M-Sharp Knife Sharpener Review

      4 Comments on M-Sharp Knife Sharpener Review

We have seen a lot of cool items come across our desk. Some for firearms, some for survival and some that are just brilliant. The M-Sharp Sharpener by Swiss Bianco is one of those truly brilliant items.

 The M-Sharp is a diamond sharpener much like our beloved DMT sharpening stones that use impregnated diamond dust to sharpen even the hardest steels. The M-Sharp uses a very similar diamond sharpening pad to maintain an existing sharp edge while in the field without the use of oil or water.

Where the utter brilliance lies is in the form factor of the sharpening pad. The diamond sharpening pad is attached to a thin stainless steel bar. The ends of the bar are curled over so that they can wrap around Molle webbing. The fit is rock solid between two sets of webbing and we experienced no movement over months of testing.

When not in use, the sharpener’s diamond pad can be attached so it faces against your pack or other Molle gear. This is great for two reasons; one, it doesn’t knock into or scratch things if on a pack via running into walls or dropping your pack on a floor and two, It protects the diamond pad from damage. When in use you can flip it around and attach it to the Molle, rest it on a solid surface or use it in your hand. Continue reading →

Downtime

      No Comments on Downtime

Sorry for the downtime the last couple of weeks. We have been in East Africa, which was an interesting trip. As always we will fill you in on what gear worked and what didn’t for such a long trip.

We have a number of great reviews coming so stay tuned.

Follow us on Google+


When can you drink untreated water

      No Comments on When can you drink untreated water

I often get asked when can you drink untreated water. Mike Clelland from Falcon Guides has a great video I reference about his 5 rules for drinking untreated water:

 

Follow us on Google+


The Kaito KA200 Pocket AM/FM Radio Review

      1 Comment on The Kaito KA200 Pocket AM/FM Radio Review

I have been looking for a good small radio for my go bag for a while. I have a very small emergency weather radio but I wanted something with AM/FM capabilities. Well I think I have stumbled across what is the perfect blend of performance and size – the Kaito KA200 Pocket AM/FM Radio. Great name, right?

I’m not going to go into detail about all the others tested. In my opinion they were too big for the mission. They were all great radios but at the end of the day the Kaito KA200 was the winner far and away.

The testing criteria was actually pretty straight forward:

  1. Battery life
  2. Size
  3. Signal
  4. Sound quality

The Battery life on the KA200 was outstanding. The KA200 uses 2 AAA batteries (not included). Testing was done by leaving the radio on, on a strong FM station, at about half volume till the radio was unusable. With alkaline batteries installed (I would only recommend lithium if going in a go bag) I got about 55 hours give or take a few. I would anticipate that that number would be better with lithiums. That’s fairly awesome

Continue reading →

The FrogLube Experiment

      1 Comment on The FrogLube Experiment

I have been reading a ton about FrogLube. It seems to randomly come up in every forum and a flock of converts come out of the woodwork to proclaim its greatness. There are also the haters, but most have not used it (as always) so you have to take what they say with a grain of salt.

I am a huge fan of M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner. M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner has never let me down and can cut your cleanup time in half. It is totally biodegradable and has no offensive smell. But in all honesty, I’m not really a fan of their other products, not because they are bad, just because I don’t like gun oil all that much. I like my lube to stay where I put it so I’m more of a fan of grease especially on AKs and handguns. My grease of choice right now is Weapon Shield. I love the stuff!

Back to FrogLube, I have read enough about it that I thought I would give it a try. First off it is a CLP meaning it cleans, lubricates and protects. It is 100% Bio-Based cleaner, lubricant, and preservative that is made in USA from all domestic components. It is also not just for guns. I have read a lot of reviews where it was used effectively on anything from tools to scissors.

So we picked up Starter Pack that comes with a microfiber towel, an applicator brush, 4oz liquid, and 4oz of their paste. The liquid has the consistency of honey whereas the paste kind of has the consistency of refrigerated butter. Both immediately melt or become viscos when warmed up. Continue reading →

Get Home Bag

      1 Comment on Get Home Bag

Sootch00 just did a great video on a Get Home Bag. A get home bag is a bag that you have in you vehicle at all times in case you get stuck or stranded and need to make your way home. Sootch00 does a great job of breaking the bag up into three parts based on the time it would take for you to get home.

