Odds ‘n Sods:

Remember that there is now just one week remaining for the $500 Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) vest special from BulletProofME.com. July 12th is the deadline. Anyone who has shopped for body armor knows what a great deal $500 is for a new Interceptor vest. Don’t miss out on this deal. OBTW, I recently received another recommendation for the company: ” I thought you would like some more feedback on your new advertiser, BulletProofME.com. After extensive searching for a vest supplier last year I bought one from BulletProofME.com. Because I had never purchased a vest before I had a lot of questions, and Nick answered them all. I was so pleased with my vest that my wife also just bought one, and received it yesterday.” – L in Colorado

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In reference to the recent discussion of crosscut saws, Michael W. mentioned The Crosscut Saw Company, in Seneca Falls, New York. They stock both newly manufactured one- and two-man saws, as well as some very scarce “New Old Stock” saws made by companies that went out of business decades ago.

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In a post 9/11 world, it doesn’t take much to get tossed off a plane

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RBS sent us the link to this amazing video clip of redneck style catfish fishing. You just hold the bait in your hand…

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“All of the government’s monetary, economic and political power, as well as its extensive propaganda machinery, will be enlisted in a constant battle to drive down the price of gold – but in the absence of any fundamental change in the nation’s monetary, fiscal, and economic direction, simply regard any major retreat in the price of gold as an unexpected buying opportunity.” – Irwin A. Schiff

Notes from JWR:

Happy Independence Day! I pray that God will continue to grant us liberty in our land, for generations to come.

Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. It is in your own best interest to do so. Why? Every friend, neighbor, and relative that gets motivated to prepare constitutes one less individual that will come begging on your doorstep, come TEOTWAWKI+1. I would greatly appreciate it if you added a SurvivalBlog graphic link to your web site and/or e-mail footer. Our goal is to double the SurvivalBlog readership by the end of 2007. Many thanks!

Today we present another article for Round 11 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 11 runs for two months, ending on the last day of July. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Are You Preparing Without Physical Fitness? How and Why to Get Physically Fit, by Flhspete

Introduction
The more physically fit one is overall, the better your odds are you will survive WTSHTF.
Or, maybe you don’t believe that survival preparations should include physical fitness.
U.S. military forces emphasize solid fitness in part because the higher the fitness level, the more an individual can maintain acceptable performance levels while under stress. Police SWAT units emphasize high levels of fitness for the same reasons. Organized units like these are highly effective also because they conduct rehearsals of established SOPs until it is ingrained to the point that they are able to perform under any conditions. They are able to train at high levels of performance seamlessly because they are capable of keeping up physically and mentally. They also have each other to depend on while operational making them even more effective. Maintaining a solid level of fitness is important for civilians as most of us are preparing with the free time available in our schedules. It is important to identify where you stand in physical fitness. Ask yourself, am I fit? How fit is fit enough? Who will be there to assist me when TSHTF?
When visiting the SurvivalBlog web site, consider how much of the material and advice provided requires you to be in good shape in order to take advantage of it.
I’ve assisted and encouraged others to improve their physical conditioning for decades. During yesteryear I promoted fitness primarily for healthy living. The reasons these days are for healthy living and potential survival scenarios. Living ‘healthy’ during a non-survival scenario is one thing, living healthy during a survival scenario is quite different. Fitness doesn’t just happen. Fitness is accomplished by adopting good habits of exercise, nutrition and rest.

Step One: Assessment
Assessing your level of fitness requires only that you be honest with yourself in several physical fitness categories including your present fitness level; your weight status; age; diet/nutrition; and your overall state of health.

