What were the biggest changes to your EDC habits in 2018?

[vivi]

I had two big changes:

1. I switched from my Leatherman Micra to a Leatherman Rebar. The Micra is the knife I've EDC'd longer than any other. I always liked full sized multis but didn't like their bulky sheaths on my belt or the weight. The Rebar is fairly light for the size, and I've found it's comfortable enough to carry in cargo pockets. Especially wearing Tru-Specs with dividers in the cargo pockets so it stays vertical. I also found some Leathermans with pocket clips that work well for when I don't have cargo pockets.

2. I EDC fixed blades much more frequently. I found some carry methods that are convenient and unobtrusive, and I got over the social anxiety I had over carrying them in public. I realized no one around here cares, and I usually see 4-5 people per week open carrying one too. I like the tough, easy to sharpen steels. I like freeing up my pockets. I like how the sheaths keep the knife away from my body enough to mostly eliminate the issues I have with folders corroding from my sweat. I like the rounded, contoured handles that are incredibly rare in folders. I like that I can get nice customs for $40-80. I like that they allow for designs a folder could not offer. I like never worrying about dialing in a pivot, letting loc-tite cure over night, or worrying about lock issues.

I find the two compliment each other very well. I keep a fixed blade reprofiled to a thin, razor sharp edge and use it only when needed, such as for food or hard cutting tasks where the ergonomics come into play, and I use the Leatherman blades for general utility like cardboard, and dirty cutting tasks. My multis never, ever cut food.

I find myself buying and carrying folders much less often. A Leatherman Rev is about $25 and only weighs 5oz, and offers so much more utility than a single blade folder. Since getting a Police 4 I haven't been tempted by any others, but I have plans to try out the Leatherman Signal very soon. Looks like an awesome EDC / Hiking multi, offering most of the Rebars tools, + a hammer and better bottle opener, plus some woods specific tools.

How have your EDC habits changed in the last year?

[ladybug93]

i got too many knives that i want to carry all the time and started carrying multiple knives just because.

[Liquid Cobra]

I started putting more of my knives to work. It’s been fun.

[vivi]

i got too many knives that i want to carry all the time and started carrying multiple knives just because.

Haha, I think it's safe to say we've all been there. :D

[swigert]

I’ve carried the same knives for longer stretches. Really getting to know different knives. I need to sell a lot of knives is what I’ve realized lol.

[ladybug93]

i got too many knives that i want to carry all the time and started carrying multiple knives just because.

Haha, I think it's safe to say we've all been there. :D

i just ordered a yojimbo a few hours ago and i don’t know what i’m going to do. i’m thinking i’ll rotate between duos: manix/pac salt and yojimbo/native salt. i love the three of these i have too much to not carry them. i imagine the yojimbo will be the same way. i’m gonna have to be done with procuring knives for a while.

[Joey]

I hadn’t been much of an edc type of person before 2018. I always got by just fine without a blade, and would only carry one if I knew for a fact I would need it. I still believe we can easily get by without them, yet I also find I use them nearly every time I carry them.
So for me my biggest edc change is that I actually edc nowadays :)
Also like Ladybug93, I find I carry one or two more knives than I need, daily. It’s fun to look at them all and decide which ones get to come with!

[vivi]

I’ve carried the same knives for longer stretches. Really getting to know different knives. I need to sell a lot of knives is what I’ve realized lol.

I started putting knives I haven't used in a while in a different drawer. I keep my EDC rotation drawer pretty minimal compared to the 200+ options it had at one point. If I don't feel like getting one of those knives out after a month or two, they get sold or traded towards new models.

Right now my 3 drawers are setup like this:

Multis & Flashlights: Leatherman Rebar, Rev & Micra, Victorinox Farmer, Fenix UC35, Fenix PD22, some nitecore headlamp

Folders: Police 4, PE and SE Pacific Salts, SE Spyderhawk, Manix XL, Large and XL Voyagers, 5" Tanto Voyager 2nd gen.

Fixed: Street Bowie, Ronin 2, Aqua Salt, Swick 3, TDI, Landi EDC, L T Wright Frontier Valley, Izula 2, ESEE 6HM

Plus a few machetes, choppers and axes.

I can still chop down that rotation to half of what it is, but its progress.

[vilePossum]

Switching back to a SAK as my edc choice. Cause anything else is overkill and overrated for my personal situation. Even spydercos and sebenza.
It is nice to own nice knives. But at the end of the day I realized that a SAK provides me with more value and usability at a fraction of the cost.

[Tims]

The biggest change to my edc habits have been

-carrying larger folders than previous years. I appreciate the utility of a +3.5” blade.

-I only bought one flipper in 2018 and it may be my last. I live near the beach and despite being vigilant about sand in my pockets, carrying tip down, my pivots always manage to pick up sand. Ball bearing pivots and sand just don’t mix.

