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.
From sunny Southwest Florida, Tony’s (@veloweave) daily carry has come a long way since his first encounter with a Nutnfancy YouTube review. Starting with the classic Spyderco Delica 4, he has branched out into custom knives and gear as his knowledge deepens. Read on to learn all about Tony’s carry philosophy and how he puts every piece of his gear to full use.
Featured Tools:
- Knife: Ricardo Romano Small Dino
This knife needs no introduction to the traditional knife connoisseur. My love of cutlery eventually drew me to the traditional knives. They've been around forever and having spent a good deal of time being overshadowed by the fancy modern locking folders, slippies have undergone a sort of Renaissance in the past several years.
There are brand new makers starting up to continue the craft that are utilizing modern materials and designs, and, like the Romano Dino, for example, they are also coming up with brand new patterns.
The materials on my Dino are Cross-Cut Micarta covers with Westinghouse Micarta double federal shields and CPM 154 steel. This is the nicest knife I've ever owned which I actually also like using on a daily basis, and it's with me about every day.
The fit and finish, the walk and talk are all dialed to perfection. Romano completes every knife by hand, one at a time and his craftsmanship is near the top of the knife world. I'm honored to currently own two of his pieces, the other being a traditional Barlow. I carry this knife in a custom slip pouch made by Chi-Rho Supply.
- Flashlight: Muyshondt Aeon Mk. III
The Aeon Mk. III is a nice size and weight. It's made of aluminum with a gold anodization. It runs off a CR2 battery which is easy relatively easy to find and the run times are very long.
I like that it has 3 modes with the first mode being very low. It operates via a click button at the rear. I carry this in my front pocket in a sheath made of Kangaroo leather. I'll note that my titanium Muyshondt Maus has gone missing for about 2 months now or that one would have made this list instead of the Aeon.
- Pen: Tactile Turn Slider (Zirconium)
I have several pens to pick from each day and the one I choose the most frequently is the Zirconium Slider. It accepts the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 refill which is my favorite. The pen operates by way of a bolt mechanism that is both intuitively functional and highly entertaining to fidget with.
There is a microgroove pattern machined into the body of the pen which provides a nice texture for grip and aesthetics. The diameter of the pen is just about perfect making it easy to do extended writing or note-taking.
Another pen I have that I actually like writing with better is the Prometheus Alpha pen but for daily pocket carry when I need something quick to write with or to sign a receipt a pen with a bolt action mechanism is hard to beat.
- Wallet: Das Offenmeer Leather Houbei Wallet
This is the most interesting wallets I've ever owned. When I discovered his Instagram page a few months back and looked at his designs I knew I had to get one.
I settled on the Houbei model and we used Italian Shell Cordovan as the leather. I went with Reverse Shell for the main leather and Green Shell Cordovan for the secondary leather. Nothing patinas like reverse shell, and as you can see after just a few weeks of carrying it's already starting to tell its story, taking on the colors from the oils of my hand, the sunshine and the indigo from my selvedge denim jeans.
I like the fact that this wallet forces me to carry only the essentials. I'm down to about 7 cards and some cash that I carry with me. That's a far cry the 15 or 20 cards and cash I used to carry back in the day.
The adage "do more with less" holds true, and a minimalist wallet is the way to go. The Houbei is a new wallet to me and that being so I want to mention the wallet that I consider to be the best minimalist wallet I've found and the one that has been with me for the past 2 years, the Port Wallet by Craft & Lore. I am finding that the Houbei compares very well and is a great competitor to the Port Wallet.
- Watch: Scuro S Series Titanium Dive Watch
Scuro is a relatively new micro watch brand that has run several Kickstarter projects. I was looking for a watch that I didn't have to worry about taking out by the pool as that is where we spend a lot of our spare time as a family.
This watch has a titanium case making uber lightweight and very durable. It runs on a Miyota 9015 automatic movement which is considered a workhorse that has been around since 2009. I enjoy this watch because it has proven to be accurate and very low maintenance.
- Key Hook: Scout Hook Bottle Keychain Opener
I've had this for quite a few years and is an awesome way to carry your keys. It hooks onto your pocket so you don't have to go digging to the bottom of your pocket to retrieve the keys. It also works amazingly well as a bottle opener. It's made of solid brass and is pretty much indestructible.
- Quick Release: Prometheus Lights Kappa QR
These little things are an ingenious way to quickly detach something from a keyring. I use them to separate my car keys from my house keys.
Many times I start up the car and remember that I forgot to lock the front door. I used to have to turn the car off and take my keys with me to go lock up. Now I just pop the house key off the keychain in about half a second and I can leave the car run while I get out and lock the doors.
I also use them for hanging things from the keychain inside my field bag. They are compatible with Prometheus Beta-QR flashlights and can be used for anything you want to quickly detach.
Background:
My name is Tony and I am from sunny Southwest Florida. I work in Investment Banking. I mostly enjoy hanging out with my wife and 3 kids by the pool or going to the beach or one of my kids' sporting events.
My wife and I also enjoy road biking when we can find the time. I love collecting EDC gear and am always on the lookout for something that will make my days more efficient. My favorite things right now to collect are handmade leather goods and custom traditional knives.
I first got into EDC back in 2009 when I was looking for a concealed carry pistol. In my research, I stumbled upon this YouTube reviewer called Nutnfancy and watched a bunch of his videos. I realized that an EDC firearm was a nice thing but not very useful; the hope is that one never has to put it to use.
The next thing on my radar was something I could put to use every day, and a pocket knife was the next obvious choice. I purchased a Spyderco Delica 4 and was hooked. Next, I bought a Spyderco Chaparral.
Eventually, I purchased my first custom knife and thus began my journey into the everything from knives, pens, watches, leather goods, and flashlights. I've enjoyed interacting with the EDC community and getting tips that I would not otherwise get on new gear coming out both to collect and make life more efficient.
Favorite EDC Tool:
Out of all the items I mentioned I would say my favorite piece is my Ricardo Romano small Dino slip joint knife which I carry in a veg tanned leather pouch made by Chi-Rho Supply. A very close second would be my shell cordovan leather wallets, the Das Offenmeer Leather Houbei and the Port Wallet from Craft & Lore.
What's On Your Gear Radar:
Next on my radar of gear to acquire is a field bag and another leather wallet from Das Offenmeer called the 50/50. I have the field bag on order from Vermilyea Pelle. Any day now the Field Bag should be showing up made from Horween Essex natural leather which is produced just like shell cordovan except it is cowhide leather instead of horsehide. I'm really looking forward to this one as I have yet to find a bag that I really like carrying. When I saw this one in this particular leather I had to give it a try.