Present Fitness Level: Ask yourself what you can do today in terms of sustained heart rate while active. If you are already active then this should be easy to answer. If not currently active (or haven’t been in the short term, i.e.: within 12 months), then you probably have a good understanding for where you stand and are capable of daily/weekly exercise routines not too far off from your previous workouts. If you haven’t been active for 12 months to 24 months but previously were active, then you know what you are capable of, you just have to start and make it routine again. For those beyond the 24 month time period, you fall into one of several categories spanning a range from former solid fitness to those who have never been fit. Either way, you have been away from a fitness routine for too long.
Weight Status: Are you overweight, underweight, or at (or close to) where you should be? Take this into consideration when deciding what course of action(s) you decide to take. If you are overweight today, you could be significantly trimmed down by your next birthday. Whatever your particular case is, when going from non-active to active, you will start to lose body fat and become lean. Just assess where you are and be cognizant of how your body will react. It is all important to keep in mind that your body will change and that you will need the proper diet/nutrition to recharge your batteries between workouts. Refueling with the right foods will payoff big when you go for the next workout. If you are not overweight but have never committed to a fitness program and feel it is unnecessary, consider this: my sister went for her annual physical. She is 50, mother of 3, is not overweight, and looks good. The physician advised her that she was obese. Huh?
The doctor’s explanation: you have no muscle and therefore you are obese. My sister has never done anything physical, ever. This may be an extreme example, but illustrates the point that inactivity and not being overweight don’t add up to capable of handling the rigors of a post-WTSHTF life.
Age: Don’t let age fool you. It’s deceiving. I currently exercise by training/running long distance races (10 mile races to marathons), weight lifting, boxing, biking, and recreational swimming. I started wrestling when I was 6 years old and continued competing for 15 years and it still pays off. I have a small farm that keeps me moving constantly otherwise. I also have a full time occupation so I don’t workout daily. It is unnecessary. I bother to mention this because with all of the above exercise and while I averaged 15 long distance races a year for the last four years, I am constantly amazed at the older men/women who beat me (45 yrs old) to the finish line every race and I’m in the top 15 – 25%! Age definitely slows one down in terms of intensity and volume but that’s it. Age is deceiving so never judge a book by a cover regarding fitness/self defense. If you consider yourself ‘old’ and have never been fit (or out of it for quite some time), it is never too late and you will probably surprise yourself at the results. If you are young and never been committed to a fitness program, don’t wait. Find something(s) and go for it. Make it a habit and the health benefits will stay with you for a lifetime.

Diet and Nutrition: Assess what you are eating and how you feel. Eating fast food? Too many carbs? Sweet tooth? Living on coffee and cigarettes? Or, are you already eating a healthy diet? Either way, the new stresses added to your daily routine in a survival scenario will cause your body new stresses. You will either keep up or break down. It really depends on your present habits. An individual who is fit and maintains a healthy diet will be able to make the transition from living in the present day to a survival mode relatively easy. Adrenaline will carry the day for a brief time. But after the adrenaline subsides, what’s left in the tank and where is the energy required to keep up coming from? I know many over the years who have maintained poor diets but had excellent workout routines. They were mostly the younger generation. It always catches up with them. They usually become injured/hurt, sick, and/or are tired…but then they come back after a rest period and the cycle repeats itself. If you have poor fitness and a poor diet, you are advised to alter both. The body wants good clean fuel, not items containing too many carbs, items made with hydrogenated oils, trans fats, a diet loaded with sugar (sodas, desserts, snack(s)…). Also overlooked is hydration. Re-hydrating is critical. Once you begin to exercise, you have to replace your fluids. Not doing so will result in cramping, tiredness, and/or can result in heat exhaustion if not replacing fluids while exercising. Watch the sports drinks as some have lots of sugar. I always dilute my quarts of Gatorade 50-50 [with water]. Too much sugar can prevent the hydration you are seeking. ‘Emergen-C’ is a product I use daily to keep the immune system strong. It contains numerous vitamins and supplements in small packets mixed in water. Particularly good is the chromium, sodium, several antioxidants, vitamin C and low sugar content. Some final words regarding overall diet and fitness are: everyone has time to eat right. If you believe you are eating ‘right’ but are under/overweight, then your diet needs improvement.
Overall State of Health: Take the four assessment categories above and rate yourself overall. With the exception of age, you should be in control of the other three categories. While modern medicine has extended, saved, and aided our lives, could you get by without the convenience of it? If you find yourself not in control of your fitness, weight, and diet, you need to get control of each. If you score low in each of the categories and are overwhelmed by what appears to be too much at once, take Henry Ford’s advice: “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”

