Notes for Thursday – October 20, 2016

October 20th is the 58th birthday of actor Viggo Mortensen (born 1958.) He normally lives in the American Redoubt, but it has been reported that he’s presently attending his father, who is in ailing health, in the Northeast. On his ranch in the Redoubt is his horse-for-life “TJ”–one of the five paint horses used in the filming of the movie Hidalgo. Most SurvivalBlog readers probably know him best for his starring role in The Road.

This is also the birthday of “fast and fancy” shootist Ed McGivern (born 1874, died December 12, 1957.) He was born in Nebraska, but was a long-time resident of Butte, Montana.

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SurvivalBlog’s Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson is a prolific science fiction author. He has made his short story Starhome available free of charge at the Baen Books web site. Mike is currently editing an upcoming  military sci-fi anthology for Baen that includes some brilliant contributions with historical basis in Medieval Japan, The Russo-Japanese War, WWII, and the modern day, before going to the future.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 67 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First 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 $1,700 value),
  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. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. 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,
  2. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  4. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 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. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. 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,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value),
  8. 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
  9. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).

Round 67 ends on November 30th, 2016, 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.

I Love Sharp Things, by Phil M.

In any survival situation a defective tool is pretty much worthless and will cost you dearly in frustration or even your life. I’m sure you can think of a lot of examples. Effective tools are a big part of my life and most all of them need to be sharp, and some of them very sharp, like chisels and planer blades. When I started thinking of all the tools that I keep sharp the list started running into the dozens, everything from a potato peeler to a chainsaw. A lot of you are like me in one way or another as far as needing something with a keen edge to get the job done. For instance, the little scissors for trimming those pesky nose hairs or loping shears for the trees and shrubs. All of us have knives in the kitchen drawer or knife block, but how many of them are sharp and I mean really sharp. From experience I can tell you that most are not very sharp at all. Many examples of this come to mind like taking fresh baked bread to a neighbors party and asking for a bread knife that turned out to be so dull I could have done a better job with my shoe. Or someone pulls out the trusty chainsaw to cut a pine that fell across the drive, and when they finally get it started it whines and bogs and sticks and smokes until the poor guy gives up and calls his brother-in-law. In a normal world these are frustrations, but in a situation where you cannot replace that chain or that blade or those shears, things will become a lot more serious and important. Think of all the items you use during the week or month that work so much better when they are sharp. In hard times these tools will not just be a convenience they will become a necessity , and the more effective they are the greater your chance of survival. The reason being they will save you energy and time.

I do not have the space or time to teach you how to sharpen all of the items in your home or retreat but I can tell you what tools I use to keep things edgy. Having some or all of them and a little knowledge will be a huge help in your current or post collapse life, and most or all sharpening tools come with easy to follow instructions. Some of the tools I will list can be used on a multitude of things. The reason I list them all is because some work best on specific things. The old song says that “Diamonds are a girls best friend “ I don’t know but I sure love those things. I’m talking about the industrial diamonds used to sharpen steel. I use about six different types but will only list four to keep it a little less boring. Starting with the Kitchen knives the first tool up is: (1)The Ultimate Edge sharpener. Good tools are not cheap. It has a 10” long by 1/2” wide sharping surface and a plastic handle. If you have one of those steel rods with the little groves down it to sharpen with, you need to upgrade. This thing uses a diamond coated surface and is convex on both sides and thin at the edges. With a little practice and finding the right angle you will be amazed at the results. Again, I will not belabor the technique. Most tools have a guide or a quick internet search will do. This is one of the cross over tools because of its shape and length, it can sharpen serrated and flat blades and pretty much anything else that only needs a tune up. One key thing to know about this process of sharpening is think in terms of grit. Coarse for really dull followed with Medium and then Fine to finish. Most of the time if you maintain your tools Fine is all you will need. The diamond coated sharpeners will last a lifetime if only used on steel, although my water saws use diamond blades and they cut granite and concrete. Just wash them with soap and water occasionally and they’re good to go. I have some with a 20 year service warranty and they work perfectly.

