Household goods affordability

[The Daring Dufas]

My roommate will drive 10 miles each way to save 10 cents a gallon on gas. I can't get through to him. o_O

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

Two pointy ones. o_O

TDD

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Oren:

I'd say just the opposite. First and foremost they represent the corporate interests whose money they need to finance their campaigns.

After that, they "represent" the populace by pandering to the populace's ignorance.

I can't blame them. After all, they're politicians, and politicians live to get elected. Some guy stands up and says it the way it is, and the first thing that will happen is that his corporate donations will dry up. Second thing will be that some other guy will crucify him in the media - and run him out of office next election.

Politicians are what they are.... the root cause is the populace and there is no short term cure for that.

I hope I'm wrong.

[The Daring Dufas]

OH MY GOD!! That's even more racist! If the American people had asked Obama that very question, he would have never been.... never mind. o_O

TDD

TDD

[krw]

I will occasionally drive out of my way for cheaper gas (if it's a normal place I buy). I want to reward those who keep the prices down.

[krw]

Maybe your news server isn't connected to hers and it takes time for everything to sync up. She uses tds.net which doesn't ring a bell as one that should be shunned.

[krw]

Well, I did, but dad didn't. Mom was from Minnesota. ;-)

;-)

[clare]

Might make sense if the tank is big enough and the vehicle gets good enough mileage.

[The Daring Dufas]

He's the type who will only put a maximum of $20 at a time in the tank. ^_^

TDD

[nestork]

When threads go totally off track like this one has, it's fertile ground for an argument to pop into existance, like energy in a vaccuum.

I think you really can't compare the buying power of an hour's worth of wages today to that of 50 years ago because so many things have changed in 50 years.

If you did that comparison on food, you'd probably find food to be cheaper, but that fresh fruits and vegetables are now available all year long, and that adds value.

If you did that comparison on energy, you'd probably find the energy more expensive, but that it was being used much more efficiently, and that adds value too.

And, your comparisons couldn't take into account the most obvious difference; change in technology. 50 years ago, the check out girl at a supermarket would be paid handsomely because she'd know the price per pound of every type of produce in the store. Now, that same person merely needs to know how to access the right menu on a touch sensitive computer screen, and so the store can hire anyone off the street to do that same work. In that case, wages have gone down since the 1960's for that kind of work. But, the result is quicker check outs through fewer mistakes, and that adds value too.

So, about the only thing you can compare between the 1960's and today is the Maytag washing machine. Everything else has changed.

[Stormin Mormon]

I'm told that Bell and Gossett still uses the same molds for their watee circulator pumps, for hot water heat systems. You can interchange parts from the first models.

You're right, there has been a heck of a lot of thread drift, and some flames, because I'm an idiot.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

I heard some where, a quote "The increasing price of gas doesn't affect me. I just buy twenty dollars worth each time I fill up." Now, THAT is clueless.

Yes, it's amazing. The people who have no concept of money. The problem is, when I try to explain how it works, I get explanations back, of why they do it that way.

Reminds me of the time I was trying to talk with a family's young son (bout 7 or 8) on FRS walkie talkies. I could not hear the boy, even with my radio volume on max. I swapped walkies with him, and TX on his. Found the microphone. Told him to talk "into right here". He says no, "I do it this way...." and talks into the speaker. That was the closest I've come to whacking a kid in the head.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

Bait them with the dog food. They will stop eating it and that particular gang of ants will go away.

"Wood roach" sounds like the American cockroach, palmetto bug or whatever chamber of commerce name they come up with. They are not as tough to control as the Asians and Germans

Bait them with the dog food. They will stop eating it and that particular gang of ants will go away.

"Wood roach" sounds like the American cockroach, palmetto bug or whatever chamber of commerce name they come up with. They are not as tough to control as the Asians and Germans

Bait them with the dog food. They will stop eating it and that particular gang of ants will go away.

"Wood roach" sounds like the American cockroach, palmetto bug or whatever chamber of commerce name they come up with. They are not as tough to control as the Asians and Germans

On the "explaining things to people" note. It makes it easier for others, if you trim and delete some of the excess text.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 10/14/2013 11:14 PM, [e-mail] wrote:

SurvivalBlog.com

The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Bugging Out of the City with Your Family, by O. Dog

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The never-ending threat of the TEOTWAWKI looms in the depth of all of our minds. My work experience lays primarily in public safety, government peroration to emergency response, tactical team assaults, gang mentality and survival, logistics and law enforcement radio communication. My personal experience is very broad beginning with my first job at age 15, working continuously through college, being married for the past 16 years to my ?high school sweetheart? and raising three young children. I have been validated in court as an expert in several fields regarding gangs, firearms and narcotics. I would like to share with you my thoughts and expertise relating to successfully bugging out of an urban area.

