ESLife

Sardine Can: Survival in the Wild

I am one of those people that believe Survival skills are important. When you are in a survival situation you never know what you may have to work with. I like to look at my environment and play a little game. I will pick something out and figure out ways I could use the item as a survival tool. Today I was in the kitchen and saw some sardines in the can. I wondered what could I do with a Sardine can in a survival situation? This is what I came up with.

Something real easy would be a signal mirror. Polish the bottom of your sardine can and you get a real handy signal mirror. perfect for your survival kit.

If you had an unopened can of sardines you could of course eat them. They are a great snack full of protein. Save some of your sardines, they make make great catfish bait or use them in a crawdad trap or minnow trap. Racoons love sardines. Making a trap and using sardines as bait may bring you some well needed meat in a survival situation.

If you are backpacker a large Sardine can makes a great little frying pan. Could be a great little addition to your cook set. If you have two sardine cans you have a pan and astove. Fill a sardine can with cotton balls and pour alcohol on them, light it and you have a useful stove. Another way to make a stove out of a sardine can is to take cardboard strips and melt hot wax onto them. Light the strips and you have your stove or you have a great emergency fire starter.

Sardine Can Stove

After eating your sardines, leave the oil in the can. Find some cotton string or better yet some jute cord. Set the cord in the oil and leave around one inch exposed. Now you have a grease lamp. Light the wick and you are ready to go.

Sardine Can Lamp with Sardine Oil

If you happen to be in Green Bay, Wisconsin you can go to The Sardine Can for a drink and some fun.

Sardine cans are used to make small survival kits. Personally I do not like the the commercially available sardine cans survival kits. Mostly they are cheesy with survival items that are way below standard. But You could fill an empty sardine can with smaller survival gear, wrap the can with a good amount of duct tape and now you have your gear, a water resistant can, and duct tape, which is possibly the greatest of all survival tools.

With a little imagination and know how you can take almost objects and find great survival uses.

Monkey Fist Knot: The New Self Defense

A Monkey Fist knot is so named because it looks like a small bunched fist or paw. The monkey fist knot originally began as a frequently used Merchant Marine term. Sailors of the 1800's began using monkey fists (a knot tide around a small weight) as a method to grab ropes from boat to boat, person to person. The weight on the line made the passing of lines from a ship to shore or from one ship to another ship easier and faster.

These first knots, also known as sailor knots, began as a bolt, maybe a rock, or something that had weight. It would be placed inside the monkey fist knot. The knot would be tightened and attached to the rope. Then it would be thrown to a sailor on the shore or on another ship. Many times this lighter rope would be replaced with a heaver rope. This process saved time. Throwing a heavy rope was much harder than throwing the lighter weighted line.

The Monkey fist began to be used as a hand-to-hand weapon, when the sailors were on shore. Also called a slungshot they were commonly used as melee weapons by sailors embroiled in street and tavern fights. The use of the monkey's fist as a slungshot became common in the street gang subcultures of the 19th century.

Most monkey fists double as key chains that serve a twofold purpose. Drop your keys in a purse or backpack and leave the knot dangling over the side making easy access to your keys. Never lose your keys again. Their second purpose, and perhaps most important purpose, is for self defense. Learning to use a monkey fist for protection can be very effective. The Monkey fist has made a comeback in the last few years. It has worked it's way into everyday life. We have easy access to para cord and this has given new life to the monkey fist. Type "Monkey Fist" into a search engine and you get a whole lot of how to make a monkey fist. Monkey fist fans are making them everywhere. Monkey fists are one of the top items to make out of para cord.

Our Monkey Fist features Military grade 550 lb test, 7 strand, Commercial & Mil-Spec. Parachute cord (autumn camo) with a 25 mm (1 in.) steel ball bearing. Our Monkey Fist is strong with a split ring/key chain end and bead. Our Monkey Fist will beautifully compliment the finest gear in your collection! 9-1/2" long.

