Swift | Silent | Deadly


Self Reliance


Humaning 101: Basic Hand Tools, Part II

In Part I of this article I talked about some basic hand tools every household should have. The were basic PPE, screwdrivers, pliers, hex keys, hammer, measuring and marking tools, and saws. Those tools should get just about everyone started. Today I’m going to talk about a few more that I think are more or less essential and are still well within the realm of “basic” hand tools (and I wax philosophical here and there). Enjoy.

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Know a Knot! The Scaffold Knot

Welcome back to Know a Knot! I know it has been a few weeks since I’ve posted a knot article and for that I apologize. This week I’m back with a reader request: could you demonstrate a knot that slips? Yes (based on some other text in his email I believe he mean “slip”as the ability to loosen or tighten the loop) I can! There are a lot of knots that slip but I really like this one because it is a very strong knot and you already know how to tie it. It’s called the scaffold knot.

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Humaning 101: Basic Hand Tools, Part I

I recently got a reader request for an article on tool maintenance. I’m not necessarily the expert on tool maintenance but I’m willing to take a stab at it. Before I do that I think we should talk about one of those things every halfway competent human should possess: a set of basic hand tools. 

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Preparedness Part I: Preparing Your Body

I may have mentioned that I have some plans to write a series of articles on preparedness. It has been difficult to decide where to start. Yesterday I was reading Sherman House’s Civilian Defender blog and saw an article about personal health. It really resonated with me, and immediately I knew where to start this series. This series will proceed in a logical fashion, beginning to the most important, most urgent priorities. Let’s begin with preparing your body.

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A Brief Introduction to Rechargeable Batteries

I decided to adopt rechargeable AA batteries only recently. I admit that I’ve always having sort of a bias against rechargeables. After having worked with them for a few months I’ve gained a whole new perspective and confidence and in them. Let’s talk about why.

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A Primer on Raising Chicks

Chickens are one of the quintessential preparedness food sources, and for good reason. While it is still fresh in my mind, I’m going to offer some after-action information for those of you who may be thinking of raising chicks. It’s a little late in the season for this, so maybe I’ll repost it early next spring, as well.

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