Review: CRKT Xan, by Pat Cascio

I want to say that the CRKT (Columbia River Knife & Tool) Xan knife under review in this article is “symmetrical” but that’s not quite true. However, the design simply flows from the tip of the blade to the butt of the handle. It’s a little bit hard to explain, but once you pick up this folder, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. This folder was designed by Darrin William Sirois, a former Spec Ops guy, and it is surely is “tactical” if ever there was a tactically-inspired folding knife.

Those who have followed my knife articles for any length of time will know that I prefer a folder with a blade between 3.5-inches and 4.0-inches in length. That sized blade just seems to balance in my hand a lot better than shorter blades or even longer ones – at least when it comes to folders. That’s not to say I don’t have a use for, or like shorter blades – such is not the case. I like all of them! However, when shopping for a pocket knife for myself – and I do change pocket knives a lot, I like a blade in the above lengths.

The Xan, is made in Taiwan, for those who are interested, and CRKT has been having their knives made there for many years. I won’t give away any factory secrets. However, someone from the CRKT headquarters is frequently in Taiwan making sure that everything is being run the way CRKT wants it run, and that no shortcuts are being made. It is a labor of love for CRKT, to bring us the finest cutlery they can, at the best and most affordable prices – being made in Taiwan, really keeps the prices down, and we can expect some great deals and outstanding cutlery at the same time. And we are talking Taiwan — Free China, not the Mainland People’s Republic of China. What’s not to like about this kind of deal?Continue reading“Review: CRKT Xan, by Pat Cascio”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we obsevrve rising precious metals prices as the threat of war looms over Ukraine. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Gold prices near all-time high amid tensions in Eastern Europe.

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New High Grade Discovery Near Ontario’s 1st Gold Mine.

Economy & Finance:

Junk-bond issuance pauses as Russia threatens Ukraine, with spreads at their widest level in a year. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)

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At Zero Hedge: Shocker From Fed Repo Oracle Zoltan Pozsar: Powell Must Crash The Market.

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The Washington Post: Mortgage rates soar to levels not seen in nearly three years.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 20, 2022

This is the birthday of novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson (1926–2013). He wrote many sci-fi television scripts. His novella I Am Legend later was adapted into three different movies over the course of five decades, and his story Bid Time Return became the charming movie Somewhere In Time.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 99 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 99 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.

 

The US as Babylon The Great, and What it Means to Preppers, by R.G.

Nowhere in the Bible is there a description of a latter-day Superpower that impacts the whole earth until the One World Government comes. Where is a Superpower like USA, or even China, described in the Biblical events leading to Christ’s return and Armageddon? Well, there is a detailed description in Revelation chapter 18 of a great Superpower that is destroyed leading up to the final days. This superpower is called Babylon the Great. Could this be America?

Many Christian scholars believe Babylon to be Rome and/or the Catholic Church. They believe Rome’s destruction started in 410 A.D., continued with the decline of the Roman Empire and the ascendance/decline of the Catholic Church, and will conclude with final destruction as part of the 10-horn beast during the Tribulation.

But there are a growing number of believers who have concluded that the 10-horn beast spoken of in Daniel and Revelation is not a resurgence of the Roman Empire, rather 10 Islamic nations that encircle Israel. This theory and others conclude that Revelation 18 refers to America. I have always thought “Babylon” was someplace else, anywhere else but here, for I truly love America. But I have been given several “impressions” over the last year that point to the Christian Church in America needing to ask forgiveness for America’s checkered past and repent of our current lifestyle.

I do believe that America was founded on Biblical Judaean/Christian principles but we have strayed so far from those principles just over my lifetime of 70+ years. The Church has now become the frog in the boiling water that can’t feel the changes coming until being destroyed, enslaved or placed in re-education camps. That is, unless God intervenes with the rapture or Revelations 18 or both. We all hope and pray for the pre-trib rapture, but I believe we should also prepare for the possibility that Rev. 18 is speaking about America and prior to the rapture.

