How to tie a Double Diamond Knot and Horse Packing Q&A

October 14, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

We were privileged to have Travis Sparks come by and do a packing demo the other day. Hunting is a totally different experience with horses. One hunter told me his story about finally getting his deer right at the end of the day, and was dreading the hike back uphill to the truck. Luckily some horse packers saw him, came down, and helped him quarter & pack out the deer. He would have been out there way past sunset without their help!

Packing isn’t just about packing out quarters. Your mule or horse might have tent poles, a shovel, lawn chairs, your bedroll, coolers, cooking supplies, or feed on his back. When you throw in antlers into the mix, packing turns into a real art & skill developed through practice.

Travis is a member of the Back Country Horsemen of Utah & does a lot of packing himself. He gave us a detailed demonstration of the Double Diamond hitch, and answered several questions about packing.

Watch Horse Packing Tips & Knot How-To

I split Travis’s presentation into two videos for you. First, you can see exactly how to do the Double Diamond knot on our trusted cavalry horse. This is a great hitch for top packing. Then, sit back and listen to Travis’s question & answer session about packing elk antlers, using a pack scale to balance your load, using soft packs vs hard packs, and tightening a cinch.

Packing with a Double Diamond knot. Thanks to Troy Higgs for this picture!

Watch: How to tie a Double Diamond Knot

Use a 45-foot rope to make this hitch, which starts out similar to the box hitch. Make sure and pull the rope tight.

Watch: Horse Packing for Hunting Q&A

Where to get those Pack Bags

Smith & Edwards pack bags for hunting on horseback

We make the pack bags shown in Travis’s demo, these are the #663 designed for coolers. We also make a narrower bag without flaps, #1665, and #1666 with flaps.

Of course I’ve got to mention that we proudly make those bearcloth packs you saw in the video, and you can get them right here on our online store. Click here to read about our Tack Workshop.

Do you have questions about horse packing that Marty or Travis can answer for you? Let us know in the comments below!

Travis’s Tips for Packing

Check your cinch after moving your animal – always make sure it’s tight!
Your goal is to make everything into a single package that moves together, without a pivot point
Keep your horse safe from antlers: make sure the rack moves along with the pack bags. Try not using a stick or a branch to elevate the horns, because they don’t ride well.
Keep the center of gravity low
Keep in mind what will hit a branch first: your pack bags or antlers?
Don’t take shortcuts, don’t get in a hurry – pack it right.
Rule of thumb, pack 15% of an animal’s weight. So for a 1000 pound animal, aim for 150-160 pounds split over the two sides.

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Our Favorite Work Gloves for 40 Years Runnin’: Yellowstone Leather Products

October 5, 2016 - posted by EmmaLee Sessions

We here at Smith and Edwards have often wondered, “What makes a good, leather work glove?” The folks at Yellowstone Leather Products have been showing us what a good quality work glove looks like for the past 47 years, and we couldn’t be more excited about it!

Kevin, from our hardware department, modeling our Yellowstone elkskin and deerskin gloves.

Yellowstone Leather Products is an Idaho-based business that opened in 1960. In 1969, now owner, Boyd Zollinger bought the company and went to work marketing and distributing American made work gloves. Zollinger said, “I was back east for school and was looking for a way to get back to Idaho,” where he was originally from. “My family and I looked at this company that was for sale and we thought, ‘we could work with that.'” That’s exactly what they have been doing now for the last 47 years.

Smith & Edwards has had a long partnership with Boyd and Yellowstone, reaching back to 1969:

“We found their quality is far superior to any other glove we carry,” said Jim Smith, president of Smith & Edwards, an Ogden, Utah, retailer that has stocked Yellowstone Gloves for more than 35 years. “Most people who buy Yellowstone know they are quality gloves that will last longer than two or three other pairs they could buy cheaper.”
– Article from 2010 by Clark Corbin with the Idaho Falls Post Register

What makes Yellowstone Leather work gloves different?

