Shadows Of Sanity And Survival (Old Preppers Die Hard Book 3) (10 page)

TOTALLY AWESOME! Silky Saws Katana Boy

“Now then, just because that big saw says Katana boy on it, I don’t want you playing around trying to play Kung Fu or samurai about with it. These are finely crafted precision tools made by masters in Japan, but not weapons, get that straight. However, you would appreciate knowing, that just like a samurai sword they are razor sharp and finely tempered. They are also indispensable to our way of survival so be extremely careful you don’t abuse them in anyway. Are you both reading me loud and clear?” Farley said sternly before giving them a grin and handing them the famous woodsmen tools..

“I have seen you using them before and what all you can do with them, but you been kind of possessive about them, Farley.” Jeremy said anxious to try them out finally but still worried about how Farley had told him and Fong they were not to touch his beloved saws no way no how previously.

“I am still very possessive of them and don’t you ever forget that, but I think that now you boys are mature enough now to appreciate a finely crafted tool and appreciate it. I seen you all trying to figure out and work yourself to death with them old bow saws and if I remember right Jeremy you busted the blade in that midsize one, you’re lucky we had a replacement for it. I doubt I could find one but I did myself a long time ago trying to learn the art of sawing with them things. Those things work well but require a learning curve as well as finesse and strength to be effective on a big woodpile. These saws here are made by a company named Silky which pretty much says everything about their operation in the field and cutting capabilities. They cut amazingly smooth and easy.” Farley said watching the bows admire the finely made Japanese saws.

“What’s very unique about them besides the design is the way they function
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SILKY saws cut as you pull the blade towards you. They do not cut on the forward or push stroke. Cutting on the pull stroke requires less energy and gives you more control over the action of the saw.” Farley advised

Farley showed them how to safely open and close the saws and then sat back as they made short work on just about everything in sight that needed cutting.

“Farley I can’t believe how easy these things cut. Why they go through wood just like butter!” Jeremy exclaimed to which Fong agreed whole heartedly that they were the best thing since sliced bread in his opinion.

“I will show you all how to make a simple useful tool. A good wooden mallet is a very handy thing to have around. You can drive stakes with it, unstuck a wedge or ax head in a log, anything that needs a good thump or a bonk its good for.

They are indispensable if you need to drive a tool called a Froe to split shingles. I will teach you how to make a froe someday also, teach you some very basic blacksmithing.

Now you can make a mallet out of any kind of wood but choosing a hardwood is best if you want it to last.

First thing you do is find a likely sized log for the task. You got to decide length and weight wise based on the final or general purpose you plan on using them the most for.

Next you decide how big a head you want on it and take you a saw and cut all the way around in a circle to about where you think you want the thickness of your handle to be. Any kind of saw can be used, bow saw, handsaw, pruning saw whatever. This will be your “cut to line”.  You can get all crazy and remove stock from the sides with the saw but this is difficult and dangerous for some. I prefer to just take my axe and chop around that first cut towards the bottom of where the mallet head will be. This takes out chunks and your cut is somewhat stopped by the saw kerf but you don’t want to over cut into the head that much.

Score the sides with your axe and remove material naturally to get the “feel “of the handle. Chop downwards towards its base and then smooth the handle with your sheath knife if desired.

Farley left them alone to go saw up a tree or two and create one each and then began heading back towards camp.

Farley wasn’t necessarily on everybody’s shit list at the moment except Becky’s which he seemed to stay on anyway lately for any number of reasons. Often the trivial arguments would start because of their differences in current world views. For instance she was the type of person that would still share bits of bread and morsels of this and that with the squirrel that hung around outside her cabin which was ok in a way. However it seemed that she was out doing it one day at the same time Farley was teaching Miss Feng how to make fried squirrel brains from his day’s catch far distant from their living quarters when it would have been much easier some days to just hunt local meaning Becky was in fear of him accidentally catching “her” squirrel that he refused to get friendly with. That they would be reduced to eating such delicacies as squirrel brains was no problem for Miss Feng because she enjoyed or remembered her own sometimes odd Asian dietary upbringing from her homeland and did not have the Western aversions to making use of entire carcasses in whatever way you could.

For others, the concept of waste no meat or parts still carried the distaste of Western diets of anything not considered ‘normal.'” Farley would occasionally come home with what the boys jokingly referred to as ‘mystery meat’ that appeared to their now educated woodland butcher skills as he had run up on somebody’s cat or dog most likely in one of his traps. Not one to waste any kind of food he told Becky that it was from such mysterious and mythical creatures as jackalopes and snipes so that she would not be put off from eating what she would forever consider as somebody’s pets whether they were now wild or not.

The gardens had not produced for them very well no matter how hard they tried. Their would be no bounty this year. It didn’t matter how much the plants were talked to, prayed over (Becky) and attempted to be nurtured by all. Seed was still saved however and plans for more fruitful harvests next year were anticipated and worked on daily. Their efforts for the next planting season included attempts at amending the soil but there was no harvest store to go to for fertilizers. Hopefully next year a surplus could be counted on for the winter even if they had yet to find the means of canning or other food preservation methods to make it last. Twenty two caliber ammunition was in short supply and dispatching game in traps was usually accomplished by whopping it with a stick versus a more humane method. Farley didn’t tell the assembled crew that the man he had found dying from starvation on the side of the road had asked for the mercy of being dispatched by Farley’s pistol, but he just could not in any way bring himself to do it and argued with himself later if he had by denying him that release left him to a worse fate with the coyotes wild dogs and other predators of this world he knew lurked awaiting the passing of another soul.

The buzzards which he saw on a daily basis circling near or far, ever circling somewhere always got his attention. He used to go and see just what they had their interest in. He did not want to see anymore, didn’t want know. He did not want to know a lot of things anymore and he worried not too humorously that when he was resting quietly somewhere occasionally a buzzard might come to see if he was likely to be on the menu today.

The scavengers of the world were having a heyday now. He used to refer to such animals as scavengers, not worthy of his consideration, dirty, filthy beings back then, but now somewhat greatly appreciated to him to avoid the sights of all those that passed before him forgotten and rotting on the highways, byways and in the houses that he visited.