What is a Bowie knife? 

A Bowie knife is a long knife with a cross guard and a double-edged blade. The knife was thought to be part of a gentleman's outfit. Bowie Knife has perfect quality compared to penknife, dirk or any other knives. The knife is used for skinning games or bought by knife fools for their collection. The knife used today is like a respectable wild survival knife.

The Jim Bowie knife is primarily designed to be a combat knife that is easy to control, convenient and wearable. The knife was so heavy that it allowed enough force to pierce through the foliage or meat with a single swing that was best used as a survival tool.

History of Bowie knives

Large Bowie knife was created in the early 19th century in Washington, USA. The Bowie knife was originally made by a blacksmith named James Black for Jim Bowie an American pioneer and a Texas hero.

How to take care of your Bowie knife

It is important to make sure you take care of your deer hunting knife to make sure it lasts longer. The most important thing is to sharpen the knife regularly to make sure your tongue does not tarnish. A blunt blade is considered a dangerous blade because you will have to use more force to achieve the same result.

It is important to keep the tactical Bowie knife dry and clean to ensure there is no rust or dust buildup. The best way to clean a hunting knife is to use a clean cloth and apply metal rubbing powder to ensure excellent protection of the blade.

After use, wipe damp and fingerprints with clean cotton. In case your knife has some stains or stains, you can try to remove stains by using metal polishes or detergents. To prevent your tongue from staining, it is important to keep it clean and dry.

For Bowie knife collectors for future generations, you must also avoid fingerprints and moisture. It is essential to store your knives in a cool room with low humidity, comfortable for you to live as this will ensure that they are as safe as you are.

Also, make sure you periodically check your best Bowie knife to ensure they are safe by wiping the knife once a month. If you allow your knife to deteriorate due to lack of maintenance, your collection can quickly lose value.

Is Bowie Knife a great choice?

The bowie knife is an excellent choice and can do most jobs outside of chopping through larger pieces of timber. The skinning knife is multipurpose and can be used for skinning, chopping, and whittling. Also, a bowie knife in terms of self-defense is solid equipment.  Arming yourself with a Bowie knife is important and it can offer you sufficient protection if well used.

What else should you know about a bowie knife? It can be used as a carving knife, box opener, a draw knife, and a can opener. The stiletto is sturdy with a tough bristle that can do a whole bunch of diverse things fairly well.

The best features to observe when selecting a Bowie Knife

It is important that you know the best features to check when buying a knife. If you can observe the following features when buying a Bowie knife, you are assured that you will buy a quality dagger.

Material

While buying your tactical Bowie knife, you must ensure that you buy a quality material. Hunting knives can be made from traditional carbon steel or contemporary stainless steel alloys. If you want to buy the best knife, you should prefer the carbon steel version because it is easy to sharpen and maintain a sharp blade for a long time.

The size of the blade

The size of the blade is determinant of your intended purpose. If you want a knife for chopping wood or clearing wood, a large knife is useful. However, a knife with small blades allows for better accuracy and can be used for many bushcraft skills such as fishermen and hunters.

The Length of the Blade

A custom bowie knife has a standard length of 9.5 inches. It is important that you but a knife with inches between 7.9.5 inches and not shorter than 5 inches. A lengthy blade increases the multi-functionality of the knife.

Final Thought

A bowie knife is a vital tool that everyone should own. It is best used as a survival tool and can be used for various activities such as hunting. The article has offered insight on taking care of your bowie knife to ensure that it last longer. Also, it has offered the best factors to consider when selecting the best Bowie knives.

If you’re looking for a life of adventure, chances are hiking would be a good hobby for you. If you're already a hiker, maybe you’re looking for more thrilling experiences than your local trails. If you're interested in challenging your survival skills, then here are five of the best hiking trails in the world that are a must for your bucket list.

However, do be careful and stay sharp, as according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hiking is the third leading cause of injuries in terms of outdoor recreational activities.

• Bright Angel Trail in Arizona: The sheer beauty of the Bright Angel Trail in Arizona makes it any hiker's dream destination, but it's just as dangerous. Hiking unprepared has led others to be extremely exhausted and dehydrated as they may not have brought enough water, they start too late, or they don’t get enough rest prior to the hike. In fact, the Bright Angel Trail has become such a risk to the unprepared that the National Park Service has a rescue crew on standby. This is because the hiking trail can reach temperatures of up to 110 degrees.

