SOG Knives’ Power Play Multi-Tool, by Pat Cascio

Many folks ask me what types of things they should put in their Bug Out Bag (BOB), and this is a hard one for me to answer. We all have different needs and different ideas about this. When I tell some of these folks what I put in my BOB, they question some of my choices. If they are smarter than I am, then why are they coming to me for advice in the first place? I don’t claim to be an expert in anything; I’m just a serious student in a lot of fields. However, over the course of the past 25 years as a writer, I’ve tested all kinds of products, including firearms, knives, camping gear, survival gear, and many other products. So, I feel I have a good grasp on what works and what doesn’t work. I carry a firearm every day, as do a lot of people. One never knows when we might need it. I also carry one or two knives each day. This comes with testing knives for articles. Ditto is true on the firearms. Each day I also carry a multi-tool, which is the tool I use most on a daily basis.

The original Swiss Army Knife, while a great idea, was never to my own satisfaction, and I’ve owned quite a few of these multi-purpose knives. To be sure, there are actually two official Swiss Army Knife makers. Of course, there are a lot of cheap (and I do mean cheap quality) clones of Swiss Army Knives out there. These clones simply are not worth a dime, if you ask me. I wouldn’t carry one or use one, and I have tested them. They are junk, plain and simple. The original Swiss-made army knives are very high quality. Still, they aren’t meant for hard use. I’ve had more than one literally come apart in my hand under hard use.

Enter the multi-tool, which are being produced by several different companies these days. Once again, buy quality. Don’t buy cheap junk for a couple bucks; they will only fail you when you need them the most. One of the leaders in the mutil-tool field is SOG Knives, and they are constantly coming out with new multi-tools. It’s hard to keep up with them. Most folks think, “Well, I already have a multi-tool. What’s new about this one?” There are many new features that someone should take into consideration. When I run across a new model of multi-tool that does everything my current one does and then some, it has my interest.

Enter the new SOG Power Play multi-tool. The Power Play is a smaller package; it isn’t a full-sized, overly large multi-tool. It falls into that “just right” niche, if you ask me. I’ve had large multi-tools in the past, and I only carried them for a short time because they were too big for my use. One of the main features on multi-tools are the pliers. Some are just plain-Jane, everyday pliers, while some have multi-uses, as the Power Play does. More on this later.

One complaint I have with many multi-tools is that you have to open them in order to access one or two of the knife blades. It shouldn’t be that way, if you ask me. When I pull out a knife blade, I want it fast and easy with nothing complicated. The Power Play allows you to access a straight edge plain blade as well as a fully serrated blade without opening the tool. Thats nice! I also like the SOG compound leverage when using the pliers. It doubles the gripping strength of the pliers, without doubling the amount of hand pressure you have to use, which is a great idea!

There’s hardly a day that goes by where something on my small homestead doesn’t need a repair of some type, from simply tightening a screw on a handgun grip to cutting wire to opening packages from FedEx, UPS, or the USPS. I don’t enjoy having to run back into the house when I run across something that just needs a minor repair and then having to dig through my tool box, which is always a mess, to look for the right tool for the right job. The multi-tool eliminates many of these back and forth trips into the house for the right tool. I’m not talking about overhauling the engine on my pick-up truck, but at times all that is needed is to tighten the clamp on a leaky radiator hose, and multi-tools have several different screw drivers that can get that job done.

Let’s take a close look at all the tools that are contained in the Power Play, and there are 18 of them listed below:

  • ¼-inch bit driver
  • 3-sided file
  • Awl
  • Bolt grip channel
  • Bottle opener
  • Fully serrated blade
  • Hex bit kit
  • Jewelry driver
  • Large flat screw driver
  • Medium flat screw driver
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Phillips screw driver
  • Ruler
  • Small flat screw driver
  • Straight edge knife blade
  • Wire crimper
  • Wire cutter
  • Wood saw

Whew! That’s a lot of useful tools in some compact multi-tool, and keep in mind that these are quality tools rather than junk that will break easily. Also, should something break on your multi-tool from SOG, they will repair or replace it, period!

I really like the Hex bit kit that fits nicely inside the Nylon belt sheath. It slips right in, and all the hex bits are contained in a rubber sleeve so they won’t get lost. Now, of course, you aren’t going to replace a socket set with the hex bit kit; however, you can do many jobs with these small bits.

