Vol.

8 Issue 01

FOOO

WATER

SHELTER

SECURITY

COM MS

HEALTH

,,,, •

' ..
' ' -,
I
. - .
• ·�
•
•••·

< , i 1 , . . .
..
.
!
...
-
.
-
. '

Ti-r1. �: -: �. -.-� ... ¥ j,

J_._ � J
__._ .
... ,
·. ,
, ,, _

Olf,ll
AI.
-
ll.'il.lB.V41 I
N F °"WWW.FJ•<•10•n
r
> "H
N
FO
KON
>
.�>
- -·

• �... --
(

•
 TABLE O F

FEATURES
12

IT'S ALL ABOUT SURVIVAL

Israel's defense against constant terrOI ttveats
By Al J l'en1e,

20

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Part 1 of American 51.rvival Gulde's exclusive IWOi>ilrt
battery gukle
By Jim Jeffr�s

30
CHRISTOPHER NYERGES TALKS TOASG
Celebfating more than 40 years of leadefshlp In self­
rellanc@ education
By D.t
lld Bl!Ml!I

02
SURVIVAL'S NITTY GRITTY!
Part 3 of our exclusive three-part Interview with Creek
Stewart
By M,cflael D:Ansona

82

MIND OVER MATTER

Keti:*1i your head can be the key to survival

8y D.t
lld Benntt

HOW-TO
44
OLD SCHOOL, NEW EDGES
oruno gives new life to worn
Krile sharpener Julio T
blades.
Br Chrnlooher N'/@rges

REVIEWS
28

SURVIVE WITH 0BERLEBEN

U!xlated traditional gear from the modem bushcraft
.......,...,,
Br Reli�n 8obeu

54
THREE FOR THE TRAIL

We test the new Abe & Moe series of knives

By .SNn C1111rs

88

THE RIGHT BOW ON THE GO

51..mval Archery Systems· new, packable Atmos
TakedcM'n Bow
By Lauy ScllWd1IZ
[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE I

--
 GUIDI

......
liNIWl&I.

·�
....,_,hoc�""""" •­
....,..,.,,..,..,I·-

-- '"'
Dlltca

..... .., ......

'' <IMIM'Cln'OU

-- -9:). .... wM{wtr, ...,......(7........

..., """'�illouo" ...-,YSO,,..-wu.&.'....,

.....,,ms_
-f ..,..,..11.tftlD<
p..,lOO-l!llO

.... 4°4£ J•-·­

u...c•=·- ..,...... E..,...

--k--(-
-��

..IIOO·IHt

'' II

-
•
.. m ...
"'

l<r
""" l..ot-

(....,-..

loleil
� -·*
,. ....... �-,
1""6
......

...... �

e deliver a dr.erse collection of all use them. and we'll probably learn that we can be more

i'lf01matlon ii every Issue of eftlcient and effective In our rellar.ce Oil these tittle maJVels.
M
'- ....,,_"'""""..._
I ·--· 0,,. I ollor,Jp.

°' ''" "' _...,..,...,r ..--

Amerlt'.an Surnv.!I Guide. Rather The 30-plus products displayed In our "New Prod­ �• Mal.Kin I 11..
11 W.W•-- I
&lo, & .l.li
oo I ,.........IOOI

lhan oeccate an Issue to a slngle ucts" and "Gea, Gulde" sections are complemented by Wlt1..V•- _........,11:0111

1111
13 PAI ,,MClll.>;I IDII& f.&I.U-..CI
lopl(. we believe you·re better three great product reviews that shed some light on a ·1'I009-,,..lCf<lt.!.olfM •,,..u,-

seM.'d by seeing articles that cover a variety of subjects few essentlal products.

ID W
...
f!l<lm9'191·f., l800lM�

........
ert 1iD'k'ln:«rVITff1tflnN!l'U
,..
each month. This Issue Is a good example. Sean Curtis had some tun in the boonies pUtting three
--""'" ,0,1<'<"211

With Al J. Ventel'"s article on the security situation in Israel Ablaham and Moses knives to the test (page54). Reuben -�.M.liUll£(1SSH IIJl.19J> �P'¥""a 11.....,, _
__ ,,,__ __ ..__ ..... .... .. 120 .. ,ti,oO;­

(see page 12 of this iSsueJ and surrounding eees, we bring Bolieu took some lime out ol hrs endless tour of the
"'.z •tioo••ED"'...- Pr£..-i-n: UC ll'l00�-(1<11

1" - ,•<ii'" PO<' ...'1£1' Sl.'<llt"![)lltcl.'ltAl<UI 10

»,.
to light some aspects of this well-known and coostant wcwld 10 show us the benefits of some Ober1eben camp ___..._Gt-.CJOlNGOWO-INC.WSI.INC.

I05twfl SfflET.lmRTV.wo=::
struggle against the threat of terrOlismand wanton vlO­ gear (page 28): and L.ar,y Schwartt·s hands-on review of (10!911,�-n; , .,,,24:llooOIM"""ol

,.._....., ....... .,,- w,, -

ierce-a situation we hope never makes its way here. Eveo 5ufvival Archefy Systems' new Almos takedown bow wltl (hloflW:l'j())WIIO(JI C-.,,""" __ 1
1 '-'"

"'2nfl"-"" PO ..M41 i-!;1,MC"81 C-

so, It IS one we need to be familiar with. have you taking another look at adding a stringed weaPOn
CUITOlll• Mnoc•

--·
if you own a knife. be sure to check out Christopher to your arsenal (page 88).
"19C"'$1,P... r"'
'" :.,.,.;r,:; ,.,,.. tl
'l.
�
Nyerges' feature about ace SoCal blade sharpener Julio

Toruno. who has sharpened many thousands of blades and

In W1H1am tcece's 1185 poem. "The Task: he writes that.

-Yariety"s the very spice of life: I agree. II you do. as well. I

- I , ...

{
IOOl lft4-t,J'8

{/")N-111/';f--

iS happy to share M secrets for success (page 44 ). SUBl!est you take some time to check out Ameticdn Survivdl

Dana Bemer's i'lterview wrth ctrlstopher Nyerges, a Ciuide's website: ASf.UAG.com There. you'll find an even

self-reliance educatcw for many decades. provides some more divef5e collecllon of topics and writers whose worlts

insights on how Christopher became the legendasy resotKCe number almost 500 as this Issue IS published (with rTIOfe

he Is (page 36). t-q:,ehJly. It prCMdes some motivation IOI coming all the time). Easily navigated and sea,ched, you"U
-.U.nDll ••ns
rroe of us to engage with our erMIOMleflt as a W<l'J to have access to a huge archive of articles from past A5G W'IYI- \'>l'l'i,/_,, a..,...,.,r,,.r-•f<IS!- Ollilllll

..._ ... Ii "'U\ 5l'Ollf<oPl'"U"'8"'

become rTIOfe independent ol tectvdogj and the support issues. as well as new features and how-tos that can only --6to8-for -- ..tl<S"

we get from outside sources. be found on our website.

ENGAGED'
This Issue also wraps up Michael D'Angona"sinforma­ This resource IS growing almost ddlly, and we trust you
M 1A N
tiYe and entertaining three-part conversation with (reel!; will find many useful facts. tips and tricks to make ','Otlf

--DMIOU..--
Stewart (page 62). In this piece, we get to know a bit more prepping more efficient and successful while atsc providing

about Creek. the person. and ,eallze !hat he's no! unlike

most of us. He Is a curious and oetetreeo personwho"s

you with some Inspiring stories of how others ove,came

adversity in terrible circumstances.

-�--W-1),oc...
··-"""
------
c......• Rl
c.1c_..

"1onilOO'a_,, ....

Intent on lea,nlng and sharing skills that can keep us alive In addition to all the Information and Insights you'll find
,..._,...g ..- .,."".,,,.. ......... ........_l'\M
when our world goes sideways. (Creek Just happens to do there, our website Is the best place to buy back issues and
....... ' g -- ..----, ...

-....
..,_ , , ' . W,t,,£ ......

this on a national scale.) subsuiptlons to the electronic version of OUI magaiine.

"''- ........ _.,
GST•-JPl',l>TOOI
One of mv laY01ite pieces Is Jim Jeffries" dive Into the While you"re there, sign up for OUI free News/et/er; and take

complex and fascinating wolld of batteries (page 20). We

�""" --.... ,.,2 ·····­
-11JPl,a-(a'1JM llidlto
a minute to follow us on Facebook.
P'lt090M:� H: PQB:,,IV,l..1 l.fRID<\ON MC"81C-

-Mike MtCourt

• AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)
 . a u u . i+ i+ .aa:10
New Items

�·i�., ••, MAJORSURPLUS.COM Discounted items

SURPLUS & SURVIVAL Overstocks

435 W. Alondra B l v d . , Gardena, CA. 90248
Closeouts

H I G H QUALITY OUTDOOR PRODUCTS FOR RECREATION A N D SURVIVAL

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MEDICAL - FIRST AID

BUY AND SAVE

ON TRUSTED TOP

BRANDS:

'l'llll - Sl'll(;·

TACTICAL CLOTHING CAMPING

Spyderco

FOOTWEAR PACKS KNIVES

® VICTORINOX

C H E C K US O N L I N E , CALL FOR A F R E E CATALOG, OR V I S I T O U R STORE

"Our heartfelt thanks to those •v/10 serve 01,r co1111trJ1 and 011r ,:01111111111ities.

We are forever grateful for their dedication and sacrifice"

www.majorsurplus.com I 435 W. Alondra B l v d . , Gardena, CA. 90248 I 1.800.441.8855

I
I

��--
irLD
SILENT

GETTING
STARIED KIT BF-F8HP
.... "'""'
- .....
....
'

,. -
... -
 • •
• • • •
.. -
. -
. -
-
. •• «;
•,#.

'

. --
-,
1Z AMERICAN SURVIV
 n toda(s world.safety ls a primary and an unusual event. but !t dkl undel'score the Iact

mounting concern-f,om the national level that that specific 1Srael1 emb.llsy had nevei

a11 the way down the Une tctteseu-tee- been either attacked orcar·bombed

ant lnclvkluat While larger entitles have

greater capacity and resources to detect

and avert terrorist attacks. lessons they have I got a rT'IJCh better Insight Into the kind of

ieereo can provide good insiflts 1or those who lengths to 'Mllch the ISraeUs wfU go. starting

are Interested In doins what they can to protect c)J(q the Lebanese CM[ war (wtw::h lasted

themselves from these andsimlla1 tteeets. a decade aOO a half. beglming In 1975).1

It IS axiomatic that ls,ael Is extraordrlcllily vigilant accOITl)arwd Anlc (Ariel) Sharon's Invading force

In PfOtecting ltS people from te.-roosm that usually that occup,ed rT'IJCh of Lebanon. and. being

ant,es without warl'Wlg and In f11Jlt1falious gulSeS. accredited to the Israel Defense Forces (lDF), I

both Internally and beyond Its baders. went in and out of the rot.rltry through the Rosh

I saw a bit of this when I recently VISltedan HafllQl'a border post QUl!e ohen This WM ne,,,...

ls,aell embassy In an African state that. for an easy loomeY by road and required traveling up

obviou5 reasons, I will not name. Having made an the coastal tqhway ttvough the two maior aties

eccenteera beforehand. I was asked to arnve at of Sidon (Six) and Tyre

a specific time but was held up. I was an houf late Roadblocks were regular and coold take

when l parked my ca, In the street outside time. especially if weapons were uncovered

Moments later, from nowhere, two local In one of the many Lebanese cars that were

residents unobtrustvely approached. although by requlred to pass through rseeu checkpoints.

their accents, they were clearly lsiaelrs. Quietly What was significant to this observer was the

and without ceremony. they asked me (one man way the IDF handled them

standing directly behind me and the other In Most roadblockswere chosen at l)OSltoos 'Mlerl!

front) who I was and why I had parked my vehicle there were inl)edtments-a bridge or a cutting 11

lmmedlatelyad1acent to the embassy. the road ....tere a mactwie Slfl crud be rm.rited

I told them. which was when they asked for my on an elevated point (without It being too

passport. A QUICk cell phone call followed,arter ble sniper Ire) or r«,sllly an area
exposed to IX)SSl

which J was ushefed Into the building. ll1ed by concrete tanlc traps. we ·+Ye1en't sriped

t understood none diplomat while at d1Mer at too often. altoough It dKl happen The real

atrt:r, hotel later that evenirli that thrs was not tbeet came from bombs laid alongside the ,oad.

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDI;

••
 usually during the darlr. hours. with the trunk.

It was the actual vehicle search that Intrigued At no stage was anvthlng opened dlrectty without two sets of fingers sensitively leading the way.

me-on uerceo into lsiael at the Rosh HaniQra As one of the bomb disposal men told me alterwa1d. it was astonishing how many potential

bOlllel con11ol station especlally-whefe mlrroo bombs wee uncoveted this way Modem electronk: sensing machines were fine. he declared. but

were In full play, Once the nirrors. which were rTIOle often than not. human touch invariably did the trick.

attached at theeod of long pol

es, had done It was Interesting that there was always someone else ceseu at these checkpoints. They did

cursory checks on the undelslcle, 1

1 was the j
ob nothing but speak to occupants of the vehk:les and ask the kind of Intrusive Questions that did Of did

of one of the soldiels to get right down and. not make sense. This ls the same ,outlne employed for decades by Israeli security personnel at all the

with tws hands. check pa1tsof the chassis fol Mlternatlonal airports used by El At, the Israeli national airline.

hidden Items. Thesamewasdooewlth the I never got the figures. but I

t subseQuentty emerged that a fair proportion of Lebanese apprehended

vehicle doors and seats, whk:h were p,odclecl at roadblocks with explosives or weapor,s were ss,gled out by these "psycho experts" who. wrth good

with sharp objects. experience, could tell by a man's actions (there we!'e not too many female terronsts then) or the way

II there was any evidence of wl,es Of etectrk he responded to QUeStiOns asked that eve,ythlllg was not what l1 was supposed to be.

cables. the vehicle would be shunted some

distance from the main building and army WATCHING THE SHORE ANO THE SKY

specialists summoned to do a ITIOfe tho,ough Kif all that. the occasional activist did get through. usually heading toward subversive elements

> Be/ow-Agroup
sea1ch. They would start with the hood. ba1ely dose to the Israeli frontiel. where other terror actions might have been plamecl.
ol tsreeu soldiers
lifting It in ordef to peer inside with the help looksoul over the
These were multiple and Included some extremely Imaginative efforts to cross tsraell llnes and

Old Ctty 01 Jeru·

of fla!>hUghts. Then, fingers would traverse attack cMllan buses (which took place several times •.• with loss of life), Kibbutzim, Moshavim or
s;:,.lem lrom their
all angles in search of exposing something observatk>n post on even lone cMlians perhaps sunning themselves on a beach (which also happened).
the Mount ol Oliva
unusual. The same PfOtocol would be followed One small tefror group used a pclY,'ered hang glk:lef to launch an attack. but It was blown out of the sky

SRAEL I EXTRAORDINARILY VIGILANT IN PROTECTIN ITS PEOPLF

FROM TERRORISM THAT USUALLY ARRIVES WITHOUT WARNING AND IN

MULTIFARIOUS GUISES, BOTH IN 'ERNALLY AND BEYOND ITS BORDERS.

M AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 ••• TODAY, THERE

ARE STRONG

LINKS BETWEEN

ISRAELI SECURITY

ESTABLISHMENTS

AND SIMILAR

BODIES IN THE WEST

••• MANY OF THE

TECHNOLOGIES

DEVELOPED BY

ISRAEL HAVE BEEN

PUTTOUSEINTHE

UNI 'EDSTA1i

There was no QUestion that the Intent was real,

because I was able to view photos or the SCUBA

eQUipmeot that had originally been acquired

by the terror group's conlfollers In Beirut from

> Amott:,ecent European SOl.lCl!S. But the attaclc seei 1,s to ha\'e
photo ol an lsraell
by an alert lDF bolder patn:i Another group,ope,atir'QJ out of Tyre, welded together !cu 44-gallon dnxns never taken place and was IXISSl
bly thwarted by
auns111pon thepon
and, With a fitted outboard qine, atleff1)ted to eote lslaeli waters roe dar1( right Theysuffered a ol Hatta<Pholo- IDF) an lsfael Speoa.\ Folces cross-border raid. So. too.

smilal' fate. and the dn.ms were Later put on public display. with one. possibly two. miniature subma1ines

More recently, An lsraeU airc,aft fvecl warning shots to deter a group of people In Gaza prepalfng to aCQUlred by terrcr WOODS linked to Hezbollah.

fly a balloon equipped with explOSive deviees-the intent being to cause fres and serious damage There iS no QUestlon that the undeisea boats did

across the border In lsfael.

Over the years. there have been several attempts by Palestinian terrorists to infiltrate Israeli coastal

waters with small merchant ships l

oaded with explosrves, among them the moto, vessels 6/nan and

Stephanie.One of these ships was prepared lo, attack Ina Ciulf port and then headed north through

the Red Sea toward lsfael.

