Snappy Gear Repair

Repairing your own gear can be an intimidating task. It seems like it would require specialized tools, skills, and knowledge, but most times that fear is greatly exaggerated. With some basic tools and supplies, and a realization that you can't break it any worse than it already is, you can learn to fix a huge majority of your own gear.

Our own editrix Erin Palette experienced this feeling with a MOLLE pouch recently. I told her I'd happily fix it for her, but lets go one better and teach her (and the rest of you) how to repair a broken snap fastener.

(I apologize for a bit of blur, I had focus issues on a couple pictures that I didn't see until I couldn't correct it.)

The damage to the pouch is shown here. The stud portion of the snap fastener has broken completely off and needs to be replaced.

Snap fasteners are a four-part affair. Both the cap and stud consist of a post side and a receiving side. They're placed with the fabric or leather between them and smashed until they grab.

The pieces mate together like so. The post is driven to compress against the receiver plate to permanently hold them tightly together.

Since the cap portion of the fastener was in perfect shape, only the stud side required replacement. I use a hard plastic cutting board as a base to set rivets and snap fasteners for leather work, and the corner fit nicely into the area behind the fastener, giving me a hard surface to strike against.

The finished product. It took about 4 strikes with a mallet and a punch to flatten the post, securing the stud into position. If I wasn't taking pictures and breaking down the process, this repair would take less than five minutes to perform and less than a dollar in parts. I actually couldn't find my snap-setter punch, so I used a pin punch, similar to the kind most gun owners have in their tool kits to take down firearms.


Many gear repairs are just this simple. It takes the appropriate parts and basic tools, and basic instruction or a bit of experimentation. Don't buy new gear or go without when a fix is just minutes away.

Lokidude

Pittsburgh 12V Emergency Impact Wrench Review

Emergency Impact Wrench Review.

Not this one!!

Look at that hand:

Godspeed to you all.

Guest Post: UHDPE Ballistic Plates

by Seth Schuehartt

Seth is an Armed Security Professional and Consultant in Phoenix, Arizona.

Editor's Note: It was pointed out to me that in my article about ballistic armor materials, I completely neglected to mention UHDPE plates. Since I have no experience with this material and there is less information about them than with steel and ceramic, I defer to Seth in this matter.

Per the author's request, it should be noted that this post has been edited down (it was originally five pages long) for content and for brevity.   -- Erin Palette

Disclaimer: Everything I say here is true to the best of my knowledge, but I am human and am currently updating my understanding of the topic. The goal here is to pass along what I’ve learned, and even as a fairly informed consumer and professional end user, my understanding of the subject is that of a layman’s when compared to the folks who do all the testing on this stuff. There’s a lot I don’t know, but I do know enough to make an informed purchase. 

When it comes to ballistic rifle armor, you typically see ceramic and steel as the  primary component of construction. What’s new is the emergence of Ultra High Density Polyethylene (UHDPE) plates on the market.

UHDPE (henceforth just called "poly") plates are extraordinarily lightweight (5 pounds per plate) and can perform well up to NIJ Level III, having been proven extremely effective at stopping lead/copper projectiles. Unfortunately, they don't hold up very well to any sort of solid projectile, such as bonded cores and mild steel (non-AP) cores.*

However, many manufacturers offer a hybrid Ceramic/Poly style plate, essentially wrapping the ceramic in rigid Polyethylene to save weight (hybrid plates are around 6 lbs) to protect the ceramic component of the armor while offering NIJ Level IV protection. If you’re looking for a standalone Level IV plate, this construction is what I would recommend.

If you can carry the extra weight, I’d also recommend a "training" or "fitness" metal plate (it doesn’t necessarily need to have a ballistic rating) to save your chest the pain of blunt trauma after being shot, and to keep you in the fight since backface deformation (how deformed the side of armor closest to your skin becomes after being struck by a bullet) allows for potentially lethal injuries. This is the only place where steel shines, as it spreads the impact across the entire body contact-area whereas other plates basically end up with all that energy directed into a solid baseball-sized area punched into the body with broken bones not uncommon. However, that same benefit of steel can be achieved by using a fitness plate. If weight is an issue, a lighter but less effective option is what's known as a trauma pad.


Footnotes
* The NIJ is currently changing their standards for armor performance. This is due to steel armors failing with high velocity rounds within their threat profile, and poly armor failing to modern bonded core and exposed penetrator type projectiles. For example, a Level IV plate should hold up to any 5.56mm bullet, but M855 (the most common 5.56mm cartridge within the US military) will punch through any poly plate, and any 55 grain bullet traveling at 3000+ fps will punch through most steel plates, whereas ceramic will maintain its protection.

