Showcase #201: Aerospace Design Engineer from Frankfurt, Germany

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.

A man of many talents, Sam (@raven_the_pirate) used to work as a photographer and videographer before taking flight in the aerospace industry. It was through his love for photographing his gear that led him to the EDC community which he has since embraced. Read on to learn all about Sam and his mission to find the perfect gear to suit his everyday needs.

Featured Tools:

• Knife: Böker Kihon
  I am a huge fan of Lucas Burnley and his designs and this knife is no exception. For me, this is the perfect EDC knife. I like the clean lines of the blade combined with the titanium handle. The action is great and it cuts like a beast. It sits perfectly in my hands and can handle anything I throw at it. I just keep coming back to the Kihon.
  
  
• Rings: Antique Anchor & Totem Gemstone from Rebelger
  I grew up in the heavy metal and rock scene and was always drawn towards the rugged biker/rocker lifestyle and look. When I got older the heavy metal look has definitely been toned down, but these rings are my way to still showcase a little bit of what has been and will always be part of my life.
  
  
• Wallet: Donbolso Slim Wallet Bern
  I’m constantly on the look out for the perfect wallet. For me, a wallet should be as minimal as possible and ideally, it should disappear in the pocket.
  
  While there definitely are many great options for that I still have to carry at least a few coins with me, due to the fact that coins are still being used quite a lot in Germany. The “Bern” (the option with coin pocket) from Donbolso is so far my favorite contender as it meets all the aforementioned requirements. The fact that it’s incredibly inexpensive is nice too.
  
  
• Notebook: Moleskine A6
  I almost always have a notebook on me, be it to take notes at work or write down ideas and thoughts in my off-time. Writing something down physically has just so much more weight to it, now that everything we do is digital. The Moleskin Cahier A6 has a perfect size and feel. I can put it in pretty much any pocket and it won’t tear up after a while.
  
  
• Pen: Faber Castell 24119
  To be honest, I’m not a huge pen guy. I do have a great appreciation for all the amazing pens out there, but since I’m always on the go and (ab)use my pens and often misplace or even lose them I just can’t justify carrying an expensive pen.
  
  However, a pen for me should write reliably, feel good in the hand ideally match the rest of my carry (I’m OCD like that...). The Faber Castell 24119 does exactly that. Not more, not less.
  
  
• Key Clip: Buck and Hide Key Clip
  This key clip from Buck and Hide is the perfect solution for my key setup. I have it clipped to a belt loop on the back and tuck the keys into my back pocket.
  
  This way the keys are not taking up the entire back pocket, but they still don’t dangle around or feel weird when sitting down. This frees up the pockets while still having them on me at all times, securely.

What's your story:

I’m a design engineer for the aerospace industry, based in Frankfurt, Germany. Our company designs, builds, and operates test means for aerospace components or even entire systems.

Usually when I give this answer people still don’t know what I do, so the easier answer is: If you need something tested, I’ll make it happen.

During my time in university, I worked as a freelance photographer/videographer and retoucher which is still one of my biggest hobbies. I used to shoot events and portraits, but now with a full-time job and a family, I just can’t find the time to shoot events or other people.

So, I started with product photography of my personal everyday things which lead to my interest (and maybe addiction) in EDC.

I have always had an interest in gear and wanted everything to match, not noticing that I was already EDCing. It was only when I started posting these pictures to Instagram when I discovered the world of EDC and the amazing community behind it. Ever since, I’m on the mission to find the perfect gear for my needs and I’m making amazing friends along the way.

Favorite EDC Tool:

The favorite tools are the ones I literally can’t leave the house without – my wallet and my key clip. I often change my carry depending on the occasion, but my wallet and my key clip always stay on me to the point that I feel naked when I don’t have one of them with me.

But on the other hand: who doesn’t like to fidget with a knife...

What's On Your Gear Radar:

I want to add a hank to my carry and a friend (@mcmdhankery) is currently custom-making one for me. Another friend (@rambler.made) has just started his leatherwork brand and is developing some amazing things, so I’ll definitely have an eye out.

When it comes to knives I want to get a custom SAK with titanium scales and acid-etched tools. There are some amazing makers out there, but their books are usually pretty full, so I may have to wait a bit for that.