Welcome to the Urban EDC Showcase! Each week, we feature one member of the EDC community and the gear they rely on every day. Want to be featured? Submit your gear photo.
This week’s feature is an ode to brass and leather, courtesy of the irrepressible Chad Von Lind (@chadvonlind) from Coeur d'Alene City, North Idaho. From his choice of gear, it’s clear that he subscribes to the notion of heirloom quality goods - that of which that wears in, instead of wearing out. Read on to find out all about Chad’s beautifully functional everyday carry, and be inspired by his commitment to old world quality and craftsmanship.
Featured Tools:
Aesthetics are the primary requirement for anything that makes it into my EDC rotation. Otherwise, Durability and heirloom factor are the next requirements on the list of how I choose my EDC pieces.
With a background in design, and a passion for rustic authenticity. I find that the items I carry need to make me feel good when I use them or just look at them. A fun question that I occasionally ask myself is "Would Indiana Jones carry this?"
Brass and bronze, and sturdy leather are the materials I go with. There is an innate beauty in an EDC item that ages and changes during the course of its life. As the leather changes color and shapes, and the brass takes on patina from the daily use it becomes that more personal and intimate to its owner. Inheriting an EDC item with patina will never be the same as earning the patina yourself. Remembering all of the years and how much time you spent with this item in the course of your daily life brings it to that true heirloom status.
- Knife: Colonel Littleton Original Brass No. 01
The compact size of this tiny knife and the classic design paired with brass scales really grabbed my attention. The folks at Colonel Littleton will engrave your name on this piece, making the heirloom factor that much greater. This fine piece will disappear in your pocket with how small it is, which is great for the minimalist or one who doesn't want to feel the bulk of a typical pocket knife.
- Watch: Helberg CH6 Bronze Diver
There’s something about a diver watch that conjures up adventure, excitement and danger. It's a simple tool for telling time and marking the amount of time left in your air tank, but the overall message is that adventure is out there.
This German made Helberg CH6 in bronze with the domed sapphire crystal is a hefty chunk of bronze that is meant to grab attention. The simple, but durable and vintage look sold me on this watch. The classic leather NATO strap is hand built by me from reversed Horween Shell Cordovan and matching bronze hardware to complete the vintage look.
- Pen: Tactile Turn Bolt-action Pen
A heavy duty brass pen that is precision machined by Will Hodges and packing my favorite refill the Pilot G2 in an ultra-fine tip. The bolt-action design makes for great fiddle factor when on the phone or sitting in a meeting. The clean lines, sleek design and solid brass material sold me on this pen, and I have a decent collection of great pens from other maker's like Karas Pen Co.
- Wallet: Craft and Lore Port Wallet
As a designer and maker of handcrafted leather goods, the Port Wallet was one of my first products listed and has been my running favorite. The minimal simplicity and the beautiful lines make this wallet a real pleasure to handle and use. Shown here as built in reversed Horween Shell Cordovan with a couple years of wear on it. The way that reversed shell cordovan patinas and ages is next level perfection.
The design forces the user to only carry what is needed, and nothing else. Front pocket carry means that the cotton pockets in my denim have buffed and polished this leather to an excellent sheen and highlighting the character and grain of this amazing leather. The lucky 2 dollar bill is a great conversation piece and an old tradition that seems more popular in the American South, but we like to keep it alive even here in the American Northwest.
- Bottle Opener: Knuckby ALR Design
The knuck is a great addition to an EDC for the low key defensive aspect. The handy bottle opener built into it will always spark interest as you open someone's beer. This knuck is bulkier than standard EDC knucks, but that added beef is what attracted me to it. All that real estate is just waiting for me to find an engraver artist to add beautiful leafing to it, to make it that much more of an art piece in the pocket.
- Spinner: Folkland Lodestar Spinner
Speaking of fiddle factor, the Lodestar Spinner is brand new and currently in first wave production as I write this. This is another design of my own that was a tribute to adventure and exploration of new places. The spinner craze has all but left the spotlight, but this piece was in the design stages several months ago and before anyone knew what a spinner was.
While most folks understandably do not see the point in these fidget toys, you would have to carry one and fiddle with it to really gain an appreciation for them. I'm involved in various social groups of private collectors of this type of machined art, and this piece greatly appeals to collectors in the maritime or aviation fields.
The idea behind this high-end piece is that it was supposed to look like an expensive vintage instrument. Everyday folks consider spinners to be cheap, but this piece is far from it, and if the one holding it could get that feeling of the quality they would have a greater appreciation for the level of art and care that went into the design.
- Comb: Folkland Pocket Comb
Another everyday carry piece is the beard comb and bottle opener by Folkland Brand. A compact comb the size of a credit card, built in the USA and built to last. The bottle opener and hex wrench hole make it that much more of a perfect addition to the EDC kit. The leather sheath that holds the comb really works wonders on the patina and aging process when the tanning chemicals interact with the brass.
- Bracelet: Custom Double Wrap Bracelet
This is just a simple thick strap of Wickett and Craig harness leather with some solid brass button studs to secure it. This is a personal piece built by myself and it makes for a great accent piece next to the bronze watch while keeping the watch knob from digging into my hand while I work.
Background:
My name is Chad Von Lind and I live in Coeur d'Alene City, North Idaho. A few years ago I started a small design/workshop brand called Craft and Lore focusing on hand-stitched leather goods that were simple in design and extremely durable. My background was in graphic design, which aided greatly to the success of the products and overall brand. Leathercraft had been a hobby for a couple of years prior to the brand launch and was a great medium for me to build tangible items that are used daily unlike my graphic design work. Exploring the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest, expanding on my bushcraft knowledge and capturing beautiful things with my camera have been long time hobbies as well.
I inevitably found myself in the EDC world, as my very products focused on daily things that we carry and take for granted. 2013 was the year that I found myself focusing on the world of EDC gear. As a quality leather wallet drove home the importance in carrying quality, I began to search out and connect with other EDC folks who expanded my world of daily carry items for pleasure and purpose. Carrying beautiful items meant that they continued to bring me joy just by the sight of the item.
Favorite EDC Tool:
Out of all my EDC items, the wallet is truly the one item that you cannot leave home without, and so it falls into my top item. A wallet is the most used and most important aspect of any EDC. I spared no expense on this item, which is why it is built from one of the most expensive leathers tanned in the US of A.
Next up would be the Helberg CH6 Bronze Watch. This is next in line for most used items. While most EDC items are hidden in your pockets, the watch is a great piece for showing off. It grabs attention from fellow time piece and EDC enthusiasts. The artistry behind many micro-watch brands can be next level in the extreme quality and design. If you do not have a nice watch in your EDC lineup, I would highly recommend jumping into the rabbit hole.
Next On Your Gear Radar:
I've been in the EDC game for so long now, that I'm really unsure of what I would be after next. While most of my bases are covered, I'm always anticipating what another maker can come up with next that warrants adding to my line up.
Sometimes a thing will come along that you would never have anticipated as being a part of your rotation, such as a spinner. I was fairly puzzled why spinners were a thing in the EDC world until I ended up playing with a nice one which resulted in me getting hooked and eventually designing and manufacturing one of my own. Sites like URBAN EDC and EVERYDAYCARRY are great resources for seeing what is new, and what other folks are carrying.