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

 

 

The Best Survival Knife For the Money - Ontario RTAK II (Article Review)

I just read a great review on the Ontario RTAK II Survival Knife. The Article explains why it is the best survival knife for your money and has some pretty valid points. The Ontario RTAK is in the category of large survival knives and that is for good reason, it is 16.5" overall and weights 2.2 lbs. I  have always been a fan of large survival knives simply because they are a lot more useful for a lot of the heavy duty tasks that it takes to survive in the wild. Here is an excerpt: 

The Ontario RTAK II tops my list as the best all around survival knife for your money. This is a serious knife for a serious survivalist. The Ontario RTAK II is designed to be a work horse for just about any outdoor survival chore.

Here are the stats:

Overall Length: 16.5" Blade Length: 10.25" Weight: 2.2 lbs Price: $120 - $130

 

Yes, this is a large and heavy knife and many people would say that it is a lot of weight to carry when you are backpacking or exploring. This is a true statement it is a big and bulky blade however it is exactly the type of knife that you will wish you had as soon as you arrive at your destination. The reason that I rate this knife the " Best Survival Knife For the Money" is because it eliminates the need to carry a hatchet and a knife, it does the job of both. I often carry both a hatchet and a knife with me when I go camping and the combination of those two items weigh far more than this blade does.

 

Chopping and Batoning Wood

 

The Ontario RTAK II is one of the best survival knives that I have used when it comes to batoning and chopping wood for fires or shelters. Batoning or splitting wood is a survival must to conserve energy while prepping fire wood this blade makes short work of these chores it really does split wood as good or better than any field hatchet that I have used. I have a review page with videos that show this in full effect. Once you see how this knife handles you will be hooked.

Continue to the full article: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Best-Survival-Knife-For-the-Money---Ontario-RTAK-II&id=5260078

The Best Survival Knife - Becker BK 2 Campanion

The Ka-Bar BK2 Becker Campanion makes my list as the best survival knife on the market because of its overall usefulness and indestructibility. The Ka-Bar Becker series knives are one of the most positively reviewed knives on the web. There are critics everywhere especially when it comes to choosing the best survival knife however you will be hard pressed to find any bad reviews on this blade.

Here are the stats:

Overall Length: 10.5"
Blade Length: 5.25"
Weight: 13 oz
Price: $55 - $60

The Becker BK2 is the best survival knife for someone that wants to carry a light weight blade that has a ton of usability. The full tang, 1/4 inch thick, 5.25” blade is made of 1095 cro van steel and is the right size for small battoning and chopping chores yet is easy to carry and light weight. The full flat grind of the blade allows it to baton like a champ even though that it is a bit inhibited by the blade size. You wont be battoning huge logs with this knife but it will easily split kindling and medium size logs. The Becker BK2 also excels at dressing game and any other campsite chores.

The handle is made of glass filled nylon or otherwise called Grivory, it has a steel pummel on the butt of the knife for any pounding or hammering applications. It has a single lanyard hole at the base which a para cord lanyard or other type of lanyard can be attached.

The knife has a surprising hefty and is thick, when you put this sucker in your hand you know that you are holding a knife that is meant to be used as a hardworking tool. The durability of this knife is incredible hence the “best survival Knife” title. It will chop all day long and still keep a great edge to make a feather stick or skin game.

I have put together a large comprehensive review of my top choices for Best Survival Knife on the market. You will find in depth reviews, photo galleries and review videos on 7 of the best survival knives. Click one of the provided links.

The Best Survival Knife For the Money - Ontario RTAK II

See and download the full gallery on posterous

The Ontario RTAK II tops my list as the best all around survival knife for your money. This is a serious knife for a serious survivalist. The Ontario RTAK II is designed to be a work horse for just about any outdoor survival chore.

Here are the stats:

Overall Length: 16.5"
Blade Length: 10.25"
Weight: 2.2 lbs
Price: $120 - $130

Yes, this is a large and heavy knife and many people would say that it is a lot of weight to carry when you are backpacking or exploring. This is a true statement it is a big and bulky blade however it is exactly the type of knife that you will wish you had as soon as you arrive at your destination. The reason that I rate this knife the “ Best Survival Knife For the Money” is because it eliminates the need to carry a hatchet and a knife, it does the job of both. I often carry both a hatchet and a knife with me when I go camping and the combination of those two items weigh far more than this blade does.

