2018 | Page 10 of 61 | Tennessee Gun

10 Sep 2018

Glass Cutting Oil Review

Today’s post is about glass cutting oil. What is it? Why should you use it? Frankly before I did the review of the glass bottle cutter I had no idea glass cutting oil was a thing.

Craftsmen that work with glass have been using cutting oil for more than a hundred years. I will tell you more about why in a later part of this article. Traditionally, Kerosene was the oil used for lubricating class cutters. I don’t actually know why that was. However, since glaziers would use a kerosene torch to heat their soldering irons, it makes since as kerosene was near at hand.

I have used kerosene as a cutting oil before (while drilling). It is true that it both evaporate cleanly and does not gum up a glass cutter. I find that I don’t really like the odor.

In the video above I talk about this and give a basic review of the cutting oil sold on Amazon by the Home Pro Shop.

Two Types of Commercial Glass Cutting Oil

Commercially available cutting oil comes in two basic forms. It is generally either a mineral oil or a water-soluble formulation.

Typical glass cutting oil from a stained glass suppler is probably nothing more than white mineral oil according. The term “white mineral oil” is deliberately vague and is synonymous with both “light petroleum distillates” and “heavy petroleum distillates”. White mineral oil is somewhere between paraffin wax and kerosene. While I am not a chemist, I assume that this describes the “natural fatty acid derivatives and additives” that describes the Professional Glass Cutting Oil I am reviewing.

Many that use kerosene as a cutting oil like it because some mineral oils, like 3-n-1 oil is too thick so it does not wick properly in oil filled cutters like the one I show in my bottle cutter bundle.

Synthetic lubricant is supposed to be water soluble and “environmentally friendly”. It is supposed to wash away so that copper foil will stick better when making stained glass.

I never new about cutting oil before I received the product above. I would imagine that I am not alone and that many glass workers use glass cutters without any lubricant. Since getting into bottle cutting I found that it is often easiest to buy a bottle cutting bundle that already contains oil.

Why Use Glass Cutting Oil

It is very important to use cutting fluid, particularly when cutting thick glass. Cutting oil is created to lubricate glass cutters, The oil helps breaking and longevity of your cutting blade.

Use either in an oil filled glass cutter or by dipping your cutting wheel in oil prior to scoring. Glass cutter oil fills the score that your cutter has made, which since glass is a semi-liquid material to an extent stops the score closing.

Using Oil Will Extend Cutter Life

This glass cutting oil is especially made to keep the cutter blade from getting destroyed as it is scratching across glass. It does this by washing away glass particles. It also keeps the blades of the cutter turning evenly and smoothly. What that means is that is will increase the wheel’s cutting life, its precision and its performance;

Cutting Oil Lubricates Your Cutter Wheel

This glass cutting oil has the exact viscosity you need to avoid the “leakiness” of the cutter head and ensure the ultimate lubrication for your glass cutting tools. Lubricating the cutting wheel keeps it spinning freely and smoothly and also frees up any shards of glass that could get stuck in the cutting head assembly. Lubrication protects the metal parts against wear, friction and corrosion.

Home Pro Shop Glass Cutting Oil is Non-Toxic

This glass cutting oil is created by using a non-hazardous OSHA approved formula that is prepared only with natural fatty acid derivatives and additives; Removing it is no problem as the oil cleans up easily;

4 Sep 2018

5 Ways to Hold a Handgun like A Pro

There are so many reasons why you might need to have a gun. Knowing how to hold a handgun effectively is important for your safety. All in all, simply because you know how to hold a gun doesn’t mean that you know the right time to use it. For instance, you should not use your gun to threaten or injure anyone. You need to take safety courses and regular training to improve your performance when it comes to handling firearms.

Having a proper grip is crucial. A gun acts as an extension so it replaces your arms. The way you hold your gun will affect aiming, balance, ability to pull the trigger, absorbing recoil and much more.

For self-defense, having a double grip is always recommended. However, you need to have a comfortable gripping and then shoot using one hand. When two hands are involved, the support hand makes the handgun stable and this leads to accurate shots. You need to have a solid and firm grip if you want to get maximum accuracy and control when using your gun. This guide will help you understand in details how you can hold you’re your handgun like a pro.

#1: Assume the gun is loaded and make sure it is clear

This is the first rule in handling guns. Always assume the gun is loaded and point it in a safe direction. Even if there is no magazine in the gun, treat is as if it is loaded. The gun should be pointed away from people including you.

