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.
From Milford, CT, we chat with Tom (@the_casual_cutter) who's a case manager providing in-home addiction treatment. In the past year, Tom's life took a strange twist after a motorcycle accident. But not only has he adapted to the changes, Tom has thrived by rekindling his love for knives and EDC, and relishing the extra 3 titanium plates and 38 screws (in addition to his titanium EDC loadout). Now's that's an EDC to call home about.
What's in your carry?
- Knife: CRK Large Sebenza 31
My primary folding knife is a Chris Reeve Knives Large Sebenza 31 framelock in a drop point blade with S35VN steel. Well rounded and easy to maintain, it’s one of the several knives I rotate in and out regularly, most commonly with the CRK Umnumzaan that I carried for all of 2021 as part of a personal/social experiment.
I love the overall simplistic utilitarian design and expert craftsmanship of CRK knives, and how they just feel like they are built to take on almost anything. I use my primary knife for the majority of daily cutting tasks, and love the Sebenza for its slicey hollow grind and tank like feel.
- Slipjoint: Tactile Knife Co Bexar
I always carry a backup blade, usually a slip joint. I’m this case it’s the Bexar from Tactile Knife Co. in Magnacut steel and titanium scales. Slip joints are great for times where more discretion is needed, and i love the Bexar because it provides a ton of cutting capability in a small, ultra-thin, lightweight and low profile form.
- Flashlight: Reylight Pineapple Mini
For shedding some light on things, I carry a stonewashed titanium Pineapple Mini from Reylight. Compact and cool, I like this light for its multiple brightness modes and simple programmability, as well as the fact that it’s powered by a common AAA battery. The style and materials fit right in with my usual EDC load out.
- Pen: Ti2 Design Boltliner Grid
When the pen needs to be mightier than the sword, I employ the Boltliner Grid super shorty in titanium from Ti2 Design. In case you haven’t noticed by now, titanium is my jam, so naturally it’s also my preferred material for a writing utensil as well. The Boltliner is smooth and fidget-friendly, for those times when flipping a knife at the conference table just isn’t the most appropriate thing to do.
- Organizer: Hitch and Timber Mini Engineer caddy
All of my EDC gear is kept in check via the Mini Engineer caddy from Hitch and Timber. This handmade leather slip also doubles as a wallet, holding all of my cards and cash in the back.
I really like this caddy because leather is classic and gets better with age, molds to my gear and pocket, and is just really cool for EDC. Having my pen/light/secondary blade essentially tucked away in my wallet, means more pocket space and less stuff clanking around or getting in the way. Since using a pocket organizer, EDC has been much more enjoyable and I’m less likely for forget anything when heading out into the world! - Carabiner: Ti2 Design/Vox Halo
Keeping my keys in check is the Ti2 Design/Vox Halo carabiner also in titanium. The Halo doubles as a pry tool, bottle opener, and bit driver if need be. Overall it’s just a cool design collaboration from two legends in the industry that I always have on me, and was also a gift from a good friend!
What's your story?
I’m based in the shoreline town of Milford, CT and have worked in various facets of the medical field since 2009, currently as a case manager providing in-home addiction treatment.
I briefly owned and operated my own business from 2015-2017 out of a home workshop in Guilford, CT. Unfortunately when I was forced to relocate I lost the workshop and had to return to the workforce, but hope to some day have a space and equipment to get back to making cool stuff for a living!
I started daily carrying a small Swiss Army knife around the age of 12 and began to realize just how important pocket tools can be. I haven’t gone a day without a folding knife in my pocket since (unless the TSA is involved of course). I didn’t get truly serious about high quality gear and pocket knives until about 20 years later, when all this stuff began becoming a hobby as well.
Besides pocket knives and EDC, my main hobby has always been motorcycles. Unfortunately this past October I was struck by a motorist and my leg was severely injured.
After spending almost 3 weeks in the hospital and 2 surgeries, I went home to begin a long recovery. In addition to my titanium EDC loadout, I’ve now got 3 titanium plates and 39 screws in my left lower leg.
Being stuck inside for months and learning to walk again has rekindled my love for knives and EDC, so I’m using that as a form of therapy and really enjoying getting back into the community after taking 2021 off of social media. I hope to be back at baseline by Summer 2022, when I can also get back to enjoying the outdoors, although it might not be on a motorcycle for a while.
Favorite EDC Tool?
Out of all the items I carry, my favorite has to be the Sebenza. I’ve always been a “knife guy” first and foremost, and the Sebenza is a legendary benchmark in that world. It is solid, smooth, and as reliable as they come. It’s a simplistic and beautiful design that’s timeless.
What's On Your Gear Radar?
While I’m pretty content with my gear at the moment, at my core I’m a habitual collector of pocket knives. I’d like to eventually try a small Chris Reeve Insingo blade, and a Tactile Turn pen, as well as hunt down some new Grimsmo knives for my collection.