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(Top 10) Machete tricks you don’t know…
Can YOUR machete handle these 10 challenges?
10 tests only the BEST “survival machete” can pass!
These 10 “machete tricks” will CRUSH any other tool!

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(Affiliates: Add your personal intro above the article, like this example…)

Hi <first name>,

I just saw this article on one of my favorite blogs from Jeff Anderson who’s a 10-year combat veteran – and it has some really great points that I wanted to share with you.

I highly suggest you read it now and follow Jeff’s tips below…

It was my #1 “backup”…

As an elite infantryman in the U.S. Army, the ultimate survival tool I ALWAYS carried with me – both in combat or in the field – wasn’t my knife…

…it was my machete!

And I’m not alone.

Machetes have been used for ages by various cultures all around the world as an “everyday carry tool” because of its many uses, and…

Here Are 10 Reasons A Bolo-Style Machete Is The Ultimate Survival “Multi-Tool”

1. Spear-Point: The point of the machete can be used to “drill” holes… open canned goods… and skin game you hunt (just grip the upper edge of the blade and use the tip to cut). Also, with a “bolo-style” tip, it’s an effective stabbing weapon for self-defense.

2. Lead Edge: The edge closest to the tip is best used for scraping, such as for finishing a hide, carving out a canoe (or shaving off that stubble “Crocodile Dundee-like”)

3. Middle Edge: This is the “sweet spot” of the blade where the most force is distributed for felling trees, cutting wood for shelter or a fire, or hacking anything you want from bushwacking a trail to decapitating zombies.

4. Forte: The bottom third of the blade isn’t as strong for chopping, but it’s perfect for finer-control tasks such as cutting meat, stripping bark, shaving tinder, or scraping flint to start a fire.

5. Pommel: Typically used in fighting as a close-quarters, less-lethal defense tool, if your machete has an extended full-tang “skull-crusher” tip, you can break glass to escape, or rescue someone from a crashed or burning vehicle.

6. Rear Spine: The flat edge of the spine closest to the handle grip makes for a good hammer… as well as popping the cap off of a beer bottle of course.

7. Spine: Because of the power generated when swinging a machete, the spine can be used for breaking sticks instead of chopping them. But for me, a simple flip of the machete allows you to use the spine for self-defense because it will break a bone rather than hacking off a limb in a scenario where lethal force isn’t desired.

8. Beveled Upper Spine Point: Not all machetes have this feature, but a beveled the upper portion of the symetrical spear-point tip of a “bolo-style” machete is perfect for “stabbing” self-defense moves.

9. Broad, Flat Top: Having a wider point with the bolo design allows the machete to be used as a shovel for digging fire-pits, trenches, or even a foxhole in a pinch. (Plus, it’s a badass way to flip a steak at your next BBQ!)

10. The Most Important Feature: While not a specific “area” of the machete, if designed correctly, it can easily defeat many “urban obstacles” you may encounter after a disaster (or collapse).

First, I wouldn’t try this with any other machete (see this video for why), but we tested several different types of steel and found that the common machetes you get from a sporting good store (or even the popular knife manufacturers) work fine for chopping smaller pieces of wood, they failed miserably when put to the test against “urban” type obstacles.

This is important because you never know when you’re going to need to:

• Bust through cement to build a reinforcement wall, defensive position, or protect your home from a storm (or looters)
• Breach a concrete wall whose main entry has been destroyed
• Cut through barbed wire or sheet metal to gain access to an escape path
• Or break through any other barriers in urban type environments.

Most people (even experienced survivalists) don’t think about using a machete for these types of challenges… mostly because no other machete has been powerful enough to be an “urban survival tool”.

But that’s exactly how we designed the Guardian from the ground up and you can see why it’s so different than any other machete out there in this “torture test” video…

In fact, the Guardian is such a powerful machete that there’s a 365-day warranty and you can even test it out for free before buying it!

