Showcase #246: Manager from Bonita Springs, Florida

Welcome to the Urban EDC Showcase! Each week, we feature one member of the EDC community and the gear they rely on every day. Want to be featured? Submit your gear photo.

From the sunshine state, we have Dave (@everydavecarry) - a rugged renaissance man who enjoys cooking, photography, design, and art, among other hobbies. After stumbling into the world of EDC by way of a Benchmade Griptilian, Dave has found his place among the community. Read on for Dave’s EDC journey, as well as a full rig rundown of his stunning daily carry.

Featured Tools:

• Knife 01: Enrique Peña Slipjoint
  This model is a Mini Zulu Spear Shadow with Herringbone Burlap Micarta handle covers. Shortly after getting into traditional style pocket knives, I stumbled upon Enrique Peña’s work. Immediately, his knives entered “grail” status for me, in fact, I never thought I’d own one even though I admire his attention to detail and flawless execution. 
  
  When I read that Enrique was working on a Zulu spear with herringbone micarta, I reached out to him, but by the time I heard back, it had already sold. A few months later, while browsing Blade Forums, I saw the exact knife posted for sale and did not hesitate to pull the trigger. 
  
  I have a pretty decent collection of modern and traditional knives, but I just love custom slipjoints because of the old school craftsmanship involved. For me, they are the perfect EDC knife because they aren’t threatening when used around non-knife nuts.

• Knife 02: Shirogorov NeOn Lite
  This comes with M390 blade steel and it was Nick Shabazz's review that sold me on the Shiro NeOn. The reasons I am personally so keen on this knife is its super-slim profile, paring knife-like blade, and buttery-as-heck flipping and drop-shut closing action. 
  
  The full flat ground M390 blade is a slicing machine. Some say it's a bit one-note in its aesthetic, but I personally like how its monotone theme highlights the tight tolerances and milling work. You will usually find this guy in my pocket paired with a slipjoint or a SAK. Did I mention the action on this thing is bonkers? It is.

• SAK: Victorinox Alox Cadet
  When people ask me what knife they should get, I almost always recommend an Alox Cadet. They can be as inexpensive as $25, the blade is a great slicer, and the extra tools are always welcome. 
  
  The Cadet disappears in the fifth pocket of my jeans and pairs incredibly well with a modern folder. I usually rock a larger folder with a clip in my back pocket and the Cadet in my fifth pocket. For me, having a non-threatening knife is a must based on my work environment. I like that they do the limited edition colors every year, and this “orchid” color is really cool. 
  
  
• Pocket Tool: TRA Designs Splatter Anodized Chugger The Chameleon
  This actually belongs to my wife, but I love to carry it because my daughter is super into it and it's fun to fidget with. Taylor, the proprietor of TRA Designs, is such a good guy and is awesome to work with. I love the splash anodized finish Taylor does on all things titanium, so when it came to picking one out, it was a no-brainer. 
  
  
• Hank: Fox Hanx
  I became interested in Fox Hanx after seeing them in a ton of Instagram posts. Mary Beth over at Fox Hanx does an incredible job designing, fabricating, and packaging her handkerchiefs. Mine came beautifully wrapped with a printed monogrammed tag. I love the way they “drop” these in limited quantities. I use mine primarily for sticking out of my back pocket so people think I am sophisticated. Also, for wiping down my EDC. 
  
  
• Pen: Rotring Rapid Pro Ballpoint
  My coworker put me onto Rotring when he showed me his mechanical pencil and ballpoint pen. Things I like about this pen: The red ring, the clip, its diameter (about the same as a round Bic), and its retro-modern design aesthetic. This guy is always in whatever bag I am carrying around. 
  
  
• Earphones: Apple AirPods
  These are my favorite headphones ever. They come in an incredibly satisfying to open-and-close battery case. They sound awesome, Bluetooth pairing is flawless and they are just fun to use. I like that they charge with a Lightning cable so I didn’t need to add another charger to my life. I love listening to music, so these are with me every day. 
  
  
• Ring: The Ringman 
  This is a hand-carved brass ring from The Ringman in St. Augustine, Florida who has been in business on St. George Street for the last 25 years, They have been cranking out custom rings for school kids and tourists made of brass, stainless steel, and 10k gold. Mine is made of brass and has my wife’s name “Emily” carved into it.

Background:

If you had asked me 18 months ago what my hobbies and interests are - I would have told you cooking, photography, design, art, music, old cars, and motorcycles. That was before I got bitten hard by the EDC bug. 

In the middle of 2016, I decided I wanted a pocket knife for my birthday, so I started researching and ended up with a Benchmade Griptilian. Since then, I have been feverishly researching, buying, selling, trading, using, collecting, and obsessing over EDC gear, primarily pocket knives. 

For me, pocket knives check a lot of boxes. They have a function, a design aesthetic, and can be handled and toyed with. I also have a deep appreciation for the makers of custom knives.

What I didn’t foresee when I started collecting were two unexpected benefits. One is that I have engaged with my passion for photography in a new way. I take photos every day now, and, by focusing on a similar subject matter, I have improved my technical skills as a photographer. 

The second is the community. Never before have I met a group of individuals who are so welcoming, kind, generous, and equally as obsessive as me. It has been a pleasure to get to know and become friends with some of the guys from the EDC community. 

I love spending time with my amazing wife and daughter. We like taking adventures together, listening to music, gardening, and trying new food. My wife is super supportive of my EDC hobby. Recently, my 2-year old daughter melted my heart when she told me my knife had “nice walk and talk.” I also love to cook, especially for my girls.

Favorite EDC Tool:

My favorite piece of gear from my photo (second to my ring of course) would have to be my Peña slipjoint. When a knife is handmade with such care and skill from this quality of materials - there is just something very special about it.

I enjoy the colors, pattern, and feel of the micarta handle covers. The smoothness of the pull and the feedback from the action are great. This knife embodies everything I love about pocket knives.

Next On Your Gear Radar:

My next purchase will probably be a Maxmadco bolt action pen in black aluminum. I have had my eye on it for a while. I recently got to handle my buddy’s titanium version of the pen which sold me on it. Also, I would really like an Oeser Tengu Flipper.