There is room here to add what additional items you may need but I think he does a good job of covering the basics. You can easily pick up an old backpack from Goodwill that will get the job done and most of the other items you probably have laying around the house. Here is a list of items he mentions in his Get Home Bag:

Bag should be light weight and Durable.
Boots or Walking Shoes in Vehicle at all times.
EDC: Knife, Firearm, Flashlight, Cell , Keys

1-3 Hour Walk:
Hat, Bandana, Sunscreen
Sun Glasses (Safety), Dust Mask (Bandana)
Poncho and/or Heavy Mil Trash Bag
1st Aid Kit
Knife
Flashlight
Whistle

3-12 Hour Walk:
Water: Bottle w/ filter
Fire Starter
Field Knife
Map & Compass
Protection (Firearm & Non Lethal)
Multi-Tool
Paracord or Cordage
Extra Batteries
Cash $20-100
TP Toliet Paper

12-48 hour walk:
Sleeping system (Bivvy or Space Blanket)
Food
Socks / Gloves
Extra Magazine/Ammo

Continue reading →

Need a Light on Your AK? – Haley Strategic SBR Thorntail review

      4 Comments on Need a Light on Your AK? – Haley Strategic SBR Thorntail review

Need a light on your AK? We think so. Up till now it has been a bit of a pain in the butt to get a quality hook up for a weapon mounted light on an AK. The majority of these lights and mounts are built for the AR side of world and don’t necessarily play nice with the AK side. Haley Strategic along with the awesome folks over at Impact Weapons Components have put out an SBR version of their Thorntail light mount (AK info at about 1:10):

We originally purchased the full length version of the Throntail for the TWS handgaurd which worked out awesome because the TWS Handguard is so long, more like an AR handguard. When we ditched the TWS for an Ultimak, the full length Thorntail was a little long and forces you to move it back towards the red dot a bit. Not a big deal but the SBR version seems to be out of the way a little more on an AK. Impact Weapons Components (IWC) was cool enough to let us purchase just the shorter SBR rail (only difference between the two) to use with my existing Thorntail components. The SBR rail is a little over inch shorter and allows you to get the light in the perfect spot when using an Ultimak.

The light we choose to pair with the Thorntail is the INFORCE 6vx (review in the works) due to its 200 lumen LED and multi-function cap switch. The cap switch easily allows you to switch from momentary to constant on – high, low, or strobe. The light has a sleek slim design and weighs in at only 3oz. The 6vx is made of a rock solid polymer that from are testing takes abuse well. The two are a great low profile pair that line up perfect with an AK & an Ultimak. Continue reading →

Texas Weapons Systems Kalashnikov Handguard Review

      15 Comments on Texas Weapons Systems Kalashnikov Handguard Review

The Texas Weapons Systems (TWS) Handguard was something I wanted for my Ak the second I saw it. One issue I have with the AK platform is the smallish handguards. Although the Arsenal handguards are excellent and are probably the best when it comes to shielding you from the heat of the barrel and gas tube, they are rather short which can be an issue for taller guys with long arms. The other major problem with the AK is its ability to run an optic and a weapon light. The TWS Handguard seemed to be the answer to all of these problems.

First off, they are expensive, like $265 expensive. Second they are hard to find. Seems TWS is having issues getting them out the door, so much so that Gabe Suarez has canceled the use of the TWS Handguard on his Universal Rifle. The primary retail vendor for these is One Source Tactical (OST). TWS is really messing with OST on these. I ordered one when they were in stock, but OST ships as products come in. It took OST & TWS over a month and a half to get me the handguard. I was not thrilled by the responses I got from either company but I would side with OST. They have a lot of angry customers complaining about delays.

In the end the handguard finally arrived along with OST’s Terrorist Interdiction Bag (TIB) which I ordered during the delay and asked them to add to the order (which they were awesome about). Look for our review of the TIB in the future but first impression it is an awesome bag.

The TWS Handguard comes in a simple box with NO instructions. If you poke around online there is a massive outcry not only for instructions but also how much of a pain in the ass it is to install. TWS must have been listening, at least on the pain in the ass side, as it looks like it has had a redesign from the first handguards that were shipped. There used to be a bushing system that was supposed to in theory aid in barrel harmonics and accuracy. Now it just clamps onto the barrel. TWS probably saw that the bushing system was a source of pain when installing the handguard and got rid of it. Continue reading →

CoWitness Explained

      1 Comment on CoWitness Explained

Dimitri with Primary Arms does a great job in this video of explaining CoWitness both absolute and lower 1/3. One of the reviews we are working on and should have up in the next week is the Texas Weapons Systems (TWS) Kalashnikov Handguard. Right out front, one of our major issues with this handguard is the lack of CoWitness. This is a great video that explains what we will be discussing when we talk about lower 1/3 CoWitness.

 

Follow us on Google+