• The Maze in Utah's Canyonlands: If mazes are your thing, then the Canyonlands National Park's Maze is the test of survival for you. The labyrinthine trail has attracted hikers worldwide for its difficulty level, but it's also twice as deadly due to dangerous rockfalls and flash floods. If you're attempting to conquer this trail, be sure to maintain constant communication with your peers. If you get lost on the trail in the event of an unforeseen weather condition, your life may be at risk.
• Mount Hua Shan in China: Some pilgrims take a spiritual journey to vast lands to reflect on their spirituality. Others go to the temples at the summit of Mount Hua Shan. The mountainous trail has numerous iron chains, vertical stairways, and plank trails to support hikers. At some point, however, the supports disappear and hikers have to rely on small divots that are located in the rocks. Your instincts and your senses will be put to the test, as you'll have to make it through with thick fog blocking your path. Make sure you study the path well.
• El Caminito del Rey in Spain: If you're up for a trip to the past, then El Caminito del Rey is the hike for you. The trail, which is over a century old, is built on a steel path designed for workers to reach a hydroelectric power plant. Imagine being one of the workers that were required to cross this narrow ridge every day. Be wary of every step, as while the path is made of steel, harsh winds and distractions can spell your doom. Take time to know the area and ask locals just what equipment to bring to keep yourself safe.
• Angel's Landing in Utah: If narrow and steep paths are your thing, then Utah's Angel's Landing is for you. The hike, while short, has been a must-do experience for hikers due to its challenge. The hike begins with a narrow sandstone ridge surrounded with steep drop-offs, which foreshadows the rest of the tricky hike. In fact, the path to the final ascent is just a stone staircase narrow enough for a person. Be careful when crossing the last portion of the hike, as more than five people have actually lost their lives by falling to their deaths.

A knack for a challenge, sharp instincts, and a sense of survival are three of the best traits a hiker can possess. Those characteristics can make any hiking experience a fruitful one. Up the ante with the challenging trails above, especially if you want your survival skills to be tested. After all, if it's you versus the wilderness, you've got to know what to do to make it out alive. If you're in the mood for sharing your experiences, perhaps making a hiking blog can also inspire others to take up hiking as a hobby.

Bio Author:

Ray Jennings is a former steel mill worker who currently writes about work safety at Comfort Work Boots. He also shares his passion about hiking that can be useful to his readers.

While zippers are definitely among the most handy-dandy small devices ever invented, they also come with a wide array of problems, one of which is misalignment. You know, when the slider (a.k.a. the thing you slide over the zipper tape) skips a few tabs or so? Or when you mistakenly zipped it up without properly aligning from the bottom? Misalignment is a common cause of zipper jamming, malfunctioning, or breakage.

This can be a nuisance and might just cause your jacket or jeans on the donate pile. However, what most of us don’t realize is that fixing the zipper is very simple and requires only a few basic tools and minutes of your time. So, here is a guide on how to fix a misaligned zipper.

Sometimes, when you got a ​misaligned two way zipper, it also gets stuck or jammed, which makes repair a little more challenging. Lubricants can be used to get things going and allow the slider to be adjusted.

You may need to unstitch the zipper from your garment, bag, or equipment to make it easier to repair. For this purpose, a seam ripper or sharp blade will come in handy. If you don’t have those, a small pair of scissors could work as well.

A Pair of Pliers, a Screwdriver, or a Kitchen Knife

Pliers are the best tools to help you remove the stops, the slider, or teeth that may be causing the problem. You can also use them to reattach or replace them. If you don’t have pliers, you can use a flat-tipped screwdriver or kitchen knife. Just be extra careful with the knife as it can damage the stops or cause them to go flying across the room.

Needle and Thread or a Sewing Machine

After repairing your zipper, you will need these to attach it back to your garment or bag. You can stitch it by hand, or you can use a machine to make the work much faster, especially if you’re dealing with a long or large zipper.

Zipper Replacement Parts

During repair, you may have to replace broken, malfunctioning, or missing parts of the zipper.

Instructions On How To Fix A Misaligned Zipper

Before we get into the details of fixing a zipper, it might help for you to first recognize the parts of a zipper as shown in these pictures below:

Step 1. Remove the top stops.

As shown in the pictures, a zipper has two top stops and two bottom stops which prevent the slider from coming off of it. To reset and fix the alignment of your zipper, you must remove either the two bottom stops or the two top stops if the bottom has a retainer box and pin system. To do this, grab a pair of pliers to pull away from the stops and set them aside. You can also use a kitchen knife or screwdriver for this task.

Step 2. Remove the slider.

Once the stops have come off, you can now move the slider to the top or bottom of the zipper, whichever way the removed stops where initially positioned.

Step 3. Lubricate a jammed zipper.

If the slider is stuck, this is the time you can use your lubricants. Try the graphite stick or pencil first by rubbing it on the teeth nearest to the slider. Then, try moving the slider back and forth along the zipper to loosen it up. This may require a little force, but once the slider starts moving, your job becomes easier. In case the graphite method fails, use wet lubricants.

Step 4. Realign the zipper’s teeth.

