I had a discussion with a left leaning friend the other day. He said that he had never read about someone defending the self without shooting a shot. I said that I actually defended myself in broad daylight, at a busy mall parking lot, in our small town, with my knife case! The problem is, it's not really news so you won't read about it. My friends problem, amount other things, is that he believes if you don't hear about it in mainstream media, it doesn't happen. This of course is not true.
Surveys have said that defense with a gun happens between a few thousand to a million times per year in the U.S. With the Internet we are becoming more aware of these events. They are often in local media. In the majority of cases there is no police report. I've heard these stories in classes, on ranges, from law enforcement and tucked into articles like this one. I'm convinced that these kind of things happen often.
From opencarry.org:
I live out in the county. , Around 1/2 mile from me a bad guy tried a home invasion on Daniels Road. This happened just 30 minutes ago. Bad guy tried to bang the door down while the good guys wife called the sheriff. Bad guy picked the wrong door. Good guy held the bad guy at gun point, ( God Bless Texas ) until the Deputies could transport him to the jail.. Turns out, the Bad guy was on a major parol violation from the State of Texas Prison System, and was to considered armed and extremely dangerous. A very good ending of what might have been very bad. Look up the Otero family murders in Wichita Kansas. I was a Deputy Sheriff there. At dark, as Susan, my daughter can attest, I never answer my door unarmed. Sorry Susan about you former boy friend. H
The location was listed as near Wichita Falls, Texas.
Because stories of self defense are few and far between in mainstream media, there has been fostered a belief that they happen. This is pure fantasy. Back to my self defense with my knife case.
I was collecting coins from a business we have in the mall. Some undesirables noticed me and followed me outside. I was not armed but I carry a large knife and flashlight case. When confronted by an idiot who was not very determined and his friend, I patted the bulge from my large case under my shirt and told the guy he should be worried about about what I had in "here" eluding to what he thought was a gun.
The website gunssavelives.net has an area of self defense stories. You can browse by state logo find stories in your state or any other state. There are over 1500 stories.
It only stands to reason that we should defend ourselves. If you do not, you're just playing the odds. You are hoping nothing bad ever happens to you or your family. This is foolish and dangerous. Having faith in God is good, but faith without works is dead. Trust in God after all you can do.
Joseph a Smith received this revelation:
…we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded. (Doctrine and Covenants 134:11)
Note the conditional: we are justified in defending ourselves, our family and friends, our property, and our nation when another recourse is not available given the time constraints. This caveat perfectly illustrates why every family should be armed and knowledgeable in defense. Most rely on the police to defend them should something happen, but the average response time of a police officer nationwide is seven minutes. Remember, when seconds count, the police are minutes away. This amount of time, of course, is an eternity when faced with an immediate threat. The reality is that the police do not prevent crime at all-their job is primarily to write crime reports after the crime took place. Sometimes they even get lucky and solve a crime. But by no means are they a proper and adequate substitution for personal defense.
I hope you will consider the defense of your family. In my own opinion, and that's all this is, I feel it is the responsibility and duty of every head of household to ensure the safety and defense of their family. If you are confident in doing this without a gun, then mire power to you. Other weapons re available and hand to hand combat us an option. I like redundancy so other opinions are good. But my Prichard defense in a gun. What happens when the priesthood holder is not at home? I endure my family has the tools and training to defend each other. I feel that is part of the duty too.
Don't be found short in this area.
Get trained and get training for your family.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Phone Numbers You Should Consider In Your Phone
Most people don't have phone numbers memorized anymore. I never can remember my own cell number. Consider writing down (or printing if you have the option) all your contacts in your phone. It's handy if you lose your phone or change phones.
Not every situation is one that requires dialing 9-1-1; that line should be kept clear for true emergencies only. 911.gov defines a true emergency as “any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department or ambulance.” They also recommend that if you’re unsure whether the situation is a true emergency or not, call and let the call-taker determine the best course of action.
What if a non-emergency situation arises that could still use the assistance of a police officer or fire department? Do you have their numbers saved into your phone? What are some other numbers you should have ready at a moments notice?
Here are 5 to get you started:
1. Local Police Department
Having quick access to your local police department’s non-emergency number is useful in the case you need to report someone disturbing the peace or acting suspicious. You may also be able to request increased patrol due to prowlers, speeding vehicles or similar concerns. Again though, if you feel the situation is life threatening, you should call 9-1-1 but for everything else, your local police department should be able to answer a lot of questions.
2. Poison Control Center
You may think that most calls to poison control are about young children accidentally getting into medicine or cleaning supplies but the call-takers are also available to help in a number of other ways. They deal with everything from identifying recalled food products to snake bites. The poison control hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and the call is always free. If you have any questions at all, call: 1-800-222-1222.
3. Local Fire Department
One instance for calling the local fire department would be to inform them of a small fire that’s now extinguished, but one you could still use their help with to check things out or assess for more damage. Another common reason is getting spilled gas or vehicle fluids cleaned up after a car accident. As just one example, AAA Road Service won’t tow your vehicle after an accident until the fire department has cleaned up fluids on the roadway caused by the accident. Don’t call them if your cat is stuck in a tree though. Maybe just ask to borrow a ladder from your neighbor.