My family and I happen to live in the California Bay Area and like many of the SurvivalBlog.com readers, live in a heavily-populated urban area. Don?t be fooled though, many of us urbanites are just like our rural area pepper counterparts; we just haven?t made the jump to move to the desirable off grid lifestyle, full time. That being said, most urban based preppers are vested in the communities we live in, go to Church/Temple, donate time and resources to local charities, and are involved in our children?s school(s) as well as many extracurricular activities. Most of us have bug out plans and a small network of family and friends to help us achieve the goal of getting our families out safely. However, the looming challenge is knowing the right time to leave, weather to leave together or in groups, what mode of transportation will be available (vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, small aircraft, boat), what we can bring based on how we can travel, safe routs of travel (neighborhoods, highways, bridges, chokepoints, time of day, waterways, air travel) and realistic time needed for travel to your safe location.

Deciphering the right time to leave the city or urban areas is something that you have to research in advance. It?s not something one can effectively do after the mass evacuation crisis has started. I recommend paying attention to the raw materials trade markets, indicators of local government preparations, public schools and local airports. While these are not traditional sources of impending danger information what each one of them show are immediate shifts in normal behavior, change in the flow of resources and change in human behavior.

The raw materials markets show the flow of milled lumber mostly white fir to China, metals, mostly recycled metals overseas especially at a reduced rate, recycled oil products to Southern America and lastly vehicle buyback programs such as Cash for Clunkers, Kars for Kids and Habitat.org/./ These programs receive significant government funding to get abandoned vehicles, boats, RVs and trailers off the streets of America. When we see the price of white fir lumber drop, the price per shipping container of metal or aluminum drop, the price to recycle your used oil increase or having to pay to ?donate? your vehicle a shift in normalcy is on the horizon. While these indicators may not be immediate indicators you should maintain a watchful eye on one or all of them to make a predicative analysis of the fall of the USD.

Indicators of local government preparations include an increase of public disaster drills (outside the norm), more specialized emergency management equipment being stored extensively at and around public safety buildings rather than at city or county corporation yards and police and fire personal response times increasing to a higher than normal routine. When you notice changes in staged emergency management equipment and supplies at the public safety building in your community you should anticipate a large event taking place. If it?s a preplanned event such as a fair, a celebration or a parade generally there is no cause for alarm. But if the changes you notice appear unplanned or in such duration that goes beyond normal parameters you should pay attention. Again these signs alone may not be indicators you should bug out, but the totality of your research and observations will be the deciding factor.

Changes in behavior at the public schools relating to free lunch programs, after school program accessibility and an increase in teacher absences are signs that the transportation logistics are failing and the priorities of the school administrators are changing. The focus will shift from keeping children at the school to surviving with what funds and resources the schools left.

Changes of behavior at the airports will show similar concerns. When air fuel costs go up, plane tickets go up. When airport TSA restrictions go up, freedom and liberty go down based directly on actions of the TSA Director. This should raise eyebrows and should be evaluated along with the other change of behavior signs in your communities.

When you decide to leave you will need to already have a preplanned route as well as a secondary route for redundancy. Your primary route will generally be the shortest you can take by way of a vehicle on a paved road. If you have access to a small aircraft you will likely be traveling by vehicle with your supplies to the airport. The same goes for waterway travel. You will generally need a vehicle to get to a harbor or a boat launch with your gear to leave the heavily populated urban areas. The most significant dilemma for most urban area preppers is not leaving too early where you may face being fired for not reporting to work if things don?t go bad and not waiting too long where all the highways are packed bumper to bumper where you can?t get out. The last thing any of us want to do is lose our job if we leave without notice and are released from our employer in a non-emergency scenario.

