C. Henry Martens's Blog, page 23
February 12, 2015
Review: Carbon Steel Cookware
by C. Henry Martens
Several years ago my wife and I were yard saling and found a small frying pan. It was unusual in that it wasn’t cast iron, aluminum, stainless, or Teflon coated, it was steel. I had never seen anything like it, so we had to try it for a buck (I think we could have had it for less, the guy said his wife thought it would never sell). I think most people, not knowing what they are seeing, would pass it by.
We took it home and promptly forgot about it, placed in the back of a cupboard. In a remodel of the kitchen we found it again, and decided it would look good on the empty hook of the rack we installed to hang pans. One day we needed a pan to fry a couple of eggs, and all the other “normal” pans were dirty. So we slapped some butter in the pan and broke a couple of eggs into it. I was surprised. It did a good job, and the eggs didn’t stick as expected.
Since then it is our “go to” pan for up to three eggs, or anything else of a small size. The pan heats evenly and does what it is supposed to do. The big surprise is that it cleans so easily. Nothing sticks, either in cooking or cleanup. Also, the metal handle stays surprisingly cool.
I had to do some research to find out what the brand is so we could buy a larger size. The back of the metal handle was only stamped, “made in France,” with an “18” hardly visible on the top side. The shape seems distinctive to Mauviel M’steel carbon steel cookware. So although I am suggesting that our pan “may be” this brand, I am not claiming it. They are expensive, and if our little pan is one, it lists for $35 or more, depending on where you find it.
I highly recommend a carbon steel pan for frying. Much better quality in construction, and tougher, than ceramics or Teflon, lighter than cast iron, and it doesn’t stick like aluminum can.
It works especially well when camping, over a fire. My choice for in the kitchen or in my bug-out bag.
www.readmota.com
Several years ago my wife and I were yard saling and found a small frying pan. It was unusual in that it wasn’t cast iron, aluminum, stainless, or Teflon coated, it was steel. I had never seen anything like it, so we had to try it for a buck (I think we could have had it for less, the guy said his wife thought it would never sell). I think most people, not knowing what they are seeing, would pass it by.
We took it home and promptly forgot about it, placed in the back of a cupboard. In a remodel of the kitchen we found it again, and decided it would look good on the empty hook of the rack we installed to hang pans. One day we needed a pan to fry a couple of eggs, and all the other “normal” pans were dirty. So we slapped some butter in the pan and broke a couple of eggs into it. I was surprised. It did a good job, and the eggs didn’t stick as expected.
Since then it is our “go to” pan for up to three eggs, or anything else of a small size. The pan heats evenly and does what it is supposed to do. The big surprise is that it cleans so easily. Nothing sticks, either in cooking or cleanup. Also, the metal handle stays surprisingly cool.
I had to do some research to find out what the brand is so we could buy a larger size. The back of the metal handle was only stamped, “made in France,” with an “18” hardly visible on the top side. The shape seems distinctive to Mauviel M’steel carbon steel cookware. So although I am suggesting that our pan “may be” this brand, I am not claiming it. They are expensive, and if our little pan is one, it lists for $35 or more, depending on where you find it.
I highly recommend a carbon steel pan for frying. Much better quality in construction, and tougher, than ceramics or Teflon, lighter than cast iron, and it doesn’t stick like aluminum can.
It works especially well when camping, over a fire. My choice for in the kitchen or in my bug-out bag.
www.readmota.com
February 10, 2015
The Dog: Your Survival Companion in the Apocalypse
by C. Henry Martens
Okay, we’ve survived whatever apocalypse has happened, at least initially. We have to choose a survival strategy, and that means who we will share the effort with. Some people are good, some not so much. The black ops guy, trained in weapons and survival is great, but he might see you as a food source. Grandma Tilley might be useful as a source of comfort or wisdom, but she’s not going to be much good in backpacking enough to keep herself going, and strangely enough… she might see you as a food source.
If you want absolute loyalty, coupled with an impressive skill set, you might want to consider a dog.
Let’s understand that we may be speaking, “in general,” about any particular breed or type, including behavior, characteristics, or care. Individuals may vary slightly, or in the extreme.
First, what are we looking for in a survival partner? A tool. Whether human or animal, in a survival situation we need a partner that brings skills to the table, preferably several that we don’t already possess. Tools are good to have, especially if they carry themselves and you don’t have to.
Let’s be clear. Dogs were developed as tools long before they became pets. In the ancient world, before kibble and couches, dogs had to be of use, or they were on the menu. And that fact leads to that in stepping back into a world left by apocalypse, they are returning to their origins.