Next up: (2) the DMT Diamond Sharpening Kit. This comes with all three Grits I mentioned plus a tapered Diamond Rod for use on serrated blades. This is a great tool and will sharpen anything from a Kukri knife to a paring blade and the tapered rod works on the steak and bread knives, it packs away in a zippered bag and weighs about 8.5oz. The instructions are very easy to follow and allows seven angles to work with and tells which knives to use them on. If you have a lot of dull knives this might be a good way to develop this skill. With this set the clamp and rod guide take all the guess work out. Just clamp the guide to the back of the blade and select the angle you want 1 thru 7 then place the desired Grit in the holder and you can sharpen both sides at exactly the same angle. I really like this tool as it always gets good results and quickly.

Another tool I use frequently is the (3) EZE-LAP Diamond Hones.These can be purchased as a set or single. They look like a plastic tongue depressor with a 2” x 3/4” Diamond surface on one end. Different Grits can be had from Coarse to Super Fine. These small little hones work on things like wood boring bits or fish hooks. I have used the Super Fine Grit to put a fine smooth finish on such things as a trigger sear and other bearing surfaces. A great design feature is the way that the gritty end tapers down the last 1 1/4” and at the end is another small bevel that leaves a tiny portion of the steel Grit surface showing. This is extremely handy for working on small things such as veggie peelers or cuticle scissors. I even use them to sharpen the carbide cutters on my router bits.

Another item that is on the bench top often is the (4) Smith’s Micro-Tool Sharpening Pad. More of a traditional looking sharpener, mine is 21/2” wide and 6” long. Again, it is a Diamond coated surface that looks like the one on the DMT tool. I use this one for chisels and hand plane blades but it is not limited to that. It can be used for large knives and many other items. For me the big advantage of this tool is the ability to handle large blades. Chisel and plane blades can be free handed with practice on the MicroTool Pad but I use it in conjunction with a pricey (5) Veritas Precision Honing Guide–but not so pricey if purchased used.I have the basic model of this guide and use it a lot, it holds the blade in a screw clamp with a brass wheel underneath. After the blade lies nice and flat on the diamond surface glide it back and forth with light pressure and a few drops of oil, it works well. Some of the hand planes I use are nearly 100 years old but I can zip down the edge of a board and peel off a long ribbon of wood thin enough to see through. This happens because the blade is sharp so I do not have to force the tool thus saving me time and energy. The Veritas Guide is a little more versatile than it might seem. Sometimes I use it on long bladed type framing chisels, but instead of the Diamond Pad I just use different grits of wet or dry sandpaper with oil right on the bench top and work it with the Guide.

Most chainsaws I see have died a terrible death, often because chains never sharpened or they were run dry with no bar lube and never a thought about chain tension. The filters were never checked or changed and the carburetor, what carburetor? So when the thing cannot be started anymore it is tossed into the corner of the garage to collect spiders and await the next yard sale. If you live in a wooded area where power is out frequently, or a place where a fallen tree on a rural road may block your escape route, you need to have a decent chainsaw and develop some skill with it. I keep two good saws in ready to cut shape all the time. In 1993, a huge snowstorm and power outage forced me with the help of one man to clear about 25 pines from my home to the road. From there we cleared another 25 to 30 pines in order to reach the main road. My failure to have kerosene in storage sent me on that trip, so I get an “F” grade on that one. However my $139 Poulan saw was well tuned and sharp and the fuel can was full with pre-mix as well, so I get an “A” grade there. If you own a chainsaw or are going to need one, learn to sharpen and maintain it. The (6) Oregon File Guide comes in different models. It clamps onto the bar and uses a round file for the teeth and a flat file for the rakers. The process is pretty simple, a bit of technique here. Always use the same number of file strokes on each tooth and when you start, mark the first tooth on top with a Sharpie marker to keep track of when you’ve made each full circuit of the chain loop. The teeth alternate cutting sides so the guide is swung around to file the other direction, be sure to also mark that starting tooth (I use blue and green pens). This tool can be used in the field but is most effective when the bar is clamped in a bench vise because that way the chain runs free and the filing is more precise. You will need to know what size of round file to use on your chain, (one size does not fit all)and buy two or three.

This brings me to another important tool: (7) Files. There are a great number of different kinds files, for most uses a Mill Bastard or Flat Bastard type will do.  For example for sharpening axes and hatchets or heavy garden tools. A set of needle files is also handy for delicate jobs. At most flea markets or estate sales you will find a box of barely used tools. I did not say clean. With files If you press your thumb lightly in the cutting direction and feel a good bite, that thing will cut metal. And for 50 cents or a dollar it’s yours. Files are very useful not just for sharpening but also for the fitting of metal parts one to another. Just remember to cut in one direction and tap the filings out of the file often. If you sharpen a mower blade or such, use the same number of cutting strokes on each edge. This will help to keep the weight balanced and avoid vibration.

