The essentials of EDC

Bill Masen - August 16, 2021

My EDC 

If I cannot take it with me, I aint going.

If I cannot travel with it, I don’t go.

If I can not ride or fly with it, I walk or drive.

If I cannot enter with it, I turn away.

If I cannot keep it with me I wont stay..

On my belt and in my pockets.

it does not go in a bag.

My EDC is all or nothing.

Knife

Flash light

Lighter

Compass

Multi Tool

Watch

Wallet

Shades

Cell phone

Cash

Kerchief / Bandana

Hat

Gloves

Pen

Sharpie

Notebook

Flash drive

Mask 

Sanitizer

PDW

Keys plus mini knife sharpener

12  

If you HAD to drop two items for whatever reason, what two could you do without or don’t use that often?

If I was loading your EDC, I would drop the compass because I can use other sources to gain my general bearings such as the sun or asking for directions, and I don’t use a notebook that often so that would be my second.

 

Watch, Phone, Notebook and Pen, I found ( in the UK) that the compass ( a very small one) is darn useful in urban areas especially when cloudy.   I tend to avoid speaking to people in british cities, they are not very safe these days.

 

Good morning Bill,

May I ask you to amplify a bit on what “knife” means and what “multitool” means from the British perspective ?

Here in this supersaturated marketplace, there are multitools having blades that can exceed the attributes of a quality “stand-alone” knife. Just wondering in all seriousness.

Merci in advance … or in the land of the Wilkinson sword: Thanks in advance.

 

Knife, fixed or folding blade  EG Kabar Marine Knife, AG Russell Sting, Buck 110 or 112 , Cold Steel Voyager, Victorinox knife with or without other tools.  Blade length on average between 2 1/2 and 5 inches.

Multi Tool, Gerber 400 or 600, Leatherman Wave, Gerber Multiplier, SOG tool etc.

We ten to keep the multi tools knife blade for delicate / precision cutting, and the bigger Lock knife / fixed blade for heavier and defensive duty.

 

Good morning Bill,

Thank you.  

Now I understand: delicate, precision work and heavier defensive duty work for each tool.

It’s a little different of an environment is areas of the once great Lord Fairfax colony.  I spoke to a senior Federal LEO (We served together on an association committee.)  The basic de facto rule is much leeway given to multitools over the fixed blade knives. If someone is wearing jeans or other work type pants with some cement dust on them, no real concert at all.

I know the Kabar series. It’s pretty prominent in this neck o’ the woods. So, too, the USAF survival knife with metal-tiped leather sheath holding a sharpening stone.

……

Sidebar; I carry both a multitool and a 10 inch chisel tip mini machete for the inflatable. About equal time for procurement involves the sheath/scabbard, pouch selection. Here, nylon is ideal due to the humidity and the mildew, mold, corrosion if kept in sheath. In noth China, switch to leather. Nylon gets brittle and easy to crack. For Middle Kingdom, each tool carried has add-on mini document pouch for  import document and cy of carnet.

 

Yup the Multi tool blade tends to get used  for medical or precision stuff, but the lock knives are simply work and defensive tools, I often wear them out in a few years because I am sharpening them all the time.

A blunt knife is more of a danger and liability than a sharp one.

I like Cordura / Nylon sheaths and pouches but not in high fire risk areas, having once had a nylon leg pouch partially melt onto my leg through my clothing when a little petrol cooker malfunctioned . So if there is a fire risk its leather pouches and sheaths only for me.  I just keep the leather well protected with leather balm or dubbin.

 

An example of my typical EDC carry FYI

 

Good afternoon Bill,

That’s a super picture.  I have the same Gerber multitool.

All my pouches are fire retardant. Some companies manufacture them. There is a fire retardant nylon sheath w/ Kydex inserts that fit on eg a pilot’s vest, load bearing equip, and other applications.

One motivator for these pouches came from down at the Navy frat house south of here (Norfolk !) The USN helo pilots were experiencing the same situation you described above … well, similiar. The rest of the story is the standard happy ending; “Make ’em fireproof” or contract cancelled.

There’s a store near here in Fredericksburg, Va, that’s the largest mail order knife / cutlery / related stuff that has a website.  Co is knifecenter.com.  Their website has a link to ask no-obligation questions re their stuff available. Also a toll free tel number but never use – can’t hear on phones (VA vigorously disagrees w/ me.) 

Now, my Ontario 10″ machete w/ chisel tip had to be a D-I-Y job and I did spray the sheath with the DuPont chemical.  Had mentioned here at TP.com that my oversized sports coat to cover load bearing pouches, etc is heavily sprayed for both fire and water.  Up in the swamp, the biggest danger is not vacating the premises ASAP or faster. Announced evacuations are pro forma.  Won’t happen.

Am busy this week and only couple of days ago got jab, …annual flu shot slows me down.  Otherwise I’d write my contact at knife center and get info for your review. 

Safety governs

 

My EDC is pretty light. I always carry:

• Bic lighter
• POM pepper spray
• Leatherman Wave
• iPhone (functions as a note pad, navigation, flashlight, clock, compass etc.)

Sometimes I carry a pistol, but not as often as I once did. I’d like to carry my Glock 19 at all times at home, but I have yet to find a holster I’m satisfied with. I want to carry it with a light attached, but the Safariland holster I bought for that purpose has a large enough opening that one of my kids could reach in and pull the trigger. I also have a Ruger LPC II for light carry, but I’m always afraid I’ll leave it in my pants overnight or it’ll slip out if I take a nap.

So I carry the Glock outside my waistband if I’m going to a potentially dangerous area and I want to convey that I’m NFA. Otherwise, I carry the Ruger, which is super concealable and not a bad little pistol for close ranges.

I’ve also ordered a tourniquet holder for my belt and I’m going to experiment with carrying a tourniquet at all times.

 

EDC to me is what is on my person.

Spectacles.

Watch.

Paracord bracelet.

Bandana, used as a handkerchief.

Leather Belt.

key chain and keys.

mobile phone.

hand sanitizer spray bottle.

car keys.

lock knife in leather sheath.

I have a GHB  with lots of other stuff but thats in the car not on my person. I dont travel on public transport, if I cant go there in my car I dont go.

 

Agree.  EDC, by its very definition, is what you carry on your person.  I too keep lots of gear in my get home bag… with even more stuffed in different parts of my truck.

 

Nailed it. I am definitely in the AGATT camp.

All The Gear, All The Time