Review: Jimmy and Chappie

Sometimes, you really just need the right tool for the job, especially if that job involves bashing things or breaking things. Sometimes it's a pesky padlock you lost the combination for and can't manage to shim open. Sometimes it s a pallet of wood you're recycling and need to cut the rusted nails out of. There are lots of different reasons having a set of bolt-cutters or a small crow-bar for. I'll leave the glorious details up to your imagination. Importantly, sometimes these jobs are called for away from your workshop or bunker. Which is when smaller, portable versions are called for. that's when tools like my "Jimmy" and "Chappy" come into play. I have a full-sized set of bolt-cutters (seen sheathed in my SORD 870 Back Scabbard here) and a collection of pry bars big and small all the way up to a whopping huge 1650mm Cyclone fencing post Eagle bar.

So the addition of a short, 18" Plumb wrecking bar which I've nicknamed "Jimmy" after one of the traditional names for a crow-bar, to go along with the seriously beat up and battle-worn "Chappie" bolt cutter. Both tools I rescued from a nana-garage sale a while back. Why "Chappie" you may ask? Because "Chappie can no do crimes".

 Jimmy is a 18" Wrecking Bar made by Plum, and features a goose-neck at one end and an angled chisel end at the other end. This allows you to pull, pry and straighten, with the angled chisel end good for prying and lifting, the goose-neck end is slotted for pulling nails. The length of the bar is hexagonal in cross-section, making it possible to attach a shifter or a wrench to it to for extra torque, should you really need to pop something open. Constructed from forged high carbon steel, Jimmy and bars like Jimmy can and have taken a beating. Hammered between planks of a pallet ,and stomped on to pop a plank up, even used as an impromptu hammer utilizing the flat face of one of those hexed-sides to drive home tacks or loose nails. I've found the 18" Jimmy offers more than adequate leverage for the tasks I've put it to.



Jimmy has a very hefty weight to it, thanks to its forged carbon-steel construction, which is a boon, but not too much of a burden to carry around in a pack or in the back of a vehicle. I've experimented with carriage options on both my battle-belt and LBE vests too, but am not yet satisfied with both secure, quiet and accessible options. Ideally I'd like to be able to reach back and whip it out to pry a door or pop a zombie in the head, one handed, but if it's in bag or on my back, I'd have to get a buddy to help me out. Not getting hung up on things is also important, especially in a search and rescue or salvage situation and I will end up with a "Medium speed, acceptable drag" option in the end.

Chappie has had a much harder life and bears the scars of years of neglect and abuse. His cutting hammers are dinged and chipped from ill-use, there is rust and crud worked into his recesses and workings. The rubber of his handles is cracked and broken of in many spots, bare metal showing through, and there is a post-fulcrum adjustable nut and post that act to limit over-bite on the cutting hammers. The nut needed a little WD40 and a wrench to loosen but once loose, It was possible to adjust the limiter to allow a better cutting action from Chappie with his compound hinges. The damaged hammers are hardened so are really difficult to repair, resistant to filing as they are. I have been able to do few minor cuts with Chappie, clipping exposed nails in salvaged timber and cutting chain links for home maintenance jobs, but the damage is inconvenient.

Bolt Cutters typically have long handles and short blades, with compound hinges to maximize leverage and cutting force. They can yield upwards of 20 kilonewtons (4,500 lbf) of cutting force for a 250 newtons (56 lbf) force on the handles. Given this, I feel I'm missing out on prime cutting power with the chips and dings in Chappie's teeth. An upgrade to a first-hand cutter may be in order. That said, by adjusting the post-fulcrum nut and having a go at the worst of the deformations to make it workable, but I suspect it would require power tools and re-tempering to get it back to prime condition.

As with Jimmy, Chappie's small size makes it very portable and easily stowed in a pack, back pocket or in a suitable pouch. Being able to quickly and quietly cut chain, cut chain link fences or locks could be very useful in a disaster situation, where search and rescue or salvage might be hampered by bigger, heavier tools.


