Active New Top (30 days) Compact Card How often do you run your portable generator? Bigwig - April 3, 2023 For those who have portable generators, how often do you run them? I have 2 generators that I run for 30 minutes once a month that coincides with the monthly siren test on the first Saturday of the month. I also run one of the generators to power the whole house for 30 minutes twice a year. I have an interlock setup versus a transfer switch so I can select which circuits I want to power. Read More 2 2 AdviceGear What dry dog and cat food would you recommend? Paul - March 30, 2023 What dry dog and cat food have a decent shelf life, and good quality that you would recommend? Not too concerned about canned food, which can last a few years. Thanks in advance. Read More 2 8 Advice Sling bag for basic lightweight prepping equipment Mathieu - March 28, 2023 Hi guys, First things first, I am new to prepping and do find this website very useful and by far the most elaborated and well-structured on the topic. Thank you for making prepping easier for people like me. Having said that, I have travelled the world for 6 months with a single bag pack (I will come back on that) and I used to travel a lot for my work; a bit less nowadays. All this to say that I am use to travels and backpacking. Now comes the interesting bit. The way I see things, my wife and I will keep our least compact and heaviest prepping hardware ready to take off, at home (most of the time) in our backpacks. I have a Kajka 65 – Fjallraven and she takes the Abisko Friluft 45 (both are Fjallraven – have a look at these, they are more mountain types backpack but worth considering for prepping). I had the 65 L Kajka for my 6 months travel and it never disappointed me nor let me down. For our lightest gear, I would like to invest in one or two sling bags. This is not in line with The Prepared recommendations but we would not use these sling bags for long walks and travel. The idea is to have our lightest gear with us most of the time, to get used to it and try it when possible. We do a lot of offroad driving short walks to discover areas, look for mushrooms, etc. and a sling bag would be perfect to be able to quickly access knife, multitool, the equipment to make fire, water, etc. not shelter and night orientated but really day basic equipment and the gear we want to try to get to know how to use it when we really do not have other choice but to use them. In terms of sling bag there is a variety of choice and, from what I could see, there is no real good article on the net comparing them against each other’s. I liked the idea of the messenger bag or the satchel near the hip but I think that will not work in the long term. Hence, the sling bag on the back with a secondary strap to maintain it in place (I think this is important). In terms of volume, I do not want nor need much. Again the idea is day trip with light and compact equipment. at the moment I am looking into the following bags and would appreciate any thoughts or guidance: – Plan B from Hazard 4; it looks good; maybe a bit too big (visual at least). – Paladin / SOTech Go Sling Bag; I liked this one a lot initially but got to understand that the main compartment is really not what I am looking for. – Crosshatch Sling Pack from First Tactical; I like this one a lot but understood that the people were disappointed when receiving it, expecting higher grade/quality/finish. – Sitka Maxpedition; this is also one of my favorite. – Vanquest Javelin Sling, 2nd Gen; probably my favorite one at the moment. As I said, I am new to prepping, gearing up gradually and following all the good advice I can get. I like spending time outside, best in the nature. So from all angles, prepping makes sense to me and I want to keep it fun and enjoyable. Thank you all for reading me and looking forward to your feedbacks. Cheers, Mathieu Read More 10 10 AdviceGear Old hand saw restoration guide Noah Prepares - March 27, 2023 In preparation to restore some old hand saws, I assemble a guide drawing on multiple sources. I was motivated to do this as sources that I read disagreed with each other at times or left out useful tips mentioned in other guides. Thought it might be something y’all would be interested in. At the end of the day, hand tools are a necessary backup to power tools, and they just don’t make hand tools like they used to. At least, not without them costing an arm and a leg. Here is the following information in PDF form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgQ4nlBfFcQm8T27keedkXwqPXeqdfZJ/view?usp=sharing Apologies that the formatting is not the most pretty here, it is better in the PDF. Also in the PDF, all the sources have hyperlinks to the website for easier access. Also, does anyone have any experience with restoring saws or other old hand tools? I’m particularly interested in saws, axes, chisels, and hand planes. Old Hand Saw Restoration Guide – Noah Holkeboer – March 2023 Goal To take old, rusty, dull hand saws and restore them aesthetically and functionally. Also aiming to preserve any etchings on the blade and/or carvings on the handle. Approach/Overview Acquire saw → Disassemble → Clean pins → Remove rust and grime → Enhance etching (optional) → Sand or clean handle → Protect handle → Reassemble → Sharpen → Set teeth → Protect and maintain Materials Old saw to restoreBench viceScrewdrivers Wood mallet Punch for pinsSandpaper (80-600 grit)Sanding blockRubbing Alcohol (for etchings) WD-40™Steel Bluing Agent (for etchings)Boiled linseed oil Wood finish (if desired)Oil or wax for protecting steelSaw filesSaw tooth set toolWood for cut testing Protocol 1) Examine the saw. Look for a maker’s mark and etchings on the blade by viewing it from different angles in the light. Medallions on handle pins are also worth examining. Note carvings on the handle. These observations could help you determine the age of the saw, and they will also inform how the saw is restored. See the bibliography for references to help with determining the age of antique hand saws (von Sneidern, 2009; Clark & Dima, 2019). 2 Remove the handle from the saw blade. Loosen the saw nuts and medallion. Use a large screwdriver that fits snuggly, so as to avoid stripping or marring the nut, as these are often made of soft brass. Old saws might have “split” saw nuts, and require a special driver or a flathead screwdriver modified by filing a notch in the center. If the nuts are stuck, spray some WD-40™, wait a few minutes, then try again. Then push out the rest of the saw nuts. You can try to just push them out with a pencil, but they might need to be gently tapped out with a hammer and punch. Make sure to record which nut came from which hole, as over years the holes can become uniquely conformed to each nut (Farnsworth, 2022). Carefully slide the handle off of the saw plate (blade). If it does not come off easily, secure the plate in a vice and pull it off or tap it off with a mallet. Consider using WD-40™ to lubricate. If restoring a back saw (tenon saw) that has a rigid steel or brass back, do not remove it, as the blade might bend out of shape after removal (Farnsworth, 2022). 3) Clean the saw nuts. Saw nuts can be cleaned and polished in multiple ways. For grime that is really stuck on, you could consider soaking the brass nuts and medallion in a 1:4 solution of laundry detergent overnight before scrubbing off grime (Foster, 2021). However, the effectiveness is probably dependent on the type and concentration of laundry detergent, which Foster does not specify. Avoid anything that would have negative effects on the metal. After the soak, proceed with cleaning and polishing as described below. In most circumstances, this soak should not be necessary. Use fine steel wool (#0000) and a brass polish such as Brasso™ to clean and polish them (Farnsworth, 2022). Wipe off any excess polish with a rag. 4) Remove rust and clean the saw plate. Some guides suggest removing rust with a solvent or acid, while this can work effectively, it can go too far. In the process of removing rust, the acid can remove an etching, darken the color of the blade, or leave pits in the metal. For the best restoration, these products should be avoided. Manual removal of rust and grime is usually sufficient, though it does take a little more work. However, some do recommend these products for saws with a lot of rust, even those that have etchings (T, 2016). Large pieces of gunk and rust can be removed with a razor or scraping tool. Filing the corners of a razor blade can prevent it from leaving lines (Foster, 2021). If the saw does not have an etching, rust can be sanded off more aggressively. However, caution should be exercised unless it is obvious that there is no etching, as grime and age can hide a faint etching. To remove rust and clean the blade, use wet dry sandpaper, starting with more coarse grit and moving to more fine grit. 400 grit followed by 600 grit seems to be a common recommendation (Foster, 2021; Farnsworth, 2022), although starting with 120 grit has been practiced when there is no etching (​​Eoin Reardon, 2022). When sanding, using a solvent such as WD-40™, mineral spirits, or Simple Green™ is recommended. Using a sanding block helps to keep the depth of the sanding consistent. After sanding, using a surface cleaner and a cleaning pad can help remove dirt from areas that sanding can reach (such as teeth and pits in the metal). 