One last sharpening tool I use nearly every day is an (8) Opti-Visor. That is a magnifying visor with changeable lens of different powers. Maybe the most important lesson I have learned about getting things sharp is being able to see the edge. This tells me exactly where the tool is cutting because of the shiny cut marks on the metal. I use the 5 power lens for most work but 7 and 10 power are handy, the drawback to the higher powers is that the higher the magnification the closer you must be to the work. The Opti-Visor would be at the top of my list of things to own, It is indispensable for gunsmithing and digging thorns and metal out of skin. I also use it to look at suspect skin tags and moles, it’s perfect when soldering small wires or to keep a close eye on things when reloading.

I can not help but mention another simple and effective tool. Although not designed for this purpose a 3”x5”x1” thick foam sanding sponge works great in a pinch. These cost about $4 each and can be had in different grits. I use a 120 and a 240 grit to keep dry wall blades and knives sharp on the job. The sponges are coated with aluminum oxide or a ceramic blend material on all sides which gives you 40 square inches of cutting surface. They can also be washed with soap and water to expose the grit when dirty. It was a great complement when my wife visited the shop with a grandson. As they entered the door she looked at him and he immediately said,“ I know, everything in here is sharp.”

I will close with these Bible verses: “Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.” – 1 Samuel 13: 19-20

Letter Re: Charcoal for Disaster Cooking?

Mr. Rawles,
I am now reading your book “How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It“ for the third time. I am wondering why you did not mention the use of charcoal barbecues for cooking. I envision using a small one [such as a hibachi] for small meals, and a larger one for larger meals. Charcoal is storable. I am wondering if one can get a barbecue going by starting with wood, building up a hot base, then adding charcoal? (That’s for when you run out of starter fluid.) Has anybody done this? Love the book. Regards, – Eric C.

JWR Replies:  A charcoal fire can indeed be started by using paper and kindling sticks.  It just takes a bit of patience and practice. It is also a safer method than charcoal lighting fluid.

You are correct that charcoal briquettes will store for many years, and long as they are kept dry. I recommend buying a couple of extra 40 gallon galvanized steel trash cans for storing charcoal briquettes, to keep them dry. I do not recommend buying the more expensive “self-igniting” charcoal that is saturated with a starter.  Not only will the briquette starter gradually evaporate to the point where they won’t light, but but they also emit fumes that are noxious.

Over the past decade, many preppers have switched to using propane ranges, in part because 20 pound propane cylinders have become ubiquitous in the U.S. and Canada. The low cost of propane makes it more cost effective than charcoal.  (It costs roughly $1.50 less per meal, to barbecue a dinner with propane.) 

As previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, portable propane tanks and even torch cylinders can be repeatedly refilled from a larger home storage tank, if it is equipped with a “wet leg.” (Ask your local propane deliveryman for details.)  And of course propane has an unlimited storage life. 

However, in a really long term societal collapse consider that propane may not be available, whereas charcoal may again be produced locally, using the traditional heaped earth or pit methods.

So if you have sufficient storage space, then the best solution is probably to have both types of barbecues, and store both types of fuel. – JWR

Economics and Investing:

Martin Armstrong: Nonperforming Loans in European Banks 10x that of U.S. Banks

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Understanding Deutsche Bank’s $47 Trillion Derivatives Book .  (SurvivalBlog readers have been warned about derivatives counterparty risks for a  full decade.  When the global OTC derivatives implosion finally occurs, it will be traumatic and have far-reaching effects, possibly toppling entire nations states.

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I missed seeing this article when it was published last month:  Britain’s May meets Goldman, Amazon, IBM to discuss post-Brexit investment

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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:

The editors of the Middle East Forum note: Hungary has become “the first government to open an office specifically to address the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and Europe.”

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Reader W.C. suggested this Link:  CIA Prepping for Possible Cyber Strike Against Russia – NBC News.  W.C. asks:  “How can it be covert if they are telling everyone?”

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Mike E. sent a link to this at Front Page Mag:  The Hijrah Into Europe.

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DIY submachineguns are popping up across the West Bank. (Kudos
to Tim J. for the link.)

