Bug Out Bag revisited

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Got the new DRAGO BOB, and it is everything the positive reviews said it was. Not too big, but just big enough. And definitely not too small.

Here's the kicker: Want to see a man get all riled up? Watch him pack his BOB. Holy shit, it's a rough row to hoe. What will fit? What won't? What is necessary? What is imperative? What is fluff? What is the point of a BOB? What is it supposed to do?

Man, the new BOB is half the size of the old, so I am leaving a lot behind and doing a lot of switching down. Realizing it is really a true SHTF bag, basically to keep me alive and that's it. I'll post more when I get this thing wired tight.

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Major BOB overhaul

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Holy cripes. Checked out the Bug Out Bag today and it was embarrassingly ill-equipped. No fork, no multi-tool, no toothbrush or toothpaste, not enough food, no batteries, no flashlight, no poncho, no knife at all, no quarters, no water bottle, holy shit NO FIRE, to name some oversights. Filled it up right quick with 3 types of fire, 2 water bottles, a CRKT spork, tooth gear, the HAKET, a Mora knife, more socks, more undies, another t-shirt, cans of tuna, packets of soup mix.

Still need to add soap, deodorant, a poncho, the old bivy sack, quarters, TP, a solar battery charger.

What did it already have in it? A PUR water purifier, a self-inflating mattress, a Snugpack desert sleeping bag, MREs, plastic bags, clothing, an Esbit stove, etc.

Truth is, a much better pack is needed. Decided to go with the DRAGO Assault Pack which can be had online at US Cavalry for $49.95 and gets 5 very solid reviews. It's cheap, which I like. Has a very sturdy top handle, which I like. Has lots of webbing, which makes for expansion. I have the Drago roll-up pack and it rocks.


Will post more when the upgraded BOB is 100% complete.

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Poison Oak

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A little something about poison oak: Poke is the Queen of the California landscape. Get to know it well. Learn to identify it in the dark, in the winter, in your sleep, with your eyes closed. Be ever reverent towards it, even when you haven't had an allergic reaction to it in years. I grew up with it and got it badly numerous times as a child. By the time I was 20 I was immune to it. But I show it great reverence to this day. I have seen friends do stupid things and get it systemically, so badly that they had to go to the emergency room for cortisone shots. I've known people who ate it by accident, burned it and inhaled the smoke by accident, got it in cuts, got it on their balls, you name it. They should have known better, but perhaps no one ever warned them. You, however, can't use that excuse - not after reading this. And once you understand Poke, spread the word to those around you when you go hiking or camping. The key to protection is reverence.

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The Star Necker

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I call this little fucker the Star Necker. It is bar none the cutest little tool I've seen in a long time. Very unique, too. Bought the Kydex sheath on Ebay, and the arrowhead online at Esee. Added the paracord lanyard m'se'f. This tiny little sharp serves as both a concealed carry fighter and a work knife for the little stuff.

Below you can see the arrowhead edge.

Here we show the true size, in comparison to my ugly-ass, white mandible. It's a small'un. Gonna have to check local law to see if it's legal to carry. Sometimes blades that have an edge of less than 2 inches bypass the law. If it is, down m'shirt it goes. I will OWN the night, motherfucker.

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P.S. The Star Necker is razor sharp, and don't forget it. I stabbed myself with it by accident (duh!) and found out the hard way. I also dropped it on my keyboard tray and it put a divit in the plastic.

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Sunday

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Perfect fucking day. Kind of hot, but not ass-kickingly roasting. Went for a walk at sunset and the orange sunlight made me feel so damn good. Images of perfect people and perfect places come to mind - people and places I've never known.

Spent the afternoon working on the lock box. Caulked the extra bolt holes, cut a piece of plywood for the floor, fitted cork spacers under it to clear the bolts, cemented carpet to the top to cushion the tools that will lay on it. Then cemented carpet to the inside walls of the box. Blued the hasp and padlock bolt with a Sharpie. Almost done now.

Gonna get to bed early and get up early tomorrow - gonna be another hot day.

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Switching Out One Motherfucker for Another

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Hey! Missed you :-).

So, today we have a simple DIY mini-project or three. Let's start with the TOPS Haket. The Haket is bar none one of the coolest survival gadgets I have ever come across. The online reviews are stellar, and I wish to add that the Haket REALLY IS ALL THAT. It rocks. Its hollow, flattened handle is made of coated gray chrome moly, and it is a VERY heavy duty (but lightweight!) tool. The tomahawk motherfucker, which is coated to prevent rust, is very solid. It attaches perfectly to the Haket, and when bolted into place there is not one iota of play. It also functions flawlessly on its own, as a knife. This piece of kit is a flawlessly designed and manufactured piece of awesome shit, and every hippie survivalist should have one (Unless they just don't need it cuz they already have better, or other, equally awesome shit that already fulfills the same purpose. You dig?).

