Kershaw Rocks!: Broken Kershaw Lifter Update

Kershaw Lifter Folding Knife with SpeedSafe $23.29

About five months ago I did a review of the new Kershaw Lifter. At that time, for 19 usd, that was a no brainer of a deal. The knife looks good, feels good, and is well put together by a well-known company with a lifetime warranty.
Ironically enough, a few days later I ended up breaking the tip of the Lifter. Maybe I applied a bit too much force to the tip when cutting some wood, maybe the heat treatment of the humble 3Cr13 blade material wasn’t done properly. The grainy texture of the exposed broken tip suggested this. I decided not to waste any time and sent it back to Kershaw so that they could take a look and decide for themselves it was within warranty or not. Today, a few weeks later after sending it back, a brand new Kershaw Lifter was delivered to my door!

Today the Kershaw Lifter costs around 23 usd, which is still very reasonable for the knife you’re getting. I personally find the blade geometry very appealing. Although I wouldn’t abuse the tip given that its quite fine for a tanto, it still allows for detail cutting while the recurved portion of the blade is great for slashing and you can safely apply as much force as you want. It’s a very functional shape for a 3.5 inch blade. The Speedsafe assisted opening system is very fast when used along with the flipper. The blackwash finish simply looks fantastic and the entire knife just looks well-worn, tough and plain cool.
If you want to spend a bit more money, maybe check my Best EDC Folders for 2015 post, but for 23 bucks, the Kershaw Lifter is hard to beat.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.

Life in a war zone: How people in Ukraine adapt to Survive

Interesting article about how people are surviving in war racked
Ukraine. Note that for many, having enough money is a priority. Also,
when entrepreneurs smuggle in food, they distribute it in the center
of town. Not once is barter mentioned, and only once is a garden
mentioned.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/soviet-era-survival-kicks-in-for-ukrainians-in-rebel-wasteland/ar-AAav7j0?ocid=mailsignout
A-

Thanks for the email and link.
It is very interesting indeed. These are the real-world experiences I always try to learn from. Sometimes its new ideas, sometimes its the revalidation of old ones, happening and being used yet again.

A burnt out shop in the Kievsky district of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on April 2, 2015. Notice the pack of stray dogs. This brings back memories of Argentina. When people cant even afford to feed themselves, they get rid of their pets. This is bad, but it could be worse. The next stage is when you stop seeing stray dogs any more (that's when people are desperate enough to eat them.)

Lets recap on some of the lessons learned:
1)Cash is still king, as it usually is. Never underestimate how useful a roll of USD can be, anywhere in the world, from New York to Ukraine.
2)Financial mobility is a great asset. Whenever possible, take the time to open an off shore bank account. This can be one of your best assets.
3)During desperate times, food becomes a priority. Stock up on food, grow your own in your garden to supplement you supplies.
4)Cash, medicine and diapers are on high demand.
5)You need your “papers” to move around. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Spanish civil war, Argentina’s dirty war during the 70s or current eastern Ukraine, you’ll still be expected to present your “papers”. Make sure you have your passport and other important documents.
6) Usd1.000 still makes for a great bribe. Again, cash is king.
7)Living far from town and isolated is still a bad idea, even in occupied easter Ukraine. “Aid is distributed in the center and people living on the outskirts just don’t get to it in time because city transport isn’t working,” said Filimonov, 32. “We brought 130 packages of food to Debaltseve and a long line appeared near our bus in minutes. Those people were really hungry.”
8)Curriers are on high demand. They will travel to other cities where banks and ATMs still work so as to get cash for their clients. ”Mariupol, under government control, is a hotspot where couriers show up clutching stacks of bank cards to withdraw cash. Donetsk coal mines often select one employee to make the journey and collect wages for his colleagues.”… “You see lines of 50 to 100 people at ATMs and there are can be scuffles.”
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.

