Any bladed tool or weapon requires a degree of maintenance to keep it in proper shape. For a Bowie knife, this means keeping the blade clean, sharp and dry. It also means keeping the other parts of the knife, such as the handle and the hand guard, in good order. These knives can last a lifetime, or longer, if they’re taken care of properly. The high-quality steel used on some of these knives makes them heirloom-quality items.

Stainless steel, as the name says, is resistant to the types of corrosion that frequently ruin other knife blades. Even though this is the case, even stainless steel needs to be kept dry. Any fluid with which the knife comes into contact may damage the blade. Acidic liquids may pit and scar the blade, water may cause rust, and so forth. Always wipe down the blade before sheathing it.

Depending on the design of the Bowie knife, there may be other delicate parts that need maintenance, other than the blade. The handle, for instance, may be made out of a sensitive material such as wood or bone. Traditionally, a Bowie has a hand guard and that must also be kept clean and dry, particularly if it is made of metal. The type of knife one has will dictate much of the maintenance procedure. Some knives are built to be almost maintenance-free and others require a good deal of attention, even if they’re given little use.

Bowie knives are rugged and capable of performing many different tasks by design. This means that they’ll come into contact with all manner of corrosives over the course of their lives. Before putting a knife away, and immediately after using it, wash down and dry the blade. Some materials may not seem damaging at first but, over time, the acidity of some materials can break down and tarnish the blade. The blade deserves some special attention in the way of sharpening. Oftentimes, this is a handy excuse to care for the rest of the knife.

The parts of the Bowie knife other than the blade also need proper care. Wooden handles need to be kept at a good moisture balance to avoid swelling or cracking. Brass parts may need to be cleaned to avoid tarnish. If the knife has special blade features, such as a modified spine or a sharpened false edge, these parts will require additional maintenance. Good Bowies can last a long time, but only with the proper care and attention.

Brian is a business consultant for an online bowie knifes store featuring survival knives.

Should there be a disaster or a sever power outage in your area it is a good idea to have a survival bag that you can grab and run to safety. This bag might just keep you alive during a tornado, earthquake or other natural disaster. Put your bag in an area where you will find it easy to grab and run. If you live in a place where tornadoes are prevalent just put the bag in the safe area. If you live where there are earthquakes place the bag near the place you will run to get out of the house.

Some say that a survival bag must contain supplies for 72 hours to one week. But, how many people have the resources and the place to put a bag like that. If you do have the room then go ahead and plan for that long. If not there are a few essentials you will need.

Get a back pack because in an emergency you can sling that over your shoulder and carry it on your back so it will not be separated from you. You can even have a back pack for each person in the family. Just be sure everyone knows where they are and make sure to do drills, especially if you have children. Drills make it so there is no panic when an emergency actually does arise. It will be automatic for everyone to quickly stop and grab their survival bag and proceed to a safe area.

A disaster bag should have a flashlight. It can be a battery operated one with fresh batteries included or you can get one of the new crank flashlights. You take the handle and crank it and it will stay lit for a time. When it dies out again you just have to give it some more cranks and it will continue to work. Also include a battery operated radio or get a crank radio. You will be able to hear what is going on in the community and proceed with instructions.

A first aid kit with antiseptic and bandages or band aids is essential. Put in some aspirin or other medication for pain and antacids. If you have to take regular medication every day put a pill bottle in with a few doses. Always rotate your medication. Every so often when you refill take the ones out of the bag and replace them with new. You will not have to concern yourself with out of date medication. If you take insulin or other medication that needs to be refrigerated place the syringes you need in the bag and if you can safely stop and grab the insulin you should get it on the way to safety. Do not try to get to it if it is too dangerous because Red Cross will be on the way and has supplies of this type of medication.

Those that wear contacts may want to put a contact case and solution in the survival bag so they can clean their contacts and take them out for a period of time. You might want to throw in your old glasses too. If you are a woman you might want to include a few feminine products just in case the disaster happens when you will need them.

Make copies of important documents and put them in the bag. Good things to copy are state ID cards, driver’s licenses, social security cards, health insurance cards, the papers for your house or renters insurance and anything else you might need. Do not put originals in the bag. Put in as much paper money as you can afford. You will not be able to go to the ATM machine for quite some time when there is an emergency.