- I stopped pocketing a flashlight in 2018 because I switched to dayshift and had no need for one.

- I started carrying a small edc type bag that I keep all sorts of stuff in like a multitool, flashlight etc. I got it free with a knife purchase and had put it aside. I used it one day realised how handy it was.

I’ve been looking at multitools to pocket carry because I’ve found I use my multitool more than I use my knife. The one I have is too big and heavy to pocket carry so it stays in the bag. Though I’m afraid if I find one I really like I won’t use my knives anymore! I would only carry one or the other on my person

[The Deacon]

The Spyderco models I EDC have remained pretty constant for 14 years. Most days It's still a Stretch (generally one of my "woodies") in my back pocket, one of my many Kiwis in my watch pocket, and my micarta Jester with my keys. OTOH, the novelty of carrying an auto "because I can" finally wore off early in 2018, so I'm not adding one of those to the mix anywhere near as often.

[ZrowsN1s]

I have a leatherman charge titanium with the S30V blade I carry at work.... never use the 2 knives on it. Just the pliers and screw drivers. I can't imagine reaching for those ho-hum blades with the flimsy liner locks when I got a Spyder in my pocket. Never happens. If I needed scrape some gum off my shoe, I might use the blade on my leatherman

Biggest EDC change for me in 2018 was the Shaman. I don't carry bigger knives very often. I'm a Native/Delica fan and the Yojimbo was the largest thing I ever carried on a regular basis. But then I got a Shaman. And something about that knife just felt right. Everytime I pick it up, I think "yes".

I got it on a whim in a trade just to see what it was like. I was so surprised by how much I liked it, it's inspired me to try some of spyderco's other large folders in the future (large for me not for vivi :D ).

[standy99]

Found a Parra3 became a long time EDC this year.

Found I used more fixed blades with buying a few mules to play with for food prep.

[Sjucaveman]

I found myself carrying last knives. I really like blades around 3.5 to 4 inches now.

[Nate]

-Prior to getting a PITS, I generally didn't care for knives with ti scales and almost exclusively carried models with a finger choil. Now it's one of my most carried blades, it really broke my edc mold.

-I used to only carry my edc iwb when running, in shorts, etc... In 2018 I started carrying there pretty much all the time (as long as the blade is appropriate for it).

-Rotation crashed. Lots of good blades spent 2018 in the box. Other knives do still get carried/used depending on the situation, but the Chaparral lw and PITS dominated for me on a day-to-day basis in 2018. Honorable mention to the Manbug Salt on my keys, but while I like having it there it's seldom used.

-Got more into flashlights. After trying a few small AAA lights settled on the Thorfire TK01 with Nichia to ride on my keys with the Manbug. I always have a light in my backpack, but having one on my keys as well has come in handy more times than I can count. Also got a bunch of 18650 powered stuff for various uses, but they aren't carried daily.

[zhyla]

I kinda sorta switched from SE to PE. Two main reasons. I got a Chaparral and realized that it can keep up with SE blades. And I got my Positron dialed in enough that I carry it a lot.

I’d still probably take either of those knives in SE if they were available. Definitely the Positron. That would be a hoot.

[The Meat man]

Biggest change for me was getting my first Spyderco in January last year.

[BobABQ]

Granvitating to smaller knives. I work in an office setting so my knife chores are pretty light duty. If I am in my garage and I need something for heavy duty cutting I grab a fixed blade hanging on the wall.

[vivi]

The biggest change to my edc habits have been

-carrying larger folders than previous years. I appreciate the utility of a +3.5” blade.

-I only bought one flipper in 2018 and it may be my last. I live near the beach and despite being vigilant about sand in my pockets, carrying tip down, my pivots always manage to pick up sand. Ball bearing pivots and sand just don’t mix.

- I stopped pocketing a flashlight in 2018 because I switched to dayshift and had no need for one.

- I started carrying a small edc type bag that I keep all sorts of stuff in like a multitool, flashlight etc. I got it free with a knife purchase and had put it aside. I used it one day realised how handy it was.

I’ve been looking at multitools to pocket carry because I’ve found I use my multitool more than I use my knife. The one I have is too big and heavy to pocket carry so it stays in the bag. Though I’m afraid if I find one I really like I won’t use my knives anymore! I would only carry one or the other on my person

I did the opposite with lights. I went from a Nitecore TIP to a Fenix UC35 because I work an outdoor night shift where I need a good light.

[Cali HogHead]

After reading about it here, carrying IWB became something I do frequently. With how I organize my pockets, I needed one or two side pockets on my pants to carry everything comfortably (think Carhartt work dungaree). IWB makes it simple to commit to carrying no matter what I'm wearing.