Showcase #193: Brewing Company Owner from Elkhart, Indiana

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 Elkhart, Indiana, Chip (@phantom_brewer) is literally living the dream. Alongside his wife, Chip owns and operates Iechyd Da Brewing Company and gets paid to indulge in his hobby (cue widespread envy). Read on to learn all about Chip’s highly personalized carry which he uses daily as he brews up a storm.

Featured Tools:

• Pliers: Knipex
  I carry a pair of Knipex 6" pliers in a JouFuu pocket sheath. Great pliers, well made, and compact. I use pliers all the time, and the last thing I want to do if I'm up on a ladder or on top of a tank is to climb back down to get a pair of pliers I forgot.
  
  

• Flashlight: Okluma DC1
  This is the Okluma DC1 with a custom Ti2 Designs clip. Lightweight, forgiving finish, superb milling and construction. The brewery has dark places, I need to light them up and this does a fantastic job in a small package.

• SAK: Custom
  My Swiss Army Knife is a special collaboration edition between Brasswerx and Combat Beads. SAKs are handy little things, and this takes it to the next level.
  
  
• Watched: Modded Seiko Tuna
  This is my modded Seiko Tuna on an Isofrane dive strap. Breweries are hot, wet, and sometimes harsh environments - not somewhere you want to constantly be pulling your phone out to check the time. A good, tough, water-resistant, dive watch is what the Seiko is and the bezel lets me time cleaning cycles in the brewery easily.
  
  
• Coin: ONUZ
  Carved Bicentennial dollar from ONUZ engraving. Cool coin and I collect EDC items from 1976, my birth year.
  
  
• Hank: Huckleberry Woodchuck
  My favorite hank maker out there, Huckleberry Woodchuck. Not only is it a great name but they're perfect for wiping your face after you accidentally spray yourself with a hose or need to polish grime off your knife blade. Or stop some bleeding, really a 100 different uses.
  
  
• Fixed blade: Freehill Blades
  The heart of my EDC, a good fixed blade knife. Call me old school, I'm fine with that but a good fixie just feels right. And this is one of the best, a San Mai Predator from Curt Haaland at Freehill Blades.
  
  Maple burl handle and a 3.5" 416ss/1084 blade. Just perfect for front pocket carry in another JouFuu pocket sheath. I carry all my fixed blade knives in a JouFuu front pocket sheath. Bud is the man! Really, I have like 30 of them.

What's your story:

I'm from Elkhart, Indiana, about 20 minutes east of Notre Dame. I spend my days making beer. Together with my wife, Summer, we own Iechyd Da Brewing Company, a small 100 seat / 7 barrel brewpub on our towns Main St.

My EDC journey started at probably 10 or 11 years old with my first Swiss Army Knife my father gave me and I've been carrying knives since. My addiction has really picked up steam in the last 5 years or so as I started adding items to my EDC that aided me in making beer.

Instead of stopping what I was doing and going to grab a flashlight, pliers, or screwdriver – I now have those things on me. Oh, and 5.11 brand jeans. They have an extra pocket on each side between the hip pockets and back pockets. It really increases the amount of gear you can comfortably carry.

Some days the items are more basic and some days they're fancier versions but almost always a combination of those things.

I brew beer for a living, I get paid to do my hobby. Any free time I have is spent with my wife or sharpening knives. Living the dream!

Favorite EDC Tool:

The Curt Haaland San Mai would have to be my favorite. It's just the right size and has a great build quality and design. I have several knives from him and they never disappoint.

What's On Your Gear Radar:

Next up? I'm not sure. I kind of have my eye out for copper flashlight, something that will patina well. Or an Omega Mark II reissue. Or a Sinn U1 Professional. We'll see.