Depending on the retention of the blade in the handle... reaching into your pocket to find a exposed razor could be a very bad day. So... many budget cutters may be Tip down just as a prevention from lawsuits. I can say this for the workpro as a button lock... having the blade tip down makes sense as you can press the lock as you pull the cutter and flip the blade out as part of the motion of drawing the cutter from your pocket. Tip up / Tip down... really depends on the locking system and or deployment options of the blade in my opinion. For example: A typical spyderco (or mostly any knife with a deployment hole) can actually be deployed relatively quickly from a tip-down carry if you use the "spydie-drop" deployment method as your primary blade deployment... as having it Tip down will let you pinch grip the hole as you draw the knife making it really easy to flip the handle down.
Pro-tip: The Klein electricians snips work better if you don't use 2 fingers in the holes. Put your ring finger in the bottom hole, and then use the meat of your palm on the top hole. Close your entire hand vs. just moving your finger. It's less fatiguing and it gives you more leverage. I have been carrying the Fiskars version for 2 decades now, can't start any cabling work without them!
Yes, as a low volt guy I use these every day and I was taught that technique by our lead technician within my first week. Much better control. 😎👍 And yes, I have big hands so I use the variation with the bigger loop on one side.
I have some similar Engineer scissors (which are also excellent), and they moulded the handle grips to make it more obvious that they should be held like this.
The electrician scissors are the best. Been using a pair that have rubberized handles at work for years. Never thought about getting a pair to EDC until now.
Used a pair (well several) through 21 years with the telephone company. The are lineman's 'snips'. Put your ring finger in one loop and palm the other loop. You can get leverage with one hand, enough to cut pennies in half. Barely open the end and they work as a flat-head screwdriver. They are stout enough to 'lever' something within reason. They make a good set of makeshift needlenose, and even half-ass as tweezers. I still carry mine everyday, in the pouch with the lineman's knife.
An Opinel is under $20, fantastic knife. Carbon steel or stainless, both are great. They require a little extra upkeep due to the wooden handle, but I've had mine for years and they've served me very well.
Opinel is now making knives with polymer handles in all kinds of colors, and stainless steel blades and lock collars. They maybe aren't as capable of a super-fine hone as the carbon steel blades, but they will NEVER rust, no matter how you neglect them...
@stereodreamer23 they can still rust - they're just not very prone to it. The standard No. 8 is also under $20, those are not. While they are a great knife, at $40, that's double what his goal was for this video.
I have one in blue, with the integrated whistle. I accidentally left in my fishing box for a couple of weeks with some wet stuff, took it our expected it to be rusty and surprisingly no rust whatsoever.
Only purchase tools you know you will use. I see a LOT of worthless items here that are just not worth the investment. Honestly, if you have something floating around that just keeps getting pushed to the side in your tool kit, throw it out. Do not go out and buy a bunch of multitools that clutter up your bag. I have tossed so many of those tools and mini bit sets that were all rusted up and missing bits. The best thing to do is buy JUST WHAT YOU NEED. Stop throwing your money away on things you THINK you need. Buy what you KNOW you will use. The rest is CLUTTER. If you know you need a certain tool, go buy that one tool. Not a kit with a hundred useless extra parts. A hardware store sells individual bits and specialty drivers that are better quality and treated to prevent rust.
That's a good point, but he is recommending things for everyone. Some things might suit you, while others might not. I think the decision to buy or not to buy is up to us consumers. Buy what you need; no item is useless, some are just not for you!
Nice to see him coming back down to the normie level. Honestly a huge reason why I stopped watching his channel. Just gassing over all the bougie gear he would showcase. "This fix blade is amazing, not that big either, oh I forgot to mention it's $600... and the next peice of gear I got on the list..." 😮😢😮 WTF man!?!?
im a general surgery resident and that Olight iMini 2 has been an absolute gamechanger. I attach it to my ID tag in the hospital and when i do rounds super early in the morning and whan i ahve to look at wounds and incisions, or like pupils, instead of ppl pulling out their phone lights or pen lights, i have mine out already. some of my coresidents and med students got one too bc of me
Under $20 for a knife, I would actually recommend a Rough Ryder carbon canoe or an opinel for stainless. You aren't getting a lot of fit and finish, but carbon steel folders were the bread and butter for 100+ years as pocket knives. You won't get the next thing since sliced bread, but you'll get something that can last a lifetime if cared for.