Remember all those survival knives from the 1980s that had saws on the blades? Did you ever really try sawing something with those survival knives that had the saw on the top of the blade? Most were useless. The saw on the Power Play is a real saw; you can saw some pretty large tree branches with it. If you want to win a competition with someone who brags about their hollow handle survival knife with a saw on the blade, see how fast they can saw through a 2X4 compared to how fast you can saw through it with the small saw blade on your Power Play. It’s no contest; you’ll win!

On more than one occasion, our can opener in the kitchen bit the dust when we needed it the most, and a multi-tool with the can opener tool saved the day. Ever have a screw come loose on your eye glasses? Yep, the Power Play can save the day and tighten that screw. There’s no need to go into all the uses of various screw driver bits on the Power Play; they all worked great. I like the fully serrated blade for cutting wet rope or polymer rope. Wet rope is tough to cut with a plain blade, and polymer rope is tough to cut all the time, but with a serrated blade it is no chore at all.

The pliers on the Power Play, at first glance, cause you to think they’re just a pair of simple needle nose pliers, but they’re far from it. There is also a wire crimper, which sure comes in handy when splicing wires together, and the wire cutter beats using the knife blade.

Now, while SOG advertises that the Power Play has 18 different tools, that’s not quite accurate, if you ask me. The Hex bit kit contains a dozen different hex bits, so by my count, that comes out to 30 different tools, if you include all the hex bits.

The Power Play is made in China, if that matters to you; it doesn’t to me. SOG won’t sell any junk, and they had it made in China for cost savings to the company and the end user. All the tools are made out of stainless steel for a lifetime of use and abuse. With all the features of the Power Play, SOG has managed to keep the retail price down at $89, and you can find it for less money if you shop around, too.

So, to answer one of the questions about what I have in a BOB, I carry a multi-tool on my belt each and every day, and I keep another one in my BOB. No one has yet to question my choice of a good multi-tool in my BOB. It should be in your BOB as well as one on your belt for everyday use. Check out the short video from SOG on the Power Play

As an aside, SOG also sent me their new “Traction” every day carry folder, and if you are in the market for an inexpensive folder that you can use and abuse, check out this neat little folder. It retails for a mere $26, and it is made by SOG! How can you go wrong?

– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week: For Tomato Aholics, by S.T.

Yes, I admit my family are Tomato Aholics. We love tomato sauce and whole canned tomatoes. Our most favorite meals are made with tomato sauce.

This should take four hours of time and produce a minimum of eight different meals. Depending on the amount of sauce you make, it will produce from 8 to 16 meals in just approximately four hours of time.

When we had children at home, every Saturday while the kids were at soccer, I would cook for the week and make meals that could be frozen and then placed in the oven for dinner each night. Any leftovers would be used for after school snacks. After a few weeks of this type of cooking and freezing of meals, we were in a great rotation. Another week I would make soups and stews. Then another week I would make tuna noodle casserole and homemade baked macaroni and cheese. The Thanksgiving turkey would be turned into soup, hot turkey sandwiches, and turkey salad. The Christmas ham would be turned into ham sandwiches and split pea soup.