Another was t1ackecl in March 1979 lro,n the time it was loaded with a�t 1.000 t
ons of TNT in a

Meditenanean port and passed through the SUez (anal.Once It entered the Gulf of Ellat, the Israeli

navy went into action. Gunboats ordered the ship to halt. and when It igllOfed those demands and

continued llOfthward, I
t was dest101ed.

Both of these ships were dubbed terror "mother vessers.' with on-board crews. as well as sup­

port groups at various points ashore. All were loaded with exploslv!!S. The Intent was to detonate

the ships and all those on board once Inside the precincts of either Haifa or EUat nertors. Ttvee

yea,s befo,e the Ginan Incident came the surrender to Israeli security forces of a Palestinian

< An aerial view ol south Lebanon low.ml theport of Sur (Sidon) (Phot
o- Al
speedboat bombin11 team that had come from a Lebanese port. They were stopped just short of
J. Venier)
the T
el Aviv meroa

It Is Interesting that with both the Ginan and Stephanie (and other ships since), it was a "lowly"

shipping clerk In the pay of the Israeli security seoees who tipped off his handler about exploslYes

beir1s loaded. From that point on, It was a formality to keep pace with the vessels' movements.

INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED THREATS

All these events suggest an increased level of sophistk:atlon. expense and lla!nlng on the part of

hostile lslalT'IC groups. coupled with the ability to carry out maritime terrorism (whk:h obviously

necessitates considerable oves-head). Those Involved also need to acquife the appropriate vessels

and rnailner sic.Ills. as well as speclaUst weapons and expertise.

Possibly the most enterprising of maritime tenor events along the Israeli coast. about which

a curtain or secrecy has been drawn by .lerusa!em. has been a still relatively la ten! unclefwater

threat. The IOF spol<.esman was guarded when, on my last visit. I asked about planned terror

attacks that Involved frogmen and submefSlblevehlcles. pu1por1edty Ol'llllnatlng In the south
< Israeli women serve In the military and play a valuable role In the natlon·s
Lebanese harbor ol Tyre. s,ecunry and delense. lncludm& m many lronlhne postings.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE •

--
 < llere.anexampie
o, an IOF anU-ter ••• ISRAEL HAS THREE
rordefense setup

agalnstlslamk:at MAIN INTELLIGENCE

1a1tptS t
o pe,.et,ate

thelsraetiborder
AGENCIES (AS
Nole the lour
-barrel

"Galll.na gun: CPholo: WELL AS SEVERAL

AIJ. lknterl
SUBSIDIARY ONES,

SUCH AS THOSE

LINKED TO THE

POLICE): DOMESTIC

(SHIN BET),

INTERNATIONAL

(MOSSAD)AND

MILITARY (AMAN).

exist and were delivered t

o an Arab temir � I

was told as rruch bva reliable lsrM'll army SOUfte.

How tte, were neutraliled iS somethng about

v.lth the IOF remains tight-lipped.

THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

The reality of l!fe In Israel-for more than Six

decades-has forced Israelis to defend them­

selves against constant tenortst threats. and

the struggle has been fierce. With time, both

Sides (the ISraeO nallon and its enemies) have

achieved extra01dina1Y skills. coupled with the

acumen that only results ffom experience.

For countenenonsm purposes. the IU1d of

lnteltigence needed relies primarlly on human

sources ("HUMINr In the argot). and 1hls

extJemely difficult and arcane discipline has

< Along lsraers
played the most significant 1ole In keeping
frontiers wllh the

Arab world. patrols ISJael intact. Obviously, thefe have been a

area never·end1ng
lot of lives lost In !he oocess. Indeed, It was
process. CPbol:o· Al
J. Venter) ISJael's first prime minister, David Ben Gurlon.

who declared that fo, his country, intelligence

constituted the •fifst Uneof defense."

For that purpose. lSlael has three main

intelligence agencies (as well as several

subsidiary ones. such as those linked 10 the

pollce): domestic (Shin Bet), lntefnatlooal

(Mossad) aod military (Aman). We will deal

with each In turn.

SHIN BET

Also known as Shabak. this security

element Is In charge of preventing domes­

tic terro,ism and political subve,sion. This

body reports directly to the p1lme minister.

< Border control
•

- along the lronuer
- fiM:ln, LebanOfl
sometimes needs
heavy 5(Uff qalnsl
The powers of Shin Bet were doubled afte,
the occupation of the Golan Heights. West
Bank and Gaza Strip In 1967. after which the

• ··­ - .- -
pOSSlhle mine,: or

IEO!i {Pholo Al J.
threat factor expanded exponentially.
'

-- • Venter)

• AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 a staff estimated at 7,000 personnel. < A warning slgrt

located at the border

Aman controls mcst signals Intelligence

("SIGINT"). as well as aerial reconnais­

-­
and Syn.ii on Moun

Hebron CPhot
t

o: Al J.
sance assets. Moreover. Aman collects Venter)

• human Intelligence ("HUMINT"). It

..::. ....... ....
commands Sayeret Maktal. Israel's primary

'�.-.,".t.
,-- ....
counterterrorism and Intelligence-gather­

ing entity and recresents Israel In a very

-
-
•
exclusive "club" of states that design,

• launch and operate espionage seteunes.

The nature of problems n:,utinelv encoun­

tered by Israeli security establishments are

AU. l,blS l777MIITNJ IIPllSITIS

n• - lo.a.I lfNI• •tlCTlll U fMl

I -L l(lfll manifold and come sharply Into focus with

- the kind of pronouncement made recently by

Brigadier General Nitzan Nurlel, a 30-year I

�

veteran who was speaking In the wake of the

-- August 2017 Ba1celona anc!Cambrils terror

MOSSAD attacks. At least 1

4 people were killed and

Established In 1951 and heaclQuartered In Tel Aviv, Mossad ("The Institute"), short for HaMossad some 130 wounded In the two attacks, with

leModi i
n uleTafkid1m Meyu adim. iS 1espoosible !Of alt of Israel's foreign intelligence activities. ove the lslamie state claiming,esponsibihty.

many decades. I
t has been unusually successful (although wtth a few notable glltches, such as the Followlog General Nurlel's warning. the

Munich Olympics disaster) In thwarting te«of attacks aimed at Israel Countet T

erroostn Bureau of the Times of

Very little Is known about Its structure o oceetcoet eeeruse.eeeet that It Is a modest force Israel on August 18, 2018, published travel

by lnternatlonal standa,ds, with about 2.000 operatives. What IS known Is that Mossad has what warnings for Turkey. as well as the Sinai

are termed a collections department. political action and liaison department, special ope!'ations Penwlsula, where. it declafed, al-Qaeda was

diviSion. psychologieal warfare department. research cecetrrem and a technology department. particularly active. The bureau also warned

of slgnltlcantly Increased threats In the rest of

AMAN Egypt. as well as Jordan.

Miiitary intelligence rans under Aman, which Is the la1gest Intelligence organization In Israel. Pflor to that, Israeli sources warned that

It has more recruits. assets and analytic capabilities than Its sister Intelligence agencies, with pa,ts of the Phlllpprnes were regarded as

< AmlylronUez­

secur1ty checks

along lhe Lebanese

border(Pholo- Al J.

Venter)

[ASGMAG.COM] AME.RICANSURVIVALGUIDE 17

--
 lncreaSlngly dangen:ius, particularly Mindanao

and Solu. due to Increased tenor actions by

global J1hadi groups. So. too. it warned, wefe

conditions In some 1ourist areas of TuniSla.

whkh has seen a serious slump In vsttcrs

following the murdef of 30 British vacationers

In the summef of 2015 at Port El Kantaoui, just

north of the city of Sousse. as well as some

West Afrkan cities such as Bamako (Mall),

OJagadougou (Burkina Faso) and several In

northefn Nigeria. . "

"THE WORST IS YET TO COME"

Taken In Isolation. such wa,nings might not

have much Impact. But one has to examine

some of the more,ecent cautions that have

emanated from lslaeli sources. Quite a few of

which have implications for Westerners_ and

••
•
Amerkans In partlculai. •

As the former head of Israel's Counter-TeflOl­

lsm Bureau, Brigadier General Nurlel declared

that the lslamlc State might vertwell be in ns

• ••
death throes. but "the worst Is yet to come.' He

wained that the terror group could CarJYOUt a

-
chemlcal attack In the Middle East > An Israeli soldle, and similar bodies In the West. For a start, many of the technologies developed by Israel have
checks an Arab
"Western society must get used to the teer been put to use in the United States. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security hired Israeli
vehicle ln theap

that tenorlsmls part of OU1 Ufe." Nurlel sakl, proaches to Gau defense firm Elblt to build su,velUance towers for the Arlzona-Mexko border that are eQulpped

speaking to Israel's Ar!Trf Radio. with radar and cameras that detect human movement.

·we must get used to this. not In the sense Similarly, In bomb detection, which resulted In pioressors Ehl.Id Kelnan of the Techoon and Phl!ip

of Sining a,ound [and) waiting for the nelt Dawson of the ScrlPPS Research Institute In (alifornla Inventing a \25 explosJve testing device that

attack. and not In the sense of stopping (going) can detect miniscule traces of bomb-related substances by performing a qukk, oo-ue-scot chemi·

abroad or to uoc living, but In the sense of cal test. ThiSCOrTIPIICt, totally Innocuous terrortsm-flghtlng tOOI (It looks hke a pen) can be applied to

seeing who can iT1>rove the actions or processes a wide variety of fields. such as airport security and police activities.

that may help push back the next attack and The !fend goes further. Veont. an Amerk:an company with extensive operations In ISfael. has

make It an attack that will not claim large developed a video surveillance security system that Is being used at LaGuardla. JFK and Newar!(

numbers ol casualties." airports and the port of Beaum::int in Texas. The technology has been certified as an antl-te,rorism

rnere is no Question that the cercenreae technology by the Department of Homeland Security.

of israeus kHled by terrorism Is higher than In Addltk>nally, Ameriean obsefvers from FEMA and the National Guard often 11avel. to ISfael to

any other democracy.

Terrorism. In effect. has had a decisive

effect on Israeli elections and national

security decisions, but not on the ecooomy.

The reality Is that while rsaeu countener­

rorlsm has often been conducted without a

cohesive overall policy and has conflicted

with broader objectives, It has also greatly

undermined Israel's International standing.

Conver5ely, it hasmabled Israel to liven relative

seru,ty and thrM! and has l)«:Mded its leaders

with tte laotl.O? topn.ievarb.Js polk:ies i'd.J:q

l)&YJ'. show! they wish to do so.

THE BUSINESS OF PREVENTING

> Part ol the IOF's
TERROR ATTACKS
border control •
Obviously. other countries have taken notice strategy includes the

electronic Jenee at
and. as a cooseouence. today, there are st1ong
the right (Photo Al J

links between Israeli security establishments Venter)

• AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 ALLTHESEEVENTSSUGGESIAN

INCREASED LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION,

EXPENSE AND TRAINING ON TliE PARI OF

HOST/ ISLAMICGROUPS.

attacks are exceptional events. In democracies that have suffered domestk: terrorism for decades (such

as Ffance and Britain and. to some exteu Spain). the evolution of terrorism saliency ooes not only

depend on the frequency or Intensity of terrorist attacks.

Criado also maintains that the tactics carried out by terrorist sroups (partk:ular1y the type of W:·

tim) and the dynamics of political competition (espedally the ideolosyof the incumbent) are also

factors that explain the evolution of terrorism saliency.

Many of her concltJSlons have a direct bearing on the spread of terrorism In the United States and

are likely to be studied accordingly.

Always Imaginative and on the front foot. several Israeli organizations-well aware of the burgeon­

ing thteat of terror-have offered young Americans the opl'.)Of1unity to take a series of "close-up"

looks at terror and lhenatureof that threat In today's WOl'ld.

Birthright Israel Study Abroad, for Instance.offers a unlQue 12- to Iii-day journey, combining the fun

of a classic Birthright trip with outdoor classes worth three course credits. These trips. In pa1tnershlp

with theWCN"ld·1enowned International lnSlitute for Counter·TenOfiSm (ICT). provide a behind·

the-scenes look at the world of declslon·makers, as well as some of the people on the ground who

combat terror on a daily basis.

Students are taken "be·,-ond the classroom" In bids to understand the scope of terrofist attacks

launched In the U.S. ccst-secrerreeu attacks, the growing threat of the use of unconventional

weapons.as well as the spread of radical·lslamk: terrorism. Those Involved are taught how all these

� have 11anslormed the once-localized threat of tenorlsm into an International problem and

how policy makers are facing the challenge of balancing freedom and security. UG

< ApalrolUN. partlelpate in Israeli homeland security drills..

armored personnel
In January 2010. Isr
ael conducted a large·scale
carriers was used
to move the author bc-teewem drill sirn..ilatinB a !.mallpox out·
about In South
break caused by a tenorlst attack.
Lebanon.
Since then. FEMA and the Israeli National

Emergency Authority ha...e signed a formal

agreement to conduct more jOlnt tralninB drills

and exercises.

ACADEMIC APPROACH TO

COUNTERTERRORISM

An interesting sidelight ccres from Henar

Criado. an associate prole5sor of politleal

science at the Univer51ty(omplutense (Madrid,

Spain). Her main ,esearch Interests are In the

analvslsof terrorism and polltlcal behavior.

She has published much about these subjects

in Comparati'o'e Pol1tlca/ Studies, the Joumdl of

Conflict Resolullon. Political Studies. the Journal

of Peace R'Esea:rh and the European Joumdl of

Political Resea!Ch. among other jocrnels.

In one of them. she ana1yze5 the determinants

of terrorism saliency in public opinion.

As she maintains. It Is usually assumed that

after a terrorist attack. terrorism bec

omes

automatically salient. However. this assumption

iS only tne in those coootrieS In which terroriSt

 -
•
- - •

• - •

-
•
-
-
-
-
•
•
•
.
-
·
, •
' :..
:
-
.
--- � -

I>- . --
- . .
•
- -:.- • •

--
-
';;\: .
-
- � - ·-
• •

• ••
• • •
• • •••
• •
... :.
•

• •
 n the preparedness community, we

smve to avoid. 01 at least minimize.

ou, reliance on things we cerrt

conuol. Much of our gear recuires

only the mind. eye and hand of the

cceretcr lo use and maintain-as It should

be But some of our gear depends on

something often In short supply when an

emeraeocv arises: electricity.

Mlssloo·critlcal eQulpment. such as flash­

•
lights. Illuminated or holographle weecco

- - • • sights. night vision devices and communlca·

tlOns gear, requires electrklty In the form of

- •
• a-

- - -
batteries. Compounding mattes: tnerejs no

one-sne-ms-en solution, so i
t's llkely that

each device reQulres a different kind of battery

than the others, making Interchangeability

Impossible. To make use of these gadgets. we

are fo«:ed to stockpile several dlfferimt kinds

of batteries and hope we have enough of each

- - In reserve to make i
t through a prolonged crisis.

Almost every home has a drawer full of bat­

teries. neatly arranged by siz

e and Ofganlzed

with the oldest ones I

n the front ranks, re.ady

f
or use, while the freshest wait their turn at t
he

back. (Okay: maybe ttars pushing I

t a bit.)

More often than not, batteries ere haphaz­

ardly tossed I
n the drawer and allowed to

spill out of their packaging, resultlng l

n new

b atteries being di spersed amon g old. par­

ti ally depleted ce lls. When the tim e com es

or someone to ,eplace
f th e nearly d ead

batteri es I
n the fla shlight needed to contend

w ith yet another p ower outage. they find

the mselves sorting through mixed batterie s

of i
d ff erent capacities 01 diff erent chemistries

from multiple menuractwers.

The life of even the best battery cou d l be

severely shortened a s I
t lights against the

Internal resistance of a nearly exhausted o r

Incompatible companion. T hese marvelous.

li ttle power plants a re fr equently m isunder­

stood andorten abused: and . when neglected.

th ey can bleed out and d ie In side cur electro nic

d evice. ,endering I
t ... u seless.

n
I thi s attkte (part on eol two), w e w ill

shed so me light on the basics of ba tteries

a nd a mi you with information th at will

make mana ging that o verflowing ba ttery

drawer ea sier-and po ssibly save you some

money In the pro cess.

HOW DO BATTERIES WORK?

I
n the slmplest terms, a battery produces

electrical energy as a p1oduct of electrochem­

ical reactions that take ptace Inside It at the

positive and rK!gative electrodes through a

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE JI

--
 > R/lllt. K�plng batteries In their oril·
lnal packaslr11 ensures new batteries

don't get mixed with used. par!lally

dl$tharged cells

conductive chemical solution called an -etec •

trolvte." When a Circuit IS attached to the exte­

rior terminals. the metalllc eiecncoes undergo

a rectox (1eductlon·oxldatioo) reaction In which

one electrode Is reduced (ga!ns an electron):

simultaneously. the ether Is oxidized (gives up

an electron) t
o and through the elect,olyte In

the fOfm of Ions.

