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Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

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  1. #2461
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    Product Review: KA-BAR 5704 ZK (Zombie Killer) Chop Stick Machete

    September 25, 2012 By Creek Leave a Comment

    **Note** This is a GUEST POST from Bill Anderson. Bill is an avid survivalist and has worked in the commercial natural disaster and hurricane preparation industry providing first response for natural disasters including hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.

    As an outdoor enthusiast, I own several different styles of machetes that I use for different purposes. My pack always includes a Woodman’s Pal, Latin and Bolo machete. I am constantly on the lookout for new styles or an “improved version” of the machete. I am a huge fan of the Walking Dead series and I was excited when Creek asked me to try out the new Zombie Killer line of KA-BAR machetes and write a review.



    KA-BAR provides the following description for their line of ZK machetes:

    In an ever-changing world, the need for preparedness has never been greater. Without notice the game can change and the rules no longer apply.

    Questioning your gear at a crucial moment is not an option. Whether setting up a camp or securing your perimeter, ZK knives are designed to perform under the most rigorous, unexpected and apocalyptic situations.

    This is my review of the KA-BAR 5704 ZK (Zombie Killer) Chop Stick Machete:
    I am not going to go into details about how nice the packaging is (and it is). I do not care about the box. I choose a machete for its functionality and features.

    Specifications:

    • Blade Length: 9”
    • Overall Length: 14-5/8”
    • Weight: 1.25 lbs
    • Thickness: 0.205”
    • Steel: SK5
    • Made in Taiwan


    Features:


    • Angled blade: Ideal for cutting limbs and clearing brush
    • Full tang: Durable
    • Pry bar tip: Useful for opening doors, sewer drains, etc.
    • Pry bar hook: Located at base of handle
    • Neck Knife: Additional blade included with Chopstick
    • Interchangeable Glass Filled Nylon Grip: Reduces fatigue and slippage
    • Nylon Sheath: MOLLE compatible with a micro sheath for neck knife and large stuff sack with Velcro pad
    • Lime green shoe lace: Ideal for lashing



    When unpacking the Chopstick the first thing that I noticed was the ZK Apocalypse symbol on the blade.

    Unfortunately just beneath it at the base of the blade it reads “Made in Taiwan”. I was a little disappointed by this. I prefer to purchase American.

    There are a few features packed into the Chopstick. The “Zombie” green handle can be changed out to a black grip that is included. The sheath is MOLLE compatible and very well built. (More details on the sheath to follow)

    Functionality:

    Having unpacked the Chopstick, I was anxious to put it through some field tests so I set out into the woods. The machete has a nice weight to it, but it is not evenly balanced. The bulk of the weight lies along the cutting area of the blade, so when it is out stretched in your hand, your wrist has a tendency to turn downwards. It was immediately apparent that the machete does not come with a sharp edge. I set to work trying to chop through random saplings only to find that I was expending entirely too much energy.



    I had checked the sharpness of the blade before setting off into the woods and decided it would be in my best interest to pack a sharpener. Prior to sharpening the blade I wanted to compare the difference to the machete straight out of the box and after sharpening it so I took a 2” caliper branch and made over 20 chops to the branch. After sharpening the ZK Chopstick I made 12 chops just a few inches to the left.



    The rounded handle and beveled grip should allow the user to make repetitive chops while reducing fatigue and hand cramps. In my experience, my hand was feeling the shock after the initial attempts to cleave through the branches with a dull blade. I think this was made worse by the uneven weight of the blade.

    A unique feature of the ZK Chopstick is the tip of the blade.

    The blade itself makes for an excellent pry bar. In an urban survival scenario the pry bar could be utilized to pry open a variety of things from doors, man-hole covers, etc. In addition to the pry bar tip there is also a hook at the base of the handle.

    I am assuming the hook could also be used as a smaller pry bar, but due to the width of the hook as well as its size I do not believe there are many practical uses for it. It also has a rounded edge and I do not believe it was designed to be utilized as a gut ripper. However, I did find it useful to support my pinky finger at the base of the hook when gripping the handle. This allowed me more flexibility when gripping the machete and enabled me to grip the handle further back from the blade.

    The ZK Chopstick also comes with a neck knife.




