Survival Showcase Why?

Posted on March 7, 2015 by survivalshowcase

Well in the beginning I started this website / blog because I wanted to get back to my survival roots I had developed earlier on in life. I thought it would be fun if I had my own site where I could showcase some different products and demonstrate some of my survival skills. I began work on my blog and decicded that I would feature one of my favorite survival knives on the home page. I made a few more pages and wrote some articles and showcased a few products. After having my blog for a while I started to mess around with the idea of a YouTube channel and in the early spring of 2014 I pulled out my Nikon D90 and started to make some films (All of which you can still see on the Survival Showcase Channel) and used the name Survival Showcase as the Channel name as well. At first I had no idea if anyone would find my content interesting at all. With a new baby on the way (#2) and a move at the same time I had no time for the blog or the YouTube channel so it had to wait. Around the end of September beginning of October I checked in on my channel and found that one of my videos had become somewhat popular or so I thought. At almost 500 views and a few subscribers, (shows you what little I knew about YouTube) my video on the Savage model 42 was attracting some attention. It was at this time I would focus my attention to making videos for my channel and I must say it has been rewarding. A few more subscribers and total of 34 videos has helped attract some attention to my channel. I recently purchased a new digital DSLR that lets me recored in 1080P as I felt it was needed to give my channel quality videos. I do from time to time use the D90 for a second camera angle and it does a nice job. I hope to bring my viewers more quality videos for 2015. You will see some survival based videos as well as firearms, gear reviews, first impressions, and other fun ideas that can be put into video. Being that most of my free time is tied up with shooting videos and editing my post on here will be fewer. So if you like the content that has been posted in this blog I would encourage you to check out my YouTube channel and click subscribe. Thanks! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKs9ao4lLelcBtRs5I_qCbA

Posted in Books, Bug out Bags, EDC Bags, Firearms, Fires, Knives, Shelters, Survival Showcase TV | Leave a comment

Survival Showcase TV

Posted on January 17, 2015 by survivalshowcase

For those of you who do not know of my Youtube channel, “Survival Showcase” I will be posting any of my survival based videos here under the page Survival Showcase TV. Have fun watching the videos and remember to Like, Share, & Subscribe! 

Enjoy this video on Danner Boots!

 

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2014 in review

Posted on December 30, 2014 by survivalshowcase

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,100 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 18 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Small Every Day Carry Knives

Posted on November 24, 2014 by survivalshowcase

Today we are going to take a look at a tool that many people carry on them everyday, that tool is a pocket knife and they come in many styles, sizes, and range in price from cost effective to expensive. In my line of work I carry a knife on me at all times. This comes in handy when I need to open up a product box for a customer to view the actual product they are about to buy. Small knives are great little tools for small jobs like opening boxes, prying staples, cutting string, and many other uses. Lets take a look at five small pocket knives.

One knife that is a great EDC knife is the Puma 4 Star Mini. The 4 Star Mini is all steel construction and has a blade that measures 5cm long. When the 4 Star Mini is opened by pulling at the top of the blade and pulled back to its locking position it is held open by a lock back style locking system. This is to ensure that you don’t close the blade on your fingers while working with the knife. Each of the 4 Star Mini’s is put through the Rockwell hardness test to make sure that the integrity of the knife is what you would come to expect. The second knife to consider for EDC in this category is the Buck 325, a small folder that features a 4.5cm long blade and a liner lock system to securely hold the blade open as well as a thumb catch on either side of the blade to assist your thumb in opening the blade with a single hand. Construction of this knife is steel with a small strip of plastic running along the bottom. The Third knife in this category is the Remington Sportsman Series single blade folder which features a 5cm long blade, lock back locking system, stag like ABS scales held in place by brass pins, and brass ends to add to the overall look of the knife. This knife is a full centimetre thick which is twice the thickness of the previous knives. The fourth knife in this category is the Buck 382BRS-B Trapper. This knife features two blades, the first a standard clip blade 6cm long, and the second a spey blade 6cm long. Construction of this knife features laminated wood scales held in place with brass pins, and it also features brass tips at both ends. Both blades are hinged at the same end which makes this a true Jack Knife. The fifth and last knife in this category is the Buck 302GYS-B Single Blade Stockman. The Stockman features clip style blade which measures 6cm in length. Construction of this knife is steel, grey laminated scales held in place with two brass pins, and brass tips on either end. When the blade is in the open position it is locked back but it does not have the push release style lock. Instead you just apply pressure to the back of the blade and it will close for you. This style of single blade stockman is more of a gentleman’s style of knife as it is long and thin to fit nicely in a pair of dress pants or jacket.

The above five knives are great examples of small EDC knives as they do not take up much room in your pocket. Its important to have the right tool for the job with out over doing it. Bulky pockets can hinder you in your activities not to mention the unsightly appearance they leave you. Larger knives do have there place and we will take a look at them in an up coming post.

