What have you recently changed/added to your EDC?

I see the list your EDC posts come and go from time to time but I can never keep track of the new ideas. So here is your chance to show off the new toy and keep the ideas floing. What have you changed or added recently to your EDC.
I have changed my cell phone to a smaller model with an external battery instead of the small battery inside a panel on the old one. I'd estimate it to be 2/3 the size and weight but the same battery life/talk time and gps locator for 911 calls. Then I added a spare battery as a backup. Added a mini compass and some bandages to my mini psk.

Just my means of carry,I had brown poly-pro,horizontal carry pouches made for my multitool and Arc light.Blends quite well with a brown leather belt.Gets dirty,into the wash.I've always disliked the tactical look of black nylon.Just my preference.It's completely changed the feel of carry for me.The weight is distributed differently and it feels close to no-carry.I'll never go back to vertical pouches.Only other addition is a small pill fob to carry a spare battery for my light.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

I added a Leatherman Juice S2 (it actually replaced a Sebertool M3). The old style multi-tools were just too heavy and bulky, but the S2 is pretty reasonable. What I really want is something like the S2, but in titanium to reduce weight. I really don't understand why no one has made a titanium multi-tool.

-john

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

John, have you seen the new Ti Leatherman Charge?

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

I think that the reason that no one has made a titanium multitool is that it doesn't harden well. I've even messed up a couple of the wave tool because in certain apps stainless steel is too soft (I knew it would end up messed up but had to do it). The new Ti leathermen only have ti handles and really aren't any lighter than current offerings, if I remember correctly.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

As soon as I get my new Arc light and new knife I will be totally reshaping my EDC. My plan is to have on me all the time 2 knives (Microtech Tarzuola and SPyderco Assist) Wave, Arc LS4, pouch with latex gloves, small notebook, my cellphone and small PSK/FAK. The only problem that I forsee is that I can carry most of my stuff in the belt pouches with will validate my nickname (800 - after 800 eq checkout sheet on the ambulance). So I need to find a way to carry my second knife in secure location without upseting my pocket balance. My backpack that I carry with me all the time stay the same.

But a change that was done recently and is pernament: added a Photon Freedom to my dog tags.

Matt

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Titanium sucks. Well, kind of. My watch and glasses are titanium, and it's not as impressive as you'd think. It's super soft and scratches easily. For most things you'd be better off with aluminum imo. Titanium can't compare to the hardness and strength of steel in most applications, when it matters most. And when it doesn't... aluminum is probably the better choice.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Added a Spyderco Jester recently, and am looking for a good keychain digital voice recorder, which I started another thread on.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

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Frangible said:
Titanium sucks. Well, kind of. My watch and glasses are titanium, and it's not as impressive as you'd think. It's super soft and scratches easily. For most things you'd be better off with aluminum imo. Titanium can't compare to the hardness and strength of steel in most applications, when it matters most. And when it doesn't... aluminum is probably the better choice.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought that some helicopters use a titanium hub for the rotor blades - so always presumed it was a tough, hard and strong metal.
Are there different grades of 'hardness' for titanium?

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

If I understand correctly there are different grades of any kind of steel, basically made by pureness and by mixing other materials in. My guess is on the Leatherman Ti that they are using it for the handles and pliers and probably not the blades.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Yes, there is no alloy of titanium hard enough to use it in a knife blade. Pretty much everything is Ti-6Al-4V. All titanium alloys are soft.

You *can* use titanium for structural things... but keep in mind there's a difference between "strong" and "hard". (insert Beavis and Butthead laughter here)

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Yes, there are different hardnesses of Ti alloy, but the key thing here to remember is the weight difference. Ti is stronger than steel POUND FOR POUND. Steel is still almost always stronger, but just a lot heavier. In a helicopter, obviously, they're going for the lighter weight. In a tool, you're probably better off with steel.

I love Ti; my favorite planes are made out of the stuff. But cool as it is, it's not a wonder metal suitable for all tasks.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Just this week, I'm experimenting with a small Mag-light on my neck lanyard. I've carried a 256MB flashdisk on a lanyard for months now, and inherited a tool box at work. Looking through it the other day trying to find a wrench, I discovered the Mag-light (what the heck is the name of their smallest model????).

Anyway, it's not very bright, but it's also really small and light. So I looped it's split metal ring through the lanyard and am carrying it.

Used it today to find a USB port at the back of a PC that was in a podium cabinet. Didn't need a lot of light, just enough to find the port. Worked great and it was more handy than digging through my pocket for the X1. I was plugging the flashdisk into the PC anyway, and already had the lanyard out and ready.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

I had not heard of the Leatherman Charge Ti. I had pretty much given up doing web searches since you get a lot of hits for Titanium Nitrate finish.

