For anyone on social media, especially Instagram, there is no doubt that youve seen someones 'pocket dump' or 'edc essentials.' I am often asked what EDC means, whenever I post anything with that in the description. Its quite simple really, Every Day Carry.
Used to describe the items that are carried with an individual throughout the day. I have seen items that vary as far as toy tops to switch blades, field notes to e-readers and handguns to handkerchiefs. This has become a very trendy subject to share on social media outlets and has really created a lot of great tool makers, that market towards the EDC market. I have seen countless Instagram accounts that post and re-share only 'Pocket Dumps.'
So, what are my EDC items? and Why?
First off, I can never leave the house without a knife. I have two pocket knives out of a small collection, that I rotate. I can honestly say I use my pocket knife every day. I may use it for opening boxes at work, opening mail, shortning a straw for my son, or even slicing up a ripe Texas peach (of course after cleaning the blade), and if I forget to put it in my pocket, I will feel at a loss all day.
The two knives that I rotate are a Case Trapper that I added Fine Silver Scales and engraving to a few years ago(seen in the top image), and a William Henry E10-2 #1712. I only recently started carrying the William Henry after realizing that no matter the cost or assumed value, it's a tool that needs to be used. In fact, while carrying the WH knife, it helped out in a pinch last month at the Art & Soul Festival, while helping a couple other vendors break down their spaces before a big storm blew in. Both knives have a leather pocket slip sheath that I made for them as well.
My second essential tool I go for is my Karas Kustoms Fountain K Pen, in Anodized Gold with a #5 Bock Nib. While it may seem odd that my second go-to is a pen, you may be interested to know that at my day job I keep the books the old fashioned way in written ledgers, so I always have a pen in my hand, and having a quality writing piece makes all the difference. Plus, its always good to have a writing utensil handy.
Third, is a handkerchief. Always have a hankie. Always. You never know when one will come in handy. Wipe your glasses clean, clean your face or wipe the sweat from your brow. Have kids? Yeah, you're going to need one. I just carry the cheap 100% cotton hankies that you can pick up at Cavenders or similar clothing stores. There are also several custom and handmade hankie makers out there, if you really want to dress up your EDC.
Next, I go for my watch. I have three favorites, and two that I wear often. The one I wear most often is a Citizen SkyHawk A-T that I have had for about 10 years. Next in Line is another Citizen, Model Chandler BU2055-08X that is a bit more rugged and casual watch.
I'd like to note, that I am a watch fanatic, and would be an incredible collector if I had any wealth at all. If you're interested in anything "watch' I recommend checking out Hodinkee "HODINKEE is a robust online magazine featuring in-depth reviews, critiques, and reports on watches of a particularly high quality."
Additional EDC items I carry fall more in line with novelty items or jewelry. I wear my James Avery Fishers of Men Sterling Bracelet daily, and will add my Odin Leather Goods braided leather bracelet with it occasionally. I also have a couple fidget items, I call them worry stones. One is a solid copper 14ga. Texas shaped cut out that I carry as a worry stone (**also works well using the El Paso point to vent a beer can.) Another "worry stone" I carry is a steel alignment plug we use at my day job that I polished and engraved either end and added a fine sterling silver band inlay around it (seen in the top image).
Additionally, I recently added a Low Key Leather Works multi tool in solid brass. Meant to be used as a key chain, I simply carry loose in my pocket.
Other items are a little more obvious:
I have my car keys (and other keys, that make me look like a building's maintenance man) my wallet, and business card wallet. My wallet is a simple front pocket card wallet with spring money clip that I made. My business card wallet is a very simple card wallet that i keep full of business cards in my back pocket, also made by me.
Then we have the cell phone. I carry an iPhone that I keep safe in an OttorBox Defender case, that I have always kept my iPhones in. I highly recommend them.
Lastly, I can never leave the house without my Daily Work Padfolio, also made by me. This has become a staple that I use for personal business as well as my day job.
Everyone's EDC varies greatly, and can be fine tuned to fit any personality. I would love to hear what your EDC essentials are in the comments.
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