Zebra 33602 collapsible twist pens (2 pack) $14.39 at Able Paper & Janitorial Supply. Have not seen these at Walmart for ever so long, but maybe at some office supply store (Office Max/Warehouse, Staples, etc). Takes standard refills.
I have never understood why or how EDC knives are so expensive. I love EDC but could never justify the knife expense. I believe a knife is always good to have on hand and I have used for years the Wal-Mart Ozark trail folding knives. They only cost $5.94! Walmart even carries Gerber branded knives but the way I lose them I am not stressing at all if I lose my Ozark trail knives. They come sharp out of the package and as long as you sharpen them even with a cheap $5 knife sharpener, you won't need another knife.
I thought the same thing. This is probably the only one to recommend besides Ganzo knives, but they are kind of copy cats of others so most don't recommend.
It was, but they stopped making the Camp Plus EDC last summer when Ontario sold the business. I got a frost handle EDC from Chicago Knife Works before they sold out. I just picked up a DuraTech knife for about the same price that I like a lot.
Someone else mentioned it already, but there’s a technique for using those electrician’s scissors to get maximum leverage-in simple terms, you don’t really use your index finger/thumb. Instead, put your ring/middle finger through the bottom loop and mash the top one down with your whole inner palm/base of your thumb. Open them with your thumb by pressing/pulling the handles apart via the gap where the two halves meet. Hard to explain in text, but there are videos on RU-vid showing the “correct” way to use them. This is the reason for the funny shape of some of the asymmetrical versions on the market.
Regardless of how you use them, they’re super handy and will cut Kevlar, dyneema/spectra fishing line, you name it. They’re like a miniature version of heavy duty utility snips.
Tip down is safer, less liability. If the blade opens when tip up in your pocket, you're more likely to get cut when reaching into the pocket. imho, that's why Great video. You find stuff and deals I'm not even looking for. Ordered the Widgy grab bag. 🍻
Tip up carry is dangerous. I won’t carry a tip up knife except that it has a spring action, like an Axis lock. Definitely not in a liner or frame lock. Tip up carry is a fad that became popular about 15 years ago and I blame Emerson but that’s just my observation. It became popular because fan boys got the idea that it was cool to deploy the knife more quickly as though somehow it made them look ready for anything. The only thing it does is give your knife a chance to fall open in you pocket and then it either bites you, rips a whole a your favorite pants or both. To prevent this you have to tighten the pivot and that makes it stiff to deploy. Nobody needs a folding knife that quickly but it’s cool to fidget and flip it. If you need a deployable blade for self defense then you need a fixed blade. Utility knives don’t meet any of those requirement because they are tools! A knife is a tool first, always! Tip down carry will always be safer but that’s not popular and does not sell knives. Fan boys have ruined the market for liner and frame lock knives because they demand a tip up carry. Some of my favorite makers no longer offer a smart tip down option because fan boys won’t buy a tip down carry. My comment is only to the question about tip up carry. Thank you for opening the door. And this was a great video! I really liked this video. Keep rocking it.
This is interesting to me. I always was told if you carry tip up, the spine of the blade is “against the outer seam of your jeans” where tip down could open into the pocket and cut a hand coming into the pocket or the thigh/crotch. It alas made sense to me, but I’d love to hear the counter. You guys seem to have a solid argument.
@@paullanglois3768 I went to the comments because I'd never heard anyone prefer tip up. I prefer tip down for the safety reason and that's how I'm used to drawing one, but your point is valid. Except for lefties. For me tip up knives can be dicey because in the left pocket the seam aspect doesn't apply. More than once I've reached and stopped short because I feel the blade is half out or (luckily) gotten a mild poke. Stopped carrying one for that reason, the other I tolerate because I keep a hook blade in it for work so no pointy stab issues. *Edit: This all made me curious so I went through my knives and watched some vids on point up vs down. I see the benefits of both depending on the knife design. Unfortunately I also realized I never caught on to any of it because none are made with left hand in mind so I've always had weird multi-step opening and never considered otherwise.
I want to start off by saying to each their own and no judgement for whichever way u carry ur blades. I can see what u are all saying here if u carry a standard pocket knife in ur left pocket. The concerns here with tip-up carry do not apply for carrying in the right hand pocket. I have carried a pocket knife in right hand pocket for 20+ years and i can only think of one instance where my knife blade came open in my pocket. If it does come open in the right pocket, the seam holds it closed and might possibly put a hole in the pants, but not ur hand. Happy blade carry!
