For rural, dismounted patrolling I still like running a rig modeled after the LBE systems of the past. That being said, I’m always looking for a better way to skin the cat, and I feel that an ideal system gives good weight distribution, is comfortable, isn’t too bulky to move in, is quiet, protects the gear from exposure to the elements, facilitates rapid access to important gear and has enough room for everything you need to carry.
I don’t consider myself an expert on every piece of gear issued in the last 50 years, but I’ve had experience with ALICE and MOLLE enough to be able to pick and choose the components I like the best. One piece of gear that I’ve always liked since I first was issued one was the ALICE Buttpack. There’s been a few ALICE Buttpacks and the one I’m referring to is the more modern woodland camo one with fastex buckles.
This is a very durable piece of gear, made from the same tough nylon as military packs with strong webbing and one inch buckles. The compression straps are large enough to fit a large amount of gear inside. I still have a lot of room to go with the gear list above. At one point when I was doing foot patrols in wet rain forest areas I was able to fit an MRE, goretex top and bottom, socks and cleaning gear. At that point it was getting pretty full, and I dubbed it my “Ghetto booty pack”.
1. USGI poncho 2. OD space blanket 3. Wool beanie, thermal glove liners and wool socks in ziplock bag 4. Rifle cleaning gear to include: steel rod set, bore snake, Rand CLP, brushes and lens pen 5. Camo face paint and signal mirror 6. Uco Storm proof matches and exotac candle tin 7. 12” zip ties 8. BCB Fire dragon stove with three fuel bars 9. Surveyors tape and electrical tape 10. 30’ bank line 11. 100% deet bug spray in ziplock bag 12. Bipod (stored on top under straps) 13. Emergency ration bar and coffee in ziplock bag
Another feature I always liked was the expandable cuff inside is made of the same material at the USGI poncho, a nice way to keep rain out when you need to open it up to get something out in rainy weather.
It’s been a versatile design I always find myself going back to. At one point I had it off my gear in favor for a MOLLE utility pouch. I took a shoulder strap and hooked it to the butt pack and used it as a haversack for day hikes.
I’ve been out on enough patrols that were either FRAGO’d and extended by many hours, or where the weather turned bad suddenly to know that having some basic items with you while out in the bush is always a good idea. I like to have the kind of items that I would need if I had to get by for another 24 hours. Even if I only plan on being out for a few hours, this stuff comes with and it’s always packed.
It’s not necessarily a survival kit, but rather equipment that will help to stay in an extended fight that isn’t planned. I do have some survival gear in it though since you should be layering those kinds of items throughout your gear.
mtnforgesays:Total Liberty is not a revolutionary thing, its an evolutionary process with moments of great and small resustance to tyranny, Liberty’s reason for being in the first instance.Bill Buppert is right about secession from and abolition of slavery of The State as the only legitimate viable course. Its certainly possible it could happen in one great orgasmic defiance and rejection of tyranny. Yet…in all things it is action that matters, in this matter aside from the profound birth of ordered Liberty, which is adifficult thing to maintain, Liberty began small, of course Liberty begins with each of us as it is part and parcel of all of us. There is not a thing wrong or imperfect with this process, besides nobody ever managed to attain and ascend to ordered Liberty, a process far from complete and which may never stop evolving, most likely it will never be free of having to be defended fought for and die for. Having pointed this out, so what if the parchment worshippers do not get their constitutional order back, it looks more and more each day the whole constitutional order was corrupted from before the ink was dry on the parchment. The constitutional order is without exception the foundation for administrative centralism, regulatory tyranny, where generations of political actors and their associates cored out the constitutional order in order to wear it like a skin suit, hide behind its shell, deny us the very protections it offered, yet perserving those same protections for themselves, while creating inalienable laws and attainders of writ with which to enrich and empower themselves at our expenve and suffering. So what I say? Oh yeah indeed so what, its simple, time to evolve more, advance our cause, even if we must leave it to our Rifles and God. So be it. Sitting around waiting will not solve the problems created from the constitutional order. Not to say nothings good about it, quite the contrary, at worst it has been a great step in the right direction, the critical precepts of Liberty both ordered and individual defined, tried, found wanting or requiring modification adaptation and improvisational action. Indeed. But you have to start someplace with anything which action creates. In tegards to the evolutionary nature of ordered Liberty, stages in the process are the order, even if the Birth of Ordered Liberty is that 5000 Year Leap, its birth is a step, a stage, so recognizing the constitutional order has turned out to have existential flaws within it with no recognizable realistic remedies or recourse, and the truth it is broke and doesnt work, whats so bad about recognizing its time to evolve adapt and take action to try revolutionary and or evolutionary things. Isn’t the idea, the ideal, to have ordered Liberty to begin with? The constitutional order did not pan out because the constitutional order never in its approximately 245 years fepending upon where you think its starting point is, ever in all its history, create a single shred of Liberty. The constituional order has been an excellent stealth platform for usurping and diminishing every aspect and element of Liberty and freedom. Truth of that abounds. Every day. In every way. Some like Gary North and Al Benson Jr. contend there was as North in his great outlier work, a “Conspiracy in Philadelphia,” which sure seemed like a total outlier of an idea in the beginning, or as Al Bendon Jr. sublimely pointed out, if the objective in Philedelphia was Liberty why did they give us administrative centralism to begin with? Was this not the very thing everyone fought suffered and died to get away from to begin with? As time passes with all such things, which courageously point out uncomfortable truths, go against accepted convention, established government, social order, such paradigm thinking and truth, mature and come of age.Aren’t we American’s the Aces of improvisation adaptation and doing what is supposed to be the impossible? Did we not put all those Americans on the moon with slide rules and no Faceborg or Goolag?Perish the thought, its so White Privilege! And just who did we cuturally appropriate such an achievement from? After all we are racially mutant, fit for genocide and other methods of luquidation. Bad White Men baaaad racists!To think we are even capable of evolutionary never mind revolutionary accomplishments which fundamentally transform America!Thats….thats…You didn’t make that…bitter clingers with their skill sets, way of life, bibles and guns…Deplorable’s, even baskets full of them… cant do that sort of thing! We broke the mold of the world. Raised everyones boat. And we are supposed to be afraid and submit to a bunch of whiners and bitchez, crybabies, playground bullies, free shit ghetto rats, and baby enslaving raping murdering pedo=”elites”?The good Doc sure points out many vital things so many are unawares of, unaware being the key element in using fear to control