Ron...

Here is the link to purchase this water filter straw.  They were developed for use in Africa by those people who are challenged to find clean water to drink.  You can literally such muddy water from a stinking water hole and received clean and safe water.    http://www.discountmylarbags.com/lifestraw-water-filter/

Katadyn Water Filters -- do a web search for Katadyn.

Clint have you looked at the Kel-Tec PMR30?  It's a .22WMR that has a 30 round mag.  Ruger discontinued their 10/22mag, but if you can find one they are supposed to be as reliable as the long rifle version.  I have a Ruger Single Six convertable and am stocked up on .22LR and WMR.  My only long gun in WMR is a single shot.

James...

Yes I have handled this gun and considered buying one.  For a guy who likes steel guns the Kel-Tec guns are a change. I have one of their .32acp and love the little thing. It shoots like a champ and is very easy to breakdown and clean. I too have the Ruger duel cylinder in the Super Single Six I bought in 1969. A single shot mag .22 is just right. Being a single shot rifle it makes you take your time and make every shot count. In survival you don't want to engage others unless it can not be avoided. So the heavier larger calibers in a tactical rifle are not a priority.

Clint,

I know what you mean about steel guns.  If I knew I would be in a firefight I would want my S&W 645, but for EDC in states where my CCWs are legal I carry a Glock 32 or 27. 

When I was a kid I put a bit of meat on the table with a single shot .22LR.

Hog is looking for tips on prepping.  Tip one; no matter where you live water is the first thing to consider.  Store it and locate a source for more.  Next store the food you already eat and eat the food you store (rotate your store).  Canned food will last at least a year so stock up a little at a time and even if it is only an extra can each time you shop; slow and steady will work.  Keep your prepping a close held secret, even close friends can turn on you when they are starving.  If the SHTF keep a low profile.  People WILL want what you have.  Have some trade goods for when it smooths out again.  Planning is great, but doing is better.  Get started now.   And yes I do what I preach.

James....

Good points James. The S&W 645 is way too heavy of a handgun to pack up and down hill and dale. If you are "Forting Up" than storing food for emergencies is good. If you have to move out to a more secure area with friends and family than four or five days of food and three liters of water per person works.  Use the water filters if needed.  Me...I am moving out as by the 5th day of no food neighborhoods and cities are going to get ugly.  James you may end up defending your home by yourself which will only delay things.  Avoid a fight because if you get injured all of those who depend on you will be at the mercy of those who would do you harm.  Always be prepared.  As for this December there is no worries....not this time.

Clint,

I'm surrounded by 10 million people with as many cars and seven avenues of escape. I have had an 80 mile trip take 4 hours and that wasn't in a survival situation. I've tried hard to chart a way out and given the variables it looks as though I'll be staying still for quite a while.

You're right about doing battle, that's way a mentioned keeping a low profile.

The 10 million is a 2011 estimate, it could be more. Ya I know, “why the heck do you live there?” I would rather not, but my foot is nailed to the floor.

Jim

LOL! You foot being nailed to the floor can be painful.  Later on in life maybe you can move to a small community where everyone are tight with each other and help one another in times of need.

Clint,

I was born in a community like that, West Branch Michigan.  The reasons I stay where I am is the business I own and my wife's parents.  They are getting up in age and my wife needs to be near them.  Other than that I would move to my house in Flagstaff.

Jim

LifeStraw at www.lifestraw.com

Here is what it looks like and how big it is. There are caps on each end with a string to keep from dropping where you can not retrieve them.

@Steve,

My business partner visited her sister in Rolla just last month.  Her sister is the chancellor of Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

If I'm ever in your neighborhood, I'll be sure to let you know and maybe we can visit and look at some knives.

Jom

Just found out some info on "LifeStraw" I took a link off another page and ask a few ?'s. Found out that they have a 3 year shelf life if stored at a cool room temp.Didn't get a reply about if they were stored in the fridge until you need them.Anyone know if that would extend there life any. They seem to be production dated which runs pretty close to shipment.