    KA-BAR’s idea to include a neck knife with their line of ZK machetes is great. Unlike the machete itself, it actually has a nice edge to the blade right out of the box. I love this concept as it gives the user the ability to cleave through brush and branches with the Chopstick while having a smaller blade for intricate details or bush craft. As said, the concept is great, but the reality….not so much. The neck knife is made in China and in my opinion is not worth the time they took to stamp it. It appears to be made from a very low grade steel and I found it very uncomfortable to grip in my hand barely being able to get three fingers around it. In my opinion, the handle needs to be longer. I considered wrapping the handle portion in paracord but if I did that then it would not fit in the micro sheath. That being said, nobody is purchasing the ZK machete line for the neck knife, so if you own one or are considering purchasing one I would recommend changing out the neck knife for a sturdier better built neck knife.

    Sad, but true: My favorite thing about the ZK line of machetes is the sheath.



    As previously mentioned, the sheath is MOLLE compatible though it does not include straps. It would be necessary to purchase a set of Blackhawk or Condor straps to attach to other MOLLE webbing. It has a large belt loop allowing the user to attach it to any size belt. There are two lashing holes at the top and bottom of the sheath. The sheath has a Velcro pad on the front of the large stuff sack allowing you to add your favorite “Zombie Hunter” patch or any other patch that you like. In addition to the adjustable Velcro straps and snaps for the machete there is and additional micro sheath with snap for the neck knife. The front stuff sack is huge. I am 6’2” and can fit my entire hand in it. It would be ideal for storing a sharpening stone and a mini survival kit while still leaving room to spare. Once again the ZK logo is displayed (back of sheath)

    After using the KA-BAR ZK Chopstick in the field I have decided that I will not be including it in my gear. I really had high hopes for this machete because I am both a KA-BAR and Zombie fanatic. I had wanted to make a home for the machete in my zombie apocalypse kit alongside my DEET free Zombie repellant and Hornady .40 cal Zombie Max rounds. There is no doubt that the machete looks tough and after sharpening the Chopstick, it was very proficient at chopping and splitting wood. However, there are several other machetes on the market including the Bear Grylls Parang (See previous review by Creek) that do a better job and are more comfortable to use. The retail price on the KA-BAR website is $79.41. Hummmm. It is manufactured in Taiwan, the weight distribution of the blade is off, and the neck knife is more of a novelty than a functional knife. In short, my favorite thing about the machete was the sheath. There are much better options in this price range.

    All that being said, , if you are a collector or a zombie apocalypse fan, then the ZK Chopstick (along with the other machetes in the KA-BAR ZK line) is a cool novelty blade to display. I have no doubt that if the zombie apocalypse was to ever come, it would be a very good tool for splitting a few zombie skulls. But for everyday use in the woods, I believe there are more practical machetes on the market.

    **Note** This is a GUEST POST from Bill Anderson. Bill is an avid survivalist and has worked in the commercial natural disaster and hurricane preparation industry providing first response for natural disasters including hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.

    Similar Posts:




    About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart

    Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana. For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE. Creek is also author of the new book Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit. His book is currently available for preorder on AMAZON.COM for only $11.20 - LIMITED TIME ONLY.

    If you enjoy Creek's Blog Posts, you will also enjoy his new book. You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.

    Product Review: KA-BAR 5704 ZK (Zombie Killer) Chop Stick Machete |
    Last edited by AirborneSapper7; 10-13-2012 at 12:04 AM.
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  2. #2462
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    The Collapse of Civilization: A Doctor’s Thoughts

    October 11, 2012
    9 Comments

    After gathering food and building a shelter, most people in the preparedness community consider personal and home defense to be the next priority in the event that our civilization collapses. Certainly, defending oneself is important; you will have to be prepared to defend your life, but have you thought about preparing to defend your health?

    When a civilization goes the way of all flesh, the technologies that supported it tend to go with it. This is particularly true of medical care delivery systems. A lot of us can troubleshoot our computer, but how many can construct a stretcher from scratch? Our reliance on technology has stripped us of even the most basic skills that came as second nature to our ancestors.

    Many consider my concerns about the decline of civilization to be the ravings of a drooling geezer.

    Granted, I may drool on my shoes occasionally, but think about all the possible causes of a life-changing catastrophe: economic collapse, natural or man-made EMPs, nuclear meltdowns or, worse, nuclear war, civil unrest, super-storms; the list goes on. It stands to reason that any ONE of these events may have a small chance of occurrence, but what is the chance that NONE of these events could occur to some degree at some point in your lifetime? Your children’s lifetimes? You decide.