people. Fear is highly contagious. Fear is easily associated with any target you choose to create fear and cause people to fear.Observe the yellow media and its 5th column at work. They attach fear to everything to the point it is so common so previlent, so all encompassing there is nothing but fear and fear is associted with everything to the exclusion of everything else, where fear is no longer obviously recognized, it all becomes a primal sense blanketing everything.There is another aspect, beyond the victims of weaponized fear, the good Doctor’ succinct observations neglect. The warrior mindset regarding fear, the ability and strength one can never allow oneself to take council of our fears, that fear is like surprize, it exists only in the mind of the recipient. That the only thing to fear about fear is simply fearing it where you lose the courage and ability to ward off fear and not permit fear to rule your mind and actions.Fear is a superbly effective weapon in this war for hearts and minds, fear is foundation of the tyranny our enemies whish to impose on us in order to rule over us. Fear as in the foundation of totalitarian dicktatorship. They employ fear constantly, attach fear to everything, as a tool to socially engineer us they create and appoint false fearful narrative and symbolism to everything, saturation level weaponized fear. Everything good and right which provides sustenence to self reliance, self determination, empowers one in their natural state of freedom, must be destroyed. All symbols, records, down to thinking and thoughts has to be destroyed for totalitarianism to prosper.How this process is successful once you have manipulated all possible who fear fear, all who take council of their fears, all who submit to the mental slavery of fear, there exists a stark contrast between all who are afraid and all who are not afraid, this contrast singles out all who are not afraid, sticking out like a sore thumb, cause in the minds of those who are afraid, to fear us who are not afraid. This pervasive fear permeates everything, essentialy creating an army of paranoid fearful people who become mortaly afraid of freedom and liberty in particular all who are themselves free men become especially despised and held in extreme contempt. Just listen to pedo von Pantsuit’s audience in her election speech describing and defining her Basket of Deplorables, its akin to listening to a pack of hyena’s at feeding time. This primal visceral hate rises up from the mob, its not words but a growl of hate and fear blended into one. It is stunning to percieve, as her audience consists of the white liberal slave class who turn to stone if they ever touched a gun.What you create weaponizing and using fear as a tool to manipulate and enslave people is not unlike the sci-fi totalitarian horror movie “Invasion of The Body Snatchers”.Really, fear is all our enemy has in terms of weapons superiority. A weapon difficult to use, one which must be used often, requiring constant maintenence, one fraut with disaster if the weapon gets away form those wielding it. A weapon if not feared by its target is disarmed rendered ineffective to those who not only do not fear this weapon, they gain inner power, they are further empowered by their outright rejection of this instrument of fear. It becomes a wellspring of courage along with strengthening all of the warrior virtues. Basically fear backfires on those using it as a weapon.It is impossible to rule people who are not afraid of fear, who do not take council of their fears, who in fact are stronger in spite of fearmongoring because the great powerful weapons of courage and prudence they possess protect them and provides positive council as the bulwark against such evil, all who are indomitable in the face of fear, who if anything re-weaponize our enemies’ instruments of fear to be used turned against them.Lets Win! is inevitable BFYTW is the order of the Warrior ethos mindset.and we are armed to the fucking teeth… 50,000 of us showed up on 1-20-20… they thought, as they thought She could never lose, we where kaput…so they are barn blind in their special way, they can not percieve there is an entire world of meat space, an entire civilization that doesnt give a rats arse for their construct, in no way fears them, who they have no socially engineered hold over, not a basket of deplorables, A Legion of people who refuse ever, eternally, to be anyones slave or bend a knee to the tyrants tyranny.The fat lady isn’t even in the same country yet. Go fuck a flyin’ Rollin’ Donut. OkeeDokee, what ever. Kiss my arse In fact BFYTWReply
Seansays:Political legitimacy has been dead for quite some time now. What zombie I wonder, will come from the grave to cudgel what is left, of what once was a Republic? I figure already that the socialist assholes will steal it, and go into their shee-boon, johnny chimp out routine, until exhausted and having burned down every major American city. Comes the dawn after that one, their great die-off can begin. Life is hell for those who only know how to be a parasite, and a destructive worm, once reality relies.
You do realize that we are in the opening stages of an existential conflict, right?
This is a link to a 3+ hour session of front line practicing physicians, exposing the fear and panic surrounding the scamdemic.
Many excellent presentations, but I recommend paying particular note to the segment from minute 56:30 to 1:05:00, in its entirety, provided by a practicing child psychiatrist.
Some excerpts:
“The state of our children is abysmal.”
“The pandemic, in my mind, is not so much a medical pandemic; it’s an emotional pandemic, and this emotional pandemic is based on, and centered around, fear. The fear is real, but it is not based on reality. I have tried to provide facts, data, statistics, information to my patients and their parents for weeks, and months. Some of them do listen, some of them do change their minds, because they believe that there is probably more going on than what they’re being told, and that what they’re being told is probably not entirely accurate. A lot of it is lies, a lot of it is misinformation.
But, very many of my parents and children don’t respond to information.
I’m a big proponent of facts, I’m a big proponent of information, I’m a big proponent of science. I’m a physician, that’s how I was trained.
But I also know that, unless we deal with this fear, and we take it and face it, head on…information will not be of use. You cannot use information, no matter how accurate it is, unless you’re in a calm state of mind.
Anybody who’s worked in the military knows this: when you’re in a state of panic, when you’re terrorized and you’re traumatized, you cannot think clearly. Most of the adults in my practice with children coming in for treatment are in that state; they are not responsive to information. They are allowing fear to drive their decisions.”
“The children are suffering; in my view this is child abuse. We are training an entire generation of children to live in a state of fear. To live in fear of people.”
“Why is this happening? Why are we living in this state of fear, this pandemic of fear? My belief is that there has been an unholy alliance made between certain politicians, certain media, and special interest groups.”
[Paraphrase: One of the largest special interest groups is the teachers unions and in the state of California it is THE largest…the largest financial contributor to the Governor, to the county, to the city]
“..and they have effectively told parents that if you send your kids back to school, the moment that they cross the threshold, they will die. And before they die, they will kill all the teachers. This is not an error, this is not naive, this is a lie. It is a cynical, manipulative lie, to hold the children hostage, for personal gain. It is evil.
