Review: Boy Scout Hot Spark survival fire styarter

The best survival gear doesn't have to be expensive. But it must be reliable and able to work under extreme conditions. One of the best ferrocerium rods for firemaking is the Boy Scout Hot Spark.

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by Leon Pantenburg
I like stuff that works. Some of these items include my Cold Steel SRK survival knife, Ruger 10/22, a Swiss Army Classic keychain knife, my Gerber folding saw and a 42-ounce enamelware cup. Included in this list is a Boy Scout Hot Spark ferrocerium rod.
Because of its reliability, a Hot Spark is included in my keyring and Altoid tin survival kits. Backup ferro rods are also scattered throughout my gear. They don't weigh anything, or take up any space, and the ferro rod firemaking technique, properly done is utterly reliable. (Check out the ferro rod firemaking video!)
The Boy Scout Hot Spark on my keyring survival kit costs about three dollars at any scout store. It has a good handle and the ferro rod is very effective. Because it is easily included and convenient, it will be taken along.
Here's why I carry a ferro rod:

• Extreme reliability: A ferrocerium rod, when scraped with a hardened steel striker, will produce sparks with temperatures of up to 5,500 degrees. These sparks will readily ignite many forms of tinder. (Check out the video on finding tinder under survival conditions) A ferro rod is also good for hundreds, if not thousands of fires. Matches, lighters and many other methods are finite.
• Compact and easy to carry: That means you can carry several as backups.
• Work under conditions that would disable other firemaking methods: This is one of the
  most important reasons to carry a ferro rod. Butane lighters are easily disabled by cold and moisture or a grain of sand. Matches are unreliable and degenerate over time. Every firemaking method has some disadvantage, but I believe a ferro rod has the fewest.

Your only survival tools are those you have along! Check out the Hot Spark video review!







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How to season cast iron on a barbecue grill

A common question among new off grid and/or cast iron cooks is "How do I season cast iron?" Here is the barbecue grill method I use, and it works really well!
by Leon Pantenburg

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Cast iron cookware will last forever if you take care of it. But what happens if an implement is neglected and develops some rust? Or what about that crusty, dirty relic of an unsuccessful camping trip you find at a garage sale? At what point does it become unsalvageable?

These garage sale skillets can be restored to usefulness!

Here is a quick way to re-season any piece of cast iron. Essentially, all you're doing is removing all the rust and residue, wiping down all the surfaces with a cast iron conditioner, and baking the oven outside in a hooded barbecue grill.
I've been using this method for years to periodically re-season and touch up the cast iron that belongs to a local Boy Scout troop. All these camp ovens have been used for several years, sometimes under duress and severe conditions, and they still work to help provide a mouth-watering meal!
Obviously, the more abused and rusty the implement is, the more work will be involved to bring it back into service. In some instances, I've had to take a particularly cruddy piece to an auto body shop and have it sandblasted.
But all this effort is worth it when you end up with a good piece of cast iron that will last indefinitely.
For a more comprehensive look at seasoning cast iron, click on Restoring a Cast Iron Treasure.
Check out the video below!





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I love my Camp Chef Double Burner Propane Stove

This is a great product, and a good way to start your off grid cooking setup
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Five Ways to Use Aluminum Foil as a Survival Tool

Survival tools don’t have to be expensive or hard to find. One example is aluminum foil. I have a piece along in virtually all my survival kits. Here are five uses for aluminum foil in survival situations.
Some common, everyday items can do double-duty as survival tools. I don’t know how the pioneers ever got along without duct tape, WD-40 or paper towels. To that list I would add aluminum foil.
Here are some uses for foil in your survival gear.

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Survival Recipe: Rice Pudding

A great way to use up leftover rice.

One of the longest-lasting storage foods is rice. Properly packed  and stored, rice can safely be stored to last for 25 years without the taste being affected.

But no matter how much you like rice, a steady diet of any food  can lead to diet monotony.

This recipe, from “Jan’s Fabulous Food Storage Recipes,” by Jan LeBaron” lends some variety to a food storage staple, and is an easy way to use up some extra, leftover  rice! Click here to read the recipe.

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Book Review: Peter Kummerfeldt's 'A Better Way to Build a Fire'

The ability to build a fire build a fire under survival conditions may save your life. The inability may cost your life!

As a Boy Scout survival skills volunteer, I have helped teach well over 10,000 people basic flint-and-steel firemaking skills. This instruction has been done during all sorts of weather extremes. I have tried and tested many different firemaking methods, with the goal of being able to recommend the right tools to make a firemaking kit that could a person’s life.

One thing I learned after all this research and training is this: The average person, even if given matches and gasoline, couldn’t start a fire under survival conditions! Firemaking, like any survival skill, must be practiced, and you have to start out with the right tools and training.
One of those training tools might be Survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt's new ebook: "A Better Way to Build a Fire." Click here to read the review.

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Survival Book Review: Bug Out Vehicles and Shelters

The fertilizer hits the fan and you may have to evacuate your area.

Immediately, the roads and highways will be jammed with unprepared refugees, most of them fleeing in panic to go somewhere - anywhere - else.

A prepper will be prepared for this eventuality, hopefully, and will not join the mindless crowd. But there may be no choice regarding staying or going  prior to or during a flood, earthquake, hurricane or tsunami. You may have to join the exodus.