  1. Start with a very large pot or a turkey roaster. The size will depend on your family size. A turkey roaster is easier to work with in removing the sauce.
  2. Fill your big pot with your homemade pasta sauce, seasoned to taste and filled with bell peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs. Do not add any meat or any mushrooms to the pot.
  3. Let’s start on the meals.
  4. Move enough for 1 1/2 to 2 meals for your family to a separate pot; add the necessary well-rinsed and drained dark red kidney beans and ground beef, which is seasoned with chili powder and then separate into two different freezer containers.
  5. The first container will make a bowl chili for your family. Place this in the freezer. The second container will make a baked potato chili bar for your family. Place these in the freezer. We love baked potato chili bar made with baked potatoes, chili, fresh chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, and cheese.
  6. Using lasagna noodles build a pan of lasagna using layers of the noodles, then pasta sauce and cheese; with the amount of cheese, no meat is needed. Cover with foil and place in the freezer.
  7. Cook a cube steak or a minute steak for each family member and place in a roasting pan; then add two large onions cut into quarters and one small can of drained mushrooms; cover with your pasta sauce. Cover with foil and place in the freezer.
  8. Cook three Italian sausages for each family member and then open a hoggie roll and line with provolone cheese; add one of the sausages and add a little sauce and you now have Italian sausage subs for your dinner.
  9. Cook three meat balls for each family member, then open a hoggie roll and line with provolone cheese, add the meat balls, and add a little sauce, and you now have Italian meatball subs for dinner tomorrow.
  10. Take the extra two Italian sausages for each family member and place in a roasting pan; in a frying pan with olive oil saute quartered onions and strips of red and green bell peppers until soft; pour over the sausages, and then cover with the pasta sauce. Cover with foil and place in the freezer.
  11. Add cooked ground beef to the balance of the pasta sauce, to be used for spaghetti sauce. Depending upon how much sauce is left, you may also have enough to also make another pan of lasagna or Swiss Steak before you add any cooked ground beef or even enough sauce to make five more meals to fill your freezer.

Some additional meals that can be made with this pasta sauce is Chicken Cacciatore, Pizza, Cheese Ravioli, and Manicotti. You have many meals that this one pot of pasta sauce created:

  • Chili
  • Baked potato chili bar
  • Lasagna
  • Swiss Steak
  • Italian Sausage subs
  • Meatball subs
  • Sausage and Peppers
  • Spaghetti

Final Thoughts:

Pasta, like dried beans, requires more water and a longer cooking time the older the pasta. So we no longer store spaghetti noodles but instead store angel hair noodles.

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Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Letter Re: Propane As An Energy Source

A very interesting and informative article, but I’d like to add a couple things. Some 500 gallon propane tanks are fitted with what’s known as a “wet leg”. It is another valve situated on the top of the tank, in addition to the main valve. It’s plumbed to a pipe running to the bottom of the tank, with its purpose being refilling smaller tanks, like 20 lb portables. It requires a specially fitted hose, the shorter and larger diameter the better; 10 feet works well in 3/4” diameter. I mention a short length as disconnecting the hose from the bottle causes you to lose whatever propane was in the hose, and larger diameter to reduce the time required for filling. I purchased three used tanks from a propane supplier, with the specific requisite that at least one have a “wet leg”. It cost the same as the other used tanks. The hose, including already attached fittings cost $38. They are available; you just have to find them. Also, the “tare weight” of the bottle itself will be stamped on the valve guard/handle. Using a bathroom scale on a board, adding the tare weight to the desired amount of propane weight, 17 lbs, will give you an accurate stop point. – O. T.

Economics and Investing:

The Little Rascals Of Government Want Your 401K Account – B.B.

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U.S. Shale To Kill Off Oil Price Rally. Oil prices have been showing signs of weakness last week, affected by bearish production and inventory data from the U.S.

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Gold’s Blistering Gain This Week Rewarded Contrarian Traders…But Can The Rally Continue?

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Why Fractional-Reserve Banking Would Be Limited in an Unhampered Market

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Please Pray For Israel — The Imminent 72-Nation Forced Palestinian State Final Solution

A meeting of 72 nations is being held in Paris on Sunday, January 15th, 2017. This meeting was rushed to be completed before the upcoming swearing-in of President-elect Donald Trump—no doubt because of his planned shift in U.S. Policy toward Israel. It is noteworthy that President Obama has repeatedly stabbed Israel in the back diplomatically, most recently in abstaining rather than vetoing a crucial UN vote on Israel’s future. But in contrast Donald Trump has a genuine heart for Israel and has repeatedly promised to have the U.S. Embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Paris conference is being characterized as a “peace conference” by the world press, but in actuality, it was brokered behind the scenes as a mechanism to force a two-state solution on Israel (creating a Palestinian State), and to rob Israel of control of East Jerusalem, The West Bank region (the heart of Israel) and all access to the Temple Mount, including the Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall). John Kerry will be there at the conference, but representatives from Israel were not be allowed to attend. This a forced external resolution—not a bilateral agreement.