Catching Your Own Fish Bait

You want to fish with live bait you go to the bait shop and buy some bait. What if you want to catch your own bait. After all you are limited on what types of bait you can buy at the local bait shop. If the end of the world, as we know it, happens you'll have to find your own bait. Here are some tips where to where to find commonly used baits.

Crickets are one of the most common baits. Great for pan fish like bluegills and sunfish. Crickets are pretty easy to find. You can find them in your house, or look outside under a few rocks, maybe in a local wood pile. You can find crickets most of the year somewhere.

Grasshoppers are almost as good as crickets. Finding them is more limited. You can find them in the tall grass during summer and early fall.

Mealworms are a great bait that can be bought at the local bait shop. Mealworms are a beetle larvae. These can't be found easily. If you are interested in cutting out the middleman you will have to raise them on your own. Wax worms, a moth larvae, are on the same level as mealworms and make a great bait. 

Grubs are found in the ground. Just a little digging in a grassy area will turn them up. Some fish will eat them up.

Night crawlers and earthworms are a staple for catching fish. We all know digging them up is the easiest way to find them. At night we go out with a high powered light and catchthe big crawlers coming out of the ground but you got to be fast. You can always fiddle some worms. I plan to write an article on fiddle worms in the future.

Bass and crappie love minnows. We catch minnows in a seine. Seines are hard in the colder temps because you tend to get wet using a seine. There are many types of nets out there to catch minnows but usually require two arms so I stay away from them. During colder weather is when the old minnow trap comes in out. A minnow trap, some oatmeal, and you can catch all the minnows you need. We use the standard metal mesh trap but I am thinking about getting one of these glass traps.

Large Bass, Northerns and Muskies love the Frogs. Frogs are easily found in ponds and lakes. Catching them live is another story. But it can be done. With practice you can have enough frogs for fishing and a tasty dinner.

Walleyes regard leeches as soul food and walleye is perhaps the best tasting fish ever. The easiest way to catch leeches is to roll up your pants and walk through a swamp. This is effective but not fun. The next best way is to get yourself a big piece of beef liver. Throw it out into a swamp one evening. Go back the next morning and your liver will be full of leaches.

Minnesota 2013 Walleye Stamp

Fishing with live bait is a great way to catch fish. Catching your own bait is rewarding and fun.

ZAP BLAST KNUCKLES CAN TURN YOU INTO A SELF DEFENSE MACHINE

While being aware of your surroundings and making planning around potentially dangerous situations is the best self defense, sometimes people are attacked despite their best efforts. Two effective ways for self defense. 1) You carry something in your hand like a push dagger, knuckles or even a key or an occasional roll of quarters. 2) You can also carry a stun gun which is effective and leaves your assailant incapacitated.

The ZAP Blast Knuckles Stun Gun gives you the best of both worlds. Criminals won't know what hit them with the power of this stun gun. The Blaster Knuckles have a unique patented design giving you full control of its awesome power. Curl your fist around 950,000 volts of "shock therapy" and protect yourself from any assailant along with a punch to the side of the head. It delivers quite a powerful flow of electricity right out of your own Fist. A new warrior has been born.

Just the sound and sight of the knuckle's spark will most likely scare off any trespassers without needing to be used. Almost a million volts running through an assailant will definitely change the mind of any attacker as soon as the volts start going through their bodies. You will knock any assailant down for the count with a 950,000-volt punch from a pair of Blast Knuckles. It will lay them flat. Blast Knuckles proves to be one of the most powerful stun guns on the market, bringing a whole new meaning to “getting a grip.”

The Knuckle Blaster also works like a champ on those bloodthirsty dogs that run loose in some areas. those that live in the “country” know this can be a problem. They are really comfortable to run with and are perfect for runners. You can hold it while jogging and retaliate instantly during an attack. This stun Gun is sure to become a hit amongst joggers, easy to carry and very effective when getting chased by dogs. We’ve also heard from a number of service workers that they can be great protection for house calls when animals are involved.

