch of turned earth that marks his final resting place?
Do you relocate? Has his presence (and subsequent death) revealed you to the masses? Can you afford to take that chance? How many of his associates may know of your whereabouts? Will they try to avenge him? Can you repeat this whole process again? Do you have the materials to replace another door, window, or fence? Can you bear the mental strain of taking more lives? Is your yard big enough to bury them all?

I do not have the answers to these questions. I know my own self, and how I react in a situation not all that dissimilar. This is one of those rare things you really can’t properly train for, unless you happen to be coroner or mortician by trade. There are precious few opportunities to be near the recently deceased for the rest of us (for which I am profoundly grateful), and I doubt you will find a mortician willing to loan you a body to practice with. If you do, I suggest you report them to the authorities. That’s just not right.

I guess it boils down to a question of fortitude, much like the Deadly Force issue that would precede it. Can you set aside your personal feelings about the dead, the living, what he intended, what you did, and what that smell is, long enough to do what needs to be done? If you think you can, I suggest you figure out now what you’re going to do when the need arises, rather than figuring out what you’re going to do once the need has risen. Like that old saying goes; “Forewarned is Forearmed.” Food for thought. – C.M., Maine

JWR Adds: While it is difficult to predict post-SHTF circumstances, and even more difficult to predict how long they might last, it is safe to assume that eventually things will get back to some semblance of normalcy–hopefully within weeks or months. At that point, there will be some backtracking, to account for what crimes transpired during the emergency, and to insure that everyone is living at property that is legally deeded to them. Therefore, in the sad event that you are forced to take a life to defend your own, or to defend the lives of your loved ones, it is important to “cover yourself in paper” before you go burying any bodies. It is crucial get an official–preferably a sworn law enforcement officer–but failing that, any official to sign an affidavit of the circumstances of the shooting. Even if the only “official” that you can locate is a retired police officer or a dog catcher or the head of the local water district, get them to sign an affidavit, and have it witnessed by by at least three or four neighbors who will also be walked-through the scene–and be presented the “play by play” after-action report. (Relying on just one or two witness signatures might be a mistake, since people are likely to relocate or assume room temperature in large numbers during a crisis.) Also, before touching anything in the room(s), be sure to take pictures showing the location of the body (or bodies), weapons, spent brass, bullet holes in walls, et cetera. Also photograph the body in the grave, before you back-fill it.



Letter: Re: Storing Emergency Supplies in Plastic Tote Bins for Rapid Evacuation

Dear Mr. Rawles,
R.D. of Wyoming mentioned a very practical way of storing supplies – in 22 gallon plastic tote bins, each with a good variety of items to last about one month. Perhaps this is a basic system for many, but I hadn’t thought of it myself and plan to rearrange our storage items in a similar manner as soon as I can.

Presently, I am laid up with a broken leg so am ‘dead in the water’ for working on our storage program. My darling husband is tolerant of my ‘hobby’ but is definitely not one to work on it himself.
I want to remind everyone out there that a broken leg or other calamity can complicate your life very suddenly and not afford you the time to get what you need to survive. Being well prepared beforehand is so basic but it is something that a lot of people do not do, thinking “someday” they’ll get around to it. My well-stocked larder has been such a practical help while I’ve not been able to get out at all to shop.
I thank you for your informative blog and I thank R.D. for this simple but practical storage solution. – M.C. in Arizona