5) Enhance etching if present on the plate (optional). If there is an etching present on the blade, you can consider attempting to enhance it. The results may not be dramatic, but it is possible to increase the contrast of the etching. To enhance an etching, start with a clean saw plate. Some recommend that the metal is polished before enhancing the etching (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). The blade is further cleaned and degreased by wiping it down with a solvent. Mineral spirits or acetone has been recommended (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.), as isopropyl alcohol (T, 2016). Wipe down the blade and let the solvent dry before proceeding. Next, apply a bluing agent like Perma Blue™ gun blue paste. It can be applied only to the area with the etching or can be applied to the whole blade. It will darken the color of the steel but can be sanded to your preferences. If only applied to a spot on the blade, it will change its reflectiveness, leaving a “halo” when viewed from certain angles in the light (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). After applying the blueing compound, one guide recommends letting it sit for “a minute or so”, then washing it off in cold water (T, 2016). Another guide suggests that the bluing agent should be allowed to dry “thoroughly” and “completely” (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). Either way, the bluing agent should not be touched while it is setting, as it could lead to inconsistent bluing. Next, the area of the etching is carefully sanded, only a few strokes at a time. Sanding is stopped when the etching is revealed and the background is an appropriate color. Just a little too much sanding could destroy the etching forever. The area around the etching and the rest of the blade can be lighted with additional sanding. Use a sanding block for this to avoid sanding unevenly. Use 600 grit or finer sandpaper (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). It has been suggested that this process could be repeated two or three times to improve the results (T, 2016). 6) Clean or remove saw handle coating.In many cases, the restoration will involve sanding the wooden handle of the saw. However, one should consider not sanding the handle, and only cleaning it for two main reasons. First, old saw handles that have seen lots of use can have a desirable patina due to years of exposure to the oil in a worker’s hands, which can be aesthetically pleasing and very comfortable to hold (Farnsworth, 2022). Second, if preserving the saw as a historical object is of interest, irreversible restoration processes, like sanding, should be avoided. Gentle use of #0000 steel wool and mineral spirits can be used to clean a wooden handle without removing the patina (Farnsworth, 2022). For saw handles that will be sanded, thick layers of varnish may be able to be scraped off first with a razor blade scraper, this can be eased by heating the handle. If varnish must be removed from the small groves of decorative handle carvings, a chemical stripper like CitriStrip™ may be the only option (Foster, 2021). If a chemical stripper is used, clean the handle with mineral spirits and steel wool afterward to remove traces of the chemical before sanding (Foster, 2021). Sanding the handle down to bare wood can start with 60 or 80 grit sandpaper, especially if there is still varshish on the handle. The handle can be made smoother by using progressively fine grit sandpaper, up to 220 grit (Foster, 2021). Saw handles with minor damage can be repaired (The Write Biz, 2013). However, badly damaged handles might need to be replaced entirely. 7) Protect saw handle.If desired, a staining finish can be added to the handle wood. Alternatively, the handle can be protected with an application of boiled linseed oil for a more natural look. Be careful with used rags, as apparently than can self-combust if not laid out to dry or intentionally burned (Foster, 2021). To apply either, wipe on evenly. Boiled linseed oil may warrant additional applications over time. In any case, refer to the instructions for the product being used. 8) Reassemble saw. Reattach the handle to the saw blade, putting the pins back in the same hole they came from, in the same way they were if possible. Do not over-tighten the nuts. 9) Sharpen saw. Sharpen the saw to your preference. Most saws are set up as either rip-cut or cross-cut saws by changing the shape of their teeth. After teeth are sharpened, they are set if it is necessary. This is done using a tool to slightly bend the teeth outward, alternating between sides. Other guides and videos exist detailing how to sharpen saws in various styles (Paul Sellers, 2013; Eoin Reardon, 2022; Farnsworth, n.d.). 10) Protect and maintain the restored saw. The metal blade of the saw can be polished with metal polish if desired. It can be protected by applying wax or oil. Boiled linseed oil can be reapplied to handles treated with it for continued protection. With use, the saw will need to be resharpened, and eventually, the teeth will need to be set again. Bibliography Clark, Joshua., & Dima, Barry. (2019). A buyer’s guide to antique handsaws – finewoodworking. FineWoodworking. https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/hand-tools/buyers-guide-antique-handsaws Enhancing a saw etch. (n.d.). Loon Lake Tool Works. https://loonlaketoolworks.com/pages/enhancing-a-saw-etch Eoin Reardon. (2022, July 4). Restoring A vintage tenon saw [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMpOcKXtVE Farnsworth, Joshua. (n.d.). How to sharpen hand saws for woodworking | wood and shop. Wood and Shop. https://woodandshop.com/how-to-sharpen-hand-saws-for-woodworking/ Farnsworth, Joshua. (2022, February 4). How to restore an antique back saw. Wood and Shop. https://woodandshop.com/how-to-restore-an-antique-back-saw/#types Foster, Joe. (2021, February 28). How to restore an old hand saw, A complete guide | growit buildit. Growit Buildit. https://growitbuildit.com/restoring-saw-remove-rust/ Paul Sellers. (2013, May 6). How to sharpen a woodworking handsaw | paul sellers [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5DixEaaUo T, Jay. (2016, January 26). Hand Saw Restorations – How to bring back the detail of an etch. TimeTestedTools. https://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/hand-saw-restorations-how-to-bring-back-the-detail-of-an-etch/amp/ The Write Biz. (2013, January 13). Repairing a vintage handsaw handle. Hand Tool Journey-A woodworking show of hands. https://handtooljourney.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/repairing-a-vintage-handsaw-handle/ von Sneidern, Erik. (2009, January). Online reference of disston saws — the medallions. Disstonian Institute.com — Online Reference of DisstonSaws. http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/medv2.html Read More 4 6 AdviceGearSkills Hands-on experience with a Scout Rifle? xyz - March 26, 2023 Does anyone have any actual hands-on experience with any of the current Scout rifles (ex. Ruger GSR, Savage, Mossberg)? What’s been your experience (good or bad)? Read More 2 1 AdviceGear What are the best solar panel/generator brands? Kristin Vogel - March 21, 2023 Which one is the best?! Eco flow? Jackerry? Read More 1 6 AdviceGear DIY air filter protects an entire room from COVID-19 Eric - March 19, 2023 Will this pandemic ever end? We finally have vaccines, and we still have breakthrough infections. We finally reach herd immunity from vaccination, then a new variant is 50% more infectious and brings the pandemic roaring back. We’re not even recovered from that when another variant comes along, even more infectious and a bit resistant to vaccines. At this point we need 150% of people vaccinated to reach herd immunity again, and 6 months after that another variant will set us back to the beginning. The problem is that we’re relying too much on vaccines. They’re a great tool, but just not enough on their own. That’s why we need a layered approach. Every COVID precaution has some failure rate or side effect that prevents it from being the magic bullet that fixes everything. That’s okay. We can make up for this by using several layers of protection. If one layer fails 20% of the time (vaccine) and another layer fails 20% of the time (N95 mask) then you can combine both precautions for a failure rate of only 4% (odds that both fail at the same time). If that’s still not enough, just add a third layer. Here’s one more layer you can add, either for added protection or as a replacement when, for whatever reason, you can’t wear that mask. One of the most overlooked precautions is also the easiest to keep up long term. The virus can only spread if you breathe it in. Cheap and effective ventilation systems remove viruses from the air, so that you can safely breathe that air without getting infected. With enough room air filtration, it becomes possible for people to share a room together without spreading infection, even if none of them are wearing masks. This is especially important for places where people need to remove their masks, such as dental offices or restaurants. It also makes a great backup layer for especially high risk environments, like classrooms or shared offices, where it’s difficult to wear a mask properly for many hours at a time. Just build one of these filtration systems for each place that you want to protect. One unit is enough to hang out with friends, especially if you spread out a little with the fan placed between you pointed up. Three of them will provide supplemental protection for a typical, crowded classroom, in which everyone is still wearing masks. The best part about layered defenses is that you can always afford to drop one of the layers, and the remaining layers will still take care of you. A filtration system is just one more layer you can use, so that you can safely drop any other layer if it’s getting in your way. There’s a whole menu of layers that you can choose from: Filtration System – keep the above air filter near you Outdoors – because the ventilation is built-in N95 Masks – for when you need to visit areas that you haven’t secured Vaccines – 5 months of easy protection Distance – just stand further away while talking (BTW, hand