tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post278729056764395059..comments2024-02-11T01:14:21.904-08:00Comments on SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA: Forging Class Yesterday (Part II): Security and post- SHTF Blacksmithing in ArgentinaFerFALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07578136334334588454noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-90101241416923115702010-09-16T18:15:59.337-07:002010-09-16T18:15:59.337-07:00"So is the recent spike in gold/silver prices..."So is the recent spike in gold/silver prices evidence of inflation, or failing price suppression?"<br /><br />Add in, loss of confidence & inflation expectations. <br /><br />"using 'a good meal' as a value for an ounce of silver doesn't work"<br /><br />I'm not sure, but it might work with steak? <br /><br />Gold: The T-Bone Steak Indicator<br /><br />http://www.lewrockwell.com/rozeff/rozeff229.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-85091454746478379862010-09-16T07:10:55.330-07:002010-09-16T07:10:55.330-07:00Hmmm...Clearly prices for rented rooms & food ...Hmmm...Clearly prices for rented rooms & food fluctuate between historic era's & current nations.<br /><br />Also, the market for precious metals is very likely manipulated by govt's & their central banks that try to suppress gold/silver as alternate money.<br /><br />So is the recent spike in gold/silver prices evidence of inflation, or failing price suppression? Likely both.<br /><br />Anyway, I agree that currently using 'a good meal' as a value for an ounce of silver doesn't work (where? which meal?). However the saying has been around so long that there might be something to it. Like that measure is an average, or mean, around which the price moves, never straying too far for long.Greg in CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-79563261688112702202010-09-15T19:48:31.072-07:002010-09-15T19:48:31.072-07:00You can't really compare silver in a monetary ...You can't really compare silver in a monetary role to today's silver prices (it hasn't been money since 1965). Up until about 100 years ago, 12-15 ounces of silver was equal to one ounce of gold - all the way back to ancient times. Today it's about 60 to one. By historical measures, silver should be over $80/ounce. Given that measure - a dime would be about $7 - or a meal at McDonalds.<br /><br />Put another way, historically (before about 100 years ago), skilled labor went for about 2 ounces per day. In 1914 - Henry Ford upped that to 5 ounces per day (a little less, a silver dollar wasn't quite an ounce).<br /><br />So skilled labor should be able to trade a days worth of work for a lot more than one meal and a bed for the night. Where would he get the other two meals? And this is for skilled, non-farm labor, not unskilled labor.<br /><br />So - to compare the price of an object base on the difference in price between silver in 2010 - and silver before 1914 is comparing apples to oranges - you can do it - but it doesn't mean anything.<br /><br />Finally - silver in 2000 (10 years ago) was $5 per ounce. So if we use your measurements, 10 years ago, the same knife would be<br />$15 - that would be 400% inflation in 10 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-16426953603222627532010-09-14T19:51:32.764-07:002010-09-14T19:51:32.764-07:00Hey Greg, the knife was traded for a house meal (l...Hey Greg, the knife was traded for a house meal (less than 5 USD for sure) and a place to sleep in the house, not a hotel. I'd say its 20 USD total worth. No hotel will give you a meal, let alone a room, for a knife.<br /><br />FerFALFerFALhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07578136334334588454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-36997243103201010422010-09-14T17:00:37.002-07:002010-09-14T17:00:37.002-07:00"the Roman denarius was about equal to a silv..."the Roman denarius was about equal to a silver US dime - less than 1/10th of an ounce of silver. And that's what you could get a basic meal for."<br /><br />The old saying I heard was that, historically, an ounce of silver has been worth a good meal & an ounce of gold worth a fine mens' suit. Greece? Rome? British Empire? Don't have #'s.<br /><br />If an ounce of silver is now worth about $20 US, & Ferfal's friend traded a knife for a good meal ($20?) & a basic motel room ($40-$60?) that's about 3-4 silver ounces.<br /><br />Just saying...Greg in CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-50397650874004534702010-09-14T16:53:35.687-07:002010-09-14T16:53:35.687-07:00"the Roman denarius was about equal to a silv..."the Roman denarius was about equal to a silver US dime"<br /><br />Was that before or after they debased, shaved off some of the coin?