The past week, had a few things to do like preps, tomahawk review, day trip to the mountains, and setting up tree stand.

    The past week has been busy with work and other stuff. Since last Monday, when I had a day off with Columbus Day, JUGM and I did a few things that day to add to our preps. JUGM found a person locally that was selling some 55 gallon plastic drums and 15 gallon buckets. Drums were $12 a piece and 15 gallon buckets were $5 each so I managed to get 2 drums and 4 buckets, y'all do the math. I really like the lids and handles on these buckets. The drums had soybean oil in them and with 3 squirts of Dawn Commercial concentrated and filling them 1/4 full, I had the kids roll them around the yard and flipping them end over end to get all the oil out of them. I opened up both bung holes and flushed all the suds out and they are clean as a whistle. I will be purchasing more in the near future as after asking some question from the seller, his wife works at a local business that makes pharmaceutical products. Yes, we also canned 10 quarts of potatoes which she had showed us running two canner's at the same time on the new two burner propane set-up on her blog.

   BTW, he also has pre-plumbed 100 gallon starter tanks for starting my catfish aquapontics in the spring. The local feed store starts taking orders for fingerling's in march from the local fish hatchery. Yes, I will be diving in during the spring along with raising goats for food and selling.

      Since my last post, I have received my new CRKT WOODS CHOGAN Tomahawk and have had a chance to compare it to my SOG Fusion Tomahawk. Yes, if you saw the pictures from my last post, there are differences in them.

     I really like it, but there are some issues I have with it, so let me start. First and foremost, CRKT, you should be ashamed of yourselves for producing a DULL-ASS Tomahawk. I mean, this thing couldn't even cut a piece of my kids notebook paper when I received it. Every CRKT knife I have bought out-of-the-box was able to shave the hair of my arm, so what happened with introducing this product? Secondly, I really think you put too much clear lacquer finish on the handle. There is a good size blob of it under the wooden handle which to me makes the handle very slippery in a dry condition, would hate to see how it is wet. Third, where is a lanyard hole to add a para-cord lanyard?
    So what have I done with it so far. I have since sharpened it with a metal file and sharpening stone. I have drilled a hole in the handle to attach a lanyard. I will be sanding the handle down to remove the lacquer and added some kind of abrasive, maybe some grip tape found on a skate boards so I can grip the thing. Using the Tomahawk for tasks associated with a survival situation, it does the job. It will chop through stuff with ease, after you sharpen it up. It is heavier than the SOG Fusion Tomahawk so it does add more force. Do I feel it would be a good weapon for a hand-to-hand combat situation, YES, but as far as throwing it, I would be afraid the handle would break. If you need a tool/weapon that is good for setting up camp or driving in tent stakes for your Hennessey Hammock or tent, it will do the job, the SOG Fusion will not be the best option for you.

    Here I did some stump chopping on a tree I had recently cut down that was unsafe and the stump is still real wet. I would have cut it down but, this tree was one that should have been left to someone with insurance. Yeah, it had to be laid down precisely. It was a tall Red Oak that was rotten up to 5 foot in the trunk and leaning toward a power line, so you do the math.....

    This is why I like my SOG Tomahawk. When I carry it around the property, I do this all over the place for practice. When thrown just right, it will make a nice whistling sound going through the air. My youngest ND was behind the camera. Listen to his reaction. GOD, I love being a Dad to kids who love nature and the wild.

    As I had mentioned in the title, we all got up early this morning and headed to Boone, NC. JUGM wanted to see the leaves turning and I wanted to make a visit to my stepfathers' grave as he was a very important part of my life and taught me a lot of life-lessons on being a man. My half brother and I also placed my mom's ashes on his grave as he was the true-love of her life and she always missed him. He also served in the Army during the Korean War, so yes, I had to pay my respect to him.