Chopping and Batoning Wood

The Ontario RTAK II is one of the best best survival knives that I have used when it comes to batoning and chopping wood for fires or shelters. Batoning or splitting wood is a survival must to conserve energy while prepping fire wood this blade makes short work of these chores it really does split wood as good or better than any field hatchet that I have used. I have a review page with videos that show this in full effect. Once you see how this knife handles you will be hooked.

Keeping an Edge

The edge keeping capabilities on this knife are phenomenal, I have said that with other knives but this one really does a good job with keeping a sharp workable blade even after heavy chopping and cutting chores. The 1095 steel combined with a full flat ground blade make it ideal for keeping an edge and easy to sharpen once the knife looses some of its cutting power.

All in all this is my top choice for best survival knife, priced a about 120 it is well worth it for the capabilities of this blade. It will out preform knives that are two and tree times its price.

I have put together a large comprehensive review of my top choices for Best Survival Knife on the market You will find in depth reviews, photo galleries and review videos on 7 of the best survival knives. Click one of the provided links.

Best Survival Knife Options For The Survivalist

 

Making the decision on what is the best survival knife will be a matter of opinion for most. Color, grip, and size may all be taken into account, as well as weight and durability. One may want to make sure that the knife chosen is the one that will best be used to perform the task that they were originally designed for when in survival mode. 

As one searches for the one that best suits, there are several options available. This will ultimately depend on the activity you will be using the knife for. The term survival is linked to this type of knife for a reason, which is to aid you while outdoors, when in a situation that calls for it. It is highly recommended that you conduct extensive research and consult with experts before making a final decision. 

One knife to take note of is the CRKT Razel SS7. This knife has a wide range of applications for mechanics, farmers, carpenters and hunters due to its high quality craftsmanship. With its cross between a razor and a chisel, this knife offers two razor sharp edges used for tapping, pushing as well as defined cutting. 

Another well-known knife is the Gerber LMF ll Asek. This quality knife was tested in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past few years and is vastly suggested by members of military. In survival mode, this knifes capabilities are implemented in the use of woodcutting, spearing dinner, slicing through Plexiglas, and fuselage of an aircraft. 

Several deciding factors in finding the best survival knife include, but are not limited to, the intended use, seasonal or camping, weight, value, grip, and style. The examples listed above are just a couple of the many notable knives worth looking into. It is essential to take the time to become familiar with the knife you have chosen for it’s recreational purposes and security measures applied.

For a more in depth review of some of the above mentioned knives and many more, visit Best Survival Knife Options.

Atlas Pasta Maker -Start Making Pasta From Home

Many people shy away from the thought of making pasta from home. They envision it as labor intensive, being cooped up in the kitchen all day long. Not so, with new advances in technology in all areas, including kitchen gadgets, making pasta is a snap. All you need is a good quality pasta maker and this is where the Atlas pasta maker comes to the rescue. 

The Atlas pasta maker will turn you into a wonderful Italian chef! Your family will enjoy all types of pasta from lasagna to macaroni and stuffed cannelloni. They will truly think you have slaved in the kitchen for hours. Only you will know different! Pasta dinner parties will soon become a norm in your household. 

Making pasta allows you to be creative in the kitchen with your dishes, no more plain macaroni and cheese. You can easily concoct flavorful recipes with hardly any effort. Your pasta maker is truly simple to operate and comes with optional attachments. 

The basic maker has a handle which you turn as you feed the dough through the machine. To free up your hands, purchase the motor to make preparing pasta faster. With older pasta machines, it took two people to turn the dough into noodles. Today this has gone to a one man operation indeed. 

The Atlas pasta maker will quickly become a staple in your kitchen, you won’t know how you managed without it before. You will have a kitchen gadget that can be passed down to your children too, they are that sturdy and reliable.  

accessories, and attachments visit Atlas Marcato Pasta Maker .There are is also a great recipe on this site as well as a video tutorial on how to make pasta with a traditional hand crank pasta machine.