A solution may be to leave in groups at staggered start times. Those who have a low risk of a significant impact for leaving early are those like home makers who would face no more than a child?s school absence, telecommuters who don?t have to report to an office, business owners who decide not to open their business for a day or two, retirees who don?t have commitments in their communities and obviously those who are on their regular days off from work. Those who can leave early with little or no recourse should leave as soon as the indicators outlined above begin to show. Those who have jobs where leaving would cause employer concern such as construction, infrastructure jobs, public safety, government offices or other employers who require prior notification for unplanned absences, will face a tough decision. At some point you will have to make the call to leave knowing your unexcused absence will have a substantial affect on your future employment. Sometimes it?s a gamble and sometimes it?s an educated decision on your part. Those who have fled suspecting troubled times in the past have suffered the loss of a job or disciplinary action because of their unexcused absence. They know all too well what can happen for their decision to leave. All I can suggest is you study the signs and make the best decision for you and your loved ones.

Determining you mode of travel is simple, if you have the discretionary free time and if you leave early enough. Unfortunately that is not the reality for most of the working class in the urban environment. You need to plan for moderate to heavy vehicular traffic. Pack extra provisions, fuel and comfort items you and loved ones need to make the extended trip palatable. Secondly plan for extra security measures. Having quick and easy access to a firearm is you first defense when faced with marauders so it?s essential that you have one close to you when traveling during these troubling times. If you flee in a vehicle is would be easy to inconspicuously and legally carry firearms with you even in the most restrictive states like California and New York. All states allow legal vehicle transportation of firearms. Some states are more restrictive than others and require the firearm be in a locked case and with the ammunition stored away from the firearm in the vehicle, but most do not specifically define what a locked case is and don?t require the ammunition be locked or unloaded from a magazine. That being said I have seen some very creative case locks which include ?rope?, zip ties, bailing wire and twist ties. While under normal circumstances I would recommend sticking with a traditional key or combination lock, I think in a bug out situation law enforcement officials will be less worried about the manner in which you chose to transport your firearm and more concerned with problems of keeping the peace.

Be wary of hasty road blocks and haphazard detours. Most traditional law enforcement road blocks need to have proper signage and notification and will ?look official.? Your best option to avoid check points all together. When driving keep your must keep your eyes on the horizon and always be looking ahead. Travel efficiently but not too fast where you may come upon a roadblock too fast and can?t get out of the queue line before your trapped and committed. At the onset your most efficient way of travel will be on the Highways and Freeways. During the later stages of the exodus you will have to divert to your secondary travel route and stick to back country roads. Lastly as a general rule never park your vehicle(s) with less than half a tank of fuel. To do otherwise is lazy and foolish. I shouldn?t have to say anything more on that topic.

If another mode of travel is your plan such as a boat, small aircraft or motorcycle/quad then the options open up for you. Small winged air travel being the safest you will not need to be as concerned with the roadways. You will however need to be concerned about flight restrictions and filing of flight plans. If you are traveling by boat you are sure to run into some resistance and chaos at the docks with others fleeing the later you leave. You should expect to run into frantic citizens loading copious amounts of supplies onto their boats at the same time. The boat docks at most marinas are not designed for mass exodus and lots of people piling provisions along the docks at the same time will cause confusion and delay. For those scenarios, it?s imperative you store as much gear on your bug out boat prior to the event to avoid delays and confrontations on the ramps and docks. Stay light and quick and you can weave yourself and family through the rushes at the docks very efficiently.

If the motorcycle or quad is your planed way of travel be prepared to carry extra fuel along with all your other gear which will be seen by all. While we would like to conceal our gear and fuel it?s nearly impossible on a motorcycle or quad. I would suggest painting your jerry cans to at least appear like traditional saddle bags so at first glance it doesn?t look like a gas can. Also I would recommend a siphon. There small light and can make the world of difference between only making it part of the way and walking versus riding all the way to your destination.

Travel routes and times are critical. Plan primary, secondary and alternate routes out. Have a road map or atlas with you so you can recalculate your route if needed. GPS is a great tool until Murphy?s Law kicks in and it doesn?t work for any number of reasons (government satellite shut down, EMP, CME, system over use overload, etc?). Areas of concern are heavily populated areas, low income housing blocks, chokepoints, bridges, tunnels, and highway to highway intersections. Determining routs around these potential ambush points is your key to your safe travel. Leaving early enough to avoid these problem areas is ideal but may not be possible. If you run into a choke point sometimes it?s best to pull over to a safe location and observe for a half hour or so. Learn from others mistakes and adjust your route accordingly. Stay alert and watch your surroundings.

