Archive for July, 2009
Protecting your face and neck
Kevlar hoods are designed to provide heat and cut protection to the head and neck in tactical situations. Kevlar is a light, strong synthetic fiber that is used in everything from law enforcement clothing to bicycle tires. Its value lies in its high strength-to-weight ratio; it’s reportedly five times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis.
A Kevlar hood is an essential piece of clothing for SWAT, tactical and riot control situations. For maximum face and neck protection, it can be layered under a helmet or another piece of safety equipment. It can even be useful for protection in non-life-threatening situations, like playing competitive paintball games or airsoft games in which a paintball or pellet could hit your face or neck.
Steel Production And Properties,Gerber Knives:
The follow
ing provides a very brief overview of steel treatment and properties:
By definition, steel is a combination of iron and no more than 2% carbon. Steel is alloyed with various other elements that combine to produce special properties. Once a particular alloy combination is selected, specific procedures are used to maximize the unique qualities required for that steel to perform. Generally speaking, the process for converting a steel alloy into a premium knife steel is heat treating.
Heat treatment is the most important stage in the evolution of an alloy into a performance knife steel. The first step in the heat treatment process is to reach a critical temperature. This temperature is held for a specific amount of time (depending on the steel being hardened) and causes the steel to become austenetized. Heat treatment is one of the many factors that determines the grain size of the steel (a fine grain structure is more desireable for knife blades because it improves edge retention and enhances blade finish). Gerber knives is a good example of this.
Next, the steel is quenched to achieve its maximum level of hardness. At this point, the steel is too hard and brittle for practical use and thus tempering is of key importance in bringing the steel to its ideal hardness level (different knife steels perform best at different levels of hardness). Tempering also increases wear resistance and toughness properties. When tempering, it is important to understand the interaction between hardness and toughness. An increase in yield strength and tensile strength, and a decrease in impact strength and ductility. An increase in toughness is usually accompanied by the opposite effect (i.e. an increase in toughness and ductility and a decrease in yield strength and tensile strength). Therefore, high-impact knifes such as swords and machetes would benefit from a softer blade (to avoid blade breakage), while low-impact knifes such as pocket knifes may benefit from a harder blade (to improve wear resistance). Once tempering is complete, the final hardness of the steel can be determined using a Rockwell Test.
For more detailed information of the above processes and properties, we recommend the following references that were used to compile this information: Metallurgy Fundamentals by D.A. Brandt (published by Goodheart-Wilcox) and Heat Treaters Guide by P.M. Unterweiser (published by ASM).
A simple knife cleaning method
Pocket knives are among the most useful of outdoor tools. Whether you need to cut a piece of fruit for a snack or sharpen some sticks to use as tent stakes, a good pocket knife is indispensable. Like most outdoor items, pocket knives get dirty very easily. If you don’t keep your knife clean, it can become dull, rusty and generally useless. Don’t make the mistake of letting your pocket knife get cruddy – simply follow these tips to keep it sparkling clean.
A pot of boiling water is a knife-owner’s best friend. Dirt and grime don’t stand a chance against the cleansing powers of super hot water. Simply bring water to a boil and drop your open knife into it. (Note: If your knife has plastic parts that can melt – don’t do this!) Let it boil for no more than a minute. Carefully remove the knife, as it will be hot, and use a stiff toothbrush to scrub off the softened grime. Thoroughly dry the knife to prevent rusting and apply oil or knife lubricant to keep it moving smoothly. Repeat this process as needed.
Tactical Gear-Backpacks
Packing a backpack seems like a simple task, but are you really packing correctly and including the things that you should? If you plan to take a backpacking trip there are certain things to think about like the length of your trip, the weather etc. The information about your trip will then help you know what you need and how much you need to pack. Aside from understanding what you need, how much you need and how to pack everything into your backpack. Learning and understanding what items are of the upmost importance in tactical gear could in fact save your life if you find yourself in a sticky situation.
Backpacker’s Basics
* Backpack
* Tent & Stakes
* Sleeping Bag
* Sleeping Pad
* Day Pack
* Sunscreen
* Flashlight/Headlamp and Extra Batteries
Buying a Tent-Texsport Tents
With so many choices and options available,
buying a tent can be a complex decision for any camper to make
but it’s imperative to pick the right one.
If you buy a tent with all of the features available,
the tent may be comfortable but could also be large and
heavy-which is not necessarily the best choice for backpackers.
If you buy a lighter tent, there may be less features and perhaps
not a lot of protection from natures natural elements,
when a tent is used under the wrong conditions it
could take the fun out of any camping trip.
The key is to find the right balance for your specific needs
and you will have a tent that you can enjoy for years to come.
Texsport tents has many options available to suit your needs.