Remove the magazine to ensure that the gun is clear. Point the gun down range, and then slide several times to ensure that there is no round inside the chamber. Next, lock the slide back to keep the ejection port open such that you can see some light through. This is an indication that the magazine is empty. Then move the slide forward and your handgun is now ready for dry firing.

#2: Dominant and non-dominant hand grip

The most recommended way to shoot is when you are using two hands. Holding your handgun with two hands provides stability and more accurate shots. You need to hold the gun with your dominant hand and keep it on the grip. Wrap your middle, ring and the pinky fingers on the base of the grip below the trigger guard. Ensure that the fingers are close together but they should not overlap. Hold firmly and keep the index finger (of your dominant hand) extended against the gun frame. Never put the shooting finger on the trigger unless you have aimed and you are ready to fire.

The next thing is to place the non-dominant hand in the part of the grip that is exposed. Your hand should fill that space totally. The thumb of your non-dominant hand should be placed right under and a little forward of the thumb of the dominant hand against the frame. Wrap your index, middle, ring and pinky fingers firmly on the grip base just below the trigger guard. This should be around the dominant hand on the other grip side and then hold firmly.

If you are holding the gun for the first time, the two positions might feel unnatural but you will get used with time. The most important thing is to fill all the open spaces on the grip because of the gun recoil.

#3: Dangerous grip styles

When holding your handgun, you need to avoid some dangerous grip types. One of the grip types you should avoid is the tea cupping. This is a two-handed grip style which is unstable. In this style, the non-dominant hand doesn’t offer the dominant hand with enough support. This makes your aims skewed and the gun can fly back during recoil.

Another bad grip you should avoid is crossing your thumbs. This is a common mistake among many beginner shooters. Crossing your thumbs when you are using your handgun puts them at a risk of injury. As you know, the pistol’s slide moves back once you fire. If you hold the gun crossing your thumbs, you place them in the slide’s path and at full force, this can crash your thumbs.

#4: Proper shooting position

To make accurate shots, you need to have the right shooting position. Your feet should be shoulder width apart while your knees slightly bent. You should not lock out your knees or flex the leg muscles. Keep your shoulders square and bend forward a little with your torso. With your dominant hand, draw your handgun from the holster and grip the gun keeping the shooting finger away from the trigger. Keep the finger in a ready position and your body should be in front of your abdomen pointing towards the target.

#5: Extend your arms, aim and pull the trigger

Extend your arms and do not lock them such that they are in front of you and aim at your target with the dominant eye. Your shoulders should be square to the target while elbows slightly bent. Aim at your target then pull the trigger.

Other things you need to keep in mind

Always keep your grip tight

If you want to shoot better, have a tight grip. You should have more strength while maintaining your ability to control the trigger.

Set your wrist

The heel of the non-dominant hand should be high and flat on the handgun. This gives you better support and control.

Apply isometric tension

When you are firing, it is important to apply isometric tension. When your dominant hand is applying pressure forward, your non-dominant hand should pull the rear pressure.

Final Words

Knowing how to hold a handgun is crucial if you want to get stability and accuracy when shooting. Many beginners hold handguns the wrong way and this might compromise their safety when using guns. If you know how to hold your handgun the right way, then you can be sure of a safety. I believe after going through the guide, it will be easy for you to hold your handgun the right way.

Note from Dave: I have written extensively about this topic, and I realize that the author of this post was talking about the weaver stance and not my preferred isosceles stance. While I don;t teach the techniques as they are described here, I realize that perfect range form is not the same as stance on a two way firing line….

2 Sep 2018

Beeagle Mens Slip On Loafers Review

As I sit writing this, my wife finally noticed these Beeagle Slip On Loafers. She asked me about them – said “huh” and “I like them”. I am a easy going guy, so that would probably be enough for me to like these shoes.

Before my wife commented on them though, I liked them. They are comfortable, light, and inexpensive. These driving shoes are great around the house – especially after a long day wearing “combat” boots around the prison.

Amazon says they are “perfect for beach, swimming, surf, pool, sailing, boating, kayaking, windsurfing, yoga and other any activity, especially suitable for Hiking, Walking, Especially Driving in Hot summer and autumn” I thought they were more like boat shoes. With the leather I don’t think I will take them canoeing and I don’t think they are suitable for hiking. However, as a shoe to wear AFTER hiking or canoeing; when your feet are sweaty and tired or wrinkled and soaked, they are perfect.

The have a rubber sole and are made with a fabric mesh accented and strengthened with leather (or maybe pleather).