Again, don't be doing Crimes!

But. Have the right tools available to you you to do what needs to be done. Practice and get to know the limitations and abilities of your tools, and practice caring them to get a good setup in place.

Review: "Rambo" mini machette

One of the self-appointed stoke rehab tasks I set myself was to clear some of the backyard jungle, to make way for an over-arching clean-up we badly needed. Normally for brush-clearing I would turn to my Ontario Blackwind, or perhaps one of my other-mid-ranged sized blades, or even turn to my petrol powered brush-clearer, but I wanted to get some physical exercise and didn't want to be swinging long-blades round where there were metal-posts and the like in there field of fire.

As it happened, I had had this particular blade sitting on the shelf, never used. The backyard jungle is clogged with morning glory vine. It's a fast growing and tenacious vine and needs a fair mount of chopping to get through it. I thought this would really do the trick. Weighing in at 1.25kg (2.75 lbs) with an overall length of 37 cm (14.5"). The blade makes up a hefty 20cm (8") of that.

See the rest of the article here on Breach Bang & Clear!

As a heavy-use tool, the "14" RAMBO TACTICAL Combat Survival FIXED BLADE KNIFE  Bowie Hunting Machete

Boots On, Eyes On: Glovax MP Magic socks

Everyone loves a good pair of socks. Your feet will not only thank you, it can literally put a pep in your step and make a difference in your effectiveness.
Regular socks, be they woolen, cotton or more exotic materials like bamboo, are a big step up from nylon or acrylic blend, especially when it comes to smell. However, science has advanced and offers some other alternatives.
After a sweaty workout, long travel, or in the morning, you'll definitely appreciate the difference a pair of clean dry socks makes, even more so if they're comfortable and not stinky. Speaking of comfortable, non-stinky socks, the clever minds behind Glovax gloves would like to introduce their MP Magic socks, which they claim are the "world's best odorless socks".

These socks are made from some very unique materials. The fabric is infused with not one, not two, but three antimicrobial metals: silver, copper, and zinc, because multiple metals can kill multiple types of odor and disease-causing microbes. Silver is known as a great antibacterial meta used in everything from bandages to homeopathic potions, copper can also kill bacteria and is a key component of many enzymes, and zinc can reduce bacterial loads and thus odor too!
This three-metal-infused technique takes existing techniques to the next level by layering them for increased coverage and effects.
I wear boots all day, every day, which is pretty rough for any sock. I hike, train and work in my boots. During winter, I like to leave my socks on because I'm very tall and my feet stick out of the covers. Even with daily sock changes and foot washing, that takes a toll. I received a pair of these socks and decided to try out the same pair for a week to see how they'd hold up. I chose the ankle socks because I was purely interested in the foot effects, and they were great!

With these functional fabrics, you can take off your shoes without any hesitation over worrying about their smell. After a week's worth of almost constant wear, including a four-hour hike and a few hours of Viking training, my feet felt great and smelled pretty good too. The socks are breathable and even when my feet got hot and sweaty, a quick pullout and wave-around both cooled and dried them. I think that comes down to the metal infusion of the fabric, but the design and cut of the sock certainly come into it. More than just a modern miracle textile, Glovax specially designed the socks at the toe and heel area to perfectly match the human foot shape, which makes that part super breathable and durable!

With their metal-infused fabric, these socks are designed to transfer heat more efficiently and be more durable! Odorless, comfortable, antibacterials, super durable and breathable, I gave them a pretty solid thrashing and they bounced back well.  They work well as advertised, and are comfortable and resilient day after day.
OF NOTE: The Glovax team just finished a campaign about a set of rugged cool work gloves which are also well worth checking out.

