New Focus

It's been a long time since I last posted and a lot of things have changed since then. Among these, I have decided to not have a car or driver's license. There are many reasons for this, about which I will go into greater detail in future posts. But for now I will say that it is in line with my commitment to reducing the number of cars on the road and assert cycling as a viable form of transportation.

I have identified myself as a cyclist for 25 years, In that time, I have seen the amount of car traffic increase dramatically. This is definitely NOT a good thing. I consider it to be very bad. I feel much less safe on the road. I believe that cars are expensive, wasteful, largely unnecessary and just plain fucking dangerous. And they need to GO AWAY. The new focus of this blog is on my experience as a daily cyclist. I will point out what I think is significant, both good and bad. I will also be looking at related gear and clothing.

Pictured above is my main commuting bike. It is a custom, built on a Bridgestone XO-3 frameset. I built it up in about 1994. It has served me very well. I will go over the details in a future post. Until then, I encourage everybody to hide your car keys and get out and ride!

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Swedish FireSteel 2.0 Scout

Fire is one of the most essential elements of survival, so the means to start a fire is one of the most important components of your Bugout/EDC kit. It is also a good idea to have more than one method, because at some point, you will use up all of your matches and your lighter will run dry. A striking steel is an great alternative. It doesn't require fuel (other than tinder) and lasts for a long time.

Here I have the Swedish FireSteel 2.0 Scout by Light My Fire.

The flint is 3 inches long and comes with a striker. The cord keeps everything together. The whole thing comes in at a tiny bit over an ounce; 28.7 grams. The "handle" of the striker also includes a built-in whistle:

This is a simple tool which works very well. It produces a shower of hot sparks that will light a cotton ball very quickly. It also feels solid and well-made. The manufacturer claims about 3000 strikes.  It sells for about $15 and can be found at many online retailers. I got this one on eBay for $12.95.

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Energizer 3 LED Headlight

A headlight is another must-have for your EDC kit. I am only now discovering the wonders of a headlight and I don't plan on going without one again. There are a lot of different models available at many price points. Part of my goal for this blog is to review products which are readily available. I got this one at Target for $9.99

The head pivots and light is provided by three LED's, two white and one red:

Power comes from three AAA batteries, which are accessed by inserting a coin into the slot and twisting:

When I removed the cover the first time, it opened with a loud "snap". I was afraid I broke it, but didn't. The cover is held in place on the bottom by this little tab, which seems rather fragile. Care must be taken not to break it off:

Despite its somewhat cheap feel, this little light works well. It's bright and the two LED's focus into a single beam. It's comfortable, too. The headband is soft and fits snugly. This is a great item to keep in the car for nighttime emergencies like flat tires or dead batteries.

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Mini Pry Bar

Here is a simple, cheap tool that no kit should be without. It's small, lightweight and takes up almost no room in your pack. It measures 7 inches long by 7/8 inches wide and about 3/32 of an inch thick. The claw on the end is about 1.25 inches. Total weight is about 91 grams (3.25 ounces). It slides easily into MOLLE webbing and could be stashed behind a pouch.The two holes allow it to be customized or dummy-corded with 550, if desired. I found this one on eBay for $5.25 (free shipping). Just search "mini pry bar".

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Gerber Shard

Have you ever had to tighten a screw or pry something open and all you had were your keys? The Gerber Shard is one solution to both of those problems, plus it opens bottles, too.

If you've ever tried to turn a screw or pry something open with your thumbnail, this little tool can be a lifesaver (or fingernail saver). It performs several functions; large and small screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, prybar and bottle opener. It's also supposed to function as a wire stripper, but I don't know how well it would work. And although many manufacturers claim it, I could never figure out how a "lanyard hole" is a "tool". It's a hole. However, it is a good attachment point. Here it is attached to a lanyard I made using one of those skull beads I mentioned in a previous post:

The Shard is one of those items that you can't afford not to have. I got this one on eBay for $6.47 (free shipping). And at only 20.5 grams, there is pretty much no weight penalty. It's a handy thing to keep on your keychain.

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Skull Beads

I got these cool skull beads at Michael's for $2.49 (3-pack). The hole is big enough for 550 cord and are found in the paracord crafts section. I haven't seen these at Hobby Lobby. A cheap way to customize your gear.