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Survival Firearm

Posted on October 27, 2014 by survivalshowcase

Lets say that I was only able to have one firearm for survival. My choice would be the Remington 870 12ga Express Tactical PT# 81198. My reasoning for choosing this firearm is its ability to handle different task from taking down wild game to defense, also its ability to be modified for many uses. From the factory it has a two shot extension giving this firearm the ability to hold 7 rounds of 2-3/4″ or 3″ shells, the barrel is 18-1/2″ Rem choke which includes the extended Remington tactical Cylinder Choke tube, on top of the receiver there is an XS ghost ring sight picatinny rail, and the forend pump is Remington’s own tactical forend.
What I like about these features is that the ghost ring sight is fully adjustable windage and elevation; also the ghost ring makes it very easy to acquire the front blade and pull onto target. When you open the chamber you will notice that the magazine follower is bright orange and that makes it very easy to determine that the magazine is empty. Cross bolt style safety is very easy to manipulate with your trigger finger and clearly indicates that the firearm is either in safe mode or fire mode. If you don’t want to use the ghost ring sight the picatinny rail makes it very easy to mount a red dot sight. Slings are also very easily attached to this firearm with the provided swivel attachments found on the rear stock and the barrel / magazine clamp at the front of the firearm. Remington makes many different barrels for the model 870 and at a reasonable price. If you want to go hunting for ducks you could by a 28” vent rib barrel, take off the magazine extension and you would have an excellent hunting shotgun.
Shooting The Remington 870 12ga Express Tactical was very fun. I loaded some Sellier & Bellot 2-3/4″ OO Buck shot and methodically picked my shots, then I loaded up the magazine a second time and dumped it as fast as I could, it functioned perfect every time. Recoil is felt a bit more through this model due to the shorter barrel and harder more durable recoil pad that is included. Please remember that this 870 is primarily designed for Military and Law Enforcement use so comfort takes aback seat and durability, reliability, and ruggedness are what is in mind in this model.

Remington 870 Express Tactical

Remington 870 Express Tactical

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First Aid Kit

Posted on October 27, 2014 by survivalshowcase

I feel that if you have a first aid kit in your bug out bag, or EDC (every day carry) you should know whats in it and how to proporly us it. For my bug out bag I selected a 1-2 person 1.0 first aid kit which has basic medical supplies and survival tools. The colour of the first aid kit is red and black to make it easy to spot in or out of your bug out bag. This kit has a full zipper on it so it can fold out flat when opened. Once opened you have compartments on each side. In the first compartment you have 10 benzalkonium chloride wipes, these are used for cleaning your hands. Next you will find 2pkgs. of afterbite to releave the itch of insect bites. The next item in this side is a pair of nitrile gloves which should be worn any time you are giving first aid. The next three items did not come with this kit but I felt they made perfect sence to be included, and they are a travel size pkg. of Advil (10 tablets) travel size polysporin to protect from infection and numb away pain. And the last item that I added was a travel size vaseline to treat chapped lips or to add to cotton balls for a fire starter. The other side includes a tensor band, tweezers, white medical tape, three safety pins, two 2 inch sterile gauze pads, two 3 inch sterile non woven sponges, three easy access butter fly band aids, one large band-aid, blister cushions, 12 standard size easy access bandages, 3 small butter fly band aids, and one basic wound burn & blister care info sheet.