Most likely the best time to leave is late at night. Just as the early bird gets the worm, the early traveler gets less traffic. Leave after midnight but before 5:00 am. You should give yourself enough time to be out of the populated areas in into the country before 5:00 am so plan for delays and rest stops if needed. While headlights can be seen for up to a mile away and ambushes can be organized on you approach, it?s still safer and more efficient to travel at night. Night vision capabilities are premium when driving at night but most of us can?t afford such an expense. Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst and always have contingency plans. The government does for just about everything having to do with emergency response, so why shouldn?t you?

The last two options are the least desirable. Bicycling or walking are obviously slow and open you up to all sorts of potential problems. While you will benefit from moving quietly while creating a small silhouette of yourself, you will have no cover or concealment. Additionally traveling by bicycle or by foot will extend your travel time immensely so plan for it. Coordinate it ahead of time with your group so members know to expect you in weeks rather than days or hours.

Realistic travel times need to be planned for. If your bug out location is a five hour drive during normal conditions, then plan for /twice that/ during times of crisis. Inevitably you will be faced with delays, detours, unplanned refueling stops when the opportunity arises and necessary renaissance stops. Plan for stopping to top off your fuel tanks at every reasonable opportunity you have. Fuel prices could be rising every few hours and credit cards systems could be corrupted or shut down without warning. I would suggest using a charge card as much as you can while the systems are still active. Save your cash until the credit systems stop working then transition to your cash. If/when you reach your bug out location and the credit card systems are still functional, unload your gear and family and go back out to the closest fill station and top everything off. Fuel will be worth it?s weigh in gold when the refineries shut down and/or the fuel trucks stop rolling. If nothing more, fuel will be a good bartering item for the new America.

In conclusion, be prepared, make the sacrifices now so you can live comfortably in the future. Having preparations stored provides most with a sense of accomplishment and security in your future. As Americans we mustn?t forget the duty of charity and helping others out. That being said, take care of yourself, your loved ones and your group. After then, and only then as J. W. Rawles says, ?Give until it hurts.? With that, be safe, plan ahead and God Bless.

for about $65. Came with hose. Find out the pressure switch on unit 1

Might make sense to trim some excess text. Thanks.

[Stormin Mormon]

That would have been a fun transcript to read.

Interviewer: So, Senator Obama, what have you accomplished? Obama: Now, let me make myself perfectly clear. We will bring hope and change. Interviewer: What are some of your goals? Obama: We want to fundimentally transform the nation.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

When Kodak still had employees, my Dad used to joke that a Jewish Black woman could be hired and be VP within a year. As usual, the Congress is the problem, writing and enforcing laws like Affirmative Action.

Sadly, Congress "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" seldom gets credit for their problems.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

Don't remember. it's been years since I heard this, and I have no way to contact the writer. But, your thought makes sense.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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[Stormin Mormon]

I'm much the same way. I'd rather volunteer than be idle. Sadly, the various places make it near to impossible to volunteer. My last volunteer position, it became clear that the department where I was helping didn't want volunteers, and got rid of them as fast as they could.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 10/14/2013 7:40 PM, [e-mail] wrote:

SurvivalBlog.com

The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Life on the Edge: The Importance of Blade Maintenance, by Dr. DAC

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_INTRODUCTION_ Most of us use a cutting edge every single day, be it a chef?s knife, pocket knife, or scissors. We typically suffer with overly dull cutting surfaces, and that is /OK/ for cutting a zucchini after the daily nine-to-five routine. However, when faced with a long-term survival situation, the importance of cutting edges will skyrocket, quickly shifting this humdrum facet of daily life to center stage. Knowing how to restore and maintain blades and edges will take on new importance, as sharp tools will be necessary for survival, and sharpening will be a marketable and barterable skill.

Besides knives and scissors, we will regularly rely on axes, machetes, fingernail clippers, chisels, gouges, wood planes, drill bits, saw blades, animal hide preparatory tools, and shaving razors, just to name a few. Different edges require different sharpeners and techniques to achieve sharpness, but with a little bit of investment in some simple tools and also time for honing your skills (pun intended), the dividends will pay off for years to come. Unlike some niche survival skills and tactics, sharpening is extremely useful in every-day non-emergency situations, as you will finally be able to maintain blades that actually slice through tomatoes without clumsily squishing out an eight-inch radius of juice blast!

