Cold Steel Recon 1 XL Folding Knife, by Thomas Christianson

“That’s not a knife. This is a knife!” (Paul Hogan as Mick Dundee, in Crocodile Dundee, 1986).

When I took the Cold Steel Recon 1 XL out of its box for the first time and deployed the blade, the attempted mugging scene from Crocodile Dundee immediately came to mind. The Recon 1 XL is bigger than the average everyday carry (EDC) knife: a lot bigger. It has a 5.5-inch blade that is 0.15 inches thick and 1.63 inches wide. It is 12.25 inches long when the blade is deployed. And it weighs 8 ounces.

The knife is 6.75 inches long, when folded. I thought that might be too long to fit in my left front pants pocket, but I was wrong. It made it a little more challenging to stick my hand in that pocket to retrieve the ink pen, Swiss Army SD Classic knife, or plasma lighter that I store there. But after a few days I got used to it, and forgot the knife was there unless I happened to need it.

The blade is made of CPM XHP stainless steel. The handle is made of G-10. (G-10, aka Garolite is a high-pressure fiberglass laminate.) The blade deploys using dual thumb studs, and is held open by Cold Steel’s famous Tri-Ad Lock.Continue reading“Cold Steel Recon 1 XL Folding Knife, by Thomas Christianson”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

This weekly column features media from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest.  This week: Some more backcountry flying videos.

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.” – John Adams

Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 16, 2026

On February 16, 1960, the newly-commissioned 447-foot US nuclear submarine USS Triton (SSRN/SSN-586) set off on a 60-day underwater round-world trip — the first submarine to do so.  The sub’s skipper, Captain Edward L. “Ned” Beach Jr., was also famous as the author of Run Silent, Run Deep.

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February 16,1968: The first US 911 phone system went into service in Haleyville, Alabama.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Ready Made Resources is Up For Sale!

Most SurvivalBlog readers are familiar with Ready Made Resources – a reputable survival and self-reliance company serving the prepper community since 1996. They have been a SurvivalBlog advertiser for more than 20 years. With the recent cancer death of company Founder & CEO, Robert E. “Bob” Griswold, the company had lost its driving force. His widow is now looking for a buyer who can carry on the mission and the longstanding name of Ready Made Resources.

Ready Made Resources has an amazing deep inventory, a large mailing list, and drop-shipment agreements that are still active with dozens of suppliers / manufacturers. Their product line is diverse: Multiple brands of storage foods, multiple brands of water filtration systems, radio communications, night vision gear and accessories, medical gear, water pumps, water bricks, lightweight folding bicycles, knives, survival tools, gun accessories, self reliance / survival books, solar ovens, freeze dryers and dehydrators, pressure cookers, dry-canners, flashlights and weapons lights, Faraday cages, well pumps and buckets, backpacking/camping gear, body armor, binoculars and spotting scopes, photovoltaic panels and inverters,12VDC and other off-grid power gear, and a lot more.

They’ve been operating Ready Made Resources out of Tellico Plains, Tennessee. But the business could be operated almost anywhere in CONUS with dry storage space, two phone lines, a stable internet connection, and year-round road access for USPS, UPS, DHL, and FedEx.  They are selling all of the business as an ongoing operation, except their warehouse/office building. So this includes their company name, domain names, logos, artwork, web designs, product photo library, custom-coded online shopping cart system, all of their on-hand inventory, mailing/marketing lists, packaging/labeling supplies, courseware, computers, business phone system, existing drop-shipping contracts, spare parts, promotional videos, their standing orders and back-orders, and most importantly their 30 years of accumulated “good will” that is based on their outstanding customer service and solid reputation with thousands of satisfied customers.  The photos show just a small part of their inventory.

Do you know of anyone who is interested in operating an Internet/mail-order preparedness business? If so, potential buyers can e-mail me, and I will provide contact information.

This is a great opportunity to buy an existing “turn-key” business venture! – JWR

Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 6, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.)

The .223 Remington

I love the .223 Remington (.223 Rem). The rounds are relatively inexpensive and can be found anywhere. There is a plethora of bullet grain weights, designs and bullet tips. There is also an unlimited amount of firearm platforms to find that best fits you and your needs. I use a bolt action Ruger American Ranch rifle. Ruger makes an excellent, inexpensive and durable rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO. It has a detachable magazine and the comes in a 1:8 twist. My rifle has consistently and accurately shot a variety of manufacturers bullets, but it performs best with handloads. I consistently shoot sub-moa groups, under .5 inches at 100 yards with handloads. The .223 Rem/5.56 NATO has enough oomph to take down any small game and some predatory animals in the United States. The .223 Rem can also be used for some big game. I know people who hunt wild pigs and whitetail deer with it.Continue reading“Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 6, by Lodge Pole”

Recipe of the Week: 

The following recipe for Spring Greens Enchiladas is from SurvivalBlog reader Kurt W.

Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 4-6 cups of chopped greens, any variety (spinach, chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc.)
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, pepperjack, or Monterey jack.)
  • 6 flour tortillas
  • 15 oz jar (or about 2 cups) of salsa
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a casserole dish and set it aside.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add chopped greens with another pinch of salt and a bit of black pepper. Stir to coat. Cook until greens are cooked do
  3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
  4. Stir in the flour.
  5. Add milk and then slowly add the shredded cheese, whisking frequently until you have a thick sauce.
  6. Stir cheese sauce into the greens.
  7. Divide the mixture between the tortillas, roll, and place them into prepared casserole dish.
  8. Spread salsa of your choice over the enchiladas.
  9. Bake for 25 minutes.