We are about to enter truly momentous days of great prophetic magnitude. The Obama Administration’s State Department most likely drafted the key portions of the plan and will be presenting it to the delegations of which will meet in the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday (January 17th) to vote it into international law. Basically it will say that Israel is an illegitimate “outlaw” nation. Revoking this Resolution would require another meeting and another vote—something that the Trump Administration will probably not be able to accomplish. The Editors of SurvivalBlog believe that the Tanach and Brit Chadasha (the whole Bible) are the literal Words of God, all that is said in it is the truth, and all that He has said will come to be. God is true and just and exists and this is His Word to His people, that is, all who will listen to it and trust and obey it, both Jew and Gentile. His Word will not return empty. His promises are true forever!

Many of our readers are Believers in Christ and will understand the implications of this. However, to remove any doubt that we’re living in prophetic days, here are some scriptures to read and pray about: Zechariah Chapter 12 is very significant on several levels. Verse 2 says: “Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people around about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.” Verse 3: “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for ALL people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”

Verse 9 and 10 state: “And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.” [Emphasis added.]

Also read Joel 3:1-2, which reads: “For behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. I will gather ALL the nations and will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and have parted my land.” [Emphasis added.]

Zechariah 2:8-13 states: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” And consider Genesis 12:2-3, wherein, to Abraham and his descendants this promos is made: “I will Make of thee a great nation, and I will Bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing.

And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (through Abraham’s seed comes the Messiah and the blessing of Salvation to all who will believe.) The Messiah’s role is to bring salvation to us from our sins and to reconcile us to God the Father, the creator of Heaven and Earth, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the restore Judah and Israel. The Messiah comes not only to redeem Judah and Israel but also to redeem all the families of the Earth. (This includes ingrafted Gentiles, with faith in Jesus.)

By dividing the land of Israel, the Nations are cursing Abraham’s descendants and also cursing God. Therefore God and will surely bring Judgment on the nations who participate. There is the possibility of an economic collapse this year if there is a decision against Israel, also great floods, famines, droughts, earthquakes, snowstorms, bitter cold, volcanic eruptions, and so forth during this new year in the United States and in the nations that “touched” (betrayed) Israel. We pray for the protection of Israel and God’s Remnant in other nations.

Psalm 83 is also significant. There is some thinking that this is the Palestinians against Israel (these nations mentioned actually represent the nations currently surrounding Israel that are considered Palestinian) and that this is the Intifada wars plus perhaps a great type of war that comes in the future.

Ezekiel 38-39 is key to understanding the days that we’re entering. Russia is currently in Syria and has many warships just 30 miles away from Israel. Turkey has become a dictatorship under Erodogan. Iran has gone rogue, while Saudi Arabia is actually fairly neutral at this time. Notice in scripture how Israel responds to the northern countries that invade Israel for her treasures. (Note Israel’s recent large oil and natural gas discoveries, both close offshore in the Mediterranean, and onshore in the Golan Heights.)

Here are some online video resources to investigate:

Conclusion

Please pray for peace and for the continuity and territorial integrity of the nation of Israel. Remember that the land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael) has been promised to the Jews since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is rightfully theirs, and this is borne out by archaeological evidence of ancient Jewish settlements on hilltops throughout the land—most notably in the West Bank. The so-called Palestinians are modern Arab interlopers, most of whom immigrated from Egypt and other Arab nations after 1948. (Very few of them had lived in Israel under the British Mandate.)

Please pray hard folks, and let your voices be heard in Congress and to the Trump Administration. – JWR and Avalanche Lily

New Year’s Leadership-Part 3, by Sarah Latimer

Are You the Leader?

So many of us today think we are in control and have to take care of everything. I sometimes fall into this faulty thinking myself. I get too bound up in the thinking that everything rests on my shoulders. I am actively involved in preparing for whatever might come and sometimes get the mindset that “I’m ready”, when in fact none of us can be fully prepared for an unknown future. The reality is that I really have little control over anything beyond my own actions. I can plant a garden, but I don’t control the weather. I can store food, but I can’t prevent thieves, wild animals, a swarm of insects, an earthquake, or a tornado from damaging or destroying it. I can eat healthy and exercise, but I cannot guarantee that I won’t develop diabetes or cancer or some other illness. I have responsibility to do my part, but I have to listen to the One who knows far more than me. I simply must follow His lead. As a wife, I also follow the lead of my husband, who also seeks God’s guidance. We serve the same God, and so we hear the same voice and often the same instruction, though there are times when God speaks to Hugh and then Hugh to me, since Hugh has the God-given role of head of our home. There are times we disagree, but I submit to Hugh, as Hugh has the ultimate responsibility of leadership in our family, just as a sergeant is in charge of his troops though he is not the general. God is the general with the big picture plan. Those who want to work with Him rather than against Him will listen and submit to Him and to those He has placed in positions of authority over them.