Top 10 tips for Drought and Water Preparedness

California is experiencing the worst draught in the last 1000 years and residents will need to cut back 25% of water consumption. The American west overall is suffering some serious droughts and thousands are already being affected. With a growing population and industry the existing water resources are lacking and this is a problem that is likely to affect even more people in the future.
Here are some tips to prepare for draughts and water shortages in general. Keep in mind, water is an essential supply you should have anyway, drought or not. A number of disasters or simple water line repairs can leave you without water for days at a time. Even an earthquake, which is very likely to affect the west coast in the next twenty years, would damage the water infrastructure and leave people to provide for themselves. We saw how desperate people got due to lack of water in just a matter of hours during the 2010 Chile Earthquake.

Here’s what you should keep in mind.
1)Store actual water. Don’t just have a filter or some bladder to fill. Store water, at least a week’s worth of water for all family members. You should have at least a gallon for each person per day. If you can store even more water, that’s highly recommended.
2)Not all water is used for drinking. Actually, most water will be used for cleaning, flushing toilets and watering your plants. Over 50% of water used in America goes to watering lawns alone. While you may have to cut back on watering your lawn, you’ll still need to water your orchards or gardens if you are producing food. You can use rain water for such things, so it’s a good idea to collect rainwater in am outdoors container.
3)Get a good water filter such as the Big Berkey and pure, unscented bleach. You can use either one or both for treating your water if needed.
4)Try storing some food for emergencies that requires no cooking and no added water. Canned food is usually good that way. Still, you will have other staples that need to be cooked and use water. Make sure its food that cooks fast and uses relatively little water.
5)Get a rice cooker and use your lid in other cook wear. The use of lid prevents the waste of water through evaporation, it also helps cook faster. I’ve been using a rice cooker for about a year now and it saves a considerable amount of electricity compared to ovens and electric cooktops. It also makes great use of small amounts of water, making it one of the most water effective ways of preparing rice and other vegetables.
6)Try not wasting water in general so as to contribute to preserving water. Don’t let the tap water running when brushing your teeth, don’t take unnecessary long showers, try washing your car with just a bucket of water.
7)If the drought persists, you can also change your house garden so as to use more arid climate plants that require little or no water. Parts of the lawn can be replaced with more decks, or dry floors that don’t need watering.
8)Drink enough water. In spite of there being little water to go around, do stay as well hydrated as possible. Take electrolyte drinks and check your urine color. It should be as clear as water when fully hydrated. Pay particular attention to small children and older people.
9)A two gallon garden sprayer can be used to improvise a quick shower in the bathroom. This is a priceless treat when going for several days without water in the middle of summer. Wet wipes can be used when water can’t be wasted on showers. Hand sanitizer keeps your hands clean while not wasting water.
10)Have plans to bug out and relocate if necessary. Small towns may suffer the lack of water the most, being sacrificed to provide for larger population areas. Even in a supposedly self-reliant homestead water wells may dry up due to draughts, leaving you with no other option but to relocate.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.

Generator’s carbon monoxide kills eight in Maryland

A man and his seven children, age 6 to 16, were found dead on Monday in a home in Princess Ann, Maryland.
Police believe the deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Rodney Todd Sr., 36, and his seven children were found dead inside the locked house and no foul play was suspected. The house had no power and a generator that had run out of fuel was found inside.
While researching to find more information about this tragedy, it was heartbreaking to find so many similar incidents. Carbon monoxide poisoning is without a doubt the silent, cold weather killer.
Always remember:
1)NEVER run a generator indoors. No matter how cold it is, there’s no excuse. It will get you killed along with the rest of your family.
2)Get a CO alarm installed immediately if you don’t have one already. The Kidde Carbon Monoxide Alarm goes for $19.57 in Amazon. Don’t hesitate, your family sure is worth 20 bucks. A smoke detector alone will not work. Get a proper Carbon Monoxide Alarm.

