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Last Week’s Knife Thoughts 2026-2-16

Keychain EDC

One of the classic ways to carry your EDC tools is on your keychain. It makes sense, since you likely carry your keys with you all (or most) of the time anyway. There’s a whole world of keychain sized tools out there; everything from flashlights, to pens, pry bars, and of course knives.

I have carried a full keychain EDC before, but don’t currently. I find that it becomes cumbersome quickly, and isn’t such a great look to have a big tangle of metal clinking and swinging around. Still, I do keep a few things other than keys on my keychain:

  • Barlow Bearcat Club Copper Coin
  • Rough Ryder Cross Slipjoint (bone scales removed)
  • Apple AirTag

I used a simple dangler hook for years, but recently have been using a Nite Ize G-Series clip.

That said, I do have two keychain kits setup currently. One I keep on my backpack (… sometimes) and the other I keep next to my door at home. Do I use them much? No, but it’s fun to put together intentional setups and can be useful to have them around.

Left (black) setup:

  • Olight iMini 2
  • Mini Sharpie
  • Spyderco Manbug Leaf
  • Nextool Mini Sailor Lite

Right (silver, USA made) setup:

  • Christy Companion
  • Maratac Widgy Pry Bar
  • TEC Accessories PicoPen
  • MagLite Solitaire LED
  • ASP Palm Defender

Do you carry a knife or any other EDC tools on your keychain?

Jack Wolf Knives Gunslinger V3 Unboxing

These will be available on 2/26/26. Get yours at Traditional Pocket Knives (affiliate link).

Honey Badger Arsenal V4 Bolt Action Machined Titanium EDC Pen Review Video

GEC made Waynorth Bison Belly Video

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Last Week’s Knife Thoughts 2026-2-9

Sharpening System in Your Pocket; DMT Credit Card Diamond Stones

This past week one of my Jiu Jitsu training partners asked me to sharpen their knife, but in the bustle of getting ready for the day I forgot to put my knife maintenance kit in my bag. Thankfully, I keep a Coarse-Medium-Fine trio of DMT Credit Card Diamond Sharpeners in a tool pouch in my car. With just those three unobtrusive tools I was able to get his knife respectably sharp in just a few minutes.

I have been using DMT’s Credit Card stones for years, and think they’re some of the most convenient and useful sharpening tools available. They are literally the same dimensions as a credit card, maybe a bit thicker than plastic cards but similar to metal cards, and can actually fit in a wallet. They can be held securely with one hand as you hold the knife with the other – no table needed. Like any bonded sharpening tool they will wear out, the grit is just applied to a metal card rather than throughout like on a traditional stone, but I’ve found them to last remarkably well. Whether on the road, in the outdoors, or just at work you can keep them close by anytime.

Of course, any unguided sharpening stone requires that you learn how to sharpen freehand. While it takes more care and work than a guided angle sharpener or pull through sharpener, I think freehand sharpening makes up for it mainly in the satisfaction it brings. Freehand sharpening can be meditative, bringing you into the process in a fulfilling way. It’s similar to what I described about Fountain Pens and Traditional Knives in this article:

Intentionality Over Practicality: Traditional Knives and Fountain Pens

Anyway, these DMT Credit Card stones have served me well and I recommend them if you want a convenient portable freehand sharpening system. If you’d like to get some for yourself, you can find them at the link below (I am not sponsored by DMT and have purchased all the stones I use. The link is an Amazon Affiliate link).

https://amzn.to/3Zo8Iw9

Great Eastern Cutlery 2025 #25 Watch Pocket Barlow Full Run Review Video

Cold Steel Ranch Boss Review Video

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Last Week’s Knife Thoughts 2026-2-2

Leather Goods & Every Day Carry

A fellow Barlow Bearcat recently gave me a beautiful handmade leather pocket notebook cover. Carrying it has made me consider the integral connection between leather goods, knives, and EDC in general.

