The Al Mar Sere Operator borrows its design from the popular Sere 2000 folding knife and makes for one of the toughest production fixed blades on the market today. I recently got a good deal on this knife and here are my honest opinions:

What I like about the knife:

1. At 5 inches long, the S30V blade comes extremely sharp right out of the box. S30V stainless steel is one of the most treasured blade steels in the knife world today, and for good reason. The Sere Operator has no problem holding its edge even after continuous use.

2. With so many knives being made overseas nowadays, it's becoming difficult to find any made in the U.S.A. Al Mar Sere Operators are made in the United States, and the quality reflects that.

3. Your Sere Operator will be made with a full tang that extends to the end of the handle. This feature gives the knife a lot of added strength and is much less likely to break when you need it most.

4. The molded sheath is perfect for tactical and emergency operations because it will not be affected by rain, snow or sand. The belt attachment is adjustable to allow for multiple carrying options.

5. Al Mar also offers the Sere Operator with a saw on the back of the blade, which gives you added functionality for wilderness survival or emergency situations.

What I didn't like:

I would like to see this knife available with partial or full serrations, but other than that I have nothing bad to say about the Sere Operator.

Overall:

Al Mar took a proven design and turned it into one of the most trustworthy fixed blades out there. I highly recommend this knife as a camping, military or emergency tool that will last a lifetime.

You can get an Al Mar Sere Operator for $140 or less at http://www.KnifeSell.com

Thanks for reading,

Santiago Gutierrez http://www.KnifeSell.com

MUSIC: Trauma Center: Under The Knife - Emergency

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You will only get an accurate answer when you say which branch of service he is joining up in and

As far as being away from home plan on it being his entire contract unless he takes leave and comes home to visit because more then likely he will not get assigned anywhere near his current residency

Part 1 Huge Internal Frame Military Field & Patrol Pack used as a Camping, Hiking Backpack

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In general that is legal in Michigan but check with the authorities in any city you plan to be in for local restrictions.

Machete sheath / Teaca maceta

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I can absolutely recommend the Gerber freehand multi-tool. After owning several multi tools over the past 6 years, it has been the Gerber that has survived my abuse and has always come up working. I recall that it was a bit more expensive than the others, but it has lated longer than four of the others put together, and it has "MacGiver'd" me out of several situations. It weighs a little bit over pound, but it's strong enough to do real work.

Part 1 Gerber Multi-plier 600: Half Priced, Half Baked

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Gut hook knives help take some of the work out of skinning and dressing game. Every hunter should own at least one gut hook knife, and there are many to choose from when searching for the best one out there. Chances are, your not going to simply settle on one knife. There are 5 gut hook-hunting knives every hunter wants.

First, is a knife that is a must because it is a classic and has always been a popular knife; the Winchester 22-41789 Pakka Wood Large Fixed Blade Knife. This knife is a wonderful, reliable knife that is inexpensive. The blade is stainless steel and comes with a gut hook and a fine edge. The handle is pakka wood, which is a dark red colored wood that gives style as well as strength to the knife.

Another must have knife is the Gerber Blades 06932 Gator GH Folding Gut Hook Knife. It folds and locks back so the knife will never close on you. The blade is made from high carbon stainless steel and is a length of 3.75". It has an easy grip handle that is equipped with Kraton rubber for a better grip. The entire length of the knife with the blade open is 8.75". This knife is a full sized knife that folds, which is not very common and is said to be one of the best of its kind offered to the public.

Made by Gerber as well is the Freeman Gut Hook Hunter fine edge sheath knife-8465. The handle to this knife is pear wood that is strong and solid. It weighs 6.8 oz, with a blade length of 3.92". The entire length of the knife including the blade is 8.35". This knife was actually recognized in 2003 as one of the most favorable hunting knives ever made.

Another very popular knife that is a must have because it is so different and unique looking compared to the ordinary gut hook knife is the Cabela's outfitters series gut hook knife known as the trigger skinner knife. The edge of the knife is razor sharp and has a nickel, Vanadium and Tungsten in the alloy to enhance the capability of taking an edge very quickly. It has a small, fat, gut hook that measures 4 ½", with a 3/8" gap, and is 8½" length overall.