The problem occurs when we as individuals become the leader separate from God. I don’t mean the leader to organize people on a particular project or activity, because we need human leaders; I mean if we become god to dictate what is right and wrong and are the ones in control, absent of God. If we are not following God and listening to Him as our authority, we won’t recognize His voice to know how to handle the tasks He gives us. Without listening to our all-knowing God’s instruction If we are human leaders, we will lead people into destruction. Anyone who dictate their own plan and commands outside of God’s authority, do so without God’s intel and without cooperation of the cosmos, which submits to its Creator. Proverbs 14:12 tells us, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Noah knew how to build a boat that would sustain the great flood of the Earth because he listened to and obeyed God. He knew God’s voice and followed it. Joseph knew how to interpret dreams, and in spite of his hardships he remained faithful to God and was used to save the world (and his family) from the famine. Again and again, the Bible reveals hardships that God’s people endured; however, those who walked with God and knew Him were able to get through those hardships because they knew His voice, were able to follow His instructions, and were saved.

Story of the Maccabees

In the past few weeks, the Jewish people have just celebrated Hanukkah and remembered the rededication of the second temple. Included in this historical remembrance is also the story of Judas Maccabeus and his followers. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Greek ruler over the land that included Judea, for more than five years prior had been pushing his polytheistic culture upon the Jews. They had been bombarded with this foreign culture of multiple gods and indulgent immorality. Many were beginning to accept it, but some were holding true to the standards given by YHWH. Antiochus IV Epiphanes was unhappy that there were some who were refusing his authority to assimilate into the Greek culture. He sent squads through the towns to demand loyalty. When Judas Maccabeus was approached by some of the compromising priests and Greek leaders, he killed them and fled with other faithful Jews into the hills. Antiochus IV Epiphanes had the temple desecrated by, among other things, having pig’s broth poured over the altar. (Pork is an abomination on the Lord’s table– the alter.) The Greek army rose up against the group of Maccabees, but the Maccabees miraculously prevailed in the end against enormous odds and were able to return to the temple to cleanse and rededicate it and begin worshiping the LORD as He commanded once again. I have no doubt that none of these things could have occurred had there not been people following and listening intently to the Lord and then courageously taking action!

With God As Leader, Even in the Midst of Great Hardship, Good and Even Great Things Can Occur

I mentioned the story of Joseph earlier. Whew! He endured a lot of tragedy before he saw greatness and the point of it all! He was rejected, abandoned, and sold into slavery by his own brothers. Eventually, he was taken as a slave to Egypt, far from his home and family. It looked like things were getting better when he was given responsibilities in his master’s household, but then his master’s wife falsely accused him of impropriety and he was imprisoned. He could have been angry and turned against God at that point, but he didn’t. Instead, Joseph continued to pray, and while in prison remaining faithful to God and used his God-given ability to interpret dreams. Eventually Pharaoh became aware of Joseph’s ability and summoned him to interpret his tormenting dream. As a result, Joseph told of God’s plan to use Egypt’s crops to build a storehouse in preparation for a coming long-term famine, and Joseph was given ultimate power over Egypt’s resources to save the world including Joseph’s own family who became the tribes of Israel from which our Savior, Jesus, came. So saving them all was certainly a great thing. Joseph lived with honor and wealth and was able to bring all of his family into that land and give them land of their own to work for awhile, until a new pharaoh came into power and Joseph was forgotten.

God can use hardships and even tragedy for good. Tragedy actually brought Hugh and I together in the beginning of our relationship, as it was what we had in common. It was a life-threatening situation, and it was our faith in God to see us through that brought us together. We both trusted God to handle our circumstances, and He miraculously has. Furthermore, we are more blessed than we could have imagined back at that time. We just had to pursue Him, follow His Word, and listen to His voice.