washing and scrubbing doorknobs don’t belong on this list. They might help a little bit, but not nearly as much as any of the above. COVID-19 usually spreads through the air, not by touching surfaces.) I always aim for at least two layers of protection, and sometimes add a third if I need to be in a crowded room. Decide how many you feel comfortable with – you definitely don’t need to use all at once. And the best part about filtration systems? If one business owner installs filtration, every single customer is that much safer and doesn’t need to work so hard on protecting themselves. Bring your own filter, or ask your favorite businesses to take care of it for you. You and everyone around you will be that much safer. Imagine if all of our public spaces had good ventilation. Everyone would be protected, even those that refuse to protect themselves. We might finally end this pandemic. Until then, this is one more tool that you can use to protect yourself and your community. Read More 17 39 AdviceGear What to do with a jug full of coins? Seth Johnston - March 14, 2023 For as far back as I can remember, I’ve been saving up coins inside one of those two-gallon water jugs with the hopes of adding it to my account later on. Now that I actually can do that, though, I’ve been hearing some conflicting stuff about what I should do with the coins. My Dad seems to believe the coins wouldn’t lose their value in a major financial crisis and tells me to keep them where they are, but I’m not so sure about that. However, with the bank situation getting a little more volatile in recent news I don’t want to lose anything I’ve saved over the past 16 years. So, what’re your recommendations? Read More 2 5 Advice Nat gas “sniffers” for friends who can’t smell anymore due to Covid pnwsarahContributor - March 11, 2023 So here’s a fun prepping mashup: Both my mom and one of my friends have recently had gas leak scares when a gas-powered appliance began to malfunction and they realized, suddenly, that they would not necessarily be able to tell if it was leaking gas because they’d lost their sense of smell due to Covid. In my mom’s case, it was actually kind of funny, at least in hindsight, because she texted my husband and said, “Please don’t tell Sarah, because I know she’ll be worried, but…” My husband (who was sitting right next to me on the couch, watching Andor, and dutifully concealed their conversation from me) told her to call the utility, since they make free house calls 24/7 when a gas leak is suspected, and of course this is ALWAYS the best thing to do if one has any reason to believe that there might be a gas leak. That said, he and I were thinking that we should gift my mom and our other friend who can’t smell some portable gas “sniffers” (like this, for instance) as an added layer of assurance/protection (especially in my mom’s case, since she’s probably now going to lie awake at night worrying that there is a gas leak she not smelling, even now that her gas dryer has been ruled safe and repaired). So my question for y’all: Do any of you have experience with these types of units? Are they reliable in general? (When we’ve called out PG&E because we thought we smelled gas, the technician has checked the house with a handheld detector, so presumably this technology can be good, but who knows what kind of units the utility uses? Not I!) Can anyone recommend a model? I searched for past threads on this but couldn’t find any (perhaps because there are so many candidate search terms… gas, propane, detector, sensor, sniffer…), but please feel free to redirect me if I missed something! Read More 3 2 AdviceGear Has anyone read the book “Easy Cellar” by Tom Griffith? Eileen Young - March 3, 2023 Has anyone seen/used the “Easy Cellar” by Tom Griffith? He is a terrific sales person but I would like some feedback from persons who are not making money from his book and site. Thanks. Eileen — Read More 8 6 Advice What are your tips for hiding food/valuables? Holly Bradley - February 21, 2023 I was wondering where people hide their food/valuables? And by valuables, I’m talking about tools, solar panels, gasoline, medical supplies, etc… It gets to be quite a load, especially food for the family. I have a few ideas, and have a few stashes around our property, but I’d like to hear some other ideas please…. Read More 2 9 Advice No Grid Survival Projects book, has anyone tried it? CR - February 21, 2023 I’m tempted to order this, but thought I’d see if any of you have checked it out? Might be pretty basic stuff, but looks like he’s made it easy to complete his projects by referencing exactly where to get supplies. It might be a good one to have on hand in the prepping library, if his projects seem legit. Please chime in with your thoughts! https://nogridsurvivalprojects.com/book/ Read More 11 8 AdviceGear The dead of winter is a great time for pruning. RedneckContributor - January 14, 2023 There is so much to do on a homestead, even in the winter when nothing is growing. Lately I’ve been cleaning up the garden, getting rid of all the dead plants. That material all goes in the compost pile. I’ve also been pounding in a dozen 8 foot T-posts, to hold my 6 foot trellis netting for a new location of pole beans. For many plants, the best time to prune is in the winter when they are dormant. I finished cutting back most of my roses and now I am working on my muscadine grapes. They get real leggy because each shoot can put out a stem that can be 10 feet long… or longer. They bear fruit on new growth, so it is extremely important to cut them way back each winter. When done with the muscadines, I have around 150 fruit trees to prune next. Read More 3 0 Advice Favorite source for storm warnings? Hardened - January 13, 2023 There have been some extreme weather effects in the US lately and San Francisco is about to have an another one. The National Weather Service’s Bay Area office issued “a frank and dire warning to citizens”: “To put it simply, this will likely be one of the most impactful systems on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long while,” the warning read. “The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillside collapsing, trees down (potentially full groves), widespread power outages, immediate disruption to commerce, and the worst of all, likely loss of human life. This is truly a brutal system that we are looking at and needs to be taken seriously.” I find it helpful to get a “heads-up” about storms like this and sometimes they will appear in my regular daily news (The New York Times), but I’d like a more specialized source to check regularly. My built-in iPhone weather app is pretty good at providing forecasts when things are normal but it didn’t warn me about the artic blast we received in December. What’s your favorite source to check for storm forecasts? Read More 2 20 AdviceNews Has anyone trained a dog to carting? Lindsey - January 12, 2023 Has anyone trained a dog to carting before? As urban dwellers, a horse or pony isn’t an option for our family but well-trained dogs are allowed in pretty much every neighborhood I know of. I like the idea of training a dog to carting but am not sure what all is involved and was wondering if someone else had tips to share. In regular situations, I envision the dog pulling a cart when we go out to apple-picking to collect more apples or ferry the 1 year old. In a more serious situation, the dog already being trained to carting would add capacity to the supplies we could bring. Of course, the dog also adds to the supplies we need for an evacuation! So perhaps it’s a wash from the capacity perspective. For clarity, we do not yet have a dog and will be adopting the dog from a rescue. I had rescue dogs growing up but we never trained the family dogs beyond the basic obedience classes to be good dog citizens. In other words, a dog will be joining our family whether it is trained to carting or not. Read More 4 12 Advice Prepping with infants? Kamaria Wingender - January 11, 2023 So, I’ve decided to start prepping. I’ve been reading all these articles bout prepping and gear. I’ve even read how to prep with kids but I’ve found nothing about prepping with infants. And so I don’t even know how to start prepping with infant. Read More 3 3 AdviceGear Do you know who the enemy might be? Steve Martin - December 24, 2022 Under the “situational awareness” heading, is knowing who to watch and who to trust in our preparations for anticipated emergencies and dealing with them afterwards. During the recent political unrest, I had a local who was a member of a certain fringe group and he was bold enough to put a huge sign in his front yard advocating changes to our government he was demanding, and on a particular day in January, he made a trip to DC to express his opinion. He’s one I’ll keep an eye on if things go from bad to worse. I am also aware of a neighbor who has that ” if the SHTF I’ll just use my firepower to take whatever I need from everyone else” attitude. Another one I’ll keep an eye on. Be aware of the extremist in your midst, not paranoid but aware, BEFORE the SHTF. They might be a potential problem when the time comes, or an ally. I tend to be too suspicious of others motives….a hazard of having spent some time in military intel: everyone is up to something, you just have to figure out what it is and if it’s good or bad. Read More 3 5 Advice Help me decide on a portable generator. Single fuel but fuel injected or tri fuel with a carb? Steve Martin - December 22, 2022 Alright I’m ready to pull the trigger on a new electric start 11000 watt portable generator…but I have to choose one over the other of two possibilities. #1 is elect start, fuel injected so no carb to worry about…but is only gasoline powered. #2 is same brand, same wattage but with typical carb and is tri fuel…gasoline, nat