Some blades and tasks are more sensitive to dullness than others. For example, a dull chef?s knife will get the job done, however it will take longer, leave jagged edges, and require more force. These last points are issues of safety, for the greater the force leveraged on a knife, the less control the user typically has. Also, dull knives have a greater propensity for slipping or bouncing off of surfaces before cutting in, which increases the likelihood of lacerating oneself. Wounds inflicted by dull knives also tend to be more ragged, potentially necessitating medical attention?the last thing you need in a survival situation. Other cutting tools, such as straight razors and plane irons are rendered virtually unusable when dull. Dull machetes and axes are also inefficient and dangerous.

All sharpening methods rely on the same basic principle?abrasive particles that are harder than the blade are used to create a series of scratches on the cutting edge. Coarse abrasive particles cut quickly and remove relatively large amounts of metal from the edge. Fine abrasive particles cut more slowly, yet leave a finer scratch pattern. The finer and more uniform the scratch pattern, the sharper the edge will be. Eventually, the progression to finer and finer abrasives yields a mirror finish and an exquisitely sharp edge.

Sharpening typically occurs over a number of abrasive, or ?grit? stages. A coarse or low grit stone first removes deep gouges and scratches. Fine, or high grit, media are used after coarser abrasives have created a uniform edge. This can be compared to a wood working analogy, in that a progression of finer tools is used to craft a piece of work. An axe is used to cut lumber to a coarse shape, saws work coarse lumber to the close-to-finished shape of the desired piece, and then sand paper and scrapers are used during the last finishing stage. Sandpaper is not used to cut down the tree! In theory it could be, but you would waste a lot of paper, and it would take more time and effort than you probably wish to spend. Conversely, you would not use an axe for the final smoothing. For the same reasons, you would not use a fine abrasive for the initial sharpening of an edge. The idea is to take rough (coarse) cuts of metal off the edge to get the shape of the blade right and to eliminate deep gouges. Once all the scratches made by the coarse abrasive are uniform, it is time to progress to a medium abrasive. Once the medium abrasive has created a uniform series of scratches, it is time to move to a finer abrasive. One of the biggest hurdles to creating a good edge is impatience. By switching to the next finer abrasive too soon, coarse scratches persist and a sharp edge will remain elusive. Each progression of finer scratch pattern must completely remove the coarser scratch pattern from the abrasive that came before. Going back to the lumber example, even if you used the axe to chop through 95% of the log, switching to sandpaper at this point would still be foolish. Likewise, even if you remove 95% of the coarse scratches with a medium grit abrasive, moving a fine abrasive will not readily remove the remaining 5% of coarse scratches.

The tools needed to begin sharpening are relatively simple, but the vast array of choices can be dizzying for those new to sharpening. On one end of the spectrum resides sandpaper that is simply adhered to a flat surface, while the other end of the spectrum hosts multi-thousand-dollar sharpening machines. This article focuses on the middle ground, which is the domain belonging to sharpening stones. Sophisticated sharpening machines will be largely ignored, for when the power goes down, so do these machines. Additionally, replacement parts may be impossible to source. A brief description of the utility of sandpaper is worth mentioning, however.

Sand paper is inexpensive and only requires a /flat/ surface such as a mirror, glass pane, or a block of granite as the underlying substrate. Even MDF (medium density fiberboard) or cast iron tool tops (such as table saw tops) can be used with some success. Utilizing a series of differing sandpaper grits can be an extremely effective means of sharpening edges. Vast amounts of information regarding sandpaper-based methods are available on the internet, and they can typically be found by typing the phrase ?scary sharp? in a search engine. In a nutshell, sandpaper is generally adhered to a flat surface with a spray adhesive. The edge to be sharpened is placed on the sandpaper, and worked to create a uniform scratch pattern. A low grit (50, 80, 100) paper is used to shape the edge, followed by a progression of finer grits (150,

180, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1200, 2000, 5000 or even finer). Stopping at between 600 and 1200 is suitable for everyday use, but finer edges (that are more delicate and more easily dulled and damaged) require higher grits. To set this system up, it takes very little initial monetary output, as sandpaper and float glass is inexpensive. The problem is that sandpaper may not be readily available in a long-term survival situation, and high quality wet-dry silicon carbide paper in fine grits is rather expensive and may not be readily available at box stores. Overall, this methodology is useful to have in one?s bag of tricks, but may not be as practical or cost effective (in the long run) as having some quality sharpening stones. _ SHARPENING STONES_ It should be noted that I have no financial interest in any brands of the sharpening stones mentioned below, and have included reference to brands I have either personally used or that have a reputation for quality. Like all tools, I would recommend buying the best you can afford, staying far away from cheap imports.