What does anyone carry for clothing in there togo bag? Do you keep coats and extra boots/shoes packed or handy or does it depend where you are or the time of year? Or just stuff so you can layer up and down for temps?

David...

What you carry and how much you carry depends on transportation, physical region (North Dakota or Southern Texas), and physical ability. Do you want to travel fast on foot or take your time exploring for food and resources? Have a written plan and go over the plan multiple times. Have a good friend/partner be the devil's advocate on the plan. Remember no one thinks of everything for every situation. You know you best so this where the plan starts. If you are afoot then thermal type clothing you can remove without dropping your pants.  Thermal coveralls, thermal cap, thermal gloves and lace up boots with wool socks. Keep the backpack and load, including weapons, to no more than fifty pounds. If you carry more than this you will eat more emergency food and drink more emergency water.

As far as the lifestraw having a expiration date here is what I think. Being law enforcement the ballistic vests we wear has a five year expiration. They are dated too. However, the material used does not deteriorate in five years. We have taken old ballistic which were twenty years old and shot them with firearms up to and including the .44 magnum. The vest stopped them all like they were designed to. The five year expiration, in my opinion, is so we buy more vests and the ballistic vest companies sell more product and don't hold a liability for more than five years. If I produced a product which lasted for fifteen or more years, I would want the consumers to not wait fifteen years to buy another. An example of this is Edison's home (last time I checked) has his original light bulbs, yet the bulbs we buy don't last near that long. David I hope this helps.

Clint,

As always, very insightful.  As far as the straws are concerned, $20 spread over 3 years is $6 and change per year.  The only drawback, if you are going to rotate them out after they "expire", would be keeping track of the dropdead date.  I too think they would exceed the expire date.  I just visited the Eartheasy site (master wholesaler) and they state that the life of a Lifestraw is actually 5 years and the packaging will be changed on all new procuct to reflect that.

Jim

Not that I'm bicthin' ...Just thought everyone should know since we were talking about them. James that's good to know. I may order a couple of more. 

Clint, As we have read the same thing about the dating on our canned foods....People just trying to sell you more food while getting to throw your old stuff out.

Well my guess this kind of thinking will only get worst from now on. I guess I will DVR this one and one of another subject on the History Channel.

I have been looking at Solar ovens.  Interestingly they range from around 30.00 to 300.00.  Anyone have any knowledge of these?  I live in FL so this could be a great energy saver for me.  Not only in not running the oven but not heating up the house that the AC has to cool back off.

Jan,

You may have already been to this site www.solarovens.net.  They have a great variety of ovens, and sell the same one that I sell on my site, except they have a whole lot more accessories than mine.  The Global Sun Oven package is a little expensive, but with all of the extras I think is a good deal.

Jim

James,

Thank you for that page.  There are a good many on there and most of them look fairly practical for my use.  I am going to watch some of those videos

Jan,

Happy to be of assistance.

Well it seems we all survived 12/21

I am breaking out some of that coffee!!

I heard a Rumor that Zombies are coming to Canada on Sunday

TONIGHT, the Zombies live again!!

n 1908, a fireball exploded over the Tunguska River in Siberia, Russia, flattening hundreds of square miles of land during a massive blast. That fireball was created by the explosion of an object about 150 feet (45 meters) across, NASA scientists have said.

A similarly sized object, the asteroid 2012 DA14, will fly extremely close to Earth on Friday, but will not hit the planet. The asteroid will approach within 17,200 miles (27,000 kilometers) of the Earth —about 5,000 miles (8,046 km) closer than geosynchronous satellites —during the close shave.

According to Russia Today, there has been some speculation that the apparent meteor explosion could be somehow related to the upcoming flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14.

Knife Blade material!

Anyone Winter Gardening?

What makes a "winter" garden special? Or perhaps the question should be: what makes an ordinary garden a special winter garden? Quite simply, the fact that a garden appears at a time when everything else in the winter landscape is dull, plain and brown is outstanding alone.