Let’s take a look at some of the key passages that would point to Rev. 18 being about USA. Remember, Revelation is written like many books in the Bible: Inductive to deductive then back again, so the verses do not line up in sequential order. Here, I will try to place the main ideas of Rev 18 in somewhat chronological order.Continue reading“The US as Babylon The Great, and What it Means to Preppers, by R.G.”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:31-38 (KJV)

S&W M&P .40 Pistol, by Pat Cascio

I spent a good portion of my life lusting after the newest and coolest firearms that came on the market. I used to haunt quite a few gun shops in the Chicago area, Colorado Springs, Colorado, all over Oregon, and some other spots. Needless to say, there was no way I could afford to purchase all the firearms I wanted – and I still can’t. Most gun writers that I know can’t purchase all the guns they would like to have – not on their salaries – believe me, I know! We are fortunate, in that, if we are well-known in the industry, they will send us firearms for testing, and at the end of the “on-loan” period, we either have to return the firearms, or we are given the opportunity to purchase the same. Of course, the gun makers give us a fairly good price – after all, we are purchasing “used” firearms, and they really don’t want to have to re-stock used guns. It’s a fair deal all the way around. Still, we can’t afford to purchase all the gun samples we’d like to – sad to say!

Many gun writers that I know work other jobs, and writing about firearms is a secondary income. And, believe it or not, gun writers, don’t make nearly as much money as you think we do. I used to work full-time at writing about guns – one of the few writers in the business. These days, I call myself semi-returned – although it seems like a full-time job. Up until this month, I usually wrote five articles per month for SurvivalBlog.com – and it takes up a lot of my time. My wife is a retired school teacher, so we live on a very modest income these days. So, I’m extremely limited in the number of gun samples that I can now purchase. Fortunately, over the years, I’ve “collected” a very modest gun collection, and I write about many of those guns – the newest guns on the market are on loan, and many times I’m forced to return the samples. I just can’t afford to purchase them.

My former employer, Col. Rex Applegate had two favorite gun companies. He loved the Smith & Wesson and Ruger brands of handguns. Both brands had also been favorites of mine, even before I met Applegate. During those early years when I started writing, S&W was coming out with, a new handgun variant a week, or so it seemed. I often found that UPS was bringing me a box full of new handguns to test and write about. I mean, I would literally I’d get a box with half a dozen or more handguns in it, almost weekly.

Today, we are looking at the S&W M&P .40 S&W full-sized handgun. This particular model has been discontinued, in favor of the improved model, a Gen 2 version, if you will. However, there is nothing obsolete about this M&P version – it was and still is a fine handgun for duty use, or even for a concealed carry piece. Glock just about owns the U.S. law enforcement market, with their fine line of handguns. However, over the past couple of years, S&W and SIG Sauer have made inroads. Our own US Military adopted the SIG Sauer P320 — as the M17/M18 — and this was a real feather in the cap of SIG. I can’t find anything to fault with the new SIG 9mm pistol, and I believe it is a better pistol than the Beretta M9 that it is replacing. That is just my two cents worth.

Some police departments (PDs) around my area, and around the rest of Oregon, are still carrying the Glock 17 or 19 models – again, a great choice. However, many are still clinging to whatever their department issued. However, many more decided that if the new SIG Sauer was good enough for our military, then it was time to purchase those pistols. A lot of it comes down to whatever the FBI is issuing, then they are good enough for the PDs. Then we also have many PDs issuing the same ammo that the FBI issues to their Agents. A lot of this comes down to that many PDs and individual officers just want the newest and coolest handguns on the market – don’t really blame them. However, it is usually the taxpayers who are paying for their next guns.