Look, when it comes to your survival and protecting your family, don’t settle for cheapo sporting good store machetes.

You want one that will be strong enough to defeat any task you throw at it and still be so strong you can pass it down from generation to generation as a prized selection in your arsenal.

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The “Top 5” WORST survival weapons ever!
Avoid these “DIY survival weapons” at ALL costs…
5 “DIY” weapons that will NOT work for survival…
5 “wasteland warrior” weapons that really ARE a waste!

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(Affiliates: Add your personal intro above the article, like this example…)

Hi <first name>,

I just saw this article on one of my favorite blogs from Jeff Anderson who’s a 10-year combat veteran – and it has some really great points that I wanted to share with you.

I highly suggest you read it now and follow Jeff’s tips below…

I couldn’t believe it when I saw this…

I was looking through survival tips in my social media groups for things to add to my knowledge bank.

I’m not going to name names, but… I ran across this list of “The Best Do-It-Yourself Survival Weapons” that I’ve got to share with you.

NOT because I think these are great options…

But rather to spare you from suffering the same fate as other “fantasy preppers” who actually think these ARE the best survival weapons to grab in a pinch if you can’t, don’t, or won’t have a gun.

Ok, here we go…

Here Are The Top 5 Most-Common (Worst) Do-It-Yourself Survival Weapons

Now first, let me tell you WHY you even need to consider building up your own survival weapons arsenal…

I mean, if you own a gun, you’re all set, right?

Not exactly…

Firearms have a way of being the worst option for protecting yourself during extreme circumstances like an extended grid-down scenario (it could literally take a YEAR to bring an electrical grid back online… and a former CIA Director said that the unrest from this type of scenario would literally wipe out 90% of our population!)

Should this type of a scenario take place, firearms can be stolen… break down… run out of ammo… or even be confiscated during martial law.

So yes… having a “back-up” weapon to defend yourself with is definitely a good thing… but this list of the “best survival weapons” mostly makes my “worst” list!

Ok, here we go…

1. Spiked Baseball Bat

I can tell when someone’s been watching WAAAAAY too much television.

Whether it’s Stranger Things or The Walking Dead, this prop pops up to slay the living and the undead quite regularly

Pretty simple concept: drive a bunch of nails through a Louisville Slugger… wrap some spare barbed wire around it… and *PRESTO* – instant zombie-slayer!

And I’ve got to admit, it looks pretty badass.

But in a crisis situation, you have threats both near and far, and I’ll wager you have about two good swings before someone takes it from you and turns you into a human popsicle stick.

2. Flamethrower

Since ancient times, man has always found great joy in throwing fire at our enemies.

And since ancient times, we’ve been getting burned.

Even in more modern military situations, the “flamethrower guy” is running around the battlefield strapped with a highly-flammable backpack strapped on, praying that the flames only travel in one direction through the device and don’t turn him into a burning marshmallow on the battlefield!

Since these are DIY weapons, mind you, the chances of someone building anything that shoots out flames is most likely going to be something as simple as the common “aerosol can and a lighter” getup.

A faulty can… misplaced finger on the tiny knob… or even a slight puff of wind that blows out your lighter disqualifies this one.

Plus, there’s always that slight percentage chance it will just BLOW UP in your hand.

No thanks!

3. PVC Bow and Arrow

Actually, this one isn’t a “bad” idea.

We’ve worked with the designer of these bows in the past and you can make some pretty strong bows from nothing more than some PVC pipes littered throughout the wasteland.

So it IS a skill I’d encourage you to learn for hunting purposes – and even for defense.

However… anyone who had tried their hand at archery soon realizes that this skill DOES take practice – so if you’re going to rely on this as a weapon, you damn well better get up to speed on your accuracy and “reload” speed if you’re going to take on any bad guys!

Besides the fact that – unless you’re behind some barrier (like a castle wall?), you’re not likely to get more than 1 or 2 shots before you’re overwhelmed by the “enemy”.

