Category Archives: Equipment

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If purchasing a firearm represents a first step in personal protection, learning how to use it is the logical and necessary second step.  As KC writes:

Owning a gun is just the first step on a journey. Guns are not self-protection talismans that ward off evil-doers all by themselves: You have to have it handy when you need it and you need to be ready, willing and able to defend your life and your loved one’s lives, if, God forbid, the need to do so arises.

Where does one start though?  As a relatively new gun owner, I would suggest you give these folks a look.

You can read about it here but I also recommend you bookmark them and regularly visit their site.  They have a lot of good information that focuses on firearms training, personal security, and other preparation-related issues.  I’ve gone shooting with Kevin, Robert, and Jaci so I can personally vouch for their knowledge of firearms-related subjects.  They are good people and are compiling a lot of useful information you can apply.  Check them out, its worth your time.

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Hopefully you already have a tool like the Victorinox Tourist Swiss Army Knife.

Victorinox Tourist Pocket Knife

I have owned and used one for a LONG time.  Its been on many trips with me both in the US and overseas because it is small and useful.  In fact, mine is usually in my Camelback so I have it when I go hiking, biking, or camping.  I think its a great model that is just the right size for most people.  Some multi-tools and Swiss Army Knives are too big and bulky to be of much use, this one however is just right.

There is a downside though.  The tools are sometimes hard to open, especially as the tool gets older and the pieces holding it all together get worn.  I’ve actually cut myself a few times with this knife because of the way the open/close mechanism works.  This has never happened with the Leatherman tools I own, largely because they use a different, more modern design.  Its something to be aware of and certainly not a show-stopper though.

In my experience, I mostly use the large blade and the bottle opener.  Surprisingly, I have used the toothpick a fair amount too when I am camping.  Some of my mountain biking friends carry tweezers in their pockets in case they get stuck with a cactus while riding.  Mine has the tweezers built in and fortunately I have never had to us it to pick thorns out of my body.  The corkscrew is handy as well, not as good as a real one but when you are on a picnic with your lady it will do just fine.

Very good but not great, yet for around $30 its worth buying because it packs a lot of tools in a sleek package that travels well.  Guess that’s why they named it the “Tourist.”

Overall Rating:  7/10

Click here to purchase a Victorinox Swiss Army Tourist Pocket Knife

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Unlike in Old West movies, the posse may not get there in time to save the day.

Credit: Tucson Citizen

Which means, until the good guys arrive, you are your own first responder.  That’s a scary thought, but its reality and needs to be accounted for.  There won’t always be a policeman, fireman, EMT, or other first responder on-site to offer immediate assistance when things go wrong.  That means you have to be prepared to be your own first responder.

In a mass shooting or terrorist attack, police departments now recommend taking action instead of being passive.  This can take many forms but the key concept is to take action immediately.  It may take several minutes for police units to arrive, which is plenty of time for a criminal to do a lot of damage.  As Police Officer Jack Dumphy writes:

…in the event of a mass shooting, the police may not arrive until it’s over, as was the case in about half the incidents examined.  The average police response time in the 84 shootings was three minutes, which may seem fast until one considers how much carnage a committed and well-armed gunman can bring down on a school, office, or shopping mall in three minutes.

This holds true for natural disasters as well.  Just the other day in China, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck in a rural province, which caused over a hundred deaths and over ten thousand injuries.  In some parts of the affected area, it took hours for assistance to arrive.  Due to the narrow roads and landslides, some areas may not get help for days…  Until help arrives, the survivors are on their own to manage as best they can with the aftermath.

Keep in mind that as more municipalities at all levels struggle with their finances, response times will get longer and there will be fewer resources available.  Being your own first responder will become a necessity along with building networks outside of governmental agencies to handle emergencies.  In one respect, this is a return to an earlier era in America where self-reliance, neighborhoods, and communities took care of each other instead of municipalities.  Taking the initiative to prepare is a gateway towards greater independence and freedom, which will ultimately benefit the neighborhoods we live in.

HT to Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes.

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This is the little tool that could…and does.

Leatherman Micra®

I’ve owned a Leatherman Micra for many years and LOVE it.  Its a great tool that packs a lot of functionality into a small package that you can take anywhere.  The manufacturer puts it in their “Keychain” category of multi-tools but it is at home in your pack, purse, desk drawer, tool chest, or anywhere else you need a small, versatile tool.  If you are looking to buy your first small multi-tool, this is the one to start with.

Most of the time, my Micra® is in the desk drawer of my office because I use it to open packages a lot.  The scissors get a lot of use and about the only bad thing I have to say about mine is that the blades have been pitted over the years.  I don’t know if that’s because of the metal they use but its the only fault I have identified in this tool.  Its held up remarkably well over the years even though the outside case bears a lot of scratches and some wear marks.  I’m going to get the scissors fixed and pick up one or two more to have around.  For a small multi-tool, you can’t go wrong with a Micra®.

