Showcase #324: Fabricator and Welder from Pennsylvania, USA

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.

Personifying the new breed of go-getters, Cody (@codys_carry) is a jack of all trades and master of one. Not only is Cody an expert welder and fabricator, but he also has experience in fence-building and the restaurant business. Never one to settle, Cody is also an aspiring knifemaker who has been studying the art and honing his craft for the past 5 years. Read on for Cody’s full rig rundown and take a deep dive into his diverse interests and passions.

What's in your carry?

• Multi-tool: Victorinox Alox Cadet
  I chose one of my Victorinox as I have collected a few. It slides perfectly into the 5th pocket of my jeans and it’s versatility makes it a great backup tool/knife.
  
  It comes in handy for the smaller cutting tasks like opening packages/mail. I love collecting the different colors of the Alox Cadets and Classics. It’s important to have reliable tools in my line of work and I don’t think you can go wrong with a classic swiss army knife.
  
  
• Fixed blade: Handmade 
  I actually made this knife myself from an old file. I have been making knives and other metal art as a hobby for the past 5 years now. I love this little guy. It’s pretty small and thin and is ideal for front pocket carry.
  
  I mostly use it for the larger cutting tasks while at work such as cutting thick insulation and breaking down cardboard boxes. It feels great to be able to use something I made myself. I love that feeling of accomplishment. It’s not a perfect knife but it reminds me of how far I’ve come as a maker/artist.
  
  
• Flashlight: Olight i3T EOS
  I always have a flashlight on me. As a job shop welder, I am constantly getting into tight spaces with little to no light and my Olight is always handy in those situations. I also use it to inspect my work/welds for any imperfections. It’s small and lightweight so it's very easy to carry. I didn’t realize how much a flashlight comes in handy until I started carrying one.
  
  
• Pen: Rotring 600
  My job requires me to always have a writing utensil of some kind whether for jotting down dimensions on a blueprint or keeping track of part numbers and the Rotring 600 works perfectly. It has a rugged steel construction with a great quality feel to it. My job is very rough and demanding on tools but this pen has held up great. It’s also just nice to have handy for sketching ideas and making notes.
  
  
• Watch: Citizen Nighthawk
  Although I have a number of watches I went with my Citizen Nighthawk. Lately, it seems to be getting the most wrist time out of my collection. I love the busy dial and being able to track another time zone is great since I have some family living in California while I live in Pennsylvania. Its size is perfect for my smaller wrists. Overall the Nighthawk is one of my favorites in my collection.
  
  
• Hank: Moocowmomma
  I have only recently started carrying a hank regularly. I don’t use them often but they come in handy for dabbing sweat away at work or wiping off my safety glasses. I love to color coordinate my carries and the hanks add some extra pop. I also love to collect them. There are a lot of great artists out there making some really great designs. As an artist/maker myself I can really appreciate them.

What's your story?

My name is Cody and I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I have worked many jobs including building fences, and have some experience in the restaurant business.

I have always enjoyed working with my hands and building things. For the last 15 years, I have worked as a welder/fabricator for the same small metal fabrication shop.

Around 5 years ago I purchased my first real EDC pocket knife and became fascinated with knives and knife making. I began researching and reading about knife making and wanted to learn everything I could about It.

Eventually, I decided I wanted to try it myself. The first knives I made were terrible, but 5 years later I believe my craftsmanship and knowledge about the craft has improved greatly. I know I have a long way to go and a lot to learn but I love doing it and don’t believe I’ll ever stop.

As far as other hobbies, I love to hang out and play video games with friends, listen to podcasts and create other types of metal art although I’d have to say combining photography and EDC gear collecting and posting daily to Instagram has been my main passion lately.

I first started heavily collecting and carrying different EDC gear around two years ago. It actually started with watch collecting and progressed into knives, pens, flashlights, multitools and all other manners of gear.

I tend to stick to the budget-friendly spectrum of gear at the moment. As far as posting my daily carry on Instagram I only started that about a year ago but I am loving it.

There are so many awesome, talented, and creative people in the EDC world. I love seeing the different designs, hand made creations, and awesome tools that come out of this great community of makers, artists, and collectors. As an aspiring knife maker myself, I find it truly inspirational.

Favorite EDC Tool?

I’d have to say my favorite piece from that set up would have to be the Victorinox Cadet for its versatility and collectibility. I have the Cadet in multiple colors and it finds its way into my pocket most days.

What's On Your Gear Radar?

It’s so hard to choose just one thing. There is so much cool gear out there and I am always drooling over it on Instagram. Since I got into the knife/EDC world, the Chris Reeve Sabenza has always been a grail knife for me. I would love to finally be able to pull the trigger on one for the collection.