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ALICE to MOLLE Adapter

Here is a simple device that allows the use of ALICE-style pouches and accessories on a MOLLE-type platform:

Here is the back:

These are made in the USA by Specialty Defense Systems. The assembly isn't exactly precise, so it doesn't lay flat when the straps are fastened:

Here it is on a MOLLE seat panel:

Despite them being imprecise and a bit lumpy, these adapters work pretty well. ALICE clips hook to them snugly and don't "walk". Here I have used one to attach a pistol mag pouch to a Maxpedition 10x4 Bottle Holder:

I got these adapters on eBay for about $3 each, but could be found at most military surplus stores. They are small and light and a good addition to any kit.

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Swing-A-Way Can Opener

Although it's not cool or glamorous, a good can opener is a necessity. The Swing-A-Way manual can opener is one of the best ever. It's one of those simple machines which works well and never needed improvement. I've had this one for about 25 years and it still works perfectly. An American-made version can be found here.

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Maxpedition 10" x 4" Bottle Holder

For a hopeless gearhead like me, the Maxpedition 10" x 4" Bottle Holder is an insanely fun piece of kit. It's designed to hold a 1 liter Nalgene or similar bottle and offers a number of different carry options.

As the name implies, the pouch is ten inches tall by four inches in diameter. There is a 2 inch wide strip of loop fabric for mounting nametapes or patches. On the front there is a zippered pocket which measures about 7 inches high by 4 inches wide by 1.5 inches thick. Inside this pocket there is a single 2" wide elastic keeper:

The inside of the main compartment is padded and there is a drain hole in the bottom:

The back has a lobster-claw style hook and five rows of PALS webbing. There are three rows of webbing, spaced five-wide, on each side. Also on the sides are D-rings for attaching a strap:

Versatility is this pouch's strongest asset. Here it is attached to the side of my Falcon II:

It can also be used as a stand-alone pouch or attached to a belt using two Malice Clips or something similar.  Here It is shown with a Maxpedition M-2 Waistpack and a salvaged strap attached:

Here I have attached a MOLLE to ALICE adaptor to the side:

As it turns out, ALICE webbing is exactly the right size for the Tactical Tailor clip-on phone pouch. Here it's shown holding a Sucrets-type box that I painted green:

And here I've attached a Gentex eyewear case. Along with the M-2 Waistpack, this is a nice setup for short hikes:

It's always good to have the means to boil water if necessary, and the GSI bottle cup is perfect for just that. Unfortunately, it doesn't fit the 10x4 very well. it's really tight and VERY difficult to remove from the pouch without some kind of "aid", like a piece of webbing slung under the cup or a stick poked through the drain hole. I've invented a kind of "extractor", but it's still a rough prototype, so I won't show it here.

I could go on and on about this pouch. Its modular possibilities are countless. I have shown only a couple of options. It's limited only by your imagination and your collection of other gear.

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At Mickey's Surplus

Mickey's Surplus is an almost iconic military surplus store in the KC area. It's been around for more than 40 years. Besides all the stuff for sale, his collection of militaria is worth the trip. Here is just one of many awesome items:

Next time I go back I will get better pics and do a proper review of the place. Until then, you can check out his website.

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New Blog Title

I have decided to change the name of my blog to something that better fits what I do. The address will stay the same. Thanks for visiting!

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Old-School Tool of the Day - Stanley Utility Knife

 



This is another of my most-used tools which I  had mentioned in a previous post. This old Stanley Utility Knife (model #10-099) has served me well for over twenty years. A lot of simple consumer goods, like this one, made from about 1990 and earlier, were made in the USA. After 1990, just about all of it is imported and there is a noticeable difference in quality.

What can I say about a utility knife? A couple of things, I guess. It has a three-position retractable blade and can store up to five blades inside the handle. A screwdriver isn't necessary to open it; pretty much any coin will work. It cuts stuff and opens boxes. But it's cheap (I didn't pay for this one) and it does the job well. I don't actually carry this every day, but I use it very often and keep it within easy reach. no home should be without one. A similar version can be found here.

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Every Day Preparedness Shopping

Over the last few years, Survivalism, "Doomsday" prepping and the Zombie Apocalypse have become very popular. And with the Zombie craze, the amount of cool tools, weapons and equipment has virtually exploded. I love these topics and spend a good deal of time studying them. However, for my daily needs, a lot of it seems a bit unrealistic.

My thing is Every Day Preparedness. I want to have everything I need for any type of situation, emergency or otherwise, that might pop up without warning. And whereas supplies related to the above topics can be really cool and useful, they might also be expensive and require shopping at specialty stores or online. I want to know where I can find anything I need at just about any time, so I am constantly looking for emergency preparedness-type items everywhere I shop. I am often very surprised at what I find when I start really looking. For example; I looked all over for some camo printed duct tape and finally found it at my local Price Chopper.