Here’s another interesting look at what is thought to be bad but God has also used for good. I recently read about Tisha B’Av, which is the day that both of the ancient temples were destroyed and that many Jews fast and mourn because of these sad events as well as the many other calamities and massacres that have occurred on this date. However, this is also the day that Christopher Columbus set sail for the Americas and found a “safe place” in the west where the Jewish people, suffering from the religious persecutions in Spain and Portugal and elsewhere, could go. It is in America that these people have prospered. Columbus helped build a nation that centuries later rallied to restore the nation of Israel. Even in North America’s infancy, it was a safe haven for many who sought religious freedom to follow the Bible rather than man’s oppressive religious institutions that were ruled more by politics, quests for power, and tradition than anything to do with God’s instructions for life and how to honor Him. Many came to the Americas to escape religious persecutions rampant throughout Europe. So, on a day that seemed to be associated with many sorrows, Christopher Columbus’s journey to establish a haven began. It was a bright and beautiful day for the Jewish men who were sailing with Christopher Columbus and all of those families who would later have a place to go to escape persecution in Europe.

Can You Recognize His Voice?

If you are in a crowd and you hear your father’s voice call your name, you probably recognize it, don’t you? If you are in a fox hole and you hear your commander’s voice give an order, you know to respond immediately. You don’t follow just anyone’s command, do you? You surely don’t want to follow the one who desires your destruction!

We have an all-knowing, loving, holy, all-powerful God, who invites us to belong to Him and participate in His plan. However, we have to follow Him rather than expect that He will follow us. We need to spend time in His Word, learning how He speaks (recognizing His instructions) so that we will recognize His voice and know when we hear a voice whether it is consistent with His or not. It is only in knowing Him and following Him that we will recognize this great Commander’s instruction if and when it is time to run for the hills, store the plenty for the time of famine, pick up the sword, get on a ship for a different land, or step out of the boat and walk on water. We must listen to His voice, because He knows the future and what is best for each and everyone of us.

By listening to God’s voice, I don’t mean a literal audible voice. I mean that we must listen to His Word. God spoke to the masses of His people who had left Egypt with Moses, but they were afraid of God’s voice, as the mountains shook, so they pleaded for Moses go up the mountain and speak to God and then tell them what God said. They said to tell them what God wants of them and they will do it. So, God wrote some of His instructions (the Ten Commandments) by His own hand and gave others audibly to Moses. He also spoke through the prophets and then sent His Son, who lived according to all that God had instructed before. Then His Son, Jesus, said He was leaving His Spirit with believers. The Father, Son, and Spirit are unified and instruct us. So, read God’s word, study what our Savior did, considering the language (Hebrew), idioms, and culture with whom He was speaking. Obey and pray that His Spirit will help you to understand the truth and apply it in your life. He will guide you in big and small matters, if you study and seek. Your desires and thinking will begin to align with God’s as you adjust your life to follow His instructions. Answers will come to you as you pray and apply His Word.

Contemplating 2017

As you contemplate 2017, maybe you should back up and examine objectively what you are doing and re-think who you want to follow. Maybe you should choose your leader and get 100% behind Him. (Joshua 24:15) Are you the sole leader, or are you letting God lead sometimes or all of the time? Are you studying His Word and listening to His voice or are you just listening to mens’ voices and what men say second-hand about His Word? Are you living as Jesus lived and worshiping the Father as Jesus did and that the Father instructed, or are you worshiping in ways that make you feel good and assuming that if you like it and it is your intention to honor God that He’ll appreciate it, even if it isn’t consistent with His Word? Are you going through the motions of reading His Word and worship, even if you are doing them biblically, without the heart involved?

It’s a good time to take an assessment and make an adjustment. Be committed. Don’t let the New Year’s resolution to follow the Lord be one that is broken.