Even if you had more shots, you’d quickly run out of ammo, as arrows are relatively large and you can carry only so many.

4. Spiked Booby Traps

For as long as I’ve been writing about prepping and survival, I’ve been seeing photocopied images from old military manuals about making booby traps.

The Viet Cong used traps (like spiked pits) extensively in the Vietnam War because they’re cheap, easy to make, and deadly.

The fact that they are so deadly is exactly why this “weapon” is a bad idea.

You could have these all over your property, and the first time you forget where one is, you’re gone.

Worse, a curious neighbor’s child could be the victim of one of these things.

Just no.

5. Homemade “Zip Gun”

It’s true… firearms ARE the ultimate equalizer.

That’s why you’re better off building out your prepper gun arsenal now and stockpiling as much ammunition as you can “just in case” the world goes to Hell in a hand basket.

But, especially in a world without “rule of law” and in harsh environments (wet, sludgy conditions; dust and debris, etc.), guns can be stolen, confiscated, malfunction, break, or simply run out of bullets since you won’t have access to the local guns & ammo store.

But if you DO find yourself with some access to ammunition, you may be tempted to craft something together to fire that ammo.

After all, guns aren’t all that complicated compared to the cartridges they fire.

I’ll tell you, though… in a crisis situation, I don’t want to be the guy relying on a single-shot pile of toilet parts that’s THIS close to becoming a handheld pipe bomb.

That makes this one a non-starter, too.

I can hear what you’re asking, now:

“Okay that’s all fine… but if I don’t have access to a firearm in an emergency, what DO you think I should use?”

That’s a great question…

The Absolute BEST Improvised Survival Weapon You Can Use In A SHTF World…

In a scenario where guns aren’t an option, there’s one weapon above all that I’d do anything I could to find and “build” as quickly as possible.

In fact, throughout time, it’s been a primary weapon – and tool – in areas all around the world where resources are scarce and dangerous mobs (or armies) are a very real threat…

… a “long blade”!

Think about it – swords have dominated the battlefield long before there was gunpowder.

They’re deadly as hell… don’t “jam”… never run out of bullets… have far better range than a knife… and can be used against multiple attackers with ease.

The downside is, any sword you find (or make) is going to have to stand up to a LOT of abuse – and unless you’re gifted enough to forge a Hattori Hanzo samurai special, chances are you’re either wielding a “toy” sword designed for a wall trophy… or a poorly crafted blade that will break with one strike.

You’re way better off looking around for a machete – which is far more common and far more durable than any “sword” you’re going to have access to.

I even carried my military-issue machete with me on every single mission I went on in combat as my “backup weapon” in case my rifle went “click” when it should have gone “bang”.

And when I travel overseas – especially in areas where I can’t bring my handgun – one of the very first stops I make when I get in-country is to a local hardware store or landscaping nursery where I pick up machete to have with me in my vehicle and in my residence there.

However, while you “can” make your own machete, they DO break if they’re not crafted well.

So unless you can forge a Hattori Hanzo samurai sword from scratch, you’re going to fare much better if you add this weapon into your survival weapons arsenal now – the same way you’re most likely doing with your “survival guns”.

There are a lot of options out there to choose from but, just as with my own guns… if I’m going to have to bet my life (and my family’s lives) on something, it’s going to have to be the best.

Unfortunately, every machete I purchased – even the expensive name-brand ones – “looked” great, but couldn’t stand up to the abuse I put it through.

Eventually, having “some” experience with blacksmithing that I learned from a few guys in that business, I designed my own machete using 1095 “tool quality” steel that can literally cut through an entire steel truck hood without even damaging the blade.

If you’re only looking to chop up some sticks for a fire or to build a shelter, a cheap machete should do you just fine.

But if you’re as serious as I am about the gear you’re going to face a life-or-death scenario with, I recommend you skip the gimmicky “fantasy weapons” and invest in something you know is going to last forever.