Besides the obvious (food, water, etc.), your local supermarket carries a TON of useful items, and they are not necessarily more expensive than big box stores. I was shopping this morning and this is what I found:

Pretty much every supermarket has a section like this one. Sometimes it's also next to the automotive supplies.

In this tiny section I found gloves, dust masks, duct tape, super glue, rope, twine, sandpaper, zip ties, all kinds of hand tools - including pliers, screwdrivers and utility knives, and lots of different fasteners. Just to the right I also found sewing kits and lighter fluid.

 

Here is a similar section at a different Price Chopper:

Hobby Lobby has a good selection of 550 cord. It's good quality cord, made in USA. They have 16 foot hanks for $1.99 and 100 foot hanks for $8.99. That's a good deal for 100 feet. They have a good selection of colors including Coyote Brown, OD and Black, plus hi-viz colors like Neon Green and Neon Orange:

Sorry for the crappy iPhone pics, but you should get the idea. Shopping for preparedness items doesn't have to mean running all over town. You can pick up a couple of things at a time while you are grocery shopping. And don't forget the "travel-size" aisle - lots of packable hygiene items can be found there. Other places to keep your eyes open are; drug stores, convenience stores, hardware stores, auto parts stores and so on. The point is to develop a preparedness mindset and an eye for useful resources.  And have fun!

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1 Pint G.I. Pilot's Flask

Sometimes I want to carry a small amount of water and a full size canteen, Nalgene bottle or Camelbak is too much. This 1 pint pilot's flask is perfect. It's small and low-profile. It's about 6.5" x 4" x 1.75". I've carried it in an inside chest pocket with my backpack straps over it and I barely noticed it at all. I got this one on eBay for about $5 shipped.

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Snap-on Ratcheting Screwdriver

I have lived a minimal lifestyle all of my adult life. I have learned to do things with a minimum of tools, equipment and space. As a part of that, I have acquired some tools which have served me very well over the years. I would like to share a few of them here. Most are more than ten years old and were made in the USA.

I want to start with this Snap-on ratcheting screwdriver. I got it many years ago as a Christmas present. Other than my utility knife and tape measure, I use this more than any tool I own. It will accept any standard quarter-inch screwdriver bit, which is held in by a magnet. It ratchets left or right or locks with the switch in the middle position. the handle is hollow for storage of bits, but feels thick and substantial. It seals up tight with an o-ring seal. This tool has never failed me. Highly recommended.

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Cold Steel Survival Edge

I am a sucker for survival knives and secret compartments and the Cold Steel Survival Edge is both. I was a little skeptical when I first got it, because it is so lightweight that it feels insubstantial. I was pleasantly surprised.

In the box you get what's pictured in the top photo (stock photo); the knife, a ferrocerium striking rod and a molded plastic sheath. It goes for about $30 - $40 retail.

First, the sheath. It's awful. I don't like it at all. The only thing it has going for it is that it covers the blade without touching it. It has a molded-in belt clip which can be hung on a belt or a lanyard around your neck. that's it for mounting options. The only other possible choice is to just stuff it directly in your pack. The clip is, however, wide enough to attach to ALICE webbing and fits pretty snugly behind the tunneled pocket of a medium ALICE pack. I prefer a nylon sheath like this one from Spec Ops Brand.

There's not much to say about the striking rod except that it works well. Striking it with the back of the knife blade produces a huge, hot spark. It takes very little effort to light a pile of dry tinder.

The knife is what surprised me. It's very light weight and has a hollow handle, which means that the blade has a short tang. Given that, I was really wary about the strength of the bond between the handle and the blade. It turns out that it feels really strong and solid, though a little unbalanced.

 

I carved this hard stick and the knife performed flawlessly. It bit in hard and felt solid and sure. The blade seems to hold its edge quite well. I like how the round handle allowed me to "roll" the blade around. This plus the striking rod gives it a thumbs-up for fire starting.

I gave it a brief go at cooking and it did an OK job. Not great, but it would be sufficient for use in the field. The crossguard prevents the blade from being brought all the way down, so the last part of every cut has to be drawn. still, I cut this potato into quarter-inch slices with no trouble. I then cut them into tiny cubes just as easily. It didn't work quite as well with an onion. It took a bit of concentration to slice all the way through. Small stuff like jalapenos are a breeze. This knife is also good for cooking because getting it wet won't hurt it. (That's why I don't use wood-handled kitchen knives).

