Can A Person Have Too Many Knives?

Knife Addiction?

I think it's a serious question - Can a person have too many knives? This past weekend I attended a gun show and you would think I would have been more interested in the guns. No, not me, I drooled over the knives.

I stopped at every single vendor that was selling knives. It didn't matter if they were the cheap ones or the expensive ones - handmade or manufactured - I looked at them all. Full tang, half tang, drop point, clip point - daggers, folders, fixed blade, I thought I was in heaven.

Now the funny part about my trip to the gun show, is what I wore. It was supposed to be warm and sunny but it ended up being chilly so I had to pull a few things from my B.O.B to stay warm. Sorry, no pictures because I don't do selfies and well, I'm not ready to show my pretty little face on here yet. Maybe one day.

I wore a nice little dress that was black and white with a paisley design.  Since it got cold, I put on some black leggings and....my hunting boots. It gets even better though - I put on my US Desert Storm Night Camouflage Parka Jacket. Man, did I get some stares.

For my jewelry, I had a A G Russell neck knife, I had a Kershaw knife clipped to my underwear, I had a Benchmade folder in my pocket, attached to my little carry purse I had an antique sterling silver knife and I had a boot knife, oh and on a key chain I had a tiny decorative knife with mother of pearl on it and in another pocket I had a Spyderco.

Hello, my name is Prepper Principles, and I am a knife-a-holic.

But, get this, once the knife dealers really knew that I didn't just carry but I could talk the talk - just like the guys - I was able to get my hands on some really cool knives at deeply discounted prices that I normally could never afford. Even with my Pinky issues I feel I picked out a few good winners.

I can't even tell you how many knives I have in my car, and yes, some are more collector knives and decorations but most are functional. I just don't get rid of them. If I think about it, I've only ever sold 3 of my knives - the rest I keep. Two knives were more like kitchen knives and I really didn't care about them and the other knife I donated to charity auction for a friend battling cancer. Other than that, I keep them all.

Is there a group for knife hoarders LOL!

Who Doesn't Love A Good Bonfire?

Starting Bonfires

Starting a fire or a bonfire can be difficult. But not if you have the correct tools. I've been trying to teach myself how to start fires without matches and it has not gone so well.  I need more practice.

It's funny how fire can attract people.  I started the bonfire and neighbors joined in and we sat around the fire until around 3 am.

This is very important to remember. 

In a SHTF situation, starting a fire can invite unwanted guests. It's important that you build small contained fires that can't be seen from miles away. The wind can carry the smell of smoke, flames can be seen and smoke and ash travel.

I had a lot of brush to burn and downed trees from this winter. My fire pit is huge! About 10 Feet long and 4 feet wide and 3 feet deep at one end.  Go big or go home!

I'm going to put some of the ash in my compost pile and I read somewhere that if sprinkled around a garden bed it can be used as a natural pest deterrent. I'll let you know if that really works or not.

Unfortunately, I was not successful in starting the fire without a match so to speak.  I used a road flare.  I'm thinking of keeping a few road flares in my B.O.B.

What do you use to start safely start a fire?  Do you dig a pit so it can't be as easily seen?

My Family Does Not Like My BOB

How do you deal with family members that aren't supportive of your prepping activities? That's what I'd like to know; seriously what do you? I have received more "eye rolls", shrugs and offhand comments than I care to mention. Is this what all Preppers face? It's as if we have the plague, ha!

Recently, I went on a day trip to another relatives house a few hours away. My parental unit, my offspring and I left early in the morning. I'm the navigator because honestly, my parental unit sucks at navigation and this allows me to take notes, watch for landmarks, unmarked back roads and just get a general idea of the area.

We left exactly on schedule because of my planning. (Patting self on back.) I had the car packed and ready to go and everyone up and moving early enough to take of the personal hygiene needs, SSSSB (Shit, Shower, Shave, Shampoo, Brush Teeth)

Driving down the highway I hear my parental unit say "Did you have to bring THAT?"  "That" is my B.O.B. Why yes, yes I did need to bring it. And it's a very good thing I brought it.

Why?

Because the GPS on all of our phones did not work correctly. None of the available online map services pulled up the address we needed. Now we knew the basic direction and knew the town we needed to be near, but we didn't know the complexity of the back roads, the lefts at the fork and the right at the stop sign to get to the exact location.

Guess what I had in my B.O.B.?

A good ol' fashioned map of the area that I just so happened to print the night before! Woo Hoo, jumps around does a happy dance and gives the parental unit the "yeah, I told you so look".

Now let me ask you this?

What are you going to do if an EMP is detonated?

My parental unit may just start appreciating my prepping ways a little more now.

From Diaper Bag to B.O.B

Okay parents, some of you may have misgivings about “prepping” or heard that it’s crazy. I’m here to tell you that it’s not. Parents, you carried a diaper bag that had everything you needed to care for your infant, right? So, why wouldn't you want to continue that concept for you and your family? Carrying a BOB, Bug Out Bag, in your car and having one ready to go in your house is no different and can be a life saver.

Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences between the two.

Diaper Bag                                                                          BOB

Formula, Food & Snacks                                                       Water, Food & Snacks

Change of clothes including diapers                                        Change of Clothes

Medicine/First Aid Supplies                                                    Medicine/First Aid Supplies

Blanket                                                                                 Blanket

Toys                                                                                     Tools

Wow, you carried a BOB for how long and didn't even know it?

Just think about how you would handle the following situations for a few minutes before you continue reading:

Break-in, house fire, tornado, flood, hurricane and riots just to name a few. They could all happen.

I’m sure you think you can just pick up the phone, dial 911 and someone will come to the rescue, right? Are you sure about that? What are your average police & fire response times in your area? How often do you read your local news to see what tragedy has occurred and thought “that’s so sad?” What makes you and your family so special that none of those things can happen to you?

Look, I've been there; I know exactly what you are thinking. I’m ready for anything. You prepare for the wonderful events that happen in life, why not prepare for those moments that are not so wonderful. It's not about being a pessimist, you weren't pessimistic when you carried a diaper bag around, you were just prepared. You weren't paranoid that your baby might end up with a fever or get sick while traveling, you were just prepared.

Prepping is thinking about all the worst case scenarios and having a plan of action. After all being prepared to take care of those you love is the most important thing, or you wouldn't have carried around that diaper bag so long. One thing about carrying a BOB, they are cooler than any Diaper Bag out there on the market!

Prepping isn't so crazy after all is it?

Don't worry, I'll post what to put in your B.O.B soon.