This Zero Tolerance 0350 Review is based on a new knife that I picked up after hearing tons of good stuff about this blade online.  Zero Tolerance have been releasing very impressive top quality knives for a number of years and I figured it was time that I finally picked one up.

For a long time I have been a big fan of fixed blade survival knives such as the Becker BK series, ESEE knives,Ontario knives and Cold Steel to name a few of my favorite brands, however the EDC of a survival knife is just not practical. Before the Zero Tolerance 0350 I carried a Kershaw folder that I was actually very happy with.. That is, until I realized what I was missing out on when I unpacked  the 0350.

The first thing that I noticed when I opened the Zero Tolerance 0350 was the heft of the knife. You can immediately tell that you are handling a quality tool and not a imitation piece of junk. The medium traction  G-10 scales are very solid, comfortable and grippy. The handle itself is robust, much more then my Kershaw. It is wide at about 1.3 inches and thick for a folder at about .5 inches. The length of the handle is 4.5 inches long so there is plenty of space to get a good grip on the blade.

The blade flicks open with ease due to the assisted speed opening feature that many come to expect on blades these days. The knife also has a thumb stud that can be used to open the blade as well. The S-30V steel is wicked sharp out of the box and the research I have done suggests that it will keep an edge and sharpen fairly easily. I have found that the blade locks up tight an the frame lock seems to be extremely sturdy.


The ZT 0350 is a smaller version of its big brother the 0300. I have seen estimates that it is about 10% smaller than the original but from my research it includes most of the key elements that the 0300 has. I honestly think that judging by the ZT 0350 the 0300 would be pretty heavy to use as an EDC.

All-in-all I personally really like this knife. Some say that it is to heavy for them but I don't mind the weight.

I would definitely recommend this folder to anyone that wants a step up from their current EDC folding knife.
Amazon has some good prices right now and some great reviews Check them out Here

Top Survival Kits

Not everyone has the time nor the desire to build a survival kit from scratch.  Looking online there are a wide variety of survival kits available to choose from.  A basic Survival Kit should provide enough food water and supplies for a few days while out on your own. 
Many of you have may seen the small pocket sized survival kits, they are easy to make using an Altoids tin. This fits in any pocket to make it easy to carry with you everywhere. Possibly one of the smallest kits available and a "Good" survival kit beats no survival kit anytime. Simply having an Altoids kit available, could make any unpleasant situation almost bearable.

Whistle Creek Survival Kit in a Sardine Can

• Emergency medical supplies, nourishment, navigational aids & more
• Cook in it. Boil water in it
• Compact (pocket sized), lightweight, and it floats
• For hikers, campers, climbers, boaters, skiers, sledders, fishermen, off-roaders, travelers, cyclists & you\
• Put one in your car, motorcycle, fishing vest, backpack, bike etc

Product Description
25 survival items in a genuine air-tight, waterproof,crushproof sardine can. Go fish with a fishhook and line,find your way home with the compass, boil water in the canfor your tea with sugar, use the first aid supplies to survivethe wilderness. Even includes duct tape, matches, whistle,signal mirror, razor blade, fire starter cube, chewing gum,salt, and a safety pin. Put one in your car, motorcycle,fishing vest, backpack, bike, etc.Great gift item, and the price is right!... More >>





"Good" - Survival Knife Kit
While not as easy to carry as an Altoids tin, a survival knife gives you a handy life saving tool on your belt that will help with fire duties and shelter building.

• Emergency survival knife kit
• Hollow handle with a screw off top
• Ideal for camping...More >>

The "Better" smaller fanny pack size survival kits are the next step up, they allow a little extra room to take more items with you, while still not too uncomfortable to wear. These do require you to strap them on and may not be quite as convenient to take with you everywhere.
 


"Better" - 1 Person Deluxe Fanny Pack Survival Kit

• Emergency survival kit packaged in durable, easy to carry fanny pack.
• Contains water and food supply with 5 year shelf life.
• Perfect for the home, car, office, or anywhere else!

Product Description
This Single Person Survival Fanny Pack Includes:
(1) ER Food Bars - 3 day supply for 1 person, 5 Year Shelf-life. (3) Water Boxes w/ Straws - 3 day supply for 1 person, 5 Year Shelf-life. (1) Thermal Blankets - Designed by NASA to retain body heat! (1) Ponchos with hoods - Don't be caught out in the rain without shelter. (1) Safety Whistle - Blow loud for immediate rescue attention! (1) Tissue Packs - Help maintain sanitary conditions. (1) Out-of-state Contact Cards - Keep track of loved ones with these! ... More >>

The "Best" Survival kit is a small backpack.
Filled with almost everything you may need to survive for three days including food and water. Just having one of these kits by the back door can offer peace of mind. It is grab and go bag that can be a lifesaver  if you need to leave in a hurry for an extended time.

