Magnet fishing kit A new fun time!

First 12 Hooks Complete

 Today marked the first real step toward launching Prepared Christian Tradeworks. The wind was fighting me the whole time — loud and muggy — but I still managed to finish the first dozen hand‑forged hooks.

WHY START WITH HOOKS?

I chose to start with hooks for a simple reason: they represent everything I want Prepared Christian Tradeworks to stand for. They’re small, useful, honest pieces of hardware that people actually need. They don’t require perfection — just consistency, heat, and a steady hand. Hooks let me build inventory quickly, refine my workflow, and create a product that’s affordable, durable, and unmistakably handmade. Before the bigger projects come, before the more complex items roll out, I wanted to begin with something humble and practical. Hooks are the perfect first step.

They aren’t just inventory. They’re the beginning of something bigger.

Each hook was shaped, filed, drilled and waxed by hand, one at a time. Nothing fancy, — just honest work and the start of a product line I’ve been planning for a long time.

This batch is the first milestone toward the official launch. More hooks are coming, more products are coming, and the brand is finally taking shape in steel, wood, and wildcrafted natural products instead of just ideas.

Thanks for following along as this project comes to life. More updates soon.

We had to sell the homestead...Sad day

Frosty Morn #shorts

A little controversy...The Three S's or How to deal with problem animals...

Perfect Gift for the Man (or Lady) in your life... Christmas, Birthday, Any day!

What would John Wayne Do?

I am a big John Wayne fan...

I follow the official account on Facebook and get to read all sorts of interesting things.

Today this wonderful product come up in my feed on his account.

A new book on survival by the publishers of John Wayne Magazine... And while looking at it I also discovered The Official John Wayne's Handy Book for Men

And then we have the newest book The Official John Wayne Handy Book of Bushcraft

So what would John Wayne do for a gift idea?

I'm pretty sure these would be high on the list.

Still clinging to my God and my guns,

Randy

 

This once was popular but is getting hard to find, so I will park it here for your viewing pleasure.

Will Your Black Rifle Feed You?

A few thoughts heading into winter...

For a Useful Woods Knife? Make mine a Kukri.

 

For a Useful Woods Knife? Make mine a Kukri.

I bought my first Kukri over 40 years ago at a flea market as a gift for my dad. He promptly put it on a

shelf and I didn’t see it again for years. I got it back a couple months ago as he was downsizing. 

I wasn’t impressed…

It is on the small side, the handle is too short and thin to get a good grip on. I’m sure this knife was made for tourists and never intended to be used. Knowing what I know now I never would have bought it. It’s a wall hanger for sure.

My next Kurki I bought at an auction about 30 years ago. A local pawn broker was retiring and there were a lot of interesting things being sold and when the auctioneer held up a handful of knives and sold them choice. I knew I had a decent deal when I picked up a real Kukri for $10.

This knife was almost twice the size of the earlier cheap one. Hand forged from carbon steel. With really great geometry (More on geometry later).

You could tell this knife was made to be used, and probably was well used before it made its way across the ocean. 

It wasn’t without its problems. It had a small cold shut on the spine (A flaw in the forge welding). It was also kind of shallow just in front of the handle. I was always worried about breaking it, but it held up for years.

I have not forgiven myself for selling it when I moved away from the Rockies. (Stupid on so many levels)

So Why a Kukri?

A Kukri is a unique shaped knife that has many uses in the field. It is also the official knife of the Nepalese army.

The Kukri is very handy for chopping and can be used like a machete in clearing a trail. Since it is on the large side it works well for processing larger game.

Due to the blade shape the Kukri offers a couple different working edges depending on your task.

As the Nepalese have proven it also makes a great fighting knife to use for self defense.

What do I look for?

When it comes to what I look for in a Kukri, I am definitely opinionated. Similar to real estate the three most important things the look for in a Kukri is geometry, geometry, and geometry.

Oh and the feel of the handle…

There are a plethora of Kukris on the market. Many made by big names in the industry. They are all probably okay knives, but most of them I would not consider an actual Kukri.

Remember I am jaded because I had a real hand forged one…

The first thing to look at is the angle of the blade. Is it a good working angle? Is it close to the traditional angle?

Next look at the belly of the blade. A good working Kukri will have a smooth, shallow (Compared to others) belly.

The Skilled Survivor Has a great article showing some of the popular Kukris on the market. If you look at the knives HERE You will see the pronounced difference in the belly design of modern Kukris. 

Of the five knives shown the EGKH is by far my preferred knife design. It is a traditional design with smooth lines and great geometry.

If you are in the market for a Kukri, Check out Glenn’s site for other reviews.

What is the Rule of Three's and why is it important?

How to open a feed bag #shorts

Can I make it?

Good News in a Troubled Time 1 Kings 20 #shorts

Good News in a Troubled Time Luke 1:39-46 #shorts

Good News in a Troubled Time Jeremiah 33 #shorts

Good News in a Troubled Time Job 19 #shorts

$21 Prepping Challenge - Northshore Preparedness

What can you add to you preps?

Survival Farming Episode 1

Black Friday / Weekend Deals on Amazon for the prepper or Christmas Gifts

 Here are some prepper things you might want to stock up on.

These would make great Christmas gifts!

Lifestraw $12.97

Lifestraw Water Bottle $27.96

Kootek Hammock $17 - $25

20 pack of 9 hour candles $20

Mountain House Adventure Meals $93.49

Mountain House Beef Stew $42.49

Assorted Sawyer Products

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what is available this weekend!

Still clinging to my God and my guns.

Randy

Note this post contains affiliate links

Morakniv 511 review and The One Stick Fire Challenge

Dropped a new video today.

There are links in the video description to the tools I used.

Still clinging to my God and my guns.

Randy