Solar pods for winter gardening

Plants for Winter Gardens

Since you can never duplicate the heat of summer, you need to grow cool weather crops. The best plants for winter cold frames and solar pods are:

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Radishes
• Swiss Chard
• Carrots
• Endive
• Kale
• Scallions
• Beets
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Turnips
• Kohlrabi
• Collard greens
• Broccoli
• Fava beans
• Chives

 Your home is well-stocked for any event…except suddenly your home is in the path of a raging wildfire.  You can’t cling to the fact that your preps are in your home. Your survival reality has changed instantly and you must evacuate with your family and find a new way to be fed and sheltered.

So how do you prep for something like this?  Do you store some provisions off site of your home?  Have extra bug out bags?

You quickly break into your emergency supplies and drink a great deal of beer and then put out the fire.  LOL!  No I have done this.

You should have a network of friends and family where you store supplies for this type of incident.  They would store the same with you in case they loose their shelter.

I don't have to worry about a fire but I do have to worry about being over run buy less prepared bad guys and gals. The idea of a group of helping each other in a time of need is the right way to go. I have friends and family, near that can help with alot of the things people will need in this type of situation.

Hallo, I have not posted on here yet. Have some background in bushcraft, growing food and survival. I'll read up on the other comments, then post somthing soon. take care.

The great number of members with knowledge of food preparation, should share their experience in perserving our food.

29 Great uses for Pallets, some excellent ideas

http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/featured-wilderness-survival-blog-ent...

Looks like a nice shop to me!

Great Pallet construction! We all should use discarded wood and any other discarded material, that we may make good use of, to improve , our homestead.

I like all the ideas but this one with the solar panel!  Just fantastic.  Put another room on it and I am IN!

This is Mohammed Bah Abba's Pot-in-pot invention. In northern Nigeria, where Mohammed is from, over 90% of the villages have no electricity. His invention, which he won a Rolex Award for (and $100,000), is a refrigerator than runs without electricity.

Here's how it works. You take a smaller pot and put it inside a larger pot. Fill the space in between them with wet sand, and cover the top with a wet cloth. When the water evaporates, it pulls the heat out with it, making the inside cold. It's a natural, cheap, easy-to-make refrigerator.

So, instead of perishable foods rotting after only three days, they can last up to three weeks. Obviously, this has the potential to change their lives

Is anyone doing or considering this?

What Is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. In aquaponics, you grow fish and plants together in one integrated, soilless system. The fish waste provides a food source for the plants and the plants provide a natural filter for the water the fish live in. Aquaponics produces safe, fresh, organic fish and vegetables. When aquaponics is combined with a controlled environment greenhouse, premium quality crops can be grown on a year-round basis, anywhere in the world. Aquaponics can be used to sustainably raise fresh fish and vegetables for a family, to feed a village or to generate a profit in a commercial farming venture.

Wow Miss Jan, I'll have to look into this idea.

Yay!! It's Spring!! Time to get ready for Mosquito invasions. ;-) Here's an easy & pleasant repellent recipe you can make at home: 

Combine in a 16 oz bottle:
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract
1/4 Cup lemon juice. 
Fill bottle with water. 
Shake.

Ready to use. Make some extra to gift to your neighbors, family & friends. (Trust me.. it'll be appreciated!)

Speaking of Mosquitos, has anyone tried this? You take an unused "Cling Free" or what ever they call those things that go into your dryer, and put it under your hat, for the day. It's supposed to keep those pest away. Please let me know if ya'll have tried it.

I have ordered my first Scandi-grind knife, it was made in Finland. I know alot of ya'll are into Bushcraft and use this type knife. I am not sure where ya'll learned Bushcraft from, I read and tried to learn Bushcraft from, George Sears [Nessmuk], Kepart and Elmer Kreps. They all taught using a thinner knife, along with a Tomahawk or axe. I have never heard one of the old timers mention using a knife for batoning. I am just trying to get more info on this subject and in no way putting this style down. Thanks

The June issue of Knives Illustrated which will be out on the stands this coming Wednesday, will have an article about TOPS Knives being evaluated by Navy Seal Eddie.  The Article is entitled: SEAL of Approval.

