EMT Utility Shears

I usually don't buy cheap stuff because it's...well, cheap. But sometimes I'll find something that's useful and a good value. EMT shears are such an item.

Besides being cheap, they're also very easy to find. A quick eBay search turned up 480 results. They can also be found at surplus stores, gun shows, dealers of law enforcement and tactical gear and many other places. If bought in bulk, they can be had for less than 75 cents each. The red ones pictured above I found on the side of the road more than 20 years ago. I keep them in the kitchen drawer and use them frequently. That's 20+ years of service for a cost of $0. You can't get a much better value than that. They come in many colors, including all the standard military colors (black, OD, Tan, Foliage, etc.), as well as many fashion colors and Safety Orange. There are "tactical" versions available with black oxide coated blades. The black ones shown above are painted. They are available in two sizes - 5.5 inch and 7.5 inch. Those above are all 7.5".

These shears are a great addition to any EDC kit. I don't think I need to explain how scissors are useful. There are custom sheaths and carriers available for EMT shears, but since the tips aren't sharp, they can safely be stuck into a pouch or pocket. Mil Spec Monkey offers a nice sheath here. Since they are so cheap and useful, I might start selling them in my eBay store. Stay tuned...

Semper Paratus

Magpul Field Case for iPhone 4/4S

A case for an iPhone 4 is about as simple as a device can be and there is a seemingly infinite number of choices to suit one's own needs and style. I was happy to find that Magpul is one of those choices. Magpul is committed to keeping their design and manufacturing in the United States. Like all their products, the Field Case is made in the U.S.A. (and retails for $9.95).

The Field Case for iPhone 4/4S is one of three styles offered by Magpul. The others are a version for the iPhone 3G/3GS and the Executive Field Case for iPhone 4/4S. It's a one-piece sleeve made from the same material as the Original Magpul device. It comes in six colors - Black, OD Green, Tan, Foliage, Orange and pink - but it might be difficult to find some colors, like pink. Mine is OD Green.

Like most iPhone cases, it just snaps on the back. It's very easy to install, but hard to remove. There's a little lip that catches over the edge of the phone's metal frame, preventing it from slipping off. That, and the semi-rigid material make it fit snugly and securely. It has a look that is consistent with Magpul's overall aesthetic. It is designed after the PMAG. It works well with the rest of my gear.

The Magpul Field Case isn't fancy, but it does what it's supposed to do, and well. That's how all of Magpul's stuff is - simple, functional and durable. That's what it's all about.

Semper Paratus

Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer

So let's get to it:

The Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer is the first new piece of gear I've bought in a while. As I mentioned earlier, I got to where I was carrying very little in terms of basic EDC gear. Part of that was that I wasn't traveling much. Part of it was that I stopped caring. Now that the current zombie craze is picking up steam, I have something to get excited about. You can't leave your house in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world without some basic tools for survival. The Fatty is one way to keep some of them contained. Here I have one in Khaki (0261K) shown with an Orange Tac-Link by ITW Nexus (sold seperately.)

Actual outside dimensions are about 7.75"h x5.5"w x2"d. (I say "about" because it's cloth - it can be smooshed.) On the front there is a 4.5"h x4.75"w mesh slip pocket that closes with hook and loop. Above that there is a 2x3 inch square of loop material for patches. It is designed as a drop-in pouch and will fit in the cargo pocket of any BDU or ACU-type pants. You can also drop it into your pack or bag, of course.

On the back there are three rows by two columns of PALS webbing for attachment to other gear. Shown here with two 3" TacTies in Foliage Green - also sold seperately. There is also a grab handle attached with box-and-X stitching. The finishing is beautiful; there are no loose ends showing.

On the inside left, there is a 5.5"h x 4.75"w slip pocket, an elastic organizer with 9 divisions, a key clip and a loop for dummy-cording.

On the right, there is a zippered pocket and an elastic organizer with six divisions. There is an elastic loop in the middle. The MagLite fits a bit loose, but the loop keeps it from rolling around. The right side is deeper than the left. That's my Gerber multi-tool. I don't remember what model it is. The elastic holds it snugly.

Here it is with a few more things inside. On my phone, that's a Magpul IP4 Field Case (I'll say more about that later). On the right is a Maxpedition Micro Wallet. Also shown is a Tac-Link in Tan (everything here is sold seperately, of course!). The knife is a CRKT M16-13M. On the inside also, the construction and finishing are beautiful. The seams are all taped and there are no loose ends showing anywhere. The zippers function perfectly. If I could ask for anything, it would be for some padding, maybe just on the front half or possibly a dedicated phone pocket.