So what we are looking for is an “origin” dog. A dog to be of use. A dog to be used. Not a dog to lick your face. Not a dog to snuggle on the couch with. And certainly not a dog to drag you through the park in an effort to attract attention.
In making a list of attributes in which a dog could be of use, we need to find the sweet spot. Many things come to mind, but my first criteria is that the animal has got to maintain contact. There are some perfectly wonderful breeds that make great pets, or that hunt well, or that can work under load, but (again, in general) they won’t be a dog for serious survival.
This may surprise you, but for that reason I would stay away from huskies. They are very versatile, amazing animals, but I personally have never seen one that isn’t likely to bolt into the distance for reasons unknown. They are also escape artists, so in a situation where you may be traveling, they could be difficult to keep track of. The Eskimos bred them to do work, but in an environment where the dogs only had one ready food source, they focused on staying close to the food, not the person.
The husky is a perfect dog in other respects. It is not too large or too small. It is athletic, meaning it can run all day, and then the next, and the next. It is economical, able to live on short rations. And it has a coat that protects it from extremes of cold.
In an effort to find a partner that won’t disappear, I tend to favor herding dogs. They stay close in almost all cases, as a general rule.
My second criteria, is a dog that can cover ground. There are good reasons to stay away from flat faced breeds. Most flat faced dogs can run circles around you, but as a tool they have to be ready to run down game or pack a load, and the way flat faces are configured don’t make for efficient use of air. Oh, and let’s say one other thing. If you are hiding in a bush, trying to keep an armed horde of hungry enemies from finding you, the last thing you need is a dog that gurgles and sneezes when it breaths.
The third criteria, is size. We are expecting short rations, aren’t we? Size matters. There are some great uses for big animals, but there is a reason that oxen were used to pull pioneer wagons, and not heavy draft horses. A big dog can intimidate, pull a cart, or even provide body heat, but only if you can feed it. It is a matter of economy of effort. You don’t want to spend all of your time feeding the dog. So I suggest two sizes, basically, are worth considering. The more useful in my opinion is a dog large enough to pull a load or be a pack animal… forty-five to seventy pounds. And if it were me, I’d err on the side of the smaller side of that. A smaller dog can be useful, so if you can carry your own gear, all of it, a twenty pound dog might be as small as I would go.
I’d stay away from mastiffs, St. Bernards, and great Danes. Great pets, survival buddies… not so much. The same of Chihuahuas, Pekinese, and anything under twenty pounds, preferably. There is one exception I can think of. If you are stationary in an agrarian situation where grain is being grown, small terriers are fierce in protecting your harvest.
Fourth criteria? Disposition. That means the dog has to have the ability to learn and take commands, as well as get along within the group. Some dogs excel in this area. The working breeds, as well as the herding breeds, are good candidates. One of the factors in selection has got to be a realistic view of your own abilities to train a dog. Some dogs train easily, almost intuitively. Others, not so much.
If you have a dog now and it won’t come to you when it is called, I suggest you may not even want a dog. Keep your present pup on a leash until the food runs out, and then pop it into the stew pot. To have a partner dog, you have to be able to train the dog. That means there are times you have to be harsh. That means that you have to see the dog as a tool. That means that you have to get over any fantasies about the dog being a replacement child, or a breathing teddy bear, or a mystical creature that engenders human characteristics. A dog is a dog, and it is a valuable tool… but only if you can train it. Otherwise, it is a liability.
One other thing, not necessarily a criteria, but a preference. I like intact male dogs. They have an energy and a willingness and capability to do hard work that emasculated dogs do not have. The only down side to a trained male dog is that they like the girls, and a female in heat may become a higher priority than you are. That makes them vulnerable to the stew pot in an apocalyptic world. Female dogs are second best, and it matters little if they are spayed or not. There are advantages both ways. Spayed means you don’t have to worry about attracting unwanted attention, and intact means you will perhaps eat well a couple of times a year by trapping males. Puppies are trade goods, and food, too.
I’ve had two, maybe four exceptional dogs in my life. I count myself lucky to have had them. Many people that don’t bother to learn how to train a dog, have what could have been exceptional partners, but they didn’t put in the effort and instead stuck their animals on chains in the back yard to die a slow death in mental illness caused by unnecessary incarceration.
Each of these four dogs would have made great partners in survival.
My first was a German shepherd. Was he a great dog? I was too young at the time to know for sure, but I suspect so. I was seven, so could not train him, but the way I remember him, he was an intuitive learner and needed little effort. I don’t remember him being more than an alarm dog on our farm, until the encyclopedia salesman walked into the house unannounced. The shepherd tore his pants off. A great dog knows when to be serious.