4. Animal Control
If you see a sick or injured animal, it’s best to call for help. Whether this is a domesticated or wild animal, you can’t be completely certain of the situation and it could have rabies or another harmful disease. You can also call animal control if you’ve lost your pet or need to report animal cruelty as they often have records for those things.
5. 3-1-1
It may be so short that you don’t need it in your speed dial, but it’s still a great one to have on hand. Dialing 3-1-1 in most U.S. cities is available to answer loads of non-emergency questions. Some possible calls that would be covered by calling 3-1-1 are reports of animals either confined or dead on the road, noise and air pollution, reporting of litter, graffiti or even potholes among other things. It’s a type of local directory specifically for your city’s services.
Adding titles to the names of family members in your phone’s address book may prove useful. Titles such as “wife” or “brother” before the names could even help get a lost phone back to you more quickly. Many people also utilize the “ICE” method in their phone contacts list for use during an emergency.
If you aren’t familiar, some advocate typing “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) before certain names in their phone so that first responders or good samaritans will see it and call that number. In most true emergencies however, first responders will often be too busy trying to help you than to go through your phone.
I asked a Law Enforcement officer and a few of his colleagues for input on the “ICE” method. They came to the conclusion that while this method would rarely be used during an emergency, it’s still not a bad idea to implement. It was also noted that most people have their phone locked with a passcode, which would make searching the phone impossible. A downside to both the family member title and ICE methods are that if your phone is stolen, the thief may be able to use that against you by contacting family members and asking to meet up or give personal information through a text message or email. Just something to think about.
Another phone number that could be beneficial to have on speed dial is the number for the American Red Cross Safe and Well program: 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). During a disaster, you can call that number and provide your contact information, so family and friends will know you’re safe. Alternatively, you can search for people you know that have marked themselves as safe if the situation is reversed.
Extras
While almost everyone these days has smart phones, those that don’t may need some help looking up the numbers or addresses of local businesses. Dialing 4-1-1 isn’t free anymore and the best alternative from Google has been discontinued. If you don’t mind sitting through a short advertisement, you can call 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-373-3411) for free directory assistance.
On a lighter note, if you’re bored and not in any kind of emergency, give 719-26-OATES a ring. It’s “Callin’ Oates,” your “emergency Hall and Oates hotline.” Perfect for when you need just a little Hall and Oates.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Not every situation is one that requires dialing 9-1-1; that line should be kept clear for true emergencies only. 911.gov defines a true emergency as “any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department or ambulance.” They also recommend that if you’re unsure whether the situation is a true emergency or not, call and let the call-taker determine the best course of action.
What if a non-emergency situation arises that could still use the assistance of a police officer or fire department? Do you have their numbers saved into your phone? What are some other numbers you should have ready at a moments notice?
Here are 5 to get you started:
1. Local Police Department
Having quick access to your local police department’s non-emergency number is useful in the case you need to report someone disturbing the peace or acting suspicious. You may also be able to request increased patrol due to prowlers, speeding vehicles or similar concerns. Again though, if you feel the situation is life threatening, you should call 9-1-1 but for everything else, your local police department should be able to answer a lot of questions.
2. Poison Control Center
You may think that most calls to poison control are about young children accidentally getting into medicine or cleaning supplies but the call-takers are also available to help in a number of other ways. They deal with everything from identifying recalled food products to snake bites. The poison control hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and the call is always free. If you have any questions at all, call: 1-800-222-1222.
3. Local Fire Department
One instance for calling the local fire department would be to inform them of a small fire that’s now extinguished, but one you could still use their help with to check things out or assess for more damage. Another common reason is getting spilled gas or vehicle fluids cleaned up after a car accident. As just one example, AAA Road Service won’t tow your vehicle after an accident until the fire department has cleaned up fluids on the roadway caused by the accident. Don’t call them if your cat is stuck in a tree though. Maybe just ask to borrow a ladder from your neighbor.
4. Animal Control
If you see a sick or injured animal, it’s best to call for help. Whether this is a domesticated or wild animal, you can’t be completely certain of the situation and it could have rabies or another harmful disease. You can also call animal control if you’ve lost your pet or need to report animal cruelty as they often have records for those things.
5. 3-1-1
It may be so short that you don’t need it in your speed dial, but it’s still a great one to have on hand. Dialing 3-1-1 in most U.S. cities is available to answer loads of non-emergency questions. Some possible calls that would be covered by calling 3-1-1 are reports of animals either confined or dead on the road, noise and air pollution, reporting of litter, graffiti or even potholes among other things. It’s a type of local directory specifically for your city’s services.
Adding titles to the names of family members in your phone’s address book may prove useful. Titles such as “wife” or “brother” before the names could even help get a lost phone back to you more quickly. Many people also utilize the “ICE” method in their phone contacts list for use during an emergency.
If you aren’t familiar, some advocate typing “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) before certain names in their phone so that first responders or good samaritans will see it and call that number. In most true emergencies however, first responders will often be too busy trying to help you than to go through your phone.
I asked a Law Enforcement officer and a few of his colleagues for input on the “ICE” method. They came to the conclusion that while this method would rarely be used during an emergency, it’s still not a bad idea to implement. It was also noted that most people have their phone locked with a passcode, which would make searching the phone impossible. A downside to both the family member title and ICE methods are that if your phone is stolen, the thief may be able to use that against you by contacting family members and asking to meet up or give personal information through a text message or email. Just something to think about.