Overall Rating:  8/10

Click here to order a Leatherman Micra Multi-tool

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Even though I am not Mr. Fix-It or a Bear Grylls wannabe, I like having various knives and multi-tools around.  Depending upon the activity, I may have a couple in my pack or on my key-chain.  In fact, I have owned a Buck 759 (Whittaker 759T to be exact) for several years that looks just like this one.

Buck Whittaker 759T

Its a well-made tool that fits easily into your pocket or pack.  This particular knife doesn’t have any edges that will get caught and its shape works well on a key ring too.  The blade is small and stubby, however its adequate for small cutting jobs where a long knife isn’t necessary.  However, what I use it for the most is opening beer bottles while camping.  The bottle-opener is very strong and durable, you won’t have to worry about bending it.

That said though, this is more of a vanity knife/tool for me than anything else.  More often than not, I either use my Leatherman Micra or a Swiss Army knife when I’m out on the trail because those tools can do a lot more.  The limited functionality of the Buck 759 series is what makes it more of a curiosity than a regular contributor.  Don’t get me wrong, I really like mine but also realize that there are better and more useful tools that you should buy before this one.

One discovery I recently made is that Buck makes a never version of this knife called the Metro™.  Its a few dollars more expensive than my version but the Metro™ is Made in the USA whereas mine was produced in Taiwan.  While both are made by free people, its encouraging to see Buck bringing knife production back to America.

Overall Rating:  5/10

Click here to order the Buck 759 Metro, Blue

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Over at Team Gun Blogger, Kevin posted an article on safe rooms that you should read.  In essence, a safe room is a secure location where you can take refuge during a home invasion.  The article goes into a lot of useful detail but the key takeaway phrase is this:

A safe room is to personal protection what a home fire escape plan is to fire prevention.

Protect yourself from violence, take steps TODAY to create a safe room in your home!

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What firearms should you have?  That’s a simple question that can have many answers.  However, in the interest of clarity and simplicity, you should have three.  Call it the holy trinity of protection, the triad of firepower, the troika, a firearms trio or something else, but your arsenal should include three guns.

My friend Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes wrote about this a while back and shares what he has.  Give it a read and some thought, it may help your decision-making process as you arm yourself.  Also, stop by his website and read some of his other postings.  Kevin is a great guy, a good friend, and an informed individual so keep his site in your bookmarks.

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Chances are you own vehicles that have pneumatic tires on them.  The problem is that they can lose air due to porosity, punctures, or catastrophic failure.  All these will eventually result in flat or destroyed tires that will prevent your wheeled vehicle from moving.

How do you prevent this from happening to your car, truck, van, Jeep®, SUV, trailer, ATV, UTV, motorhome, tractor, motorcycle, or bicycle?  The best product out there that prevents flats and reduces porosity air loss is Ride-On® from Inovex Industries.  They produce several different formulas that are specifically designed for various types of tires (ex. autos, motorcycle, ATV/UTVs) you may have.  Ride-On TPS has been around since the mid-90s and has been used world-wide by military, government, and civilian vehicle fleets.  I’ve been using the Auto/SUV formula in my vehicle for the past year and believe in it.

To find out more information, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and browse for more specific information.  You can click here to order the correct Ride-On® formula for your vehicles.  I would strongly suggest doing so in order to keep your tires properly inflated and ready to roll.  A flat tire is a liability so take steps now to prevent that from happening.

Click here to order the correct Ride-On formula for your wheeled vehicle(s)

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Cars break down, often times at the wrong place at the wrong time.  It will happen, the only question is when.

How does one prepare for this?

Nationwide Insurance has a fairly helpful page on what you should have in your car and what you should do when you experience a break-down.  We’ll cover more details on what should be in your car kit in future posts but the Nationwide page is a good starting point.  You will want to fine-tune your car emergency kit based upon where you live and other factors, the key concept though is to learn principles that you can apply in your preparations.  So take some time and put together your car’s emergency kit today.  It doesn’t have to be complete, the main idea is to get started and add to it over time.

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If you ever have to shut off the water supply to your house, you will need one of these.

The technical name for this devices is a T-Handle Water Meter Key, but most people I know just call it a “T-Handle.”  Its a long steel rod with a handle on one end and a notch on the other.  To turn the water off, put the notch on the meter stub and turn right (clockwise).  To turn the water back on, turn the stub left (counter-clockwise).  You can watch a short YouTube video on how to do this too.

Make sure you have one of these handy because water leaks, equipment failures, and ruptures do happen.  I have used mine a few times over the last few years and will never be without one.  T-Handles aren’t expensive and you can purchase them online or at most hardware stores.  If you don’t have one, buy one today!

Click here to purchase a Jones Stephens Water Meter Key