My best dog ever was the result of a white German shepherd leaping a fence to get to an Irish setter. On leash he looked like a lanky golden lab, and when I went to dog shows I was approached often by lab owners inquiring of his pedigree. They were terribly disappointed when I told them he was a mutt. He didn’t like drunks, and he protected his pack when they approached. My wife appreciated that when she walked in the city. Here again, this was something the dog intuited on his own.
I acquired a Rottweiler/golden retriever cross puppy that seemed destined to be a great dog, but he was struck by a car and badly injured at about ten months old. He was already leash trained and well on his way to becoming amazing. Even the best dogs have no chance against two tons of speeding metal.
My fourth great dog, and probably my last dog ever, is an Australian shepherd. I have little background information on her as she came from a county shelter. I can’t imagine why her owner would have given her up. She was either well trained when we got her, or just understood the way things were from day one. I don’t know if she would protect us from a human being, but she is death to squirrels if she can get hold of them, and a willing and even enthusiastic worker when asked.
So of all the dogs I’ve had, the herding dogs, or herding crosses, have stood out. As I said before, there may be exceptions depending on your circumstances. Small terriers protect grain. Sight hounds could work in a desert environment. Retrievers should be considered in areas with a lot of water. Huskies, only if you are hunting seals, in my opinion.
I’ve often wondered about giant schnauzers. They have been used for guard dogs, herding, and work. Maybe in my next life. It might be difficult to find one small enough. Many of the best dog breeds have been ruined for real working use by being bred too large.
So to sum up my experience in what I would look for as a partner dog in survival, I would look for a fifty pound herding type dog without much regard to the breed or purity as much as what kind of disposition it has. A dog that stays close, but can be taught to chase down prey. A dog that can pack or pull a load. A dog that will be quiet or aggressive, and knows when each is appropriate.
Good luck.
www.readmota.com
Okay, we’ve survived whatever apocalypse has happened, at least initially. We have to choose a survival strategy, and that means who we will share the effort with. Some people are good, some not so much. The black ops guy, trained in weapons and survival is great, but he might see you as a food source. Grandma Tilley might be useful as a source of comfort or wisdom, but she’s not going to be much good in backpacking enough to keep herself going, and strangely enough… she might see you as a food source.
If you want absolute loyalty, coupled with an impressive skill set, you might want to consider a dog.
Let’s understand that we may be speaking, “in general,” about any particular breed or type, including behavior, characteristics, or care. Individuals may vary slightly, or in the extreme.
First, what are we looking for in a survival partner? A tool. Whether human or animal, in a survival situation we need a partner that brings skills to the table, preferably several that we don’t already possess. Tools are good to have, especially if they carry themselves and you don’t have to.
Let’s be clear. Dogs were developed as tools long before they became pets. In the ancient world, before kibble and couches, dogs had to be of use, or they were on the menu. And that fact leads to that in stepping back into a world left by apocalypse, they are returning to their origins.
So what we are looking for is an “origin” dog. A dog to be of use. A dog to be used. Not a dog to lick your face. Not a dog to snuggle on the couch with. And certainly not a dog to drag you through the park in an effort to attract attention.
In making a list of attributes in which a dog could be of use, we need to find the sweet spot. Many things come to mind, but my first criteria is that the animal has got to maintain contact. There are some perfectly wonderful breeds that make great pets, or that hunt well, or that can work under load, but (again, in general) they won’t be a dog for serious survival.
This may surprise you, but for that reason I would stay away from huskies. They are very versatile, amazing animals, but I personally have never seen one that isn’t likely to bolt into the distance for reasons unknown. They are also escape artists, so in a situation where you may be traveling, they could be difficult to keep track of. The Eskimos bred them to do work, but in an environment where the dogs only had one ready food source, they focused on staying close to the food, not the person.
The husky is a perfect dog in other respects. It is not too large or too small. It is athletic, meaning it can run all day, and then the next, and the next. It is economical, able to live on short rations. And it has a coat that protects it from extremes of cold.
In an effort to find a partner that won’t disappear, I tend to favor herding dogs. They stay close in almost all cases, as a general rule.
My second criteria, is a dog that can cover ground. There are good reasons to stay away from flat faced breeds. Most flat faced dogs can run circles around you, but as a tool they have to be ready to run down game or pack a load, and the way flat faces are configured don’t make for efficient use of air. Oh, and let’s say one other thing. If you are hiding in a bush, trying to keep an armed horde of hungry enemies from finding you, the last thing you need is a dog that gurgles and sneezes when it breaths.