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-38173651307790090252010-09-14T12:47:47.533-07:002010-09-14T12:47:47.533-07:00Greg in CA - I think you need to check your refere...Greg in CA - I think you need to check your references - daily wages for a common worker were anywhere from 1 to 2 ounces of silver in ancient times - the Roman denarius was about equal to a silver US dime - less than 1/10th of an ounce of silver. And that's what you could get a basic meal for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-60452506740610853002010-09-14T12:04:19.723-07:002010-09-14T12:04:19.723-07:00How much did you pay for the whole knife ferfal in...How much did you pay for the whole knife ferfal including the handle?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-68200990264322976302010-09-13T21:21:03.863-07:002010-09-13T21:21:03.863-07:00Barter Town's blacksmith, that's slightly ...Barter Town's blacksmith, that's slightly funny.<br /><br />I watched the original Mad Max film recently. It's not at all like the other Mad Max films. Besides being a somewhat bad film, amazingly, all the criminals in it are unarmed.<br /><br />In a scene where a person probably cannot just rush in with guns a blazing, a crippled old woman uses a double barrel shotgun to corral a number of criminals who kidnapped an infant. Ironically, the infant's parents were surprised while out on a farm in an unguarded moment.<br /><br />One criminal responds by saying, "I don't like guns" mocking the politically correct crowd who wish to whip up fear and hysteria towards gun ownership. However, it's obvious that if the woman didn't posses the gun she would probably be tortured and killed quickly. <br /> <br /> While the criminals out numbered the two shots from the double barrel, I think it was the way she conveyed her intent to shoot without a doubt that swayed the criminals and not the shotgun alone. She wasn't going to shoot to wound. She seemed like she knew ahead of time what she was willing to do and the other people picked up on this and as a result obeyed her commands.<br /><br /> It seemed to me that if the old woman had been uncertain of what she was willing to do ahead of time that would have been telegraphed to the criminals no matter what she said and they might have rushed her to take the gun away.<br /><br />The film also had a scene where a hiding and waiting young criminal threw a wheel cylinder through a passing vehicle he was expecting to pass by. When I saw that I thought this was more along the lines of the types of crimes people cannot prepare for and might be similar to what you might encounter in Argentina. Things like that happen in the U.S. too, thankfully not that often.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-54144264747778225562010-09-13T13:29:01.627-07:002010-09-13T13:29:01.627-07:00Reverse grip, edge in - a utility knife. ;) SUUU...Reverse grip, edge in - a utility knife. ;) SUUUUURE.<br /><br />Looks good!Some Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01211922409369113892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-73288083944575040302010-09-13T12:57:28.081-07:002010-09-13T12:57:28.081-07:00Say, that's a great knife you have there! It l...Say, that's a great knife you have there! It looks like it would be just right for field-dressing a deer.<br /><br />As far as the gentleman mentioned in the story goes, he is very blessed, usually people like that get an obituary notice in the newspaper for their kindness.<br />Eric in MIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-47989070628055909262010-09-13T05:47:15.015-07:002010-09-13T05:47:15.015-07:00In the early 90's on an adventure in the Adiro...In the early 90's on an adventure in the Adirondack mountains of New York. I ran out of money and so from a stranger I got a tank of gas and $20 for a Cold Steel Tanto. Made it home to Cleveland with a full belly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-81806434135234218022010-09-12T22:45:47.253-07:002010-09-12T22:45:47.253-07:00Historically (Roman Empire), an ounce of silver ha...Historically (Roman Empire), an ounce of silver has been worth a good meal.<br /><br />So if a well-made knife bought your friend a meal & a room for a night, that sounds like it's worth maybe 3 ounces of silver, or close to $60 US.Greg in CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8939666320943790100.post-87432731555425643352010-09-12T22:42:38.672-07:002010-09-12T22:42:38.672-07:00Nice work, Ferfal!
Full tang versus partial tang,...Nice work, Ferfal!<br /><br />Full tang versus partial tang, please share your thoughts.<br /><br />Obviously a full tang is stronger, but a partial tang has less weight & cost.<br /><br />I thought you might go for a more custom-fitted grip, but understand this is a first effort.Greg in CAnoreply@blogger.com