Sharpening stones come in a few basic varieties: Oil stones, water stones, and diamond stones. Oil stones are the stones that our grandfathers used, and require a coat of oil to work effectively, hence the name. They were traditionally natural stones (e.g. ?Arkansas stones?), but man-made oil stones are readily available today from manufacturers such as Norton. Natural Arkansas stones vary in coarseness, and are typically available in finer forms than their man-made counterparts. The types of Arkansas stones are, from coarse to fine; ?Washita,? ?Soft Arkansas,? ?Hard Arkansas,? ?Hard Black Arkansas,? and ?Hard Translucent Arkansas.? Oil stones typically cut more slowly than water stones, and are more difficult to clean due to the use of oil. They are, however, the most economical of the stones available. Quality oil stones can be had, at the time of this writing, for under $20 each.

Water stones need no oil, but require water as a lubricant, as their names suggest. They are also available in natural varieties, but are rare and cost prohibitive, so only man-made water stones will be considered. They cut faster than oil stones since the binders that hold these stones together are relatively soft, which allows worn abrasive particles to slough off the stone during sharpening to reveal fresh and sharp underlying particles. Of course there is a tradeoff, which is that water stones ?dish out? more quickly due to their softer construction, so they must be flattened regularly (with a dedicated flattening plate). Water stones are also available in much finer grits than oil stones (up to 30,000 grit). Water stones vary in price, with finer grits costing substantially more. Norton makes combination stones with differing grits on each side of the stone, and for around $150 dollars, two stones (4 grits: 220/100, 4000/8000) and a flattening stone can be had. I personally feel this is an excellent approach for a basic ?do it all? sharpening setup. Water stones are easy to use and clean, while not being terribly expensive. Extremely fine grits, however, can be upward of $300 per stone. The Naniwa Chosera line of Japanese water stones, though I have not personally used them, are extremely well-regarded, and warrant consideration. I regularly use Shapton glass stones (1000, 4000, 8000) and a DMT Coarse Diasharp stone to keep my glass stones flat, and highly recommend this setup. The Shapton stones cut fast, don?t dish out quickly, and are super easy to use. They are, however, fragile as they are manufactured on a glass backing, and relatively expensive (around $300 for such a set). In a critical situation where ?two is one, and one is none,? glass stones may not be my first choice without a backup in place.

Diamond stones are not stones at all, but rather metal plates impregnated with diamond particles. They cut extremely fast and their surfaces remain very flat over time. They use water instead of oil, so are also easy to clean. Diamond stones are typically more expensive than water stones in average grits, but less expensive than ultra-fine water stones. Diamond plates are also not readily available in the extremely fine grits found in water stones. For a long-term survival scenario, these stones are arguably the best choice if you could only have one set of stones, as they are robust and remain flat. A set of four diamond stones by DMT (x-coarse, coarse, medium, fine) sells for around $200, and represents good value for overall utility. When choosing diamond stones, look for brands offering monocrystalline construction, as these stones tend to cut faster and last longer than polycrystalline varieties.

_OTHER SHARPENING TOOLS_ Strops should not be left out of the discussion. A strop is simply a piece of leather (or canvas) used to polish an edge. Unlike stones, strops do not remove material from a blade, but rather straighten or align the edge. A strop is essential for achieving a keen edge on a straight razor, and is also used for creating a superior edge on woodworking tools such as chisels or plane irons. Strops may be impregnated with fine abrasive particles, such as ?Jeweler?s Rouge,? or chromium (III) oxide to aid in achieving an even better finish. For kitchen and utility knives, a honing steel, or simply ?steel? is often used for a similar purpose (A ?steel? may be made of steel or ceramic). Learning to use a steel is a requisite for maintaining sharp kitchen knives, as it allows prolonged use of knives between sharpening sessions, since one can periodically ?touch up? the edge with just a steel.