You can include candy bars or energy bars because they last a long time and put in crackers, bagged tuna and non perishables. A pocket knife would be very helpful in some cases. Make sure to put in some matches. Some articles of clothing including clean underwear and socks should be store in the bag if you have room. There are blankets you can get that will retain heat or reflect it away. Place some family pictures in the bag so you can give them to searchers if you become separated. This will aid in the search. Make sure to put in a whistle. Should you become buried under rubble you can be heard if you blow on a whistle.

A survival bag can make a big difference during a disaster or severe power outage. It can mean the difference between life and death in some cases. Place it in an area that is easy to get to and take it with you on the way to the basement or outside to a safety area. Even those that do not have a lot of money can get a bag ready to take with them if they need to vacate the area quickly. You do not know how much it can save you if you need it.

Get more information about the important essentials you will require in case of an emergency today! There are many supplies required for 72 hour kits to be effective. Having a survival bag can protect you and your family in case of a disaster!

If you’re considering installing a smoke alarm within your home and are a little confused about the various types of devices available to you, one could forgive you for feeling a little lost. With such a wide range of devices available for purchase, smoke alarms can be defined into two categories. The first is known as the ionization smoke alarm, the second is a photoelectric smoke alarm.

If this is still sounding a little confusing, allow me to explain the differences of each device to you and how they work. If you’re to make an informed decision when purchasing such items, you’ll want to know it’s the right device for you to purchase for your family home.

A great analogy for the way in which an ionization smoke alarm works is the same way in which your sense of smell functions. The device tests and detects the presence of smoke particles in the air. Ideally, these kinds of smoke detectors are suitable for industrial areas where fires ignite due to chemicals or explosive materials. Many people have made the mistake of installing these kinds of alarms within their home, either not knowing or flat out ignoring the advice to do otherwise. Because fires within the home ignite in a different manner to industrial ones, this has left many people at risk of injury or death due to insufficient detection.

So if ionization smoke alarms are not suitable for the family home, that means photoelectric smoke alarms are the ideal choice. Photoelectric smoke alarms are an optical device which means they use sight to detect the presence of fire and smoke. Similar to how your eyes work, it scans the surrounding area looking for any instance of fire.

All photoelectric smoke alarms contain a LED which allow it to scan the room 24/7. In the event of a fire, the smoke will block the light that is projecting from the LED and sound the alarm. As most fires within the home begin to smolder before taking hold, they’re the ideal device for your family. If you consider how fires within the home start, whether by faulty wiring, knocked over electric heaters or wood fires for example, these kinds of fires produce mass amounts of smoke which is what the photoelectric smoke alarm was designed to detect.

Knowledge is power and now that you have the knowledge of which smoke alarm is best for your home, it’s time to act and install the right device. I’d like to mention one last thing. Many people have often lamented about not being able to install both types of devices in the home. Well, now there are dual ionization-photoelectric smoke alarms on the market.

These devices utilize both methods of detection and because of that, they are a little more costly than a singular device. Having said that, if the cost is a non-issue for you, they’re a great item to purchase. If value for money is a larger consideration, opt for the photoelectric smoke alarm over the ionization type. Photoelectric smoke alarms are far better in the detection of fire in your home, ionization smoke alarms are known to have a much higher failure rate which could put you at risk.

Starting today, you can take action to better protect your home against fire. The first action is to visit the photoelectric smoke alarm website to get started.

It’s vital that every individual have their own survival gear. Many people make a choice to create survival gear kits so they could benefit in the event of an emergency. There are several different sorts of calamities and emergency scenarios a person might be faced with during their lifetime. There are chemical emergencies that can happen in a commercial area of a community and may affect the residents of that area, acts of terrorism, fires, serious hurricanes in winter, tropical storms such as hurricanes, floods, and more. It is important that every individual knows and understands what kind of survival gear is vital to have in each of these eventualities.

When creating a survival gear kit for you and your folks, it is critical to get ready for accidents and medical conditions that can happen as a consequence of a critical situation. Folk have basic physiological requirements which consist of food, clothing, water, and shelter. it’s also crucial to have products available that may help deal with wounds and any medical conditions. Be sure to have a total first aid kit that comes with OTC medicines for fever and agony, as well as bandages and a selection of wraps.You must also consider including items like a tent, sleeping bags, thermal blankets, and emergency packets of food and water.

