April 2020 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for April, 2020

GiantMouse Knives Introduces the Biblio in Two New Colors

Sunday, April 26th, 2020

Stunning Burgundy and Black-Grey Canvas MicartaCorte Madera, California, April 24, 2020 – GiantMouse fans love the Biblio. It’s a great EDC folder that combines good looks, superior ergonomics, and exceptional performance. GiantMouse has taken those good looks to the next level with the addition of burgundy and black-grey canvas Micarta models.

“The Biblio has been available in both green canvas and natural canvas Micarta for a couple of years now, and these colors continue to do extremely well. For the new batch of Biblios, we decided to introduce a couple of new colors to give collectors more options,” said Jim Wirth, GiantMouse CEO. “We’ve always loved burgundy canvas Micarta and felt the Biblio was the perfect design to introduce this amazing color on a GiantMouse folder. And when we saw the black-grey canvas Micarta on finished samples, we just knew we had to do a run of these as well.”

The blade of the burgundy model features a satin finish. The black-grey model sports a stonewashed blade. When using the Biblio you’ll realize how well it performs. By choosing the flat saber grind on this knife, they got a strong blade with a fine cutting edge that you’ll enjoy using. The selection of Böhler M390 for blade steel makes the Biblio an exceptional cutting tool that will serve you well for years to come.

SPECIFICATIONS

Materials:
Blade Steel: Böhler M390 MICROCLEAN stainless steel
Handle: Burgundy or Black-Grey Canvas Micarta – Bead Blasted
Clip: Wire – Reversible
Liner: AISI 420 Hardened – Bead Blasted
Pivot Mechanism: Ball bearings
Locking Mechanism: Liner lock

Dimensions:
Blade Length: 2.875″ (73mm) – measured from tip to forward-most aspect of frame
Blade Thickness: 0.118″ (3mm)
Handle Length: 4″ (101.6mm)
Overall Length: 6.875″ (174.6mm)
Weight: 3.7oz (104.9g)
MSRP: $175

Burgundy

Black-Grey

Posted in Knives, Press Release | Comments Off on GiantMouse Knives Introduces the Biblio in Two New Colors

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Special Forces Watches in the NAM

Sunday, April 26th, 2020

When I first joined the Navy, they were switching from a version of the Type l, and ll to the Timex Iron man watches. I had never seen any of the Type l and ll, (Patch’s Watson had one he always had on at the reunions) but what I do remember is walking thru the compound and seeing one of the supply people sitting out onside with a hammer breaking all the watched that looked like type l and ll so that we could get more Timex. You can’t buy new ones until the old ones are gone. I have always heard that Rolex had made a watch for the Teams. I would love to have one of those watches, knowing the history of what it has seen, and it had been a part of.

The Benrus Type l and later the Benrus Type ll was explicitly made for US Special Forces. They were mainly a dive watch, but they did make ones for land navigation, but they were also waterproof. Here are two articles that talk about watches. Some of the most iconic pictures from the early days of SEAL teams and Special Forces, you can see them wearing the watches.

Even Aldo Ray wore one in the movie The Green Berets. Why do I point that out? Well MSgt Muldoon rocks in that movies, and he was UDT in WW II. When he rips into the reporter about communist domination, that is one of the best scenes ever. I am not a fan of reporters.

huckberry.com/journal/posts/the-special-forces-watch-that-never-existed

wornandwound.com/benrus-type-i-and-type-ii-mil-w-50717-military-dive-watches

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, History, Watches | Comments Off on SCUBAPRO Sunday – Special Forces Watches in the NAM

Army Laboratory Tests For Best Homemade Face Covering Materials

Sunday, April 26th, 2020

Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. — Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, and many governors are recommending that people wear face coverings when out in public and unable to maintain proper social distancing, the Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center is using its more than 100 years of experience designing chemical and biological agent protective masks to determine the best material to use for making a homemade mask.

Over the last month, the Center has been contacted by more than 30 defense agencies, federal agencies and health organizations to see if its experts can help with the national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Center is one of only a handful of agencies that is experienced in performing tests that precisely measure materials’ filtration efficiencies in strict accordance with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards. It is also one of a very few organizations that have the Model 8130 Automated Filter Tester, which is no longer in production. So the Center was the obvious choice to perform this research.

“The challenge is to pick a material that effectively blocks the virus particles from going through the material while not being too hard to breathe through,” said David Caretti, chief of the Center’s Chemical Biological Protection & Decontamination Division and leader of the team testing homemade face covering materials. “If the resistance is too high, airflow will simply bypass the covering and go around the edges.”

“We knew that claims about masks and face coverings were exploding all over the internet, and we wanted to make sure that any decisions about materials these agencies make will be based on proven science,” said Caretti.

The Center performs its testing by spraying a salt aerosol at a swatch of material. The suspended salt particles are 0.2 to 0.3 microns in size, which is the hardest size for any material to filter, which is why that size is used in testing. The corona virus is 0.125 microns, making it a very close match. The testing team simply measures the density of salt aerosol suspended in the air on one side and compared it to the density on the other side after it passes through the material.

The team started out by testing materials sent to them by organizations seeking their expertise, then broadened out to testing materials likely to be found in the home that members of the public could use to make their own face coverings.

They found that the best readily available material to use in a homemade face covering is four-ply microfiber cloth which can be found in the cleaning section of most big box stores. It filters out over 75 percent of particles. In comparison, the N95 mask used by healthcare workers in hospitals can filter 90 percent of particles. The team also found that even a polyester bandanna can be reasonably effective if it is used in layers. It will filter out 40 percent of suspended particles.