The metals (Of metallic compounds) that

form the electrodes determine the specific

voltage of the cell.

Fo, example. If one electrode Is zinc and

the other Is manganese dioxide. the mea­

sured terminal voltage ol a fully charged

cell is a bit over 1.5 volts (open circuit

voltage). This zinc-manganese dioxide

electrode combination Is commonly found

In the disposable batteries we use to power Nickel-Metal Hyo1lde (N1MH) cells. They are rechargeable batteries that can be substituted for

many of our portable devices. non-recha,geable batteries of the same Sile and to,m (such as the AA-or"doubte A" -batteries
< or the: sake
Btlow' F
In another example, II one elect/ode Is nickel of simplicity and so commoo In small electronic devices). If mme ene1gy (higher voltage) Is requked, multiple cells

effldency keep your

and the other IS cadmium (Of other metal are used togethe, In 5efies: tten lnd1vidual voltages add together to give a greater difference In
batteries In their
alloy), the cell voltage would be about 1.2 elec!llcal potential from one end ol the chain to the othe1.
ortatna• packaalna 1n
one locaUon so they're
volts (open circuit). These combinations are While there ere several electrode and electrolyte combinations. as well as many dif­
easy 1
0 nod and move

known as nickel-cadmium (NiCd Of NICad) Of wl.e., the: need arises. ferent battery sizes, shapes and voltage ratings. atl batteries fall Into one of two types:

prlma,y o, secondary.

PRIMARY (NON-RECHARGEABLE) BATTERIES

Primary batteries are single-use and are not rechargeable power sources. Immediately upon

thel1 construction. they ere capable of full power output al their specified voltage. As the battery

IS used. the electrode materials and electrolyte undergo chemical changes that are not easily

reversed by applicatioo ol an external current. meaning they cannot be recharged for raise.

Slngle-use batteries can last a loog time. p1ovided they are used I
n devices for which they are

Intended and are stored properly. Many small electronic devices have minimal cunent 1eciul1e­

ments. and the bauery seems to last forever. For Instance. wrist watches. television ,emote

controls and garage dOOI openers can ooeete for years on a single or a set ol small. inexpensive

batteries. Those same batteries might only last for a few hours In a hlgh·ootput flashUght.

Choosing a battery with a different chemistry can more than double Of triple the run time of the

device before changing benenes is necessary.

SECONDARY (RECHARGEABLE) BATTERIES

Secondary batteries are rechar§edble and can be reused many times eve. The manufactu,lng

process IS complex. and the materials are cost11e,. compared 10 those I

n most primary batteries.

However, because they can be reused, they are usually much more economical than a compa­

rable l)llmary battery. Secondary batteries often reqclre charging eetcre being placed !n use or

after (and sometimes, during) an extended time In storage.

Rechargeable batteries can have vastly different lifespans 01 number of cha1ge/d1scharge cycles

based on the chemistry and Intended use of the battery; the environment du,Jng use and storage:

and the charge/discharge conditions.

For example. a lead·acld starting bane1y In an automobile Is designed t

o p1ovide a brier high

current to start the engine and then be Qulckty recharged by the alternator as the engine runs.

Although the battery IS capable of thlS high output fOf brier cencos. leaving the headlights on

can d1aln the battery in a relatively short time. Short-distance driving. when the engine is shut

D AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
MUCH OF OUR GEAR REQUIRES ONLY THE

MIND, EYE AND HAND OF THE OPERATOR

USE AND MAINTAIN-AS IT SHOULD BE. BUT

SOME OF OUR GEAR DEPENDS ON SOME·

THINGOFIENINSHORI SUPPLY WHEN AN

II- C' 'ARISE ELFCTR!C TY.

c
';
'
-
c

"
'
' . $

••

•i I �
i·,. I"
• I"
•

< All these AA·sltebanenes wUI lit Into the same device. but mlxln,dlllerent baoery chemis·
tries or tell capaelUes can result In early battery death

off and 1estaned frequently, can often prevent the batte1y from being fully charged. In both

Instances (deep discharge or incomplete recharging). the lifespan of the battery could be drasll­

cally shoftenecl. A common tralt in many rechargeable tenenes ls self-discharge. Some can lose

a considerable amount ol powei- In stceae: and. if they are allowed to go low enough. they m1sht

not take a charge again.

PERFORMANCE ISSUES

Batteries "like" operating teml)efatures In about the same range as we humans do. with

terroeretures In the 70s (Fl being the sweet spot. Just as we sleep better when the room is a bit

cooler. most batteries store best at lowet temoereunes, somewhere in the mid-40s (F).

Both types of batteries perform best during use and store tongest In a cool, dry environment.

Excessive heat can sho1ten the life of the battery due to acceteeted chemical reactions Inside.

< A 9 volt batterv gelS its power from six AAAA ceus ccntamed within.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE D

--
 rerceetcres too low cause !he ballefY t
o be
> RJiht Ulhium
batteries are made lor sluggish when power IS demanded, and output

devices demandlnc
will drop accOfdlngly (but the battery will
high current
return to normal once I
t warms up). Extreme

cold can cause the etectrolyte t

o freeze. which
> Below There are

lour t.s-ven cells can cause internal cell damage Of rupture of

connected ln series
the battery housing or case.
Inside this 6·volt
lantern battery From The freezing point of the electJolyte IS

lelt 10 right. th ls
dependent upon a coople of lac tots, but
croup ol AA batteries
Includes a ·ceneral fully charged batteries can withstand much

purpose· utne-cer­
colder temperatures than those that are
bon). a •super heavy

du1y· Cz1nc·chlondel partially or fully dlscha1ged. Fol Instance, a

and the longer·l.utln,.

deep·cycle lead·acld battery. such as those
higher output alkaline

version. used i
n recreational vehicles and boats, can

RAY(l)VAC < This zinc>earbon

Ml ) £ ! ( drY cell ccnststs ol

a zinc outer shell.

powdered manaa·
6V nese dioxide and

BATTERY an Inert carbon

I
l;INC-(:O Qf !)40 rod. There Is just

enough ammonium
chloride electrolyte

to moisten lhelns1de

•
ol theceu .

M AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 < F'arltfl Automotive

stanln, and RVfma·

rtne deep·cycle batter·

ies last lon,!St when

they are fully charged.

Storing lead acid

balterles lore ..tended

perlodsol llme In a

parUaJtycharged Slate

can shorten their Ille

span considerably

> Near left Potas

stum carbonate.
formed by the

hydroxide sotuuen
- leaking from an alka

line banery (Photo

by Tll.reuo. WLklme­

dla Commons)

\ �

wlthsland temperatures as low as -90 degrees

(F) without fea, of the sulfuric acid electrolyte

fleezlng ii the battery Is at a 100 ceceru state

of charge (SoC). That same battery with 40

percent SoC iS safe to about -16 degrees (F).

but at 20 percent So(, It Is StJb]ect to fleezlng

at +19 degrees (F). During the winter months.

I
t Is very Important to keep lead-acid batteries

that are In storage fully cha1ged to reduce the

risk of freeze damage.

OPTIMAL STORAGE
> R/zhl E..pased

battery terminals
Storage of dry-cell batteries Is best done
can po1e a tt.azard
In their 01lginal packaging. This will ensure
when uslna con

duclive metal tools

their te,mlnals will not come In contact with
nearby In storage.
one anothe1 and that when taking them out covert he topol the

battery to protect
of storage to use. all batteries will be at the
It against obJec;ts
same charge level. Keep them cool and dry
that mi,:ht come

In contact with the

to achieve the longest life. Storing thern at
terminals
room temperature Is fine. but many people

prefer to keep them Inside their refrigera­ or thick plas!IC-ITlOle out of habit than anything else.

tors. They also keep the batteries In their

packaging while they warm up to reduce the SHOCK HAZARDS

Ukel!hood of causing condensation Issues Always keep In mind that batteries. even at a low state of charge. can be hazardous If anything

Inside the device they are to be placed. Do conductive short-circuits thel1 terminals. Large, lead-acid batteries can turn a crescent wrerch

not store them In the freezer! red-hot In a matter of secoods If It falls across the positive and negative termlnats. The wrench

Largei batteries. such as automotive or can even become welded to the teiminals immediately as sparks fly upon contact. making it dtf­

deep-cycle RV batteries. should be stored In licult ot impossible to remove. Even small benees can l){OYide scrcuses {a good f1lend swapped

a cool environment, taking cere to protect out a lithium battery and put the weak cell In his pants pocket. The balle,y terminals became

the terminals or posts against contact with shorted by loose change in his pocket. and he received a rather nasty burn from the Incident!).

conductive matenars. (O\lerlng with a piece of

plastic sheeting or a cardboard box Is usually OTHER BATTERY DANGERS

suffKlent to protect the battery. but make Batteries contain caustic or ccncsive substances that can pose health 1lsks or damage

sure not to set any heavy objects on top of materials they come In contact with If they leak out of the cell. Batteries can rupture and

the stoeo batteiv. teak for severer reasons. Including mixing ballerles of different chemistry or capacity In the

rnee used to be a concern about stOfing same device. attempting to cha,ge a non-,echargeable batters. imp,oper sto,age. disposal.

an automotive or RV batterydlrectly on a overheating or freezing.

concrete floor. but Improvements In battery A hst of warnings Is printed on the battery or Its packaging. Heed these warnings. and your

construction and case matenats have reduced batteiv should safely Uve up to Its specifications.

the possibility of the cells discharging through In the second Installment of our two-part battery guide. wewlll take a ceece look at batteries

the bottom of the battery. That said. I still corrvnonly used WI our eveiyday gear and some of OU1 roore-speclalized devices •.. and we'tl put that

place any stcee batte,y on a piece of plywood "bunny" up against thecoppe, WI a reat-worid test to see which one actually lasts the longest. A5G

- AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
GIVEN THE CHOICE TO BE PREPARED OR UNPREPARED,

WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

••

0
•
• •
0

( )

0
 '

•
• •

•
'

- AIISUC.ANSURVIVALGUIDI! [JANUARY2019)
••

LEADING THE MODERN BUSHCRAFT MOVEMENT

WITH UPDATED TRADITIONAL GEAR
BY REUBEN 90UEU

•• berleben" -German: to survive and the company. Aftel' that, the quaLity rrere­

or 10 ootlast. rials and manufacturing spoke for themselves.

Established in March 2016, OUt of the box, the products were handsomely

Oberleben Is a retatlvely new packaged with reusable plastic bags that teanxe

company with strong roots In a stuMing fon!st photo printed on them

the outdoors. Since I first notk:ed this company

on the scene, I got the lmpr�n of 1obost THE PRODUCTS

and reliable gear that can endure the harshest The Kuksa Cup was not packaged In the same

conditions-and deliver! plastic. It featured a leather thong, a ca,abiner

I first saw Oberleben up close and cescnet and was made of a type of oak.1athe1 than the

when a fellow writer I

n my neck of the woods tladltlonal Scandinavian birch. In addition, i
t

showed me his Oberteben ferrocerium rod and was machined. rather than hand carved. The

stove. When I uled oot the rerro rod, I became oak grain was very attractive and wi1l acQulre

even more curious. a nice patina. I would think there would be

I contacted Oberleben co-founder nm Garcia less cracking or swelling with me hardwood

and got a brief background about the pnx:luc:ts oak than with birch. but i
t depends on ycur

[ASGMAG.COM] AMIAICAN SURVIVAL GUIDI.

 < Far k(L The lerro rod striker Is a

mulU lunctlonal Item that Is one al the

besi strlkets. n can also open bottled

beverages with ease.

< Ltfl Theeanvas pouch that comes with

lhe stove Isa ,ood Under pouch It can also

be treated to be more water repellant.

environment and the treatment applied to the wood. This being said, by machining these

cups, Oberleben achieves consistency ac,oss the boa,d.

-
The five-panel. steel-construction stove was weighty, but solid. There wee no sharp edges to

be ccrcenec with. and It came with a canvas POUCh that will help keep the lnSlde of YoUf back- -9c--
pack clean when soot starts accumulating on stoves and cook pots. \ eO
The fenocerlum rods feature S�nft-kon. which Is the company·s p,op(etary tenc form� e{
blend that It also designed. Manufacturing ls split between the United Sta�s and Asia(} e

I set out to my personal camp to use these three products, which do work well together as a "

bushcraft kitchen setup. The stove, reno rco and kuksa all worked In unlsoo fDf a coni table.

cozy woods experience-which IS what I always want when going Into the woods!

Z0NDEN FIRE STARTER

ave, the past 20 yea,s. I have used Just about �ery type of ferrocerlum rod (fl1e steel) on the

planet. In my opinion. It comes down to "Simple IS better." The lewei the moving parts on a�

piece or outdoors gear, the better off it will be.

In spite of the myriad tube gadgets, spring-loaded, made-to-fall strikers, multl-sc1ew-on bit

and the other glmmkky varieties on the ma1ke1. Oberleben went back to the basics. Its slmple

feuo too IS encased In a sizeable piece of wood fOf a good grip-not a two-finger, pinch type tha

seems to be all too coovnon. The ZOnden rerc 1od has a larger-than-usual wood handle that Is

easily modified to fit in the fire steel loop of a sheath Of possibles pouch: not to mention, It could

be stained and rinished to match you, other gear. whether axe or kn Ire handles Of a knife sheath.

The heart of the ferro rod Is the thick, 318-lflch rod, whkh Is plenty thick IOI' tong-tem use.

The stliker Is billed as a six-function multi-tool. It features measurements In mltllmeters. has a

cap lifter fOf bottled d1lnks (which also doubles as some sot of HEX key), a rounded. serrated rod

and tinder scraper bit. a map scale and a sharp spine scraper. Bottom line: It opens bottles and

scrapes both tinder from fatwood or soft popla.1 In addition to striking a ferro rod.

I will go on record here and say that the Obe,leben striker Is the best ferro rod strike, I have

come across to date I ever, use it on my othe1 ferro rods fOf the consistency I've come to expect

< Once lanlted. the SIOker Flatpack

Stoveslove can be loaded from the top to

PIECEOFM<IOFOR A GOOD GRIP MJI A TWO­
help establish heat end coats tor cooking
FINCER,PINCHTYPETHATSEEMSTOBEALL li)I)
a.nd bolllng water Once the sticks bum
down. the pot can be rested on lhe support
COMMON.
pteces.

N AMIRtcANSUAVIVALGUlot: [JANUARY2019J
It just throws a better shower-every time. Over the yea,s, I have seen decent to less-than-Ideal

tenc rods that excel with a good striker. This i

s a prime example of that because I
t made my

other. cheal)l'I feno rods th1ow big sparks.

In the Eastern woodlands. humidity I

s high during the summer. Natural tinder. such as popla1

bark and river birch. react differently when trying to get a fire started than I
n late fall and winter.

A subpa, teec rod lust won't cut It. The ZOnclen teec rod I
s somewhl'fe between a ha1d Swedish

light My Fire ferro 1od and a soft rod.

With a solte, rerc rod. the thumb-on-thumb technlqce I

s not possible I
n the same way as

with harder renc roes. I found I could both showl!I sparks and execute the thumb-on-thumb

technlQue with the ZOnden. I used I

t on natural tinder. as mentioned. and �mple wood shavings

QAI(} A ULLB I UID

WITHA CARABINERAND/ F4THERLANYAR010

ATTACHTOVOURl'ltlCKORTOCARR

TRADmONAU.YONA BF/T.

< The packa,tna

from Oberleben

IS second to none

Products are Ind!

vklually sealed Ln

II reusablefstora,e

:dplock b.1g.

< Two th1eknef.SN

ot ferro rods from

Oberleben are seen

here-the ProJ.'8

Inch and lhe 10..,.,r

� lnch·dlame1er

version called the

Fatty The compa

ny ts proud of Its

5.'lnft kOn which ts

15 proprietary lerro
1

rormula bh·nd that 11

also destaned
 SINCEIF/llSI NOIICEII

[0F<ERI EBFIVJONTHE

SCENE,1001 THE/�

PRESSIONOf,ROBUSI

TIONS-ANDOO IVERi

; •

> The 01>er1e1>en known as "fuzz stkks." Soft wood has a emulate the wood·burnlfl8 portable stoves that were available at the time. catted ·1wi3" Of "bio"

StOkf'!' Flatpack very low ignition temperature compared to stoves, I made mine from a large coffee can and used minimal tools.
Stove and oak

Durst..n kuksacup hardwood. The amount of heat put out by the After using this stove. I started to understand the concept a little better. Less fuel focused In a

�c!::;' ZOnden Is said to be 5.500 degrees (F), which smaller area means more-efficient time and fuet management. I also understood how much of

l
s powe rful e nough to Ignite se tter wood soch the natural resources I was saving. because these stove types often use twigs and branches as

as yucca, pine, poplar, willow, spruce, hemlock their main fuel. Compare that 10 the larger amount of wood needed with an open fire to burn

and cedar. This task seemed to be no problem down to coals-before even attempting to start cooking. Alie, a few of my own self-devised blo

fm the ZOnden, whkh is aptly teamed up with stoves. I decided to try an actual manulartured bio stove from Obertebefl.

the strike, for some fierce sparks. The Stoker Flat pack Stove Is not light. At 14.S ounces (including its canvas storage pouch). II

Is made with HO 4 stainless steel.