When an emergency or a crisis happens, it’s important to have tools available that will enable you to perform a variety of roles like making satisfactory shelters, removing hurdles from your trail, making fire, and cleaning water resources. There are lots of different kinds of survival gear that will help you in making arrangements for these types of circumstances. Examples include water purification tablets, fire tablets that help in making fire for cooking, heat, and water purification, multi-tool devices, multi-functional knives, hand held water purifier devices, and even solar powered lamps and other sorts of lighting like flashlights.

If you are in a location that is a good distance from a community like in the woods due to hiking or other fun pursuits, there are lots of differing types of survival gear that you will gain an advantage from having. These tools will help in making shelter, making fire, making water purification systems, and roles that are alike in nature. Some of the more well-known examples of these kind of tools include a camp axe, a compass, 6-in-1 outside survival mini-kit, tactical survival hunting knife, whistles, rope, canvas, slingshot, water-resistant lighters, buckets, sun shower packets to keep clean, water treatment drops, and even a rescue signal mirror.

If you’re in an area that experiences natural tragedies like quakes, floods, hurricanes, and similar sorts of scenarios, it is vital to have both a comprehensive first aid kit and a survival gear kit that will enable you to address those emergencies. If you live in an area that often floods from hurricanes, for instance, you may wish to have items like inflatable rafts, life saving jackets, blankets, light sources, pre-packaged food rations and water supplies. If you live in an area that’s influenced by cold weather hurricanes that are dreadful, items like hand and feet heaters, thermal blankets, and items that create fire will be useful. You need to appraise the eventualities that impact your area and your pastimes in order to figure out the best kinds of survival gear for you and your folks.

Looking to find the best deal on Self Defense Products, then visit www.emergencysurvivalgear.org to find the best advice on survival gear for you.

What Is Paracord Used For?

Parachute Cord (also known as 550 paracord) as the name suggest attaches the parachutist to the Shute. However, today it’s commercially marketed due to numerous uses found for it. First used in World War 2 as actual Parachute Cord the outside construction of the cord is made of continuous filament nylon with seven high strength inner nylon cords. Each single piece of paracord has a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds. This is also why paracord is often referred to as 550 paracord. The breaking strength of the cord can be increased during manufacturing but is not usually less than this unless otherwise specified.

More than just a parachute cord - Although paracord was designed for use as a suspension line for parachutes. This high strength cord has proven over the years to have a number of other uses. No camping / hiking or survival gear would be complete without a length of this highly versatile cord. Uses for paracord are endless. Below are a few ideas:

Use parachute cord for:

Ridgeline for Tarps/Bashers Restraints

Shoe & Bootlaces Tourniquet

Repairing Equipment Bottle Holder

Securing Equipment Zipper Pulls

Securing Equipment Guylines

Hanging Food from Bears Washing Lines

Making a Fire Bow Handle Wrapping

String for a Bow Trail Marking

Shelter Making Surfing Snowboarding leashes

Hammock Making Kite Surfing Wind Surfing

Fish Nets Boating

Snares/Traps Whip Making

Weapon Straps Binding

Use the Inner cores for:

Fishing Line Dental Floss

Sewing fabric together Small twine for whipping ends of larger cord

Emergency Stitches

Anything else requiring a lightweight super tough cord …

AND MORE - Parachute cord received international publicity in February 1997 when it was used by Discovery astronauts to repair the Hubble Telescope. In places where the insulation had been worn away, Teflon patches were applied and secured with parachute cord. Many army units have fashioned parachute cord into bracelets denoting their unit and geographical area of deployment. This reflects both the comfortable texture of the nylon rope and its place as a military icon.

Learn more about Paracord Survival Bracelets. Stop by Jeremy Silver’s site where you can find out all about Paracord Survival Bracelets and what it can do for you.

Can you tell the difference between a hunting knife and a bowie knife? If you were to look at a bowie knife side by side with another type of hunting knife, several differences would be obvious. What are these differences? Isn’t a bowie knife still a hunting knife? While the original bowie was often used as a hunting knife, it was designed for many other purposes, as well. How do bowies differ from standard hunting knives?