The patented pattern of Yellowstone work gloves is really, what sets them apart from other work gloves. All of the premium leather gloves made at their warehouse in Idaho Falls feature both a seamless palm and back, making these work gloves form fitting. They fit tighter to your hand, Zollinger said, thus making it more like working with your bare hands, but with the protection necessary for even the toughest jobs.

Jean, one of our managers, modeling our Yellowstone elkskin and deerskin gloves. Jean manages the gloves department as well as our famous candy section!

Talking about premium leather, these gloves are made from some of the finest, hand selected elk, deer, and goatskin in the western United States. When asked about the difference in materials, Smith and Edwards’ own Jean Dimick said, “Elkskin and deerskin last longer than traditional cowhide gloves. They won’t get hard and brittle if they get wet.” You can enjoy soft, supple gloves no matter what.

What projects can I use my Yellowstone Leather work gloves for?

These deer and elkskin gloves can be used for any job, big or small, tough or easy. Elkskin is a heavier leather than deerskin and are best for heavy-duty jobs, such as fencing and other ranch work and construction. Deerskin gloves are more pliable and comfortable, and better for easy jobs.

Smith and Edwards own Kevin and Jean modeling our Yellowstone elkskin and deerskin gloves.

We would rave about these gloves all day if we could. So come on in and find out for yourself what makes these work gloves so special. We know you’ll fall in love with the Idaho-based, made in USA, leather work gloves that we have come to love and depend on too. Yellowstone Leather also distributes a high quality, imported brand of leather work gloves called Rocky Mountain Gloves.

What they wore:

Kevin:

102216412LTLL Carhartt Hubbard Classic Plaid Button Up Shirt

MNVBLKL Wyoming Traders Black Nevada Vest

428-1738 Bailey Stampede Silver Wool Felt Hat

Kevin wears a size 9 in the Yellowstone Premium Leather work gloves and an XL in the Rocky Mountain gloves.

Jean (the buyer):

5039-75K-7 Stormy Kromer Button Up Partridge Plaid Hat (brown plaid)

5067-40P-SM Stormy Kromer Aurora Snowdrift Cap (green plaid)

Jean wears a size 8 in the Yellowstone Premium Leather work gloves.

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How to make a Boa Paracord Bracelet

September 29, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

While I was walking past the Rope Room the other day, our Hardware buyer, Blaine Taylor, called me over. “I have a surprise for you,” he said.

Next thing I knew, I found myself in a dark sideroom looking at a bundle of paracord that glowed in the dark!

Just a short time under an LED flashlight was all it took to activate the PARAGLOW white and light blue paracord Blaine just got in. “Wow!” I thought. “This would be so cool to turn into a bracelet for hiking!”

I like having reflective gear, especially as it starts to turn fall, so if I’m walking near twilight the cars can still see me.

A glow in the dark paracord bracelet would be GREAT!

“That’s not all,” Blaine told me. “I’ve got another new paracord. This orange paracord has a jute strand, for starting a fire, AND it’s got an 8lb test fishing line inside.”

You can find reflective & glow-in-the-dark paracord online here, and at the Rope Room in-store at Smith & Edwards. This is some neat stuff!

Light Blue Glow-in-the-Dark 550 Paracord – 100 Feet

White Glow-in-the-Dark 550 Paracord – 100 Feet

Neon Orange Fish & Fire 550 Paracord – 100 Feet

And the bracelet? Jerica in the Web Department helped me make it. Well, I found the bracelet and she figured how to make it! This is a Trilobite bracelet, aka ladder rack or boa paracord bracelet. Here’s how she made it!

Making the Paracord Bracelet

You’ll need:

About 85″ each of 2 colors of 550 paracord (6″ wrist)
If you want a single color bracelet, use 170″ and skip step 1.
5/8″ buckle
Lighter
Scissors

1. Thread the ends of your paracord into the receiving end of your buckle. Then, melt the ends together.

Make a lark’s head knot, hiding the seam of the thread so it doesn’t scratch your wrist.