(I am posting this within other groups.)

Clint,

I read this article...LOL, you had to give up a pretty sweet knife.  Good article

Thanks Jan.  Yea Eddie was taken with the TOPS knives....and took them with him.  However, Mike at TOPS sent me another one.  Mike is a good guy who was Special Forces back in the 60's.

That was nice of Mike.

Robert Burns -- The dryer cloths work far better against black flies and no-see-ums then against mosquitoes. but, alas, the coverage is only for around your head.

The most effective and least offensive (odour wise) is the clip on "ThermaCELL" thermo units...Where we fish, when you walk through a field the sun will literally be blotted/dulled out from the swarms of "skeeters" and nary a bite while wearing them.

Since they came out we've bought a few cases of them every year as we give them to clients to use for those who either forget to get them or they're just not available to purchase where they live in Europe or Asia...The refills fit the table models and they get used every morning and evening.

In commercial repellents I like 3M Ultrathon first, followed by Repel 100 and we tried Cutter Unscented and that was a nice change as is the Repel Lemon and Eucalyptus...Avon and Amway sun screen are also very good and the Amway dryer cloth is supposed to be the most effective but I've never tried them so can't say for sure...They also work great in boots/shoes, sleeping bags and eyeglass cleaner.

To prevent your glasses from fogging up when you come in from the cold take gel shaving cream, rub it on the lenses and remove with a clean cloth...Lasts a couple, three months here in the winter--also works on bathroom mirrors for after a hot shower

************

Congrats on your first Scandi!  You'll become obsessed with them after you've gotten a couple of dozen--who's the Finnish maker?  Blade length? 

American authors at the turn of the 20th century really didn't have much contact with English outdoorsman and even into the 1960s Bushcraft knives (derived from the Scandi style) were seldom, if ever, mentioned albeit many USA custom makers embraced the design concept and combined they formed knives like the Loveless drop point hunter..

Thanks Shlomo for the info. We have been using "ThermaCells" since they came out. We don't have those Black Flies that ya'll have but we have mosquitoes and nats. My new Scandi is made by Karesvando, it's 81/4" long has a birch and Reindeer handle with a 4" blade. I've cleaned a bunch of fish with it already and it works great. I wanted it for spring and summer season, we do some primitive type camping at that time of year. Plus fishing and trapping for turtles and crawfish, sometimes crabs. I should have tried one a lot sooner, it wasn't what I expected.

This weekend we tried one of those OFF!® Clip-On™ Mosquito Repellent.  Works GREAT

Jan

Do you know if those clipon repellants work for other than mosquitos?  Particularly ticks.

There is a line of clothing that has built in insect repellents called "Bug Off" and is sold by online retailers like Ex Officio who calls it Bugs Away...The socks work great against ticks.

They are treated with Permethrin which you can buy at REI under the Sawyer brand and apply yourself but they only last for between five and seven washings and then have to be reapplied...They work by overloading the insect's nervous system and kills them dead when they land on the clothing.

You can get them at Moosejaw and Backcountry as well

Shlomo, is right about the sox, they will keep the ticks off of you. I have found that powdered sulfur in your sox will keep them away. It will also keep chiggers and red bugs at bay.

You know we have the afternoon tropical storms everyday, I spend a lot of time making sure there is not standing water but we have em anyway darn it

The package doesnt say anything about ticks but I like Roberts idea of the powdered sulfur.  Keeps your feet dry and bugs just generally font like it

Ok this works.  Take one half of the chocolate ELAX bar or one half dose for three days prior to going into the woods.  Or....you can take garlic pills for a week prior and it works too.  Both ELAX and the garlic pills could and do have their side effects. The pills will keep the bugs away but your loved ones too.  LOL! 

You can wear lace up boots with long pants.  You then duck tape the pant legs to the boot tops.  You then use a bug spray with a high dose of Deet to cover your pants and shirt.  Spray you wide brim hat on the outside as well as the inside of the brim.  Wear long sleeve shirts with the same bug spray.  Spray the shirt prior to putting it on.