Step Two: Getting Started and Motivated
I found that to identify a realistic fitness program, it’s important to know that person’s motivation, goals, attitude and background regarding physical training. Rate yourself in each category. Not everyone has time or ability to invest in what it takes to climb mountains, run marathons, bicycle 100 mile routes, or carry a 60 lb ruck sack with battle weapon in hand over an extended obstacle course. That’s understandable. However, everyone should make time to ensure that they can do the arduous tasks that await us in a survival scenario. Your motivation in this regard is to increase your fitness level and therefore increase your ability to survive. Your goals need to be realistic. Most of us are not trying to qualify for the Olympic Judo Team. From a strictly survival perspective, ‘realistic’ fitness means different things to different people. Consider the answers to some commonsense survival questions: Just how arduous will it be? How much time are we talking? Will I be able to drive to my retreat? Will I have to run or walk long distances outside of my retreat? If forced, how much stuff can I carry and for how long? If threatened, will I defeat the attacker(s)? Can I carry/drag that 125 lb. deer I just shot to my retreat? How far can I push that bike I loaded up with supplies and while carrying a weapon, water, and ammo?
Only you can answer these types of questions. Identifying now your limits regarding stamina, endurance, strength, hand and eye coordination, and reflexes will certainly give you a good feel for where you stand in regards to survival fitness. It will also help fine tune your survival plan by forcing you to be practical. A likely money/silver savings will result by not wasting it on items that just don’t fit into your plan.
SurvivalBlog patrons already know that their survival depends on various factors including the location of your retreat (or staying put), your level of preparations, and the duration and type of WTSHTF in your area. Often overlooked is your fitness level. When going from ‘normal life’ to a ‘survival life’, it’s going to be stressful and require a lot more personal energy. Procrastinating fitness until the day you need it is risky. Getting ‘fit’ after it kicks off will be impossible. The best you can hope for at that point is that you get lucky, don’t get hurt, and/or are not too exhausted to survive when it counts. Keep in mind that if you are lacking physical fitness, the possibility of placing a burden on your family-retreat group when you can’t keep up will cause even more unnecessary (and avoidable) stress. Obviously, I’m not referring to elderly family members or those with illnesses.
A crucial key to success is what motivates you. If you are in the business of fitness, you are really in the business of motivation. If not motivated, then there is nothing anyone can do for you. If motivated, the sky is the limit. It’s up to you.
Getting started requires that you just select an activity. Once you determined what you plant to do, get some good advice and training partners to share the load. Go online for advice or subscribe to a magazine dedicated to that activity and identify beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert workout routines. Then, make a suitable schedule and get started. Mixing activities is ideal as it keeps you mentally fresh and your body doesn’t get used the same activity. Furthermore, mixing activities challenges your body more and therefore reaps added benefits. Your fitness program most likely will change from time to time as your fitness increases and you take the next step in those activities. After time, you will discover that your body will ‘crave’ the workout and it’ll become difficult for you to ignore that. Competing in amateur events or joining a club which sponsors events will help define goals. Being around like minded fitness people also provides a pool of knowledge that will assist you in attaining your goals. Pushing yourself and testing how you hold up under ‘game time’ conditions is one of the joys of being active and gives you confidence. Keep in mind that being physically fit has a carryover effect where one becomes mentally tough along the way. Working out with others is always beneficial as you push each other to be on time and not waste time. Your workout friends also become good friends. Along the way, you learn what you’re made of and that’s an important part of knowing that you will survive.

Step Three: Which Activities? Where to Get Fitness Information?
I’ve identified above the fitness activities that I participate in and maybe none of those appeal to you. Some people can’t get themselves to get fit in the ‘traditional’ sorts of ways. No problem. Those of you that fall into that category, I encourage you to take on activities specific to your threat profile. Any type of martial arts will keep you fit and provides a useful skill. For those participating in martial arts, I encourage you to incorporate ‘Empty Hands’ training. This involves the integration of empty hand skills with firearms skills.
One thought regarding martial arts training (and generally speaking regarding being fit and armed) I have often overheard that “ I have a gun(s), what do I need xyz training for?” Because, all weapons skills are physical in their nature. They all depend on your ability to move decisively, with balance and coordination, and at times with power. Just like you will need in a survival scenario. Maybe it won’t involve firearms but imagine yourself carrying water (weight = 7.8 lbs per gallon!), gardening daily, and/or hunting for an extended period of time. It’s hot or freezing outside. The fitness will pay off. These skills (and fitness levels) have to be developed. Training takes time and precious few of us have it to spare so make the most of your training time.

For those looking to multi-task and have dogs, training in Schutzhund will challenge you and canine, and both of you will get fit. Schutzhund is training for canines (and handler) in tracking, obedience, and protection. The canines trained for this are mostly German Shepherds but also include Rottweillers, Dobermans, and Belgian Malinois, Giant Schnauzers, and Bouviers. It seems that a Rhodesian Ridgeback would be particularly suited for Schutzhund but I’ve never seen one at a club. If you are ‘dogless’, consider adopting and he’ll remind you that he wants his exercise too. Not all dogs are suited for Schutzhund so be aware that the canine needs to have drive, agility, and intelligence.
Instead of listing numerous activities and providing levels of workouts ad nauseam, listed are tried and true sources of information to help you get started and/or enhance your current fitness program.