When buying I was told the shoes run large, and in my experience that is true. They have a size guide on the Amazon page, and its pretty simple to use. I also was warned about a smell with the new shoes.

It did have a bit of a formaldehyde smell (possibly from the plastic “leather”) but it was nothing I was put off by. The manufacturer says that if the smell bothers your you can rinse with water and place it in the ventilation for 2-3 days, and the smell will disappear. I just put them on and went about my business.

2 Sep 2018

Twod 10×42 mm Binoculars Review

My son WT (or as he likes to be called TNTell the YouTuber) has become more and more interested in shooting. To help guide him appropriately I have been working on skills that can help him be a better shooter. Namely being more responsible, thoughtful, and to have a greater attention to detail. Obviously that is hard with a 6 year old, so I try to make it fun.

I got him these 10×42 mm Binoculars to help with the attention to detail. I want him to learn to observe and just see. It is my hope that I can both fuel his imagination and raise his observation skills in a fun way by letting him play with some optics.

On to the review:

I did not really expect much from $25.00 optics, but I have to say, these are pretty nice. They are not toys. They have easy to use controls with one dial moving both sides together.

Here are some features:

Fully coated optics and lightweight BaK4 roof prism for clear, crisp images even in low light or poor light condition
Durable rugged rubber housing provides a secure, non-slip hold, and durable external protection.
Center Focus Wheel requires minimal rotation for quick sharpness from close up to far
Right-eye diopter is adjustable and twist-up eye-cups for comfortable viewing with or without eyeglasses
Nitrogen purged for 100% waterproof and fogproof performance. Binoculars comes with neck strap and carry case

Amazon also shows some additional specifications:

Magnification: 10 x
Objective Lens Diameter: 42 mm
Exit Pupil: 4.2 mm
Linear Field of View: 293 feet/1000 yards
Interpupillary Distance:60-80 mm
Height: 5.9 inches
Width: 5.2 inches
Weight: 21 oz

The 25.99 Package Includes:

10×42 mm Binoculars, a neck strap and attached lens covers, a carry case, a cleaning cloth and a manual.

With my glasses, I had a hard time seeing through the binoculars, it wasn’t that the eye cups were uncomfortable with my glasses, it was the eye relief. When I raised my glasses the field of view improved. I am not quite ready to blame the binoculars, but this model was a little harder to use with glasses than some others I have owned.

If you can overlook this, or it does not apply, then these Twod 10×42 binoculars are a great value at the $25.99 price.

2 Sep 2018

How to Charge a Fully Discharged AGM Battery

I learned about trick on how to charge a fully discharged AGM battery from the official Optima website. The process shown in the video above mirrors the process recommended by the actual manufacturer. You do need to be careful, but this is not something I cooked up in the basement.

AGM batteries are a little different than regular batteries, even deep cycle batteries should not be fully discharged. Most battery chargers have electronics that prevent them from dangerously recharging bad batteries. Completely dead AGM batteries can’t produce voltage to operate this safety device unlike deeply discharged traditional batteries.

What this method does is to trick your charger into thinking it is topping off a good battery while it is actually recharging a old dead one.

This does not always work, these batteries are not designed to be fully discharged and if they sit to long in this state there may be too much internal sufination to allow the electricity to recharge the battery.

Equipment Needed:

Battery charger
Jumper cables
Good battery (it doesn’t really matter what type as long as the voltage is the same – AGM or flooded cell just make sure both are 12 volt)
Deeply discharged AGM battery
Multimeter
Timer

Procedure:

Hook up the good battery and deeply discharged AGM battery in parallel
- In parallel means connect positive to positive and negative to negative.
- Do not have the charger connected to the battery yet
Hook up the good battery to the charger.
Turn on the charger.
Let charge for an hour
Check the AGM batteries. If they seem hot to the touch their may be something wrong with the batter. Batteries normally become warm during charging so a little warmth is not something to be alarmed with.
- Also discontinue the process if you hear the battery a hissing sound coming from the safety valves.
With your voltage meter, check to see if the AGM battery has charged to 10.5 volts or above. This should take less than two hours.
Once the “bad” battery reads 10.5 or more, disconnect the charger
Connect the “bad” AGM battery to the charger.
Turn on the charger and continue until the AGM battery reaches a full charge

In most cases, but not all, this will charge a fully discharged AGM battery. There are professional AGM battery service centers that may be able to do more. This is important to me as these batteries are very expensive. I have three doe my solar set up and they cost over $300 a piece.

Yearly Archives: 2018