Any knife enthusiast knows that leather is the classic material for fixed blade sheaths. Sure, thermo-plastics (ie Kydex) and other modern materials have their benefits, but there’s something so natural (pun intended) about a traditional leather sheath for a fixed blade.

Knife slips, such as are often used for traditional pocket knives, are also most commonly made of leather. While I took a while to be converted to using pocket slips, I now greatly appreciate the utility and beauty of handcrafted slips like those from Lynch Leather and Sage Grouse Leather.

Of course, there’s also the EDC item that most people (even those who’ve never heard the term Every Day Carry) keep on them; a wallet. I haven’t done a survey, but I’d bet the majority of wallets carried in America are still leather or faux leather. I often use a waxed canvas pouch from a maker called Katahdin Packs as a wallet, but I also enjoy leather wallets for their classic style.

Leather goods seem to work their way into all facets of every day carry. Without turning this into a historical inquiry, I’d imagine it’s because it is a durable but pliable material that has been available for millennia. How do you incorporate leather goods into your EDC?

Sage Grouse Leather Barlow Bearcat Club Slip, Lynch Leather Wallet, Frank S. Notebook Cover, & GEC H10 Sheath

5 Cent Knives from Amazon Haul Video Review; Win+ & WarSpear

Leatherman Bolster Budget Multitool Video Review

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Last Week’s Knife Thoughts 2026-1-26

Color Coordinated Carry

I remember when orange was the cool color in the EDC community. Everything came in various shades of orange, and people posted matching carries with knife, flashlight, pen, pouch, and trinkets all in orange. Not to say orange has exited the zeitgeist of EDC entirely, but the community seems to have in some ways moved on. Not me! I still enjoy throwing a bunch of orange stuff in my pockets often, and have been carrying some this week. Namely:

  • Hinderer XM-18 3.5 Skinny Slicer
  • Everyday Kara’s Basik 004 All Hallows Eve
  • Katahdin Packs Small Accessory Pouch

Now, while I have carried my orange GEC #71 Bullnose a bit, I’ve mostly carried two traditional knives gifted to me by fellow Barlow Bearcats. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying both the Great Eastern Cutlery Gunstock Jack SFO #25 Watch Pocket Barlow (thanks Austin!) and GEC made Waynorth Bison Belly (thanks Charlie!); they’re not orange, but they sure are classics! I also don’t have an orange flashlight currently and, truth be told, don’t carry one that often.

Do you coordinate what tools you carry? If so, how?

SOG PowerPint Review Video

Victorinox Super Tinker Review Video

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Last Week’s Knife Thoughts 2026-1-19

An Old Favorite

I carried my ProTech Godfather leading up to and some of this past week. It’s a long and mean looking out the side automatic. It has a classic design that just looks stellar, with a coffin-esque handle and a dagger style blade. The action is incredible; it thwacks out with authority. That’s all said, it has a relatively thickly ground blade and a needle point tip. I got it as a gift to myself for hitting a big personal milestone, so it also holds sentimental value for me. It might not be the most utilitarian knife in my collection, but it sure is one of the coolest.

Jack Wolf Knives Timber Jack Review

It’s exciting to see custom knife makers like Tracy LaRock working with Jack Wolf Knives. As the largest slipjoint from JWK so far, the Timber Jack comes with a hefty blade and a sturdy spring. No surprise, being a Jack Wolf Knife, it is made superbly. Check out my review video below.

Barn and Brook Feather Knife Review

You can’t beat a handmade in the USA fixed blade with a unique design for ~$75. Is it the most practical knife out there? No, but sometimes practicality isn’t the point. Check out my video on the Barn and Brook Feather Knife below.

Civivi Sendy Slippy & Sencut Sylor Review

The Sendy Slippy is an interesting take on a modern slipjoint. I like the design, but it could use a stronger spring for sure. The Sylor is another high value per dollar knife from Sencut. Check out my video on them below.

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