Crossfit.com
In my opinion, this is the best approach to overall fitness. Incorporates what is referred to as ‘Interval Training’. Provides a different workout daily (including a rest day) that is designed for all types. Focus is on intensity, varied exercises. Daily workout may be only one exercise [i.e.: run a 5k.], other days, three exercises are on the schedule. If you don’t have weights at home, access to weights will be necessary. No, you do not need an entire gym full of equipment. You can get by with a few dumbbells, plates, and a bar. Garage/yard sales sometimes give up this stuff for free just to get rid of it. The Crossfit.com web site has full video clips of each exercise for demonstration purposes. The web site offers substitute exercises for each workout. They offer nutrition advice, seminars, and an affiliates list. Lots of good stuff there!)

rrca.org
Road Runners of America. Running tips and coaching for all levels, calendar of events, links for local affiliates/clubs, nutrition advice, news, shoe reviews.
runnersworld.com (and their corresponding magazine)
I subscribe and it has much to offer all levels of runners. They have a very knowledgeable staff.

TitleBoxing.com
Title boxing has been around for a very long time. They have all the supplies needed to keep you fit using just a heavy bag or equipping yourself with an entire array of training items. Heavy bag training is an excellent choice for overall fitness (and stress reduction!). It also gives me a break from running and weight lifting, two things lots of folks just can’t get into. I subsequently created my own workout that is only 15 minutes. But believe me, 15 minutes is enough. Heavy bag training will build overall strength, power, and stamina. From head to toe you will improve fitness since you use your legs as much as arms while hitting the heavy bag. Title also offers videos/DVDs and books to illustrate how to train with the heavy bag. Huge advantage is that you don’t have to join a gym, drive anywhere, and is an all-weather, day- night friendly workout.

Paperbacks:
NEANDERTHIN, by Ray Audette.
Excluding the appendix and recipes, only 130 pages. Taken from the cover is this description: Eat the foods your body was designed to eat and have the body you were meant to have!
How to become a modern day Hunter-Gatherer and give up the addictive foods and habits that have kept you unhealthy and overweight.
How a high-calorie, high fat diet can actually make you leaner.
Becoming Neanderfit: a five-week exercise plan to complement your new diet.

PROTEIN POWER, by Dr. Michael Eades, and Dr. Mary Ann Eades.
Taken from the cover is this description: The high protein low carbohydrate way to lose weight, feel fit, and boost your health. I’ve adopted these eating habits and the description is accurate.

Combatives Hand to Hand Combat, Dept. of Army FM 21-150. For the individual seeking to increase his/her fitness via martial arts type drilling, supplement it on the cheap with military training manuals. Copies of these manuals are available at CheaperthanDirt.com (only $6.97); used book stores with a good military manual section; and/or many military surplus stores. Other titles available in military field manuals are: Hand to Hand Fighting, Karate, Tae-Kwon-Do, US Army Special Forces, ST 31-204 and Close Combat and Hand to Hand Fighting, US Marine Corps, FM 0-7.
Good luck and stay fit. – Flhspete

JWR Adds: Keep in mind that reading books on martial arts is no substitute for actual hands-on training. Instinctive, reflexive “muscle memory” in hand-to-hand combatives only comes with lots of practice.

Odds ‘n Sods:

From ABC News (by way of Matt Drudge): Secret Document: U.S. Fear that a Terror “Spectacular’ is Planned for this Summer

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Adam in Ohio sent us a link to an animated cartoon on YouTube, about Post-Peak Oil Preparedness. Adam’s comment: “It’s too close to reality for most of us.”

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Commentary from securities market analyst Tony Jackson: Myth that could undermine credit derivatives.

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I just heard that JRH Enterprises (one of our most loyal advertisers) has on sale a couple of scarce original PVS-14 Gen-3 night vision units, normally $3,600 for just $2,595. These can be used as a handheld, weapon sight or head mount. With a full one year warranty. Only two of these are available, first come first served.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered… deeply, …finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." – George Washington

Note from JWR:

The high bid is still at $190 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a batch of 10 brand new original Imperial Defence SA-80 (AR-15) steel 30 round rifle magazines. The auction ends on July 15th.