Below we have my modded Haket, which I have deemed The Death Dart. You will notice that I have switched out the tomahawk motherfucker for the Alligator Alley harpoon tip motherfucker. I did this because while the tomahawk motherfucker kicks ass, I cannot abide the way it bulks up the precious aerodynamics of the Haket. Not when it's inside my house, or in transit or in storage, I can't. I like compact. So, by attaching the harpoon motherfucker, I have created a giant, evil dart - one which makes me very happy :-). I have also pulled an inner tube down over the exposed handle, because A) it protects the surface beneath, B) it provides sticky gripitation, C) I can secrete survival goodies under the rubber, and D) it looks Delta Force-like and menacing. I also attached both the harpoon motherfucker and its sheath to the handle, via paracord lanyards. The harpoon motherfucker lanyard is long enough to double as a hanger, too. That's basically it. I'm trying to figure out what to store in the handle, besides zip-ties (for securing the Death Dart to a pole or stick).

The only thing lacking on the Haket are more motherfuckers. Why don't they make a pick motherfucker, a shovel motherfucker, an ice pick motherfucker and a hoe motherfucker? Maybe I will never know. But I do know one thing - I am going to write to TOPS and request that they offer additional motherfuckers, cuz I will buy every one. Because I CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY MOTHERFUCKERS IN MY LIFE. I ALREADY HAVE SO MANY, WHAT ARE 5 MORE? FUCK.

P.S. Where do I keep The Death Dart? I hang it from the bedpost. Why? Because it makes me so fucking happy to see it there.

You know, we're almost out of time now, because I got carried away up above and wrote too much. Below I have 2 fun little mods. First off on the left, I fitted a piece of inner tube around a padlock to A) weatherproof it, B) prevent it from clanging, and C) remove it's silvery sheen. I also taped the top of the lock with electrical tape, for the same reasons. Does it look perfect? No. Is it functional? Yes. So if you don't like it, fuck you. I think it rocks. Lastly, on the right we have an orange Bick lighter that I wrapped with electrical tape to make it all Navy Seals-stealthy. Works like a charm.

OK, so we're almost done for today. Just wanted to say that my Lock Box project? The box was rattling around when I drove, so I jammed some inner tube under it, and it sits very tightly now. Also, the above padlock doesn't rattle. Bottom line: THE LOCK BOX ROCKS MY COCK. Take it easy and until next time!

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Esee AH1 Arrowhead

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Below we have an Esee Knives AH1 Arrowhead, available at Esee Knives for about $US18 & elsewhere online for about US$14. This is a highly rated edged tool that functions as both a necker and an arrow/spear tip.

Better yet, for about US$21.50 + shipping you can go on EBAY and buy a handmade Kydex sheath and handle kit per the photo below, turning this bad boy into a complete utility tool at a very reasonable overall rate:

I'm nicknaming this bad boy The Stocking Stuffer.

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DIY LockBox

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Someone gave me an old ammo box that they had once started to convert into a motorcycle cargo box. Using the existing drilled holes in it's floor, I drilled thru the bed of The Beast and inserted 4 bolts upwards from beneath, securing the bolts with washers, nuts and lock nuts (in that order) from the inside of the box. Below you can see the box in place. It's a biggie, 20mm or some shit like that.

Below is a photo of the other end of the box. Because the lid comes off entirely, this end of the lid had to be permanently secured to the box with a bolt, washers, nut and lock nut. Because of the double nuts on the inside, there is no way to remove the bolt from the outside. I tried, and it just spun in place.

The other side of the lid is secured with a padlock. Because padlocks are easy to snip, I positioned the ammo box so that it butts very closely up against The Beast's tailgate. Thus I can close the box, lock it, close the tailgate and lock IT, and there is no way to open the box. Actually, the padlock is not even needed. There is simply no way to pull the lid handle out and up when the tailgate is in place. Wa-laaah! A free lock box for the truck...well, it cost me a few bucks in nuts and bolts and washers, and 2 hours of my time. And, it was a "learning experience".

One last thing. The box vibrates when I drive, even though it is screwed in tighter than a French whore. Solution? I'll add more bolts to the corners, to hold the box down against the truck bed even when the bed is torquing or flexing.

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The Sunday Spread & HubGuv

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Scored a wooden ammo box at a local retro store, gonna keep tools in it. It's about the same size as a metal .30 cal box, so it's probably sized to hold .30-.06. Wasn't cheap, but it is priceless. Sound condition except for the leather handle, which is torn and ready to break. Never seen one before. Be interesting if it was made of wood due to a scarcity of metal during WW II.