We made a mistake, in March, as a country. The single biggest mistake in my view which was to close our schools. Without schools open, nobody can work. And when nobody can work, we don’t have an economy. And without an economy, we have a country of dependency. We have a country where we do not have the right or the capacity to exercise choice. And this choice can be from whether to work or to go to school, all the way down to what direction we walk at our local supermarket.”AuthorConcerned AmericanPosted on
15 thoughts on “A Reader Sends”
boss21says:Ya, had the ear of a few normies last night. Laid out basics at which they nodded. Then one flat out said ‘I don’t want to believe’( that we are being played). How to undo that level of psyop?Reply
AZMsays:Listen to the lady doctor, 3rd to speak I believe. Never lost a Covid patient from a Hydroxyqloroquine treatment, from all ages and with various ailmentsReply
tfA-tsays:it’s a HOAXyeah yeahso your 89 year old mother died- of ‘covid’LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLno it’s called old age moronsanyone who wears a mask is marked as a disposable non-thinkeri talked to 2 nurses from the VA yesterday and both agreed it’s a HOAX “but we have to go along with it” was the standard responsethis is because murkins are broke ass loooooooosers and are slaves to their asswipe crumby jobs and suckass brainwashingtfA-t poops on you all 🙂Reply
Bill Buppertsays:Government teachers are accomplices in an evil enterprise, willing executioners of childhood and murderers of young imaginations.The silver lining is that every day parents who pay attention are seeing the dross, drivel and sewage that government schools sell under “education” via telecommuting or whatever other means the “programming” is transmitted.Remember that education majors, like urinalists, tended to be the most lazy, shiftless and intellectually beggared of any drones attending university.Reply
kay_de_leonsays:Teaching your own kids the trivium and quadrivium >>>> cat ladies+public educationReply
ProGunFredsays:What happened in March was not a mistake. And LEAVE THE SCHOOLS CLOSED forever.No amount of post Enlightenment science, reason, logic, or sound judgement can save us. We must recognize why this is happening. The openly declared annihilation of America and white men is here.God has been systematically removed from Western Civilization. Are we reaping better science? Is logic more abundant? Does reason rule the day? Judgement? Forget it. God came first. God comes first or civility, indeed civilization itself falls apart. The Old Testament and the untaught parallel history of Christianity since antiquity in the time of Christ shows us that; God-out equals destruction-in. Remove God and society falls apart. This is not by accident that God has been evicted from the schools, the public square, and the workplace, everywhere.Fear is not removed by any amount of facts whatsoever. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”True believers understand and live this verse.I further contend that Psychiatry is not science at all. It’s witch-doctoring. A point about this; what about all the well-adjusted mass murderers in the white house since WWII? Is what they’ve done logical, fact-based mass murder upon a foundation of sound judgement? What about the legalization of abortion based upon the feelings of needing the god expediency? Are these people well, “Doctor?” Did the facts save those children?Reply
tfA-tsays:sounds good to meget rid of the low hanging rotten fruit- fat unhealthy typesReply
Brian_Esays:And without an economy, we have a country of dependency.Gee, you’d almost think that this was the idea all along, and they just figured out how to get those not on the welfare roles already – to be dependent on the government and cowering in fear too.A two-fer!Reply
mtnforgesays:The good Doc sure points out many vital things so many are unawares of, unaware being the key element in using fear to control people. Fear is highly contagious. Fear is easily associated with any target you choose to create fear and cause people to fear.Observe the yellow media and its 5th column at work. They attach fear to everything to the point it is so common so previlent, so all encompassing there is nothing but fear and fear is associted with everything to the exclusion of everything else, where fear is no longer obviously recognized, it all becomes a primal sense blanketing everything.There is another aspect, beyond the victims of weaponized fear, the good Doctor’ succinct observations neglect. The warrior mindset regarding fear, the ability and strength one can never allow oneself to take council of our fears, that fear is like surprize, it exists only in the mind of the recipient. That the only thing to fear about fear is simply fearing it where you lose the courage and ability to ward off fear and not permit fear to rule your mind and actions.Fear is a superbly effective weapon in this war for hearts and minds, fear is foundation of the tyranny our enemies whish to impose on us in order to rule over us. Fear as in the foundation of totalitarian dicktatorship. They employ fear constantly, attach fear to everything, as a tool to socially engineer us they create and appoint false fearful narrative and symbolism to everything, saturation level weaponized fear. Everything good and right which provides sustenence to self reliance, self determination, empowers one in their natural state of freedom, must be destroyed. All symbols, records, down to thinking and thoughts has to be destroyed for totalitarianism to prosper.How this process is successful once you have manipulated all possible who fear fear, all who take council of their fears, all who submit to the mental slavery of fear, there exists a stark contrast between all who are afraid and all who are not afraid, this contrast singles out all who are not afraid, sticking out like a sore thumb, cause in the minds of those who are afraid, to fear us who are not afraid. This pervasive fear permeates everything, essentialy creating an army of paranoid fearful people who become mortaly afraid of freedom and liberty in particular all who are themselves free men become especially despised and held in extreme contempt. Just listen to pedo von Pantsuit’s audience in her election speech describing and defining her Basket of Deplorables, its akin to listening to a pack of hyena’s at feeding time. This primal visceral hate rises up from the mob, its not words but a growl of hate and fear blended into one. It is stunning to percieve, as her audience consists of the white liberal slave class who turn to stone if they ever touched a gun.What you create weaponizing and using fear as a tool to manipulate and enslave people is not unlike the sci-fi totalitarian horror movie “Invasion of The Body Snatchers”.Really, fear is all our enemy has in terms of weapons superiority. A weapon difficult to use, one which must be used often, requiring constant maintenence, one fraut with disaster if the weapon gets away form those wielding it. A weapon if not feared by its target is disarmed rendered ineffective to those who not only do not fear this weapon, they gain inner power, they are further empowered by their outright rejection of this instrument of fear. It becomes a wellspring of courage along with strengthening all of the warrior virtues. Basically fear backfires on those using it as a weapon.It is impossible to rule people who are not afraid of fear, who do not take council of their fears, who in fact are stronger in spite of fearmongoring because the great powerful weapons of courage and prudence they possess protect them and provides positive council as the bulwark against such evil, all who are indomitable in the face of fear, who if anything re-weaponize our enemies’ instruments of fear to be used turned against them.Lets Win! is inevitable BFYTW is the order of the Warrior ethos mindset.and we are armed to the fucking teeth… 50,000 of us showed up on 1-20-20… they thought, as they thought She could never lose, we where kaput…so they are barn blind in their special way, they can not percieve there is an entire world of meat space, an entire civilization that doesnt give a rats arse for their construct, in no way fears them, who they have no socially engineered hold over, not a basket of deplorables, A Legion of people who refuse ever, eternally, to be anyones slave or bend a knee to the tyrants tyranny.The fat lady isn’t even in the same country yet.Reply
Seansays:A guy wearing a mask yesterday on the way in to the store,(yes, I was wearing mine-grey man) said, loud enough for plenty to hear, ” I’m fed up with wearing this GD mask”. Just as the Nazis could not tell what was on an old French mans’ mind when he passed by on his bicycle, neither can the Karens or TPTB tell what’s on mine. Besides, I look just like the rest of the herd. Some of us have very sharp teeth, long memories, and black, hard, hearts. Few things are as surprising as a very sharp knife in the back, suddenly.Reply
Just Mesays:So I see this as a two headed demon: Government’s never ending grab for our state of being with endless mandates and power grabs Us, the ones who see WTF is going on have options; face masks, school closers, etc: Balaclavas meet the standard in my state, with a bag of cap and sunglasses, good luck figuring out who is under that. Home schooling my grandson keeps the approved hive communist school agenda under control plus it gives me more time with him to shoot, fish and keep his eyes open. Social distance, it’s been 95 with a heat index of 105 for weeks now, I don’t want to get near their stinky asses anyway. I think you can see where I’m going with this, it’s limited only by your imagination. Fuck Em with a big stick.Reply