Curated ReBlog: South Korean threat from North Korea

I'm going to be spotlighting some of  my fellow bloggers in addition to my own content to spread some love. First up is from Unprecedented Mediocrity by Jeff Edwards  who shares some opinions on "better them than us" with regards to the North Korea vs South Korea questions:

Check it out here:

http://www.unprecedentedmediocrity.com/nothing-wrong-south-korea-taking-brunt-north-korean-war/

"Or I will Bring Fury and Fire Like You Have Never Seen Before Upon You"
-POTUS

Review: Light'n'Go bonfire log

Its log, its log, its heavy hard, it's wood, not new from Blamo.

Here's an interesting product from Light'n'go
that I saw whilst visiting my local Bunnings for  gardening supplies and tools. Bear with me. This is  a weird one. What I saw was a round of a log, 1/4Cu foot / 7.1L /  430 cu cm in size, with  length of sisal rope bolted on as a carry handle. It has a series of radial cuts in the log through its center and along is flat end surfaces in order to make combustible surfaces.

The Bonfire Log is new, unique, and the "most extraordinary innovation in firewood of our time". Put it virtually anywhere and create a beautiful bonfire with one match. No chemicals, just pure kiln dried beautiful white birch, with a paperboard firestarter, with its patent pending design, delivers a great fire and an instant good time. Bonfire Logs can be enjoyed in a fire pit, chimnea, or fireplace, indoors or out. Light'n'Go suggest you can take them camping, cook marshmallows or hotdogs on a stick, or drop a frying pan on the log for eggs.
 It's year round instant entertainment, never easier or cooler.

The cuts are crude chainsaw plunges and could be easily replicated by any skilled operator and the concept of the Swedish or Finnish fire log   is widely known. Take a log, and use a saw to cut at least 3/4 of the way down the length of the log. Adding kindling to these cuts allows a fire to be lit inside the log, which both allows the fire to burn surrounded by fuel but also shelters the fire and insulates it. the cuts allow air into the fire from it base as well as the sides, ensuring  good steady burn. The raised base allows the fire to be lit on wet, or snowy ground, and if both ends are properly flat, the top can be used as a cooktop, where a grill could be placed, or a pan placed.

This could even be enhanced with  the addition of a purpose  built grill-top such as the Sportes MITI grill.

Back to the Light'n'Go log: It is reported to be suited to both indoor and outdoor fireplaces. apparently it can be successfully lit with just 1 match and then would burn for more than 1.5 hours while the bonfire jumbo log burns for about 2.5 hours.

Lacking accelerants, the all-natural, fire-log, being kiln dried birch, lights with one match, burns 2.5 hours produces a large halo, a clean flame, and a charming aroma.

The Light'n'Go log is  a commercial product you can pick up at a hardware store, but you could make your own easily enough if you have dried seasoned logs and you're a deft hand with a chainsaw. However, if the plunges or cross cuts seem a little too much, a similar effect could be achieved by simply splitting the log with an axe four ways, and binding it with a length of wire to hold it together in much the same way as the Sportes MITI grill.

 I have a couple of logs in my fire woodpile that are flat ended and will see about cross-cutting one with a hand saw to give this a try myself but as an eyes-on, it looks like the Light'n'Go bonfire log is a very simple, easy to use and effective looking product. but its nothing you couldn't do yourself, given skills and simple materials. ust like baking bread or sewing pants. Before you scoff at its simplicity and redundancy, consider the utility and convenience. Time not spent setting up a good fire is time spent securing your site, food prep, setting camp and doing vital gear and personal maintenance. 

review - Kogalla battery

I'm a fan of my electrical gadgets, and with that comes the need to keep them charged on the go. whether it be in transit, on the trail, out cutting wood or doing chores, I like to listen to my tunes, stay in touch with the news and my feeds and all of that takes electron juice. 

I have a collection of batteries, from simple vending machine ones to those that came as bonus to some of my solar chargers like the Kogalla solar bank I recently covered.

I've covered some of my battery collection as well in the Limefuel by Limeaid . 
But, this new one is very nice. The  Kogalla BatPak 2 is a rugged, rechargable storage bank. Designed specifically to power the Kogalla RA Adventure Light, it also does a great job charging phones.