gas or propane. So there’s trade offs. The tri fuel version is also $200 cheaper. I did the generac whole house estimate which came back at $10, 790. YIKES! There will still be some electrical contractor expense as I’ll get them to put in that sub panel so I can plug this portable in. I have a nearly new generac 3500 watt portable I’ll be selling so I can recoup part of the purchase price. So….which would YOU consider? Single fuel but fuel injected or tri fuel with a carb? I have a torn rotator cuff with damage so pull starting ANYTHING is out of the question now. So I’ll be selling the new chain saw, weedeater and generator. Read More 2 4 AdviceGear Prepper podcast recommendations, please JBinAZ - December 14, 2022 About to have a three day road-trip. Anyone know of and can recommend some good prepping podcasts to listen to? TIA Read More 2 1 Advice Off-grid cabin/land purchase CouchTomato - December 14, 2022 Hi all! My husband and I are in the research phase before purchasing some land/acreage for an off-grid cabin. Can anyone recommend good resources on how to evaluate the land prior to purchase, or what to know before building a cabin? We’re focusing generally on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, planning on well/septic with solar (and have varying degrees of familiarity with those systems), and do not plan on living in the cabin full-time. We know just enough to suspect there’s a lot we DON’T know, thus the extensive research before a potentially expensive mistake. Those of you who have done this – any words of wisdom? Thanks! Read More 14 33 Advice Preparedness podcasts? pnwsarahContributor - December 11, 2022 Hi all, I’m curious as to whether any of you have any preparedness podcasts that you enjoy, or even singular podcast episodes — perhaps interviews with preparedness experts talking about what they have and do and why, scientists who have expertise relevant to natural disasters and response thereto, first responders, structural and civil engineers, or people who work in government on disaster readiness and response. I like that The Prepared doesn’t pick sides politically and is focused on providing high quality information, so anything that is similar to this site in those dimensions would be especially appreciated. The one thing I’ve found so far that I like is “Getting Through It” with Dr. Lucy Jones, which is really interesting, but it’s a lot more about the social and natural science of disasters than how we prepare for them. Thanks for any ideas! [Edited to add: I’m asking because I often stay up too late sewing or reading preparedness-related content on the internet. Listening to preparedness-related content while sewing seems like it would be an efficiency gain.] Read More 23 31 Advice Teach me about life insurance Robert LarsonContributor - December 3, 2022 I don’t feel any immediate need to get life insurance because I am relatively healthy, but accidents happen. In addition, with things costing more lately than they have been in previous years, I am seeing how hard keeping up with the bills and cost of living would be for my wife if I were to pass away. I know nothing about life insurance, but might want to consider it. Can you all tell me if you have it, do you know of anyone who has had to cash it in, how do you shop for it, what kinds are there, things like that. Read More 10 15 Advice A prepper’s perspective on gratitude this November Debby Jenkins - December 1, 2022 Hello! I’ve spent the past few days browsing this site since seeing it on 60 Minutes and have to say that so far it’s exactly what I needed in my life right now. Who knew there were AA batteries with a USB port in the side to charge them with!? Well apparently this site! Something that is always on my mind this time of year and something I want to personally work on is gratitude. To make it relevant to this forum though, I want to share my thoughts about how being grateful is important for your mental health and for preparing in general. I have been prepping for the past 4-5 years, so I’m in no way an expert, but can say I have a basic knowledge that hopefully applies. I find it ironic that on Thanksgiving day we sit down and with our loved ones and talk about all the things we are thankful for and then head out the next day and fight people over a coffee maker that is $20 off and we already have one that works. Gratitude is overcoming discontentment of wanting more things. And not necessarily just things, but also wanting more experiences, more success, more recognition, a better job, a better marriage, and more more more more. While those AA batteries that I saw and are so fascinated with are now definitely things I want, I took a moment to realize that I have about 30 disposables still and a handful of rechargeable ones that you plug into a brick to charge. I don’t need any more and need to be content and grateful for what I have. The cool batteries though will be on my mind when it does come time to replace the older rechargeables and if you didn’t have any rechargeable batteries before then that could be a good investment. Take a minute to analyze if you really need something versus just being a want. Look at your unfulfilled desires and be okay with not having everything. “I’ll be happy when I buy that new car.” or “That new camp stove sure will make life easier” There’s always something to strive for and want isn’t there? Take the richest man in the entire world for example. He is still trying to obtain more things, the company Twitter being the latest example. It’s only in our nature to want more things and there is always one more thing you could have, even if you are the richest person in the world. Gratitude is being content with whatever you have, be it only the clothes on your back, what you currently have, or even if you are filthy rich. It is hard to not compare yourself with others. Hearing about that person who just won over 2 billion dollars in the lottery, or someone driving by in their nice sports car, you think about what it would be like to be like that person don’t you? I do. Something that can help you though is to consider that if you are reading this right now, you probably are in the top 5% of wealth in the entire world. There are so many people who have so much less than you. People who may have no home, no food, no job, no legs, no sight, no family, no friends, no hope. There’s always someone above you who has more than you, but there is most likely a lot more people who would do anything to have what you have. Your life might just be that sports car envy of someone else. And just how I think about how I wish all those super wealthy people would just walk up to me and pay off my house, what do I do with my wealth and helping those around me? I don’t want to go too long with this, but just want to remind people that it is important to be grateful for what you have. When we were born, we came into this world with absolutely nothing. You have much more than what you started off with right? Even if you lose it all in an earthquake tomorrow, you have so many past experiences and even the ability to read my ramblings right now. We have so much! Survival is about being resourceful with what you have and making the best out of your current situation. Replacing the old generator with a new one would be nice, but you have a functioning one now that you can tune up and get more life out of and even if you didn’t have that, you probably could get by like so many people did before the generator was even invented. Gratefully yours, Debby Read More 15 14 Advice What to attach to a Plate Carrier JB - November 30, 2022 I’m thinking of getting a plate carrier and some level III+ body armor, but want to plan out what gear I will attach to my plate carrier because that will heavily influense which one I get. I want to have a small ham radio, at least two AR15 mags, and two glock mags attached. What do you have attached to your plate carrier? What does your ideal setup look like? I’d love to see pictures of your setup if you could snap a quick pic. Read More 18 9 AdviceGear A reminder to check the expiration dates on your IDs Robert LarsonContributor - November 27, 2022 Today I had a head smacking moment when I was looking through my wallet and realized that my concealed carry permit expired back in February! 9 months expired! This could have been really bad if I had used my weapon in self defense and then had to show the officers an expired permit, because I have been carrying constantly during that entire time. I am going to have to pay for my mistake now because since I passed the 6 months of having my permit expired I can’t just pay the renewal fee online but have to attend an entirely new class, go through the background check and fingerprinting again, and pay the full new permit holder price. Yikes! It’s going to be a multiple month long process to get going again and cost three times as much. I have definitely learned my lesson and am making calendar reminders for the expiration dates on all my IDs in my wallet and will help my wife do the same. Check your expiration dates! Read More 12 3 Advice < Prev 1 2 3 … 13 14 15 Next > Recently Active Fun ways to teach kids outdoor/survival skills - July 1, 2025How to sew and repair a leather glove - December 16, 2024Essential medical reference books for the prepper library - July 26, 2024AR15 stock weight - July 23, 2024When and where to not carry concealed firearms - June 24, 2024 RULES This forum is heavily moderated to keep things valuable to as many people as possible. Full community policies are here. The basics: 1. Be nice to each other. 2. Stay focused on prepping. 3. Avoid politics, religion, and other arguments. 4. No unfounded conspiracies, fake news, etc. 5. Debate ideas, not people. FILTER Show all Advice Gear Meta News Scenarios Skills

