Designing Carry Kits
A while ago I was on the hunt for the “perfect” keychain tools to fill out my keychain. I realized rather quickly that those keychains are awful EDC items despite their sustained popularity in the community. They are heavy, inconvenient, hard to use, and absolutely brutal to carry, basically feeling like you have a metal pine cone in your pocket. They also involuntarily stonewash all of your gear including your cellphone’s screen. I had a bunch of tools that were really too small to carry on their own but were actually pretty nice pieces of kit, like the superb and now out of production Leatherman Squirt PS. After seeing this post on Spydercollector, I had an idea—the ultralight carry kit. And over the past ten years, I have been working on pairs of tools and lights that complement each other and at the same time make these tiny tools a bit easier to use.
There are two things about these kits that are not obvious from the outset: 1) the ways in which the physical joining of the two items improves utility; and 2) the method of connection.
Almost all of these tools suffer from one serious drawback—they are too small to use comfortably on their own (the Wenger Aphid 2 being an exception). The idea is that by combining the two you essentially make the tool not being used in a lanyard. The Spyderco Jester is a two finger knife, but by adding the light on via a semi-rigid connection, it gives you an additional bit of purchase.
I use two primary connectors: ultra small Ti split rings (usually from County Comm, found here) or locking Nite Ize S-biner No. 1s. I’d prefer the S-biners every time but some gear won’t allow for the S-biner to pass through its connection point. If that is the case, then I resort of the less flexible split rings, which, in this size require a split ring pliers to work. So that is another item you should have if you want to make some of these ultra-compact carry kits—a pair of split ring pliers, which are super cheap.
Here are my current roster of carry kits:
The Travel-Safe Kit
Lumintop Frog
The purpose of this kit is pretty obvious. Since 9/11 the TSA has really changed how we travel and part of that is a restriction on knives of any sort. The Style PS has regularly and easily passed through TSA with me on dozens of flights with no problem. Obviously, I can’t guarantee it will work, but as of the writing of this post, it seems to comply with TSA rules. It has no knife blade, but it does sport scissors and so it will do cutting work in a pinch. The Frog is a gem of a light that works as a charger for 10180 cells as well. It is stunningly bright for its size and has a dead simple UI. It can’t tailstand but it does help make the Style PS’s handles a little more friendly for full sized hands. In a real pinch, when you can’t have your knife babies with you, this will do. And when you get home you can look forward to sleeping in your own bed AND carrying a blade.
The Jester Kit
Knife Joker’s 20CV Spyderco Jester Sprint Run
Sofrin SC01
The Jester is, without question, the best micro knife/keychain knife design ever. It is the Ladybug but a smidge more ergonomic. It is a perfect two fingered knife. But its production history is spottier than a Dalmatian. This was a sprint run and it is the only one, I think, with PM steel. This is the best version of an all time classic. But, as good as the knife is here, the light is definitely is peer. With a twist, twist more UI the SC01 is a masterpiece. I think it is OOP which is a real bummer, but the Jester deserved an equally great light and this is it. Bright, simple to use, and a useful lanyard and handle extension for an itty bitty knife, this kit really shows just how good these pairings can be. On hot days in the summer, this tucks into my thin shorts and I am good to go. The light also serves as a charger for 10180 cells, like the Frog.
The Full Custom Kit
Veleno Designs Steve Ku 40DD (Q2 prototype)
A truly micro fixed blade is tough to pull off and when it happens, sometimes you get real magic (see: Atwood Mini Son of Pry Thing). The Aphid 2 unquestionably belongs in that tier of great designs. The sheath, the blade shape, and the handle are all superior. But one thing stands out here—the grind. I have never received a sharper knife ever. It is mind-bogglingly sharp. Nothing even comes close at all. Such a compelling knife deserves to be paired with an equally compelling light and here the now ancient QTC driven 38DD is elegant and charming. I wish it were a bit brighter, but that just gives me something to hunt down. Anyone want to part with a Muyshondt Maus?
The Full Function Kit
This was my first carry kit, as the Aurora really kicked off the whole “useful lanyard” micro flashlight thing in my head. It was the size of an AA battery but had 600 lumens for output. That’s not bad at all, even now years later. The major problem is that Leatherman discontinued the Squirt line in favor of the truly terrible Micra (this strikes me as a smaller profit margin issue and not a demand issue). If I were remaking this kit I would use a Gerber Dime, but only if I could return it easily. It took me a few tries to get one with good fit and finish and now it permanently lives in my desk at work. You can track down Squirts, even the PS4, if you want, but it has skyrocketed in price. New old stock version are selling on Amazon for $110.
The Pocket Tool Kit
For places where there is no need AT ALL to cut stuff, but there might be a need to fix or open something, say, like a very young child’s birthday, this kit will do. This kit it is awfully limited, and this is one reason I am not a fan of pocket tools. If I combine this with a blade, I feel like I have a really versatile set up as a pry tip is pretty darn useful.
Amazon Links
Nite Ize Locking S-Biner No. 1
Sofrin SC01