30 w hich Is strona. l
llex ble and very co,roslon resistant. I used

STOKER FLATPACK STOVE i

i outdoors for a mon th straight without ever bringing It ba ck from my sem -pe i rmanent camp

Artl!f deca des of coo king ove n open

a fire dUflng the mos t humid, 1ainv time of the vear In the Ea s1e1n woodla nds.

wherever possi ble, I lly caved In about two

fina The five-panel design slips and locks Into place without too much fuss. It loads fuel from the

years ag o and made myself a hobo stove to front via a targe. round port. In a i i
trad t ona l fire-making style. ith the tinder
w al the bott om

see what all t he craze was about. Try

ing,t o__,-c
• od
= k o
1 d
n
llg and fuel on top, this seems the obvious choice. due to the ase
e f Igniting
o the
0 00

D AfT&!tJC.ANSURVIVALGUIDm [JANUARY2019)
 < BeloW' The O!Je.rleben StOket' F'blpaek Stove
tinder Howeve,, It could also be used with the fuel (larger pieces) at ue bottom and kindling
has ftve panels that slide logelhl!r and donl
above. with the tinder at the very top. This Is commonly known as an ·upside-down fire: have any sharp comers 10 be womed abool

The canvas ba,: doubles as a hre preparation

Smallish blo stoves seern better suit@d for a mete t1adltlonal 111@-making technlQUl' due to
plaUorm and Undel"bag.
their enclosed designs. using the hot rising air. because fire natu1aUy will use up whenever

given the avenue to do so.

Once the stove Is lit. It can be stuffed with long!!!' sticks and wood splits that extend up be',ffld the

top of the stove to buln down and start to establish hot coats, This only takes a matter of minutes,

and the stove will soon be ready to place a pot on top. I was using the stove In conjunction with a

Burtonsvlll@ cooking rig, having the kettle hanging over the stwe. with a high@! flarTll' flom tne

sticks protruding out from It. It made for a higher. hotter flame, which was perfect for my setup,

because I could adJvst the height of the kettle over the stove.

A simple pot supporter for smaller-diameter cook cans/pots Is provided with the stove. It Is

Just a couple of steel strtos In the shape of an "X" that seat well Into the stove. These strtos

supp()!! smaller cooking containe,s Of balance a la1ge1-diameter frying pan. Howeve,. t only

used It once and dl'Clded to enher hang my cookln!l ltems over the flame Of place them dlrl'Ctly

on top of the stove.

I emulated tne photos I saw on the Obertebl'rl website and used a flat rock to cook on top of. I got

the stove nice and hot with coals and continued heating the flat ,ock slowly to avoid uacklng It. I

placed a few drops of olive oil on the rock to see if it would be balanced and stable. I then cooked an

•• • I
E

A /ISIICB4GS1HAT

> Far rt,hl Mlmlcldna; what the author

saw on the company); website. he

cooked using a l\al rock as a frying pen

to milke some Ush and vegles.
 •
•
•

1'·

< The Oberleben Stoker flatpack Stove can be lak1 back and Ill with a ferro r
od and then stood
uprtght to add klndllnsand then luel. Tileauthor used this method with wood shavlnpas

klndllna, which was loaded Into the stove wtth the p0plar bark.

egg right on too of I

t It made all the expected Sizzling sounds!

Throughout the month, 1 llled fish and vegetables on the flat 1ock over the stove. I also made

a mush,oom, onion and cheese omelet In a small cook POI. The stove bolled gallons of water for

coffee, stews and soups with a fraction of the fuel I would have used lo, an open fire.

The hidden gem ol the stove Is Its !lat canvas pouch. It Is not treated with oil or wax bot

could be If you needed It. I did not. How�r. I did use It as SOOf1 as I got t
o camp. I grabbed the

pouch and filled It with poplar/bi,ch ba1k and kept It stuffed with wood shavings for the next

lire I would make. While handling hot stuff. It makes to, a Quick oven rritt 01 a hand PfOtector

when It's time to empty the hot coals. It really rounds ou1 the product and makes f
t more than

multl·functlonal in any camp.

< Far left Tinder and

klndlln, are ready

to be loaded Into the

stove The u.nvas

pouch makes 11000

surlace lo catch
shavings and small
kb1dUn,..

> Nearleft While

wing • more con·

venUonat cook in&

container. !he author
made an omelet

with mushrooms.
1reen onions. cheese

and three e&P And

when a Ure Is down
to coals. i
i makes a

aood place to stm·

mer and keep pots

warm.
 -1FRIEDFISIIANDlrEGEl:4BtESONTHERAT1cOCKOVERTHESTOVE.IA/ SO

MADIEAMtlSIIROOM,ONiONANDCH,

THEsrotfEBOI/EDG4//tlWSOFWA1ERfORCOffEf;SteWSANDSOUPS

WITHAi IIA( IIONOFTH RJELIWOULDHAVEUSEDfORANOPENFIRE.

< A musl have tno·

DURSTEN KUKSA CUP whkh kuksa cups were carried right on a bell via some sort of cotd. They we,e kept handy for stove. rerrocetlum tod
;,ind kuksa cup lrom
Having spent the last three summers In dunking Into communal pots ol soups or coffee. At 5 ounces. it Isn't light, but knowing that you
Oberleben

Scandinavia. I am a kuksa fan. My first kuksa won't btKn your Ups while sipping a hot cup of brew Of soup definitely outweighs the weight.

was handmade and from a marketplace In

Finland. It was beautifully crafted of birch 0SERLEBEN QUALITY

wood, but i
t was small It held about 5 to 6 This company's stellar packaging and quality manufacturing help set Its products ecen: In

ounces-not quite enough for a cup of coffee addition. they put a modern spin on lime-tested bushcraft gear.

01 mlso soup. The Oberteben Dursten Kuksa Oberleben also makes a kettle with a hardwood lid-grab and a fold-down, hanger-style

(made from oak) holds a tun B fluid oonces. handle wrapped In 550 paracord. I can Imagine many different ways to use lhts kettle over a

It comes with a carablner and leather lanya1d stove and open flame.

to attach to your pack or to carry tradltlonatly Tim Garcia Is not stopping there-Oberleben has more products In the works. This company

on a belt. has a b1lght future. I am eage11y looking fo1wa1d to Its new products to see what else Tim

I have seen oldei diagrams and photos In comes up with. ASG

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDI

 CHRISTOPHER
NVERGES:

MORE THAN
40VEARSOF
LEADERSHIP IN
SELF-RELIANCE
EDUCATION
TEXT BY CANA BENNER

PHOTOS BY CHRISTOl'I IER NYElif>ES

hen one thinks of the

top survlval/seU-,ell­

ance experts out there.

Christopher Nyefges

has got to be at the top

of the list.

I first became acQualnted with Christophe(

back when he was the editOf of Amerl<an

SUrvival Guide (see thesideba1 on page 40).

Until then. I was only awa,e of him through

his writings, 'Nhk:h appeared then-and stitl

do-in many different pubtie.ations. Afte, that.

Chflstopher became my friend and mentOf, and

1 found that this man IS muc:h more In tune with

the wortd around us and deeper, es a pef50fl,

than many people I have met along my path.

For Christopher. "survival" is a state of

mind. something that dea1ly come5 out in

his writings. He not onty talks the talk. but he

also walks the walk. When It comes to plant

Identification. both edible and medicinal. I

have met nobody who knows as rooch, and

he Is eager to share that knowledge with his

students and reeoee.

When did all of this start. and what

drew him into this world of self-reliance?

Christophe, answered these and many other

Questions: and, as you read our exclusive

«neview with him. you will find Ihat his

answers are Quite p1ofound.

A TRADITION OF SHARING

Christophe,'s Interest In this way of life began

VI the early 1970s-long before survival, see-re­

hance or even recycling became fashionable.

There were no cell phones or GPS units, and

writing lo, books and magazines was done on

a typewriter. It was people such asCtvistopher

who paved the way for all of us as they faced

and overcame many roadblocks. both f1riancla!

and cultlll'al. along the way. (You can read

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE 17

--
 about ttiose early days In ChristoPhef's book. > Students of all

a,es are$hown that

Squatrer In Los Angeles: LMng on the Edge.)
wild edibles are all

In 1974. Christopher and his late wife. bcces, around us.

steneo the School of Self·Rellance In the Los

Angeles area of Southefn California. Since then,

rTlOfe than 30.000 people. rrom young children

through Older adults. have taken at least one

of his nuffiefous classes or have participated In

the outings offefed by the school.

As If that weren't enough. Christopher has

authOfed more than 20 books. There are two

rTlOfe In the works at the time of this wrltins

(see the Sidebar on page 42). He has written

thousands of articles. has been featured on

local television broadcasts and Is cu11ently a

consultant for the television prog,am. Ndked

and Afraid. With such a busy schedule. I consid­

ered I
t an honor that he was able to take the The followins ls taken from the mission staten-.ent of the School of Self-Reliance: 1 believe It says a

time to answer my Questions. great deal about Christopher:

·we. have found that most people are more in touch with their true irlnef strength when they actually

SIMPLICITY IS KEY !earn practical sic.Ills that enhance their day-to-day life."

Communicating with ChrtstQPhef. even via In other words. being sell-reliant and lea,nlng survival sic.Ills ISn't Just about having the bigsest

e·mail, ls almost a Zen·Uke experience. His > Chrl.st0pher.an knife. It Is about the common slc.llls we all need to re-learn. and It Is these skills that Christopher has
expert on wild
responses to QuestlOns are well thought out committed his life to teaching.
edible plants, shows

and often geneiate more Questions than they students how to Building on that statement, my first Question toClvistopherwas. "In this world of the 1atest and
remove the spLnes
answei-. Christopher makes you think-the ma,k the greatest.' how do you stay focused on the aceu vou have set !Of yoorsell?"
trom a prickly pear

ol a great teachel'. cectus. His response was. "My goal has less to do with sur.1vvlg a catastrophe and more to do with SUfVMng

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 < Le/I Teaching a student the

proper way ol weavJna a tlsh

trap. Thts skill t

s also useful for

making clothing. baskets and a

host ol dlllerent userul Items.

TFOCUSON

STUFF. FOCUS ON

LEARNING THE

SKILLS. DON'T GET

YOUR SURVIVAL

AND PREPPING

EDUCATION FROM

TVSHOWS. MOST

TVSHOWS ARE

ENTERTAINMENT

FIRSI AND

EDUCATION

SECOND.''

> Near n,}lr Nyeraes

morally, ethically, stilrltually. physlc:a!ly and 5hQws just some
ol the wlld edible
financially in an era when I believe we are wit­
plants that can be

nessing the slow decline of at least thiS ascect found In the area.

ol Western cMllzatlon. My goal Is to make dally

choices that allow me to lr.-e a meaningful life

each day, without a locus on fear or worry."

By lMng such a life. ChriStopher IS always

cecereo for any su,vival situation that might

arlSe. Hedoesn"t live lor the "what-Ifs" and the

fears that accompany them. If you think about

It. thii Is a great way togo th1ough life.

Chrlstopher"s interest In seu-reueoce. the

> Far rizhl Nyeraes
environment and our place In It has been a with poison hem·

lock. It ts Just as
llfelong pu1suit. He spent the early 1970s living
ln1portant lo learn

close to the land, lea,nlng from those a1ound what can hurt you

as I
t l
s t
o learn what
him. teaching classes about the outdoors and
you can eat

writing newspaper a1tlc:les. He SQuatted In

an abandoned home in the �Us of Southern

CaHfornia and worked ockl jobs to make ends

meet. He recycled and repurl)()Sed everything

long before It became "the thing to do."

He started his writing career the same way

most of us did-by writing columns for local

newspapers about the subjects he felt passion­

ate about. often for little or no money. Ft.lMy;

these are the same things he writes about

today: living Ille, Living simply and sharing the

knowledge he has amassed.

SUBSTANCE OVER STUFF > Righi Chnstopher

shares some or
I asked ChriStopher whal he thought the main
his voluminous

Issue was ,egardlng "SUMving." knowledge and

experience with a
"Most people with the latest gadget and the
class held 1
n South·

biggest knife and the thing you must have to ern California.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE N

--
 ) Right. Oll1S· survive ere lust trying to make a bock; ChrlS-
topher shares
topher said. "Don't focus on stuff. Focus on

=•""""
In a near
clMC learning the skills. Don't get your survtval and
a stream. Aside
prepping education fTom TV shows. Most TV
from explaining

how to hollow out st1oM are entetelrurent first and education

a piece ol wood.
secood" He went on to say. "Everyone should
he teaches the

class that where constantly stay alert to the 'big picture· and
there Is water.
make 1hei1 own plans based on local and per·
there Is lood ol
some kind. sorat needs. live frugally and Include othels in

your plans. Make your circle bigger. Gtow food

I

and be sell-reliant."

I prodded Christophel' a little m<lfe about this

"""·
This was his reseoose: "The biggest issue fac-

Ing everyone Is that we seem to be In denial of

certain fundamental Issues that are getting us

all in deeper. Overpopulation is one. and that

> Below- Chris
drives a\l the others and pits people against
topher Instructs

students on what people. In many areas, water is a 5el'ious Issue,

matenals to look
as iS the h1&h cost of housing. So-called 'cec-

!or and how to

make-Wild"soap. ces' need to face reality and llve their lives

·-SURVIVALISNOTABOUTTH AMOU T

OF STUFF YOU HAVE. IT IS ABOUT HOW YOU

USE YOUR SKILLS TO INTERACT WITH THE

ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOU, INCLUDING

ANY HUMANS YOU MIGHTENCOU TER.

40 AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 as an example wherever they live, city or < Ltfl some ol
thebookswrltten
,ural Teach your neighbors how to be pan by Christopher

of the solution: Nyerges CPholo

Dana Benner)
Whether you are a writer or a teecner.

there are many skills we often take 101

granted. I asked Ch1lstopher what concept

he has found that students seem to have

the most dirficulty grasping.

"Assume nott.ng. There are no 'simple tasks."

Christopher explained. ·11 Is simple i

f you know

how to do it: complicated when you do not.

Modern technology Is being relied upon too

much. People are dOlng less. thinking less and

assuming more. When teaching or writing.

always begin flam step one and go from there·

CHRISTOPHER'S GO·TO GEAR

Knowing Chllstopher Is not a "stutt" kind of

guy, I asked him to list five to 10 items that

people should have.

''EVERYONESH LDCONSTANTLYSTAYALERTT' THE BIGPICTURE

AND MAKE THEIR OWN PLANS BASED ON LOCAL AND PERSONAL

NEEDS. LIVE FRUGALLY AND INCLUDE OTHERS IN YOUR PLANS. MAKE

YOUR CIRCLE BIGGER GROW FOOD AND BE SELF-RELIANT.''

< Le/I Some or

the Hems Chris·

topher recom
mends everyone
should have with
them CPhotO'
Dana Benner)

[ASGMAG.COM] AME.RICANSURVIVALGUIDE 41

--
 According to Chrlstophef, "The gear that each Individual carries ls a ve,y pe,sonal serecuen the environment around you, lndudlng any

based on the person's needs. skills and the circumstances. but here are some thlnas that rou humans you might encounter.

will al wan reeo.' We need to stop thinking about ·me· and

I. wate conta!ne, and cup (prefe,ably stainless steel) start thinking about ·we: because we are not

2. Wate, purifier alone In this "boat": and. clespiteou1 plans. we

3. A few knives (one should be a Swiss Army knife Of a rrultl·tool} could be the ones who need help someday. ASG

I+. Fire starters (butane llghte,s and a magnesium fire starte,)

5. Kefchief (multiple uses)

6. Toilet paper

7. First aid kit

a.Cordage

9. A linle money

10 Small flashUght

In the case of a natural disaster or 01he1 emergency (for him that would be mainly earth­

Quakes and forest fires), he suggests having at least two weeks of lood and water on hand

(morels better).

BUSY PURSUING HIS GOALS

As previously mentioned, Christophe, Is a Vf!fY busy person. Besides teaching a variety ol courses

at the School of Sell-Reliance. he iS WOl'king on books about fire-starting and navigation. He

consults for National Geosraphk and lo, the television program. Ndkedand AfrakJ. In addition, he Is

conllnually writing artlc.les fo, a variety of publications-Including Amerfcan Survival Guide-about

different aspects ol st.lfvival. Christopher also donates time to nonprofits, doing such things as

re-planting native ptantsand gMng talks on self-reliant lMng rn an urban environment.

Christopher is an llte,esting man. to say the least and Is someone I am proud to consider my friend.

He willingly shares hiS deep wealth ot knowledge, obtained from years of living a Ute that 1nJy focuses

on self-reliance. This honesty and authenticity are e\ident In the artkles he contributes to American

..ride and othef outlels.

