Prudent Prepping: Monthly Roundup

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

What's Old
I had hoped to show the new hold-down brackets for my storage bin, but the project turned into more work than I expected. With the steady rain here in California (Yay!), plus no covered place to work, this will have to be postponed until there is a dry weekend.

What's New 

Kidde 10 B:C Rated Auto/Marine Fire Extinguisher
I purchased a fire extinguisher for the new car. I have kept one in every vehicle that was my primary car or truck since I received a drivers license. With a trunk offering more room and mounting points I bought a larger unit, one of the reasons for which is the unusual fuel mandated by the State of California which can deteriorate fuel lines and potentially cause (has caused, in my experience) fires.

A permanent mount for this is another work in progress, also delayed due to the weather.

From the Home Depot page:

http://tinyurl.com/pu3geyc

The Kidde Auto-Marine 10-B:C rated Fire Extinguisher is ideal for use in watercraft and transportation regulations. This fire extinguisher is approved by the USCG and DOT, for use on flammable liquid and electrical fires. Store in your boat, car or truck for emergency situations on the water or with your automobile. Includes bracket.

• Listed for B:C fire types for automotive and marine use 
• Meets dot and USCG regulations 
• Store with your boat or car 
• Graphic instruction label 
• Powder-coated cylinder resists corrosion 
• Retention strap allows for mounting and easy access

Ka-Bar BK5 Becker Knife & Tool Magnum Camp Knife

I looked at a new large knife recommended in a post written by Garry Hamilton and shared to our Facebook Group.

I have been shopping for a larger knife to add to my camping gear, to go along with (or replace?) an ancient 5" Buck fixed blade. I was really discouraged by what I was seeing from several online knife retailers; everything seemed either too expensive or too cheap, and since I like to touch and feel things before I buy, online wasn't looking too promising (buying from companies that have generous and easy returns still means re-boxing, shipping and then starting the search all over again). Referrals from friends always help me decide on how to spend my money, and the above article made my day.

http://amzn.to/2meShhf

From the Amazon page:

• High quality 8 inch 
• Durable handle made from grivory 
• Heavy-duty polyester sheath with front pocket 
• 1095 cro-van steel blade 
• Overall length 13-1/2 inch 
• Becker knife design with high quality 8" blade

The knife is very sharp right from the box, fits my hand well and the sheath has a pocket for a small sharpening stone. I did not try using the knife for my dinner prep, since boneless, skinless chicken breasts and most vegetables don't need something like this. Besides, I know it will do that job very well since Mr. Hamilton has already shown what the BK-5 is capable of. This knife is less expensive and has better reviews than several knives priced 50%-100% more. I'm very happy!

http://amzn.to/2mgk6W6

Also added to my collection of useful cutting tools is a birthday gift from Erin: a very nice, very sharp and very handy Mora fishing knife just like this! I plan on giving this a proper T&E later in the year, after the rain stops and the lakes and rivers clear up. Stay tuned. 

The Takeaway

• Everything doesn't always go as planned, but things usually do work out. 
• Staying under budget is easy with the help of friends.

The Recap

• Kidde Fire Extinguisher: $18.98 from Home Depot.
• Becker BK-5 knife: $52.92 with Prime shipping from Amazon, 

If you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.