I’ve recently had two different readers ask me about recommended spare parts and upgrades for Glock pistols. Since I’m an “old dinosaur” Model 1911 .45 shooter, I don’t feel qualified to comment on Glocks. So I forwarded their questions to Teddy Jacobsen, a master pistolsmith in Texas, who kindly shares his wisdom. (Over the years, he has worked on more than 15,000 pistols and revolvers.) The following is his response:

Recommendations on Glock Spares and Upgrades, by Teddy Jacobsen

I can easily explain how I look at things for a Glock. Basically I see no reason to install these aftermarket parts as a general rule. I am always looking for heat treated guide rods, but most you see are not [properly heat treated]. Check the Brownells book and only Wolff states the[ir product’s Rockwell] hardness. Using a soft rod with a Rockwell hardness of 23 on the “C” scale is not good enough. it must be 50.

Wolff makes hardened steel guide rods with a Rockwell hardness of 50 but you must use his music wire spring, this is ok using the factory standard rating for the recoil spring. these are very good hardened steel guide rods.

When using a Wolff guide rod for the 19 or the 17 you must use wolff music wire springs. I do like the hardened wolff guide rod.

I prefer to use an ISMI flat chrome silicon recoil spring when I have the option. Only one person that i know makes a hardened recoil guide rod that will accommodate this ISMI spring and that is George Smith of EGW in Pennsylvania.

I will give you a parallel on music wire versus chrome silicon wire for springs. In an AR-15 or an M16 the large buffer spring that is supplied (music wire) is good for 25,000 cycles, but if you use the ISMI chrome silicon buffer spring (chrome silicon) it is good for 500,000 cycles. This superior spring is sold exclusively through DavidTubb.com, in Texas. The companies that manufacture the rifles will not spend the extra money for these springs but people like me will.

For spare parts for your Glock, buy a Jentra plug to keep the dirt out of the large hole in the bottom rear of the grip. [Called a “backstrap channel” in Glockese.]

I suggest that an extra extractor is necessary for all Glocks. I do not see many damaged original parts, they are all nickel plated and hold up well. The original guide rod in the 19 and 17 can be used but a hardened steel guide rod is a better option. I would prefer to stay with the original polymer guide rod if you can not find a hardened steel guide rod, it must be heat treated. using a soft steel guide rod will cause the guide rod head to get chewed up in no time. If you stay with the original equipment polymer guide rod , buy a few extra.

The guide rod head in the mini Glocks (26,27,33) does break, I am talking about the original equipment rod supplied with a new Glock, so the Wolff guide rod is a better idea for the minis with Wolff springs.

Teddy Jacobson – Pistolsmith, Actions By T
tel. (281) 565-6977

JWR Adds: Most of the parts that Teddy mentioned are available from Glockmeister or Top Glock. I should also mention that I highly recommend Teddy’s gunsmithing, especially his trigger work. He specializes in M1911 pistols, revolvers, and Sig-Sauer pistols. One proviso: Be prepared for a couple of month delay. (Like most of the best gunsmiths in the country, he has quite a backlog of work.)

On a related note: I have already generically addressed the firearms spare parts issue in SurvivalBlog, and made some recommendations on part suppliers for guns from various makers.

Letter Re: Coastal Southeastern Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Mr. Rawles:

I have to take issue with your abuse of Alaska in your [Recommend Retreat Areas page] location recommendations. There is a substantial area in Southeast Alaska that has none of the downsides you cite. I speak from experience and on the ground knowledge that affirms that the Wrangell-Petersburg area of Southeast Alaska is The absolute best location to be in the U.S. bar none. We have gambled everything on it and were absolutely right. We are not earthquake nor Tsunami prone. The biggest recorded tsunami here was not noticed. The fault lines all go out to sea South of Juneau and North of the Canadian Queen Charlotte Islands. We have an abundance of fresh water and sunshine (my garden attests to that fact!) We have very mild winters (check it and see if yours are nearly so mild). We have no major population centers, nor any targeted sites in the event of nuclear warfare. We have no close volcanic activity in this area either. We have unbelievable natural resources (the first Salmonberries and Blueberries are coming on now and they are everywhere!). We have copious game and fish in addition to the multitude of wild edible plants that we enjoy. We are quite near several glaciers and ice fields for a guaranteed supply of drinking water. Our home school laws are second to none! The Great Depression was hardly noticed here. Read [John] Muir’s accounts of the area, and you will find that the natives grew fat here easily making a living. The salmon run thick in many areas along with many other species of fish. I could eat a clam a day for a month out of one hole on the beach here. No one clams, they are everywhere. Mussels are everywhere. Seals are everywhere. Deer and Elk, and sheep, and Moose. Rest assured that this area will fare better than any other when TEOTWAWKI comes! Property is cheap here. Try $15,000 for 8 acres right off the beach! I am quite content to be alone up here, but thoughts of misrepresentation and sincere seekers being turned away do not sit well with me. There is plenty of room and there are plenty of resources for all here. Who needs fuel? For what? I can get anywhere with my feet or my canoe. We have wood to burn indefinitely, food to eat indefinitely, protection from every conceivable natural disaster, who wants to travel anywhere else? I sure don’t!

