After buying the 6’ Milwaulee tape today (along with the two other tapes) Hot Tool Deals!
I started thinking about what I carry in my pockets everyday and was wondering what everybody else thinks is essential.
There are a ton of other blogs and forums where everybody shows off their Every Day Carry items. Rather than copy them, lets say if you could only carry one tool with your what would it be and why?
I’m going to exclude keys, wallet, phones, etc from the list because you probably have to carry them anyway. (unless your EDC is a cool key gadget, wallet, or if you have a really cool phone/case solution.)
To start off, I carry several tools everyday in my pockets and I feel naked if I don’t have a couple different knives, tape measure, and flashlight, but I’m going to have to go with my Leatherman Micra.
I’ve had mine for something like 20 years. My uncle gave it to me as a gift for being an usher at his wedding and I don’t think I’ve ever gotten more use out of a gift. I use the scissors constantly, cutting paper, opening packages, trimming long nails so they don’t catch and rip… The file is the second most used, again filing a nail so it doesn’t catch and prying things with the hooked tip. I used to use the knife more often, before I got my Skeletool, but it is functional in a pinch for cutting. I’ve use all the other tools dozens of times a year.
The one downside is that I have cut myself pretty bad with the knife several times because it doesn’t lock. I know you can close the knife and somewhat prevents the knife from folding closed, but it is harder to use in that position.
I gotta have a Leatherman on me at all times, typically I carry the Wave, but I have about 8 others including the Micra(Others try but Leatherman makes the best.). Aside from that I always have 2 knifes, one to beat on pry and otherwise abuse the other to have a really sharp blade, a cheepo vender freebie 10’ tape is always with me(wish Milwaukee had that 6’ by itself), a pen, pencil, and sharpe, and a small note pad and lighter.
It has all that i need and nothing more. Im a minimalist and HATE to carry anything more than i need. I dont need tweezers, scissors, nail file, etc…
I even bought some for my whole crew. They all love them and most even carry them when not working.
Victorinox Classic (their smallest knife) with Alox scales. Nicely made, no plastic or paint to scratch, and both the knife and scissors cut beautifully. I even use the nail file pretty often, to pry or poke at things, or even smooth out a torn nail. The Alox version is a bit thinner, but lacks the tweezer and toothpick, which I don’t need.
I think of an EDC tool as the thing you use for stuff you haven’t planned for. I try to plan for everything.