The S&W M&P is an outstanding handgun in many ways. And, just because the local PD decided to trade those guns in for the newest and coolest handgun, in no way makes the M&P obsolete. Still, many PDs traded their duty guns in for either the Gen 2 models or for some other make. And, this is great news for us gun owners. I picked up this particular M&P used – but 99% as-new – at my local gun shop, for $300. That was a steal-of-a-deal if you ask me. Yeah, the Gen 2 versions have a slightly better trigger pull. However, I don’t find the trigger pull on the original model to be a handicap at all.Continue reading“S&W M&P .40 Pistol, by Pat Cascio”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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

Jim Reports:

This past week was a bit hectic. I had to open a new bank account. This necessitated taking several trips into town, to handle all of the paperwork. I still have to redirect a few recurring direct deposits. I’ll fill you in with some details about this, next week.

This month we’ve been busy remodeling our kitchen. Other than a few appliance replacements, nothing had been changed in the kitchen since the house was built in the early 1990s. This will keep us busy for several more weeks.

Now, over to Lily…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.

And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” – Genesis 37:1-20 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — February 18, 2022

February 18th, 1898 was the birthday of Enzo Ferrari, the car manufacturer who originated the car that carries his family name.

Today is also the birthday of astronaut Theodore Cordy “Ted” Freeman (February 18, 1930 – October 31, 1964.) He was killed in a birdstrike flying accident, while flying a T-38 Talon jet trainer. He was the first casualty of NASA’s manned space program. Fittingly, Ted Freeman’s name is inscribed on a memorial plaque that was left on the moon, by Apollo astronauts.

This is also the birthday of Jack Palance (1919–2006), an actor known for his Tough Guy roles, such as the rebel leader Jesus Raza, in The Professionals.

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Today, with permission, we present a guest article by Brandon Smith, the Editor of Alt-Market.us.

Separation Or Purge? Sharing A Society With The Political Left Is Impossible, by Brandon Smith

Of all the social drivers in history the concept of freedom is the most powerful and fascinating. There are many observable objective truths in the world and it’s always important to recognize them, but the idea of freedom is more rare because it is a universal SUBJECTIVE truth. Meaning, it exists inherently in the majority of individuals; we don’t learn it, we just know it instinctively. Most of us share the experience but there is no microscope or telescope in existence that can observe that experience. We just have to trust it, or perhaps, have faith.

Freedom is not taught to us, we are born with the idea already hardwired. If anything, it has to be conditioned out of us.

We can see the aftereffects of the human experience of freedom in the great upheavals that occur when our societies become too rigid, too controlled, and too authoritarian. Some will argue that tyrants have no concept of freedom and this debunks the notion that it’s an inherent psychological quality, but this is a misconception. Many tyrants love freedom, but only for themselves. Like an obsessive-compulsive, when the average authoritarian sees free movement within the rest of society all he sees is chaos that needs to be micro-managed. He is so mentally unhinged by the existence of independent activity that he is compelled to crush it and impose his brand of “order.”

If you want to understand the thinking process of the political left today, this is where you need to start. They believe only certain special people deserve to have freedom (or deserve to live), and they are of course part of that group. The rest of us can’t be trusted with freedom because we “think the wrong way,” and so we need to be corralled and fenced in.Continue reading“Separation Or Purge? Sharing A Society With The Political Left Is Impossible, by Brandon Smith”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at the results of the recent Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) emergency meeting. (See the Economy & Finance section.)

Precious Metals:

Gold touches $1,900 for the first time since June on flare up in Russia-Ukraine tensions.

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Gold Is The Geopolitical Hedge Of First Resort, Goldman Sees $2150 Within 12 Months.

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Gold price is ready for ‘substantial’ move as inflation gets worse, war looms in Europe – Gary Wagner.

Economy & Finance:

Unwinding a $9 Trillion balance sheet: Fed minutes show central bank ready to raise rates, shrink balance sheet soon.

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At MSN Money: Two reasons Americans just dove into credit card debt faster than they have in 22 years.

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From the FOMC minutes: The Fed is allowing banks to perform overnight lending on securities.

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Now on the Fed’s Table: Sell Bonds Outright to Push Up Long-Term Yields, Steepen the Yield Curve, and Get Rid of MBS.

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Gold up, and stocks down: Dow drops more than 600 points in worst decline of 2022 as Russia-Ukraine tensions worry investors.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”