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 across the Atlantic, we chat with Jason (@boneyandstubs) who’s based in Hertfordshire and works in London. Growing up in the 70’s, Jason always had a penknife on him as he camped and traveled around Europe in a Volkswagen Camper Van. Read on to find out how Jason’s everyday carry has evolved over the years and what’s next on his gear radar.
Featured Tools:
- Knife 01: Hinderer XM-18
Here I've got the XM-18 with green and black G10 scales, 3.5” flat ground Spanto blade in S35VN steel with titanium liner-lock. This is more of a jeans weekend carry for me, and despite its size, I forget it’s there.
To me, this is the perfect knife. Nice sized, thick useable blade and a solid grip in the hand, oversized choil - overbuilt design perfection. It will tackle any EDC task easily, a knife I don’t think will ever let me down. Design and function coming together perfectly!
- Knife 02: Spyderco Delica 4
This is an in-house KnivesPlus modded Delica 4 - known as The Red Dragon - with acid stonewash blade and clip, Cherry Red Rit Dyed Handle, with heat colour screws, a 2.9" full flat grind blade made of VG10 stainless steel.
A great mid-sized lightweight folder that feels great in the hand and reminds me of another of my favourites, the PM2. It disappears in the pocket, just perfect for summer EDC shorts carry and can handle most daily EDC tasks.
When I first started getting properly interested in knives I coveted the XM-18, Sebenza and SNG and always thought the Spydercos were such odd looking knives in comparison, but I kept reading outstanding reviews about them that they caught my interest. The PM2 was the knife I bought after the XM-18 and there is no going back. I think I have more Spyderco knives than any other brand now.
- Knife 03: GiantMouse GMF1-P
One of the few fixed blade knives I own. An Anso and Voxnaes collab design of simplicity and beauty, just look at those lines! Every time I pull this out of the sheath I catch myself just staring at it.
It gets more than its fair share as a primary knife carry. It’s a dream as an EDC knife, perfect for all tasks including food prep, despite the size of the blade, and even in its sheath, it’s thinner than most folders I own.
- Slipjoint: Northwoods Fremont Jack
My favourite of the Northwoods series so far and just look at that red linen Micarta! Nice firm lockout without being too firm to rip your nails off and can be opened with a pinch grip. Just a well built good looking slipjoint. Slips are an important part of my EDC living in the UK and offer the option of a UK legal carry.
- Organizer: Coyote Workshop EDC Pocket Slip
I have a number of these slips from Coyote Workshop and Hitch & Timber and they play an important part in what and how I carry my EDC gear. If I’m carrying a primary knife, wallet and keys I don’t need a bunch of other stuff randomly floating around my pockets and these allow for organized distribution - back pocket, jacket pocket etc.
These slips hold the essential EDC items for me and often I’ll leave the house with only one of these on me. All of mine have the same gear configuration - old school slip or SAK, AAA flashlight and a One Piece Multi-Tool.
- Flashlight 01: Peak Eiger
As I mentioned above, an AAA flashlight is a staple of my carry and I’ve got quite a few to choose from, mostly copper, but the Peak Eiger is certainly amongst my favourites.
I like twisties and really like the variable output as you twist it on or off, the size and weight, brightness and throw are just perfect for my EDC. I’ve got other more powerful flashlights that are like standing 10 feet from the sun but it’s not all about size boys and gals; to me it’s about fitting a useful tool into my carry without it becoming a chore.
- Flashlight 02: FourSevens Mini Mk. II Ti
A real compact lightweight CR123 flashlight and combined with titanium, it's a great all-around powerful package. Throwing out 500 Lumens on a disposable CR123. I’ve only had it about a week so far and it’s getting a lot of pocket time.
- Multi-Tool: AGC FatBoy
This is in D2 steel and is probably the most badass item I own. It’s the simplicity and the ruggedness of this that I like; a tough pry bar and a bottle opener are all I need.
- Wallet: Saddleback Front Pocket Bifold
Overbuilt small wallet with a lifetime guarantee. I bought this and a medium bifold wallet from Saddleback at the same time and the medium has hardly been used. This size is just perfect for me. Working in the city I have little use for cash anymore as everything is touch-and-go so this fits a couple of cards, driving license and (rarely) a couple of folded notes. Just the right size for suit pocket or jeans front pocket.