3) Always err on the side of caution when you have any open-flame device. Camping cookers and stoves, propane and kerosene heaters, you always need to make sure you have proper ventilation. When operating unvented heaters crack the window open a couple inches. Personally, I prefer not to run one when sleeping. I’d rather warm up the area and turn it off just before going to sleep, better safe than sorry. Some kerosene heaters and the indoor propane heater Mr. Heater F232000 do have a Low-oxygen safety shut-off feature but this is a second layer of protection and it does NOT replace a dedicated carbon monoxide alarm.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.

Benchmade Griptilian‏: Opinion after Using it for 12 years

Fernando—
You reviewed your favorite EDC folding knives, including the one I have carried for 12 years—the Benchmade Griptilian.
Having lived with this knife for so long, I have some positive and some negative opinions about it:
1. The size and the contours of the knife are very acceptable for EDC in whatever pocket I want to carry it in. The two-position tip-up pocket clip allows me to carry it left- or right handed. The “jimping” or serrations on the top and bottom of the handle give it good gripping characteristics. The blade is plenty big for a convenient pocket-carry knife, and the dual thumb-studs make it easy to use left- or right-handed.
2. The edge holding is less than desirable. It has 154CM steel in the present blade, but it just does not live up to the claimed edge retention characteristics of this steel. The knife originally had another blade (partial serrations) which also did not hold an edge very well. I sent it back to Benchmade and had them replace the blade for that reason—and at the time opted for a plain-edge blade. If you have suggestions for a brand + blade steel that holds an edge under normal casual use—that would be nice to learn.
3. The pocket clip has the same drawbacks as most of those on the market—It is sturdy and works well at keeping the knife in the pocket, but it catches on things I don’t want to get damaged (door frames, furniture, car seats), and it is awkward when it does snag something in public places. The solution I have used to soften the clip and to “round” its corners is to apply two layers of electrical heat-shrink tubing to it.
4. The Axis Lock is smooth, and it seems to be sturdy and lock up very well. However, the blade can swing open whenever the knife is moved through certain ranges of motion such as if it is dropped accidentally or if it is pulled out of the pocket quickly and at certain angles. I have come close to grabbing the knife when the blade was in the process of coming open from inertia—and could have been cut if I had not been careful.
Bottom line, I would prefer a knife that has this size and contour, has a different closing mechanism that reliably prevents the blade opening accidentally under normal use, and has a steel that retains a good edge during everyday use around the house. And if it came with a furniture-friendly pocket clip—that would be a bonus.*
Larry
*Note: The original Spyderco Endura and other knives had an integral molded plastic clip on the handle. While it (like any) clip could catch and rub on things, it would not hang up as much as a flat metal clip, and it would not do as much damage to furniture etc. The drawback was that the plastic clip tended to weaken over time and potentially break, it could not be repositioned for alternate carry modes, and it was not replaceable.
.
.

Benchmade Griptilian Knife $93.25

Hello Larry, thanks for sharing your experience.
I know what you mean regarding metal clips catching onto stuff and scratching everything from furniture to cars! I too miss the old Cold Steel and Spyderco molded plastic clips. You never had to worry about scratching anything with those. On the other hand, removable spring steel clips are clearly stronger and can be adjusted to different positions. I prefer tip down carry myself, which prevents the type of problem you describe and eliminated the risk of cutting yourself on a slightly opened blade when trying to draw it.
When it comes to steels 154Cm shouldn’t be that bad, its supposed to be a well performing mid-range priced steel. Then again, all knives need to be sharpened after use eventually. Some hold on a bit more, but there’s no magic steel out there, they all need sharpening sooner than later. At least in my opinion, I don’t worry too much about how long it stays sharp, I ‘m more interested in toughness and to some extent I prefer a knife that is easy to sharpen rather than a hard blade that holds the edge for a bit longer, but wastes your time a lot when sharpening. If you’re looking for better steel maybe you want to try out the Spyderco Endura4 in VG-10, which should hold an edge longer although I’m sure you’ll miss the ergonomics of the Griptilian. For a fantastic steel, you want to try ELMAX powdered steel, which is one of the main reasons I like the Zero Tolerance ZT 0561 so much. The Kershaw  Knockout also has ELMAX steel.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.