Another phone number that could be beneficial to have on speed dial is the number for the American Red Cross Safe and Well program: 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). During a disaster, you can call that number and provide your contact information, so family and friends will know you’re safe. Alternatively, you can search for people you know that have marked themselves as safe if the situation is reversed.
Extras
While almost everyone these days has smart phones, those that don’t may need some help looking up the numbers or addresses of local businesses. Dialing 4-1-1 isn’t free anymore and the best alternative from Google has been discontinued. If you don’t mind sitting through a short advertisement, you can call 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-373-3411) for free directory assistance.
On a lighter note, if you’re bored and not in any kind of emergency, give 719-26-OATES a ring. It’s “Callin’ Oates,” your “emergency Hall and Oates hotline.” Perfect for when you need just a little Hall and Oates.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Be "Sharp", Sharpening Your Knives
I love knives. I have quite a few of them. Knowing how to maintain tools is important in my book.
I learned to sharpen a knife from my Grandfather and Father. I knew how to sharpen a knife before it was taught to me as a Cub Scout. My first knife was the Official Cub Scout Pocket Knife. This was the classic 3 blade, black “wood” grain pocket knife with the official Cub Scout logo. It had a regular drop point blade, a bottle opener/flat head screwdriver blade, and awl blade.
A sharp knife isn't just sharper, it's a safer, more efficient, more precise tool. If you’re like most people, your knives are probably dull. Here's how to fix that quickly, easily and cheaply.
Why do you need to sharpen knives? A sharp knife stands less chance of slipping on the material being cut and, because it requires less effort and force to use than a dull knife, you're less likely to cut yourself. Working with a sharp knife is faster and easier, too. It also damages the material being cut less — ever tried to slice a tomato with a dull knife? It doesn't exactly produce clean results.
Is there any cooler item of outdoors gear than a big, fixed-blade “Rambo” knife?
When should you sharpen? Most knives don't come sharp. That's because the final few degrees between being able to slice butter and being able to pop hairs off your arm isn't often achieved with a machine and most knives are produced by those, in a factory. So, sharpening is the first thing you need to do when you buy one.
You can easily tell the difference between a very dull knife and a sharp one, but how do you divine degrees of sharpness once it's sharp enough to cut you? In my experience, testing the blade on your arm hair is the easiest way.
A note on safety: Never run your finger along a knife blade. If you're using your finger to get a feel for the degree of sharpness, run it lightly across the edge, perpendicular to the length of the knife.
Making the knife sharper involves diminishing returns on your labor and creates an edge which can be a little delicate. But, if you want to try and make your knife as sharp as possible — a good idea on paring knives and other small blades used for detail work — then you'll want it capable of popping the hairs off your arm with little to no pressure. Just touching it to a hair should be enough to sever that hair.
But I'm not normal. You may like to slice a piece of paper by holding it from one hand to test sharpness. If arm pattern baldness isn't your thing, maybe try that. The sharper your knife is, the cleaner the slices it'll make and the easier it'll make them.
Decide how sharp you'd like a particular knife to be, then endeavor to keep it in that condition. How you do that is covered below.
Whetstones: The oldest and simplest way to sharpen a knife remains as effective now as it was when your granddad was a Boy Scout.
The basic idea in all knife sharpening is to maintain a consistent angle of contact between the knife and the sharpening medium. You want to sharpen at the same angle your knife came with from the factory. On most quality outdoors blades, that's 20 degrees on each side, I use that angle for kitchen and other knifes too, just to keep my life simple. 20 degrees will give you a good, strong edge that's not prone to rolling.
Where more complex systems help you maintain that 20-degree angle, a wet stone requires you to employ sight and feel. If you're new to this, the best shortcut I can give you is a Sharpie. Use one to color in the knife's bevel — the angled portion of its blade at the bottom, leading up to the edge. Do a couple swipes on the stone and then examine your edge. If all the Sharpie mark is gone, you're at the correct angle. If there's marker remaining on the top of the edge, it means you're holding the back of the knife too high. If there's marker on the bottom of the edge, where you're trying to sharpen, then you're holding the knife too flat. This method works equally well on other types of sharpeners too.
To use a wet stone, always move the knife edge-first across the stone. Hilt to tip or tip to hilt, it doesn't matter. What does matter is light, even pressure, little more than the weight of the knife. Don't let the tip roll off the end of the stone, this can blunt or damage it.
To sharpen the knife evenly, count your strokes and do the same number on each side. I typically do 20 strokes on one side, 20 on the other, then evaluate my results.
Wet stones are called that because you need to apply a little bit of oil, spit or water to them, which carries away the microscopic metal shavings you produce by grinding at the edge. If you're worried about food contamination, use vegetable oil for any knifes that are going to touch stuff you're planning on eating or serving to others.
Sharpening Rods: Rods are a perfect system for you and what you should go buy right now if you're serious about having sharp knives. That’s my one and only “knife guy” advice that I don’t really follow. I love a stone.
Many people call these "diamond rods" or stones or whatever. You can order industrial diamond-coated rods separately, but they're very aggressive and mostly applicable to blade re-profiling and working out major edge damage, not for your typical sharpening needs.