Sumval C,,

One vital concept I have learned from my association with Ch1lstophe1 Is that survival is

not about the amount of stuff you have. It ls about how you use vour skills to Interact with

< Sludents who

butn bows during

one of Chrislo
pher's classes have

them lnspe.:::te<i

and ,et construe·

llve feedback

G AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 ?
•

MEDICAL KITS by DOOM AND BLOOM

will keep you and your fa · y safer

in ANY disaster I
I

•••
" IJJJ '<-
• •
,. .....
,

\\ INNElf

l)oon1 and Bloon1 i\ledieal an,1 Allon Fi1'Sl Ai,1 a,-e

owned an,I operale1l l1y A111y Allon, a Nu1'SC

llr!.ignetl and

lland Pat'l..ed
Praclilioner and Joe Allon, a i\ledical Doelor.
•
..

•
-
 ,.

uliO Toruno I
s Intimately Involved with knlvts every day. But he's not a survival­ < AOOve· Krul
e sharp­ LIFETIME CONNECTION TO
ener Julio Toruno
ist. a knife collecto, or a cuuers dea!e1. He doesn't live In a remote compound, KNIVES
can ol'ten be found

and he's never heard of all the TV survival show ectors. He has no interest In workina 11toutcloor His Intellectual lineage comes not from

markets In the Los

Alone. Naked and Afraid or SurvlVOt. Toruno Is a Quiet man who's found his peace the "big knife" enthusiasts such as "Rambo."
AngE"lesarea

through the ancient art of knife-sharpening. but from the culina1y world. where a sharp

He's a peripatetic knife sharpener: "have stone. wlll sharpen" seems to be his motto. He regu­ < BefowTorunols knife Is a mlnute-bv-rnmute necessity.

busy at wor1i: rest

ortn,:
larty sets up shop from the back of his truck at fa,mers markets and other SoYthern California Most of the methods Toruno utilizes come
theedaeonacustom·

veoues and sharpens scissors, knives and any edged tools his customers and followers brlng. er'sknlle from the long Japanese tradition of

knife-making and sharpening.

Toruno worked as a cook I

n a private school

and also as a prep cook l

n a restaurant.

Because of his wo1k I

n the culinary field. he

knew a sharp knife was a necessity in getting

the Job done.

Additionally, his father had a wood shop

In Nlca,agua. He made chairs. lu1nltu1e and

anything wood that the customer wanted.

Toruno saw that his father had to have

sne.c knives and toots to convert rough

wood Into finished products.

For the last four years, Toruno has driven to

various locations whe,e people mingle. He

sets up shop and piact Ices his eeoe.

IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

When I 1ecently approached him (while he

was sharpening a large kitchen knife), I could

·- see he was very focused. I didn't know at the

69 AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 < l.e/L The Tormek

weter-oooled

sharpenlna: system.

Toruno used this ma

chin.ea lot when he

bepn his business

and still uses ii today

•
••• ..
....

< Bel
ow- Julio Toruno

Is shown Wllh a COid

SI eel Bushman he )Wt

llnlshed sharpening.

JULIO TORUNO IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED

WITH KNIVES EVERY DAY. BUT HE'S NOT A

SURVIVALIST, A KNIFE COLLEC IOROR A

UTLERY DEALER.

time that he was counting his strokes. His concentration was completely on each stroke of the

knife on his whetstone. I watched him evenly stroke the knife back and forth and occasionally

p(.11 some watet onto the stone. His strokes were consistent and @ven, like a metronome. I

waited until he finished-after he wiped the knife clean and set It to the side-before I began

to ask questions.

Toruno showed me his Tormek machine. a water-cooled sharpening system he uses mostly

for scissOl's. "That's the best on the menet," he told me. "and when I began mv business. I

used It a lot." He still uses it for sharpening scisso,s, but most of the lime when sha,pening

knives these days, he uses flat Japanese water stones. His usual l)(OCedure is to take each knife

through a similar precess using five different grits of stone.

Toruno custom-built a mount for his stones. It Is a vice that lits Into a rectangular stainless

steel pan and stays there via friction. With a Quick-release spring. he can change out each

stone as necessary when he does the sharpening. The pan is filled with water, because the

water he continually adds to the stones drips right Into the pan. making this a very neat and

portable system.

I gave Toruno one of my carbon-steel sheath knives so I could watch the process from start to

finish. He mounted the coarsest whetstone (It had a grit ol 120. The smaller the number, the

coarser the gilt of the stone) onto his vice. He explalned that he would first examine my knife

to see how many strokes It needed and to see If there were any particularly bad spots on the

edge. He decided to take my little Russell skinning knife through his five stages of sharpening.

He placed the knife onto the stone. matching the angle of the coning edge to the stone. He

then gave It about 70 even strokes.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE 47

--
 "The number of strokes changes as I move

from stone to stone and depending on the

knife." tonne explained. "The lurthei along

In the precess. the less strokes I use: bot on

average, It's about 160 sliokes total per side.

from the coarse to the fine stone. I apply

cressure In the lo,ward and backward motion,

lust like Japanese knife snarcenes do."

He used to apply pressure In only one

direction but found that the Japanese way

Is more efficient.

When he was done with the 120-gril stone. he

moved to stones of finer grit. He proceeded to

stroke my knife with a 220-grlt stone. then 320

and 1.000. Finally, the finest work was done

on an 8.000-grlt stone.

He doesn't concern himself with the degree

of angle of the knife. pe, se: he simply matches

MOST OF THE

METHODS

TORUNO UTILIZES

COME F-ROM THE

LONG JAPANESE

TRADITION OF

KNIFE-MAKING AND

• SHARPENING.

> Far; r11hr One o!

the Jteys to Toru
no's effectiveness

1$ that he ceecen­
trales Intently on -
-
hbwork.

--

> Rflht 8elore he

beslrui hi$ work.

Toruno examines
II kitchen knlle to

decide how lo bring

tis edge back.

... AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 I

***********
PVS-30 r,tmtted Supply
Like New, Factory RelurbiBbed
J Year Wa.,aofy

60" the coet of a new one

 ''I APPLY PRESSURE

IN THE FORWARD

AND BACKWARD

MOTION,JUSTLIKE

--
- JAPANESE KNIFE

SHARPENERS DO''

the knife to the stone and does his work.

I
n knife-sharpening uteeture. one often reads

about the "cxrect" angle for sharpening knives.

I a�ed Toruno about how he determines the

cceecr angle when sharpening.

He smiled broadly, and I f@lt as If I'd asked

a stupid Question. "I look al the knife. and

I sharpen It based on how It was made. I

slmply lay the cutting edge onto my stone

and sharpen It based on however It was

manufactured in the first place."

He pointed out that In some circumstances,

he might make some variation to this rule

If the knife edge Is damaged or If a slightly

different angte would lmp,ove the knife. ·1

have to evaluate each knife individually."

Toruno looked at my knlfe"s edge carefully

•

< Toruno discusses lhebenel11Sand ellk\ency ol his < Julio Toruno uses this machine most euen lor sharpen­ and sliced through a piece of glossy paper to

Tormek sharpen!na system tnasctssors

show how sharp he"d made it.

He explained that du1lng his 70 or so

strokes per stone, he works the blade sectlOn

by section, and he makes a point to be cer­

tem to sharpen the uppe, part of the knife,

because that can sometimes be missed.

HONING HINTS

For a beginner just getting started In

knife sharpening. he suggests going to any

woodworking store and buying a stone with

- a different grit on each side. such as a 500-

and 1.000-grit stone.

I asked Toruno about ether systems of

knife sharpeners, such as Eze-Lap diamond

knlfe·sharpenlng rcos. ce,amlc rods and

even electric wheels (see the sldeba1 on

the facing page).

·1 don"t know about the other systems that

othei people use." Toruno sakl. "'1 Just know

how to get a sharp knife using this method. rm

'old school.' and perhaps I'm overly complicated

by talmg each knife through five stages of

sharpening. Yes. sometimes. you can get away

with three stages. but perhaps rm a P21h:!t1icnst,

sot usually p,era all IM!stageS."

LET'S TALK KNIVES

Because there Is such a vast va1lety of

< The sequence of stones Toruno uses lor almost every < A view of some lreshly sharpened knives that are beina:

knife ht! sharpens held untn their owners return for them available knives. Toruno ccesn't have any

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
Lightweight. Compact. Durable.
 > R/lhl. A knU1!"s size

doesn'I matter to

Julio Toruno. Shown

here Isa small

custom knlle he /usl

llnl5hed sharpen!�

S O U R C I S HE POINTED OUT THAT IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, HE MIGHT

MAKE SOME VARIATION 70 [THE] RULE IFTHE KNIFE EDGE IS

DAMAGED OR /FA SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ANGLE WOULD I

M PRO..,..
V'E

THE KNIFE. 'I HAVE 70 EVALUATE EACH KNIFE INDIVIDUALLY.''

partkula1 recommendatlom. He sharpens that could typka11y hold up to seve1e use.

0

whatevef voo bring him. But he does point out Howevef." Toruno explained. "it's a misconception that a knife with a thlnnef spine lsol

that you can often find an excellent functional Iesser Quality, It all depends how you plan to use that knife In the culinary world. a knife with a

knife at a yard sale or thfilt store. thinner spine Is definitely prefe11ed."

Sure, you can spend hundreds of dollars on I-le added that you should not use your knife as an axe .•. If you need an axe, you should

a single knife. and If yoo're happy with that buy one.

knife, fine! But all too olten, when conectoe On the othe1 hand, Toruno said that one of the most veeeue cutting tools Is the machete.

spend hundreds on a knife. they tend not to "In Nicaragua. I've seen guys who use the machete foreverythlns. Of course. that comes with

use It. Why? Precisely because they spent practice. I sugsest yoo buy and use the knife yoo are most comfortable with for yoor needs."

hundreds of dollars on It. and they don't want Toruno saw the versatility of the machete when he lived In Nicaragua to, a short while (from

to mess It up. 1992 to 1999), trying to make a livina as an organic farmer. But It didn't work out for various

"I know lots of chefs who go to yard sales reasons. so he came back to the United States.

and find excellent knives," Toruno pointed out. In terms of a stainless versus a carbon-steel knife (a rerton-steet knife Is often thought of as
0

"If you know what to look for. you can often "old fashlooed and made with metal that can corrode easily). Toruno says that ·a carbon-steel

pick up a great knife that the homeowner no blade definitely holds and keeps Its edge better than a stainless knife." But he Qukkly adds that

longer wants 01 needs." he's mostly dealing with stainless steel knives. which dominate the culinary world.

We talked about thkk. heavy knives that are A full tang is best of course. The tang Is the section of the knife that goes Into the handle.

popular in the so-called ·survival" world: knives and so the best knives have metal the full length and width of the handle. ASG

D AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YES
 TESTING THE
NEWABE&MOE
SERIES OF KNIVES
MADE BY GEISSELE
AUTOMATICS
BY SEAN CURTIS

rs not uncommon to see knives at gun

shows. After all. many people conSidei­

a firearm a multi-faceted tool capable

of solving various Issues.

This wonderful Quality ls also found

In knives: hence, the ettrecucn What I

s

uncommon Is having a firearms company

enter the world of cutlery-and knocking i

t

out of the park on the first try. aoweve. when

you learn of the company backing Abe & Moe

Knives. all the pieces begin to fall Into place.

BIH Gelssele (pronovnced "Guys-lee") IS an

entrepreneurial soot who attacks problems

and cooquers them with quality solutions.

When he entered the competition shooting

arena years ago. he could not find a t1igger

that met his needs. so he designed one. That

solution soon became an smpse named

Gelssele AutOO'latics. a company that makes

tqh-QuaUty g1.111 parts, tools and other eccesso­

rles. (It you don't know anything about Gelssele.

it is kflO'Nll for O'lef·engineering its products-and

i
t enjoys a sterling reputation.)

More recently, Bilrs son, Abraham, approached

him and asked him to make a knife. True to

character, he built the knife and then created

a company called Abraham & Moses. named

alter his sons.

White the Goodman Knife (Special Fo,ces/

combat) debuted at SHOT Show 2017. three

more knives oriented to outdoor uses filled

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE •

--
 , ___
When "" """"'
anived, thebfJdM

werewatedwtth

a. thick W;lJI to
.,..,.......,,_
dental cutting.

> Far rJghl The

wa)[ Is ea51ly

scr.iped and

pulled off.and the

bla<1e Is quickly
• • •
wlpedtlean
•
out the line In 2018: the AM-1, AM-2 and AM-3. peelln11 oil the wax, I was able to adml1e the tbee different approaches. (Every time I see three

similar things of small. medium and large size. I am reminded of the tale of the "Bllty Goats

UNBOXING Gruff" and the beating given to the mean, old t10U who lived under the b1idge )

These three knives all arrived with a The AM-1 � a beast. Marveling at Its shape. I see camp use. busher aft and hunting written Into

cardboard sheath around the blade. Taking Its ONA. The GIO scales are cuNed In the middle with a bit of a belly to the bottom of the grip

these off. I found a deep-green wax had that adds exua fit in mv hand. The handte iS ve1y ergonomic and designed for hard use. Weigh-

been used to cove, each blade nearly to Ing In at 11.9 ounces, the balance Is nice, although grip-oriented. The blade Is 4.6 Inches long and

the hilt. A warning comes with the knives .188 Inch thick. with an overall length of 9.5 Inches. You don't get a R.imbo sense from the knife.

that tells you they are razor-sharp, which but when you pick It up, you understand It Is a hard-use tool.

explains an the extra protection. The blade deSlgn iS a eoc paint with a nice belly. The full-tang knife (not skeletonlzed) has a

I took each out and set it on the bench. After built-In forward Qulllon on the bottom, preventing the hand from slipping onto the cutting edge.

> The optional

leather sheaths that

accoml)ilnled the

test knives were top

quahly and built

tor security and

lonaevltv
•
•
•
•

,- /
•
•
f
J

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY 2019]

--
 < This 1$ a wonder

lul exampleol why

you might consider

a brlght-<:olored

handle. Contrasted

wllh the 1reen

surroundln,p, !he

oranae GIO pOpS

and 1rabs !he eye.

< Below The AM I ls

a stout blade that Is

manlpulated with a

handle th.al has 1rea1

ergonomics.

< Middle. TheAM·2's

deslln has a more lac·
Heal approach, with

a deeper quillon and

jlmping on thesplne.

< Bo/tom. In smaller

hands, the AM·J is

\deal. but ll can be

used comlortably

wilh larser milts too.

IFYOUOON'TKN WA YTHI AB UT

GEISSELE, /TIS KNOWN FOROVER­

ENGINEERING ITSPRODUC IS-AND IT

E 'JOY. ASl*'RLINGREPUTATION.

The scetes come with a light. grippy texture. and there Is a tanya,d hole towa,d the pommel end.

The AM·2 ls the militant mlclslzed "brother"-smaller, Quicker, but still very capable. This knife

tells me I
t wants to be mounted to a tactical vest for those "just In case· moments. The blade Is

a drop point also. but leaner and with no belly. The style strikes me as a relaxed tan to. The grips

are thinner and flat and not swollen anywhere to fill the hand as does the AM-I.

Because of its blade length ol 3.6 Inches •. 156 Inch thickness and an overall length ol 8.5 Inches.

you can see the knife is still very capable. The weight comes in al 7.3 ounces-much lighte, but

still up for hard use. Also full tang. this is the only knife of the three that has limping on the

spine of the blade. The forward quillon Is very pronounced and is supported fully by the scales.

which are designed to cover It. This Implies the knife was meant fo1 thrusting and retrieval, a

more tactical approach.

Last. bot not least. I picked up the AM·l The fl�t thing I noticed about this knife. despite being

the smallest. ls the clip-point blade-a diminutive Bowie, II you will. This Is a go-anywhere.

lacx-ct-eu-eeces type of knife. With a blade length of 2.75 Inches. a thickness of .125 Inch and

an overall tength of 6.5 inches, the AM·3 won't hight en anyone. but It will cut anything you

need-and will do It well.

Even though It Is the smallest. at 4.1 ounces, the GlO scales still Ill In my hand, although

ba1etv. This little knife can do lust about anything: skin small game. process plants and even

some wood If needed. It would be at home In a tackle box, backpack, bug-out bag or even as an

evefyday-cauy knife.

COMMON THREADS

All three knives have several genetic blessings from Gelssele. They are made from 02 steel and

a,e sharpened (flat grind) to 20 degrees. Right out of the box. they each push-cut paper and

shaved hair. In addition, the blades are commercially differentially teet-ueeteo. This means

then spines are softer than the cutting surface. making them flexible. as opposed to fragile.

The blades I received were covered with something called Nanoweapon coating. This Is a gift

from the firearms side. As you might Imagine. Gelssele has some experience with metal under

a lot of friction. This company Is great about customization. so the nano-coating ls an option.