The new standards will be adjusted to account for these shortcomings. A notice has been disseminated to manufacturers, but I am not privy to the details of that notice. Here’s some links to get you started:

• Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor
• Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor

Too Much

Once in a while I hear people say, “You can never have too much (whatever they're selling)”. This may be a good way to sell things, but it's a terrible way to prep. A wise prepper knows their limits and has plans for “events”, and knowing how much is “too much” should be part of those plans.

Too Much Food

Food has a set shelf-life and regardless of how it is prepared or stored, it will eventually decay to the point of being inedible or even toxic. This is why we suggest that you stock the foods that you normally eat and rotate through the stockpile to keep it fresh; putting food aside in excess of what you can eat or are willing to give away is the same as taking it home from the store and immediately tossing it in the trash can. Wasteful of both food and money, this is one of the easiest “too much” things to do right now.

If you run into a situation where you are producing more food than you can store or eat, consider giving the surplus away. My folks always kept a few chickens around for fresh eggs and the surplus went to church with them every week. There will always be someone who can use a free meal or two, so dad would set the extra cartons of eggs on a bench inside the door, free for the taking. 

Gardens worked in a similar manner; we always grew more tomatoes than we could handle, so we talked to the neighbors and worked out a system of trade. Everybody “specialized” in a crop or two -- the neighbor to the north planted extra sweet corn, one to the south planted extra squash, to the west it was berries -- and traded the excess with the others. Specializing allowed us to pay more attention to the garden and simplified the fertilizer and pesticide application. This system has a lot of positive value that I'll have to cover in a later post.

There is one exception that proves the rule for food having a shelf-life: honey. As far as I know, honey will last centuries in a sealed container and that's longer than even I tend to plan for.

Too Much Water

Water also has a shelf-life that varies by treatment and storage conditions, which is why we recommend having a way to treat or filter water on hand. You can't store enough water for a long period, so it's better to have a way to clean what you can find. 

Water is also dense, and carrying more than a day or two's worth will either force you to leave other things behind or carry more weight than your body should. For shelter-in-place, having a few hundred gallons on hand is “enough” to give you time to look for sources to resupply from.

Too Many Guns

Firearms are long-term, durable goods. Kept properly maintained, you should be able to get at least 100 years use out of a quality firearm. How many guns is “too many” is a personal decision, as it varies with storage space and training. I'll freely admit that I have too many firearms! I tend to collect guns, and I have enough that I can afford to arm friends and family if they show up without any. I try to keep the ammunition required to a select few calibers, but that has been a challenge lately, as having a few oddball calibers around comes in handy when the gun stores can't keep the 9mm/5.56/.45ACP on the shelf.

You can only effectively fire one gun at a time, and they get heavier as the calibers go up, so choose your loadout to meet the expected threat. When hunting I'll carry a long gun and my EDC pistol, but if I'm traveling through unknown territory I add a back-up pistol to the EDC and carry more spare mags. Were I young enough to be on a combat footing I'd probably stick with the rifle/pistol combination that I know well.

Too Much Ammunition

Ammunition is close to firearms in terms of shelf-life. I've fired cartridges that were made for WW1 (nearly 100 years old) without any problems. I also have quite a bit of ammo that was made for WW2 in storage and don't expect to have any troubles with it. Heavier than water, I run into limits on how much I can carry under different circumstances, but the stuff in storage isn't going to be moved without a vehicle or two. Reloading gear and supplies would likely be a separate trip.

I stopped buying ammo a while back because I hit the “too much” limit and the fact that I have enough to keep my grandkids shooting until they have kids of their own. I don't keep it all in one place, which is a prudent prepper strategy for a lot of things. Fires, theft, and other ways to lose it are always a possibility so I don't keep all of my eggs in one basket.

Look at your preps and take stock of what you have. Is there any category that you can say “I have enough” and start working on another category? Having too much of any one type of supplies cuts down on your time and space to better round out your preps.

Prudent Prepping: Dry Time

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

I have no product reviews this week because none of them have made it here before my deadline or my bedtime.

What's Happening Now

Well, isn't this interesting?

While most of you are still seeing a little rain, or in some cases a LOT of rain right now, it's dry here. How dry, you ask?

'Hot objects' from vehicle tailpipe caused 26,850-acre Southern California blaze

Fire season is going strong, especially in the southern part of the state, with the north due to see action very soon. The property management group here just weed whacked the open space that starts 25' from my front door, reducing what can easily burn near me. Doing that lowers the threat, but doesn't take it away completely; short of xeriscaping, or maybe using just rock and cactus, there is no way to have normal landscaping with plants that is fireproof. 

If you do decide to plant a more traditional landscape, the local authorities have rules for what needs to be done to keep the fire danger lower. My county has very clear rules for reducing fires. From the webpage:

Defensible Space

Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation, debris and other types of combustible fuels have been treated, cleared, or reduced to slow the spread of fire to and from the building.