Two Letters Re: Major Mistakes With a Building Contractor

Gentlemen,

I wholeheartedly second Pete’s comments in his letter regarding BM’s Major Mistake. In addition to the excellent suggestions Pete made, I would encourage BM to talk to whatever consumer protection agency operates in that area, as well as whoever licenses contractors. Both of them should be willing and able to help him and let BM know if this guy is a frequent flyer with them. If I lost 100k, I’d be out for blood, but I’d settle for getting as much of money back from this clown as possible. – Spotlight

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Hugh,

In Oregon there is a Contractor’s Board, and it is very easy to file a complaint, stating (and documenting) a value of damages sought. I once had to sue a plumber this way and was awarded damages that were paid by the plumber’s bonding company. Another contractor told me that this would probably be enough to prevent the plumber from every getting bonded again, thus ending his career as a professional plumber in my state. – D.B.

Economics and Investing:

Is The U.S. Government Insolvent? Sorry, But Its Accountant Can’t Tell You – H.L.

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Let Businesses Decide for Themselves Where to Make Their Products

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Gold Sees Modest Selling Pressure After Mixed Retail Sales Numbers

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The Chinese Have A Jaw-Dropping $22 Trillion In Bank Deposits – What This Means For Gold & China Bears

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader MTA sent in this link: Cyndi’s Catalog of Garden Catalogs Mail Order Gardening Resources

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Study Shows Americans How Criminals Are Getting Guns In Chicago! – B.B.

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It looks like the Holman Rule has been revived in the broader package of rules for the 115th Congress. – D.S.

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I think the “left” will regret coining the term “Fake News”: WaPo Did Not Tell Whole Story on DC National Guard Chief’s Resignation – DSV

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New Orleans considers gun-spotting cameras. The cameras would be able to pick up on differences in the temperature between guns and human bodies. – G.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 1:3-5 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – January 14, 2017

On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris because the Treaty of Paris was also the name of the agreement that had ended the Seven Years’ War in 1763, Britain officially agreed to recognize the independence of its 13 former colonies as the new United States of America.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 68 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. 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), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 68 ends on January 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.

Propane As An Energy Source- Part 2, by JB

Storage Tanks and Transfer of Propane (continued)

Once the tank is full, the fill hose ball valve is closed (stopping flow into the tank), the tank bleeder is closed (if used), the pump is shut off, and then the tank valve closed, in that order. Double check that the hose and tank valves are closed. The small unloader valve between the hose ball valve and tank is opened to drain the liquid trapped between the two, so the hose adapter can be safely disconnected from the tank. Failing to bleed the liquid trapped between the tank and ball valve can cause injury as liquid can be vented towards your face when the tank adapter is unscrewed. Remember that liquid propane will freeze skin upon contact, so wear gloves and safety glasses.

Please note: Not anyone and everyone should attempt to fill a cylinder without proper instruction and training. Improper actions could result in serious injury, death, or destruction of property.

Beware that during the filling and disconnect process, propane vapors will be present on the ground around you. Be extra cautious to insure that there are no possible ignition sources nearby or downwind. This is a very real and dangerous fire/explosion hazard. The electrical pump and connections are explosion proof and not considered an ignition source.

Vaporization

With a typical gas appliance, the moment you open the burner valve/knob, pressure drops in the tank and the liquid begins to vaporize. The gas vapor travels through the regulator, line, burner valve, and to the burner orifice. As gas passes through the orifice into the burner venturi, it will pull in (through openings on the burner tube) ambient air that mixes with the gas, creating a combustible mixture. That mixture then travels to the burner where it burns once ignited. The intensity of the flame is controlled by the valve, which increases or decreases the volume of gas, and the quality of the flame is dependent on the air adjustment.

In order for any propane appliance to work, vaporization must occur and the vaporization rate of the supply tank must be ample enough to deliver the required amount of gas. A 20-lb propane tank does not have the vaporization capacity to fuel a residential furnace. The furnace requires much more propane vapor than a single cylinder can deliver, as the liquid in the cylinder can’t vaporize fast enough to satisfy the demand of the load. Ambient temperatures will affect this as well, and the colder the temperature, the lower the vaporization rate.

For example, I adapted a 1-lb Coleman bottle to my portable water heater to save having to carry the larger tank to the hunting cabin. It works great for intermittent use. On a cold day, when we used the water heater continuously for several minutes to fill a large drum, it quit working. One look at the frosted tank and hose told me what I failed to consider. There was insufficient vaporization capacity with the little tank for the atmospheric conditions at the time. Back to the bigger tank we went, and the problem was solved.