To use sharpening rods, you hold the knife vertically and swipe it down the edge of the rods while pulling the knife towards you. The trick is to maintain that perfectly vertical orientation and consistent, light pressure. Do so, and the system makes achieving a perfect 20 degree edge angle or 15 degree back bevel really easy.
When you're done, use Comet, Ajax or similar to scrub the black residue off the stones, ready for the knife or to be stored away awaiting the next sharpening.
Mouse Pads And Sandpaper: A cheaper, but also very effective method for knife sharpening is to affix sandpaper to an old mouse pad and draw the knife along the paper again at the correct angle, but using a trailing stroke, where you're pulling the edge away from you, the opposite of using a stone or rods; the sponginess of the pad is what makes that possible.
You can use this method for primary knife sharpening or to put the final touch on a blade after you've used a stone or rods. If you're starting with a dull knife, use a medium grit sandpaper like an 800 and work up to a fine grit like a 1200. If you're just putting the final touches on a blade, start with 1200.
The trailing stroke is great at removing the small burs stones and rods leave on edges.
The give in a mouse pad also allows you to create convex edges if that's your thing.
Stropping: The key to hair-popping sharpness and a step most people miss. It's also designed to remove any burr or false wire-edge (basically a straight, perfectly aligned burr) and it's what barbers are doing when they run their straight razors up and down leather belts.
You can do it that simply, with an old belt and a trailing stroke, or you can get a little OCD about it and make your own dedicated strop using a larger piece of leather and applying an abrasive compound to it. Honestly, it's worth the time, the results can be phenomenal.
Pull-Through Sharpeners: This is where I disagree with all the knife guys. I like pull through sharpeners. You can’t just pick it up and hap-hazardly pull the knife through a few times. You must be careful to pull the knife through with care of the angle. If you watch what you’re doing, this can work real well for you. Don’t use a lot of pressure.
Knife Guys: Taking your knives to a guy who sharpens them for a living can be a great idea if you've got a very dull blade, a damaged edge or just too many knives and too little time. I see a guy at my local farmer's market, but any good outdoors store like Cabela's should also be able to sharpen blades at the knife counter.
These guys use grinding wheels or belt sanders to quickly and easily put a solid working edge on a knife. You can use these machines too, but be warned, they take off a lot of steel very quickly, leaving little room for error. You need to be able to maintain that consistent edge angle while using one and while holding the knife securely, so it isn't flung into yours or someone else's eye.
Typically, you'll still need to strop a knife after having it professionally sharpened. So few people want that level of sharpness that it's just not worth their time to take knives to that point.
Scissors: Scissors need sharpening too. To do that, fold up a piece of aluminum foil and cut it to bits. Job done.
Why is sharpening so difficult on some knives? Because you've bought a knife with a very hard, stainless steel blade. The better a knife retains its edge, the harder it is to sharpen. D2, S30V and other "super steels" require hours and hours of work to bring back from dull, essentially impossible in the field. I take my stainless blades to the knife guy, strop them, and call it a day. Carbon steels like 1095 are a much better option, combining decent edge retention with ease of sharpening. If you plan on using a knife often and heavily, start there.
Cheap blades tend to be easier to sharpen. If you've bought a Swiss Army or Case knife or similar, you likely fell for the "Surgical Steel" line, which is meaningless bologna and indicates the use of a cheap, no-name steel. The upside is that they take very little work to sharpen, just a few passes on a stone usually does it. Just don't expect them to hold that edge for long.
The real trick to sharpening a knife is consistency and patience. Maintain that consistent angle, don't be tempted to press hard, relax, turn on the TV and settle in for a solid hour or two of Zen-like meditation. And don't be afraid to take it to an expert if you're stuck.
Learn to sharpen your knives and you will save yourself, time, money, and accidental cuts.
Semper Paratus
Burn
I learned to sharpen a knife from my Grandfather and Father. I knew how to sharpen a knife before it was taught to me as a Cub Scout. My first knife was the Official Cub Scout Pocket Knife. This was the classic 3 blade, black “wood” grain pocket knife with the official Cub Scout logo. It had a regular drop point blade, a bottle opener/flat head screwdriver blade, and awl blade.
A sharp knife isn't just sharper, it's a safer, more efficient, more precise tool. If you’re like most people, your knives are probably dull. Here's how to fix that quickly, easily and cheaply.
Why do you need to sharpen knives? A sharp knife stands less chance of slipping on the material being cut and, because it requires less effort and force to use than a dull knife, you're less likely to cut yourself. Working with a sharp knife is faster and easier, too. It also damages the material being cut less — ever tried to slice a tomato with a dull knife? It doesn't exactly produce clean results.
Is there any cooler item of outdoors gear than a big, fixed-blade “Rambo” knife?
When should you sharpen? Most knives don't come sharp. That's because the final few degrees between being able to slice butter and being able to pop hairs off your arm isn't often achieved with a machine and most knives are produced by those, in a factory. So, sharpening is the first thing you need to do when you buy one.
You can easily tell the difference between a very dull knife and a sharp one, but how do you divine degrees of sharpness once it's sharp enough to cut you? In my experience, testing the blade on your arm hair is the easiest way.
