Today I met up with an old friend interested in trading pocket knifes, for my antique wooden chest. I’ve been packing this cool, big box around for years, but felt like swapping it out for smaller items I can potentially trade or sell later.
I got this ornate chest in Tigard, OR at a St. Vincent De Pauls for $40 or so. I was going to restore it, but liked the rough, vintage look, and couldn’t bring myself to refinish the wood. I never cleaned the tin exterior either. It made a great shoe box for awhile, but I had my eye on a stash of Swiss Army knives my buddy acquired from an estate sale. We are both hustlers, so I felt like meeting to get some deals going.
I picked these 18 multitools out of my friend’s collection. I will end up putting a few in small emergency caches to be buried. Some will be gifts, and others I will use for odd jobs. A couple have lights built in too. It felt good to trade for items that won’t be a burden to move. I’m always traveling, so bulk is bad. I will do more deals with this contact, and the possibilities are endless with online networking. Don’t miss out. Be social.
Today I felt like exploring. So I biked to The Mill Ponds in Seaside Oregon. The ground was soggy, so I had to pedal lightly to avoid getting sprayed with mud from my tires. Hearing the blue birds chirp relaxed me instantly. Beats traffic noise.
Right before I got to my favorite spot, I noticed a park bench upside down in the water. I wondered where it went. It’s been a few months since I sat on it from the lookout. Without hesitation I laid my bike down, and tromped through the sticker bushes to get to it. I had seen 2 homeless teens camping there before, and I’m pretty sure they trashed the place.
I yanked that bench out of the pond, and brought it back to its home. Now everyone can rest and enjoy that epic view again. The seat wasn’t in bad shape, or soaked entirely, so I chilled there for a few. Just another reminder that you can either make the world a better place, or screw it up for the rest of us. There aren’t many public spaces left, so treat them with respect.
“It rubs the lotion on its skin. It does this whenever it is told.” – The Silence of the Lambs
Following my recent bike accident, I’ve used a few ointments to heal my skin, and relieve minor aches and pains. Mostly I’m trying to minimize scaring. I have enough, and bright pink isn’t a good color on me.
I’m covered in purple and green bruises. For sore muscles I’m using Tiger Balm Red Extra Strength. This pain relieving ointment really does work, so I don’t need to take any pills. It helps my muscles relax, so I can go about my business. Plus, the potent menthol smell is soothing. A little dab of this stuff goes a long way. Try it out.
To heal my road rash and cuts I’m using Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Skin Ointment. I got it from my local health food store for $7.99. It’s a good buy because it is blended with natural oils enriched with Vitamin E, and Lavender Oil. I love this product. It is fragrance/dye free too. This product stays on my skin, and prevents my sexy scabs from falling off early. Tea Tree oil heals dry, chapped skin quickly.
Finally, I’ve been using organic 100% Hawaiian Moon Aloe. You can use this cream topically for many things, from sore muscles, to chapped lips. Aloe Vera is a miracle worker. It hydrates deep into skin. According to their website, “natural Aloe Vera contains six antiseptic agents that fight infection; three analgesics to reduce pain and at least three anti-inflammatory agents.” I also drink Aloe Vera juice, and water regularly to help with digestion.
These three products are dynamic. See what they can do for you. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros. Your likes, comments, and shares are greatly appreciated. It helps build this emergency preparedness community. Peace.
I had too much coffee, and acidic foods today, so I was suffering from heartburn. I was out of calcium rich Tums, so I tried Pepto Bismol, but that didn’t help. Drinking extra spring water didn’t do much for relief either. So I reached for a natural remedy, Dr. Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar mixed with water. I was able to burp big time, which helped. Next I drank more water with a couple spoonfuls of pure baking soda. That was the trick. I felt better almost instantly, and had to share this info. I hope that works for you.
Yesterday I checked out the Collector’s West Gun & Knife show in PDX. It was a big event, with tons of vendors, and people trading gear too. I took home a few things, and learned a lot.
The show ends today, but visit www.collectorswest.com to see when it will be in your area. It’s worth the $12 for admission, and $8 for parking. I was able to price out stuff I’m interested in, and get my hands on it too. There were deals galore on new and used guns. Booths had closeouts on every style and brand of knive imaginable. Coast Products was there. My friend got a powerful LED keychain light from them.
I also ran into my buddy Shawn Gregory. He makes quality “Predator Paracord” bracelets, gun slings, lanyards, and more. I got a few samples to test, including the badass band below. It’s comfortable, and stands out. You can never have too much cordage just in case. More on Predator Paracord later, but go to www.predatorparacord.com to see all of his bold designs.
The Girl Scouts were also in the house. I walked quickly by them, because I was saving room for Voodoo doughnuts, but it was great to see kids at a gun show. It was a safe enviroment, and fun for everyone. It’s important to teach kids about preparedness early.
I found another company with a product called 4EverLights, (www.uvpaqlite.com) with epic reusable glow-in-the-dark lights. They have a huge variety of sizes, and styles that really do work. I had to get some to test and review for Survival Bros. Sunlight isn’t required, so you can quickly charge them with a flashlight, or whatever. I like that they don’t affect my night vision either like brighter light sources would. Ya best believe one is going on my bug out bag, and with me camping.
It was a great show. If you missed it, there will be another soon. Just get to one, and get prepared. You never know when you’ll be faced with a crisis. Plus, a gun show is an excellent place to network with other serious preppers.
