Welcome to the Urban EDC Showcase! Each week, we feature a member of the EDC community and the gear they rely on every day. Want to be featured? Submit your gear photo.
Turning his passion into profit, Matthew (@cuttingedgegear) teaches martial arts, works as a cutlery store salesman, does outreach for a watch shop, works trade shows for ProTech, as well as sharing his knowledge through his personal IG brand. Read on to find out how Matthew does it all and learn how he lives by the inspiring philosophy of “Iron sharpens Iron”.
Featured Tools:
- Hank: WolfHanks
Brandon is a Military Vet out of SoCal who works his butt off! On the side, he makes Hanks out of premium cotton to relax and share his hobbies. A portion of the proceeds goes to PTSD fighting foundations! I love supporting him and he makes truly amazing stuff. This hank is made of Kona Hawaiian Cotton!
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Flashlight: Olight S1RII Baton (Winter Edition Ti)
I’ve tried a ton of EDC lights from budget to custom and this one hits a lot of the marks for me. It’s a warm tint, 900 lumens, titanium, and a reputable company. I love the way it compliments my gear and ages well! - Multitool: Leatherman Skeletool Damasteel LE
The Skeletool holds a close place in my heart. It was the first real knife my dad gave me that propelled me into the hobby. My first was the original Skeletool. I then gifted him the carbon fiber CX version and two years ago, he gifted me this one. I don’t use it often, but I carry it often as a reminder that tools have multiple meanings and to enjoy the hobbies, share hobbies, and connect people and experiences to the items.
- Pen: Hinderer Investigator (Copper)
This is my favorite EDC mini pen. It does every task I need while carrying small and looking non-threatening. Although it’s not as smooth as my fountain pens, I can rely on it writing anywhere anytime. The flat tip help keeps the pen classy and less aggressive! I added O-rings for better grip as well.
- Knife: Chris Reeve Small Sebenza 21
This is my first Chris Reeve. I got it in my second year working at my local knife shop. It was a cool milestone to hit and with the launch of my CuttingEdgeGear Instagram’s 1-year mark, I decided to engrave “Iron Sharpens Iron.”
CuttingEdgeGear allowed me to share my passion with other enthusiasts and companies and by doing so, both my brand and theirs are improved. The quote makes perfect sense on the knife. It’s my go-to knife when I need a no-frills EDC knife that does the job simply and effectively. It’s slim and cuts well with great tolerances. It’s simplicity refined to the best possible function.
- Watch: Vintage Bulova Chrono
This vintage quartz was given to me by my Dad back from his army days. It’s a small Bulova chronograph with a diver’s bezel. When I don’t have time to set my watches, I grab this one. It’s slim, classy, has an extra function and looks great!
Background:
My Philosophy: Let your work do the talking. Be respectful and have integrity. Help others. Share the Hobby! Your gear tells a lot about you. You don’t have to carry for pure utility, it can be fun too. But no matter what you do, use it to better yourself and others.
My EDC is ever-changing as it adapts to my daily life. Sometimes, it changes multiple times a day and sometimes it stays constant for a week. I adapt to the expected environment and create an EDC system for it (plus a few extra goodies for emergency and fun). My Instagram depicts the different setups I create as I go about my daily living.
I live in California in the LA area. I’m currently a college student, but I dabble in multiple side jobs including martial arts teaching, salesman position at a cutlery store, outreach salesman for a watch shop, trade show PR/salesman for ProTech knives, and my personal brand – CuttingEdgeGear.
As a kid, I really wasn’t a fan of knives. I thought even touching a blade would cut me like a lightsaber (yeah I was a big StarWars nerd). However, in high school, my dad gave me some of his army knives and I was instantly hooked!
I loved his knives but wanted to choose and buy one of my own. My parents said no and worried for me, so I frustratedly kept my mouth shut but researched knives and the EDC world. Eventually, I was allowed to buy my own knives.
Fast forward a bit and I learned so much that I was hired as a salesman for a Cutlery Store nearby at 17. Once there, I realized that I loved helping others and sharing the hobby! I continued to do so by starting an Instagram to share my gear with the world and reach out to more people to help them learn more about the EDC world and the art of well-made gear.
I’ve continued to pursue this path and have been growing my brand name. I hope to soon start a website to help people learn more about personalizing their EDC and have also stepped deeper into the knife and gear industry through sponsors, meeting designers and makers, and learning the industry behind the scenes through my work with ProTech at Blade Show. I’m in love with what I do and I hope to continue to grow as long as I can keep helping others.
And when I’m not obsessing about EDC, my other hobbies include martial arts, gear, marching snare drumming, watches, exploring, and social media among other various hobbies and interests.
Favorite EDC Tool:
There are too many favorites to mention... but here are some memorable ones.
Firstly, the Hinderer XM-18 was the grail knife that I remember lusting after it as a kid, but knowing I could never have. After starting my job at the Cutlery Store, I was able to save up and buy it as my first grail knife. Even today, it remains my favorite design and means more than just a cutting tool for me. If you dream big, you get there. I love my XM-18 3” spanto working finish and wharnie stonewash. Also, there's the Damasteel Skeletool which was the first knife given to me from my Dad and started the hobby
What's On Your Gear Radar:
My next gear target is the Omega Seamaster Professional 300m 41mm Black Ceramic Dive Watch or Rolex Explorer 1 214270. I’ve been deep into the watch hobby for years, but can never seem to pull the trigger on these even when I’m so close! One day it will be mine!!!