How often do you run your portable generator?

Bigwig - April 3, 2023

For those who have portable generators, how often do you run them?  

I have 2 generators that I run for 30 minutes once a month that coincides with the monthly siren test on the first Saturday of the month.  I also run one of the generators to power the whole house for 30 minutes twice a year.  I have an interlock setup versus a transfer switch so I can select which circuits I want to power.

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AdviceGear

What dry dog and cat food would you recommend?

Paul - March 30, 2023

What dry dog and cat food have a decent shelf life, and good quality that you would recommend? Not too concerned about canned food, which can last a few years. 

Thanks in advance.

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Advice

Sling bag for basic lightweight prepping equipment

Mathieu - March 28, 2023

Hi guys,

First things first, I am new to prepping and do find this website very useful and by far the most elaborated and well-structured on the topic. Thank you for making prepping easier for people like me. Having said that, I have travelled the world for 6 months with a single bag pack (I will come back on that) and I used to travel a lot for my work; a bit less nowadays. All this to say that I am use to travels and backpacking.

Now comes the interesting bit. The way I see things, my wife and I will keep our least compact and heaviest prepping hardware ready to take off, at home (most of the time) in our backpacks. I have a Kajka 65 – Fjallraven and she takes the Abisko Friluft 45 (both are Fjallraven – have a look at these, they are more mountain types backpack but worth considering for prepping). I had the 65 L Kajka for my 6 months travel and it never disappointed me nor let me down.

For our lightest gear, I would like to invest in one or two sling bags. This is not in line with The Prepared recommendations but we would not use these sling bags for long walks and travel. The idea is to have our lightest gear with us most of the time, to get used to it and try it when possible. We do a lot of offroad driving short walks to discover areas, look for mushrooms, etc. and a sling bag would be perfect to be able to quickly access knife, multitool, the equipment to make fire, water, etc. not shelter and night orientated but really day basic equipment and the gear we want to try to get to know how to use it when we really do not have other choice but to use them.

In terms of sling bag there is a variety of choice and, from what I could see, there is no real good article on the net comparing them against each other’s. I liked the idea of the messenger bag or the satchel near the hip but I think that will not work in the long term. Hence, the sling bag on the back with a secondary strap to maintain it in place (I think this is important). In terms of volume, I do not want nor need much. Again the idea is day trip with light and compact equipment. at the moment I am looking into the following bags and would appreciate any thoughts or guidance:

– Plan B from Hazard 4; it looks good; maybe a bit too big (visual at least).

– Paladin / SOTech Go Sling Bag; I liked this one a lot initially but got to understand that the main compartment is really not what I am looking for.

– Crosshatch Sling Pack from First Tactical; I like this one a lot but understood that the people were disappointed when receiving it, expecting higher grade/quality/finish.

– Sitka Maxpedition; this is also one of my favorite.

– Vanquest Javelin Sling, 2nd Gen; probably my favorite one at the moment.

As I said, I am new to prepping, gearing up gradually and following all the good advice I can get. I like spending time outside, best in the nature. So from all angles, prepping makes sense to me and I want to keep it fun and enjoyable.

Thank you all for reading me and looking forward to your feedbacks.

Cheers, Mathieu

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AdviceGear

Old hand saw restoration guide

Noah Prepares - March 27, 2023

In preparation to restore some old hand saws, I assemble a guide drawing on multiple sources. I was motivated to do this as sources that I read disagreed with each other at times or left out useful tips mentioned in other guides. Thought it might be something y’all would be interested in. At the end of the day, hand tools are a necessary backup to power tools, and they just don’t make hand tools like they used to. At least, not without them costing an arm and a leg. 

Here is the following information in PDF form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgQ4nlBfFcQm8T27keedkXwqPXeqdfZJ/view?usp=sharing

Apologies that the formatting is not the most pretty here, it is better in the PDF. Also in the PDF, all the sources have hyperlinks to the website for easier access. 

Also, does anyone have any experience with restoring saws or other old hand tools? I’m particularly interested in saws, axes, chisels, and hand planes.  

Old Hand Saw Restoration Guide – Noah Holkeboer – March 2023

Goal

To take old, rusty, dull hand saws and restore them aesthetically and functionally. Also aiming to preserve any etchings on the blade and/or carvings on the handle.

Approach/Overview

Acquire saw → Disassemble → Clean pins → Remove rust and grime → Enhance etching (optional) → Sand or clean handle → Protect handle → Reassemble → Sharpen → Set teeth → Protect and maintain

Materials

Old saw to restoreBench viceScrewdrivers Wood mallet Punch for pinsSandpaper (80-600 grit)Sanding blockRubbing Alcohol (for etchings)

WD-40™Steel Bluing Agent (for etchings)Boiled linseed oil Wood finish (if desired)Oil or wax for protecting steelSaw filesSaw tooth set toolWood for cut testing

Protocol

1) Examine the saw. Look for a maker’s mark and etchings on the blade by viewing it from different angles in the light. Medallions on handle pins are also worth examining. Note carvings on the handle. These observations could help you determine the age of the saw, and they will also inform how the saw is restored. See the bibliography for references to help with determining the age of antique hand saws (von Sneidern, 2009; Clark & Dima, 2019).

2 Remove the handle from the saw blade. Loosen the saw nuts and medallion. Use a large screwdriver that fits snuggly, so as to avoid stripping or marring the nut, as these are often made of soft brass. Old saws might have “split” saw nuts, and require a special driver or a flathead screwdriver modified by filing a notch in the center. If the nuts are stuck, spray some WD-40™, wait a few minutes, then try again. Then push out the rest of the saw nuts. You can try to just push them out with a pencil, but they might need to be gently tapped out with a hammer and punch. Make sure to record which nut came from which hole, as over years the holes can become uniquely conformed to each nut (Farnsworth, 2022). Carefully slide the handle off of the saw plate (blade). If it does not come off easily, secure the plate in a vice and pull it off or tap it off with a mallet. Consider using WD-40™ to lubricate. If restoring a back saw (tenon saw) that has a rigid steel or brass back, do not remove it, as the blade might bend out of shape after removal (Farnsworth, 2022).

3) Clean the saw nuts. Saw nuts can be cleaned and polished in multiple ways. For grime that is really stuck on, you could consider soaking the brass nuts and medallion in a 1:4 solution of laundry detergent overnight before scrubbing off grime (Foster, 2021). However, the effectiveness is probably dependent on the type and concentration of laundry detergent, which Foster does not specify. Avoid anything that would have negative effects on the metal. After the soak, proceed with cleaning and polishing as described below. In most circumstances, this soak should not be necessary. Use fine steel wool (#0000) and a brass polish such as Brasso™ to clean and polish them (Farnsworth, 2022). Wipe off any excess polish with a rag.

4) Remove rust and clean the saw plate. Some guides suggest removing rust with a solvent or acid, while this can work effectively, it can go too far. In the process of removing rust, the acid can remove an etching, darken the color of the blade, or leave pits in the metal. For the best restoration, these products should be avoided. Manual removal of rust and grime is usually sufficient, though it does take a little more work. However, some do recommend these products for saws with a lot of rust, even those that have etchings (T, 2016).

Large pieces of gunk and rust can be removed with a razor or scraping tool. Filing the corners of a razor blade can prevent it from leaving lines (Foster, 2021). If the saw does not have an etching, rust can be sanded off more aggressively. However, caution should be exercised unless it is obvious that there is no etching, as grime and age can hide a faint etching. To remove rust and clean the blade, use wet dry sandpaper, starting with more coarse grit and moving to more fine grit. 400 grit followed by 600 grit seems to be a common recommendation (Foster, 2021; Farnsworth, 2022), although starting with 120 grit has been practiced when there is no etching (​​Eoin Reardon, 2022). When sanding, using a solvent such as WD-40™, mineral spirits, or Simple Green™ is recommended. Using a sanding block helps to keep the depth of the sanding consistent. After sanding, using a surface cleaner and a cleaning pad can help remove dirt from areas that sanding can reach (such as teeth and pits in the metal).