Retiredsays:Want to break the teachers’ unions?Defund the schools. How?Keep the kids out of school. And keep one parent home to educate.Lose the funding and indoctrination while recreating the family before womynz rights messed things up. Now capitalists will disagree because they view education as babysitting. They sell the rope for their own hanging. They need to wise up.Reply
Readersays:Classical Conversations is one homeschooling system, there’s others. Talk to some families who homeschool, they’ll level with you and give reasons you don’t know yet why it’s better
DTGsays:Very accurate graphic. Basic marksmanship fundamentals are the cornerstone of effective employment of any platform of any caliber.Reply
Bretsays:That’s not what they said on the innertubes.Whoever is spreading this blasphemy is the lying son of a motherless goat.Reply
Johnsays:There are few better opportunities to learn to shoot than Project Appleseed https://appleseedinfo.org/. If you think you are good, it will make you better.Reply
SemperFi, 0321says:You’re obviously new here.Reply
Seansays:What the man at DTG said, doubleplusgood. You could follow a bunch of these “gearheads” as they ponderously make their way to what they believe is a forward area (hint: unless you own it, all areas are forward/hot/wet/dangerous/enemy occupied) and outfit yourself for a year with what they’re going to throw away. I used to police up what other GI’s lost, threw away, etc, at training areas I was in, clean it up, and store it for lean times. When I left on my next deployment, there was enough gear to fit up a squad.Reply
Berglandersays:Real estate market is booming in Montana. We’re looking to buy some land for after retirement, when we’re no longer bound to Missoula by the magic call radius line. Everything is at pie in the sky prices, and folks (I don’t blame them-sell for what you can sell for) are trying to cash in from out of state buyers. Sadly, we meet out of staters from everywhere who naively move in and are dismayed at certain things. “Oh, we just HAD to get out of California. It’s such a TRAIN WRECK! We LOVE it here, except the Starbucks is SO FAR away, and there are SO MANY guns, and ew REPUBLICANS!” (which more and more I agree with, albeit for different reasons.) Then of course there’s always, ALWAYS, the “It’s so…white here. I would feel better if it were more diverse.” Okay so funny story. A friend moved to a really nice little town in Michigan. I was out there on business and went to see her and her husband. As we were having dinner on the patio of a really nice restaurant, they talked about how nice, clean, and friendly this town was. Then got a little uncomfortable and said “But it’s so….white.” Couldn’t help laughing and said that the two things were connected. Right on cue, we hear a really loud “Ayo suck muh DICK!” as three joggers came jogging up on their bikes. To his credit, the oldest one said “Nigguh don b sayin’ dat sheeyit!” Which was, of course, met by the reply of “SUCK MUH DICK!” even louder.Reply
ProGunFredsays:But they are diverse and that’s good.Reply
Joesays:They’ll likely want us all disarmed while they keep theirs.Reply
ProGunFredsays:I love the pic of the boomers with their 35 year old looking son and his wife, the dog. He lives there with them.Wow, this seems as though the devil himself wrote this about how to destroy a civilization. Subtlety, lies that seem good and true on the surface, this is his M.O. Amazing, this propaganda piece is completely full of every lie, with skill and cunning, that has brought Western Civilization to the brink.What? A director at Everytown left the gun free paradise of the big city? Is it dangerous there? How can that be? They have zero guns. It must be Utopia by now.Reply
Berglandersays:Purely coincidental.” May 22, 2009 – Julie Elizabeth Satow and Stuart Wilson Elliott were married Saturday evening in New York. Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein officiated at the Plaza …”(((Devils))) indeed.Reply
tfA-tsays:all the jealousy in the world will not get you another step aheadit takes hard and determined workfact is, the masses just don’t have what it takes to get aheadsimply putthey are dumb and lazy…tfA-t knows this to be the truth- he employed too many murkin looooozers in his dayReply
DWEEZIL THE WEASELsays:Class envy is the mother’s milk of any “revolutionary”. Being raised around “Democrats” I always used to hear the mantra: THE RICH GET RICHER AND THE POOR GET POORER. That was inculcated into the Amerikan psyche during the regime of Frank the Cripple. He had a lot of assistance from the Reds in (((Hollywood))). My parents were the only Republicans in our whole family group. They taught my brother and me the value of hard work and thrift and that nobody owes you anything. These values were reinforced by the nuns in Catholic grade school. Things changed during the 1960’s and it has been a culture of greed, envy, materialism, sexual deviancy, and cultural disintegration ever since. The Plutocrat-Oligarch-Kakistocracy will not be altered until the economy collapses. When these rich folks have no more business income, then they will be culled by the mob as they are running for their lives. Their McMansions will not be safe havens. I suspect they realize this is a possibility. A lot of them have dual citizenship and hideouts abroad. We are living in troubled times and these times will not go away quickly. Bleib ubrig.Reply
Reader2says:I always liked the Army buttpack, but I feel like it’s a bit too small. I would rather have a slightly larger pack so I can fit in a few more things. And pockets, so I can have a dedicated 1st aid pocket, food pocket, and water filter pocket so those things aren’t all floating around the main pocket when I want them. I went with this: https://shop.foxoutdoor.com/ProductDetails.aspx?tagid=30&cscid=8&citemno=54-260 It’s nothing fancy, but it works for me. The top pocket is great for miscellaneous items and underneath the flap is an admin pocket. One lifesaver I keep on top and use over and over is a pocket bellows. If you never saw one, check it out: https://www.amazon.com/Epiphany-Outdoor-Gear-Pocket-Bellows/dp/B07QT2RGQZ These things will save your lungs from overexertion starting a fire and your face from getting smoked in the process. IRL, the buttpack looks a bit oversized, but it doesn’t feel like a burden to me. It’s big enough to carry a variety of stuff, just small enough to still not be a backpack. And it means your belt is uncluttered, because most of the stuff you want to carry is already in 1 place. I pair it with a pistol belt+battle belt for the padding and molle real estate and a pair of H-strap suspenders. You can wear it without, but the pack will tend to ride low. I don’t mind it-I feel better having it and it doesn’t interfere with movement. Since it’s riding low back there, you have no issues with pairing it with a backpack or a camelbak. The one issue I’m fixing is water. I started off putting a steel water bottle inside the pack, but I’m upgrading it with separate pouches for water bottles. I noticed in the article, we both like this:https://www.amazon.com/LOVOUS-Military-Tactical-Outdoor-Activities/dp/B01CQOQREA/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=molle+water+bottle&qid=1595941928&sr=8-7 It’s a no-name molle water bottle pouch with space to carry up to a 32oz bottle. Search around, and you can find them for about $8-$9 in a variety of colors. They’re useful little pouches. I installed a serpa holster and mag pouch on the front portion of the belt on either side of the buckle. I’m a righty, but due to the way the belt rides, I feel more comfortable with the pistol mounted just to the left of the buckle. For lighting, I keep a head lamp looped through the webbing on the H suspenders.It’s simple, light, and easy to adjust to the trip and it’s always good to have. I’ve taken it hiking, fishing in the back country, to the desert, to the mountains, even to my firepit. I never leave home without it. If you’ve ever taken your kid out hiking and had him suddenly melt down for no reason, it works wonders to produce an energy bar out out of nowhere for him to munch on, protecting your sanity and the serenity you were searching for in the first place.Reply
DTGsays:Not to slight the post – it’s a good option for those folks it and situations it fits. However, I opted to stop using the butt pack (even the newer woodland version) years and years ago because it’s too small for a mission support pack. I figure if I have to carry some things, I’d rather have what I might need if things become….difficult. For that, I prefer 3 days packs instead of the butt pack. The buttpack is too small for my 15 pound pack list of survival – continue the mission list. Without going into precise detail, some of the items are: Tarp shelter, rain pants, steel canteen cup, instant coffee, fire and the means to start it quickly, several days of rations, hygiene items, water purifier, extra socks & t-shirts, 2 sided hone, and other misc items. If weather is a factor, a woodbine and a goretex bivy bag.I like the FILBE and MOLLE II ‘assault’ or ‘3 day’ packs. Both can take an accessory pouch or two as METT-C indicates, and I can strap a shared tool on with no trouble. Not heavy enough to slow me down or tire me out too quickly; not light enough to annoy me by bumping against my butt while moving, which, besides size, was my major compaint. The FILBE and MOLLE III are very balanced when all straps secured properly and can work well with just about any harness/chest rig set up.Others mileage may vary.