Overall, I am very happy with this pouch. It's compact, versatile and it does what I wanted it to do. I like this pouch, but I like all Maxpedition pouches. Maxpedition builds some of the best gear on the market. I have been using their stuff for several years, and I have yet to be disappointed. It's thoughtfully designed and user-friendly. It's obvious that Maxpedition takes user feedback seriously. I am loyal to Maxpedition as a brand and it is my sincere desire to become an authorized dealer. It's good stuff and I want to share it.

There are still a couple of small things I want to get to keep in here, like a Pocket Widgy tool from County Comm and some mini EMT shears. I also want to go over some suggested EDC items, but I'll save that for a future post. Til then, be safe.

Semper Paratus

survivor-edc

Wow.

I haven't posted for six months. It's not that I didn't have anything to say, I just didn't know what. Plus, by now, what I could say would fill a book. Suffice it to say  that I've been through a lot of changes. I let a lot of things go in the process of figuring out what I want. Well, now I know.

I've been fascinated with military clothing, gear and accessories since I was 5. That was the original focus of this blog in the first place. But at some point, I started to move away from all of that. I sold most of my guns and a lot of the gear I thought I had no use for. Part of why I did that was because I needed the money. Part of it was because I didn't really know what I did want. But it's bigger than that.

I was in search of an identity. I've played so many roles in my life, I've never quite known who the hell I really am. But, over the last year or so, a couple of things have become abundantly clear:

1. I AM A SURVIVOR

I have been living at a pretty hard-core survival level for several months. Not on the street, but not far from it. It's been difficult, to say the least. But, I have a lot to be thankful for.
Living at this level provides several things. For one, you learn what you really need. The list is short. Food, water, shelter, clothing, heat/fire, communication and transportation. Same as in any survival situation. The rest is fluff.
Second, you learn what you're capable of. Resourcefulness has long been one of my strong suits, but I've pushed that beyond what I knew was possible. A somewhat-minimalist lifestyle has served me well. Being from the working class has helped me develop skills that I can apply across a broad range of situations. There's a saying: "We've done so much with so little for so long, that by now, we could probably do anything with nothing." There's a lot of truth in that.
Third, you learn who your friends are. Not much more to say about that. My friends know who they are, too and I love them and thank them very deeply.
Last, you learn what's important. The process of letting go brings a lot of clarity. By letting go of what I thought I didn't want, I figured out that I really did want it after all. What do you want to be when you grow up? What were you passionate about as a child? That should be your first clue.
Many of us act like we are the victims of our lives and of the circumstances and situations that get heaped upon us - and that we have no choice. I'm here to tell you that that's not true. You always have a choice. I'm also here to say that I acknowledge that - whether consciously or unconsciously - I chose my life and all that that entails. I am not a victim, I am a survivor. "That which doesn't kill me, makes me stronger".

2. I LOVE THIS GEAR

Always have, always will. Pouches, pockets, packs, zippers, buckles, bungees, bags, boots, straps, belts, BDU's, ACU's, ALICE, MOLLE.....you name it, I fucking love it. I never was very interested in actually being in the military, as much as I just loved the clothing and equipment. I love the look, the feel, the design, the functionality...all of it. And now it's time I started doing something about it.

SURVIVOR-EDC

You may have noticed that I changed my display name. I've also changed my eBay user name to the same. It was about time. I wanted something that better reflects where I am now. But, why that?
"SURVIVOR" for all the reasons above, but more.
You may have noticed that the "Zombie Apocalypse" is a pretty hot topic right now. Who knew that "Zombie Apocalypse" would become a household term? I love it. I'm finally in my element. I've also noticed that there are a whole lot of companies jumping on the zombie bandwagon. I love that, too. Emergency Preparedness companies have been around for quite a while, but this is the first time we've ever been preparing for zombies. And I really love that. To find that something that I have admired for so long has finally made it to the mainstream is like a dream come true.
BUT - all these companies share one thing in common - they all treat the "emergency" as something that hasn't happened yet. What if we approached it from the other side?
"EDC" stands for "every-day-carry". That should need no explanation, but just in case, it's the stuff you keep with you to get you through your daily life. I've been an advocate of preparedness for a long time now, but I did reach a point where I was leaving the house with practically nothing: phone, wallet and keys only. I felt, and was, unprepared. I know better than that.