5) Enhance etching if present on the plate (optional). If there is an etching present on the blade, you can consider attempting to enhance it. The results may not be dramatic, but it is possible to increase the contrast of the etching. To enhance an etching, start with a clean saw plate. Some recommend that the metal is polished before enhancing the etching (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). The blade is further cleaned and degreased by wiping it down with a solvent. Mineral spirits or acetone has been recommended (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.), as isopropyl alcohol (T, 2016). Wipe down the blade and let the solvent dry before proceeding.

Next, apply a bluing agent like Perma Blue™ gun blue paste. It can be applied only to the area with the etching or can be applied to the whole blade. It will darken the color of the steel but can be sanded to your preferences. If only applied to a spot on the blade, it will change its reflectiveness, leaving a “halo” when viewed from certain angles in the light (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). After applying the blueing compound, one guide recommends letting it sit for “a minute or so”, then washing it off in cold water (T, 2016). Another guide suggests that the bluing agent should be allowed to dry “thoroughly” and “completely” (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). Either way, the bluing agent should not be touched while it is setting, as it could lead to inconsistent bluing. Next, the area of the etching is carefully sanded, only a few strokes at a time. Sanding is stopped when the etching is revealed and the background is an appropriate color. Just a little too much sanding could destroy the etching forever. The area around the etching and the rest of the blade can be lighted with additional sanding. Use a sanding block for this to avoid sanding unevenly. Use 600 grit or finer sandpaper (Enhancing a saw etch, n.d.). It has been suggested that this process could be repeated two or three times to improve the results (T, 2016).

6) Clean or remove saw handle coating.In many cases, the restoration will involve sanding the wooden handle of the saw. However, one should consider not sanding the handle, and only cleaning it for two main reasons. First, old saw handles that have seen lots of use can have a desirable patina due to years of exposure to the oil in a worker’s hands, which can be aesthetically pleasing and very comfortable to hold (Farnsworth, 2022). Second, if preserving the saw as a historical object is of interest, irreversible restoration processes, like sanding, should be avoided. Gentle use of #0000 steel wool and mineral spirits can be used to clean a wooden handle without removing the patina (Farnsworth, 2022).

For saw handles that will be sanded, thick layers of varnish may be able to be scraped off first with a razor blade scraper, this can be eased by heating the handle. If varnish must be removed from the small groves of decorative handle carvings, a chemical stripper like CitriStrip™ may be the only option (Foster, 2021). If a chemical stripper is used, clean the handle with mineral spirits and steel wool afterward to remove traces of the chemical before sanding (Foster, 2021). Sanding the handle down to bare wood can start with 60 or 80 grit sandpaper, especially if there is still varshish on the handle. The handle can be made smoother by using progressively fine grit sandpaper, up to 220 grit (Foster, 2021).

Saw handles with minor damage can be repaired (The Write Biz, 2013). However, badly damaged handles might need to be replaced entirely.

7) Protect saw handle.If desired, a staining finish can be added to the handle wood. Alternatively, the handle can be protected with an application of boiled linseed oil for a more natural look. Be careful with used rags, as apparently than can self-combust if not laid out to dry or intentionally burned (Foster, 2021). To apply either, wipe on evenly. Boiled linseed oil may warrant additional applications over time. In any case, refer to the instructions for the product being used.

8) Reassemble saw. Reattach the handle to the saw blade, putting the pins back in the same hole they came from, in the same way they were if possible. Do not over-tighten the nuts.

9) Sharpen saw. Sharpen the saw to your preference. Most saws are set up as either rip-cut or cross-cut saws by changing the shape of their teeth. After teeth are sharpened, they are set if it is necessary. This is done using a tool to slightly bend the teeth outward, alternating between sides. Other guides and videos exist detailing how to sharpen saws in various styles (Paul Sellers, 2013; Eoin Reardon, 2022; Farnsworth, n.d.).

10) Protect and maintain the restored saw. The metal blade of the saw can be polished with metal polish if desired. It can be protected by applying wax or oil. Boiled linseed oil can be reapplied to handles treated with it for continued protection. With use, the saw will need to be resharpened, and eventually, the teeth will need to be set again.

Bibliography

Clark, Joshua., & Dima, Barry. (2019). A buyer’s guide to antique handsaws – finewoodworking.

FineWoodworking. https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/hand-tools/buyers-guide-antique-handsaws

Enhancing a saw etch. (n.d.). Loon Lake Tool Works.

https://loonlaketoolworks.com/pages/enhancing-a-saw-etch

Eoin Reardon. (2022, July 4). Restoring A vintage tenon saw [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMpOcKXtVE

Farnsworth, Joshua. (n.d.). How to sharpen hand saws for woodworking | wood and shop.

Wood and Shop.

https://woodandshop.com/how-to-sharpen-hand-saws-for-woodworking/

Farnsworth, Joshua. (2022, February 4). How to restore an antique back saw. Wood and Shop.

https://woodandshop.com/how-to-restore-an-antique-back-saw/#types

Foster, Joe. (2021, February 28). How to restore an old hand saw, A complete guide | growit

buildit. Growit Buildit. https://growitbuildit.com/restoring-saw-remove-rust/

Paul Sellers. (2013, May 6). How to sharpen a woodworking handsaw | paul sellers [Video].

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5DixEaaUo

T, Jay. (2016, January 26). Hand Saw Restorations – How to bring back the detail of an etch.

TimeTestedTools. https://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/hand-saw-restorations-how-to-bring-back-the-detail-of-an-etch/amp/

The Write Biz. (2013, January 13). Repairing a vintage handsaw handle. Hand Tool Journey-A

woodworking show of hands. https://handtooljourney.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/repairing-a-vintage-handsaw-handle/

von Sneidern, Erik. (2009, January). Online reference of disston saws — the medallions.

Disstonian Institute.com — Online Reference of DisstonSaws. http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/medv2.html

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AdviceGearSkills

Hands-on experience with a Scout Rifle?

xyz - March 26, 2023

Does anyone have any actual hands-on experience with any of the current Scout rifles (ex. Ruger GSR, Savage, Mossberg)?  What’s been your experience (good or bad)? 

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AdviceGear

What are the best solar panel/generator brands?

Kristin Vogel - March 21, 2023

Which one is the best?! Eco flow? Jackerry?

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AdviceGear

DIY air filter protects an entire room from COVID-19

Eric - March 19, 2023

Will this pandemic ever end? We finally have vaccines, and we still have breakthrough infections. We finally reach herd immunity from vaccination, then a new variant is 50% more infectious and brings the pandemic roaring back. We’re not even recovered from that when another variant comes along, even more infectious and a bit resistant to vaccines. At this point we need 150% of people vaccinated to reach herd immunity again, and 6 months after that another variant will set us back to the beginning.

The problem is that we’re relying too much on vaccines. They’re a great tool, but just not enough on their own. That’s why we need a layered approach.

Every COVID precaution has some failure rate or side effect that prevents it from being the magic bullet that fixes everything. That’s okay. We can make up for this by using several layers of protection. If one layer fails 20% of the time (vaccine) and another layer fails 20% of the time (N95 mask) then you can combine both precautions for a failure rate of only 4% (odds that both fail at the same time). If that’s still not enough, just add a third layer.

Here’s one more layer you can add, either for added protection or as a replacement when, for whatever reason, you can’t wear that mask.

One of the most overlooked precautions is also the easiest to keep up long term. The virus can only spread if you breathe it in. Cheap and effective ventilation systems remove viruses from the air, so that you can safely breathe that air without getting infected. With enough room air filtration, it becomes possible for people to share a room together without spreading infection, even if none of them are wearing masks. This is especially important for places where people need to remove their masks, such as dental offices or restaurants. It also makes a great backup layer for especially high risk environments, like classrooms or shared offices, where it’s difficult to wear a mask properly for many hours at a time.