I’m cruising along. Listening to Tupac. Going through the busiest intersection in town, when I fly over my handlebars, and crash onto the pavement and my bike. I walked it off. And carried my bike to the sidewalk, hobbling.
The cargo net attached to my rear bike rack got unhooked, and wrapped up tightly in the gears. I stopped instantly. I was bleeding instantly too, and I’ve never gotten bruises so quickly. I have road rash on my left knee, and gashes, and scrapes here and there. It could have been worse.
Now I’m recovering. My wounds are clean, but still exposed. I’ve got my leg elevated, but the pain is setting in. I didn’t see it coming. Of course I wasn’t wearing protective gear. It was the nicest day on the Oregon Coast in months, so I didn’t wear my biking gloves, or pants. Shorts though, I wasn’t naked. The only thing I was prepared for was the fall. I’ve studied martial arts, so I know how to break fall, and minimize impact. Still, I’m going to be recovering for weeks. I didn’t have first aid on me either. But I usually do in my backpack. I was traveling light. Don’t worry about me. I’m going to make it. I’m a survivor. I hope chicks really do dig scars.
This is the blade I carry every day. It’s the famous Kershaw Blur, but with a carbide tip designed to shatter glass with ease. It does, as you can see in my video review below.
I’ve been testing the Kershaw Blur for 2 months now. I love it. It’s quality, and produced locally in Tualatin, OR. I rep gear made in the USA as much as possible, especially Oregon. The first thing that fascinated me with the knife is the unique design. It’s beautiful. Simple. Elegant. The subtle curves are sexy. I couldn’t wait to get her out of the box. Initially, I noticed how fine the blade is. It’s razor sharp. Also, I was impressed with how well the scallops cut. Slicing through materials like cardboard, plastic, rope, and paper is effortless, and so is opening it, thanks to the SpeedSafe assist. It flies out, and feels extremely secure in place with the liner lock.
Another excellent feature is the rigid angled thumb studs. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to grip the nubs, and whip it out. Kershaw really made something special with the Blur. They even upgraded the steel in this new version to Sandvik 14C28N with DLC coating. So it’s tough. Which brings me to the tiny carbide tip embedded in the aircraft aluminum handle. People don’t even notice the special tip at first, but believe me, it works. I broke a sheet of glass in my video, plus several bottles with minimal effort. The glass breaking feature is one I have to have on my EDC knife. It could save my life if I’m ever trapped in a vehicle, and it’s not bad for self defense either.
The Kershaw Blur is a great size, and light at only 4.2 ounces. I like the blade length too, at 3 3/8″. The overall length is 7 7/8″, and 4 1/2″ closed. And the belt clip is removable, so you can have the tip up or down. In the end, this is the knife I trust with my life right now. It’s blacked out, and stealth. But above all, it’s well made, and sharp as hell. Survival Bros gives it 5 Stars. I can’t complain about it at all, besides the handles getting a little scratched up after smashing so much glass. I go into more detail in my HD video review below. Please comment, and feel free to ask me any questions about it. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros – Emergency Preparedness.
When in St. Louis, I made it out to Budweiser Headquarters, and home of the world-famous Clydesdale horses. The giant Bud complex is a national historic landmark. The state-of-the-art bottling plant makes about 6 six-packs per second. And it takes a month to produce a beer. Watch the HD video of my tour, and let me know what you think. I had a blast on the 45 minute tour. The best was scoring pretzels, and two free beers. Urban foraging at it’s finest. Take the tour if you have a chance.
The Portland Expo Center is hosting the 38th annual Pacific Northwest Sportsman’s show from February 6 – 10, 2013. I went on opening day. It was $8 to park, and another $12 for admission. I made the trip worthwhile, checking out every booth and demonstration.
This show has something for every adventurer. There’s boating, rving, and fishing exhibits, to name a few. So if you’re looking for gear, or ideas on where to travel, this is for you. I was impressed with the high amount of outfitters around. There’s a guide for everything under the sun. Most were for hunting trips, but I saw whitewater rafting experts offering their services too. I liked talking up the small, mom and pop vendors with interesting, lesser known products. My favorite item I found is called Squat Strap (www.squatmonkey.com). It’s a strap that wraps around a tree, or rock to help support you while you go poop. Brilliant. Now I can read a business book outside, while doing my business. I had to get a strap to test. More on that soon.
I also talked to a local inventor named Andy Gorman. He developed the Retractable Tool Tether, so you stop dropping things (www.retractabletooltether.com). I picked up a few of these to review also. I’ll put one on my jacket, and one on my EDC backpack. Maybe I will stop losing things. Doubtful.
There was lots to peruse, and stuff to sample. I tasted storable foods, oils, jams, meats, and energy drinks. Skoal was giving away cans of chew, put I passed. The Expo was serving beer as well. And at one booth you could try panning for gold, or buy a small nugget. Fun, but I will be panning outside. I shopped knives too, and picked up product catalogs to browse later. If you like the outdoors better than the indoors, visit this show before it’s gone.
If you follow Survival Bros, then you know I just got back from St. Louis. I had too much fun there. Now, it’s back to the grind, and making videos. The short video above is what it’s like to be inside the beautiful Gateway Arch. The ticket to the observation deck is $7. The pods that took us to the top are tiny. They uncomfortably sit five. It took 4 minutes to float up via elevator. From the peak of the arch I had a spectacular view of all St. Louis. It’s a fascinating, and lively town, especially if you enjoy baseball, beer, and BBQ. But the arch was the highlight of my trip.