I can tell you it Is tough .• and very black. The substance covers the blade. even the tang undei

[ASGMAG.COM] AME.RICANSURVIVALGUIDE U

--
 < Far�� Batonina the thick spine on lhe

AM·! was a bl eeze and allowed the author

to make short work 0, some hard woods.

< Neat �fl seen tu?re In

action, the AM·! drove

through soil wood. like

nothbi,

THE BLADE DESIGN ISA DROP POINT WITH

A NICE BELLY. THE FULL-TANG KNIFE (NOT

SKELEI ONIZED} HASA BUILT-IN FORWARD

QUILLONON THE BOI I OM, PREVENTING

THE HAND FROM SLIPPING ONTO THE

CUTTING EDGE.

the scales; eve,ywhere but the Vl!fY cutting edge.

The blades all have a forward qullton to one degree or another. preventing forward

slippage of the hand. All three have GlO scales. which can be ordered from the Abe & Moe

website in a coarse or fine texture. I found the fine texture offered enough grip without

wearing blisters during repeated testing.

The teether sheaths that accompany the test knives are absolutely quality rigs. although Y1JU

can ooer the knives without them. These are the same sheaths that are made fof Randall

Knives-hand crafted, heavily stitched and fashioned from oil-tanned saddle leather. I have

dropped some coin on quality knives before and have lost them reter, because themal<er lnc:lt.ded

a poor1ymadeshealh. YouwiU not have ttvsproblemwith Abe& Moe. The sheaths all have a bu1lt­

ln belt loop and a strap that closes over the qulllon with a classy. silver snap embossed with

the Abe & Moe logo. The AM-1 has an added bonus of a paracord handle retaine, and leg tie

for extra retention.

I WENT INTO THE WOODS --

I looked forward to testing these knives-with pretty high expectations. Mr. Gelssele Is not

the type to let anything subpar out the door with his name on It. With a weekend trip Into

the mountains set. I leveled several different tests against the Abe & Moe trio to test their

mettle and metal.

After setting up camp, I quickly found some wood to process fo, tinder and kindling. I used

all three knives for chopping and baton Ing to see how they would fare. With ueady effort.

each knife whacked through whateve1 I put It up against, first chopping through some wood

to cut It to length.

> Al>o\le-The D·2 steel continued t

o I next split some larger wood. also with batonlng. (The Nanoweapon finish appeared to be
or a pretty se
hold up f nous round ol
marred from the force of being driven through the wood-unUI I wiped It. The mark disappeared
testing.

undei the cloth.) Each knife split wood capable of Its size.

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY 2019]

--
 < Below With a deeper qulllon and this

THE AM-2 IS THE MILITANT MIDS/ZED ellecllve )lmpu,a. the AM·2'sblade was

made to pierce aod orter a tood IJlp t

or
''BROTHER''-SMALLER, QUICKER, BUT retrieval

STILL VERY CAPABLE. THIS KNIFE TELLS ME

IT WAMS TOBE MOUNTED TOA TACTICAL

VEST FOR THOSE''JUSTINC4SE'' MOMENTS.

THE AM-1

I used the AM-I as an axe. lopping and chopping wood to test Its llmlts. It crccessee severer lighter

woods and continued to be capable of shaving hal,. I beat on its spine repeatedly, driving It through

soft woods for various tasks. I actually felt the blade flex I
n my hand one time when trying t
o pry a

bit harde, than I shootd have. But thanks t

o the diffe..ential heat-treat, I
t resumed Its shape.

Finally. after a full day of testing, I worked on some bllch-a fairly hard wood-culling various

busher a ftIng notches I was Impressed with the D2's capability t

o hold an edge. Many knives would

have falte1ed much earlier In the day. The AM-1 tasted a long while and was able t
o carve out several

notches I
n an "unfriendly" wood befOfe i
t coold not cut paper Of hal1 again.

The scales we,e wo nderful. Even with all he ,epeated tasks,

t I did not develop an y hot spots Of

bltstets horn all the u se, nor did th e knife s llp flom m y hand . I would also lik e t
o point out that I

chose th e orang e-colored scales on purpose. While i

t iS often oesocec as ·safety o range: t
I dd

not go this route because I fear ed some hunt el's errent shot. (I had a ca mouflage cant een onc e,

man y yea,s ago. That thins is still lylns somewhere in the mountains of southwest Colo,ado. Losing

water I
s bad enough, but losing a kn ife In a survival situation coold pr ove fa a t l.) I l ove th e absolute

visibility of th e o,ange scales option.

One thins I no ticed from the Nanoweapon coa tlns was th e lac k of th e abilit y to strtke It a gainst

a fe1rocelium rod. USing Its 90-degree spine. I str uck th e knif e asalnst th e rod several times. and

I
t simpl y slid o ff without spark Ina. Nevertheless. i
I dd not ha ve a problem with is whatsoever.
th I

understood Inh erently that th e benefits of t he n ano-coating far ootweighed the lack of strike f,om

th e rod. Besides, were I d esperate, I would use the cutt n i g edge o l the blade t
o strike spar ks. As It

was, I ca rry a n atta ched strike, with each rod and was not a boot t
o sacrlfke my sharpened edge.

(Note that Ab e & Moe d oes offe1 the knives I

n a ·raw: 01 unfinis hed, version as well.)

THEAM-2

T he A M-2 sot a severe do se ol wood-t esting. despite Its eccerent t actical pedigree. Aft er br eaking

down a go od deal of branc hes and a1ger sticks.

l I d ug up a f ew salsify or o yster root plants and

> Near rfghl The AM Z Wi1$ used to dig out a, tew

salslly or oySler root pl<1nts and Ihen Pfoce«

them IOI' dinner.

)hr rf&hl SUbtle badging on lhe blade ldenllflC$

this knife as a product ol Abraham & M1Jscs

 < &low Puttln& In .,,.or1c, the AM 3 qulcluy
THE POINT, BELLY AND SIZE OF THE sharpens a hardwood stick to a line po1nt.

SMALLER BLADE MADE ME THINK OF

PROCESSING SMALL GAME. I COULD

IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO EASILY DRESS OUT

JUSTABOUTANYTHINGSHORI OFAMOOSE

lTH THIS BLAD •

processed the edible portions. Stabbing and digging In the ground Is a rough task best left to

shovels. but a survivalist ITHJst rely on what they have. The AM-2 served well. still remaining

sharp until the end of the day.

While the shape of the handle was not as comfortable as that of the AM-l"s handle, the

weight did not requlre it. I ran this knife all day with no issoes. had good grip and was never

In fear ol my hand slipping forwa1d on the blade, despite the slippery nature ol some of the

tasks I used It for.

THEAM-3

Interestingly, the AM-3 did Just as well as the others. While tacking the mass of the larger

knives. it cut smaller wood adeptly. and its m01e-defined point was amazing I
OI d1gg1ng out

smaller areas I
n notches, especially the triangular lashing notch. The point. belly and size of

the smaller blade made me think of processing small game. I could Imagine being able to

easily dress out just about anything sho1t of a moose with this blade.

All tbree of the knives performed ,emarltably well. And while I am the fl�t to admll rm not

the best knife sharpener, I gave It a whir\ with the Gatco sha1penlng ssstem I had read that

02 was difficult to re-hone. but thlS was not the case. I was able to touch up the knives and

get them cutting paper In a very short amount ol time. (When I reached out to Abe & Moe. a

profesSional knife sha,pene, was recommended for handling the sharpening.)

I was st1uck with the notion that there are many good knife companies out there that

have fought long and ha1d-lea1nlng many lessons along the way-to eam the reouteucn

they now enjoy.

By applying Its prll'IClples of adhering to quality mate,lals and ove,-englnee,lng. Geissele has

smoothly sailed from one demanding Industry into another. It will be very Interesting to see

what dlrectlen the company goes from here. ASG

> Near ,i,,ir Evetl on harder wood.. the author

was able to use the AM 3 to leather II stkk. They

were long. beautiful curls. and they served lo

ultimately l!ght the stick on lire.

)hr rf&hl lbe AM ) Is a wonderful smaller

blade wllh a clip point.

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY 2019)

--
 I

HE515-CM

C-SERIES

CREATED WITH CUTIING-EDGE

FEATURES L I K E SOLAR FAIL-SAFE™,

ALLOWING THE OPTIC TO WORK WITH

Y O U R N E X T O P T I C
A M B I E N T LIGHT OR BATIERY POWER
 •

•
•

• -
-
• •

•
•
-·
•
-
 ,··
'

*\'
I

• • •
•
•
• •

•
- -
'•
 •••

•
•

,l

- I

'I •

.-
•
•
 LIFE-SAVING

CREEK TURNS "MACGYVERING" INTO

AN EASY-TO-USE FIELD GU/OE.

C1eek Stewart Is not only an accompl1shedSUfV1val Wl5tAJCtor,

television host and all-around talented guy, he is also a multi-book

author with many titles that off� life-saving outdoor and urban

skills Oneof his books that takes this to the next level and beyond

is SUmval Hdcks.

I
n this COITIOl'ehensive guide, Creek offers more than 200 tips and

tncks to use everyday items In ways p,obably never before Imagined.

From USll11 sticks and a rope to create a table. making simple putties

using plastk: bottle caps, or creallrl8 a single person's makesh1rt

shelter from a common trash bag. Creek has a hack f

or nearly any

situation orSUMVal need

Creek believes lnnovatlOn IS the most r., ,oo,tant survtval skill, and

that t1alt ls ctearly demonstrated within the pages of this book. He

has noticed that resources ere everywhere. From the streets of the

city to the deep backwoods to the shores of the Alaskan coastline.

a perwn can find. reeeeose and use their newtv created SUMVal

hacks to get them out of all types or trouble.

Suffltfll Hach: Onr ZOO 11\ip to UM

fn, 1d1r ltfms to, Mldt11Nss Sun1wll

Adams Media (April 1. 2016)

Paperback: 256 pages

IISRP: Sl6.99
• •
•

'
• '
I'll
'
' •
From Creek's lnforrMtlve televiSlon shows. detailed survival

courses to his rM1l-10-the-home survival goods, be SUfe to follow

him ecossen his sooal media platforms:

• ""6slh: www.C1"111l:St11Nrt.com

, I meft: ,,.•l(IC1111I Steaatt.com

• lnst.t,ut:(ktNbC1Rtt

• Faobri: �Utli\itlbart
SlldeBelts Survival Belt 2.0

Class. style and functlonallty combine , etess-nuec nylon-base buckle

to form the ultimate survtval belt • AUS·B st11.lntess steel knife

Equipped with an extra-durable buckle • Integrated LED lli!lshllght l!nd

with Integrated survival gear. this belt fire starter

is at home at the classiest party or In • Soap complies with U.S. FDA

the deep backwoods. A handy bottle skln-senslt1V1lY reccuerrerus

opener. LED flashlight. fire starter

and reliable CRKT folding-blade knife

,,so
are ready t
o assist when times get

tough. while the belt suao features

a high-tensile strength and durable www.S11deSel1s.com

all-weather coating that will hold

up to the rigors of Mother Nature's

harsh backy<lrd It ls ava,table In btock,

Desert Tan. Ohve Orab and Classic

Brown colors and trims easily to each

lnd,v,dual's 1equ,red size

Grim Workshop Custom EDC

Micro Tool Bundle

Options ere great. and Grim Work­ • Custom-create your own

shop olfers oozeos of tools for you to three-tool bundle

assemble Into your own three-piece · Integrated tool 1etenllon svstem

wearable tool kit Featuring Items holds l!'ll'efYlhlng In place

for nearly every type of adventure­ ·Durable stainless steel

hom l1shlng and hunting to survival. construction

meorcet and even hostage escape­ • Perfect for backpacks. key­

lhese compact tools will be helpful cha,ns and necklaces

in whatever srteenon you might find

yourself. An Included sleeve will keep

S14.85
your tools organized and handy when

needed. Its solid consuuction allows

for use year after year. www.GrimWorkSbPP com

GUIDE

UST Brands Emergency Poncho

This poncho Is so small and simple • Size 50x40 Inches

and yet so vitally Important when you . we,ght: 1.3 ounces

are -out In the lleld"I It can protect • wetercrcot polyethylene

You and your sear from 1aln. snow material

and wind. A drenched body can teec • Sides are sealed. except for

to hypothe1mla. and soaked gear arm holes

can cause all sorts of problems

while under sorvivat conditions.

Sl.49
Prevent both with this pocket-sized

wonder that keeps the rain ofl your

head. body and an','thing else you www.us.tBrands.com

have on When not In use. this handy

Item folds up and easlly stores within

your pix:ket or pack It should be o

vital part ol every outdoor kit

Wdzoo Survival Gear cache Cap

A cap that keeps the sun out of Your · 100% cotton material can be

eyes, offers a comfortable flt ... and waxed for water receueoce

has six hidden comp.artments for • Velcro adJustment strap

:s.rrn:iU survival gear How can you go , Charcoal gray color

wroog? Yes. this Cache Cap features ·One slze lits most

six total peckets-three open-top

pouches. ooe main ccceet with vetoc

S20
closure and two narrow slots on both

sides of the bt,m. Use these "secret"

areas for paper money. Important WWWWII.ZOOS! ,rvtvalG@ar.com

keys, flash dnves w,th personal

lnformat,oo. fishing gear. first aid

Items or anything small you want to

keep away from prying eyes. When

yc,ur h<lnds are full. use your head-01,

more speelf,cally, your Cache Capl

Wazoo Bandana Tracklnt
Field Kit

This bandana's value Is twofold First. · 100% cotton

use It for basic survival needs, such • Size 22x22 inches

as protection from the sun. basic •20 tracks Illustrated on fabric

water filtering, first i!lld and more • Siiicon ruler wraps around

Then. because It features printed-to­ wrist when not I

n use

scale tracks of a variety of com­

monly encountered animals found

,,,
across North America. you can track

common wlldllfe. The Wazoo team

consulted the experts to accurately wwwwazooSuoovalGear.com

depict tracks from mountain lions.

bobcats. coyotes. skunks. opossums.

,accoons ano many more. And. to

wa1d off predators that altack flam

the back. evespots are lngenl01.Jsly

included on the bandana when folded

and worn on the head The kit etsc

includes a roll-up ruler.

CRKT Get Away Driver

The Ideal belt·cllpped tool tor nearly • Length 3 75 Inches

any urban environment, the Get Away , Weight: 1 9 ounces

Driver allows you to maintain your · Quality 2CR13 steel blade

knives. sm51t electronic casings or • Includes Uth,um CR927 3V

even your ch,ldren's loYS w.th ease. battery

The selection of bits ls substantial. • SoUd. durable construction

with au sizes Integrated Into the , Carablner cue keeps l

t handy

easy-g11p handle Choose from the

hex or Torx bit models. The oowerlul

S19.99
LED Ughl shmes brightly on your task

at hand. whl!e the ent,re unit stores

easily In your pocket or hangs from www.CBKT.com

your belt or backpack loop.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDI!

GUIDE

5.0.L Pocket survival Pak PWS

A pocket full ol gear? You bet! This - Size: Sx5x4 5 Inches

compact unit holds a mult11ude of • Weight 7.3 ounces

much-needed survrval Items. keeping • Includes CRKT uxeo-eteoe

them handywtien !he unexpected strikes. knife

From an extre-snere kn lie to a fire starter. · Contains 39 pieces ol

fishing gear and signaling devices. !his survival gear

kit really does have It all It is designed to • Includes waterproof survival

assist With the ·core four" of survival-fl1e, instructions

water. shelter and food-so you'll have

a d,st,nct head start when things go bad

SBO
around you. A durable. resealable. water­

proof otesrc POUCh keeps au your gear

secure and safe www.SurvtveOutdoorsLonger.

,om

CRKT Eat'N Tool-Titanium

You never miss the little things • Durable titanium const1uct1on

until they're gone, Including eating ·Length 4 039 Inches

utensils. Now. with the Eat'N Tool. ·Weight: 1.5 ounces

you'll h.,ve a SPOOn and fork at your ·Over a hall-dozen accessones

Ilngertrps to make You, time cotoccrs ·Carabine, belt clip

a little more civilized. In addition

to these mealtime eccessones.

S19.99
enjoy the convenience of o bottle

ocener. flat screwdr,ver and three

hex wrenches-all In one. compact. WWW CRKT.com

Integrated unit Its titanium coosuuc­

tlon w!ll hold up lor years In the field

and the Included cerebmer clips to

virtually any bag 01 bell loop

S.O.L Phoenix
Multl·Purpose Tool

This compact survival kit clips easily • Multl·lool knife with bottle

to your belt or pocket and provides opener and striker

essential gear for nearly any outdoor · Watertight tinder compartment

venture. Use the built-In striker to • Integrated, extri!l·brlght LED

shower sparks onto your tinder. wh,le tight

the multl-purPOse knife can be used · Retractable flint

for cutting, prying. striking and much

more. The Phoenix's design ersc

S25
incorporates a high-pitched signal

whistle. which Is extremely useful

when lost outdoors. Expect the unex- wwwS!rvt-«>rt1 h ml mg�r,cpm

peeled: and. with the Phoenix. you'll

have a step In the right direction.