Just build one of these filtration systems for each place that you want to protect. One unit is enough to hang out with friends, especially if you spread out a little with the fan placed between you pointed up. Three of them will provide supplemental protection for a typical, crowded classroom, in which everyone is still wearing masks.

The best part about layered defenses is that you can always afford to drop one of the layers, and the remaining layers will still take care of you. A filtration system is just one more layer you can use, so that you can safely drop any other layer if it’s getting in your way.

There’s a whole menu of layers that you can choose from:

Filtration System – keep the above air filter near you Outdoors – because the ventilation is built-in N95 Masks – for when you need to visit areas that you haven’t secured Vaccines – 5 months of easy protection Distance – just stand further away while talking

(BTW, hand washing and scrubbing doorknobs don’t belong on this list. They might help a little bit, but not nearly as much as any of the above. COVID-19 usually spreads through the air, not by touching surfaces.)

I always aim for at least two layers of protection, and sometimes add a third if I need to be in a crowded room. Decide how many you feel comfortable with – you definitely don’t need to use all at once.

And the best part about filtration systems? If one business owner installs filtration, every single customer is that much safer and doesn’t need to work so hard on protecting themselves. Bring your own filter, or ask your favorite businesses to take care of it for you. You and everyone around you will be that much safer.

Imagine if all of our public spaces had good ventilation. Everyone would be protected, even those that refuse to protect themselves. We might finally end this pandemic.

Until then, this is one more tool that you can use to protect yourself and your community.

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AdviceGear

What to do with a jug full of coins?

Seth Johnston - March 14, 2023

For as far back as I can remember, I’ve been saving up coins inside one of those two-gallon water jugs with the hopes of adding it to my account later on. Now that I actually can do that, though, I’ve been hearing some conflicting stuff about what I should do with the coins. 

My Dad seems to believe the coins wouldn’t lose their value in a major financial crisis and tells me to keep them where they are, but I’m not so sure about that. However, with the bank situation getting a little more volatile in recent news I don’t want to lose anything I’ve saved over the past 16 years. 

So, what’re your recommendations?

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Advice

Nat gas “sniffers” for friends who can’t smell anymore due to Covid

pnwsarahContributor - March 11, 2023

So here’s a fun prepping mashup: Both my mom and one of my friends have recently had gas leak scares when a gas-powered appliance began to malfunction and they realized, suddenly, that they would not necessarily be able to tell if it was leaking gas because they’d lost their sense of smell due to Covid. In my mom’s case, it was actually kind of funny, at least in hindsight, because she texted my husband and said, “Please don’t tell Sarah, because I know she’ll be worried, but…” My husband (who was sitting right next to me on the couch, watching Andor, and dutifully concealed their conversation from me) told her to call the utility, since they make free house calls 24/7 when a gas leak is suspected, and of course this is ALWAYS the best thing to do if one has any reason to believe that there might be a gas leak. That said, he and I were thinking that we should gift my mom and our other friend who can’t smell some portable gas “sniffers” (like this, for instance) as an added layer of assurance/protection (especially in my mom’s case, since she’s probably now going to lie awake at night worrying that there is a gas leak she not smelling, even now that her gas dryer has been ruled safe and repaired).

So my question for y’all: Do any of you have experience with these types of units? Are they reliable in general? (When we’ve called out PG&E because we thought we smelled gas, the technician has checked the house with a handheld detector, so presumably this technology can be good, but who knows what kind of units the utility uses? Not I!) Can anyone recommend a model? I searched for past threads on this but couldn’t find any (perhaps because there are so many candidate search terms… gas, propane, detector, sensor, sniffer…), but please feel free to redirect me if I missed something!

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AdviceGear

Has anyone read the book “Easy Cellar” by Tom Griffith?

Eileen Young - March 3, 2023

Has anyone seen/used the “Easy Cellar” by Tom Griffith? He is a terrific sales person but I would like some feedback from persons who are not making money from his book and site. Thanks. Eileen — 

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Advice

What are your tips for hiding food/valuables?

Holly Bradley - February 21, 2023

I was wondering where people hide their food/valuables? And by valuables, I’m talking about tools, solar panels, gasoline, medical supplies, etc… 

It gets to be quite a load, especially food for the family. I have a few ideas, and have a few stashes around our property, but I’d like to hear some other ideas please….

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Advice

No Grid Survival Projects book, has anyone tried it?

CR - February 21, 2023

I’m tempted to order this, but thought I’d see if any of you have checked  it out? Might be pretty basic stuff, but looks like he’s made it easy to complete his projects by referencing exactly where to get supplies.
It might be a good one to have on hand in the prepping library, if his projects seem legit.

Please chime in with your thoughts!

https://nogridsurvivalprojects.com/book/

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AdviceGear

The dead of winter is a great time for pruning.

RedneckContributor - January 14, 2023

There is so much to do on a homestead, even in the winter when nothing is growing.  Lately I’ve been cleaning up the garden, getting rid of all the dead plants.  That material all goes in the compost pile.  I’ve also been pounding in a dozen 8 foot T-posts, to hold my 6 foot trellis netting for a new location of pole beans.

For many plants, the best time to prune is in the winter when they are dormant.  I finished cutting back most of my roses and now I am working on my muscadine grapes.  They get real leggy because each shoot can put out a stem that can be 10 feet long… or longer.  They bear fruit on new growth, so it is extremely important to cut them way back each winter.  When done with the muscadines, I have around 150 fruit trees to prune next.

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Advice

Favorite source for storm warnings?

Hardened - January 13, 2023

There have been some extreme weather effects in the US lately and San Francisco is about to have an another one. The National Weather Service’s Bay Area office issued “a frank and dire warning to citizens”:

“To put it simply, this will likely be one of the most impactful systems on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long while,” the warning read. “The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillside collapsing, trees down (potentially full groves), widespread power outages, immediate disruption to commerce, and the worst of all, likely loss of human life. This is truly a brutal system that we are looking at and needs to be taken seriously.”

I find it helpful to get a “heads-up” about storms like this and sometimes they will appear in my regular daily news (The New York Times), but I’d like a more specialized source to check regularly.  My built-in iPhone weather app is pretty good at providing forecasts when things are normal but it didn’t warn me about the artic blast we received in December.

What’s your favorite source to check for storm forecasts?

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AdviceNews

Has anyone trained a dog to carting?

Lindsey - January 12, 2023

Has anyone trained a dog to carting before?

As urban dwellers, a horse or pony isn’t an option for our family but well-trained dogs are allowed in pretty much every neighborhood I know of. I like the idea of training a dog to carting but am not sure what all is involved and was wondering if someone else had tips to share.

In regular situations, I envision the dog pulling a cart when we go out to apple-picking to collect more apples or ferry the 1 year old.

In a more serious situation, the dog already being trained to carting would add capacity to the supplies we could bring. Of course, the dog also adds to the supplies we need for an evacuation! So perhaps it’s a wash from the capacity perspective.

For clarity, we do not yet have a dog and will be adopting the dog from a rescue. I had rescue dogs growing up but we never trained the family dogs beyond the basic obedience classes to be good dog citizens. In other words, a dog will be joining our family whether it is trained to carting or not.

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Advice

Prepping with infants?

Kamaria Wingender - January 11, 2023

So, I’ve decided to start prepping. I’ve been reading all these articles bout prepping and gear. I’ve even read how to prep with kids but I’ve found nothing about prepping with infants. And so I don’t even know how to start prepping with infant.

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AdviceGear

Do you know who the enemy might be?