Letter Re: Cell Phone Coverage Maps as a Tool in Choosing Retreat Locales

Greetings, Jim:

Several times you have mentioned using “lights of the night sky” [satellite] pictures to show where people are centralized ([assuming that a greater concentration of] people = trouble) in choosing where not to live/retreat. I have another suggestion: the maps of cell phone companies of their cell coverage. Cell phone coverage means lots of people or major travel routes. if a person wants to find a place to get away from people then looking on the no coverage area of cell phone maps is one tool to use. thanks for a great web site and great books. – RE in Oklahoma

JWR Replies: That is a great idea. You’ve just earned yourself a free copy of my novel “Patriots” and a SurvivalBlog Logo Tile Coaster with our compliments. These are your prizes for a “Blinding Flash of the Obvious” (BFO) award. I’ll add one data point to add credence to your assertion: Here at the Rawles Ranch we don’t have cellular service.

Odds ‘n Sods:

“T” recommended this article on “Chameleon” weapons, over at Noah’s DefenseTech blog.OBTW, the comments that follow the article include some interesting links.

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RBS sent us this unusual survival story: Man survives after nearly being sucked out of plane

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Rob at Green Mountain Gear mentioned that he currently has a special on HK91/G3 Alloy magazines in new, unissued condition. Rob notes: “Some of them might have slight handling marks from moving around the world over the years. The first 20rnd magazines I pulled look simply awesome! Hit them with a little degreaser and you have a great looking magazine at a rock bottom price. These are not “bargain bin” used magazines and each shipment will be hand-packed to make sure that no ‘junkers’ slip in. This is not a group buy and thus there is no wait time. First come, first served as there is limited quantity. HK G3 magazines in this condition are drying up fast so this is a great time to stock up. There are no additional quantity discounts available at this time due to availability. I want to make sure everyone has a chance to stock up. However, you can order as many 20 packs as you like. A 20 pack (Twenty HK magazines) is $84.99 mailed to the 48 continental states via USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate ($8.95 is included in the price). That is just $4.24 per magazine, delivered! Most people receive their shipments within three days via this shipping method so it is a real bargain and much cheaper than UPS/FedEx options.”

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Some more “I told you so” headlines: Dollar drops to 26-year low versus Pound Sterling. Meanwhile, Dollar drops against euro on static U.S. interest rates. Near the end of this article, we learn: “The New Zealand dollar rose Friday to 77.39 U.S. cents, the highest level in 22 years, and the Australian dollar climbed to 85.22 cents, the strongest level since 1989.” We can conclude that this is a great time to be a US exporter, but a painful time to be an importer. Likewise, it is a great time to be a European tourist in the U.S., but a lousy time to be “An American in Paris.” Oh, and I almost forgot to mention: Simultaneously, spot gold jumped $10 per ounce. I hope that you all took my advice and minimized your exposure to dollar-denominated investments. Look for more record-breaking declines in the USD in coming months.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 11 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 11 runs for two months, ending on the last day of July. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Reducing Your Sound “Footprint” by Countrytek

I’ve been lurking about SurvivalBlog for about six months now, and have found a lot of useful information hereabouts. There are lots of good tips about securing your retreat and making it less visible. One thing I have noticed though is that there appears to be a blind spot. Why go to all the trouble to screen your retreat location from view and practice nighttime light discipline if you are going to announce your presence far and wide audibly?