First, standard hunting knives tend to be designed for a single use. Take the skinning knife for example. These have long, slim, razor-sharp blades. They are powerful tools when used for their intended purpose (skinning animals). However, how do you think that blade would hold up if you tried to chop with it? What if you encountered a bone or tough sinews? Would the skinning knife be able to handle the increased pressure and abuse? Chances are the knife would not be suited for any purpose other than skinning.

Now, a bowie knife on the other hand, is designed for many different uses. Originally, the bowie knife was designed for personal protection, as well as general-purpose use in camping, hunting and fishing. This is why the blade is so large and thick - it has to be to deal with such a wide variety of different uses. While you will find that specialty knives do a better job in their very specific field, a bowie knife will outperform other knives, simply because you can use it for such a wide range of different things. You can skin with them, chop brush, gut fish, chop vegetables, cut through bone and more.

As you can see, a bowie knife is very different from a standard hunting knife. However, they are often classified as hunting knives and are sold in sporting goods under that label. This doesn’t mean that they are for use in hunting alone, though. In addition, you will find that a bowie knife will put you in good stead for a variety of situations, whether you need to do some work around your home, or just want protection in your car.

Choosing to purchase a bowie knife over a hunting knife is an excellent decision. This will ensure that you are able to use your knife in almost any situation and that you will not suffer the limitations brought on by a single-use type of knife.

Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knifes store featuring every bowie knife for sale as well as lighters for camping.

There are some places out there that sell these disaster survival kits. However, you pay a small fortune for them. Sure, you would probably buy one if it came down to it. However, if you want to save a little money, you can create one for your family in case disaster strikes. There are a few common things that any kit should have. We will walk you through a few of these.

When thinking of the things that every kit has to have, the first thing that comes to mind should be food and water. The water should be enough that everyone can have a few sips as you do not want to get dehydrated. The food should last at least three days and should not spoil. Everyone recommends using canned food.

Another thing that you should include is a radio. This should be battery operated as you will not always have power. The way that officials get through to you and the community is by way of radio and television. If the power goes out you need to know what they are ordering people to do. This way everyone stays safe.

Due to the electricity issue, you might even need to bring a flashlight. This too should battery operated. If disaster strikes you do want to be able to see where you are going. It can be pretty bad out and it can be just as easy to hurt yourself.

Due to the fact that you can hurt yourself, it is always good to have a first aid kit. This way you can work on small things yourself. You do not know how many times people were thankful that they had the above items as well as a first aid kit.

Anything can happen. You want to be prepared. Many different injuries can happen as well. That is why people should have in their disaster survival kits plenty of first aid kits to help them through. If you do not know enough first aid, then pack some manuals as well.

The last thing that you should always pack with this kit is any life threatening medications like blood pressure or insulin. This way you can make sure that the person who has these issues as are well prepared. Have enough for a few days worth. It can be that long before help comes or you can get to the store to get them if you run out.

When you have these items you can be sure that you are prepared for the worst. Many people laugh it off, but anything could happen. They need to know who you are in these times of need and you have to have the resources to keep yourselves alive.

Everyone says the world is going to end and it is just a matter of years. How long? No one can say. So, when the disaster hits, government wants you set. That is the reason why they have come out with disaster survival kits and disaster survival kit information.

If you have just purchased your first bowie knife, or even if you have been an avid collector of these blades for a number of years, it can be difficult to determine exactly what all the different parts of the blade are supposed to be used for. Part of this confusion stems from the myriad different styles of blade out there. For instance, you’ll find modern bowies that have saw-tooth edging on the spine, while historically accurate models do not include this feature. What are the different parts supposed to do?

For instance, some knives include a saw-tooth edge along the spine of the knife. This is a modern development and hails from the Vietnam era military knives issued to helicopter pilots and foot soldiers alike. The saw teeth can help cut through wood, plastic and other materials, as well as being used for scaling fish or sawing through bone. However, novice users should beware these bowie knife models, as the saw can often get in the way of general use. Injury to the knife owner is not uncommon.

Another element of bowie knife design is the clipped point. In fact, if a knife claims to be a bowie, but does not have this distinctive feature, it is not a bowie knife. The clipped point was one of the original innovations that helped to cement this knife’s reputation in the Western world. It allows immense control of the point during general use or during combat, and provides greater penetration when using the knife for stabbing. A sharpened false edge on the clipped point offers extra cutting power, as well.