Sanremu 325S is a great slipjoint knife in 12C27. Sanremu is a Ruike brand, Ruike is the massive OEM that also has the sub-brands SRM and Real Steel, and they have done OEM work for many American brands, including but not limited to Spyderco, Kershaw, Boker+, CRKT, and Buck. Very, very good knife for the money. Lots of great deals on Ali Express but that's the best one currently, at least in my opinion.
I wanted to add that I like and have a few each of the Ulticlips and the HLR clips. The only drawback for me is in some cases, they catch on things. When I'm driving my camry, they have actually caught on the steering wheel while exiting the vehicle. And removed small chunks of the steering wheel. For real.
When I did a lot of low voltage electrical work (pulling ethernet cable and phone lines), I used the Klein Scissors every day, all day. The one with the wider handle makes a huge difference in grip too. Even though I don't do that kind of work regularly anymore I still have 2 or 3 pair of those around and in my bags, they are absolutely worth every penny.
Klein Tools makes a FANTASTIC folding utility knife that is $19.99, and it is the BEST folding utility knife on the market, IMO. I carry one every day to open boxes, and it is solidly build, has a flick-open-smooth action, and positive, rattle-free lockup. It's all-metal too, so it feels substantial in your hand, not like a toy, like most folding utility knives...
I've been using the milwalkee fastback for years now. It's not urban edc but I'm a tradesman (plasterer) and on site this tool is soo useful. Must use it 20-30 times a day and it saves you going to the tool box every one of those times.
I found one of those 4” crescent wrenches at an antique mall for $2 and have carried it for about a year and it comes it handy way more often than I expected it to. I initially bought it just because I love small versions of things lol.
@BestDamnEDC the reason you’re having issues with the scissors is because you aren’t holding them correctly. Lineman’s scissors aren’t used like standard scissors because they are used to cut wire. Have someone that has ran a bunch of Ethernet show you how to use them. It will change how you use them BIG TIME!
tip down on utility knives, i used to work at home depot, had a lot of contractors and construction guys come in, most of em carried fastbacks on the outside of their pocket, like they'd use the clip to hang it off their pocket, often a utility pocket, maybe they default tip down so the knife doesn't come open when its hanging outside your pocket? idk, i don't do that sort of work, but heck its a theory
I got a brand new street brass Zippo the other week for $18. You can also buy them second hand for even cheaper. They should have been on this list. They’re still under $20
Awesome check list!! You are the best edc guy on the planet, thank you for all that you do for us viewers. Greetings from Southern California, God Bless you, Alan
Great list! A few additions, maybe: 1) DuraTech folding button-lock utility knives, like Work Pro, but dark/stone-washed color. 2-pack on Amazon for $13. I always have one of these or a WorkPro on me. 2) Work Pro also has a self-contained precision driver/set, similar to the HOTO, but for half the price ($14 on Amazon). 3) Klein Tools Mini Ratchet Set - 5 bits + great mini ratchet with a generous ring. Despite it's small size, you can get a lot of leverage with it. The only reason it isn't my main EDC driver is that the Prestacycle Pro-T ratchet handle is even more compact, offers more leverage, and more versatility. It's over $20 though.
Good additions. Here are a few more knives: 1) DuraTech linerlock folding knife - nice flipper; brass washers and G10 handles 2) Morakniv Companion - Sandvik stainless with military green or orange handles 3) Baladeo Papagayo Lockback - cool little budget folder
Hey Taylor. Love all the Videos. You have me really thinking about fixed blades. Want to buy at least 2 or 3 to try but not willing to shell out big bucks on 3 blades just to try. How about a budget edc fixed blade video for people to if a fixed blade will work for them. Thanks for all the work man.
for $10, the Screwpop utility knife is hard to beat. Easy to operate, super lightweight, compact size. I bought several for keychains and to put in lightweight first aid kits so I always have a clean, sharp blade for emergencies. I've been shopping for better scissors, and those may just fit the bill! Also, the Crescent RT24 pliers are great little pliers for $10
Cool list - thanks. Some budget tools under $20 I have used and can recommend: True Utility KeyTool, Kershaw PT2 pry bar/bottle opener/wrench, CRKT Pocket Tool 9913 pry bar/bottle opener/cutter/hex-bit tool, SabreCut MRSC01 Micro-Ratchet, Opinel Picnic Plus fork & spoon for Opinel #8
To use the electrician snips on stouter materials put your ring finger through the bottom hole and nothing in the top one. Just let the top one rest in your palm. You can open them with your thumb. When I was a bit younger I once cut a quarter with a new pair.
