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A guide to the terms and lingo used on this website.
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| 1095 High Carbon Steel |
| Debris Hut |
| Dirt Time |
| Micarta |
| Parachute Cord |
| Powder Coat |
| Rockwell Hardness Scale |
| Survivalist |
| Tom Brown Jr. |
| TOPS Knives |
| Vegetable Tanned Leather |
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| 1095 High Carbon Steel |
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Known for its superb blend between flexibility, edge retention, and ease of sharpening, 1095 High Carbon Steel has become a popular material for many high end knives. Its flexibility makes it a far superior choice to the cheap stainless steels which have a tendency to fracture. Additionally, 1095 is appealing on a practical level becasue it can be expediently sharpened in the field. On the downside, 1095 does require a light coating of oil to prevent corrosion. However this is a minimal amount of maintenance considering the benefits of this steel.
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| Debris Hut |
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A debris hut is a highly effective survival shelter that is constructed by piling forest litter on top of a frame made from sticks. The debris creates an insulating barrier between the person inside and the elements. When properly constructed, a debris hut will keep its user perfectly warm even through subzero temperatures.
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| Dirt Time |
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"Dirt Time" is a term that started in the Tracker community. It is time spent working on wilderness survival and tracking skills. You may have heard people say "There is no substitute for dirt time". This means that no amount of reading and hypothesizing can substitute for the "hands on" learning in the wilderness.
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| Micarta |
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Micarta is an extremely durable material that is used in many knife handles. It is created through a process of impregnating paper, cotton, or fabric with a phenolic resin under extreme pressure and high temperature. The result is a virtually indestructable material that has a pleasing layered texture.
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| Parachute Cord |
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A high tensile strength nylon cord that has many applications in wilderness survival such as lashing, snaring, and creating a variety of items like nets and baskets. The cord itself is comprised of a multistrand inner core that is surrounded by a woven outer layer called the sheath. Parachute cord is also referred to as "550 Cord" because most varieties have a breaking strength of about 550 pounds.
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| Powder Coat |
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Powder Coating is a durable surface finish applied to some knives. It serves as a mechanism to cover shiny surfaces and to create a rust proof barrier over potentially corrosive steel. The process itself is conducted by spraying the dry powder material through an air gun with an electrode that puts a positive charge onto the powder. The surface being coated is grounded, which causes the powder to stick. When the coating is complete, it is baked on at a high temperature to make it permanently adhere to the metal.
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| Rockwell Hardness Scale |
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The Rockwell Hardness Scale (HRC) is used for measuring the hardness of a metal alloy. The rating is taken by measuring the amount of force required to produce a deformation in the metal using a diamond point. Typical values for a quality knife blade range from HRC 55 to HRC 62.
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| Survivalist |
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For many people, the word "survival" conjures a theme of struggle, fighting the elements, and conquering nature. In our community, Survivalists are just the opposite. We are a completely different breed of outdoorsmen that strive to make do with less in wilderness, often just a knife and the clothing on our backs. In the survivalist community, the process of learning minimalist skills is all about connecting with nature in a spiritual way that is lost to most of modern man.
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| Tom Brown Jr. |
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Tom Brown Jr. is a famous tracker, survivalist, author, and owner of The Tracker School. His life mission revolves around "leading people back to the earth": essentially he teaches others to rediscover their ancient connection to the natural world using primitive skills as a vehicle. In the course of his life, Tom Brown has taught thousands of students and rescued hundreds of stranded people that managed to become lost in the wilderness. He is frequently used as an expert resource in search and rescue, forensic, and fugitive tracking cases.
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| Tops Knives |
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TOPS Knives is one of America's leading manufacturer's of high-end wilderness survival and combat blades. TOPS is based out of Idaho Falls, Idaho: all of their products are made domestically. The company itself began from a group of both retired and active duty military personnel that combined years of experience to create a line of knives that are durable, sharp, and ready for any environment.
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| Vegetable Tanned Leather |
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Vegetable Tanning is the process used to transform a fresh hide into a strong and supple piece of leather. The raw material goes through several processes including immersion in "vegetable tannins", hence why it is called vegetable tanning. These naturally occuring tannins are found in vegetable matter, most commonly tree bark.
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