One thing I’ve noticed lately is there is a lot of discussion on stocking up on two-cycle and bar oil for chainsaws. For those of you who live in the hinterboonies already: Think back a few months to woodcutting season. I’ll bet if you stop and think about it, you would be able to locate your neighbors for a couple miles around – at least – based on the sounds of their Stihl and Husqvarna–nobody uses Homelite or McCulloch anymore–chainsaws. For those of you not familiar with life in the hinterlands yet: The crisp airs of autumn and early winter carry the sound of chainsaw exhaust for miles. Those things are shrieking banshees that scream “Here I am!” Not only do they announce your location to the world-at-large, they also mask the sound of anyone approaching the woodcutter’s AO. So, even if you post a security detail around your work party, they are going to be relying solely on visual contact to detect approaching hostiles.
To me, the better route would be to leave the chainsaw in the emergency stash, and do your woodcutting with a crosscut saw. Yes, the misery whip “sings,” but its slight ring doesn’t carry nearly as far as the chainsaw’s blare and shriek. (For those who don’t know — The crosscut saw got the nickname “misery whip” because an improperly set and sharpened crosscut saw is exactly that: a miserable implement to spend your days with. Caution: Caring for and using this device requires some skills.)
Side Note: You did notice that I didn’t say “Forget the chainsaws!” didn’t you? I live in ‘quake country and – due to misguided forestry practices over the past century – anyone who lives outside of town these days lives in wildfire country. When I want to get through the roof of a collapsed structure quickly, I’m going to reach for my trusty Stihl, not a crosscut. And, two men with chainsaws can clear a firebreak a lot quicker than two men with a crosscut. Just save the chainsaws for the times that saving time and lives is more important than keeping a low sound profile. There are always trade-offs to be made in survival situations.

You don’t give up all that much in efficiency – if you learn to use and care for your saw properly – by using a crosscut instead of a chainsaw. I’m told that wasn’t until the 1960s that a chainsaw was able to beat a two-man saw in log bucking contests. Those of you who take in logger rodeos know that those bucking saws are the chainsaw hot-rods — they’re anything but stock.
If you have the personnel available, you could send out multiple three-man teams with one two-man saw per team. The “odd man out” would serve as part of the security detail for the wood cutting operation. The cutting team would put their LBE and rifles aside – but close at hand – while the security person would retain his. (Yes, women can hang-to with men on a cross-cut once they learn the pace. I’m saying men for language simplicity.) Every 15 minutes the saw crew could take a 5 minute break and one of them could rotate with the security man. That way, each man spends a maximum of a half-hour on the business end of the saw before getting a 20-minute break. Once everyone is used to the drill, the interval between breaks could be stretched to a half-hour. By sending out multiple teams, you get a larger security detail, and it would be most effective to stagger the breaks so you always have one – or more – security man on point. This reduces the risk of everyone having to rely on sidearms until they can fight their way back to their rifles. (Which is the purpose of a sidearm, in my book: It exists solely to fight your way back to the rifle you shouldn’t have let get out-of-reach in the first place. Or, to acquire another rifle when yours breaks or runs dry. Bad troopie! No cookie!)

Don’t have the personnel? Then use a one-man crosscut saw and have your lovely bride or elder son be your security detail. Whatever you do, don’t get in the habit of sending out work details without a security detail! That’s the easiest way there is to take casualties and leave the door open to deadly infiltration. ([They see someone wearing familiar clothing and say] “It’s Okay! That’s just Bob coming back from cutting wood!”) I am wholeheartedly against “going it alone” post-TEOTWAWKI. If you’re single and alone in the world, you need to build a support group of like-minded individuals that you can rely on. They’re just like finding the perfect bride: They are out there. The problem is finding them. Trust me – I know from experience. I come from a large clan (We’re Celts — the term clan has significant meaning for us.), so I’ll be relying on family. My Dad insured that my brothers and I were all well-familiarized with the crosscut saw as a tool for doing real work. Along with the scythe, the #2 shovel, and a host of other “old school” tools. Once you become familiar with man-powered tools, you will be surprised what you can do in a day.