mtnforgesays:Mike Adams died from a “self-inflicted” gunshot wound, according to a news release from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. Yeah. The guy just landed a half a million a year salary to write and publish whatever he wanted to.Interesting, Vince Foster and Seth Rich, Andrew Breitbart, LeVoy Finnicum, Tom Clancy, The 76 Branch Davidian mothers and babies in their bunker, Vicky Weaver and her 14 year old son, the thousands of Mexican’s no longer on this mortal plane because of project fast & furious, Julian Assange, 14 men of the million bikers on DC, Waco Tx IHOP contract hit, where not available for comment.
Dirksays:Fry the Brain, outstanding primer.DirtReply
Matt Brackensays:Orcs March On Minas Tirith In Mostly Peaceful Protest July 27th, 2020 The rioters marched for peace, justice, and love in a calm, peaceful, orderly gathering outside the city walls. The mostly peaceful protesters launched peaceful siege projectiles at the city and sent Nazguls to maul Gondorian soldiers in a demonstration of their love and tolerance.“Everything is very calm, very peaceful here,” said a reporter from Gondor News Network. “It’s very tranquil.” Just then, an Oliphaunt charged right at him and flattened him into lembas bread.Gondor’s government was criticized for “police brutality” when, after a long period of inaction, Rohan’s armies finally charged in to break things up.“We were just peacefully protesting — Gondor had no right to peacefully protest back,” said one Orc. “Two of their agents were even having a contest to see how many of us they could kill — and they were killing the majestic, endangered Oliphaunts! I’m literally shaking right now.” https://babylonbee.com/news/orcs-march-on-minas-tirith-in-mostly-peaceful-protestReply
Readersays:What does the USMCA Agreement/deal say about UN involvement?Thought I saw Herman Cain and some gal talk about this and brought up the UN having the ability to oversee N American affairs.Reply
LUGNUTsays:The Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians Under the Kigali Principles which Obama signed with the UN , the UN has authority to enter the US with peace keeping troops if (they) feel it is needed and necessary.The Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians. The Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians are a non-binding set of eighteen (18) pledges for the effective and thorough implementation of the protection of civilians in UN peacekeepinghttps://www.globalr2p.org/resources/the-kigali-principles-on-the-protection-of-civilians/Reply
SemperFi, 0321says:The UN supposedly has a half interest in all US Nat’l Parks since the late 1960’s. Voted in by our wonderful politicians under the guise of Peace Parks or some such nonsense.Reply
Berglandersays:Nothing sez “Don’t fuck with me” like niggers wearing baby blue berets.Reply
Just Mesays:Herman Cain is an ass that talks about shit he has no knowledge of……. Fuck himReply
DMV GRINGOsays:‘Activists’ in Portland are able to riot continously, successfully (unchecked) and be referred to by the ‘press’ as peaceful because the ‘Mainstream Media’ is a direct propaganda arm of Team Globohomo Red , that includes the statist mutts at The Hill. That and nothing more.Reply
Himsays:The National Lawyers Guild has been communist from the get go. Hillary started out by representing other communists. Let’s take the word “liberal” out of our vocabulary. They are and always were commies.Reply
DMV GRINGOsays:Portland: The Pentagon Should Step-Up Or Pipe-Down“Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling criticized the wearing of camouflage by the Border Patrol and proudly recounted that when he was leading the effort to rebuild Iraq’s police force, he equipped them in uniforms dissimilar to those worn by Iraq’s military. The Iraqi Police definitely looked like regular cops, but that didn’t stop it from being infiltrated by militia groups and earning a well-deserved reputation for corruption and brutality.”“Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré decried the Border Patrol for wearing “the cloth of our nation” and followed up with “Get the hell out of our uniforms.”Really, “the cloth of our nation?”“Starting in 2001, the military services cycled through camouflage patters with monotonous regularity until Congress told them to stop. The most notorious was the Universal Camouflage Pattern which cost $5 billion and failed to conceal soldiers. But it was good news for Army surplus stores everywhere.”https://www.zerohedge.com/political/portland-pentagon-should-step-or-pipe-downReply
Bill Buppertsays:Recommend reading “The Wasp”.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasp_(novel)Trump campaign stickers are wonderful tools when applied to property and vehicles. Use an adhesive like DELO-MONOPOX VE403728 give the gift that lasts. Your local Grand Old Politburo HQ may have some for free.Reply
NotGumpsays:What they are doing is textbook 4G warfare. We have to fight them on that level to win.Reply
Jacksays:All of this is “Legaly” very simple and defined. Especially if 3pers did this to a small town, forget major Metro areas and against Federal Buildings AND Personel.https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/terrorismThe media, politicians, DNC,corporations, RINO’s, JUDGES and ALL there Public Supporters, including the Disgusting Kneeling FBI and LEO’s that sucked up to them …..portray this as “Peaceful Protestors”This definition should (in a sane country) bring a Hard Brutal End to this… Rickety Tick! NO MERCY WACK’em STACK’em and off to GITMO for the one’s that manage to survive and are Black Bagged.Oh and lets use The Marxist (NYT’s) very own words.https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/31/world/americas/what-is-terrorism.htmlIMO “Protection”……..this is why they are using this terminolgy/wording. They Know EXACTLY what words they are using….And WHY they are using them.Cat shit is Cat shit, no matter how many times you tell me or others …. it’s a Tootsie RollReply
anomsays:When the guns come out, on either side, it will be game overReply