 

The hollow handle is part of the reason I bought this knife. I've always loved hidden pockets and secret compartments and stuff like that. The space inside the handle is about three inches deep and a little less than an inch in diameter. That would be a good place for a small survival or fire-starting kit except for one thing; it's not waterproof. I read one review which claimed that his knife was waterproof, but mine is not. I tested it twice by putting a small piece of toilet paper inside and submerging it in a pitcher of water and the paper came out soaked both times. There are five O-rings around it which help the grip, but don't help the seal. Also, the handle floats, but not well enough to keep from losing it if you dropped in a lake or whatever. It would just sink point-down. Maybe the orange handle would help you find it.

 

 Among the drawbacks previously mentioned, it's just a bit too small. The video on the product page demonstrates the knife being used for batoning (splitting) wood, but it's not big enough to chop with. It doesn't feel substantial enough for heavy work.  

Overall, I would give this knife a 3 out of 5 stars. I like it and it would make a good backup, but I wouldn't choose it as my primary knife.

 

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My Bug Out Bag / Every Day Carry

How about a quick tour of my bag? I have recently been going through and re-doing this kit from the ground up. I'm not really done with it, as it's constantly evolving.

It is a Maxpedition Falcon II backpack shown here with a T.A.D. Gear battery pouch and a Maxpedition M-1 Waistpack attached to the right side and a Maxpedition Mini Rollypoly on the left side (not visible).That's a TacLink on the front pocket. To the inside...

Front pockets open. Top - wallet (Maxpedition CMC), sunglasses (Oakley Half Jacket SI). Bottom - pens, pencil, comb, hand sanitizer, ear plugs, plus room for more, possibly a hygiene kit. Hand sanitizer is a great firestarter.

Middle pocket open with what I keep in it - 1st aid kit (Maxpedition FR-1), survival essentials kit (TAD Gear Booster Pod) and organizer/tool kit (Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer). Also, spiral notebook and a pencil sharpener.

One at a time: 1st Aid Kit - forceps, shears, gauze pads and tape, band-aids and q-tips, Celox bloodstopper, ibuprofen, neosporin, eye drops, triangular bandage, burn gel, wet wipes, gloves, field dressing, iris scissors, tweezers, mirror. I think I going to add some butterfly bandages, also.

Another thing I would like to keep in this kit is some baking soda. I use it very often. I just need to find a good way to carry a small amount.

Essentials - various size ziplock bags, one containing 4 coffee filters, duct tape, 2corks, (in bag): matches, needles, thread on metal bobbins, single edge razor blade, p-38, a snap hook, glow stick, zip ties, 15 ft of 550 cord, (in bag): various safety pins, 10ft fishing line, 2 hooks, 2 1/4" flat washers, toilet paper from MRE accessory pack. Constantly being revised. That pouch is intended to be pulled from the main pack and used alone, if necessary. I'll keep changing it until I'm satisfied with it.

Inside the Fatty - pen, mini EMT shears, small Phillips, lighter, back-up knife, Gerber multi tool. Small 1st aid kit inside a Mil Spec Monkey small patch panel contains ibuprofen, band-aids, q-tips, ointment, matches, wipes, safety pin. Mini Maglite in a Mil Spec Monkey EMT shear pouch. Again - always changing.

The main compartment has a full clamshell opening, allowing it to be opened up completely. In here - a few food items including canned peaches ( opens with no can opener and the empty can is useful too), granola bars and trail mix. The stuff sacks originally contained sheets and pillowcases. I added 550 cord drawstrings and cordlocks. The small one has a bandana, a pair of socks and a pair of jersey gloves. The larger one contains a long sleeve tee, a short sleeve tee and a pair of shorts. In the mesh pocket is ten water purification tablets and there is a space blanket inside the M-1 waistpack.

In the very back there is a pocket that will hold a 3 liter hydration bladder. I found that it will also fit this military type space blanket. The small pouch is a TAD Gear with five AA batteries. On the other side is a Maxpedition Mini Rollypoly. It holds a 1 liter Nalgene bottle. On the left strap is a Pentagon mini angle head LED light. Seen here on the right strap is a Maxpedition Keyper.

 

And with all that, there is still room for more. I have it compressed all the way. Also, there are lashing straps and PALS webbing on the bottom, so more stuff can be attached there, like a poncho/liner, a small tent, etc.

Once again, this setup is constantly changing, so I will keep posting updates.

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