The Knuckle Blaster has a sports trigger and safety switches and "ready for use" LED indicator to prevent accidental discharges. Another safety feature is the stun terminals face away from your knuckles, so it would be exceedingly hard, if not impossible, to accidentally stun yourself even if someone knocked you down. ZAP Blast Knuckles include two lithium batteries along with a nylon belt sheath that has a metal belt clip to keep your stun gun easy accessible when you need it.

Safety: You need to be smart when handling the Blaster Knuckles. Remember you have to be careful because you can really hurt someone. They are designed for self defense situations only. To purchase a stun gun you have to be of legal age. The Knuckle Blaster may be illegal in some states. Be sure to check all your state and local laws before making a stun gun purchase.

How to carry: The Knuckle Blaster is concealable and looks almost like a cell phone when clipped to your hip. In some areas a conceal permit may be required to carry The Blast Knuckles. Carry the Knuckle Blaster in your purse but be sure to keep the holster opened with one hand on your gun in case you need it quickly.

Manriki chain: Little Known Weapon for Self Defense

Altoids Tin Firestarter: Survival Skills That Can Save Your Life

Altoid Tins make great survival tools.  There are many sites and you tube videos that give directions on putting together an Altoid Tin Survival kit. I thought I would do something a little different with my Altoid Tin. I like fire starter kits. I decided to put together an Altoid Tin Fire starter to help you with your survival skills.

Fire starter kits are simple. You need some type of tinder, and a fire starter. The trick is figuring out how to get it in an Altoids Tin. I like to take a premium fire starter when I am out in the woods. I like a lot of spark. I normally take a blastmatch with me because it works with a one hand single motion. I tried the Blastmatch and it would not fit in the tin. I settled on an Swedish Army Fire Starter by Light My Fire. They make spark that comes out as hot and ready to perform.

Now the tinder. I chose cotton balls and petroleum jelly. Cotton balls are light, easy to light and burn for a long time. Dip them in petroleum jelly, they light that much easier and burn that much longer (around 3 minutes). I added cotton balls and put some petroleum Jelly in an old balm jar. A rubber band holds the kit together in your pack. You now have the perfect tool for survival, light and compact.

As you look at the picture you can tell I added a Meyerco Dew Claw. These are small, lightweight and could be used to scrape tinder from different sources.

The next step was to try out the kit. Looking at the picture it worked just fine.

Shurikens: How To Throw a Star like a Ninja

Inspirational quotes from great leaders and our nation's founders

A collection of our family favorite inspirational quotes and greats who have inspired us. Pin them and share them.

The ballot is stronger than the bullet. Abraham Lincoln

Do what you love and you will never work another day in your life.

For some, Hunting is a hobby. For me it is a Passion!

When things are not going right, just go fishin'  - One Arm Don

If I had a dollar for every "anti-hunter" who carries a leather purse or briefcase...I'd have more money than Oprah.

Life whispers. Listen Closely.

Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe. - Lincoln

You are not wealthy until you have something money can't buy. -Garth Brooks

Your mind will quit a thousand times before your body will feel the fear and do it anyway!

The real story of St. Valentine.

Taking time to enjoy life will actually inspire your work.

A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them. which would include their own government. - George Washington

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep. I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. -Alexander the Great

These quotes are not only inspirational but also great for uplifting you as well as family and friends! We’d love to see some of your favorite inspirational quotes from great men like these! Share your inspiration with the world. It’s the least you can do.

Catch and Release: Let my Granddaughter Catch the Big One

Catch and Release began in 1952. The state of Michigan was experiencing high costs stocking hatchery raised trout. Michigan designed catch and release to reduce the cost. Fast track to 2013; Catch and release is largely promoted to avoid over fishing and ensure the sport of fishing for generations to come.

The ESKNIVES compound is on Guntersville lake. Bass fishing is a big deal here on the lake. From early spring to late fall we have a Bass tournament almost every weekend. If we did not practice catch and release Bass fishing would become a very boring sport.