    A sign of the waning of a civilization is when it can no longer reproduce the technological accomplishments of its own past. This happened with Rome, for example. Let me ask you: Are there space shuttles in orbit over our planet?

    Is there a realistic chance that we will land men on the moon anytime in the near future? We may have the technology, but we’re broke as a society. Like the Romans having the knowledge but not the wherewithal to construct new aqueducts, we just don’t have the funds to keep moving forward in some areas.

    In a situation where power might be down and normal methods of filtering water and cleaning food for the table don’t exist, your health is as much under attack as the survivors in a zombie apocalypse movie! Infectious diseases, such as dysentery, will be rampant in situations where it will be a challenge to maintain sanitary conditions. Simple chores, such as chopping wood, may lead to minor cuts that could get infected and, if left untreated, become life-threatening. In the Civil War, a lot more soldiers died from infectious disease than battlefield wounds. Paying attention to sanitation and hygiene will do more to keep your people healthy than anything I can do as a physician.

    Don’t you owe it to yourself and your family to devote some time and effort now to obtain medical knowledge and supplies? The issues you’ll have to deal with in a grid-down situation could easily put you at risk for sickness or injury. You’re going to deal with accidents and pneumonia more frequently that gunfights at the OK corral. Some say “Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids”, but the doctor in me says “Beans, Band-Aids and Bullets”. If you plan now, the medical supplies will be there if the unforeseen happens, and the knowledge you gain will be there for the rest of your life.

    These days we can purchase insurance for our health, our life, our car, and just about everything else. If you make the commitment to learn how to treat medical issues and to store medical supplies, you’re purchasing another type of health insurance: One that’s more tangible, and much more likely to help you keep it together if things fall apart.

    It’s important to know that there are illnesses that will be difficult to treat if modern medical facilities aren’t available. It will be hard to do much about those clogged coronary arteries; there won’t be cardiac bypasses performed. However, by eating healthily and exercising, you will give yourself the best chance to avoid or minimize some major medical issues. In a collapse situation, an ounce of prevention is worth, not a pound, but a ton of cure. That goes for dental health, too.

    When I say to obtain medical knowledge, I am also encouraging you to learn about natural remedies and alternative therapies that may have some benefit for your particular medical problem. I cannot vouch for the effectiveness of every claim that one thing or another will cure what ails you; suffice it to say, that our family has an extensive medicinal herb garden and that it might be a good idea for your family to have one, also. Many herbs that have medicinal properties don’t need full sun or premium soil; most of them grow like weeds, so a green thumb is not a prerequisite for success.

    I’m not asking you to do anything that your great-grandparents didn’t do as part of their strategy to succeed in life. If things go South, we’ll be thrown back (in a sense) to their time and we should learn some lessons from their way of life. Add to that today’s knowledge of the importance of sanitation and good hygiene, and you’ll have a head start on keeping your family healthy.

    Some (non-prepper) members of my family ask me why I make the effort to try to prepare people medically for a societal collapse. They tell me that I can’t turn everyone into a doctor, so why should I try?

    Am I really trying to turn you all into doctors? No, there’s too much to learn in one lifetime; even as a physician, I often come across things I’m not sure about. That’s what medical books are for, so make sure that you put together a few so that you can refer to them when you need to. I AM trying to turn you into something, however: I’m trying to make you a better medical asset to your family and/or survival community than you were before. If our civilization collapses, it will be people like you that will help rebuild it.

    Dr. Bones

    The Collapse of Civilization: A Doctor's Thoughts | Doom and Bloom (TM)
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  3. #2463
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    Rawforbeauty

    Raw, Organic, Heirloom Chia Seeds are available at Raw for beauty online store

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    Rawforbeauty

    Top 14 Anti -Cancer Superfruits ♥
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  6. #2466
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  7. #2467
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    Rawforbeauty

    The Importance Of Enzymes

    *by: think more Raw

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    There are 3 types of enzymes: Metabolic enzymes, Digestive enzymes and Food enzymes.

    Enzymes are also required for every single chemical action that takes place in the body.

    Your digestive tract, your immune system, your blood system, liver, kidneys, spleen, and pancreas, as well as your ability to think, feel, see and hear, in fact the function of each and every cell in your body all depend on enzymes.

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    “A person’s life span is directly linked to the exhaustion of their enzyme potential” says Dr Howell, author of Enzyme N
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