A note on safety: Never run your finger along a knife blade. If you're using your finger to get a feel for the degree of sharpness, run it lightly across the edge, perpendicular to the length of the knife.
Making the knife sharper involves diminishing returns on your labor and creates an edge which can be a little delicate. But, if you want to try and make your knife as sharp as possible — a good idea on paring knives and other small blades used for detail work — then you'll want it capable of popping the hairs off your arm with little to no pressure. Just touching it to a hair should be enough to sever that hair.
But I'm not normal. You may like to slice a piece of paper by holding it from one hand to test sharpness. If arm pattern baldness isn't your thing, maybe try that. The sharper your knife is, the cleaner the slices it'll make and the easier it'll make them.
Decide how sharp you'd like a particular knife to be, then endeavor to keep it in that condition. How you do that is covered below.
Whetstones: The oldest and simplest way to sharpen a knife remains as effective now as it was when your granddad was a Boy Scout.
The basic idea in all knife sharpening is to maintain a consistent angle of contact between the knife and the sharpening medium. You want to sharpen at the same angle your knife came with from the factory. On most quality outdoors blades, that's 20 degrees on each side, I use that angle for kitchen and other knifes too, just to keep my life simple. 20 degrees will give you a good, strong edge that's not prone to rolling.
Where more complex systems help you maintain that 20-degree angle, a wet stone requires you to employ sight and feel. If you're new to this, the best shortcut I can give you is a Sharpie. Use one to color in the knife's bevel — the angled portion of its blade at the bottom, leading up to the edge. Do a couple swipes on the stone and then examine your edge. If all the Sharpie mark is gone, you're at the correct angle. If there's marker remaining on the top of the edge, it means you're holding the back of the knife too high. If there's marker on the bottom of the edge, where you're trying to sharpen, then you're holding the knife too flat. This method works equally well on other types of sharpeners too.
To use a wet stone, always move the knife edge-first across the stone. Hilt to tip or tip to hilt, it doesn't matter. What does matter is light, even pressure, little more than the weight of the knife. Don't let the tip roll off the end of the stone, this can blunt or damage it.
To sharpen the knife evenly, count your strokes and do the same number on each side. I typically do 20 strokes on one side, 20 on the other, then evaluate my results.
Wet stones are called that because you need to apply a little bit of oil, spit or water to them, which carries away the microscopic metal shavings you produce by grinding at the edge. If you're worried about food contamination, use vegetable oil for any knifes that are going to touch stuff you're planning on eating or serving to others.
Sharpening Rods: Rods are a perfect system for you and what you should go buy right now if you're serious about having sharp knives. That’s my one and only “knife guy” advice that I don’t really follow. I love a stone.
Many people call these "diamond rods" or stones or whatever. You can order industrial diamond-coated rods separately, but they're very aggressive and mostly applicable to blade re-profiling and working out major edge damage, not for your typical sharpening needs.
To use sharpening rods, you hold the knife vertically and swipe it down the edge of the rods while pulling the knife towards you. The trick is to maintain that perfectly vertical orientation and consistent, light pressure. Do so, and the system makes achieving a perfect 20 degree edge angle or 15 degree back bevel really easy.
When you're done, use Comet, Ajax or similar to scrub the black residue off the stones, ready for the knife or to be stored away awaiting the next sharpening.
Mouse Pads And Sandpaper: A cheaper, but also very effective method for knife sharpening is to affix sandpaper to an old mouse pad and draw the knife along the paper again at the correct angle, but using a trailing stroke, where you're pulling the edge away from you, the opposite of using a stone or rods; the sponginess of the pad is what makes that possible.
You can use this method for primary knife sharpening or to put the final touch on a blade after you've used a stone or rods. If you're starting with a dull knife, use a medium grit sandpaper like an 800 and work up to a fine grit like a 1200. If you're just putting the final touches on a blade, start with 1200.
The trailing stroke is great at removing the small burs stones and rods leave on edges.
The give in a mouse pad also allows you to create convex edges if that's your thing.
Stropping: The key to hair-popping sharpness and a step most people miss. It's also designed to remove any burr or false wire-edge (basically a straight, perfectly aligned burr) and it's what barbers are doing when they run their straight razors up and down leather belts.
You can do it that simply, with an old belt and a trailing stroke, or you can get a little OCD about it and make your own dedicated strop using a larger piece of leather and applying an abrasive compound to it. Honestly, it's worth the time, the results can be phenomenal.
Pull-Through Sharpeners: This is where I disagree with all the knife guys. I like pull through sharpeners. You can’t just pick it up and hap-hazardly pull the knife through a few times. You must be careful to pull the knife through with care of the angle. If you watch what you’re doing, this can work real well for you. Don’t use a lot of pressure.
Knife Guys: Taking your knives to a guy who sharpens them for a living can be a great idea if you've got a very dull blade, a damaged edge or just too many knives and too little time. I see a guy at my local farmer's market, but any good outdoors store like Cabela's should also be able to sharpen blades at the knife counter.
These guys use grinding wheels or belt sanders to quickly and easily put a solid working edge on a knife. You can use these machines too, but be warned, they take off a lot of steel very quickly, leaving little room for error. You need to be able to maintain that consistent edge angle while using one and while holding the knife securely, so it isn't flung into yours or someone else's eye.