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Do you have a well-tested 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 recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

 

Today’s graphic: The United States of WalMart. In this map, each polygon contains exactly one Walmart store and represents the area closer to that store than any other. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

JWR’s Comments:  My family lives in the American Redoubt, where the population density is quite low, and the WalMart density is correspondingly low.  Hence, the large polygons seen in the Intermountain West.  It is a two-hour drive to the nearest WalMart from the Rawles Ranch.

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“An orchard can grow pastured poultry underneath. A beef cattle or sheep farm can run pastured poultry behind the herbivores, like the egret on the rhino’s nose.” – Joel Salatin

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 15, 2026

90 years ago, today: The coldest day in North Dakota history. Minus 60 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale was recorded on February 15th, 1936, by a coal miner and volunteer National Weather Service weather observer in Parshall, North Dakota. This remains the lowest temperature ever recorded in the state. Pictured is the Broste Museum in Parshall, North Dakota.

February 15th 1809: Birthday of Cyrus Hall McCormick, inventor of a mechanical reaper.

Gun developer Richard “Dick” Casull was born on February 15, 1931. Casull passed away on May 6, 2018 after a long battle with cancer. Dick Casull is most famous for his design of the .454 Casull revolver, along with many other handgun and rifle designs. He held 17 firearm patents.

Today, I’d also like to wish Mike Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large) a Happy Birthday!

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 5, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 4.)

Practical Hunting Gear

The basic gear I carry, regardless of season, is listed below.

Clothing that fits and is proper for the environment you’re in. This includes a hat. Always have a change of socks.

Firearm and spare ammunition. Every single rifle and shotgun I own has an elastic buttstock ammo carrier as well as a sling with ammunition loops sewn in. (Butler Creek makes a great sling with ammo loops.) I like these because accessing spare rounds is more convenient and it doesn’t require me to carry so much ammo in my pack.

Knife. I always, and I mean always, have at least a pocketknife on me. I never leave home without it. When I am in the field, I also carry a Leatherman multitool as well as a fixed blade knife. The fixed blade does not get used for butchering or cleaning. Its sole purpose is a last-ditch self-defense tool, or to build a shelter if needed. Fortunately, I have never needed to use it for either. The Leatherman I carry is the Surge model. I have carried it for about twelve years. It has gutted and cleaned deer and many birds. The only thing that I have had to replace, is the sheath. Leatherman makes a phenomenal product. I also carry a small sharpener in my pack.

Water in a non-insulated canteen and purifier. If needed, I can boil water in a non-insulated container.

Ways to make fire. I carry matches, lighter, ferro rod and a petroleum-based fire cube in my pack.

Rope/paracord

First aid kit which includes a small tube of hand sanitizer and foot powder
Toilet paper
Food/snacks
Tent, blanket, stove, etc. When I hunt for several days at a time, I have a fixed base camp. My camp gear depends on the time of year and where we’re camping, i.e. forests, plains, high desert, etc.
Backpack/satchel. Make sure there is room in your pack for whatever animal you are pursuing.
An orange whistle attached to an exterior zipperContinue reading“Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 5, by Lodge Pole”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

I’m Curious… In The Latest Epstein Documents Release

Why are There Hundreds of References to Pizza, Beef Jerky, and Grape Soda?

News Links:

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” – Matthew 7:1-20 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — February 14, 2026

On February 14, 1803, writing the majority opinion text of the landmark Marbury v. Madison case, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall declared that any act of U.S. Congress that conflicts with the Constitution is null and void.

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February 14, 1804: Karadjordje led the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire.

—

And February 14, 1942 was the birthday of the late Prepper/Economist Dr. Gary North.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 4, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 3.)

Pros and Cons of Raising Animals for Food

As with anything in life, there are pros and cons. Below, I have compiled a list of my personal pros and cons when it comes to raising animals for food.

Pros

You can control what variety/species of animals you want to raise to give you the most amount of meat. You can choose the type of meat you want to have in your household. If you like peacock meat, you can raise it. If you like ostrich eggs, you can raise it.

With chickens, you can control the variety/color(s) of eggs that sell well in your community. In my area, a lot of egg buyers like colorful eggs, so we raise birds that lay brown, green and several shades of blue eggs. If we get to a point where food is too expensive and selling eggs starts costing me money, or the grid were to go down, I will harvest ALL the layers that are specifically for “colored eggs” keep the highest production layers.
With chickens, if you properly rotate and cull your flock, you can consistently have food on hand, be it meat or eggs. Having the proper varieties of laying hens (best suited for your climate), and providing them with good, nutritious food/allowing free ranging, your birds will consistently lay eggs in the spring, summer and fall months. Egg laying generally slows in the winter when daylight hours are shorter. I do not provide artificial light in the winter months, because that is the time for the birds bodies to rest from laying eggs the rest of the year. During times of high egg production, figure out a way of preservation that works/tastes best for you and your family. We pickle several hundred eggs a year for the times when egg production is lean.
You can harvest meat all year.Continue reading“Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 4, by Lodge Pole”