One way to reduce your exposure is to cut your wood to cord length (4 feet) in the woods, cold deck it, then transport it back to the retreat via horse and sledge once the snows come. (Personally, I’d leave it cold-decked for a year, and then transport it once it’s seasoned — much easier on the people loading the sledge and the horses pulling it. You should have at least two years’ firewood stored at the retreat before TSHTF anyway.) You can buck it to stove length back at the retreat with a one-man saw. Better yet would be to have a water powered buzz saw at the retreat. Quiet, but much less work! Any cord lengths that are too heavy to throw up on your shoulder to tote to the cold deck can be hand split with a maul and wedges. Most hardwoods are much easier to split green than once they’ve seasoned. This brings up another point: Using steel mauls and wedges is just like ringing a bell. So learn how to fabricate a wooden maul and wooden splitting wedges. It’s not all that hard, and the benefit of having your maul and wedges go “thwock” instead of having that high-pitched ping of steel hitting steel is worth it. (The secret is to fashion your wedges from green hardwood rounds, then set them aside to season for at least a year. You can ‘smith up some top rings for your wooden wedges and put them on hot on the seasoned wedges that you’ve soaked in the rain barrel for a couple days. The hot rings will compress the grain on the wedges so they don’t split when hit with the maul. You do the same thing on each end of the maul head, but – of course – the rings are much bigger.)
Here are some sources for crosscut saws and the necessary tools to maintain them:

If you want a good quality new saw at a bargain price, Woodcraft.com carries a five-foot German two-man saw for $74.99:

Lehmans.com carries the saw accessories that will allow you to maintain your saw.

The Federal Highway Administration has a series of articles on using and caring for crosscut saws.

Have you caught on to the fact that when you live in the hinterboonies you operate on a different time scale than the insane pace that city folk try to maintain? You have to learn to think and plan in a completely different manner when you are attempting to be self-reliant for the long term. It’s not an easy adjustment. That’s why I agree with Mr. Rawles: You want to be [long hence] settled in and living at your retreat when this post-modern world comes down around our ears.

One last admonition on “Sound Security:” Buy a [hunting] bow. Learn how to use it. Learn how to stalk and take game with it. Learn to have confidence in it and in your ability to provide for your family with it. Learn how to make a bow from wood from your woodlot, and learn how to make and fletch arrows. Then, when the Schumer goes through the turbines, leave your rifle slung while hunting and take your meat with a well-placed arrow. Rifle reports carry even further than a chainsaw’s banshee shriek. Save your ammo for the hostiles. – Countrytek

JWR Adds: I addressed noise discipline in my novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”, but you are right that it has been insufficiently addressed in SurvivalBlog. Thanks for sharing your comments on this subject. regarding bow hunting: Keep in mind that most state game regulations prohibit carrying a rifle when bow hunting, so your last comment would only apply to an absolute TEOTWAWKI situation.

Three Letters Re: Chainsaws and Long Term Gasoline Storage

Dear Mr Rawles,
After reading Edventures’ letter about there not being any diesel chainsaws available, I had a thought: why not combine an electric chain saw with a small, portable, diesel generator? Besides solving his fuel problem, he would also have a mobile power source that could be used to operate other devises. It’s just a thought.
Best Wishes, – James K.

Sir,
Saw the letter about chainsaws and how stored gas didn’t work well in them. There was some question about the availability of diesel chainsaws and how they aren’t made anymore. ([Since they are] heavy and [have] slow rpm.)
I run my chainsaw on diesel–sort of. I drive a 1994 Ford F250 diesel pickup that I use for gathering firewood. I installed a 2,000 watt inverter with 4,000 watt surge capability. That cost me about $150 from Harbor Freight. A 3.25 horsepower Remington electric chainsaw is plugged in on a 100 ft. heavy duty extension cord.
I cut 10 to 15 cord of firewood every year with this arrangement. The electric chain saw works fairly well as long as the chain is kept sharp. I can only cut firewood within 100 ft of the truck, but frankly, that’s about as far as I care to lug it.
By the way, the truck has been converted to run on waste vegetable oil. Pretty cheap way to gather wood. I do keep a 3.5 foot German steel manual crosscut saw as backup.- Raymond

 

Jim:
First, be sure that the model used is not a smaller [displacement engine] Sthil [chainsaw] that uses the reed valve type carburetor. These are not a very good system.

Second, I’d recommend he quit using Sta-Bil brand gasoline preservative and switch to PRI-G (and PRI-D for diesel ) which are much, much better preservatives. I have personally used them for gasoline as much as four years old and run a Sthil chainsaw just fine with this stored fuel.

One of your advertisers, Ready Made Resources of Tennessee carries PRI [brand fuel preservative products]. – Andy in Jonesboro, Tennessee