Showcase #200: Knife Modder from Traverse City, Michigan

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.

Working out of Traverse City, Michigan, Ben (@edcgearhouse) modifies knives for a living. With a background in street art and painting, he first experimented with spray painting inexpensive knives before turning his passion into a profession. Read on to find out all about Ben’s EDC inspiration and what he believes to be the ultimate everyday carry blade.

Featured Tools:

• Bottle Opener: Berg Blades
  This is my Berg Blades Bottle Butcher that I modified a bit with a dye job, torched screws, and a little hamon acid stonewash. Great for poppin’ bottle caps and with that little edge you can get work done with it.
  
  
• Flashlight: Lumintop Prince Mini
  Classy, durable, multiple settings, really fantastic light to EDC. A little hefty but that’s more to love.
  
  
• Knife: Koenig Arius
  Hands down my all-time favorite knife. It’s the most comfortable to hold, the action is flawless, and I slightly modded it with light orange peeled finish and anodized hardware and spacer. I highly recommend this knife.
  
  
• Pen: Urban Survival Gear TiScribe
  Easily the best purchase of EDC gear I’ve ever bought. Gets carried every damn day. Not only do I try to support small business every chance I get, I like to do business with good people and Kelvin is as good as it gets.
  
  
• Knuck: Delicious Fist Ghost
  Also in my pocket daily, just in case. Though my knife is primarily a tool, ultimately it’s there for protection as well, just like this amazingly well-made knuck. I’m a firm believer in a fair fight, and if the other person doesn’t have a knife or gun he’s getting the ghost!
  
  
• Hank: Two Pony Hankies
  11x11 inches of hanky perfection. TPH does hanks proper and is extremely easy on the wallet. Tons of amazing hank makers out there but Marcus does it extremely well, from fabric options to customer service and packaging he’s hands down my go-to for hanks.

What's your story:

I’m currently living in Traverse City, Michigan. I say ‘currently’ because I move around a bit and plan on traveling much more. For work, I’m happy to say I am a voided warranty specialist and business partner of Way Of Knife. I modify knives for a living.

A couple of years ago I was living in my hometown of Chicago doing street art and painting as a side hustle (my actual job was working in train yards) when I decided I wanted to be more involved in this awesome EDC community.

So, I started doing paint jobs with spray paint on some inexpensive knives like CRKT Squids. Those took off REALLY well and I knew that it was the start of something so progressed to simple with dye jobs and acid washing incorporating my stencils and whatnot, now I’m here.

I first got into EDC through my gramps. He was a blue-collar union worker on the south side of Chicago who loved fishing and walks in the woods. He always had a lighter, a fixed blade, and a knife. The knives were usually a SAK and a Buck 110 Classic. I found it awesome that he always had tools ready to go when the time called and that resonated with me.

In my free time, I like hiking and exploring northern Michigan, flying my drone (Mavic Pro Platinum), driving my little GTI just to drive, and indulging in Michigan's relaxed recreational laws 😎

Favorite EDC Tool:

It’d have to be the Arius, it’s just my end all be all for knives. You can tell that there was so much thought and effort in designing this knife. Worth every penny.

What's On Your Gear Radar:

I’m in a bit of a time out from buying any EDC gear until I pay the IRS back 🙄 but when that’s all over I’d really like to finally land a David Mosier custom...or another Arius.