Below, a Mora Knife: Alone, and with basic mods including a velcro handle strap, a fire steel w/velcro straps and some cord to keep everything secure. This configuration is strictly for my BOB or the truck - I'd never normally need a fire steel in camp, and the handle strap would be a gigantic pain in the arse. One of the best things about this Mora is the awesomely simple sheath, which allows for easy removal of the knife. The strap would only be useful if I was in dire life-or-death straits, and losing the knife meant not surviving. There is absolutely no way to remove the knife with the strap in place.

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HubGuv

Fuck taxes, fuck government, fuck bureaucracy, fuck budgets, fuck red tape, fuck politicians, fuck the system, fuck the economy, fuck corporations. I've figured out a way to bypass all of them. It's an organic, grass-roots system called HubGuv, which fills in the cracks left by mainstream (corporate) government. HubGuv is, by definition and intent, collapse-proof. Therefore, it has no budget. Ever. It is a flexible, self-governing system by which people directly participate in self-government thru personal responsibility. HubGuv only functions by necessity. It relies on community, simplicity and common sense. It is essentially, but not strictly or dogmatically, libertarian. HubGuv is all about helping people to help themselves, and creating a society of responsible, self-sufficient people. The first rule of HubGuv is: Talk about HubGuv. The most important aspect of HubGuv is gardening, which is viewed as the basis for self-sufficiency, local economy and community.

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Had a strange idea, one that could prove useful & innovative. It was for some webbing that fits on a person's arms much like shirt sleeves or very long gloves. The purpose of this webbing would be to hold gear and tools. Like, I'm an urban survivor in the year 2023, and I wear a short sleeved army shirt with these arm sleeves velcro'd to it, and I keep a knife, a wrench, lighter, smart phone, some ammo, maybe even a ballistic knife, clipped to them. It's kind of like the concept of those drop-down thigh holsters, but for your arms. Many years ago I once saw a wild-looking urban cowboy on the streets of the Haight Ashbury, and he had tools strapped to his forearms. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. To this day I refer to that guy as Mr Bartertown. Maybe his memory has been percolating in the depths for all these years...

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Multi-Purpose Survival Tools

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Been researching multi-function wilderness survival tools, and found several quality examples that are in current production and can be purchased online. Here goes:

Above we have the TOPS HAKET, produced by TOPS Knives. From what I've seen and read online, this tool rates among the best. It consists of a hollow chrome moly handle, a detachable tomahawk head, and an Alligator Alley spear head. The hawk head can be used as a stand-alone knife, scraper, etc, as can the spear head. The hawk head can be attached to the handle via a sturdy bolt, while the spear head can be lashed to a shaft for use as a spear. The hollow handle can be filled with a survival kit. A review of this tool can be found HERE. More to follow on this item when mine arrives in the mail. Cost: US$155 - 250 + tax & shipping. Hint: Do some research and go with the best deal! Prices vary widely.

Above is the ECO HAWK, a tomahawk head that functions as a stand-alone weapon/tool/knife when it is not lashed to a handle. It comes with a survival kit, which does not interest me (I make my own). I like the compactness of this tool, and strongly considered buying it til I came across the tool featured below. Cost: US$85 + tax & shipping.

Above we have the RS6 MOhawk, made to order by Red Scorpion Six out of Sulphur, Oklahoma. Like the ECO HAWK, it functions as a stand-alone weapon/tool/knife when not lashed to a handle. Unlike the ECO HAWK, it is handmade, with a variety of finish options and a high-quality Kydex sheath with leather belt loops. It also comes with a handle. Admittedly, the inverted blade is a very strange shape. BUT...I ordered one anyway, and have high hopes for it. Build time is 4-6 weeks. Stay tuned for a review once it arrives. Cost: US$125 + tax & shipping.

Above we have the TOPS Hoffman Harpoon, available in small, medium or large. The item pictured is the medium (standard) version. It functions as a stand-alone blade, a neck knife, or a spear point. IMHO, probably the most useful, expedient and realistic of this selection of survival tools. Why? It's small, simple, and very functional. Check out this review HERE. This knife has BOB written all over it. Price: US$69 - 79 - 89 + tax & shipping.

And finally, we have the ATAX, pictured above. A very strange and unique survival tool, it was designed by that survivalist dude called Hood, of Hood's Woods fame. FYI: It seems he passed away recently, so if you want one of these tools, better get it while they are still available online. They were only produced in small batches. This gadget has many uses, and I urge you to follow the hyperlink and read up on it. It has applications as an arrow launcher, an axe, a knife, a skinner, a clock, a nail puller, a range finder, and a whole range of additional uses that perplex my simple mind. Also, it has a hollow handle. It was described by one owner as "a beast". I tried to like this strange tool, but in the end I couldn't get into it. It's just too weird, too big, too clumsy and too unwieldy. Probably useful to a true backwoodsman, but THAT I am not, nor will I ever be. Cost: US$199.95 + tax & shipping.

Enjoy the long weekend!
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Yard Sale Score

Ten bills for the wagon & two for the homemade chest.