Built with  a whopping 48,580 mWh charged by a 5V, 2.1A Micro USB port. Outputs are by 3 5V 2A USB ports. which can be run simultaneously, for a 3.7V/13,400mAh capacity

Compared to the vending -machine issued Promate charger ,with only 10,000mAh with a 5V 1A and 2A dual outputs. The power dense Kogalla BatPak 2 is wallet sized and fits nicely in a pocket.


With its triplicated power outputs, and compact size, the BatPak 2 is a remarkably portable and powerful tool to keep your gadgets and devices charged on the go.

The protective case is simple and simple, with a single texture and  few extrusions, high- speed, low drag indeed!

I keep it charged up and couple it with a rugged Lightning cable to keep my iPhone charged. It usually sits in a side pouch of , my EDC pack the Mystery Ranch 1DAP but it just as easily sits in cargo pocket of pants or tucked away in my Hazard4 Escape RG harness.

Review: Small Australian Business - Strategic Threat Solutions

Earlier in 2017, a new kid showed up on the tactical gear block when Strategic Threat Solutions was launched in the Australian marketplace. I knew the primary owner from his vocal support and membership with ZERT and online, so when I realized they were ramping up I thought it would be a good time for an interview to scope out what they're all about. As first seen on Breach, Bang & Clear!. 

Unfortunately tragedy struck earlier his year when the primary owner and my contact there was killed in an altercation with police. I'm not going to comment on the matter, but the business as a franchise in Australia ceased to exist at that point. 

Apocalypse Equipped would like to express its sympathy to the families of all involved and wish speedy recovery to all those involved.

What is STS?
Strategic Threat Solutions (STS) is a multi-dynamic business with its core focus on the tactical urban survival/preparedness market. We have three core areas which work in tandem with each other; those core areas are our retail, membership and training divisions. What started out as an Australian business has grown internationally into the US and Europe, including key strategic partnerships. Everyone involved believes in what we are trying to achieve, that is collectively having like-minded individuals changing mindsets and teaching people to think outside the box and become more situationally aware of the changing world we step foot into each day. We are trying to shake loose the chains of "the crazy doomsday preppers" and show people that being a "prepper" isn't all tin foil hats and conspiracy theories. It's a way of life. Most people are preppers and don't realize it. And that is why STS transformed from an idea into a business. We are the new kids on the block, but we are here to stay. 
 
That's the kind of grounded and thought-out philosophy I like to hear in a business plan.
Side note: I wonder how many RFID blocking wallets it takes to make a tin-foil equivalent hat?
 
When did you form?
STS formed unofficially well over two years ago when Nick, Rob and myself would discuss at length gear, training and ideas. We all met through another group, we are all members of the Z machine (Zert). It was through this group that we connected with other like-minded individuals who shared our passions. From there things started to grow. In March 2017, we officially launched STS to the Australian consumer.

It takes time to get a business up and running and build a dependable team. It sounds like STS have got themselves pulled together.
 
Who is your core team?
Our core team is Josh, Nick, Rob and another still active current serving ADF member who at this time will remain nameless given his working environment. We also have international partners who we will introduce at a later time. It's safe to say the reaction and support we have received internationally has shocked us. And we are bringing people on board to help assist us with our membership and training divisions overseas. 

 OPSEC is important, boys and girls.


Who are your core audience and target market?
Our core audience and the targeted market is the tactical, survival/preparedness sectors. But while the focus is there, we are keenly aware that this market is not "mainstream" here in Australia. We have noticed the trend shift as people realize we live in crazy times and being prepared to support and look after your family during a disaster is paramount.

Spot on for me, and one can only hope that as the idea becomes more mainstream, it will be easier and easier for us to source and share our interests.