What about electric kitchen knife sharpeners? They are super-fast, easy to use, and require virtually no skill. As long as you have electricity they will work relatively well. However, one can?t always count on having electricity. Also, if a part breaks or wears out, the apparatus will be rendered useless. Lastly, they can only sharpen thin-bladed knives, but a set of stones can be used to sharpen axes, combat knives, scissors, lawnmower blades, pruners, and dozens of woodworking tools, just to name a few. High end sharpening stations are more versatile than the kitchen knife sharpeners, but again have dozens of moving parts and rely on electricity.

A number of specialty stones are also offered in the market, and are intended for specific tasks. For example, round and triangular stones can be used for sharpening serrated blades and gut-hook skinning knives, and even some nail clippers. Gouge sharpening stones are shaped to accommodate a wide variety of wood working gouges and carving tools. Smaller stones can be used for sharpening fish hooks, saw blades, small scissors, tweezers, and even carbide router bits and carbide tipped saw blades. It should be noted that a diamond stone is needed to sharpen carbide.

The last tool worth mentioning is the file. Files are useful, especially in conjunction with stones, for sharpening axes, hatchets, lawnmower blades, gardening equipment, shovels, and saw blades. Files could be the subject of their own article, but for the sake of brevity only a brief introduction follows. Files are also indispensable for general metalworking. Mill files come in a variety of ?cuts? (the pattern of ridges on the tool) and roughness. Files generally follow the nomenclature of, from roughest to smoothest: ?rough?, ?middle?, ?bastard?, ?second cut?, ?smooth?, and ?dead smooth.? To make matters more confusing, a 10? long second cut file is typically coarser than a

6? long second cut file, and levels of roughness vary from one manufacturer to another. Files can be flat, half-round, round, and tapered. For basic sharpening of garden tools, lawnmower blades, shovels, and axes, an initial shaping with a file is the most practical way to form an edge when exceedingly dull or damaged. They cut more aggressively than the coarsest of stones, and do so far faster. No sharpening set would be complete without at least one flat mill file, but a selection of flat, round, and tapered files, in both coarse and fine cuts is ideal. Small tapered files are used to sharpen hand saw blades, while a small round file is required to properly sharpen a chainsaw blade.

There are also numerous jigs and fixtures on the market to aid the would-be sharpener in his or her quest for that perfect edge. I would avoid these items in general, and instead focus on the /skill/ of sharpening. Jigs can break, but once you have acquired the knowledge and sharpened your skills (another pun!) that can never be taken away from you. Knowledge is power. _ STARTING OUT_ Since there are so many options for sharpening implements, it is admittedly confusing at first. However, in choosing the right tools, some first questions to ask are:1) What are you sharpening?, and 2) Where are you sharpening? The ?what? is simple?buy what you need to sharpen the tools you will need. The ?where? simply refers to whether you are in a stable location or preparing for a bug-out. Therefore I have put together four hypothetical kit examples: two bug out kits-ultralight and standard, a basic sharpening set for home use, and a comprehensive sharpening set for home use. Below each set is a description of what task can reasonably be accomplished with the tools at hand. These are not written in stone, so feel free to adjust based upon your needs.

/_Bug Out Kit-ultralight_/

*Diamond credit card sharpeners ? Coarse, Fine, Extra Fine/__/*

This kit is lightweight (under 7 oz.), inexpensive, and suffices for most common tasks. Each stone is a metallic credit card-sized diamond plate. They are a bit heavy for my EDC (every day carry) preferences, but not totally impractical. For a bugout bag, these are a no-brainer. This set gives you the ability to sharpen chef?s knives, smooth pocket knives, smooth combat knives, machetes, axes, hatchets, adzes, swords, scissors & shears, arrow heads, fish hooks, as well as craft and woodworking tools. Tools, such as axes or lawnmower blades with major nicks would still likely need the use of a mill file. Blades will not achieve a keen edge like what is possible from fine grit water stones, but can be made very sharp and very functional.

/_Bug Out Kit-standard_/

*Extra Coarse/Coarse diamond folding sharpener* *Fine/Extra Fine diamond folding sharpener* *Fine diamond folding Serrated Knife Sharpener*

This example contains three collapsible sharpeners that unfold like balisongs (butterfly knifes) to reveal a sharpening stone. Two double-sided sharpeners yield four stone grits, and a fine pointed stone sharpener is used for serrated surfaces. Again, blades will not achieve as keen an edge like from higher grit water stones, but will be sharp and totally functional. Another, more compact, option would be to use the credit card sharpeners from the ultralight bug-out kit, coupled with the fine diamond serrated knife sharpener.