    After we go back, I took the time to set-up my tree stand above the garden in my eager anticipation of bagging some deer in my garden with the bow. I have spotted some rather large tracks through the garden, specifically around the green beans which we have pulled up on this Saturday as they had nipped the tops off them. As you see, there are a few okra plants left which the leaves have been picked on by the deer and also they have really slowed down on their production as the weather is changing and some collards. Cant do this in a home owners association community.......

  Since I have had a long day, I will sign off for the night. Take care everyone, and keep on preparing for the worst.

Senior
    

Well the sun still hasn't come back, What is the Captain thinking and some prepping.

    Most of you have seen on the news of the large amounts of rain the state of South Carolina has received. We have been fortunate that the only rain we received has been on Friday afternoon through Saturday mid afternoon. We have had a good bit of wind here with only some small branches and a bunch of green leaves on the yard. Forecast is for the rain to return tonight as it pivots up from Charleston and Columbia and heads on out of here. Columbia and Charleston has sustained some damage. JUGM called her aunt in Folly Beach this morning and the bottom level of her place took on water and she lost some stuff that meant a lot to her. Columbia had roads washing out, several of the Interstates are closed at certain mile markers. Fort Jackson had a dam break for one of it's lakes. It should be an interesting day tomorrow at work when I see who all shows up or not. They say we are going to have nothing but sunshine all next week. I really hope so, this state needs it.

     Hurricane Joaquin has done some serious damage in and around the Bahama's and Turks and Caicos. You cannot, and I repeat cannot under-estimate these storms, especially as a Mariner. If you have been following this story, I know people in Jacksonville are, there is a search on right now for the M/V El Faro. It set sail I believe on Tuesday from Blount Island which is the large marine terminal in Jacksonville en route to Puerto Rico. Here is a picture of it.

     It was on route that I have taken many times en route to the eastern Caribbean. There are a lot of questions being asked right now of why they went into the storm, specifically the northeast side which is the worst side to be on? Why didn't they alter their course and go farther out to sea? Why didn't they delay their voyage until the storm had past. Why hasn't an EPIRB signal been picked up? Yes, this ship is almost 800 ft long, but it will still get tossed around. I have been in some really high seas before on much smaller ships and know what that's like, and we had fin stabilizers and still told to stay in our racks unless you had to go on watch.
     Ever since Hugo hit Charleston, the Navy will sortie all ships from either Mayport or NOB and send us to sea to avoid damage pier side if there is a projection of possible land fall near a naval base. Most of the time we sortied it was not warranted, but you never know what these things will do. All I or we all can do is say a prayer for these sailors and their families and hope they all are found safe.

    Saturday we didn't do much. We all enjoyed a much needed sleep in then we ventured out in the rain. Went to Cabelas, again and walked around. This day, there was no .22LR worth buying. Not buying that high priced Match stuff. After we left we went and had a early dinner at one of the best seafood places around this area, Steve's Seafood. I stress early, because you can experience a very long wait to get in there to eat.
     Today, we ventured out again. I had to fill my tank up before heading to work tomorrow. We decided to stop by ALDI and do a bit of shopping. If you have an ALDI near you, then you know they have some good prices on some things. We picked up a case of Lima Beans, Black Eyed peas, and some whole potatoes.

    Picked up some more pasta. 2 lbs was $1.45

    I couldn't resist on picking up a few more Hams too.

  
      Well hopefully this next week, I will be able to get some real canning done with some potatoes on the new dual burner stove I bought. Also, I have always had a interest in the classic primitive weapons, such as the Tomahawk. I already have a SOG Tomahawk and have it for quite a few years and I really like it. It's very easy to throw and stick it into trees.

    I got and email last week from a crusty old fart/friend who gave me a head's up on a new Tomahawk from CRKT. I checked it out and it caught my eye. Yes, my SOG is good, but I feel this one from CRKT would be more practical as a survival tool versus more as weapon. Here is a file photo of it, since its on its way to me.

    Well I hope everyone has a better week. Stay safe out there.

Senior