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Thank to Peter S. for spotting this: ISIS using consumer drones for attacks.  [JWR Adds:12 years ago, I coined the acronym UAVIED, which stands for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Improvised Explosive Device.  I’m sad to see that it is the bad guys who are bringing it to fruition.]

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“As I write this, the New York Times has a couple of stories about a rumor about the rumors of rumors of Trump being rude to a woman on their front page. Nothing about the Wikileaks stuff. The [Washington] Post has the same made up story about Trump and a story about how vexed the Clinton camp is over their e-mails being released.The official newspaper of the Imperial Capital cannot be bothered to cover the biggest scandal since Watergate. It’s as if it never happened.

This is just another aspect of the tsunami of bull***t that is the major media today. It’s not that they color the news or that they make up stories. The actors posing as a journalists on TV can be written off as grifters working the system so they can land lucrative TV gigs. There’s no excusing what appears to be an organized and coordinated attempt by major media to suppress the news. If you want to know about Wikileaks, you have to go to the alternative media or read through the database of released documents on your own.

It is one thing when the news is slanted. People adjust to the bias. We are in a strange age in that the mass media is entirely made up. None of of it is on the level. It’s layers and layers of manufactured stories, crowding out real news, to the point where it is impossible to take any of it at face value. You can’t even be sure the people in the stories are real. The Clinton campaign is planting child actors in crowds, posing as adorable local kids, to ask questions. Our public life is now less authentic than professional wrestling.” – Editor of The Z Man blog.

Notes for Wednesday – October 19, 2016

October 19th is the birthday of three notables– the late Alexander Zeisal “Zus” Bielski (born 1912), investor Jim Rogers (born 1942), and James Howard Kunstler (born 1948). Kunstler is well known to SurvivalBlog readers as the author of the novel World Made by Hand and the nonfiction book The Long Emergency.

A fictionalized portrayal of Zus Bielski is seen in the movie Defiance. This dramatic movie was loosely based on the excellent book Defiance: The Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec.

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October 19th also marks the anniversary of Operation Gatling–the famous  “Green Leader” raid in which Rhodesia attacked ZIPRA (Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army) in retaliation for ZIPRA shooting down a scheduled passenger flight, Rhodesia flight 825, during the Rhodesian Bush War. Rhodesia suffered only minor casualties in the raid, but claimed to have killed 1,500 ZIPRA personnel as well as some Cuban instructors. Other sources claim that some of those killed were refugees camped near the border. Sadly, history does not seem to remember the two airliners shot down by the terrorists and the innocent civilians killed, but emphasizes the retributory Rhodesian strikes.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 67 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First 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 $1,700 value),
  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. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. 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,
  2. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  4. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 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. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. 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,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value),
  8. 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
  9. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).

Round 67 ends on November 30th, 2016, 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.

Training for Truly Defensive Driving, by K.W.

After a long day of work, where you had plenty of motivation to get your rear in gear and start working on your projects, you hop in the car for the drive home. As you grab 5th gear, good choice on driving a manual, and look over your left shoulder to merge on the highway as a truck 200 yards in front of you just dropped a huge pile of tree branches in your lane. You look ahead as you are merging and see that pile of branches! What do you do? Time is quickly going by, and so is the distance. Hitting this pile of tree debris just might disable your fancy Prius that gets so many miles per gallon, let alone the fact you may be injured severely. Hit the brakes and the driver that was only feet behind you as you merged might end up in the middle of your car. Instinct takes over in a situation like this. Your instinct was to physically lock up and slam on the brakes, you hit the pile of debris and the driver who was texting rear ends you causing major injuries sending you to the hospital in a Helicopter ride. Big expenses on medical bills that your insurance would only cover part of.

Situation normal for the trained driver.

As he hops in the Civic–almost the same miles per gallon as a Prius–bangs the shifter in 5th the same situation happens. Over the shoulder look to merge, a huge pile of nasty branches fall out of a truck ahead. The driver merges and then looks ahead to see the impending doom just yards from the bumper, his reaction is instinctive. His brain knows he just merged from the right, so that area is clear still. A Chicago box says the drivers memory, the driver’s hands that are gripping at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions aggressively apply right steering input and roll out of the throttle slightly to allow the front tires to dig out the turn. The brain allows the driver to stay in control to the right, gather the car as left steering input is applied sending the car around the pile of debris and safely back to the lane. The car texting hits the pile……

So how did the Civic driver maneuver around the brush pile so easily while the Prius driver plowed right into it? Autocross, that’s how. It feels like 100 percent pure madness behind the wheel of your car, yet it in a safe environment. The only thing that can be damaged is your ego.