Last is the absolutely must have Kershaw Alaskan blade trader knife. It is equipped to switch to multiple blades; included is a AUS6A stainless steel gut hook blade for gutting that measures 6"; a 420J2 stainless steel blade for hunting that measures 3½", and a saw steel blade for sawing your game that measures 6". This knife is great because it gives you the opportunity to switch blades while using the same knife handle. The quick lock mechanism makes it easy and safe to switch blades in a matter of seconds. It also includes a leather sheath that is equipped with a holder for each individual blade. The overall weight of this knife is 11.6 oz. This knife is definitely top on my list of must have gut hook knives; and yet also includes two additional knives for sawing and hunting.

Right from my childhood, I loved knives. I roamed in jungles and had been on many wild ventures. In my opinion, hunting knife is the best companion when you are on any wild adventure trip. As there are many types of hunting knives available, the key is in selecting the right kind of knife. You are invited to visit http://www.huntingknivesreviews.net to learn more about hunting knives.

Gerber Gator II Knife Review

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I think you can get a lot better knives than Cold Steel.
Also, Kukris are not machetes, machete is thiner, lighter weight blade.
Kukris are much heavier and curved. That's very simplified, but in essence that's it.

If you want a good kukri check out himalayan imports, here's the reviews and photos - http://zknives.com/knives/fixed/himp/index.shtml

For cheap, reliable machetes tramontina will do.

And while at it, you definitely need to check out knife steel FAQ - http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml

Cold Steel Kukri Machete Destruction Test Part 6

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It does not require the skill of an Eagle Scout to make a good fire in your fireplace. You just have to use a tried and trusted fire-starting method.

Before you even start to build your fireplace fire, there are four things you'll want to do. First, since the last thing you want is a chimney fire, be sure you have had your chimney inspected and cleaned within the past year. A good cleaning removes the build-up of flammable creosote.

Second, remove all but about an inch of ashes from the floor of your fireplace. A handy way to remove these ashes is with a vacuum specially designed to remove cold ashes from your fireplace.

Third, look up your chimney to make sure the damper is open. A 'throat damper' is located at the bottom of the chimney and will open with a lever or with chain-pulls. If you have a 'top damper,' it's located at the top of the chimney and you open it by pulling a cable.

Fourth, cleared your hearth of anything flammable. You don't want a stray spark to start a fire anyplace other than inside the firebox!

At last you are ready to start making your fireplace fire. Crumble two or three sheets of paper such as that old standby, yesterday's newspaper. Avoid burning plastics or paper with color printing (such as the Sunday comics, magazines, or gift wrapping paper) as they give off toxic fumes. Put the crumbled paper on your fireplace grate. The grate elevates your fire, allowing it to pull in plenty of air to keep a good draft going up the chimney.

Now you have a choice. On top of the crumbled paper, you can put a handful of pine kindling strips (pieces of pine about half an inch wide and about 10 inches long) topped in a criss-cross pile with half a dozen dry pieces of hardwood about 1 inch square by a foot long. The easier way is just to top the crumbled paper with a couple of sticks of fatwood, a natural firestarter. Fatwood comes from the stumps of pine trees, the section of the trees that naturally collects the highly combustible resinous sap or pitch. Purchased in easy-to-use sticks about 8 inches long, fatwood is known as nature's one-match firestarter.

If you are using the fatwood method, add 3 pieces of split, dried firewood on top of the fatwood. If you are using the kindling-hardwood combination, do not add the split firewood yet.

You want the first puffs of smoke from your fireplace fire to go up the chimney, not into your room. So establish an upward flow of air in your flue by crumbling another couple of sheets of paper, lighting them, and holding them up inside the fireplace. This pre-warming gets that upward flow of warm air going.

At last it's time to light your fireplace fire! Light the paper in your grate from each end. If you are using fatwood, the paper will light the fatwood that in turn lights the split firewood.

If you are using the kindling-hardwood method, when the paper lights the kindling and the kindling lights the hardwood, it is time to add 2 or 3 pieces of split firewood to the fire.

As the fire burns, use the tongs from your fireplace tool set to add more split firewood as needed. Place a fireplace screen or spark guard in front of the fire to protect your home and loved ones. Now, sit back and enjoy your fireplace fire!