The vaporization rate is related to the tank surface area in contact with the liquid, as this is where the heat is required to boil or vaporize. As the tank level decreases, so does the vaporization rate. There are charts available on the web showing the rates based on pounds of liquid and ambient temperature. For instance, 20lbs of propane in a tank at 20?F will supply 51,000 BTUs per hour demand. A double burner Mr. Heater running at maximum will burn 30,000BTUs per hour.

As higher demands require more vapor, the refrigeration effect of vaporization will cool the container to the point that it loses the ability to vaporize. When this happens, pressure will drop and the appliance will fail to operate properly if at all. This could easily happen in temps below freezing, as we are relying on the ambient temperature to boil or vaporize our liquid propane. Higher ambient temps = higher vaporization rates. Remember, LP boils at -44F, so if it’s -45F outside, you could pour liquid propane into a cup and it would sit there and never vaporize.

To compensate for the refrigeration effects of vaporization and increase the vaporization rate, additional heat or more surface area must be introduced to meet the higher demand and offset the refrigeration. This could simply be placing the tank in sunshine, connecting several tanks together with a common manifold, or using a larger tank with more surface area. For greater demands, the gas industry provides various types of liquid propane vaporizers with output ranges from a few gallons per hour to thousands. They are basically heat exchangers that use a secondary heat source to offset the refrigeration of vaporization.

There are several types of vaporizers. The most common for low volumes are the electric, water bath, and direct fired. The electric vaporizer uses electrical heating elements, similar to what is used on a water heater, to heat a water/glycol solution. Inside the glycol tank is a coil of tubing similar to that of a liquor still. Liquid propane enters in one end and vapor exits the other.

Similarly, the water bath does the same thing but on a larger scale. It uses gas from the original supply to operate a burner fired into a tube that heats a water/glycol bath. On the other end of the unit the liquid propane line enters the cabinet to a serpentine heat exchanger, usually constructed with schedule 80 pipe, where it vaporizes. The burner is typically a standing pilot type of enough BTU to maintain the bath temp at 180? under full capacity.

From Natural Gas to Propane Conversion

Now that there is sufficient propane vapor to sustain higher demand, it can be used to supply a number of homes or a small community with gas. So, what if this group of homes were previously using natural gas that was no longer available? There is a solution to that, and it’s possible due to the higher BTU content of propane versus natural gas.

Before answering that, we should know that all gas appliances use certain orifices based on the gas they are intended for. Natural gas orifices are much larger diameter than LP, because you need to burn almost twice the volume of gas to achieve the same BTU’s. Likewise, you only need half the LP gas to match the BTU’s of natural gas; therefore, the orifice size is much smaller for LP appliances. You can convert a natural gas appliance to propane simply by changing the orifices. This is why many gas appliance manufacturers include both orifices.

Let’s go back to the difference in BTU content between the gasses. There is an advantage with LP in that it can be diluted to a lower BTU content to match that of natural gas. This is achieved with a gas-air blender. The blender mixes air with the propane gas to lower the specific gravity to just above that of natural gas or to approximately 1400 BTU/ft3. This mixture will work in natural gas appliances without changing the orifices. If you are on natural gas now, the chances are that you have used blended gas during peak demand in the winter, as this is a common practice.

Blenders are used for municipal distribution systems of large scales. Typically, we, as preppers, wouldn’t need a blender. However, if you are planning to develop your own Bartertown, the technology is out there.

From a retreat perspective where you may have several groups in one place, the demand for gas could be more than what a few grill bottles can provide. In a situation such as this, if the funding is available, one would want to consider installing a fairly large LP tank. I’d say a new or used tank holding 5,000 gallons. It should be installed on concrete piers and a bottle fill station installed. Installing a small standby vaporizer for expanded capacity would satisfy pretty much all your future gas needs.

With an energy system infrastructure in place, you can then look at using LP to operate generators instead of gasoline or diesel. After TEOTWAWKI, consider acquiring an LP delivery truck. It can be used to gather propane from other locations to transport and maintain your retreat LP supply.

Hopefully, what I have written here will give you a basic understanding and some insight regarding propane usage and applications. Find someone in the industry to give you training and hands on experience with the equipment and basic filling functions, and give you ideas on how you can have your own system setup.