Everyday Carry, or EDC as it is namely called, is an ideology that is more than simply carrying a firearm—it is a lifestyle. In the gun industry, we have spent an abundance of time building the ultimate carry pistol and fashioning accessories to make it better. But we don’t discuss everyday carry as an ideology and lifestyle. The chances of a person ever brandishing their concealed carry pistol are slim—as in minuscule. And as important as carrying that firearm is, the other tools that accompany you daily see more use. (Not to mention, these tools are an extension of an individual’s personality). But that is the goal of this series—to discuss the other tools, gadgets, and gear that a person carries and how they relate to EDC as a lifestyle.

The Most Important Tool

The pocketknife. It is a tool that has transcended time and has accomplished almost any task imaginable. Its styling and design cater to the eye of the user. While we could debate for hours on the perfect carry gun, the perfect knife, however, is another digression entirely. I enjoy knives, whether it be collecting them, using them, or simply carrying them, I find I rarely leave home without one. But I don’t consider myself a knife aficionado. Many can carefully dictate the finer aspects of various knife steels or why certain blade shapes (clip point, drop point, etc.) favor different tasks. It can be a lot (and maybe a bit presumptuous to some however, I am probably like that when it comes to the discussion of firearms), but I find them enjoyable all the same. I’ve carried quite a variety of knives from quite a few manufacturers (although I haven’t gone the custom or boutique manufacturer route yet) and have settled on design features that I adore for concealed carry. And that’s where the subject of this article centers, the making of what I think is the perfect EDC pocketknife. One disclaimer: I am excluding fixed-blade knives for this discussion. They will be the subject of a future article.

The Benchmade Osborne

“Highly regarded as one of the quintessential EDCs of all time, the Warren Osborne-designed 940 and 943 folding knives are slim and stylish and have performed in just about any situation imaginable over the past decade.” When I think of a well-polished and handsome yet dependable and durable EDC knife, Benchmade’s 940 series of knives is what comes to mind. The smooth Axis lock, reverse-tanto blade shape, and overall knife profile are striking and memorable. It’s stood the test of time. And for me, it just hasn’t hit the mark in aesthetics and features that I look for in an EDC knife. Disappointing, I know.

Some things that have annoyed me with the design are its standard pocket clip that sits below the pocket line and its aluminum scales, which have always felt cold and slippery to me. However, it wasn’t until recently that I learned Benchmade offers a custom builder function on their website for of a few of their main offerings—including the 940.

Building a Custom Knife

Benchmade states that the knife builder process takes less than 60 seconds. Maybe that’s true if it weren’t for the many options that include scale material and color, blade steel, liner color, blade finish, spacers, thumb lug finish, pocket clip type and finish, screw color, and axis color. With all of this, it can take time to sort everything out to build the perfect knife. For me, I went with a simple elegance that packed all the features I looked for.

Here's the list of features I went for:

• Black G10 Scales. G10 and Micarta are my favorite scale material. I find G10 to remain grippy even when wet.
• Satin-finished S90V blade. S90V is the middle of the road when it comes to corrosion and toughness but is one of the best when it comes to edge retention.
• Two-Hole Deep Carry pocket clip in black. This sits the knife below the pocket line to help with concealment and limits banging the knife into things.
• As for the liner, axis, spacers, and screws, I went with black for purely aesthetic reasons.

After viewing the final model design on Benchmade’s builder, I ordered it. Less than two weeks later, the knife arrived. It’s everything I wanted in a perfect EDC knife. The all-black look with a satin-finished blade is striking. It doesn’t stand out in a crowd, but the knife’s simple elegance requires a closer observation. But that’s what I want in an EDC blade. I don’t want it to draw attention.

As mentioned above, I was able to rectify my long-standing arguments against the 940—its scale material and its pocket clip design. The G10 scales are handsome-looking yet practical, while the pocket clip provides a comfortable carry while remaining concealed. The 940 feels like an extension of my hand. The Axis lock is an industry standard that you are now seeing replicated, and the blade shape is perfect for many of the tasks I confront daily. I also find that it isn’t an overly large knife. It is slim both in width and depth, more for a comfortable carry.

Final Thoughts

My custom 940 Osborne is the perfect EDC knife for me. It checks almost all the boxes I look for in a pocket knife. But this is a highly personal choice. Everyone enjoys different aesthetics and emphasizes features differently. That’s why a person’s everyday carry knife is an extension of themselves. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at the knife they carry.

I hope you enjoyed the introspective journey into my thoughts on building my perfect EDC knife. Future articles in this series will cover other types of knives and tools—such as fixed blades and multitools—lights, medical kits, bags, and more. I understand that this blog mainly focuses on firearms and their accessories, but there’s more to everyday carry than just a pistol. I find I’m constantly using and tinkering with other aspects of my gear to have a well-rounded bit of kit.