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.
This spring we visited the Perry City Three Mile Creek shooting range to show off some of the new Tru-Spec® tactical clothing that Ryan, our Surplus manager, has added to his department, as well as the tactical & range bags we’ve just added to the Smith & Edwards online store.
Who else could we ask to model this cool gear but Tyler? Tyler works at our Gun Counter and has a first-hand grasp of what a shooter needs, both from a military and recreational viewpoint.
Tyler at the Three Mile Creek range in Perry, UT: Showing off his Tru-Spec sweatshirt and tactical pants, and 5.11 drag bag.
Tyler got to stand around looking tacticool while I snapped photos, and then we got to shoot some video (and he got to shoot some targets). Nothing better than seeing it in action!
Tactical Pants
One of the most popular items Ryan’s added is this line of tactical pants. While we stock both BDUs and tactical pants, these are the ones our customers strongly prefer. These Tru-Spec® tactical pants fit better and have great pockets. Plus, they hold up really well – whether you’re bending and lifting a lot, lying prone to shoot, or wearing them for chores outside.
Tyler’s wearing the Khaki Tan Tru-Spec® 24-7 Series Tactical Pants.
Range Bags
One of Tyler’s favorites from the stack of tactical gear was this American flag Victory rifle case from Allen Tactical:
From rifle and handgun cases to duffel-style range bags and even backpacks with handgun compartments for the shooter who takes 5 handguns at a time to the range… we stock what you want!
Fit up to five handguns in their own individual cases in this G.P.S. tactical backpack!
Fit your ears, eyes, and ammo in a range bag from 5.11, US Peacekeeper, and Voodoo. Get yours here.
Do you also hunt as well as shoot targets? You’ll find a HUGE range of rifle slings, in tactical styles as well as basic and Muddy Girl prints, at Smith & Edwards.
Whether you’ve served our country in the armed forces or not, sometimes the best tactical bag is the bag you build yourself. You can find mil-spec MOLLE (MOdular Lightweight Looad-carrying Equipment) gear at Smith & Edwards from trusted names like Voodoo and 5.11. We also carry dump pouches, magazine pouches, medical pouches, and even grenade pouches for any configuration you can think of. Click here to explore MOLLE gear.
Concealed Carry & Tactical Shirts and Jackets
Tyler wearing his white Tru-Spec Men’s 24-7 Series Short Sleeve Concealed Holster shirt. Get yours here.
This shirt is also available in black.
Make sure & check out Tru-Spec’s whole line of tactical shirts, jackets, and apparel at Smith & Edwards!
Tyler wore the Tru-Spec® 24-7 Series Tactical Softshell Jacket in Coyote, the Grid Fleece hoodie in black. Click to see the jackets yourself!
It’s that time of year to check your preparedness gear, make sure you have a communication/meetup plan for your family, & rotate your food storage.
One important piece of your preparedness plan is having a bag with all your necessities. Some people recommend a bug-out bag, but here in Utah a 72-hour kit is the most recommended pack to have.
What’s the difference? Mike Vause from our Sporting Goods department asked Ryan Seager, our Surplus manager, and Jean Dimick, our Preparedness manager, and here’s what he found.
What Ryan suggests for a Bug-Out Bag
A bug out bag, or go-bag, is a small bag designed to get your from Point A to Point B. Point B should have more supplies, such as your 72-hour kit or your food storage.
You might keep your bug-out bag in your car or truck, or in your desk at work; some place you can get to it easily and go.
So it’s a minimalist kit that has just the necessities to survive. You can buy a pre-made bug out bag, or create your own based on your needs & preferences:
1 quart water, a container, & water purification method
Food (preferably a high-calorie bar)
Bivvy or compact sleeping bag
Poncho
Paracord
First aid kit
Multitool with a good blade
Lighting: headlamp or area lighting
Gloves, hat, scarf, light jacket, and spare clothes (if possible)
Fire starter
Personal defense
Jean’s picks for a 72-Hour Kit:
A 72-hour kit has the supplies you need to survive for 3 days. You’ll store more food and supplies than a bug-out bag, and for this you should consider a large backpack from the camping department, rather than a slim tactical pack. See Hiking & Camping packs here.
Did you know that you can get your own, personalized dog tags at Smith & Edwards?
That’s right! You can get an ID tag with your own information – as much or as little as you like – on a necklace and even a matching short chain here.
We can even stamp just the dog tag plate and you can use it on your pet’s collar.
Here’s how they start out: blank tags and rubber silencers
Not just for individuals – these are great for camping and groups, including Girls’ Camp in the summer! We love creating custom dog tags for groups.
We’ve done custom dog tags for all kinds of groups: church groups, emergency groups, camps, youth retreats, and more. For example, Girls’ Camp may have your daughter’s name, and the theme of the camp stamped on the dog tag she receives during the trip to camp.
You can enter up to 5 lines of information, with 15 characters per line.
Have questions? Call 801-731-1120 and ask for Surplus dept, or leave a comment on this post.