Thus far, the Center has tested more than 50 materials and continues to test new materials. Armed with this information, the Center is now able to give other agencies the best filtration efficiency information possible for them to pass on to their stakeholders.

By CCDC Chemical Biological Center

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Guest Post, Materials | 3 Comments »

Fisher Space Pen Now Available in TrueTimber Camouflage

Sunday, April 26th, 2020

INMAN, S.C. – April 21, 2020 – TrueTimber has announced a partnership with Fisher Space Pen featuring TrueTimber camouflage to produce the world’s most reliable and versatile pens. The 400TS Bullet Space Pen and the M4TS Cap-O-Matic Space Pen will both be available in TrueTimber Strata pattern. Outdoors enthusiasts now have unmatched confidence to be able to write in any condition with pens that are as rugged and reliable as it gets.

“We are very proud to announce this partnership and look forward to being a part of the Fisher Space Pen team,” said TrueTimber CEO Rusty Sellars. “Fisher makes extremely reliable pens that write in any condition you can throw at them. Just like these pens, our gear gives hunters and outdoorsmen and women the ability to perform in any weather and environment. You can now fill out those dirty wet tags with ease after a successful hunt and have a pen that looks great doing it.”

400TS Bullet Space Pen

When closed, the Bullet Space Pen is the perfect size to carry in a wallet, pocket, purse, car glove box, organizer or toolbox. When opened it is a full-sized, evenly balance writing instrument. As with all Fisher Space Pens, it will write upside down, at any angle, under water, through grease, in extreme temperatures (-30 to +250 degrees F), on almost any surface, three times longer than the average pen, and in the gravity free vacuum of space. Now available in TrueTimber Strata pattern.

M4TS Cap-O-Matic Space Pen

The Cap-O-Matic line utilizes cap activation to extend and retract the point, and each carries a gas pressurized PR style ink refill cartridge, which means that they feature all the unique capabilities that are synonymous with Fisher products. It will write upside down, at any angle, under water, through grease, in extreme temperatures (-30 to +250 degrees F), on almost any surface, three times longer than the average pen, and in the gravity free vacuum of space. Now available in TrueTimber Strata pattern.

For more information on Fisher Space Pens in TrueTimber Camouflage, please visit:

Fisher Space Pen: TrueTimber

To see footage of Fisher Space Pens being constructed, please view the following video:

Fisher Space Pen: Factory Tour

To learn more about the entire TrueTimber product line and see all available patterns, visit TrueTimber.com.

Posted in Gadgets, Press Release | 8 Comments »

Mack Defense Awarded Contract from US General Services Administration

Saturday, April 25th, 2020

ALLENTOWN, PA (April 22, 2020) – Mack Defense has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to supply the full range of Mack-branded products to federal agencies for a variety of applications. The one-year contract, which runs to January 2021, includes two additional GSA-optioned one-year extensions, which could push the contract through 2022.

“With this contract in place, fleet managers in more than 300 federal agencies have a one-stop shop where they can select commercial Mack vehicles and parts to address their needs,” said Nicole Zelno, Mack Defense senior manager, contracts and bid/orders. “We look forward to working with the GSA to fulfill our contract with durable, reliable Mack trucks, all of which are assembled here in the U.S.A.”

Mack Defense has been a GSA contract holder since 2015 and has supplied various federal government agencies with Mack Trucks products as part of these contracts.

The GSA is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA acquires and supplies products and communications for U.S. government offices, provides transportation and office space to federal employees, and develops government-wide cost-minimizing policies and other management tasks.

Mack Defense has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to supply the full range of Mack-branded products to federal agencies for a variety of applications.

Mack Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mack Trucks, is responsible for the sale of heavy-duty trucks to federal- and ministerial-level customers globally. For more information, please visit www.mackdefense.com.

Posted in Contracts, Mobility, Press Release | Comments Off on Mack Defense Awarded Contract from US General Services Administration

Kit Badger – New Firearm Owners Series

Saturday, April 25th, 2020

With so many new firearms owners, Ivan at Kit Badger has created a series of videos which starts with the 4 Weapon Safety Rules and takes off from there. We know most of you are well versed in the safe use of firearms, but this is a great resource for friends or family.

Below is a link to the Playlist on youtube.

www.youtube.com

For his full coverage, visit kitbadger.com/firearm-basics-part-17-the-journey.

Posted in 2A, Training | Comments Off on Kit Badger – New Firearm Owners Series

SureFire Spotlight: The ProComp

Saturday, April 25th, 2020

SureFire Spotlight videos are a high level rundown of specific products. This one focuses on the ProComp.

The advanced SureFire ProComp muzzle brake, greatly reduces both recoil impulse and muzzle rise so that the weapon tracks straight back to keep you on target for faster shot-to-shot recovery. Its patented Impulse Diffusion design minimizes side blast and rear-directed concussion effects. The ProComp duplicates the design of the SureFire SOCOM SFMB muzzle brake, but unlike the latter it cannot be used to mount SureFire SOCOM suppressors. The ProComp is offered in both 5.56 and 7.62.

ProComp 5.56

ProComp 7.62

Tags: Surefire
Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Press Release | Comments Off on SureFire Spotlight: The ProComp

ANZAC Day 2020

Saturday, April 25th, 2020

This year’s ANZAC Day will be a solemn one indeed. Normally there are parades and ceremonies, but this year is one for introspection.

I’ll tip back a pint this evening in memory of all the ANZAC troops, from World War One’s Battle of Gallipoli to the battle fought today. I’ll think of friends in both the Australian and New Zealand militaries and good times deployed to bad places.

Posted in History, Memorial | 4 Comments »