A sign of a poor gunsmith is using normal screwdrivers on a gun. However not all individuals that like guns know the difference between a normal and gunsmith screwdriver. This post will fix that.
I am a kitchen table gunsmith myself, and before I learned about using hollow ground screwdrivers on my firearms I buggered up plenty of firearms.
Normal Screwdrivers are Taper Ground
A normal screwdriver is taper ground. The manufacturer took a shaft of steel, and then smashed the end into a wedge.
As you can see from the picture below, the tapered shaft on the left does not fully engage with the entire screw slot.
This means that the torque from tightening the screw is unevenly applied. This can damage the screw threads, and is the mark of an inexperience and/or uneducated gun smith.
Gunsmith Screwdrivers are Hollow Ground
In comparison, the screw driver in the middle of the picture is hollow ground and the screwdriver shaft is ground down in a concave shape to allow the entire screw thread to be filled.
The driver transmits the torque to be transmitted evenly. As a result, damage to the screw is prevented. Additionally, a hollow ground screwdriver has a head that is the same diameter of the shaft. Therefore, it will fit down inside of tubes easier.
If you have ever had the wide head of a tapered screwdriver keep you from unscrewing the back of a piece of electronics you will know what I am talking about.
In conclusion, proper tools don’t cost a whole lot more than improper tools (with the case of hollow ground drivers, they cost the same or less) but make your work easier and contribute to a professional repair. I bought my set of screwdriver bits for under $20 online and now I don’t damage anymore gun screws.
Store what you can use, and use what you store. I don’t buy books I won’t read, clothes I won’t wear, food I won’t eat, or Hip Hop music. I also don’t buy things I don’t know how to use.
This is hard sometimes, as deals can be made and you can sometimes get food on sale, but having all the freeze dried broccoli won’t do a thing if a family member would rather starve than eat something unpalatable.
This has happen in disasters, and is more common than a survivor personality would think.
This particular example of prepper precepts is common in almost every prepper’s rulebook. Either written or unwritten it is ubiquitous in the sub-culture.
Store what you can use, and use what you store stops waste and builds comfort and confidence.
These precepts are my creed, and having prepper precepts guides me when I face tough choices. A wise man once told me that when facing a moral problem, the right choice is usually the action you don’t want to take.
I am not a pollyanna person that is wishy washy or blindly follows rules, heck I have a little rebellious streak and love to know the WHY of rules, but I do respect and understand the need for law and know how vital it is for a society to have a moral code.
By knowing what I believe in you can know how I will act. This is very important in times of stress. If you don’t want to read these precepts one by one, the completed list can be found here: Completed 27 Prepper Precepts.
My plans are generic as possible. In the Emergency Management world that is called “all-Hazards” planning.
I prep and plan for all hazards, and not specific events. How many people bought into the Y2K, and then let their food rot because they felt silly. My food storage is for when I cannot buy groceries. It does not matter to me that it might be because I lost my job, or I am under quarantine for bird flu. When I need it, all that matters is I have it, not why I need it.
Spend time working toward solutions that are likely to happen – in my area tornados and floods are more common than ice storms and earthquakes.
Ice Storms and earthquakes are possible here so I do prepare for them, but I try to make plans that are not specific to each of those four threats, but make plans that account for them and any other likely events.
Keep Your Prepper Plans Generic and Suitable for All Hazards
These precepts are my creed, and having prepper precepts guides me when I face tough choices. A wise man once told me that when facing a moral problem, the right choice is usually the action you don’t want to take.
I am not a pollyanna person that is wishy washy or blindly follows rules, heck I have a little rebellious streak and love to know the WHY of rules, but I do respect and understand the need for law and know how vital it is for a society to have a moral code.
By knowing what I believe in you can know how I will act. This is very important in times of stress. If you don’t want to read these precepts one by one, the completed list can be found here: Completed 27 Prepper Precepts.
I don’t do reviews all that often, but not too long ago survivalblog had a passing mention about a new company that made reusable glowstick the size of a chemlite. I immediately ordered a couple of uvpaqlites for my personal evaluation.
Basically the devices are containing strontium crystals that are doped with other rare earth elements to form the latest generation of glow in the dark technology. These crystals charge very quickly from any type of visible light and glow for quite a long time. As with most glow in the dark devices, the stronger and longer the light source charging the crystals the brighter and longer they give off glow.
Glowing Crystals in a Sealed Package
The company that produces the crystals is called uvpaqlite.com and the crystals come in either glued inside a robust flat plastic sheet that reminds me of vacuum seal bags, or plastic tubes filled with clear epoxy.
Since I had never heard of the company before, I did not want to spend a lot of money on my first evaluation set was pretty inexpensive. I purchased the smallest product in both lines – the flat 4×6 mini uvpaqlite for $3.50 and the key chain sized tooblite mini for $4.95.
I received the package pretty quickly in the mail and wasted no time in charging them and trying them out. In my first video they had only charged for an hour or two since I only charged them from the time I got the mail until it got dark that evening.
While my camera did not take a very good video, I was able to use the mini paqlite in my pantry to read the labels on my can goods. It was bright enough that if I held it next to something I could make out what it was.
UVPaqlite Review II
I think this size of paqlite would be very good as a trail marker or a way to find something in the dark, We used the chain it came with to attach it to the pull switch on our bedroom ceiling fan, and the light it gets during the day (even with the shades drawn) is enough that I can always quickly find the light switch. it is not a replacement for a flashlight.
The tubelight went on my keychain, and even though it is normally in my pocket, I use it to help me find my keys and the door knob when I come home at night. It also helps when I misplace my keys, in the morning, as I get up while it is still dark out, and if I turn off the lights I can just look for the glow.
Great Product
The company that sells these lites says that the larger size will light up a small dome tent, and while I did not try it, I believe it would. Once again my camera did not do these devices justice, but I could set the large paqlite in my living room and make out the walls and location of the exits. It would not light the room up enough to read by, but I could use it to find my glasses, flashlight, or other personal protective devices.
I keep the 8×15 paqlite on the dash of my work vehicle, where it is constantly receiving a charge, that way when I get in the truck at night, I can see where all my tools are. It also helps me differentiate my vehicle from everyone else’s as they are all unmarked white SUVs. The large tooblite is attached to the outside of my daypack where I can use it if I have to make an unscheduled trip into the woods. I know that even if I forget to check my flashlight batteries I will at least have some form of light,. Now, I don’t know about you, but whenever I am sitting around a campfire at night I always seem to lose something important and have to fumble around in the dark looking for it.
These products are very well made, and while the manufacturer suggested I do a destructive review to show how robust they are, I really don’t want to shoot them and have to go out and buy a replacement.
I thought about driving over them, as I believe they could handle that without damage…
Disclaimer
All in all, I think these are great products, and when used according to their limitations have a definite use in a prepared household. I had planned on buying the larger sizes to use while camping, but the company contacted me and asked me if I would review their larger lites. Of course I said I would. (FTC disclaimer – I received no payment for the review, but
I did receive two paqlites from the company at no cost to me, which I intend to keep).
I shortly received the larger Tooblite glow stick (about 8 inches long) which retails for $6.95 and the large 8×15 paqlite which costs $24.00. As a side note they came in a clear envelope which allowed them to come charged – I wonder what the post office thought of them glowing in their trucks.
In comparison, the screw driver in the middle of the picture is hollow ground and the screwdriver shaft is ground down in a concave shape to allow the entire screw thread to be filled.
I don’t do reviews all that often, but not too long ago survivalblog had a passing mention about a new company that made reusable glowstick the size of a chemlite. I immediately ordered a couple of uvpaqlites for my personal evaluation.