1) Got my wife a foldable box cutter from Lowes. It sits on the bookshelf and she uses all the time to cut down boxes. 2) picked up a really nice pair of German tweezers, use them all the time for slivers. 3) Hide & Drink leather pocket protectors, use them daily. 4) STAEDTLER Mars Plastic Eraser Refillable Holder, since I use mechanical pencils, best to use these as your eraser as opposed to the tiny ones on the mechanical pencils. 5) I carry a small Zico torch lighter that I use to burn 550 para-cord, unfortunately they don’t make this model anymore but it’s their best design.
As soon as you showed the Anker USB-S Card Reader, I said “Yuuuuuuuuuup”. I’ve had mine for over a year and it has come in clutch so many times already
I use the Milwaukee 6-1 as my work knife, yeah its big compared to others but that is actually a good thing, the size and red color makes it easier to find when you set it down somewhere, mostly I use it for it boxes, I do use the screwdriver once in a great while. My personal EDC knife is a Victorinox Evo Grip 14, which lives in my backpack. I bought my 6-1 at the auto parts I work for so check your local auto parts store they may have it.
I carry the Irwin 4” vise grips. About $15, handles all the small scale ply and wrenching I run into. Paired with the crescent wrench they should be able to do everything the knipex can do.
Great video - EDC doesn't have to be expensive. I was disappointed you didn't include any knives.... There are some great knives under $20 or under £20 ( I'm from the UK)
It’s because some people can’t afford several hundred dollar knives, pry bars, flashlights etc..I love budget gear because if I break it…it doesn’t cost me a lot to replace it..that is why I love the 1505 for most tasks
The Gerber Paraframe Mini or the Kershaw Shuffle are some commonly found EDC Knives that you can still find under $20 also stumbled across the Kizer Denim Wallet as a different kind of pocket organizer under $20 and the Maxpedition Gear Tactical Travel Tray when on sale is a good EDC tray under the $20 Price Point. Thanks for the good Content.
That Anker USB-C CF reader is something I’ve used so many times over the years. I personally use the one that has a USB-A on one end and -C on the other (still costs less than $20.) The ability to move files from my devices/network to someone else’s or go from PC to phone/tablet is just fantastic. Ultimate sneakernet device.
Great video! Just a heads up your link takes you to a different model of the Klien’s. Your video you show the 2100-7 model, your link though takes you to the 2100-5 model which do not have the wire strippers built into them. Just wanted to pass it along
I got an imini 2 for Christmas it is PERFECT so much brighter than most people realize it lights up a small yard maybe 15-20ft and magnet helps. Great gift for anyone in the trades too small flashlight sticks in tight spots
The clip is in tip-down configuration so you don't have to make additional holes for it to install coz it's right where the pivot is, I think. And from a manufacturers perspective, that's cost-saving. Less process, less time consumed.
I actually have that same bolt action pen 😂, I wrapped 2 small rubber bands around it and 1 thin layer of electric tape around it where your fingers sit to give it some girth and control
The larger handles on the Klein scissors make all the difference, plus they come rubberized and that combined with a longer lever let you chop through some serious stuff. Use them everyday, combined with a retractable cable so I can drop them and not lose them
Cool edc set up: Maxpedition Fatboy Versipack. Victorinox Spirit X plus rachet.Victorinox Explorer.Fenix LD12 or E12/E20.+ a pair of extra batteries ( I like Energizer Lithium AA for spare or rechargable) Knipex 150 Cobra (you can avoid this, I just like to be as versatile as I can). Pentel Graphgear 500 0.5mm (if you also like sketching on the go!) or Pentel Kerry if you only use pencils to write. Fisher Spacepen (any). Write in the rain notebook (any). Buff (any! It has saved me from cold and many other emergencies, so many uses!) Falkniven CC4 (I like my blades SHARP!). 2 Bic lighters. Dental Floss + 2 small bundles of Kevlar + Steel wire. A small tin of meds,like painkillers, pills for diarea etc and bandaids ofcourse!. 10ft of Gorilla tape. That's 95% of my edc, I was itching to add the Klein or Knipex electritians scissors to my system, and now that this video also praises them, I'm probably going to add these too! The only reason I haven't already, is the fact that the Maxpedition that carries most of these, becomes too heavy at some point and I don't like that on long walks. Hope this list helps others, that are new to the party!