Spanish Notch - The Spanish Notch is another sometime inclusion. You’ll find that this notch offers little in the way of enhanced usability, but it does provide you with a handy point to start sharpening the blade. The notch sits at the back edge of the blade, just before the ricasso. This might have originally been used to help skin branches, or have been used to work with nautical rigging or other rope forms, but today it has few uses and is rarely found except on historically accurate bowie knives.

Guard - The guard, or quillions, of the blade serve several purposes, as well. You’ll find that traditional blades have angled guards, with the upper guard angled forward toward the point and the lower guard angled back, toward the butt. These provide protection for the hand, as well as allowing the wielder to trap an opponent’s blade (the upper guard only). The guard also serves to keep your hand from running off the handle and onto the blade when stabbing with the knife.

Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knife store featuring the jim bowie knife as well as lighters for camping.

Bowie knives are available in a bewildering array of sizes. You will find slimmer versions that total out at about six inches in length, but you will also find monstrosities that come close to two feet in length and all the sizes in between. How do you choose which bowie knives are right for your particular needs? Is a longer blade a better choice? Why would you want a short knife blade?

The key here is size - the size of the blade (length, width and thickness) will determine just how useful bowie knives are to you. In order to determine what size is appropriate for you, you’ll need to take a look at your intended usage. For instance, do you plan to chop with the knife? This might be anything from vegetables to brush, but if you will use your blade for chopping, a longer, thicker blade is better.

Shorter blades, on the other hand, are a different matter all together. You wouldn’t want to use a six-inch blade for hacking through underbrush. You would, however, want such a smaller blade if you were doing something that required precise control, such as cleaning a freshly caught fish or skinning that stag that you just brought down. Larger blades can damage whatever you’re cleaning or skinning, simply because you cannot control them as well. Shorter blades offer better precision and better control, at the cost of brute power, though.

As another example of the need for a specific size, you’ll need to determine if you actually want to carry that knife with you when you go out. While a lot of states allow fixed blades of up to five or six inches in length to be carried openly, many states prohibit anything larger. You will also need to consider your own comfort when carrying your knife. Longer blades tend to be less comfortable when strapped to your hip.

As you can see, choosing the right option form the plethora of bowie knives available can be somewhat difficult. However, if you take your time, you’ll find an option that fits your particular needs and offers the performance, look and functionality that you demand.

Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knife store featuring the Cold Steel bowie knive.

Bowie knives are renowned for their versatility and their durability. However, if you’re in the market to purchase a new blade, you’ll likely want to know what bowie knives can and can’t cut. What limitations are there to these knives? Actually, the limitations are created by the knife itself - its size, construction material and even the keenness of the edge will play a role in what you can and can’t cut (or what you want to cut and don’t want to cut). What does all that mean?

Let’s take a look at the question of size. Bowie knives are available in a bewildering range of sizes, from six inches to more than a foot long. Obviously, you won’t want to take a six or seven inch knife out for the task of chopping firewood. That’s better left to a hatchet or an axe. However, if you have one of the longer bowie knives, they can be quite heavy enough to use as a hatchet (if needs be). You’ll find that larger blades are excellent for any task requiring chopping and that bone, wood and even light metal can be cut with consummate ease.

As you might surmise, very large knives aren’t the ideal item to use when cutting something delicate - it’s a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack an eggshell. Conversely, using a small bowie knife to cut heavy, thick things is equally unwise, something like using a razorblade to chop firewood comes to mind.

So, what can you cut with a bowie knife? It all depends on your particular knife. While you most certainly can use that gigantic blade to gut a fish, chances are quite good that the blade will be so large that you’ll muck up the job. It’s quite difficult to make a precision cut when the blade is twice as long as the fish! Now, you can take that in the opposite direction as well. You might not have much luck using a six-inch bowie knife to cut through thick brush or cut kindling for your fire.

As you can see, there are numerous factors that go into determining what you should use that bowie knife to cut. While you can most certainly cut almost anything with the blade, the wrong uses will find you spending far more time with the whetstone than you might wish.

Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knives store featuring rubber training knives and butane lighters for camping.