2. Put the paracord through the two openings in the other buckle. Measure the paracord around your wrist. Add 1/2″ and move the buckle to that point.

3. Tape the buckles to the table, with the 4 strand buckle at the top. You have 2 outer and 2 inner strands now.

4. Make a 4 with the outer left strand, and hold it over all other strands. Bring the outer right strand over the 4 tail, over the inner strands, and under the 4. This will make a Granny knot over the bottom buckle.

In the photo above, for the fourth picture, bring the strand you just wove with, over the outer left strand, under the inner strands, and over the outer right strand.
Then, take the outer right strand and weave it under the strand you just wove with, over the inner strands, and under the outer left strand.

Good job – you’ve finished the hardest part!

We made the bracelet twice, and flipped the colors the 2nd time. We apologize!

5. Now we’ll just weave to the top of the inner cords.

Take the left outer cord and weave it over the first inner cord, under the middle inner cords, and over the last inner cord.

Take the right outer cord and weave it under the last inner cord, over the middle inner cords, and under the first inner cord.

Repeat this process all the way up the bracelet!

6. Now and then, stop to adjust the snugness of the weave, so you can have a consistent & tight weave.

Finishing the Bracelet

Here’s how we finished the boa bracelet.

1. Push & tighten the weave. Then, loop the strands so that they are next to each other. Trim the paracord to be just long enough to grasp.
2. Take your lighter and melt the ends of the strands. Hold the ends together and press with flat nose pliers to seal them together.
Tip: Have a friend hold the lighter for you, so you can hold one strand in each hand, and melt them together!

You’re done! Enjoy your bracelet!

Want to make more Paracord Bracelets?

Looking for more Paracord Bracelet patterns? Here are some sites & channels we found that have GREAT tutorials!

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Use this Battery Jump Starter to start ANY Vehicle

September 16, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

This little battery can jump start your snowmobile, ATV, SUV, truck… even your FORKLIFT if you have one!

REALLY! We’ve given several demonstrations of jump-starting trucks and cars with the Conversions Technology Power on Demand X-5 and its predecessor, the POD X-4.

Randy got it in his head that we could start a forklift with it, and sure enough…. he did! Take a look:

This jump starter comes in its own case that’s smaller than a laptop bag. It doubles as an LED flashlight and power supply, too: you can power your smart phone, laptop, iPod, and more off it.

To charge it, I left mine plugged in overnight, which was more than enough time. You can also charge it in your car’s cigarette lighter.

These batteries make a GREAT gift for your loved one heading off to college or building their emergency preparedness items. I carry mine everywhere in my trunk (along with my paracord and Frisbee… my definition of preparedness is a little different!)

Click here to get YOUR POD x-5 from Power On Demand – and they’re on Aisle 8 in our Automotive department at Smith & Edwards.

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Bring New Life to these Antique Glass Insulators!

August 26, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

While cleaning up the famous Smith & Edwards surplus yard this year (our first “spring cleaning” in several decades…!) – we found these AWESOME antique glass insulators.

Antique Glass Insulators

While you used to see these insulators on poles across the country, you’re much more likely to find them in museums or collector’s stashes nowadays.

We have mostly the beautiful clear glass insulators in stock, as well as some beautiful tea-colored glass. The striking blue color of insulators are rarer – I wish we had them, too!

The History behind them

How did they come to be? They used to be found along power lines & telephone poles during World War II. These beautiful glass insulators screwed onto white oak pins to fasten the cables. This system didn’t use any metal that was so desperately needed for the war effort.

What you can make with them

Now you can make these fun insulators into bird feeders, candle holders, coat racks, & so much more. Come to Smith & Edwards on exit 351 off I-15 in Farr West, Utah, and see what other treasures you can find! You can also get these insulators shipped to you by exploring glass & ceramic insulators on our website.

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Solve these 4 Embarrassing Bathroom Mistakes!

August 19, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

Here’s the SCOOP on POOP.