The most important person in protecting houses from wildfire is not a firefighter, but the property owner. It is the action taken by the owner before the wildfire occurs that is most critical. Everyone needs to know about defensible space.

The key to this is the land/home owner. There are many different guides to reducing your risk of fires, but one of the easiest (and shortest!) to read is from FEMA. The information is mostly directed at people living either in the wilderness or rural areas, but everyone can follow these directions, even if just in part, to keep an urban home safer.

In this post from 2017, I talked about the firestorm that burned major portions of Santa Rosa, CA. The pictures show a regular suburban neighborhood before and after a fire. Now, clearing 100' around your house in town won't work, but doing the easy things like trimming trees and cleaning gutters and reducing clutter will help, and a product seen in local Home Depots and on Amazon should help you keep your backyard safer.

Phos Chek Home Defense Fire Retardant Spray
From the Amazon ad:

https://amzn.to/3idn4rs

• Works naturally by eliminating the ability for fuels to combust when exposed to fire or embers
• A clear concentrate that mixes with water and can be sprayed using most simple garden sprayers
• Effective immediately after application; protects until washed off by rain, sprinkler, or hose
• Phos-Chek is pet, people and environmentally friendly when used as directed
• The only long-term fire retardant that is tested and qualified by the USDA Forest Service

I don't have a place to use this myself, but some of you may need to treat fences or other areas that could burn.

Recap And Takeaway

• Your disaster may not be mine, but most of the country can burn.
• Defensible Space has two meanings, but both will help keep you safe and secure.
• I'm still waiting for a package, so nothing was purchased this week.
• Phos Chek can be purchased through Amazon for the same price as Home Depot and earn this site some cash, $29.98 with Prime shipping.

* * *

Just a reminder: 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.

Vehicle Leak Identification

My truck developed a slight leak recently. It wasn't catastrophic, but it was a bit hard to locate the source. Over this weekend, though, the truck it developed a very noticeable whine on startup and particularly while steering.

A whining/groaning sound on steering is a dead giveaway that the problem was in my power steering system. What that problem was, however, could vary in cost and difficulty from under $20 and completely pedestrian to several hundred dollars and requiring special tools and hours of work.

In my case, the leak looks to be from a fitting or hose on my lower steering system, so I'll starting with the cheap and easy fix by adding power steering fluid to the reservoir. This should relieve the symptoms I'm currently experiencing, but it won't actually correct the problem; to do that, I'll have to pinpoint where the leak is originating from and replace or repair it. I'll detail the actual repair when I do it, but I'll explain the basics of leak identification now.

Identifying the Leak
The first step in identifying a leak is noticing that it exists. When you get in your car, take a quick look at the ground underneath it. If you see wet spots under your car, especially on multiple occasions, that's a strong indicator that something may be leaking.

Power steering fluid, like most of the fluids in your vehicle, is oil-based. Many of the systems in your car, including braking, steering, and transmission are hydraulic, and the oils in these systems hold up to heat and pressure well. They may even contain detergents or other additives to enhance the longevity and effectiveness of these systems.

The oily nature of these fluids makes them fairly identifiable, and the color of the fluid also can help identify the problem system. Touch the wet spot with your finger, then feel and look at it.

• If it's watery but not oily, green or orange, and maybe a bit sweet smelling, it's probably coolant. 
• If you see a red, oily fluid, that's likely to be automatic transmission fluid. 
• If it's amber or brown and oily, it could be motor oil, power steering fluid, or possibly brake or clutch fluid. 

Once you've narrowed down the possible suspects, check the relevant reservoirs.  The reservoir with a low fluid level will be the culprit, so fill it to the correct level with the proper fluid to alleviate the symptoms. (Your owner's manual will tell you where each reservoir or fluid check location is located.)

Locating the Leak
Locating the point of the leak takes a bit of work and attention. Thoroughly clean any area that you suspect the leak may be coming from; a bit of good detergent will break down the oils and help in cleaning.

Some systems (such as cooling) have UV reactive dyes you can purchase, so if this is available for the system causing you problems, adding it now will make detection much simpler. The dye can be bought separately if you already have a blacklight, or can be purchased as a kit with dye, light, and possibly tinted glasses to help see the dye.

You simply add the dye to the appropriate reservoir, run the engine for a while (I like to drive around for a day or two) and check with the blacklight. The dye will glow just like blood detection on a police show, showing you everywhere the fluid has landed and where it came from. Then it's a matter of doing whatever repairs are necessary.


Keep an eye on your fluid levels and on the ground; it can save you from some very expensive repairs.

Lokidude

Inventory Control, Paperwork, and the Kids

Keep track if your most important paper and get the whole family involved in prepping!

Godspeed to you all.