Grenadier1says:People, the guns are already out. We have very quickly progressed from verbal barbs, fisticuffs and melee weapons. Within days of the initial violent riots in Minneapolis we had the highway and street roadblocks. The counter to that was cars refusing to stop and we are now seeing the Commies respond to that counter with their own counter of shooting into vehicles. It has happened multiple times in the last two weeks. It occurred twice this past weekend. In Portland the tactic is lasers pointed at the eyes. You have probably seen this on MSM reports however unless you have been watching the streams and live feeds you do not know that it is also being used against “enemy” bloggers, live streamers and anyone they think is an “enemy”. At least one camera man from an alternative media crew had his eye clouded the following morning after being lased. Least you think it is just in these urban hives, think again. They understand that ultimately this must go to the suburbs. They have already pushed out in Oregon into suburbs of Portland. There have been multiple forays into the suburbs of Louisville KY. Its only a matter of time before we see it happening in other suburban areas. Unless…..A month or so back I told people that you needed to be making plans for action. That it was time to begin figuring out what you were going to do when things got spicy. You should have made multiple layers of action that began slowly and build into something more. It might be a good idea, for someone to put a couple of those lower scale actions into motion.What if the power went out in one of these major cities? What if the water /sewage stopped working? What if major fiber optics to those cities were to be burned (cutting them takes a long time to repair, burning them even longer)? What if bridges into the city were to drop? What if trains were to be stopped delivering to those cities?We are at the point where we must firmly remind these city dwelling children where they obtain all of their creature comforts from. We are the zookeepers that feed and water these pampered pandas.With regard to possible ambush tactics on a hypothetical mob of violent protestors, my thoughts are this. Engage them from behind and in the direction of law enforcement. This has a two fold purpose. 1. It spreads fear from the back of the crowd to the front and drives them INTO the police. 2. Over shots and glancing fire will be in among the police and prompt them to ramp up to lethal response adding their fire to mix. In theory….Reply
Cancor Flidderssays:See eBay for “Multi Use Tool Hatchet Hammer Crow Bar” Attach same to appropriate length shaft Utilize with extreme prejudiceReply
Johnsays:Save your money and buy a Gronfurs Bruks. I like the small forest axe, hand forged, razor sharp high carbon steel. Vikings have experience with what works. “A cleaved head no longer plots” – Norse ProverbReply
Dan Kaufmansays:exactly what I have! Worth every penny!!Reply
SemperFi, 0321says:Same here. As a log home builder/woodworker I have lots of axes/hatchets/broadaxes and sharp cutting instruments, I can shave with all of them, and the Granfors is an amazing well made tool. As a woods tool, so is a cheaper Estwing. But sadly, doesn’t have the sex appeal the Rambo crowd is looking for.Reply
Grandpasays:Estwing. The all steel, made in America “camping axe” with the leather wrapped handle is a modern day work of metallurgical magic. The small axes – both the double bit, and the single bit with the ‘pointy thing’ on the back end – again, leather wrapped handles, solid American steel… all come with nylon covers/belt carriers. For grins and giggles, add the Estwing claw hammer – sorry, no cover or carry provision; just a fuckin’ claw hammer (ymmv) about 28 oz and again one piece of steel with a leather wrapped handle – and for around $200; you have tools you will likely use. And so will your great grandkids. And weapons you should pray you never have to use.Reply
anonymoussays:Yep, Estwing will do well. We have new and old vintage hand me downs and the old ones are still going strong.Have some of the older Cold Steel tomahawks, the Vietnam model is light but for older persons like myself, probably not worth it. What these will do is allow the PRACTICED user to develop speed. Myself – I’d rather spend time going for my third back-up handgun …
Berglandersays:I enjoy picking these up at Bob Ward’s and giving my arm Honer’s Mange.Reply
Sgt. Schulzsays:Apparently they now are corporate shills for Agenda 2030……Used to like in Denmark, have Swedish friends, revere most things Viking…….but jumping on the Agenda bandwagon is a leap I wont do. Maybe the older models or years ago they didnt play like that. Glad you got one before the turned globalist.I know nothingReply
Ned2says:Biber Classic axes and such are the best I’ve used. They come extremely well sharpened with leather blade covers. https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/search.aspx?find=biber Their smaller hatchets are a joy to use on firewood while camping, weigh very little and can be carried in a ruck easily. The quality of the steel is paramount; you don’t want to be sharpening your blade in the wilderness every 10 strokes. I sharpen my Biber camping hatchet once a year, and use it all the time.Reply
Walter Sobchaksays:We use a Gerber hatchet, it’s fairly affordable at around $50 or less, and I’ve been impressed with the edge and chopping efficiency. It’s got a hollow polymer handle, not the grippiest but it seems very strong. It is very lightweight, on mine it dosen’t have a sheath exactly, more of an edge cover piece, so I don’t have any external way to pack it but it barely fits nicely in the pack. One of our group, he got a Kobalt full size ax that we used camping last year and chopped up a good size standing dead birch with ease. We have a couple of SOG mini tomahawks, really useless for any kind of serious chopping but a wicked weapon with a spiked and blade end, fun to throw.Reply
Johnny Paratroopersays:Second on this. Ferber makes a great axe. I have the small and large. I have used a few hand axes. The bare bones basic handles are the most comfortable. And lightweight is important.That being said, the Estwing Hammer/Axe is a beast. But I don’t know if it’s made anymore. Mine was stolen, but it worked great.Was a little heavy though.Reply
Walter Sobchaksays:They had some Estwing at the Homeless Despot the last time I was there. Which was recent I’m there all the time. They’re very nice, I’d like to try one someday.Reply
Leighsays:They still make them, John. https://www.estwing.com/collections/roofingThe Riggers Axe and Carpenter’s Hatchet look like they run about $35 – 50 depending on which you get. Seems Lowes and Home Depot carry them.Leigh Whitehall, NYReply
Tom762says:Just picked one up the other day at Home Depot, $35. Have not used it yet, but plan on hitting the mountains in the next short while. It looks like it will work fine, quality? Its an Estwing, swung a 28 oz framer for years, she still works fine, so I dont need to be sold on quality. We will see how she holds an edge tho.It is a beast, got the short one, was not convinced the long one with 2 piece handle was bulletproof. I also think it will need a better sheath. Will see about that.Reply
Name (required)says:Are hatchets really valuable? For what? Machetes fill the bill better for me. Even the cheap stamped sheet metal machetes are effective as weapons and for clearing brush. A Cold Steel machete gilds the lily, if you don’t mind dropping a few extra bucks.Reply
DTGsays:Yes, hatchets are valuable. They combine the capabilities of a very good edged weapon/survival tool that can be used to build, slaughter (game and such), fight (presuming one has worked the techniques necessary – and I don’t mean throwing, but you could do that, I guess), make other useful implements, such as pegs, stakes, and shelters, as well as serve as a good hammer if necessary (that’s why I like the ‘pipe hawk’ as the ‘pipe’ is a solid hammer head). Machetes are good, but they can’t do everything a hawk can do. Survival knives are good, but they can’t do what a hawk can do. If it were a choice and I was allowed two edged weapons/tools, I’d take a Leatherman MUTT and a Pipe Hawk. Everything I need to do I could do with those two. Except dig a meaningful hole. That’s why I’d have a small e-tool, like the Cold Steel ‘Spetznas’ shovel (which is also a great edged weapon. So, I guess that’d be three.Reply