Typically, you'll still need to strop a knife after having it professionally sharpened. So few people want that level of sharpness that it's just not worth their time to take knives to that point.
Scissors: Scissors need sharpening too. To do that, fold up a piece of aluminum foil and cut it to bits. Job done.
Why is sharpening so difficult on some knives? Because you've bought a knife with a very hard, stainless steel blade. The better a knife retains its edge, the harder it is to sharpen. D2, S30V and other "super steels" require hours and hours of work to bring back from dull, essentially impossible in the field. I take my stainless blades to the knife guy, strop them, and call it a day. Carbon steels like 1095 are a much better option, combining decent edge retention with ease of sharpening. If you plan on using a knife often and heavily, start there.
Cheap blades tend to be easier to sharpen. If you've bought a Swiss Army or Case knife or similar, you likely fell for the "Surgical Steel" line, which is meaningless bologna and indicates the use of a cheap, no-name steel. The upside is that they take very little work to sharpen, just a few passes on a stone usually does it. Just don't expect them to hold that edge for long.
The real trick to sharpening a knife is consistency and patience. Maintain that consistent angle, don't be tempted to press hard, relax, turn on the TV and settle in for a solid hour or two of Zen-like meditation. And don't be afraid to take it to an expert if you're stuck.
Learn to sharpen your knives and you will save yourself, time, money, and accidental cuts.
Semper Paratus
Burn
Concealed Carry: Pocket Pistols
I live in the Southwest. It takes Winter a lot longer to get here. That’s what I like about living here. I served my mission in Eastern Canada. That was cold. Anyway, this time of year has it’s perks and challenges for concealed carry.
I usually revert to a pocket pistol. Some people that hear that will be surprised. In the Winter we usually dress in layers and that makes a inside the waistband carry (one of the most popular ways to carry) almost impossible.
These are my ideas and feelings about a pocket pistol.
It should be concealable.
This is obvious. These days there are many pistols that will work. There are even some revolvers that will work.
It should be light.
There are many subcompacts that fit this criteria. Many composite autos are only a few ounces. If it’s heavy and you put it in a coat pocket it will weigh down one side and make the coat hang awkward. That may compromise a concealed carry.
Some revolvers will also fit this criteria.
Hammers
There should be no external or shrouded hammers. This only will catch on clothing when drawn.
Pocket
The pocket you put the gun into is exclusively for your gun. Anything else in there could be a hazard or may impede a smooth, quick draw. No coins, chapstick, or even paper. Some things would stop you from a good grip others may get in the trigger guard and cause a negligent discharge. Your gun in a pocket holster only, nothing else.
Semi autos should be true double action only, hammer fired, with no safety. Make sure your trigger is at least a 10 pound pull or more. I know the safety issue is a controversial one. I will deal with a heavy trigger rather than a safety. I know there are many out there that disagree and that’s fine. I would not recommend a striker fired weapon without a safety.
Centerfire calibers small pistols can be uncomfortable to shoot. 9mm and larger caliber and some .380’s can be not too pleasant to shoot. I have a 9mm sub compact and I find it comfortable enough to shoot but the size is hard to deal with. It’s almost too small so I’ve had to learn to grip it a little different than I would a compact or full sized gun. Practice has made the difference witht hat gun. I’ve figured out how to handle recoil and the size, weight, and trigger pull. Non practice with a sub compact is not an option.
Smaller pistols are less forgiving when it comes to cleaning. Make sure you keep a small gun clean. If you are using it as a carry gun then keeping the gun clean is something you won’t skimp on. You life depends on it. Make sure you wipe it down and run a bore snake through it at least once a week at least.
Whatever gun you end up choosing for Winter, make sure you spend some time practicing getting it into play. Again, the advantage of a coat pocket gun is that you can have your hand discreetly on a weapon without other people knowing, which can give you the initial advantage in a potential life threatening situation. But that won't do you any good if you've never practiced drawing and shooting from that pocket. So make sure you get your trigger time in.
Semper Paratus
Burn
I usually revert to a pocket pistol. Some people that hear that will be surprised. In the Winter we usually dress in layers and that makes a inside the waistband carry (one of the most popular ways to carry) almost impossible.
These are my ideas and feelings about a pocket pistol.
It should be concealable.
This is obvious. These days there are many pistols that will work. There are even some revolvers that will work.
It should be light.
There are many subcompacts that fit this criteria. Many composite autos are only a few ounces. If it’s heavy and you put it in a coat pocket it will weigh down one side and make the coat hang awkward. That may compromise a concealed carry.
Some revolvers will also fit this criteria.
Hammers
There should be no external or shrouded hammers. This only will catch on clothing when drawn.
The pocket you put the gun into is exclusively for your gun. Anything else in there could be a hazard or may impede a smooth, quick draw. No coins, chapstick, or even paper. Some things would stop you from a good grip others may get in the trigger guard and cause a negligent discharge. Your gun in a pocket holster only, nothing else.
Semi autos should be true double action only, hammer fired, with no safety. Make sure your trigger is at least a 10 pound pull or more. I know the safety issue is a controversial one. I will deal with a heavy trigger rather than a safety. I know there are many out there that disagree and that’s fine. I would not recommend a striker fired weapon without a safety.