Superesse Straps Urban carry

Strap-EDC Bracelet

There are "fa,d" survNa! tsecetets. and • Authentic 550 para cord

there's this bad boy-!lie lull upgrade wrapping

model This Impressive EOC bracelet • Too-quality, h,ghty durable

doesn't tust l
ook good, It cen also save components

your skin when blld things go clown It Is ·Unique.easy-access outer

equipped with quick-access Items such

as a titanium pry ear. handcuff key.

tools

• Four sizes available to lit most ..

1ange1 blinds. Kevlar saw. fire starter wrists

r
od and more It also leatures built-In • Over a dozen paracord color

emergency socones. such as duct choices

tape straps and ZIP ties. When trouble

comes knocking In urban env,rorvnents.

5164
you'll have the gear al arm's reach and

,eady to use when needed All bracelets

are handmade In 1he U.S.A. www.Superessestraos.com

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDI;

GUIDE

SwlssCanl Uta

Nearly everyone carries a wallet. · Fits easily Inside most wallets

The Sw1ssCard Lite multi·tool fits • 13 Integrated fun.cttons

easily Inside It. This credit card-sized • We,ght: 0.9 ounce

cotlecuoo lnch..ldes Items such as an • Durable ptasttc eetenor shell

emergency blade. scissors. magnifying • Available I

n red. blue or gray

glass. multiple screwdtlvers. tweezers.

a p,n. bllllPOlnt pen and-last but not

S38
least-a bright LED mlnl-llashllght.

This 11wa1d-wlnn1na design I

s backed

by Swiss Army's reootatloo f

or Innova­ www.SwtssArmv.com

tion. Quality. style and reliablhly You'll

forget you have I

t .
• until yw need Ill

Leatherman Tread

Don't worry about forgetting your · 17·4 stainless steel

tools they will be strapped around , 29 integrated tools

your wrist The Tread goes with you · Adjustable ceccmre.eoce I

s

on all your Journeys. alt the while up to a 56 lnches

sporting a stylish and eruque design · zs-veer gua,antee

Incorporated within this brawny ·Available I

n black or stainless

bracelet are screwcuve-s. hex dnvers, steel finish

wrenches and much more-an useful

101 repairs or Quick takedown of

S17495
metenets This bracelet Is highly

durable and able to withstand hard·

core dalty use without damage or www l eathermansom

breakage. Increase your capabilities

while on the go with 1hls Innovative

piece of emergency gear.

 ' •

.-·
GUIDE

CRKT Pryma Multi-Tool

In this case, one piece of metal eaoets , Length. 3 235 Inches

a multitude of !unctions. The Prymti • we,ght: O 9 ounce

clips to gear bags or be1t loops and · Solid. one-p,ece construction

offers a palm-sized tool IOI' PfY!ns. .cereouc stass breaker

scraping or opening nei!11ly 5ny bcx or • Black Stonewash finish

container. Use i
t as a multi-wrench

!Of an assortment ol bolt sizes or POP

S9.99
open a bottle Via Its Integrated bottle

opener. This i
s a small tool with big

features when and where I

t counts. www.CRKJ.com

Surf City Paracord BUI Out

Frag Sub-Compact EDC Z.E.R.T.

Amazingly. this compact kit contains •Up to 20 feet ol USA-made

12 basic emergency tools that allow Type Ill para.cord

you to survive when things around you • Includes 1

2 survival toots

go from bad to worse StaJt fires for , Ultra-compact, lightweight

warmth. cooklns or protection. pu11fy deslsn

water to stay hydrated. catch fish for · Extematw IIOM'Sandfemxen..m

sustenance: and use the co1dase for rod

hundreds of camp·cent,lc applica­ • Handmade In the USA

tions The lntesrated pull pin (wilt not

deplcy when pulled) can attach to

S4499
your belt. bag or even you, keycha,n

Th,s palm·fr!endly mmt-ku offe,s bis

support In any crisis

 •
...

First Aid Rollup Kit Mini First Aid Rollup Kit Ultra Lite Mini Flrst Aid Kit
TS42002fl

42 '"'""""
Piece Kit 72 Piece Kit 90'"""""
Piece Kit
 ad things happen au the

time. Some of these Incl·

deots ere man·mad@. but

most of the time. they are

the result of natural events.

Mother Naturl' has a habit of throwing us

a CUM' ball @vt>ry now and again lust to

keep us on our toes. As evldeoceo In th@

huirlcanes In Florida and Puerto Rico, the

wlldflrl'S In the North Amerkan W@st or the

volcanoes In Hawaii. you lust neve, know

when them wind will blow you, way or how

bad It will be when It does come.

Will you bl' r@ady?

Many artcies are writtl'fl, min@ Included.

Ihat oeet with the gear and succues 'fOU

should teve oo hand to enabl@ you to ser­

vlv@. AU the lnformatloo that these enkres

provide Is good, but what many fall to

accomplish iS to point out that the greatest

oece of •gear· you hav@ iS your brain and

the ability to think. All the fancy gear In

tne world will do you no good If you don't

keep your tears In check. It's Important to

remembe1 to slow down and think.

How many limes have vtiu heard stories

of Pl'OPI@ n@edlng to bl' rescued 01 even

dying. eescne them being ·experl@ncecr

outdoorSJ)l'Opl@? In most cases. what dld

them In was their Inability to conool their

rears. Th@Y panicked. It Is v@ry hard to

think critically and solve a p1obtem when

you ere in a state of panic. It might seem

counterintuitive. but you should take a

moment and think about the situation

before you do anything

If rou feel Inclined to condemn anyooe

who has pankked, Just think how you

would react If it were almost dark and

you found yourSt>lf atone on the side of a

mountain. o
T make maners worse. you've

aonen turned around and aren't sure

whe,e you a,e. In the process of trying to

find tte trail, you twisted your ankle.

It ls verv hard to stay calm in a situation

like this. but you have todo it. So before you

Judge. remember that you lust never know

how you will react until something happens.

IT'S NATURAL

All of us have fears: it's natural. It's a

defense mode In our bfaIns that dates

back to a time when we had to regularly

worry about things wanting to eat us. ThiS

defense mode Is what has kept our species

alive for thousands of years. It iS exactly

because fear is so deeply ingrained in us

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE A
 > Right. Grief. leilr ilnd anger are ilmong the
Urst reacUons to ii situation hke this. Whlle

that ls natural. whether you regain composure

and overcome the challenge Is up to you

that It Is very hard to control. But you rdn

cootrol it. It takes a great deal of hard wDfk

and discipline to dolt, but It can be done.

HOW TO CONTROL YOUR FEAR

Without a doobt. keeping calm In an emer­

gency Is a very herd thing to do. The best way

to stay calm and use the energy generated by

teer for p1oduttive work is through training.

Mililary. law enforcement and firef1ghte,s

are trained to face snueuoos that "normal"

people would avoid. These people are trained

to run toward danger Instead of away from It.

Are they afraid? You're damned right they are!

Anyone who says they are not af,ald in emer­

gency Situations iS either a fool Of a liar.

So, how do they keep their heads and accom­

plish their jobs? They train. They t1aln so ha1d

A LOT OF THINGS WILL BE HAPPENING ALL AT ONCE IN AN EMERGENCY

SITUATION, AND YOU CANNOT ANTICIPATEORCONIROLALL OF THEM. STAY

CALM, SET PRIORITIES AND FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND. CONIROL YOUR

FEARS; DON'T PANIC. TAKE THE TIME TO S I OP AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOU

CAN OVERCOME THE CHALLENGE<;

• •- •
-

M AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
that they Just reect to a sltuatiOn. As a result of their intense tralnln&, thel1 actlOns are 1ns11nc­

tlve. r
el yin& upon muscle memorv. Above all. the tralnln& builds confidence-confidence In their

ability to handle iust about anything that comes their way. They think things through and adapt

to changing situations on the fly.

It Is Impossible to plan for everything that could go wrong; but with that said, with prope1

training and the confidence that goes with It. you have the tools to handle what comes you1

way. This Is a classic example of "mind over matte,: Just because you aren't a law entoce­

ment officer. a fl1eflghter or warrior doesn't mean you can't train. build your knowledge and

boost your confidence.

TRAIN AND BE PREPARED

How many people have all the-stuff" but have never really used It? More than you might think!

All the gea, In the world will do you no good If you don't have the skills and the confidence t
o use 11

effectively. You owe it to you,self and to those who l

ook to you for protection to t1ain.11ain. train­

and train some more-with the gea, you have. Become an expert and build the confidence needed

ond nature. That Is what will see you

to help you control your fears. Make your ability to suNive sec

through most difficult challenges.

Go out into the-witdelness· and build a shelter. Spend a few nights out under thestarssur.ivlng

on what you can carry, forage, hunt or fish for. While out there, practice starting fires and filtemi

water. Yes. 11 will be scary and stressful. but with each success. your confidence. knowledge and

experience will build. As that grows, ','OUf fear will recede. It really Is nind ewer matter, especially

after you have faith In your abllltleS.

FIREARMS

All t rid people with a bunch of guns, but they have ne11e1 taken the !me to l)foper{y team
oo often. I f

o use them. In a situation duling which they might need to use those fireanns to either def
how t end

themselves. their fainly Of to put food on the table, they will be rrore dangerous to themselves than

to air/ threat or any POtential f

ood source.

If you don't know how to l)foperly use a firearm or don't have conlldenc.e In your ability to use one,

there are two things you can do: Learn how to prope,ly use a firearm, or leave the use of firearms

to others. It is better t
o have only one or two firearms and know how to use them properly than to

have 20 and not be l)fOfleient with any of them.

If you choose to own and carry a firea1m.at least take a t1alnlng course. Many gun ranges offer

courses that go all the way from basic ownership to advanced peoonal defense. Few exa�le.

Manchester Firing Line ( Manchester. New Hampshl!e ). where I shoot. offers an excellent choice of

classes {see the sidebar on page 86). I'm sure you can find some good options wherevei you live.

Once you've taken the courses. get on the 1ange and shoot. The mo,e you shoot. the better you

will get and the mo,e confidence you will have.

More confidence equals less fear and panic.

when the time comes to use those skills.

SURVIVAL SKILLS

OK: you've got all the-s1u11·: you have read

all the books and magazine articles. and you

have watched all the survival shows on televi­

sion. You are now reactv to be dropped Into the

middle of nowhere Of face some SOit of natural

disa5ter andexoect tosu,vlve, right? Wrons!

< l'lrst responders

are able to react to Many knowledgeable preppers and surviv­

situations as horti·
alists agree that as much as 90 percent of
ble as this without

panicking because survival ts a mental game. The skiUs we discuss

ol their tralnln&,
In artkles are appllcable In a Wide range of
experience and con

tldent mlndsel. Situations. but each Situation in which you find

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE N

--
 <!Aft.Thi$ II re­

arms class is belna eY@fVthlng needed to prevail In evtf'J eme,­

tauahl at Manches· gency situation. Start slowly, ta1getlng the

ter Firing Une In
New Hampshire highest-priority skills you want to learn, and

Many reputable
practice those before you move on to the next
gunshopsand
ranges oller a varl topic. Build your knowledge base with small­

ety of classes that

but meaningful-victories.
can Improve your

handhn&. satety

and accuracy with

STOP AND THINK
Urearms.
When I was a kid, I spent a great deal of

time hiking. exploring and hunting the woods

neer my home. One of the first lessons I

learned was that when things go wrong. stop

and think. If you get lost, or think vou are lost,

your reflex ls to panic.

The wonderful thing about panic Is that you

can feel it coming on. When you do. stop what

you are doing. sit down If you can spare a few

moments, and try to relax, Once you are back

In cont1ol, think about what your next moves

will be. Ale you truly lost or juSt turned around?

ITISBEI I R TO

HAVE ONLY ONE OR

TWO FIREARMS AND

KNOWHOW TO USE
( lk/
OW The

author lakes some THEM PROPERLY

ranaetime at his
louJ shooting THAN TO HAVE
range. He reeis that

1151111 a handgun OANDNOTBE

15 one ot his weak

areas. so he Spends PROFICIENT WITH

quality lime t,vlni
to master this slull ANY OF THEM.

yourself Is going to be unique. I

The way I approach a problem in the forests

or the Nonheast cOtJld be different than

how Christopher Nyerges (co-founder of The

School of Self-ReUance. Instructor. author.

survival expert and Amerkan Survival Guide

contributor. See the sidebar on page 85)

handles similar challenges WI Southern Callforii.

Experience breeds confidence In yOtJr ability to

use your gear effectively and allows you to use

critical thinking to overcome your fears and

solve most problems.

Much the same as with firearms training.

you can learn critical survival skllls that can

be practiced and applied to a host of different

situations. With a QUick Internet search, you

can find some ued1ble and effective survival

schools and Instructors around the cOt111try. For

example, Nyerges has been an Instructor since

1974, and more than 34,000 students have

attended his school.

Bear In mind that you can't leam everything

at once. and no single school can teach you

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
With a relaxed and clearer mind, you can IOOk < Below- Bein, carm,
BECOME AN EXPERI AND BUILD THE supportive and
for familiar landmarks or even your original
conlldenl around
CONFIDENCE NEEDED TO HELP YOU
t1aJl. If you are truly lost. stay pot. Don't wan­ children during

emergencies can help

der a1ound and make things worse. Someone CON.,.
I
RO"'"'
L YOUR FEARS. MAKE YOUR ABILITY
them cope. JM! them

will find you laster if you Limit your wanderings conl,dence and make
TO SURVIVE SECOND NATURE. THAT IS WHAT them leH dlstiacUn,
away rrom ','OJI' planned route.
asyourespondtothe
WILL SEE YOU THROUGH MOST DIFFICULT suuauon.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT CHALLENG c;.

MIGHT HAPPEN

In an emergency or survival situation. It Is

all about the-here and now.-There iS no

time lo, worrying about what might happen.

Doing this will take ycu, focus off what really

needs to be done. You need to focus on the

task at hand.

Worrying about what might happen Is

Just wasted time and energy-two valuable

commodities that are best used for othe,.

more productive things. Handle situations as

they happen. and lea,n to adapt to changing

situations. The ability to adapt comes from

years of exceuerce. faith In your abilities to

cope and controlling yoor fears. Remember to

pei-lodlcalty stop. think and stay focused.

Fear and uncertainty ere natural reactions

to eme,gencles and stressful situations. You

need to learn how to control these reecnons.

The way to do that iS not with "stuff- but

with practke and training. Be confident with

your skills and abilities. Be awa,e of.and hon­

est about. your shortcomings, and be willing

to do what It takes to Improve on them.

A tot of things will be happening all at once

in an emeigenc:y situation. and Y1JU cannot

anticipate or control all of them. Stay calm.

set priorities and focus on the task at hand.

Control your fears; don't panic. Take the

time to stop and think about how you can

overcome the challenges.

Remember that Y1JUI brain Is a powe1ful

tool: use It! ur.

< Fi>rlefl A stude11t

surveys the emer·

gency shelter he just

bull! (Photo· Chris·

topher Nyerges)

< Near left. Students

learn basic weaving

Iech nlq ues-sk ll ls

that have many

appllcatlons ln

survlval s11ua·
lions-at The School

ol Sell·ReUance.
(Photo- Christopher

Nyerges)

[ASGMAG.COM] AME.RICANSURVIVALGUIDE S7

--
SURVIVAL ARCHERY SYSTEMS' NEW,
PACKABLE ATMOS TAKEDOWN BOW
BY LARIN SCHWAIITT

covple of years ago. I did a and recurse shooters could have an oPtion tor

,eview of the leading survival a compact. backpackabte bow !hat fell mo,e

bows on the market. One of famltlar to them than the folding bows he

the m wa s the Recon flom already offe ,ed. It w ould not onl y feel fam iliar

Survival A1chery Systems but also look Slmllar. With those qua I
I lies

(SAS). It was a well-thought-out design. and Integrated. he felt he had something that

it shot wen. So. when American survival Guide would ga1ne1 tre ioterest of many enners.

Editor Mike Mc(ou,t asked me If I were Inter-

ested in doing a review of a new takedown DESIGN

bow from the same company. I quickly agreed. To achieve these goals. SAS defined the

That bow Is the new Atmos Compact following design criteria fOf Its new bow:

Modern Longbow. · Made In he U.S.A.

t

· ]I-Inch maximum oaw

SOME BACKGROUND · Must not stack

Doug Shadwell, the director and ownei of · Flt Into a standard 22-inch backpack

Survival Archery Systems. has been an archer · Feel famllla, to all archers

and bowhunter for years. Starting I

n late 2015, · Weigh between 2.4 and 2.8 pounds

after the success of his Recon folding survival · Must be durable

bow, he b egan getting equests from custom­

r · Must be corrosion resi<stant and weetne­

ers to add hol es for sights, bowflshfng lTIOIJnts proof

and different t ypes of enow rests. Others · Accept any type of accesso1y

asked him to m ake his bows cente-snct to · Able to be shot with fingers or a release

make I
t easier to tune and aim them. · Can be shot off the shelf or via a rest/

Th is wayi't easible flom

f a structu ral whisker biscuit

perspective. so Shadwell decided to think · Has to shoot quietly

out side the box: In 201 7. he settled on bu ilding · Needs to look good and have great styling

a n ew 1i ser for a new bow. It l

wou d c ate, to This table summarizes the characteristics of

th e gei archery
la1 m arket so that compaund the f!nal design:

• •
•

< When r,:,ur AtfflOII arrtV"'5. Ihe box wllti;onta,n the Almo, r!M,r, hm ltmbs In the wel&ht you ord<e1ed.

the bowstrln1 with a brass nock Mel and two sets ol tlmb bolts and washers. {Photo Larry Schwarti)

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE ..

