Showcase #87: Industrial Radiographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma

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 Tulsa, Oklahoma, we talk to Josh (@lighterjobs) who works as an Industrial Radiographer. Josh first got into EDC because he was frustrated with poorly-made pocket knives, which never performed to his expectations. And like many of us, Josh’s quest for a better knife led him to discover the world of EDC - and there was no turning back. Read on to learn all about Josh’s minimal and exceptionally high-quality carry.

Featured Tools:

• Knife 01: Coye Forerunner
  I've always been a fan of fixed blades, and have collected them since I can remember, but always ended up throwing them in a bag or in a vehicle because the carry options seemed cumbersome to me. This particular fixed blade has a great sheath set up with a custom pocket clip, so it comes in very handy if I need something beefier than a folding knife.

• Knife 02: Krein Alpha
  A tactical folder is one of the only pieces of gear that changes in my rotation. This particular folder is my favorite in my collection. Manual opening liner locks are my preference, and even though the sub 3" blade is smaller than what I would normally prefer, the handles made of layered titanium, G10, and micarta make this very robust in hand while keeping the weight down.

• Light: Okluma DC1
  A flashlight is my most used piece of gear, so I have a pretty large collection of them, but my daily carry hasn't changed since I received this DC1 last year. I like gear that feels substantial in hand, so this custom brass light is perfect for me. It's a 3 stage clicky running on an 18350 battery.
  
  
• Pocket tool: Burnley Cypop
  This copper bottle opener/self-defense tool was a birthday gift I received more than three years ago from the maker who is a friend of mine. This is more of a worry stone for me and has been a daily carry since I received it.

Background:

My name is Josh Gilbert and I’m an Industrial Radiographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I consistently travel all over the country for work so I like to explore new cities and places in my down time.

I first got into EDC after going through a few cheap pocket knives every year. I knew there had to be quality pocket knives with quality steels made in the US. It didn't take long to find a good knife, but it quickly snowballed into an interest in all forms of pocket things.

Favorite EDC Tool:

My favorite is the Krein Alpha. All of the items in this showcase were custom orders I got direct from the makers, but I had the chance to visit Krein's shop while he made this one for me. It was really cool to see the process and gave me a whole new appreciation for folding knives, and made this one extra special for me.

Next On Your Gear Radar:

I'm very satisfied with my current carry which has been pretty solid for over a year now, but as a knife enthusiast, I'm always excited about custom orders I have coming up and when production companies announce their new offerings.