So what is your plan, to get your family to safety, and do you have a vehicle you can depend on? Get some ideas by reading this review of "Bug Out Vehicles and Shelters."

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Quick, Easy Method to Make Jerky in Your Oven

Finished jerky

Maybe you had a successful hunting season, and ended up with lots of meat to experiment on. Or possibly, the idea is to learn another do-it-yourself skill, so you can make a healthy snack for the kids’ lunches.
Regardless of your motivation, preppers, survivalists and folks looking for a way to preserve meat for long term storage should learn how to make jerky. Like any survival technique, it may be one of those skills that could prove to be vital sometime down the road.
This recipe can be done in your kitchen in about two hours. Click here to read how!

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Blake Miller's "Best Jerky in Central Oregon" Recipe

Blake's recipe is great!

Those of us who are getting ready for hunting season know that energy in the field is a vital part of the whole experience. Healthy snacks keep you from getting hungry. Prolonged calorie deficit means you’ll start to get weak. That can affect your ability to maintain your body heat and keep moving.
Besides, who wants to go outdoors and be miserable! Here is GPS and land navigation expert Blake Miller’s jerky recipe. The meat should be completely covered by the mixture, so I’m not sure just how many pounds this recipe might be good for!
Click here to read the entire recipe!

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Chili Mix

Chili con carne (often known simply as chili) is a spicy stew.  The name of the dish derives from the Spanish chile con carne, “chili pepper with meat”. Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, garlic, onions and cumin along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included.
Variations, both geographic and personal, may involve different types of meat as well as a variety of other ingredients.
In a survival situation, chili is a great choice for using up some of the less-choice cuts of meat. The dish can help stretch limited supplies of meat to feed more people.
To read the recipe, click here.

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Field Test: The EcoZoom Biomass Stove

The EcoZoom is very efficient!

Consider this scenario: If the Stuff Has Hit the Fan (SHTF), you may end up with no potable water. In the aftermath of a large-scale disaster, such as the tornado that hit Joplin, MO, large groups of people will need pure drinking water. In many such cases, boiling may be the only practical way to kill the nasties that can cause water-borne illnesses.

And what about all that storage food you have on hand – how much of it needs to be cooked, and how long will your propane, charcoal or firewood reserves last?

Those are some of the reasons I agreed to field test the EcoZoom BioMass stove. To read the review, click here!

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Survival Recipe: Zucchini Gratin

Here is a suggestion for using up some of the tail-end vegetables from the garden! Click here to read this zucchini recipe!

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Boy Scouts Practice For an Unexpected Night Out in the Wilderness

Here is one quick shelter that can be made with a tarp.

The thought was to take a quick hike before dinner, and the plan was to be gone about 45 minutes. But now you’re lost, and the safest course of action is to stay put and spend the night. Luckily, you have your Ten Essentials, and whatever food you packed, but no tent, sleeping bag or insulite pad.

Oh. And your matches don’t work. 

You have to build a shelter, and figure out how to stay warm, since the temperatures could drop into the 30s.

Have a nice night!

That was the scenario last weekend when 13 Boy Scouts and five adult leaders from Troops 18 and 90, located in Bend, OR. went on a “Ten Essentials Campout.” The idea was to train for surviving an unexpected night out in the wilderness. The theme was: “No tents, no sleeping bags, no matches, No PROBLEM!”

To read the story, click here.

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Top 10 Storage Foods That Last (Almost) Forever

Rice can last a long, long time if stored correctly!

Here is a post from Lisa Bedford "The Survival Mom" about 10 foods that will last a long, long time. It is worth reading to see what you already have, and what you need to stock up on!

To read the story, click here.


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Survival Recipe: Healthy Spinach Pasta

Use fresh produce when available to save storage foods!

One way to stretch your storage food and prepper dollars is by taking advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. Right now, many gardens are producing a lot of  fresh veggies that can be substituted for the dried or dehydrated.

This recipe from “Jan’s Fabulous Food Storage Recipes” takes full advantage of any fresh vegetables you might have. Substitute all or some of the fresh for the storage food and create a tasty meal.

To read the recipe, click here!

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Make Sure Your Survival Knife Sheath is Safe!

(Illustration by C. T. Fischer)

So you’ve decided what fixed-blade knife to include in an emergency survival kit or Bug Out Bag.

But how will you safely carry it? Where is the best place to wear that knife on your belt? And what things should you look for in a sheath to make sure the knife isn’t lost?

Unfortunately, some fine knifes come with mediocre to poor sheaths. In some cases, these sheaths can be dangerous to the user!

Outdoorsman and knifemaker  C.T. Fischer explains the best ways to carry your fixed-blade knife, and things to look for in a sheath. 

Click here to read the story!

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Edible Wild Plants: Miner's Lettuce

Miner's Lettuce is widely distributed throughout Central Oregon (Linda Stephenson photo)

Miner’s lettuce (Montia perfoliata), an edible plant, is widely distributed throughout the high desert areas of Central Oregon. Learn how to recognize this plant, and you’ll be able to come up with a tasty salad in the wilderness! 

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South Deschutes County Emergency Preparedness: FEMA Projects Earthquake Disaster on Oregon Coast

South Deschutes County Emergency Preparedness: FEMA Projects Earthquake Disaster on Oregon Coast: "Roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure will be severely damaged by the Cascadia earthquakes.
The Number One concern o..."