--
WHENIPUTTHEATMOSIOGETHERFOR

THE FIRSI TIME, I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE

EASE OF ASSEMBLY AND THE FITOF THE

COMPONENT PIECES. IT FELT GOOD IN MY

HAND, HADA NARROW GRIP LIKE THAT

FOUNDONMOS/ COMPOUNDBOWSAND

WAS 'ELL BALANCED.

· Country of origin: U.S.A.

· IBO length: 60 Inches

· Disassembled length: 22 Inches

· Mass weight: 2.6 pounds

· Draw weights: 30. 35. 40. 45. 50 and 55 pounds

· Maximum d1aw: 31 Inches

· Brace height/Fistmele 7.5-8.5 inches

· Cut past center: 0.53 Inch

· Handedness: Right or left

· Materials: etse: 6061 T6 aluminum: Umb5: High-tech composite fiber. hardware: 31655, MIL­

SPEC and HTS steel: takedown arrows: 7075 aluminum: string: 850 Dacron: rlse1 colors: camo.

Cerakote Cobalt, Cerakote, Burnt Bronze, Blue Cerakote, red and blue

· Incuded i
l n package. Atmos Corrll,lct Modem L.oogbcm
, String. nod set. Allen wreoch. 6 takedown �

· MSRP. S669.95

STRAIGHTFORWARD ASSEMBLY

like most modern takedown bows. the Atmos is easy to assemble. It 15 composed of the

following parts:

· Machined 1lse1

· Two solid-fiberglass longbow limbs

· Two sets of Umb bolts and washers. both In plastic bag

· Sl�·slded Allen w,enth to tighten the limb bolts

· Bow;trlng with a nock set. both In plastic bag

To assemble the bow. you simply need to-

< �r lf,f/ The Atmo, comes in a,

vairtety of colors. so you can show

ofl whl!n you ar

e at the ranae or

blend In when Y'OU ••e hunllna ln

the backcountry (Ph�O' SurvlYill

Archery Systems!

< �"' kit This sluw:le of blue 15

one of the many liser color opllons

11v.1Uable lor the Alm<>$ how

< Top,1nd bot/om lftft The SAS Recon FoldLna Sur·

YiYill 6ow 15 lhe "arandlalher" of lhe A\ffl0$. They

• bolh use the s;,,me composite limbs Uhese ciln be

lnterchan,ed U you want heaYyWl!!Aht limbs lot

bl1·1ame hunnna) and • set of IJ&hlwdl,hl limbs

for p11Kl1ce ilnd small pme (Photo- Sumval

Archery Systems!
 op- Be sure lo put Ute bowstn111 on
) Far r,.i,t l

so Ihat 1 comes of
1 t the limb on the side Ihat

laces you and p0lnts stral&),t down loward the

other Hmb Up. (Photo t...rry Schwiutz>

> Nev ri,llt Place you1 nock sel lhe

tune brus ring thal comes with the

bowstr\111-on the s1r1111 •bout 11

<1 Inch
higher lhan the arrow rest. CPholc,.

Larry Schwarlzl

) Fa, rlf}lt botrom The TRUGLO

pendulum staht on the right

hand side ol lhe nser 11 a aood

,exampleol tht! kind ol -

rlel that ere 11v11llable. It cvi be

11d1usted lor dlst11nce l!ke II hJted

sight. and, 11 you are ihOOlllll

r,om an elevated poJltlon. you

can release the pendulum. which

will adjust tor the •lllle. (Photo

I.wry Schw11rti:l

1. Remove the parts from the packaging or your pack.

2. Put each limb bolt In Its washer. with the wide pa,1 of the washe, against the limb.

3. Place a limb In the pocket at the end of the riser. Make sure the limb Is positioned so that the

gray st1lng groove that is cut Into the limb is facing toward the target. This will allow the st,ing

to lay naturally in the string groove. Make sure the limb fits !tush with the limb pocket and Isn't

resting on the side of the limb pocket.

4. Thread the limb bolt and washer through the hole In the Limb and Into the limb with your

fingers. Then use the hex wrench to tighten It. Do not overt!ghten the limbs. Do not apply more

pressure when you feel the hex wrench stop moving. because you might crack the composite limb

material. You will be able to tighten it mo1e-but don't do it.

5. Put the bowstring over both limbs. placing ooe end In the bottom st1lng groove. Then use a bow

string{'! to bend the limbs and move the upper end of the string Into the other string groove.

6. Once you have your arrow rest in place. you can use a bow square to position the nock set to

ensure you consistently place the a1row In the correct position on the string.
50#

ADD YOUR ACCESSORIES

When it comes to accessories fo, you, Atmos. the first thing you need to decide is If you will be

aimln11 It instinctively or with sights. Shooting lnstinctiYely takes time to build your skills and

practice to keep your skills sharp. So. unless you really enjoy shooting a bow and will put In the

work to be accurate out to 20 or more ya1ds, you should probably go with sights.

If you are going to shoot instinctively. all you need to do Is apply a stick-on arrow res! (such

as a Bear Weather Rest) that will hold your arrow In place while you draw and shoot. You

can also use strips of hook-and-loop material or thick felt to build up an anow plate and

arrow rest to shoot off of. Usin11 a stick-on arrow rest will be easier and more effective for the

less-experienced shooter.

If you want t
o use sights. first select an arrow rest from the dozens on the market. They all have

then advantages and disadvantages. so try out a few on the compound bows at your local archery

pro shop to see which style you p1efer. With the Industry standard holes machined Into the Atmos'

rlsei. most. ff not all. of them wrll flt.

The next accessory will be your sight. As with the affow rest. thet'e are dozens of these available,
> Ab<we When you pu1 thellmb bolts in.

so pick the one that fits your preferences and budget. They ,ange from simple pin sights with one make 5U� the wider 5'dl! ol the w;;isher Is

on the llmb (Pholc,. Larry Schw;artz)

01 more pins to sights with fiber optics to Illuminate the pins In low-light conditions to scopes that

magnify the target IOI yau and simplify aiming.

[ASGMAG.COM] AME.RICANSURVIVALGUIDE II

--
 The sight, arrow rest, stabilizer and Qutve, ) nip rl/lll Bl.lte

helillt Is the ctl5tance

I chose to use with the Atmos all came from ............ ...,
TRUGLO and worked fine with the new riser. to uie bowl,11 h ,c. tt

should be bel"ween 7
5

and&Slnches. (Photo,

PERFORMANCE

When I put the Atmos together for the first

--
time, I was lmpr�sed by the ease of assembly

and the fit of the component ceces.n felt

good In my hand, had a narrow g1lp like that

found on most compound bows and was well

balanced. The riSer and the limbs are all the

> Below- A 5el of

same length-around 21.5 to 22.0 inches-and

""""'""�
lslheperlect comple·
the location of the arrow rest Is halfway
ment to• takedown

between !he two llmt:r tips (which is something bow �need lo

have 30,Lnch arrows
that other bowmake,s don"t always set right).
stlddng out of your

In addition to the flt and feel. the Atmos Is also paek when ycur

22 Inch bow Is hldln, IF YOUAREGOINGTOSHOOTINSTINC 1/VELY,

very obviously designed to be durable. While
Inside. (Photo I.any

spinning II around In my hand to evaluate Its ALL YOUNEEDTODOISAPPLYASIICK-ON

""""'�
ARROWRESI (SUCHASABE4RWEATHER

RESI} THAT WILL HOLD YOUR ARROW IN

PLACE WHILE YOU DRAWANDSHOOT.

> A� By using the appropriate potnl on your arrows. you can use your bow lor a wide varle!y

t are a field potnl tor practice. a two-blade broadhead for hunt!n,

or purposes. From lelt to rt,.h

bl&gan1e: a JUDO/sprln, les head lor huntln, small game: and a blunt lorstump shootln,or
hunun, small game. (Photo Larry Schwanz)

8 AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 THE BADGERS
HI l 1 r e 1 r m s
E n j o y L o n g w a l k s I n The W o o d s

Hunting Small Game .

The Chlappa Firearm's Little Badger Folding R10e and oouble Badger Folding Shotgun/Rifle a nerre t survival or flip

recreational shooting The little Badger Is available In 22LR. 22WMR or 17HMR and comes with ree backpack The oouble Badger

is available in 20GA/.22LR. 410/.22LR or .410/.22WMR and features wunams- Fiber Optic G ost Ring and front sight
 • •
• •
• •
•
• • •
•
• • •
•
• • •

•
• A40il,VEtt 'I •
• • •
• MORRELL'S • •
•
•

•
•

• • • •
• • •
-
••
• •
.
• , ••
•
• • •
• •
• • • • ••
• •
•
• • • •
•
.
•
,· • • ••
• '. •
• • • •
• • • •
• •
•
•
,-;
• •
• •
• •
• •
•
• •
•

• •• •
•
•
•
•••

•
•
•
•
•
••

• •
• '
• • •

• •

(The Almos Is • stable ,hooler and c;in sive you &'Olll)S wch ;111 ttus (PholO' L;orry Schw;utV

balance, I
t reminded me of my martial arts days and wort.Ing with a bow staff. The llmbs are stiff

enough so that when they ee attached to the riSer. YoU have a defensive tool to bloc.k and thrvs1

with when It Is not strung. (I think Little Jam and Robin Hood would have been verycomfortabte

with the Atmos!)

I was also ve1y pleased by the performance of the Atmos on the range. Using the SO·pound

limbs It came with and shooting a 665-g,aln takedown arrow, It sent the arrow downrange at

135 feet per second and produced what I always look for in an arrow-a very satisfying thunk

when It hit the 1a1get.

Yoo can debate alt you want about arrow speed and kinetic energy, but I want my rig to shoo!

a relatively heavy arrow that will absorb the energy the bow can deliver and hold onto It all the

( U yoo are ,oln,a

10 use a takedown
bow that will Ill In

your bilckp.ick. you

should consider

buying or making

yow own t.akedown

illTOWI. These I�

heavy-h11ten Ind
1
workarea1 0'holo
Larry Schwartz)

M AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 SURVIVAL STAFF"
Compact C N C Mills
"Official Trademarked Survival Staff''

Handmade in the USA over 25 years Ready to Work

by Pat and Wes Crawford
W h e n Called to A c t i o n
Alinooe
Hldng
paciage
�·ff Make the gear you need,

Hade from
should disaster strike.

Walking Hard Airaalt u. •

•
I
Slidt Aluminum The PCNC 440 cuts
' I
' plastic, wood, aluminum,

Baton $294.95 l
, steel, and ntemum.

, Ready, .. delivery , •

we·ve got you covered.

'
B�w Knire blade imide l
Gun
Many E,�a, Avii�ble: Small footprint

fire Starter, F
ish Spear
ic Single-phase power.
�ilglhol
""' runs on common

120Vac electrical

" A rnetel-cuumq warrior

patcrawfOldl�rthOnk.net
CRAWFORD IINIVES, UC
zos N. Center Dfive, West Memphis, AR 72301
(870) m-1452 • www.crawf01dknives.c01n

Are You Ready?

VISA 6TORMACH'
www.tormach.com

January 2019

ADVERTISER PAG<

••
""'"""""
a,.n£NFW) TEO 10 OC
6 IIC.
,,

""""'"' "
J.J

""'°""""'
"""" .......
CCHlOROUI OCOI ''
CQ)M,1,1,(JlllCO,I,
""
-0

ELITE SUIMV
.tJ. SVS
lEMS
•
fAU.SRMRGIW)l.P
•
,.
.. '

KENSINiTON PIA 'SI INGCCRP "

•
sa
""''"""'
MA.ClR 9JRl'\JJS a, SUIMV
.t.L J

1'11.
T (l!.l,
WFQRO IOIVES

..
"
READYMAO( RESOt.llCES �

sru,o,,""'

""""'
SKIIO.SES

,"
,
""'
""""""' "
""'"'""" ..... "
 < U you decide to ao a

WITH THE HEAVIER LIMBS 545 OFFERS, YOU CAN USE THIS slmplflr TQUte and aim

lnstlnch�ly you wHJ

BOW FOR ANY GAME ANIMAL IN NORTH AMERICA. IT ISA need \Oildd I stick�

arrow rest to the riser

DURABLE AND WELL-CRAFTED PIECE OF TACKLE ••• AND, LIKE Place n over the hole

In the tlser where

you would sc,_
ALL BOWS, IT IS FUN TO SHOOT
on a more·modern
rest. CPholo. !Arry

Schw&rt:t)

way to the target. That Is how yoo get good WHY A TAKEOOWN BOW IS A GOOD IDEA

momentum for deep penet,atlon. The reccm­ Now that we have seen why the Atmos Is a eooo addition to the ranks of takedown bows. ters

mendatlon for an effective hunting arrow with take a lool< at why having a takedown bow Is a sood Idea for a prepper or backcounuy hunter:

t1aditional tackle is at least 9 to 10 grains per · They are fun to shoot and pecuce with.

pound of d1awweigh1 {gpp). This combination • They are Quiet. so you 'oVOO't be hea,d when you are usins them.

had 13 3 gpp. • They areversattle; you can use them !Of sport, defense or huntlns

Iamrot aCQ'llll!titM!aid e: nE!'.'eltheless I was · They are simple to use and maintain.

aje to� 2- to 3 Ii d1 i,oopsv.tth ttveeo,ows • They welsh much less than a sun.

at 20yards U5i'Vaslght They all flewoff the� • You can use the same ammunition over and over again.

rest 5mXltltian:l tit the� at ri(tlt �with • They are not regulated as firearms are.

no cssofei'IE!lr, rue to badiWlON flight • They are not as expensive as meerms,

The Atmos fit well In my hand, and I was · With different heads/points, your anows are easily adaptable for d1ffeient purposes.

pleased to see that 1

1 did not produce any hand • Archery and bowhunting are useful skitlsas an 1nd1vidual or as a member of a sulVival s,oup.

shock or Vibrations. This might be due I

n part to

the heavy arrow. but It was a pleasure to shoot. With Its fast assembly. especially If You are shooting Instinctively, this Is a good addition for any-

It wasatsoverv Quiet at the shot. so I doo't think ooe who wants to add a bow and arrow to their bug-out bag or backpacking gea,. The 50-pound

anyone who hunts with one at close rangew111 limbs I evaluated are suitable for hunting anythlns from small same up towhltetall cee. With

have to worry about noise. And this was without the heavle1 limbs SAS offers. you can use this bow for any game animal In North America. It ls a

any string sdenceison the bowstring. durable and well-crafted piece of tackle ... and. like all bows. It is fun to shoot! HG

N AMERICANSURVIVALGUIDE [JANUARY2019)

--
 I
•
I
• •

Drink safer, better-tasting water anywhere with PURINIZE® Water Purifier Drops.

PURINIZEe naturally disinfects and clarifies water from any freshwater source without

harsh, bad-tasting chemicals; this means your water will taste great, not gross. Its 100'!1.

natural, minerai..based formula goes a step beyond standard purification - protecting

against pathogens (bacteria, viruses & protozoa), as well as toxic pollutants like agricultural

• & industrial chemicals, heavy metals, phannaceuticals. and more. Whether you're exploring
•

•
the outdoors, traveling abroad, or preparing an emergellC)' survival kit. PURINIZEe is the best
.
•
water treatment option for virtually any situation. It's portable. It's pure. It's protection.

• 1 OD'- N�Toxic. Free of Chemical • Effective Against 2DO+ Contaminants.

•
! Disinfectants like Chlorine Dioxide & Iodine. • Safe fOf Long-Term Use. Unlimited Shelf Life.

• Improves Health, Taste. Odor & Clarity of • Tested to EPA & NSF/ANSI standards.

Water with No Chemical Ahertaste. • Great fOf Hiking. Camping. Travel, Emergency

• Easy-to-Use. Made in the USA. Preparedness, Boil Alerts & Water Storage .

......... 11 ti ....... oin{_.........,

 -

- •

•
•

•
» Genuine COBRA• buckles by AUSTRIALPIN•

» 2" wide belt webbing throughout

• • ••

» Laser cut slots for modular attachment

•
» aemcveete Inner anti-slip pad
••
» Can be used as two bell system

» Avallable In Small/Medium, Medium/Large, and Large/X·large