It doesn't look like the Charge Ti does anything to help the weight tho. It looks about as heavy as the Wave (8+oz). I'm carrying the Juice S2 which is something like 4.4oz. It kinda looks like the Ti is just for looks.

In regards to the suitability of Ti, I don't think this is a problem. I think you just have to consider how you use it. Basically, I think the idea would be to use it for all the structural components such as the handles, pliers, bit holders, etc. The knife blade (if any), and bits would be whatever steel they are normal made of.

I noticed that they make titanium fishing pliers already:



If hardness was a problem you could always put a little steel plate on the surface of the plier mouth. Note they already attach carbide cutters on the pliers in question.

I understand that titanium is liable to get and show scratches, but that is only cosmetic and doesn't bother me. I EDC a Sebenza with bead blasted titanium handles and I've actually grown rather fond of the finish. The Sebenza is a great example of the perfect mariage between steel and titanium:

pics

-john

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

I ve received yesterday a couple of Twisty keyrings, both sizes, for truck keys and house keys, s.steel made, are GREAT and thinner than normal rings.Try them on, you can find them in flashlightlens.com /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

LBonser, welcome to CPF. The smallest Mag model is called the Solitaire and it uses 1AAA. We all hate it here. The favorite 1AAA light here is the Arc AAA which is about a billion times better than the Solitaire, but unfortunately the manufacturer (a CPF'er) is having production problems so they are hard to buy right now. The CMG Sonic is a close substitute--though of lower quality than the Arc, it still beats the pants off the Solitaire. For a dogtag light though, a coin cell light like a Photon probably makes the most sense. Countycomm.com sells some of these for $1.00 each in bags of 20 that aren't the greatest but which are perfectly functional.

Re what I've changed/added recently: I added a Spyderco Jester to my keychain along with its matching Photon II. I really love that little combo. I previously had an Arc AAA on the keychain and adding the knife made the keychain clumy enough that I (gasp!) removed the Arc. I felt naked without the Arc (even though the Photon was there) and still do sometimes, so I put the Arc back on and removed it again several times, but now I think it's staying off. I just drop the AAA (or some other light) in my pocket if I think the Photon won't be enough.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Paulr,

Thanks for the kind welcome. I'm itching to get an Arc, even moreso when I learned that their based right here in Arizona. I like supporting local businesses.

But when I go to their website, they indicate that they are backordered 5 to 6 weeks. As you say, they've apparently got some sort of production problems. I'm still intending on getting one eventually.

And as I said, the Solitaire was sort of a freebie. It was in the bottom of a tool bag I inherited at work, so I thought I'd give it a try. So far, carrying a light that size on the lanyard with the flashdisk hasn't been distracting, so I'll probably continue to do so. But the X1 is still riding around in my pants pocket along with the Leatherman Juice S2.

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

Added a Tom Anderson NukuPod to the keychain, along with some Ti-&-Cf bits (from Usual Suspect John T. Wylie, Jr.: little pry-device/EKI pivot adjuster, CF-scaled Ti spanner wrench for Bull-Pivot Strider folders, both ano'ed "Wylie electric blue" - and a dimpled and double-ano'ed keyfob from the same).

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

What's a NukuPod? From Tom Anderson himself:

[ QUOTE ]

It's a nifty little device that's ø1/2" diameter and about 1 3/4" long (not counting the ring). Just like the Nukubaton II's, it's made from 6AL4V titanium, has 18 holes through the O.D. and one through the "Nuke" containment screw in the front. The tritium vial is secured in a cushion of silicone rubber to protect it from impact.

In other words, it's kind of like a "Glow Ring" on steroids!


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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

Allen
aka DumboRAT

Re: What have you recently changed/added to your E

LBonser, Turbodog is setting up a group buy on some old-stock Arcs that he managed to locate. You might look for that thread and try to get in on it. I also had a Solitaire on my keychain for a while but switched to a Photon II which I find much nicer. Main drawback of the Photon is that changing the batteries is a bit of a chore, and you have to either order them online or pay a bundle for them. But for typical keychain use, they do last quite a long time.

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It's fascinating to watch the rapid transition of the Arc AAA from product to legend in such a short period of time. I chuckle when I seen Arc's travails summarized as "production problems". Whatever the future holds, it's a natural that someone, somehow, will continue to marry the AAA cell to a high output LED in a tough EDC package. It would be really nice to see someone (like Dorcy) produce a low cost, consumer oriented 1 AAA powered under-driven Luxeon light.