Keep these three things in mind when selecting your survival kit.

• How long will you be able to survive with your survival kit?
• How extreme is the event that you are needing to survive?
• Where do you expect to be when the event occurs?

"Best" - Survivor Emergency Kit-4 Person, Emergency Zone brand, Disaster Survival Kit

• Because you never know where you are going to be during an emergency
• Includes the 48 page How to Prepare for Any Disaster book to help you before during and after a disaster.
• SOS Brand food and water have a 5 year shelf life
• Lithium Ion hand crank rechargeable AM/FM radio flashlight.
• Emergency Zone brand

Product Description
This kit includes the following: 1 Organizational Backpack, 1 Large backpack, 1 Dynamo AM/FM radio and flashlight with lithium ion battery-rechargeable with a hand crank, 4 eight hour light sticks, Magnesium Fire-starter, 4 emergency reflective sleeping bags, 4 emergency ponchos, 2 tube tents, 6 emergency candles, 4 3600 Calorie US Coast Guard approved Food Bars with a 5 year shelf life (SOS brand coconut flavor), 24 US Coast Guard approved Water Pouches (125ml each)... More >>

Proper planning and realistically assessing your needs before purchasing the best survival kit will help you find one that best meets your needs.

Here is an interesting review about one of my Vanadis 4 E knives:
http://www.zknives.com/knives/custom/fhutilv4e.shtml
Zvi's steel composition chart is quite comprehensive, and list similar steels from different standards.

Survival a State of Mind or Just Plain Luck?

With record numbers of tornado's turning many people's lifetime of memories into rubble, it is a good reminder of what it takes to survive. When nature strikes, even the best intentions may not be enough.
Preparing for disaster is often simply easing ones mind that when hard times roll, it is better to have the foresight to have prepared, have food and supplies set aside than get caught unaware and without.



Watching the news the last few days, it broke my heart to see so many good people's lives turned upside down. We can only find some comfort knowing that many people survived simply because they had the sense to buy a survival radio which alerted them from a deep slumber to give them time to prepare and escape imminent danger.



If you have not yet taken the time to buy a weather radio with automatic weather emergency alerts, I urge you to take a look at our survival radio page and buy one today. You family's survival may depend on it some day!

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Peter 3:14

I would like to start off by saying that I am not paid or affiliated with Coleman in any manner. That being said, I would like to offer my honest opinion of the Coleman Camp Axe. There are both positives and negatives about the Coleman Camp Axe.

Among the Positives is quality for price. The Coleman Camp Axe cost around $8.00 making it very affordable. The Coleman Camp Axe weighs 1.6 pounds making it very lightweight for backpacking. The axe head is made out of drop forged carbon steel. The handle is constructed out of forged steel making it very strong. We beat up the handle really bad and could not damage it. The Coleman Camp Axe has a nice rubber grip. The axe chops small trees quickly and with ease.

For the price, we did not find many things we did not like about the Coleman Camp Axe. To be honest we were very surprised with the axe. Among the negatives is the fact that the axe comes very dull and will need to be sharpened. Another negative is because of the axes super light weight it is not a very effective splitting tool. We were able to split wood without damaging the axe by buttoning the handle with a larger piece of wood, but this is not recommended.

Overall we found the Coleman Camp Axe to be a reliable quality product from Coleman. We feel that the positives outweigh the negatives greatly. If you are on a budget or just need a low price axe I recommend the Coleman Camp Axe. Below is a video demonstration of the Coleman Camp Axe in Action.

Middle Class Survival

We just need to look at our bank statement to see the middle class and our way of life is under siege. While many Americans are struggling to keep their heads above these turbulent financial waters, it feels as we are swimming against a riptide. At risk, our financial security and providing our children with a brighter future than we had at their age.

So how do we fight back against what seems like the biggest assault against the middle class in our time?

We start by making good choices, we need to change tactics on the way we consume. Instead of being labeled as consumers we need to become prosumers. We need to make sure that every dollar we spend matters.

Many large corporations in this country spend millions of dollars lobbying Washington politicians for special perks and favors. While the middle class does not benefit by having a lobby to represent our needs, we do have an amazing weapon at our disposal. We have a choice to vote with our dollars. We can choose to buy products from companies that support American jobs rather than their bottom line. Companies that are ethical and care about their customers.

Greed is the reason we are in this economical mess today. It was greed orchestrated by a small group of people in positions of power that has affected so many good honest hard working people.

Until we start making smart financial choices that affect the bottom line of greedy banks and corporations, and enhance the bottom lines of good ones, we will continue to be victimized by their greed.

We can also make sure our votes are not squandered on politicians that do not have a strong moral compass. Cast your votes for politicians that make the hard decisions based on what's best for our country not their own party or self interest.

By staying informed on what is happening and becoming active in letting your elected officials know when they are about to screw up, our voices will be heard loud and clear come election time.