Everybody does it, according to this book. But it doesn’t have to make you gag or groan.

Here at Smith & Edwards, we’ve collected a HUGE pile of accessories for your throne room. We wanted to make a big stink about them because they will make your life BETTER!

Two of these have been featured on the hit show SHARK TANK and they need to be in your bathroom.

Emma Lee from our Housewares department was our brave volunteer to show you 4 embarrassing situations that can happen at ANYONE’S house – even yours! – and what you can do to prevent odor, injury, and discomfort.

You and your guests will be glad you’ve thought through these scenarios! This is funny sh–…. stuff!!

YOU WERE GONE SO LONG, I THOUGHT YOU FELL IN!

I don’t know about you, but that’s the WORST phrase to hear after coming back to the table at a restaurant. Come on, there was a line for the restrooms!

Even WORSE than hearing that phrase?

ACTUALLY FALLING IN.

Don’t fall in! Let the Illumibowl light your way!

Have you fallen in because someone left the seat up? Tripped over the toilet?

Gotten hurt getting the light on? Been blinded by a brilliant bulb?

UGH!

No longer.

The Illumibowl’s an LED toilet light that will SAVE YOUR BUM.

Why we recommend the Illumibowl toilet bowl light (get yours here):

Great for all ages of aimers
No more blinding bright lights
Motion-activated light that will shine a steady color or multiple – your choice
Featured on Shark Tank!

SO CLOSE… BUT SO FAR AWAY

Bathroom wipes are a comfort – but only if they’re within reach!

You’ll find a collection of wipe dispensers that fit right on your toilet paper holder, keeping those must-haves at your fingertips.

Bou’De is the classic white dispenser, and for the kiddos, there are pink and blue wipe dispensers (these come with STICKERS!). For the outdoorsman in your life, we’ve got Bob’s Butt Wipes. These are “wipes that work as hard as you do!”

Why we love these hanging flushable wipe dispensers:

The polish after the toilet paper
Aloe freshness, within reach
Sewer & septic tank friendly
Refillable!

SQUATTY POTTY

Also a huge hit on Shark Tank, this plastic stool elevates your legs to make the bathroom less of a strain. There’s science behind it! The plastic’s easy to clean, and we also carry bamboo Squatty Potties for an elevated experience.

Why we love the Squatty Potty:

Perfect height & angle for a smooth movement
It helps you poop better!
Easily stores against the toilet bowl

SPRAY BEFORE YOU GO – NO ONE WILL KNOW

Poo-pourri is one of our Housewares manager Vickie’s FAVORITE products to sell. She even places it in our employee bathrooms (is she just being nice, or is she trying to say something?)

Poo-pourri comes in a HUGE range of scents, from Juniper Woods (juniper, eucalyptus, and citrus) to Tropical Hibiscus (hibiscus, apricot and citrus), and Trap-A-Crap (cedarwood & citrus).

Here’s why Vickie loves selling Trap-a-Crap Poopourri before-you-go toilet spray:

Odor trapper for any crapper
Spritz in bowl and proceed to stack logs as usual
Wipes out odor
Eliminates embarrassment

BONUS BATHROOM MUST-HAVE: WOODS WIPES

OK, ok, so we’ve got everything you need for SERIOUS bathroom problems.

There’s one more gem that’s great in any outdoorsman’s bathroom and is EQUALLY great as a white elephant or gag gift.

For the outdoorsman who has it all: CAMO TOILET PAPER.

When it’s time to unload, just stop, drop, and unroll. For the poo-fessional hunter & home enthusiast, comes Hunter’s Helper Woods Wipe, the leafy-soft & biodegradable camouflage T-P. Also available in blazin’ orange, and for a limited time, pink camo (for doe ‘doo).

So there’s the scoop on poop for you, from Smith & Edwards. Your business is our business, whether that’s in the home, in the cabin, or where the bear goes. We’ve got your back!

Come on in or check out our online store for all this cr– I mean, everything you could possibly want for your bathroom and home. We know our stuff!