DrDogsays:If that is your fancy there is only one to buy — TRAMONTINA. I have both the cane and bush variety. Over a decade old and still going. The cold steel hold a better edge.Little trick to make the cane machete more useful. I have hex shaped cutouts for 1/4, 1/2, 5/8ths in the body of the blade.Reply
Shinmen Takezosays:I like this idea a lot.It reminds me of the scene in “The Patriot” where Mel Gibson carves up a squad of Redcoats with a tomahawk… lots of blood, screaming and pain–just what ANTIFA goons need to experience.Reply
Johnny Paratroopersays:Don’t fight meth heads hand to hand.Reply
Walter Sobchaksays:Ah I forgot suppliers, everything I mentioned is mass market and is available at places like Academy and Cableas. I got mine at the old Gander mtn. The Kobalt is a house brand at Lowes. One more thing another good wood processing tool my bro has is a chainsaw, not a powered one but a length of saw chain with handles on each end. He took down a decent dead tree with that a couple years back. I haven’t been able to find this, I would like one.Reply
OhioDudesays:Kydex sheaths ?Endless Mountain Supply, Inc Dave Pickel well-made, durable, any color you’d like, and wide WIDE range of models Solid product Solid guy info@endlessmountainsupply.comOhioDude / multiple time satisfied customerReply
Dirksays:Have several, personal fav, is the RMJ Tactical.well balanced, head to handle weight is outstanding., we’ve got,a,few,more, like Gerber, and a couple others.Rather then the common,machete, I prefer the Kukri, have a couple,hand made units, balance is superior, like the weight in the tip/head. I’ve carried,Kukri’s since 1983.DirtReply
Concerned Americansays:Are there any kukris produced domestically that you recommend for or against?Reply
Jersays:I think I got the one from Cold Steel some years ago…Not bad at all. Of course the Hults Bruks and Gransfor Bruk axes get much greater use.Reply
VoorTrekkersays:I find them at Cabela’s, Bass Pro, Academy, Scheels, Sportsman’s Warehouse. Brands are Cold Steel, a few others. Kukri is a bit different from a tomahicani.Hatchets and tomahicanis do NOT chop like chopping wood, use a slicing motion. One cut cuts nothing, several cuts cuts once.Reply
Dirksays:Cold steel makes an exceptionally good ” larger ” Kukri. The steel is hard, and holds an edge. A great tool, for fighting, and utility work. Fighting with a Kukri is way different then a regular fighting knife. More a ambush tool, the burkas would use em for literally cutting se try’s heads off, or bury them thru the top of the head, splitting the skull like a cocanut. Either way flips the switch. Not much of a thrusting tool.INDY Knives made me a special unit, a bit larger, the balance is exceptional. Balance for any fighting knife is critical.Indy knives and I were specking a blended metal Kukri, name slips my mind. When the metal is, molded, like 7 different metals.I’ve given their knives exceptional knives as gifts to,all my nieces and nephews. All made in the old ways. Ancient safari swords were made this way.The art is centuries old, the blades stunningly beautiful, tough as rocks.Have a look , Imdy Knives. I’ve mentioned em here before. His 100.00 knifes are 500.00 everywhere else. A solid Christian man, just wants to make an honest living, not gouge his clients.I need to order a dozen more for myself. His Dirk/Daggers are very handy, was carrying one on my duty belly my last couple years in law enforcement. We were to the point we were being taught how to ground fight with knives.More a grappling style, but the double edged Dirks were swift, sharp as a razor, and ooooo so balanced. He builds bitchen sheathes to go with his knives.Have a look, think you guys will recognize the values of his products, the utility of same.DirkI’ve got a friend who comes here who use to teach for Ernie Emerson.He’s off fishing right now. Pete if your interested I’ll ask him to put something together for the boys. It’s ” Lance” ex jar head BlackWater, and a maritime warrior. Terrific resource.Knows his way around the ring with knives. Let me know. Actually his in Dthe W’s turf right now. Up high fishing. I’m fucking melons!.DirtReply
DTGsays:I have a Cold Steel ‘Pipe Hawk’ that I modified by JB Welding the head, and then lightly scoring the shaft to hold 550 cord in place after wrapping very, very tightly. Sharpened the edge up some, but not too much. Cost me less than $30 when I bought it (maybe 6 or more years ago….) and is still going strong. I’ve used it in camp and carry it in the side pocket of my ruck with the head on the top, blade facing the rear. Has a cordura cover. Works good enough, though I did Campdry the hell out of it to increase life and wear.Here’s the post I originally put up in ’14. It works for me; others’ mileage may vary.https://defensivetraininggroup.wordpress.com/2020/07/27/the-tomahawk-worthwhile-tool-to-consider/Reply
Milo Mindbendersays:I have a rifleman hawk from cold steel and put it on the war hammer handle. It makes a excellent mayaking\camping ax. Long enough to work trees, short enough to be portable. A hawk as a combat tool is a specific skill that is worth the effort to develop, and combined with the utility in camp it come in handy. I have a leather blade cover, and carry it strapped blade rearward, and head up on the left side of my ruck.Reply
Jake98says:I’ve been happy with the Cold Steel shovel as a multi usetool.The RMJ Tactical has a few tomahawks that are expensive but apparently good breaching tools. I have no personal experience but a MSG I know is a huge fan.I’m a fan of a good machete but it’s no substitute for an axe or hatchet. For axes Gransfors Bruk axes are great but expensive. I have their hunters axe but the flat poll on their small forest axe would make it more useful.If this were a part of your earlier 15 fighters series I’d suggest maybe 8 Cold Steel shovels, 2 small forest axes, 3 machetes and 2 tomahawks similar to the RMJ to double as breaching tools. Maybe add a few sven saws for added utility.Reply
MN Steelsays:Don’t forget Ol’ Reliable…Estwing 22 oz. solid framing hammer.Any hammer will do, have them laying in easy reach everywhere, but the big Estwing does it in style and comfort.Reply