- Keys: Raven Workshop KeyGrip
I have a few of these and just like the way they sit in the pocket and keep the keys tight and compact, no jangling or fuss.
- Bottle Opener: Burnley Cypop
From the patina, you can tell this has spent a lot of time in my back pocket. My favourite design for a single finger knuck, and it pops caps too!
- Watch: Helson Shark Diver
I’m really getting into these small independent brand watchmakers that produce a quality product in short runs at a price that the larger companies, who have to factor in their marketing budget, can’t compete with. This one is brass with a blue jade dial, the patina is coming on well and gives it a uniquely worn-in look.
- Beads: Peter Atwood, Combat Beads, Gatura
I like a good bead as you can see and these 3 manufacturers are my favourites. They all have their uses for me, on the XM-18 it’s nice to drop it deep in the pocket without using the pocket clip for a less obvious carry. On the GMF1-P I find it a necessity for extra grip especially when removing it from the tight sheath. On the FatBoy and Peak Eiger, it helps to tug them out the leather slip that has now moulded to them. And again on the keys for pocket retrieval.
- Copper Insta-tag: Ted Reyes
This is made by Ted Reyes via Instagram and has my Instagram name on it. A fine example of cottage industry craft in copper. I got this for a number of reasons - it’s damn cool and I can use it as a physical watermark in my Instagram posts.
Background:
My name is Jason McCallum and I’m a Technical Business Analyst Consultant working in London. Hertfordshire UK is where I live and I use London as my location on Instagram as I work and spend half my life there, plus most international people know London but the shires inspire visions of hobbits.
My hobbies obviously include EDC gear, playing guitar, vintage Volkswagens and surfing when I get a chance.
I got into EDC when I was about 6 or 7 when I got my first penknife and it never left my side, along with a flashlight, as we did a lot of camping and roaming around Europe in a Volkswagen Camper Van for vacations.
Back then, even as a child, we always treated knives as tools not weapons, we used the knives to make weapons! - bows, spears etc - this was the 70s, an era of zero health and safety.
Carrying a penknife kind of disappeared in my late teens and early career years and life moved on. Fast forward to now’ish, about 2 years ago I started looking into updating my keychain carry and after going on a few EDC forums and YouTube I had a keychain to be proud of.
Off the back of this, I realized there was a massive knife community and quickly submerged myself in this wonderful world. This interest was born out of the heavy tech world I live in, I realized everything I owned needed charging, from eCigs, iPhones, iPads, laptops etc and I just needed a break, and that’s where the EDC gear came in - here was something really tangible, no charging and you could feel the engineering, design and craftsmanship.
First up was a Kershaw Cryo II, it was a wonder to me, I never knew knives existed like this! Next came more research, I gained more knowledge and an XM-18, then the floodgates opened and widened to flashlights and tools etc.
And here I am, involved in a community of great like-minded people across the globe having the time of my life! It is about the gear, and that’s what draws you in, and once you’re in you realize you are involved in something much bigger - a globe-spanning family!
Favorite EDC Tool:
The XM-18 is a special knife for me as this is where it all truly started. It’s tough, as I have a lot of gear I love, but the XM-18 is probably the one as it was the catalyst for everything to come.
What's On Your Gear Radar:
One theme that runs through every EDC gear purchase I make now is quality, from good reliable friendly manufacturers and retailers, the buying experience is key as we tend to do a lot of it and making a good transaction just adds the icing on a purchase.
Always more Combat Beads. I really love the oversized madness and they work so well with so many items.
I have a number of pieces from Anso and Voxnaes and I’m waiting on the next GiantMouse Biblio in green Micarta to drop.
Would love to get my hands on the elusive GEC Oak Barrel Beer Scout slip and a GEC TC Barlow single blade with bone scales. The search continues.
And I’m still trying to find a Lumintop Copper Worm, I bought 2 of these from 2 separate suppliers from China recently and both turned out to be stainless steel, but hey, it’s a bit of a lottery sometimes.