Centerfire calibers small pistols can be uncomfortable to shoot. 9mm and larger caliber and some .380’s can be not too pleasant to shoot. I have a 9mm sub compact and I find it comfortable enough to shoot but the size is hard to deal with. It’s almost too small so I’ve had to learn to grip it a little different than I would a compact or full sized gun. Practice has made the difference witht hat gun. I’ve figured out how to handle recoil and the size, weight, and trigger pull. Non practice with a sub compact is not an option.
Smaller pistols are less forgiving when it comes to cleaning. Make sure you keep a small gun clean. If you are using it as a carry gun then keeping the gun clean is something you won’t skimp on. You life depends on it. Make sure you wipe it down and run a bore snake through it at least once a week at least.
Whatever gun you end up choosing for Winter, make sure you spend some time practicing getting it into play. Again, the advantage of a coat pocket gun is that you can have your hand discreetly on a weapon without other people knowing, which can give you the initial advantage in a potential life threatening situation. But that won't do you any good if you've never practiced drawing and shooting from that pocket. So make sure you get your trigger time in.
Semper Paratus
Burn
A Time of Thanks, A Time of Vigilance
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope all of you have a wonderful time filled with family and good cheer and food!
Often on this website I feel I am forced to be “gloom and doom” because of the reality of crime, violence, riots, disasters, and terrorism that is filling the earth. I do not mean to be, but I want to be a force of good on the internet. I want to help anyone that I can. Security and preparedness can be serious business. But I do have fun! I’m going to the range with my son today to sight in his new Remington .308 rifle. I do love to shoot and everything about it. I sing a song to my wife, much to her dismay… “Home, home on the range…!!” I feel at home on the shooting range.
This time of year as we remember the great and marvelous blessings which we have in this great country, I hope we will count those blessings and know how, and by what means, we have received many of them. Our Heavenly father has been very good to us in this country and in our family’s. In my family we welcomed three babies into this world and 2 new daughters in law, and 1 son in law. I don’t consider my “in-laws” strangers, but additional kids. Our family is growing and it’s good to see the happiness it brings.
At the same time, we must be vigilant in our guard of our way of life, liberty, and families. Being security minded is sometimes hard in the lap of family, good will, and freedom. That is why vigilance is so necessary.
I really like an old TV series called “The Unit”. It only went 4 seasons and was cancelled coincidentally when President Obama was elected. I’m not sure that election had anything to do with it’s cancellation but I do wonder. Anyway, for those that may not know, The Unit was a series about a unit in the Army similar to Delta Force in Special Forces. This was several teams of operators who answered only to the President of the United States and would be used for covert missions throughout the world. In one episode this team was home in the United States enjoying dinner with their wives when they were targeted by terrorists. In the middle of their meal they were attacked yet every operator was prepared with a concealed weapon. Of course the bad guys lost and the good guys won. It was a fictional show. But what I liked was the detail and back ground that was realistic in the sense of the military. The advisors of this show really advised well.
The reality of life is that at any moment evil people can purport violence upon law abiding U.S. citizens. There are many things in place to stop that. The best trained military in the world stands ready to defend us. Well trained valiant law enforcement and first responders stand at the ready to care for each of us. Even with all of this, bad things can happen. We must be trained and prepared.
During this special time, and the beginning of the Christmas season, remember how blessed we are and those that serve and protect our freedom. Count your blessings and prepare for the worst, so you and your family will be ready for what may come.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
I hope all of you have a wonderful time filled with family and good cheer and food!
Often on this website I feel I am forced to be “gloom and doom” because of the reality of crime, violence, riots, disasters, and terrorism that is filling the earth. I do not mean to be, but I want to be a force of good on the internet. I want to help anyone that I can. Security and preparedness can be serious business. But I do have fun! I’m going to the range with my son today to sight in his new Remington .308 rifle. I do love to shoot and everything about it. I sing a song to my wife, much to her dismay… “Home, home on the range…!!” I feel at home on the shooting range.
This time of year as we remember the great and marvelous blessings which we have in this great country, I hope we will count those blessings and know how, and by what means, we have received many of them. Our Heavenly father has been very good to us in this country and in our family’s. In my family we welcomed three babies into this world and 2 new daughters in law, and 1 son in law. I don’t consider my “in-laws” strangers, but additional kids. Our family is growing and it’s good to see the happiness it brings.
At the same time, we must be vigilant in our guard of our way of life, liberty, and families. Being security minded is sometimes hard in the lap of family, good will, and freedom. That is why vigilance is so necessary.
I really like an old TV series called “The Unit”. It only went 4 seasons and was cancelled coincidentally when President Obama was elected. I’m not sure that election had anything to do with it’s cancellation but I do wonder. Anyway, for those that may not know, The Unit was a series about a unit in the Army similar to Delta Force in Special Forces. This was several teams of operators who answered only to the President of the United States and would be used for covert missions throughout the world. In one episode this team was home in the United States enjoying dinner with their wives when they were targeted by terrorists. In the middle of their meal they were attacked yet every operator was prepared with a concealed weapon. Of course the bad guys lost and the good guys won. It was a fictional show. But what I liked was the detail and back ground that was realistic in the sense of the military. The advisors of this show really advised well.