What can you tell me about your American division, how are the two different?
Our American partner specializes in personal protection, medical and emergency crisis management. They play a vital role in our US market and will facilitate training to our members in the US once our membership division is up and active. They will also help assist our team in gaining certification in training practices that we can deliver here in Australia not only for our members but also when our training division begins to roll out packages to external agencies etc.
 
 I can hardly wait to get professional training to build on my self-taught skills. Having a go-to source for trainers and training is just what we need.


What do you plan to bring to the community that is currently missing?
We have noticed and looked at what is currently in the Australian marketplace, and while we will have similar products available to our customers we are going to focus on two main things providing quality gear at a reasonable, cost-effective price and specialized custom gear that suits each customer. While we - as a small business here in Australia - may not have the buying power of some of the larger companies, we work very closely with our suppliers to provide the best possible price and gear and reach out to custom makers to provide that right piece of gear. We enjoy working with other small businesses worldwide in finding that perfect piece of kit that people are after. Now with that said, while we supply the gear, we are working hard to supplement the equipment with training so people not only get the gear but the training that goes with it to help them understand just what it is used for. It's certainly a long process but we have measures in place and some experienced personnel on board to make it become a reality.   

With an outline like this, products with appropriate training as a one-stop shop, STS can position itself to leverage a whole lot of focus in the community. Good for them, better for us.
 
What do you see as your signature traits, skills, products?
Certainly, our signature trait, skills, and products will be in the urban survival/preparedness market. We have been lucky enough to get some fantastic support from the US with some of the world's best gear providers and manufacturers, namely Imminent Threat Solutions. Their urban survival gear is second to none, and it's just one of the companies we are excited to work with and to bring their gear to the Australian market. 
Being on a big island very far from the industry of the northern hemisphere can be a real drag sometimes. Having a local source for the gear we see and hear about online is excellent, especially when some of the brands are hard to get otherwise. 

Custom gear & training offerings?
Custom gear is one of the things we at STS are going to focus on. We have many custom gear makers on board helping us achieve just that. To name a few we have MUHL CUSTOMS (belts, rigging systems, speed-mags), LOTAR COMBAT (custom-made IDF ENDORSED knives), BTSC (custom compact survival kits), RONO solutions (custom weapon carriage systems/slings), Rare Element (custom lock picks and equipment), Battle Patches (custom made morale patches), Matteo's Signs (custom engraving and signage) and STS-US will be providing us with custom iFAKS and medical gear but also providing training services. While we focus on the urban "jungle" with survival and preparedness in mind, we also recognize the fact that all over the world the wilderness is at everyone's door. So, instead of spreading ourselves thing we have partnered with Australian Survival Instructors (ASI) who are leaders in the bush/wilderness survival sector and have them on board to assist us with all things primitive and bush survival orientated.



Who are your affiliate partners, Who do you hope to get, gear makers, training facilitators?
 STS has many affiliates that we are working with closely. Our affiliates are not only business related, but we have aligned with some other small Australian business that comes from a variety of backgrounds and believes in helping grow small Australian businesses. Our affiliates to date are: Battle Patches, Mind4Survival, Matteo's signs, Patriot radios, Delta Echo Apparel, RJM vertebrate pest control, Firearm Owners United, ZERT Australia, Encompassing Australia, A.S.I Australian Survival Instructors, Yamato, Zahal and Rift Recon.  

Lots of good lines here, rare and hard to get lines at least in Australia, til now. The STS folks have really pulled together some really interesting and desirable vendors and I look forward making use of that for sure!
 
We are always looking to expand our ever-growing network of affiliates that share our passions and goals. Our current gear makers we have mentioned previously, but we do have a few things working in the background at the moment that we are excited about and will release that information in due time. Our training facilitators, some we have mentioned, and again we don't want to spoil some of the things we have in store, but we are very excited with what we have developing.

I think STS is going to be a company to watch in the future not only for the products they will be carrying but also the lines of training and services that will be offered under their umbrella.

Travel made easier: carry-on cocktail kits for your flight or ride. Carry one for each of your favorite cocktails!