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How to Make Dried Apricots & Apricot Jam

August 17, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

What do you do with a couple pounds of fresh Utah apricots?

Some of the best ways to preserve that fresh, tangy sweetness are dehydrating apricots and turning them into apricot freezer jam.

Maggie & Hannah are 10-year-old friends, cousins, and daughters of Smith & Edwards employees. They gave it a shot! Here’s how they did – and if they can do it, YOU & your kids can, too!

Making Dried Apricots

You’ll need:

Food Dehydrator
Kitchen knife

Wash and dry the apricots. Then, cut the apricots in half. Lastly, separate the halves, and pull out the pit.
Now arrange the apricots on your dehydrator screens. You can actually place them closer together than this, because they’ll shrink as they dry.
Let them dry according to your dehydrator’s instructions. This batch only took Maggie & Hannah about 1 hour.

Making Apricot Freezer Jam

We used:

Mrs. Wages Freezer Jam Mix + sugar & lemon juice
Canning funnel
Ball® freezer jam jars
Canning scoop (this one’s a customer favorite!)
Spatula and potato masher
Mixing bowls

Cut and discard the apricot pits, then mash the apricots.
Add sugar, lemon juice, and the Freezer Jam fruit pectin, according to the package directions.
Stir, then ladle the apricot jam into freezer jam jars.
This apricot freezer jam will keep in the fridge up to 3 weeks, or in the freezer up to a year!
Their grandmother has a secret about adding crushed pineapple to the recipe. Try it out and see what you like!

Your Turn!

What’s happening in your kitchen? We love to see pictures of what you’re making! Leave a comment, tag us on Facebook or Instagram, or send us an email.

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You asked for them: Havalon Knives are here!

August 10, 2016 - posted by Chris Jacobson

Introducing Havalon Knives, some of the sharpest, lightest blades available.

Click here to see Chris demonstrate them!

They are also one of the hottest hunting knife brands out there right now, and customers have been asking us for them for over a year. We got them in in 2016 and you can find them on our Web Store now, too!

Havalon, a smaller branch of Havel’s Inc. is bringing super lightweight, surgically sharp blades to hunters, trappers, and taxidermists with their innovative designs and functions. Normally the use of “surgically” doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a buzzword.

However, here it’s the real deal where Havel’s Inc is an actual medical supplier. They have been putting scalpels in surgeons’ hands for years.

We Recommend: Piranta & Baracuta

These knives vary in design to suit a variety of needs. While they make others, the Piranta and Baracuta might be their most popular lines.

The Piranta is a no-nonsense folding knife that has a replaceable blade. Using a replaceable blade just means you never have to worry about a dull knife again.

Carry around a couple of spare blades with you just to be safe, and then in the midst of field dressing, should the blade need to be perfectly sharp again, just pop a new one on.

The Baracuta series is fundamentally the same knife, and Havalon has invested in a beefier handle and longer blades. Both styles give you color options and most importantly, blade options.

The beauty of these knives is you can change out the type of blade edge you’re working with on the fly. Havalon gives you bone saws, fillet, scalpel, and non-puncture options.

My hunting customers LOVE this option.

Fileting fish with the Havalon Piranta

Whether you need a new pocketknife or a good hunting knife that won’t let you down out in the field, take a look at Havalon at Smith & Edwards. Click here to shop our huge Hunting Knives department.

Watch how to change a Havalon Blade:

Written by Spenser England with Chris Jacobson

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Summer Stress Relief for Angry Mamas

August 2, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

Are you an angry mama?

We get it! If you’ve spent the summer driving the kiddos to practice, camp, and sleepovers, all while thinking to yourself “Well, when do I get to take a vacation?”…. you’ll find some great ways to RELAX at Smith & Edwards.

Check them out!

Summer Stress Relief: 5 Fun Distractions

Angry Mama kitchen goodies
Scrubbing the microwave is one of my least favorite things to do…. maybe it’s because I’m 5’2 and the microwave is literally over my head.