The reality of life is that at any moment evil people can purport violence upon law abiding U.S. citizens. There are many things in place to stop that. The best trained military in the world stands ready to defend us. Well trained valiant law enforcement and first responders stand at the ready to care for each of us. Even with all of this, bad things can happen. We must be trained and prepared.
During this special time, and the beginning of the Christmas season, remember how blessed we are and those that serve and protect our freedom. Count your blessings and prepare for the worst, so you and your family will be ready for what may come.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Monday, November 24, 2014
Concealed Carry: The Perfect Gun
Someone asked me the other day what gun I thought was the perfect carry weapon. I said, “One that goes bang!” I was semi-joking. The serious half of that answer is that wheat ever is carried needs to be reliable, needs to go bang. This is the most important thing. Everything else is secondary.
Conceal ability is next on my list. Not necessarily the size of the weapon. It doesn’t have to be small to be concealable. Sometimes that helps though.
The person who carries regularly today is very likely not a life-long gun enthusiast. They may only own one gun for a specific purpose: personal defense. They aren’t shooting on the weekends with their family, they aren’t hunters, and they aren’t willing to wear a tan vest every day or otherwise dress around their gun. They want something with a high degree of what I call carryability, and slim 9mms are very carryable.
I like those 9’s too. First of all I like the 9mm round. In the ballistics I’ve seen I don’t see a big enough difference between a 9mm and .40 to justify carrying a .40.
When I started shooting in the late 60’s and through the 70’s .38 and .357 were king calibers. The guns that went with them were not very petite. A Colt Python is not real concealable even in a 4 inch barrel! Well, gone are those days and I say good riddance! Gun makers now must care about the different customers they have to compete. Many more women are buying and shooting and they usually have smaller hands. So the gun makers have complied. Manufacturers have been responding not only with single-stack designs, but also with less girth in the area of the grip that is held between the thumb and index finger of the strong hand and with deeper in-cuts at the top of the back of the grip area. If a gun doesn’t fit a person’s hand well, they will not be able to shoot it intuitively or naturally. Their shooting will be forced and mechanical, which means their efficiency, will suffer.
A list of features I feel would be a perfect carry/defensive gun are:
Perfect reliability
Striker fired
At least a 4 inch barrel, 5 inch preferred
No manual safety
Ten plus 1 single-stack magazine capacity
Magazine must extend beyond the bottom of the mag well
Ambidextrous magazine release
Big ejection port
Rounded front of the trigger guard
Trigger pull of 6 pounds or less
First shot trigger travel of .5 to .6 inch, short reset
Tapered leading edge of slide at muzzle
Low bore height, relative to the hand
Non sloping sights
Non slip rear slide serrations
Simple take down and small number of field stripping parts
Some pistols come very close to most of these. Some are way off. The first point, reliable, is what I seek most. Don’t give me problems that I need to take care of even if your guarantee and customer service is the best.
Remember, a carry gun is only good if you have it with you. Remember to bring a gun to a fight. Then, keep yourself out of that fight as long as you can and by any means. Your gun is your last resort!
Semper Paratus
Burn
Conceal ability is next on my list. Not necessarily the size of the weapon. It doesn’t have to be small to be concealable. Sometimes that helps though.
The person who carries regularly today is very likely not a life-long gun enthusiast. They may only own one gun for a specific purpose: personal defense. They aren’t shooting on the weekends with their family, they aren’t hunters, and they aren’t willing to wear a tan vest every day or otherwise dress around their gun. They want something with a high degree of what I call carryability, and slim 9mms are very carryable.
I like those 9’s too. First of all I like the 9mm round. In the ballistics I’ve seen I don’t see a big enough difference between a 9mm and .40 to justify carrying a .40.
When I started shooting in the late 60’s and through the 70’s .38 and .357 were king calibers. The guns that went with them were not very petite. A Colt Python is not real concealable even in a 4 inch barrel! Well, gone are those days and I say good riddance! Gun makers now must care about the different customers they have to compete. Many more women are buying and shooting and they usually have smaller hands. So the gun makers have complied. Manufacturers have been responding not only with single-stack designs, but also with less girth in the area of the grip that is held between the thumb and index finger of the strong hand and with deeper in-cuts at the top of the back of the grip area. If a gun doesn’t fit a person’s hand well, they will not be able to shoot it intuitively or naturally. Their shooting will be forced and mechanical, which means their efficiency, will suffer.
A list of features I feel would be a perfect carry/defensive gun are:
Perfect reliability
Striker fired
At least a 4 inch barrel, 5 inch preferred
No manual safety
Ten plus 1 single-stack magazine capacity
Magazine must extend beyond the bottom of the mag well
Ambidextrous magazine release
Big ejection port
Rounded front of the trigger guard
Trigger pull of 6 pounds or less
First shot trigger travel of .5 to .6 inch, short reset
Tapered leading edge of slide at muzzle
Low bore height, relative to the hand
Non sloping sights
Non slip rear slide serrations
Simple take down and small number of field stripping parts
Some pistols come very close to most of these. Some are way off. The first point, reliable, is what I seek most. Don’t give me problems that I need to take care of even if your guarantee and customer service is the best.
Remember, a carry gun is only good if you have it with you. Remember to bring a gun to a fight. Then, keep yourself out of that fight as long as you can and by any means. Your gun is your last resort!
Semper Paratus
Burn
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