Steve Martin - December 24, 2022

Under the “situational awareness” heading, is knowing who to watch and who to trust in our preparations for anticipated emergencies and dealing with them afterwards. During the recent political unrest, I had a local who was a member of a certain fringe group and he was bold enough to put a huge sign in his front yard advocating changes to our government he was demanding, and on a particular day in January, he made a trip to DC to express his opinion. He’s one I’ll keep an eye on if things go from bad to worse. I am also aware of a neighbor who has that ” if the SHTF I’ll just use my firepower to take whatever I need from everyone else” attitude. Another one I’ll keep an eye on. Be aware of the extremist in your midst, not paranoid but aware, BEFORE the SHTF. They might be a potential problem when the time comes, or an ally. I tend to be too suspicious of others motives….a hazard of having spent some time in military intel: everyone is up to something, you just have to figure out what it is and if it’s good or bad.

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Advice

Help me decide on a portable generator. Single fuel but fuel injected or tri fuel with a carb?

Steve Martin - December 22, 2022

Alright I’m ready to pull the trigger on a new electric start 11000 watt portable generator…but I have to choose one over the other of two possibilities. #1 is elect start, fuel injected so no carb to worry about…but is only gasoline powered. #2 is same brand, same wattage but with typical carb and is tri fuel…gasoline, nat gas or propane. So there’s trade offs. The tri fuel version is also $200 cheaper. I did the generac whole house estimate which came back at $10, 790. YIKES! There will still be some electrical contractor expense as I’ll get them to put in that sub panel so I can plug this portable in. I have a nearly new generac 3500 watt portable I’ll be selling so I can recoup part of the purchase price. So….which would YOU consider? Single fuel but fuel injected or tri fuel with a carb? I have a torn rotator cuff with damage so pull starting ANYTHING is out of the question now. So I’ll be selling the new chain saw, weedeater and generator. 

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AdviceGear

Prepper podcast recommendations, please

JBinAZ - December 14, 2022

About to have a three day road-trip. Anyone know of and can recommend some good prepping podcasts to listen to? TIA

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Advice

Off-grid cabin/land purchase

CouchTomato - December 14, 2022

Hi all!  My husband and I are in the research phase before purchasing some land/acreage for an off-grid cabin.  Can anyone recommend good resources on how to evaluate the land prior to purchase, or what to know before building a cabin? We’re focusing generally on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, planning on well/septic with solar (and have varying degrees of familiarity with those systems), and do not plan on living in the cabin full-time. We know just enough to suspect there’s a lot we DON’T know, thus the extensive research before a potentially expensive mistake.  Those of you who have done this – any words of wisdom?  Thanks!  

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Advice

Preparedness podcasts?

pnwsarahContributor - December 11, 2022

Hi all,

I’m curious as to whether any of you have any preparedness podcasts that you enjoy, or even singular podcast episodes — perhaps interviews with preparedness experts talking about what they have and do and why, scientists who have expertise relevant to natural disasters and response thereto, first responders, structural and civil engineers, or people who work in government on disaster readiness and response.

I like that The Prepared doesn’t pick sides politically and is focused on providing high quality information, so anything that is similar to this site in those dimensions would be especially appreciated. The one thing I’ve found so far that I like is “Getting Through It” with Dr. Lucy Jones, which is really interesting, but it’s a lot more about the social and natural science of disasters than how we prepare for them.

Thanks for any ideas!

[Edited to add: I’m asking because I often stay up too late sewing or reading preparedness-related content on the internet. Listening to preparedness-related content while sewing seems like it would be an efficiency gain.] Read More

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Advice

Teach me about life insurance

Robert LarsonContributor - December 3, 2022

I don’t feel any immediate need to get life insurance because I am relatively healthy, but accidents happen. In addition, with things costing more lately than they have been in previous years, I am seeing how hard keeping up with the bills and cost of living would be for my wife if I were to pass away.

I know nothing about life insurance, but might want to consider it. Can you all tell me if you have it, do you know of anyone who has had to cash it in, how do you shop for it, what kinds are there, things like that.

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Advice

A prepper’s perspective on gratitude this November

Debby Jenkins - December 1, 2022

Hello! I’ve spent the past few days browsing this site since seeing it on 60 Minutes and have to say that so far it’s exactly what I needed in my life right now. Who knew there were AA batteries with a USB port in the side to charge them with!? Well apparently this site!

Something that is always on my mind this time of year and something I want to personally work on is gratitude. To make it relevant to this forum though, I want to share my thoughts about how being grateful is important for your mental health and for preparing in general. I have been prepping for the past 4-5 years, so I’m in no way an expert, but can say I have a basic knowledge that hopefully applies.

I find it ironic that on Thanksgiving day we sit down and with our loved ones and talk about all the things we are thankful for and then head out the next day and fight people over a coffee maker that is $20 off and we already have one that works.

Gratitude is overcoming discontentment of wanting more things. And not necessarily just things, but also wanting more experiences, more success, more recognition, a better job, a better marriage, and more more more more.

While those AA batteries that I saw and are so fascinated with are now definitely things I want, I took a moment to realize that I have about 30 disposables still and a handful of rechargeable ones that you plug into a brick to charge. I don’t need any more and need to be content and grateful for what I have. The cool batteries though will be on my mind when it does come time to replace the older rechargeables and if you didn’t have any rechargeable batteries before then that could be a good investment. Take a minute to analyze if you really need something versus just being a want.

Look at your unfulfilled desires and be okay with not having everything. “I’ll be happy when I buy that new car.” or “That new camp stove sure will make life easier” There’s always something to strive for and want isn’t there? Take the richest man in the entire world for example. He is still trying to obtain more things, the company Twitter being the latest example. It’s only in our nature to want more things and there is always one more thing you could have, even if you are the richest person in the world. Gratitude is being content with whatever you have, be it only the clothes on your back, what you currently have, or even if you are filthy rich.

It is hard to not compare yourself with others. Hearing about that person who just won over 2 billion dollars in the lottery, or someone driving by in their nice sports car, you think about what it would be like to be like that person don’t you? I do. Something that can help you though is to consider that if you are reading this right now, you probably are in the top 5% of wealth in the entire world. There are so many people who have so much less than you. People who may have no home, no food, no job, no legs, no sight, no family, no friends, no hope. There’s always someone above you who has more than you, but there is most likely a lot more people who would do anything to have what you have. Your life might just be that sports car envy of someone else. And just how I think about how I wish all those super wealthy people would just walk up to me and pay off my house, what do I do with my wealth and helping those around me?

I don’t want to go too long with this, but just want to remind people that it is important to be grateful for what you have. When we were born, we came into this world with absolutely nothing. You have much more than what you started off with right? Even if you lose it all in an earthquake tomorrow, you have so many past experiences and even the ability to read my ramblings right now. We have so much!

Survival is about being resourceful with what you have and making the best out of your current situation. Replacing the old generator with a new one would be nice, but you have a functioning one now that you can tune up and get more life out of and even if you didn’t have that, you probably could get by like so many people did before the generator was even invented.

Gratefully yours,

Debby

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Advice

What to attach to a Plate Carrier

JB - November 30, 2022

I’m thinking of getting a plate carrier and some level III+ body armor, but want to plan out what gear I will attach to my plate carrier because that will heavily influense which one I get. 

I want to have a small ham radio, at least two AR15 mags, and two glock mags attached. 

What do you have attached to your plate carrier? What does your ideal setup look like?

I’d love to see pictures of your setup if you could snap a quick pic.

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AdviceGear

A reminder to check the expiration dates on your IDs

Robert LarsonContributor - November 27, 2022

Today I had a head smacking moment when I was looking through my wallet and realized that my concealed carry permit expired back in February! 9 months expired!

This could have been really bad if I had used my weapon in self defense and then had to show the officers an expired permit, because I have been carrying constantly during that entire time.

I am going to have to pay for my mistake now because since I passed the 6 months of having my permit expired I can’t just pay the renewal fee online but have to attend an entirely new class, go through the background check and fingerprinting again, and pay the full new permit holder price. Yikes! It’s going to be a multiple month long process to get going again and cost three times as much.

I have definitely learned my lesson and am making calendar reminders for the expiration dates on all my IDs in my wallet and will help my wife do the same.

Check your expiration dates!

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Advice