If you plan to catch and release then learning proper techniques to reduce damage to skin, to scales, and slime layers that make fish vulnerable to fish fungus and skin infections, is essential.

Here are some fast simple rules:

1. Before handling your fish make sure your hands are wet. Dry hands remove the protective slime on fishes skin. Never use gloves or a rag. Gloves and rags can be death sentences for fish.

2. How long can you hold your breath? That is about as long as you should keep a fish out of water. This usually leaves plenty of time to remove your fish from the line, take pictures and return your fish to the water.

3. Be careful removing the hook. Tearing the hook is a sure way to start a fungus. You can purchase a hook remover. I use a pair of thin needle nose. They seem to work better than manufactured hook removers. If the hook is hard to remove the best bet is to push it through and cut off the barb. The hook removes safely and hooks are easily replaced

4.When releasing your fish move your fish backwards and forwards in the water. This moves water through the gills and helps revive your fish. When the fish begins to struggle and starts to swim let the fish go. Most fish are ready to go when placed in the water.

My Granddaughter is not yet old enough to fish. But when she is I want her to have the same thrills I have had landing that big one. It is good to be part of the solution giving us all the chance to enjoy fishing.

That is all I have for now,
One Arm Don

Columbia River Cascade: Jim Hammond Does it Again

Let's talk about Columbia River Knives.

Columbia River came on the knife scene in the middle 90's, founded by Rod Bremer. They are known as CRKT or called Cricket knives by many of their fans. When they hit the knife market they set the market on fire. Knives made in Taiwan that compete with the quality of knives made in the US at a fraction of the cost. Crkt Knives captured a good sized section of the upper end knife market. They were one of the reasons that Benchmade, Kershaw, and Gerber started China lines, so they could compete. Today all US based knife companies have knives made in China and Taiwan.

Today, I wanted to review the CRKT Cascade. This model has been retired by Columbia River and is a great knife for camping, hunting and the outdoors.

The Cascade is designed by Jim Hammond. He has many designs manufactured by Columbia River. He is world famous for his innovative designs. Jim lives close to Huntsville, Alabama. When ESKnives ("The Cool Store") had our store in Huntsville Jim would visit us with all his latest models.

The Columbia River Cascade is a tough tactical full sized folder (5.12" closed, 8.5" open) that affords great comfort and some interesting features. This knife has what CRKT call a "90° hitch" in the lock back mechanism. This hitch system stops the blades slightly at the 90 ° closing and opening arch. This helps the user to have more control over the blade and avoiding accidental cuts. Having one hand myself, I understand how great this feature is for one handed opening and closing in low light environments and situations where you are not looking at the knife when you are operating it.

The Cascade has an Aus 6M bead blasted blade, with a non reflective oxide finish, that is partially serrated. The partially ground blade has a drop point end. The blade itself is thick at 1/8" wide. There are jimping grooves (traction grooves) at the top of the blade formed for your thumb. Using the jimping groove while gripping your knife gives you precision control and less slippage.

The 5-1/2" handles are constructed of a soft, rubberized Kraton over a polycarbonate frame with a deep finger grip similar to the Hammond Cruiser which gives this knife a real solid, yet comfortable grip when in your hand. When you grip this knife the finger grooves conform right to your hand. When you hold the Cascade you will notice that the pommel is hard. This hard pommel can be used for hammering and crushing.

On the handle of the knife there is a removable stainless steel pocket clip that is black Teflon plated. This clip can be moved to either side for right hand or left hand carry. With the clip it is a point down carry. If you prefer a more traditional belt carry, the Cascade comes with a black molded closed cell foam Cordura nylon carry sheath with a horizontal or vertical carry.

One drawback to the Cascade is that it is large and kinda heavy. It may be too much weight for utlra light backpackers and climbers. But all in all I talk a lot about survival and theCascade will perform in any survival situation.