Childproofing: Lock you Scissors With a Padlock

Childproof Your Scissors With a Padlock

Scissor Lock
Scissor Lock
Organizing Tip: Put on a Scissor Lock
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If you want to prevent a wild child from cutting their own hair, or a suit you just sewed for a wedding (sorry mom) then put on a scissor lock. It is pretty easy to run a small padlock through the handles of a pair of scissors which creates a scissor lock that will render the scissors useless, but not permanently alter them.

This is a pretty easy tip and is painless to do, but if you have a child like I was, or have a son like the one I am raising, then it is just a matter of time until they decide to modify something.  In my case I thought having a pair of shorts was more important than having a suit to wear to my aunt’s wedding.

However, I will suggest that if you choose not to follow this scissor lock tip, and you child does wack off a hunk of hair, go with it, have fun, laugh and realize it will grow back.  Child discipline is important, but so is seeing the humor in life and having fun with your kids.

You would think this is common sense, but I guess it is inconvenient to put the lock on and off, but its probably less inconvenient that having to buy new clothes because someone decided to make shorts.

How to Open a Hershey Kiss With Two Fingers

How to Open a Hershey Kiss With Two Fingers
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No, How to Open a Hershey Kiss With Two Fingers has nothing to do with prepping.  I just thought it was pretty cool when I saw a similar video on Facebook so I had to practice until I knew how to open a Hershey kiss with two fingers.

Its actually pretty simple once you understand the mechanics.  It took me a while to realize that the paper flag actually played a roll in opening the kiss.

I have heard that the shape of the kiss was designed to allow it to be opened in this manner – while I am not sure this is true, it sounds cool.

If you are unwilling to practice this “skill” you can just as easily unwrap the chocolate by holding it and pull the flag out.

Now to tie this to prepping, you should realize that disasters small or large are pretty stressful, and its always nice to have some comfort items stashed away.

After a particularly rough day when hope is small and people are stressed and tired you would be amazed at how much a mood can change if a small surprise or piece of chocolate miraculously appears.

I have candy stashed in the deepest recess of the freezer just for this reason.  A little comfort goes a long way in keeping things in perspective.

How to Make a Mason Jar Lid Cut from a Orange Juice Container

Better DIY Mason Jar Lid
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I am always in search of ways to make food storage easier, recently I shared a tip for making a mason jar lid from things in the kitchen.  It was a good tip, but this one is a little better.

Today we show a DIY mason jar lid cut from a orange juice container.  It makes poring simpler, and is an all around better tip.  As Genny says in the video, we saw this on survival blog and wanted to share.

I tend to visit Survival Blog very often, and Rawles even wrote the introduction to one of my books.

This is not the first mason jar tip we have shown.

We also used the top of a salt container as a lid.  Something else that works well is the top off of a Parmesan lid.  It is interesting and useful to note that many grocery tops are interchangeable is you are paying attention.  Mayonnaise jar lids are also pretty close to the threads on a mason jar.

We have also bought different types of lids from jars that had fruit infusers, to sprouting holes, places to hold straws.  The mason jar is an ingenious invention, and that product has been improved by all the different lids created for it.

How to Use Acid to Identify Limestone

 

How to Use Acid to Identify Limestone
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I needed some limestone to work some cement experiments trying to replicate both the Portland cement patent, and to make slaked lime for mortar mix.

This meant I had to be able to go about identifying Limestone. Luckily since limestone is calcium carbonate, (a base). Simple chemistry ensures that when it makes contact with acid it will fizz (which is CO2 being released) as the acid and the base attempt to counteract each other.

If you have a large weathered rock, you may get better results if you smash it into little pieces – limestone is brittle and crushes well. Then simply drop some strong vinegar or weak muriatic (hydrochloric) acid on the rock. If it fizzles, then it is a good bet its limestone.

This is a pretty easy thing to do.  I have done it successfully several times.  Limestone is a vital construction material as it is a key ingredient of cement.

At some point I want to try my hand at making my own cement from limestone, but for now the farthest I have done it to make my own slaked lime in the foundry I made some years back.

I hope that as I dig into the hillside at my land I will find more limestone.  Especially since I have a lot of moving water.  A cave would make my day.