Now, realign the bottom part of the two zipper tapes. Also, check for any deformed or missing teeth that may have caused the misalignment. Use your pliers to replace these or restore their shape.

Step 5. Slip the slider back.

Once the tapes are aligned, you can now slip back the slider from the top. If your zipper has a retainer box at the bottom, you can start by putting the slider all the way down on the side of the box.

Then, insert the pin on the other tape into the slider. Make sure to pull it all the way down into the retainer box. Try zipping up to the point before the removed stops should be. Ensure that the zipper stays aligned and closes properly.

Step 6. Put the stops back in place.

Since the problem is now solved, you can seal the zipper again by putting the stops back using pliers.

Step 7. Finish it up

If you removed the zipper, you could now stitch it back. You can even replace damaged stops by simply sewing the two zipper tapes securely together where the stops should be. 

You can also watch this quick video demonstration to know ​how to fix an uneven zipper on a jacket.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now know how to fix a misaligned zipper and might just be able to save a beloved piece of clothing or an otherwise perfect bag or tent. You might be surprised at how helpful this skill can be.

Did you learn something from this tutorial? If so, please feel free to share it with your friends and family. Do leave your comments or questions below as well!​​

Shooting is a pastime that is enjoyed by many people, and one that can provide a great deal of satisfaction. Whether you enjoy target or game shooting, or keep a gun for security and peace of mind. there are certain legal requirements that go with gun ownership, and a great deal of inherent responsibility that also comes with the sport.

Make no mistake, guns are dangerous, and especially so if in the wrong hands. An experienced handler will know what to do to make sure that the guns they own never get into the hands of others, and one of the legal requirements is a gun safe.

Any holder of a firearms licence is expected to adhere to the laws a​​​​nd regulations that go with owning guns. This includes having a secure place where your guns are at the least risk of getting into the wrong hands. Bear in mind that such laws can vary from state to state. Let’s talk about the essentials of where to keep your gun safe.

Choosing Your Position​

First, it’s important to be aware that the regulations pertaining to guns also apply to ammunition and accessories. The first requirement for any gun owner is to have a safe, secure and top-quality gun cabinet or safe installed; the trick is in knowing where to put it.

You can buy safes for guns readily, and there are some very good ones on the market that make a lot of sense at sensible prices. Still, you need to take all the advice you can on where best to put your safe, and the primary consideration is finding the place that offers the lowest chance of theft or accidental discovery.

To this end, it’s perhaps wise to check out the places where you really should NOT put your gun safe, so here’s a few ideas:

The garage – a no-no in every way; it’s the easiest place to get into, the first place anyone will look, and a likely access point for anyone breaking and entering. It’s also most at risk from fire, flood and potentially damaging humidity – remember, the care of your gun is also part and parcel of having a safe.

Bedroom – it’s a cliché, so don’t hide your gun safe behind a picture, say, in your bedroom, or put it in your closet. Thieves will undoubtedly check this area first once they are in.

Hallway – this is the first entry point of anyone coming into your house – wanted or otherwise – and remember, where your guns and valuables are concerned, never trust anyone!

Where is Safest?

Statistically, the following are the safest places – in terms of chance of theft – for your gun safe: the basement, where there are plenty of potential hiding places, and which can be kept locked at all times, and the bathroom, where nobody will likely think to look. This is not to say these are failsafe places, but they are not the ones that spring to mind for thieves.

Now you have an idea of where to, and not to, put your gun safe, what else do you need to know? It should be constructed to a high standard and have a security rating that makes it very difficult to get into. Check out the many available and talk to experts in gun safes who will be able to help you with the details.

Once you have a safe in mind, and a place where it is going to go, you need to think about how you are to secure it. A free-standing case or cabinet is not a great idea for guns, so you need to look at securing it to the fabric of the house. This is another reason why basements are a great place for gun safes, as they can be secured to very strong beams or struts, with bolts that are very difficult to cut.

Also, think about siting your gun safe in a corner position, from which you can have it secured on more than one side; this gives you added protection if anyone wants to try and prise it away, and will delay them significantly.

It is also wise to make sure your gun safe isn’t too obvious, so try not to have it on full view. Hide it behind mock vents – or even a false wall – for example, and make it as hard to find as can possibly be.

Use the information online and make sure you talk to the experts, and you can minimise the chances of your firearms falling into the wrong hands.

How to catch mullet fish. Many anglers have been well aware of how frustrating trying to catch them can be. They’re very tough to catch, but do you know that the mullet fish is actually one of the most delicious fish you can eat?

Sure, lots of folks shrink from them, considering they eat just about anything and thrive in murky waters. They eat whatever they can, and there’s a misconceived prejudice against them. Most anglers decide without actually finding out their hidden qualities and used them as bait for more attractive fish.