Susan Penney appreciates simple ways to make our homes renewing spaces for our families. She invites you to visit FireplaceMall.com for chimney caps and fireplace accessories.

The Prodigy - Firestarter

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If you ask a guy why they deer hunt chances are you will get different answers. Some will answer that they hunt for sport and others will say they hunt for the food. You may get other answers but those are the two main answers that is going to be discussed. Some hunters hunt with a bow and others hunt with a shotgun. Either way the results are the same, meat on the table.

When deer hunting for sport a hunters goal is to try to get the buck with the biggest rack. Most that hunt for sport will tell you that the pure enjoyment of being in the outdoors is a thrill. Even if the goal is hunting for sport, those hunters bring home a lot of meat for their family table. When a hunter gets a nice looking rack a lot of times the hunter will take it to a taxidermist and get it mounted for his home wall. Some hunters even have their own trophy room.

Hunting for the reason of providing food for the family table may seem caveman but a lot of hunters do it. Hunting is not just for men. A lot of women do it too. Whomever is providing the meat for the table can find the taste of venison as a delicious meal. Venison is much like beef, except with a more wild taste. There is thousands of venison recipes. One big difference between beef and venison is that venison is not corn fed and has much less fat on it.

So regardless of why a hunter hunts the result is good meat on the table, a cheaper way to fill the freezer, and a less populated forest. Hunting seasons differ depending where you live. It's worth checking into and seeing what you need to do to be the next big deer hunter.

Brad has always had an interest in many things. See some of his interests at Lawn Tractor Attachments and Outdoor Pool tables.

Carted deer hunting - Blood Sports in Ireland

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Good Question -- as with lots of outdoor stuff, this all becomes personal preference and needs.

I hunt in Virginia (not too far from humans EVER), and in Colorado where you can still get pretty remote. Also, I am a physician and prior military survival instructor, so my kit is probably weighted (literally and figuratively) differently than others might be.

As you often hear, the first tool of survival is your brains -- starting there, everything else is pretty much optional.

In Mine:
Water or way to purify water. I carry iodine tablets
Waterproof matches
Signal mirror
whistle
Toilet paper - in a zip-lock bag
space blanket
a fairly advanced medical kit (this is more for if I come across someone needing help)
several pairs of pocket hand/toe warmers -- the chemical kind that just start to get warm when you take them out of the pack
about 20 feet of 550 army parachute cord

Other things not in kit but they always go with me:
food - snacks and usually a denty moore beef stew with a pop-off lid.
GPS with extra batteries -- don't forget to mark the trailhead before you start of into the backcountry
cell phone (often I am where there is no signal, but sometimes hilltops can get a weak signal)
LED head lamp
Knife - I carry 2. One large (Buckmaster -- the knife I got for survival school in 1986 and it is still a great tool) one small (a Gerber multitool - knife, pliers, saw, etc.).
I almost always carry a firearm of some kind -- even when I'm just hiking
some type of waterproof outer shell
hat

A great reference is FM 21-76. It is the military Survival manual. Not something you can pack when you're on foot, but it's a great reference and kind of fun to read. It has improved a lot since my first copy. I teach my son a few things out of the manual each time we go camping. He thinks we're just doing cool "outdoor" things.

Good first aid kits that are light and complete for the non-medical person are Adventure Medical Kits -- google them -- many variations to fit your needs.

Hunting in Namibia - Ray Mears World of Survival - BBC

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It's "Mad Mad World" by Ricky Nelson. Here's the lyrics.
Everybody's runnin' in a mad, mad world
But nobody's goin' nowhere
Everybody's gotta have more than the others
Gotta have more than their share

Ever since the devil tempted woman with an apple
We've all had a burden to bare
Now the world keeps turnin' and things are gettin' faster
Nobody's goin' nowhere

They say the grass is greener on the other side
When they cross over they find
Everybody's searchin' like you and me
Tryin' to find peace of mind

See that little boy fishin' on the river
If I could just be like him
I'd close my eyes and let the mad world go by
If only I could be like him

See that little boy fishin' on the river
If I could just be like him
I'd close my eyes and let the mad world go by
If only I could be like him
I'd close my eyes and let the mad world go by
If only I could be like him

Island Style Fishing

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