Vickie, our Housewares manager, found this cute & hilarious line of kitchen goodies that no mama should be without.

Check out the Angry Mama microwave cleaner (just add vinegar & water!), silicone lid opener, and mat.
Adult Coloring Books:
Did you know? August 2 is Coloring Book Day! Coloring isn’t just for kids.

In Ogden, I’ve even seen adult coloring book groups meeting at Grounds for Coffee downtown. Get a group of your girl friends together and have a coloring book night.

We’ve carried kids’ coloring books for a long time, and we’ve added fun floral, geometric, and designer adult-friendly coloring books. Plus check out the 99-cent pack of crayons – I love colored pencils, but you don’t have to sharpen crayons!
Lotions & Body Scrubs
Your hands have done so much: held your babies, changed their diapers, pulled your earrings back from their little fingers, fixed meals, taken care of the dog, vacuumed, loaded load after load in the dishwasher – time to pamper them. Choose some J.R. Watkins (the same brand that makes high-quality spices) or Caldrea lotions & body scrubs to thank your hands for everything they do for you.

With scents such as Lavender, Grapefruit, Coconut Milk & Honey, Pear Blossom Agave, Pomegranate Acai, and even Peppermint rejuvenating foot lotion, you’ll finally start experiencing the relaxation you deserve.

You’ll find Watkins, Caldrea, & more soothing body scrubs & lotions by aisle 12 in our Housewares department!

For those aches that won’t go away, we also carry pain relieving creams, sprays, gels, and menthol camphor vapor rubs & mists.
Aromatherapy
That’s right, Aromatherapy is coming to Smith & Edwards! In September we’ll be carrying the Airome line of essential oil diffusers.

You’ll find essential oils at Smith & Edwards soon as well as these ultrasonic essential oil diffusers. These diffusers use ultrasonic vibrations to create a soothing mist of water and essential oils. All the benefits of essential oils plus a wonderful room scent in an elegant LED-lit diffuser.

In the meantime, check out our deliciously-scented line of McCall’s candles.
Take time for yourself!
No mama should have to feel like she’s in it alone! Take time for yourself – you can’t give & care for everyone on an empty tank.

Leave the kids with Grandma while you check out a pickleball league, comedy show, First Friday Art Stroll, yoga class, bike ride, or a craft night with friends.

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How to Freeze Beets

July 29, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

Beets are a yummy vegetable packed with nutrients like manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6. They’re a delicious Utah summer crop, and you can freeze beets to enjoy them year-round.

Our produce experts Vickie Maughan, our Housewares manager, and Jean from Pettingill’s Fruit Farm, teamed up to freeze beets last week and here’s how they did it.

You’ll need:

Disposable gloves
Kitchen knife
Pot of water
Ziploc freezer bags

How to Freeze Beets

Put on your gloves!
Wash the fresh beets and cut of the beet greens, leaving 1″ of beet green stems. Don’t remove the tails or beet green stems, because if you cut them off, the beets will bleed out and lose their color.
Boil the beets in a pot of water until tender. Then, set aside and let them cool off.
Boiling the beets with their stems & tails on will keep the rich purple-red color from bleeding out!
Peel the beets. You don’t need a tool: you can massage the beet skin, tail, & beet green stems and they’ll fall off the beet in your fingers.
Slice, dice, cube, quarter, or halve the beets any way you’d like. We love mandolines for slicing vegetables!
Put in a freezer Ziploc baggie with as many servings as you’ll want.

You can freeze them individually like cherries (click here), or if your family loves beets, you can freeze them all together.

Tip: Flatten the bag when you put it in the freezer so they stack nicely and will thaw evenly.

This winter, you can take the bag out to enjoy garden-fresh beets at the peak of their flavor. Microwave or lightly simmer them in a covered pan with butter, when your family’s ready to eat!

If you liked this, you will LOVE our other frozen food storage tips! Make sure you check out How to Freeze Cherries and How to Freeze Corn.