/_Basic Sharpening Set-home use_/

*Diamond Stone Set: X-Coarse, Coarse, Medium, Fine, X-Fine* *Chef?s Steel* *Flat Mill Files: Coarse and Smooth*

This very basic set allows one to sharpen: chef?s knives, pocket knives, combat knives, machetes, axes, hatchets, adzes, swords, scissors & shears, fish hooks, chisels, plane irons, garden equipment, and lawnmower blades, at a minimum. Since the set is diamond, carbide inserts on router bits and the like are also sharpenable. The stones are far larger than their folding counterparts, so will last longer (since the surface is greater and wear is more widely distributed) and are easier to use, as they are placed on a table top so both hands can be used for sharpening. Pocket sharpeners require one hand to hold the sharpener and one hand to hold the tool to be sharpened, which is not optimal for maintaining a consistent angle while sharpening, so stellar results are more difficult to achieve. Again, augmenting this kit with a folding serrated knife sharpener adds the ability to sharpen serrated edges.

/_Comprehensive Sharpening Set-home use_/

*Water Stone Set: 220, 500, 1000, 4000, 8000* *Flattening Stone for water stones* *Backup Diamond Stone Set: Coarse, Medium, Fine, X-Fine* *Chef?s Steel* *Sharpening Rod ? round (ceramic or diamond)* *Sharpening Rod- Triangle (ceramic or diamond)* *Leather Strops- plain and compound impregnated* *Files: Mill file selection, round file selection, tapered file selection. Large and small, coarse and fine for each.*

Having water stones will allow a keener edge than what is possible in the sets above due to the 4000 and 8000 grits, as well as the strops. It is these additional tools that allow for the sharpening of straight razors, and also to achieve razor sharp edges on most tools. The sharpening rods open up the possibility of maintaining serrated knives, gut hooks and seat belt cutter hooks. The diamond stones provide a robust backup for the more fragile water stones, and also allow one to sharpen carbide tipped router bits and saw blades, while the expanded selection of files is used for hand saws and chain saws blades. Additionally, some general metalworking and gunsmithing tasks are possible with the above stones and files.

But wait! /How exactly do I sharpen X,Y, or Z/? You never told me!! Smooth knives are sharpened differently than serrated knives, and axes are sharpened differently than chisels. The focus of this article is not to teach you the techniques needed to sharpen particular types of edges, but rather to convey the importance of possessing sharpening skills in emergency situations and to explain what tools are needed to accomplish the tasks at hand. It is also vital to understand that learning to sharpen effectively and with efficiency takes practice, and is a perishable skill. I therefore recommend, at the very least, that one regularly sharpen kitchen knives and pocket knives to achieve and maintain a reasonable skill level. Your first attempt at sharpening a kitchen knife may yield a blade that is duller than when you started! This changes with practice. Another article, far longer than this one, could be written that breaks down the procedures necessary to sharpen all the tools mentioned above, but in this case a picture is really worth a 1,000 words. I would therefore recommend a book such as /The Complete Guide to Sharpening/ by Leonard Lee, as this text covers the vast majority of sharpening situations one can expect to encounter, is full of photographs, and is a worthy reference for any preparedness library. Additionally, there are hundreds of YouTube videos that show the procedures and motions used to achieve edge nirvana, but I would caution that some are worth far more than others.

When faced with TEOTWAWKI , chopping wood, preparing game, cooking, bushwhacking, hunting, self-defense, personal hygiene, and tool maintenance for woodworking, leatherworking, and virtually every other craft will heavily rely on edged tools. With a little bit of investment and regular practice, you can ensure that your survival tools remain safe and functional while also creating a skill set that has bartering value?both of which may help you through hard times and promote your survival.

And of course, the wear and tear on the car. My Mom is big on coupons. We eat out now and again, but usually only where she has coupons.

[trader4]

Now, that same person

Even 50 years ago, all they did was look the price up on a cheat sheet, unless they knew it. A cheat sheet I still see them using today to look up the code when the vegetable in front of them doesn't have a sticker. I don't recall supermarket cashiers being anything other than low paid workers, ever, except those that unionized. You think cashiers eventually memorizing prices for the most popular vegetables was a special skill? They could get it wrong half the time and who would even know?