I know, I know, you are an awesome driver and the magazine says your car will do 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. You have been driving for 30 years and always do well in winter.

How much time and money have you put into firearm training? Hopefully you have done some, right? How do you see yourself getting from your current home to your Bail Out location? We all drive a car at one point or another. We see all kinds of wild and crazy things happen on the road. Not one of us plans on getting into an accident, but what is it worth to help yourself stay out of one?

Looking at the reports of these “protesters” blocking traffic and causing traffic jams concerns me greatly. If there are people trying to get me to stop in the middle of the road or highway I believe I would see them as a Slalom! Just steer around them as long as it is safe to do so. How does one steer around objects in the road? just turn the wheel right? That is only partially right, you need to steer the car with your feet also. What does that mean? It means transferring weight to the wheels that you need traction on. It is really an art that is learned over time. You get can a very good idea on how it works quickly, but will take some time to get very good at. Front wheel drive cars that are so prevalent today work well with trail braking, this transfers weight to the front wheels and will allow very big steering inputs and keep the tires maintaining grip.

Tires! You need tires? How old are your tires? They have plenty of tread and will last a few more years, they are only six years old. Tires wear, and age. Old tires will have less grip than new tires. If you want to keep safe, keep quality and fresh tires on your car. Learn to read the date code on the sidewall. This is very important for all your tires.

We all have a non 4×4 automobile that is safe to compete at a local Sports Car Club of America  (SCCA) autocross. If you have a Civic or Accord, then that will do. A Camry or Avalon, yep. Almost any BMW, yes. All you need is a safe low center of gravity vehicle. Bring it out in the condition you normally drive it, as in you do not need special tires or other work done on the car. You will need to ensure you remove all loose items from the interior for safety. A water bottle behind the brake pedal makes for an interesting threshold braking experience. A helmet is mandatory for driving on course, most clubs will have loaners in case you do now already own one. A Snell rated helmet 2005 and newer is all you need. As you will the tossing the car around on an open lot around cones no damage will come to your car, even plowing cones at 50mph will only leave scuff marks that come off with a wash and wax. With the aggressive driving you will want more air in the tires than normal to prevent the tires from rolling over on the sidewalls. Adding 4-10 psi from the recommended pressure would be a good start, do this only for the Autocross event, air them back down to normal afterward. With a cleaned out car and more air in your tires you are ready to head to your first event.

Arrive to your local SCCA autocross on time or early. Showing up a little early is always a good thing. Letting a club member know that this is your first Autocross would be beneficial. Most clubs will be able to lend a hand to ensure your car is preppedbcorrectly and take you on a course walk. Yes a course walk! You will have to take your car through a tech inspection to ensure it is safe. Most issues are from a loose battery hold down, a very good thing to find before it starts a fire. Autocross starts with timed runs on your very first look at the course behind the wheel. You area allowed to walk it as many times as you would like, competition begins with the first run. Some clubs may have as many as 8 runs or as few as 4. No matter how many runs you have, you have no other opportunity like this to drive your car to the limit and beyond in a safe environment. Now that you are on course it is time to test your skills and see how quickly you can maneuver your car around all the cones. Most clubs will have an experienced driver available to ride around with you and give some pointers to you. Take it, some of these Autocrossers have been doing this with a passion for 30 or more years! If you have a chance, ask one of these drivers to drive your car on course. You will be amazed at what they can do, then drive it again and try to copy them. This is a great way to learn. Leaning the ins and outs of how your car handles is essential to being able to stay safe in emergency situations. Drive in the snow in your neck of the woods? Autocross will help. Drive on dirt roads? Autocross will help. Drive in the rain? Autocross will help. Drive during peak rut of the Whitetail deer season? Autocross will help. Enjoy driving, in general? Autocross might help more than you know.

Costs of these events can vary from club to club. You can get started with no commitment for $40 or so for an event, most accept cash too. A typical course with have your car starting in 1st gear and shortly going to 2nd for the duration of the course. The average max speed you will see is 60 mph. Most courses can be run in less than 60 seconds for an experienced Autocrosser.