The third criteria, is size. We are expecting short rations, aren’t we? Size matters. There are some great uses for big animals, but there is a reason that oxen were used to pull pioneer wagons, and not heavy draft horses. A big dog can intimidate, pull a cart, or even provide body heat, but only if you can feed it. It is a matter of economy of effort. You don’t want to spend all of your time feeding the dog. So I suggest two sizes, basically, are worth considering. The more useful in my opinion is a dog large enough to pull a load or be a pack animal… forty-five to seventy pounds. And if it were me, I’d err on the side of the smaller side of that. A smaller dog can be useful, so if you can carry your own gear, all of it, a twenty pound dog might be as small as I would go.
I’d stay away from mastiffs, St. Bernards, and great Danes. Great pets, survival buddies… not so much. The same of Chihuahuas, Pekinese, and anything under twenty pounds, preferably. There is one exception I can think of. If you are stationary in an agrarian situation where grain is being grown, small terriers are fierce in protecting your harvest.
Fourth criteria? Disposition. That means the dog has to have the ability to learn and take commands, as well as get along within the group. Some dogs excel in this area. The working breeds, as well as the herding breeds, are good candidates. One of the factors in selection has got to be a realistic view of your own abilities to train a dog. Some dogs train easily, almost intuitively. Others, not so much.
If you have a dog now and it won’t come to you when it is called, I suggest you may not even want a dog. Keep your present pup on a leash until the food runs out, and then pop it into the stew pot. To have a partner dog, you have to be able to train the dog. That means there are times you have to be harsh. That means that you have to see the dog as a tool. That means that you have to get over any fantasies about the dog being a replacement child, or a breathing teddy bear, or a mystical creature that engenders human characteristics. A dog is a dog, and it is a valuable tool… but only if you can train it. Otherwise, it is a liability.
One other thing, not necessarily a criteria, but a preference. I like intact male dogs. They have an energy and a willingness and capability to do hard work that emasculated dogs do not have. The only down side to a trained male dog is that they like the girls, and a female in heat may become a higher priority than you are. That makes them vulnerable to the stew pot in an apocalyptic world. Female dogs are second best, and it matters little if they are spayed or not. There are advantages both ways. Spayed means you don’t have to worry about attracting unwanted attention, and intact means you will perhaps eat well a couple of times a year by trapping males. Puppies are trade goods, and food, too.
I’ve had two, maybe four exceptional dogs in my life. I count myself lucky to have had them. Many people that don’t bother to learn how to train a dog, have what could have been exceptional partners, but they didn’t put in the effort and instead stuck their animals on chains in the back yard to die a slow death in mental illness caused by unnecessary incarceration.
Each of these four dogs would have made great partners in survival.
My first was a German shepherd. Was he a great dog? I was too young at the time to know for sure, but I suspect so. I was seven, so could not train him, but the way I remember him, he was an intuitive learner and needed little effort. I don’t remember him being more than an alarm dog on our farm, until the encyclopedia salesman walked into the house unannounced. The shepherd tore his pants off. A great dog knows when to be serious.
My best dog ever was the result of a white German shepherd leaping a fence to get to an Irish setter. On leash he looked like a lanky golden lab, and when I went to dog shows I was approached often by lab owners inquiring of his pedigree. They were terribly disappointed when I told them he was a mutt. He didn’t like drunks, and he protected his pack when they approached. My wife appreciated that when she walked in the city. Here again, this was something the dog intuited on his own.
I acquired a Rottweiler/golden retriever cross puppy that seemed destined to be a great dog, but he was struck by a car and badly injured at about ten months old. He was already leash trained and well on his way to becoming amazing. Even the best dogs have no chance against two tons of speeding metal.
My fourth great dog, and probably my last dog ever, is an Australian shepherd. I have little background information on her as she came from a county shelter. I can’t imagine why her owner would have given her up. She was either well trained when we got her, or just understood the way things were from day one. I don’t know if she would protect us from a human being, but she is death to squirrels if she can get hold of them, and a willing and even enthusiastic worker when asked.
So of all the dogs I’ve had, the herding dogs, or herding crosses, have stood out. As I said before, there may be exceptions depending on your circumstances. Small terriers protect grain. Sight hounds could work in a desert environment. Retrievers should be considered in areas with a lot of water. Huskies, only if you are hunting seals, in my opinion.
I’ve often wondered about giant schnauzers. They have been used for guard dogs, herding, and work. Maybe in my next life. It might be difficult to find one small enough. Many of the best dog breeds have been ruined for real working use by being bred too large.
So to sum up my experience in what I would look for as a partner dog in survival, I would look for a fifty pound herding type dog without much regard to the breed or purity as much as what kind of disposition it has. A dog that stays close, but can be taught to chase down prey. A dog that can pack or pull a load. A dog that will be quiet or aggressive, and knows when each is appropriate.
Good luck.
www.readmota.com