SO...

SURVIVOR-EDC is the name I've chosen to reflect my philosophy, my experience and my commitment to providing others with high quality, hard-use gear and information for their daily survival. I will be doing gear reviews and sharing things I've made and learned. And, as I am able, I will be listing more items in my eBay store.

I'm back, and I look forward to having a really good time...

Semper Paratus

Details

As we rush around tending to the details of our daily lives, we often miss the details that bring beauty and richness to our lives. I took these photos while exploring the woods recently. I really love the subdued colors of winter.

I have an old Sony digital camera and I never really know where it's going to focus. It makes for some interesting shots:

This is one of my favorites:

Another favorite:

Elmwood Cemetery

I was looking through some old photos and found a bunch that I took at Elmwood Cemetery a few years ago. I love cemeteries and Elmwood is one of the most beautiful I've seen. Here are a few shots:

Modern cemeteries don't have these amazing sculptural monuments. This is one of many at Elmwood. Here's a closer look:

Another:

"Our Son John" has seen better days:

I think it's sad, creepy and kinda cool how the lambs erode into these weird, alien-looking things:

This door is on a mausoleum:

I loved the look of the fake roses and the dead leaves:

This is just a small sampling of the photos I have taken in cemeteries. I'll probably post more later on. I am working on a post about utility belts that I will post soon. Thanks for looking!

Brad





Not a Real Job

I first want to apologize to anyone who's reading for my sporadic and infrequent posting. I let everyday concerns get in the way of what I want to do which is explore my world and share it with you. Part of what holds me back is that I often want to write about things that are off the topic of fashion. I want that to be the main focus, but I am also giving myself the freedom to write about whatever moves me. So, from now on, everything is considered "on-topic".

All that said, I want to talk about blogging itself. There are people who believe that blogging is not a "real job". Maybe at some level, I believe that myself. I certainly haven't treated it like one. I've let it drift in and out of my focus just like I do everything. But what is a "real job" anyway? I know I've had plenty and most of them sucked. They entail going somewhere I don't want to be, doing something I don't want to do and receiving compensation well below what I feel I deserve. And that's considered "normal". We suffer through a miserable commute to spend a significant portion of our day in an occupation that (most days) is unfulfilling at best and crushingly stressful at worst. I know that this isn't how it is for everybody, but it has been my general experience.

We do this so that we can meet our survival needs, which seems to make sense, but we continue to grind on, day after day and year after year, clinging to the vain hope that maybe "someday" we can finally break free and do what we want. The problem is that it never happens. Someday never comes. Retirement is an illusion. It's a lie that keeps us believing that we can't be happy now. By the time we retirement age, (which keeps getting pushed back), we are too sick and broken down to enjoy it. Then we spend the next few, short remaining years in pain and misery. Then we die. I've watched it happen. Some of us don't even make it that far. My friend and former boss, Ted Wilson, was going to "retire" in June of this year. He died in his sleep on February 19.

I've sworn that that's never going to happen to me. I am not going to let someone else's idea of what's right or wrong or "normal" dictate how I spend my life. So, also on February 19, I left my job. I had no idea what I was going to do or how I was going to support myself, but I did it anyway. Maybe it was crazy and foolish (or was it?), but I couldn't go on like that one day longer. Every day I face fear and uncertainty, but I have something I could never get at any job - my Freedom. I am free to do what ever I want, any time I want. And that's worth more than any dollar amount.

On a side note, it's amazing how many chronic pains have gone away since I removed the stress of a regular job. Pain that I have had for years has just disappeared. Coincidence? I think not. I believe that there are no coincidents and no accidents. Everything that happens to us happens because we intended it, consciously or unconsciously.

So what about this blogging thing? How is it not a real job? It's all in your perception. Many bloggers work from home and choose their own hours. As far as I can tell, that's the only real apparent difference. The difference that's not apparent is that we enjoy it and get something out of it.

The last few weeks I've been consumed with monetary concerns, while sitting on my ass wondering what the f I should be doing with my life. It's been here in front of me the whole time. This is the best way for me to share what I find and what I've learned. Unfortunately, I have not treated it with the respect and dedication that it deserves. You only get out of it what you put into it. I have not applied myself and I apologize.

With all THAT said, I want to promise that this will be the best blog I know how to make. Over the last 50-some years, I have learned and made and collected a lot of stuff and I want to share it in an interesting way. Thank you to everyone who reads. Enjoy!

Brad