Posted in Bug out Bags, EDC Bags | Leave a comment

The Ongoing Project of Building a Bug Out Bag

Posted on June 30, 2014 by survivalshowcase

When I recently acquired my Maxpedition Falcon II pack it was my intention to make it my primary bug out bag. I selected this pack due to the number of compartments and its ability to attach other gear via the molle webbing. I have a number of items for this setup which I will go over in detail but first I wanted to explain why I titled this post The Ongoing Project of Building a Bug Out Bag. I have titled the post this because I feel that my Bug Out Bag is never finished. I always have the base items that I would need if I had to leave town in a hurry but some of the items were bought with cost in mind and that can in some cases lead to the quality of the items suffering. Take for example the knife that I first selected to be my survival knife, it was a Puma Sergeant folder, this was a nice knife but it was a sub par selection for the job it was be relied on for. I have since tweaked my knife selection to now feature the Buck Thug as my main survival knife and have now attached it to the side of my Bug Out Bag. The Puma folder makes an excellent knife to have in your pocket for the smaller jobs. One of the other items that I have tweaked is my first aid kit. I bought one that fits the small pocket on the back of the bag. The first aid kit is designed for 1-2 people called an adventure medical kit and contains basic supplies. I have added to this kit a 7.7ml travel polysporin, 10 tablets of Advil (Ibuprofen), and a small very small 7gr tub of vaseline. In the first compartment at the bottom back of the pack I keep items that I would want fast access to such as dog spray, flash light, SAS survival guide and many a few other items felt where worth adding to this compartment due to it organizational capabilities. The next compartment is directly above this one and is the smallest the pack has. Other than the two rows of molle on the outside this is just a zippered pocket and is where I keep my first aid kit. In the bottom of the next compartment is where I keep a few bigger bulkier items, these include 14oz Nalgene bottle, small metal dish, space blanket, KA-BAR knife fork spoon, and sealed dry tinder with cotton balls. This compartment also features three additional organizational pockets where I store note paper, water purification tablets, and a deck of cards. The last compartment is the largest one and features one large mesh pocket and one smaller zippered mesh pocket. In the main area I keep a change of clothes, Browning next to skin top and bottoms, Merrell tee shirt, and a pair of hiking pants from BC clothing that have zip off legs to make shorts. The large mesh pocket is where I keep two freeze dried meals. In the other zippered pocket I keep a few energy bars with room for a few more personal items. At this time I do not have a hydration blater, I do plan on getting one and installing it in this Bug Out Bag. So now I have shared with you some of the items of my Bug Out Bag. I will make a video so I can show you in-depth what is in my Bug Out Bag.

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New Leatherman Rebar

Posted on June 19, 2014 by survivalshowcase

Hello everyone I recently picked up the new Leatherman Rebar and I have to say it looks awesome! This tool has a throw back look from the older leathermans with the pinched ends. The one feature that caught my attention right away was this Leatherman has the replaceable wire cutters on it. This is great if you are cutting lots of wire and where out the cutters. The other neat feature I found was this tool is that it has two knives on it. One knife is your traditional straight blade and the other is a serrated blade. My Leatherman came with the leather sheath and the over all size of the tool when it is folded up is 4 inches long. All of the tools that fold out of the handle feature a lock so that you don’t end up closing one of them on your fingers. I love taking my Leatherman tool with me every where I go just incase I have the chance to use it. The slender profile of this tool makes it very comfortable to wear on your belt and it will not interfere with you when walking around. I would recommend this leatherman for everyday use, if you have one don’t forget to wear it, if you don’t have one go out and get one you will not regret it!

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Lansky Machete

Posted on June 17, 2014 by survivalshowcase

I recently picked up a new machete by Lansky and put it through some testing. This machete came in the wilderness pack which included a nylon sheath, and the dual grit sharpening puck. The blade on this machete is made of 1095 high carbon steel featuring a full tang handle, blade measuring 14 inches long, durable hand guard, tempered blade, ABS handle, and a safety lanyard to put around your wrist just incase your hand lets go. The puck features a course and a medium grit side to it. Use the course side to take out any damaged areas of the blade and then use the medium grit side to bring up a nice sharp finished edge. When not using the machete you have a nice nylon sheath that fits on to most belts. I thought the length of the machete might be a bit long to have hanging down at my side, but found that it did not bother me at all. The saw back on this machete is no gimmick either as it easily sawed through material I put it up against. I was very surprised at the the chopping capabilities of this machete as you will wittiness in the video review. Clearing a path with the Lansky machete was very easy. Grass, brush, larger sticks and branches did not slow this machete down one bit. Over all I would rate this machete 9/10, to get the full 10 I would like to se the production of this machete in North America. I know that any time I go camping or just trekking around the woods I will be taking the Lansky machete with me.

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Savage Model 42 410/22WMR

Posted on April 26, 2014 by survivalshowcase

When I first saw the Savage 42 debuted at the 2012 Shot Show I was skeptical of this firearm because it would be measured against its predecessor the Savage model 24. The most noticeable difference between the two firearms is the model 24 was wood stock and fore end and the Savage model 42 is a synthetic stock and fore end. I recently acquired a Savage model 42 in 22WMR / 410 for the purpose of a survival / small game hunting rifle. What I liked about this firearm was its sleek and narrow design, the long hammer design on the rear tang, rubber recoil pad and the location of the barrel brake lever in front of the trigger guard. Areas of this firearm that I thought could use some improvement are the sites are plastic and have no contrast. Simply putting a red or white dot on the front site blade and an upgrade of the rear sight would go a long way to improving this firearm. As for the manual extractor I will have a comment and show it in use in an upcoming video for this firearm. For survival use and long hunting trips you will need a specific backpack that is capable of carrying a firearm as this one does not fold in half or have a take down feature. The over all feel of this firearm is fast and solid. The Savage Model 42 can also be had in 22LR / 410, barrel lengths on both are 20″ with a 3″ 410 chamber.

Update!!!

The extractor on this firearm worked well. I did not have any problems extracting the shells out of the chambers.

 

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