Those Klein snips are great. I started low voltage work a few years ago, opened a brand new pair and without even getting them out of the plastic box had already cut my finger wide open with them... and they were close lol
I use those Kline scissors at work. I've had them in my tool box for 6.5 years and they're still like going strong with little signs of wear. They'll cut through anything even better than scissors 2 or 3 times their size. Definitely worth a buy.
the gerber pry-brid is worth the $30 to minimize tool carry IMO. you get a nice pry-bar and a utility blade/knife. had it with me when i was doing IT/Network installs and it was a life saver more than once.
The Klein tools scissors are used best when you put your middle finger in one hole and use the inside of your palm to chomp down. The only time you use them with 2 fingers is scoring cable which is only recommended if you know what you’re doing and don’t damage the copper on cabling or simply cutting paper. As a LV commercial technician those are my #1 tool that is used daily in my trade. They’re meant for copper so they also cut through Pennie’s you should do a video of them cutting through one. Cheers!
I work in beverage retail, and I use a pry bar several times every week, to open wooden wine boxes. But I'll be honest, this is perhaps the only job I've ever had (and I've done all kinds of weird jobs) besides working in a print shop on old Heidelberg Letterpress machines, where a pry bar was something I would EVER need in my daily course of work. I'd wager that 99% of the people who are into EDC kit have precisely ZERO uses for a pry bar more than once or twice a year in their daily life...
I knew a guy when i was in construction who kept one that he knew was 1/4 in for doing spacing in decks. Always made me laugh that the best use for a prybar in his mind was a spacer with a pocket clip
I was hoping to see you give a recommendation for the Keysmart Nano Pliers. On the knife front, folders might be out but there a some decent fixed blade. Plenty of Moras are under $20. Also Cold Steel has the Bird and Trout knife as well as the Pendleton Hunter Lite.
20:30 its hard to get a grip and put pressure due to how you are holding those scissors. put your middle finger in the bottom ring of the scissor handle, and no finger (and no thumb) in the top ring. instead use the meat of your palm to apply downward pressure on TOP of the empty top ring. This is what allows you to apply alot of pressure to cut heavy gauge wire etc. There is a upgraded version of those scissors that costs a few bucks more. The upgraded Kleins have a single ring for your middle finger, and a elongated yellow plastic handle that fits good in your palm. worth the few extra bucks, so much more comfortable. Edit: if i remember right, the upgraded Kleins may still have the 2nd ring but also the elongated yellow plastic handle for comfort. I may have been thinking of the south wires that have strictly 1 ring and a comfort handle. both scissors rock. TLDR your holding the scissors like a girl. hold em like a man.
You should check out the Park Tool SZR-1 scissors. Serrated with really good rubberized Grips and very compact. I think those could solve the issue you had with the small finger holes.
I will say i have one of those work pro button lock utility blades and they are surprisingly smooth and fidgety, Bit of warning (and maybe its just mine but) it does destroy the other side of your utility blade so that may be a deal breaker for some
Awesome video! Could you please give me a recommendation on a kit or assortment of those tiny little screws that go in knives? I've lost a screw out of my pocket clip on my pyrite that I just got not long ago and would really like to start carrying it again.
Those Klein snips can cut through a penny like butter. As a low voltage technician I have used those things to fit through many things I was surprised by. I also like the Fluke version with the rubber handle, because you can put even more leverage into it. Klein makes a rubber handle version but the handle is thinner than the Fluke ones. And you are using them correctly, you put your finger in the bottom loop and put the top loop into your palm/thumb muscle.
Tip up or tip down all depends on the application. It took me a while to get used to tip up, I still think tip down is better because my thumb is on the pivot point without having to stick it all the way down in my pocket and I turn my wrist instead of changing my grip. In the end you do you 👍
My buddy worked for Ma bell telephone and carried his scissors for years I think they were before Klein. He could work twice as fast with them as I could with any other tools . He would laugh at us and swore by them for any type of electronic work Good choice!
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