Driving your current commuter car at an Autocross or four will get you programmed to handle emergency situations on the road. We know firearm training teaches us we will react to situations at our lowest level of training. When our lives are on the line we do not want to be dependent on a lack of training! We want to know we are trained fighters capable of overcoming any adversary! The same has to be with driving a car. How many hours do we spend driving? How many situations are we in driving on a day to day basis? Have we become desensitized to all of the threats from driving?

Have a teenage driver? The SCCA holds events geared for them too. Any licensed driver can compete at an Autocross. That also means a holders of a Learner’s Permit with a parent in the passenger seat.

Have fun and learn how much you know about driving, you just might surprise yourself on your current skill level and how the lives of your family depend on them.

Want to take it to the next level? Try out a Track Night that is being organized by the SCCA. You can get your car out on a road course and put those skills to use at speed!

Letter Re: Coin Roll Hunting for Remnant U.S. Circulating Silver

James,
The Coin Community site forum has many areas in their forums but has a section specific to coin roll hunting. There is a lot of silver in the wild from what many of these posters state. Even the War Nickels are still out there if nickels are searched. Halves are the best most likely since many don’t realize the 1965 to 1970 dated halves are 40 percent silver. ? I have searched some and found a few but a pain to later dispose of the halves. We just end up spending them on small items, or as tips to waiters and waitresses. Banks for the most part don’t want them back in bulk, especially the bank from which they are ordered from! It’s fun to find the stray coin every so often. God Bless. – D.S.V.

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Books:

The Simplicity Primer, by Patrice Lewis

ZeroGov:Limited Government, Unicorns and Other Mythological Creatures, by Bill Buppert 

Movies:

My Friend Flicka  (not the more recent remake)

Music:

The Best of Mary McCaslin

John Hartford: Life Love & Music 5 Essential Albums 1966-1969

Podcasts:

Self Reliant School EP016 Interview With JoAnn Moser – Mason Jar Nation

Pantry Paratus: Chaya’s Guide to Grease: Frying Food the Right (& Nourishing) Way

Instructional Videos:

Some newbies might benefit from this:  How to clean fish

How To Clean Your Woodstove Chimney

Gear:

USB Reading Lamp with 10 LED Lights and Flexible Gooseneck

FLIR Scout TK Pocket-Sized Thermal Monocular

Odds ‘n Sods:

This great video shows a “stealth” camper van project with some
potential for preppers: How to convert a Van in to an Off-Grid Camper in 17 Days! Used Transit Vans and Combi-Vans (as well as similar large vans–which you probably recognize from out on the highway, and on American Pickers) are starting to become affordable here in the States.  Most preppers would of course want to have more battery capacity, more propane capacity, and some hidden compartments. A little Velcro behind paneling and molding works wonders, for those. (Don’t miss opportunities like that.)  Oh, and don’t forget to wear eye protection at all times–and ear protection when appropriate–whenever you are tackling any DIY projects. Safety first! – JWR

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A consulting client recently mentioned the annoyance of “junk” phone calls. She also mentioned that she had never got on the National Do Not Call list.&nbsp I recommend that all SurvivalBlog readers get registered, to avoid nuisance calls and to prevent needless charges on their cell phones. It will stop nearly all business solicitations, but will not stop political calls. Just go to: DoNotCall.gov. This “.gov” site is operated by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), so you won’t get spammed. – JWR

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Reader H.L.R. wrote to mention some news: Amazon is producing a second season of The Man In The High Castle.  Fans of parallel universe fiction should mark December 16th on their calendars.  Hopefully all of the episodes will be made available on the same day, to allow binge watching. (This was how they released the first season.) H.L.R. also notes that for a limited time, the e-book of the novel (on which the television series was based) is available free of charge for Amazon Prime members.

Notes for Tuesday – October 18, 2016

October 18, 1662 was the birthday of Matthew Henry (died 22 June, 1714.)  He was a Presbyterian minister who lived primarily in Chester, England. Matthew Henry’s six-volume Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (commonly called Matthew Henry’s Commentary) is a must for the bookshelf of any serious Bible scholar.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 67 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First 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 $1,700 value),
  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. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. 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,
  2. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  4. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 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. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. 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,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value),
  8. 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
  9. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).

Round 67 ends on November 30th, 2016, 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.