Atlas Pasta Machine - Do They Last?

My first experience with an Atlas Pasta Machine was when I was  a young boy and my mother would make pasta for just about every holiday imaginable. I mostly remember eating the dough and helping my mother crank the pasta roller to flatten the pasta. 25 years later and my mother still makes homemade pasta, mostly cavatelli and spaghetti, but has upgraded to an Atlas Pasta Machine with a motor. I am happy to say that I am the proud owner of my Mom’s original Atlas Pasta Machine and it still works like a charm. My pasta does not come out quite like my mothers does but that has a lot more to do with the operator and not the machine!

So will an Atlas Pasta Machine Last?  Yes, if you take care of one of these pasta makers they will last you a lifetime.

All Atlas Pasta Machines are made in Italy and are built to last. The hand crank pasta maker has 9 roller settings that click to adjust the thickness of your dough. It has a removable crank that is used for the roller and the same crank is used on the pasta cutting heads.

The Atlas Pasta Machine comes with a table clamp  that will open to fit a counter that is up to 2.25 inches thick. I usually will put a thin piece of plywood under the bottom clamp to keep from scratching the bottom of my counter. I find that the added piece of wood makes it that much more stable on the counter top.  

The cleanup on the atlas pasta machine is easy once you get the hang of making your dough the right consistency. The first time that I made pasta in this machine my dough was a little to sticky and it was a difficult cleanup, however since then it has been easy. You really only have to dust of the machine from the flour and wipe the crumbs away. Pretty easy!

For more information on Atlas Pasta Machines, recipes, and review videos click here: Atlas Pasta Machine.

Best Survival Knife Options - Ka-Bar Becker BK9 Review

I just read a really good article on the Becker BK 9. I have both large survival knives and smaller more compact fixed blades as well. Large survival knives are always the best survival knife for chopping and battoning wood but sometimes they are impractical to carry. Here is an exerpt from a great article.

Why Choose a Large Survival Knife?

Some people like carrying a large survival knife and some people don't. It is purely personal preference. I for one would rather be stuck in the wilderness with a large survival knife and have to carry the extra weight of it, than have a knife that is easy to carry however cannot handle the heavy-duty cutting chores like the BK9 can.

This knife is phenomenal for large chopping and cutting chores. The 1060 Carbon Steel blade keeps a strong edge and is easy to sharpen. When I carry this knife with me camping I never have to bring a hatchet with me because the BK9 does equally as good or better than any field hatchet that I have split with. Having a large knife like this actually allows you to carry less gear and therefore less weight.

The Ka-Bar Becker BK9 is super impressive and you will see this in the arsenal of the most experienced outdoor survivalist.

Full article: The Best Survival Knife