Jonsays:Hatchets and small axes are good tools to have on hand. Especially is the support vehicle.I’ve used this type for many years : https://www.husqvarna.com/us/accessories/axes/carpenters-axe/596271201/Husqvarna axes have good steel and good blade geometry. They are spendy compared to most. Granfors are nicer and more expensive yet.We also have Council Tools boys axes and felling axes, 2.5 and 3.5 head weight respectively. Both are good steel. Both required significant effort to properly shape the cheeks for efficient cutting.https://counciltool.com/axes-hatchets-mauls-wedges/If you’re not willing to put some work into shaping the bit, then Husqvarna is a better value.A small hatchet will carry well slipped between the pack body and an outside pocket of an Alice type pack. As will a larger knife or small machete. All are useful from time to time. So is a small set of 12” bolt cutters- heavy but no substitute for them when needed.Every support vehicle should have a sharp axe, a D handled shovel (with at least a 24” handle), and some sort of 4 to 8 pound hammer. A real shovel, not an entrenching tool.A much more useful entrenching tool is this little $10 gem.https://www.homedepot.com/p/ANViL-D-Handle-Utility-Shovel-3531800/307828180That’s a little far afield on the “and such” portion. Might have strayed a bit into breaching tools.Reply
Leighsays:I really like the Estwing 26″ Camper’s Ax. I’ve had mine for over 20 years. They come with a nylon sheath that can go on a belt, but rather cumbersome that way. It is balanced good, holds a good edge, and is big enough to be useful, but not so much to be burdensome. For 40 bucks, a steal in my book. https://www.estwing.com/collections/axes-outdoor/products/campers-axe-long-handleLeigh Whitehall, NYReply
Rogue Elementssays:Longer handles can make the tomahicani unmanageable, shorter handles may be better for some people. Do NOT chop, slice and cut angular and circular motions. Not kidding. Chinese Hatchet men and American Indians used slicing and cutting movements and used a “chop” only to split a skull or to sever a wrist, split the sternum or detach ribs.Reply
No One You Knowsays:I have a lightweight ‘hawk forged for me by a friend. We followed Horace Kephart’s general design (thin, slightly bearded head, about 3/4 pound with a 12″ handle) and arrived at something pretty handy. I’ve used it for many years and gone through two heads and six or so handles. 😉It’s described generally here: https://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/04/gear-of-horace-kephart.htmlFor those unfamiliar with Kephart, Camping and Woodcraft remains one of the better innawoods guides, despite being over a century old.https://archive.org/details/bookofcampingwoo00keph/mode/2upReply
SemperFi, 0321says:FWIW, Been restoring old cutting tools for decades, from pre- civil war broadaxes to modern logging axes, can’t count how many wooden handles I’ve replaced. As much as I like wooden handles, in a survival situation you won’t find many wood handles laying around to fit your broken axe or tomahawk. (Buddy of mine was chopping up an elk in the dark a few yrs ago, tweeked the wood handle of his axe and broke it, left it there that night, came home and in the morning bought a long Estwing at the hardware store before riding back out to finish his elk quartering) Best deal on the market is the Estwing line, solid steel all the way down, and the newer long axe has a 2 piece tubular steel handle (not as nice as the old 1 piece ones) they hold an edge well and won’t break when needed. Stop buying into the gimmick tomahawk /war axe craze and buy yourself a good working man’s axe that will get used 99% of the time for work chores and not some imaginary head chopping berserker spree. I’ve used Filipino bolos at survival school in Subic Bay, own a Cold Steel $80 Kuhkri and love it for light chores, spent years with tomahawks while doing my mtn man stuff, but nothing beats a quality light axe for everyday carry, and some heavier ones in the vehicles when it’s time to chop your way out. Also keep a few old 4-6′ logging saws sharpened for when the gas runs out. (and that’s a whole nother subject too)Reply
Chrissays:Not cheap,but American made and very hearty edged weapons to choose from. My EDC is The Rat Bastard. https://www.zombietools.net/ CIIIReply
Tomsays:Personally I really like the Molly Hatchet.We’re traveling down the road….yeah we’re flirtin with disaster……Got a Gerber combo in my pack has a small survival knife in the handle as a backup to my bush craft knife.Reply
robins111says:I’ve bought 2 in the last year, an Estwing Carpenters hatchet and a Rig Builders hatchet. Both are better on the hammer tasking than any tactical unit I’ve used.Reply
Mesays:16″ Eastwing campers hatchet is heavy ( if you go by viking standards) but bulletproof. You will need to reprofile the head as it’s thick. I was gifted a bruks small hatchet and while it is a thing of beauty I would take the Eastwing everyday due to it being indestructible. I would also suggest you read the Ax Book, great reference. Remember 80% of the time a hatchet is used for bushcraft so while the tactical hawks are cool ( I have the Eastwing model) they are not as practical.Reply
Dirksays:I’m pleased to see focus here, again. And agree with most said here. Perhaps the best advice, is what 0321 suggested, stay away from wooden handles, or at least have extra handles in your spares, bin.John, my Col friend turned me onto the RMJ, and yes they are expensive. He ran the multi nation SF forces section is Kandahar AB, his last go around.I had wanted to purchase a tool for my then son in law, wanted to get him a solid 1911. John reminded me that my SIL was a leg, of sorts, combat controller officer, at the time running/ managing USAF,,,,, JTACS, imbedded with SF, and navy spec warfare.I asked him what he would suggest, he recommended the Hawks, said most of his guys were and international units, were running them, the majority were the RMJ units. Told me, that the Muslims were, for some reason terrified of the guys carrying the Hawks.So I ordered a couple. Again expensive , but well balanced, I gifted my SIL with one, kept the other. ” For me, ” the balance of a hawk is everything, tip heavy is good, but the ability to flick it directionally or spin the hawk in my hand is critical.A leash is a must and a above average holster is also critical.rMJs strengths are simply this they are a solid one piece metal unit, so no heads dropping or wooden handle to split. I suppose one could break the metal handle, I’ve just not heard of that before, and I’ve absolutely destroyed a car door, and hood, with this unit. The aft section is akin to a pick blade, with a slight curve.Gotta pay attention to angles when removing either end after burying them in stuff. Discovered that perhaps the easiest way is to roll the buried end up and over the top, like leverage, to unstick the blade or pick tip.Hope this helps.DirtReply
(((Doc B)))says:Personally I carry a cold steel pipe hawk with a leather sheath I made myself. Do like DTG and lick the head down. Good tool, and it’s not going to break the bank. A good catpenter’s hatchet would also be a good choice.I also have a Schrade SCHF 36 for general field work. 1/4″ steel made into a knife, holds a decent edge, and is less than 40$. Sheath is shit though – so make your own.I also carry a laplander saw.Reply
DONOVAN R. BIGELOWsays:What is the make and model of the ax used as an intro picture to the article. Want one now! ThanksReply
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