What do you carry that's out of the ordinary?

Bug Dope Towelettes (the bugs are fierce here in the spring)!

Wound steel string emergency plucking devices. (guitar picks)

2 mini Bic lighters, and I recently added a Storm lighter. I don't smoke, so it is odd.

Not carrying one yet, but I'm going to pick one of these up: a miniature pepper grinder...unless somebody would like to recommend another model?

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=855&f=27828

Yes I need one of these here ordering one tomorrow.

Lee

I also carry a small metal one meter tape measure.

Mike

A 1"x4" strip of plastic cut from a cat food container stays in my pants pocket.

I use it to keep velcro from prematurely sticking to itself when I thread the end of my Wilderness 5-Stitch Instructors Belt through my belt loops. Once the belt is threaded, I pull the plastic strip out and the velcro sticks to itself in the perfect position.

+1 I carry the blue Dunlop 1.5mm picks. Don't know why, it is not as if I carry my guitar everywhere.

A challenge coin from the Army, from YEARS ago.

mini-Bic (non-smoker) and a small folding pen. I catch people off-guard when I produce these from my pockets...

ETA: well, people that don't know me well.

My CPO (Chief Petty Officer) Association Coin, a small Teddy Bear ("Roamer" was given to me by daughters), and my "Medicine Pouch" (per my Native American customs).

Define unusual and ordinary.

Is the "unusual" in context of this group or for the general populace?

Something as simple as a small pocket knife is unusual to most "ordinary" folks at my work. Guess I need to find a different job .

~L

A 10x, 14x and 20x magnfier.
The are on a key ring. The 20x is a tiny thing.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/bausch-lomb-triplet-magnifiers.html
I also carry a Chelsey colour filter for testing gem colours, and a dichroiscope, they are small too.

(I spend about an hour a week on average looking at junk jewelry in thrift stores)

I EDC bike maintenance supplies (tubes, levers, patch kit, etc) which is unusual for this group. Except for maybe Izzy.

~L

A small length (4 inches) of diamond wire, capable of cutting (with patience) hardened steel.

A small piece 2x4" of aluminum from a pop can. You never know when you need to open a padlock!

Please do tell, how does one use a 2X4" piec of aluminum from a pop can to open a padlock?

Pete

As an artist, I always have a small sketchbook on me. In addition to drawings, it can be used for writing down information, making fires and, um, TP.

The venerable shim:

http://www.i-hacked.com/content/view/189/48/

It's a hit-or-miss technique depending on the quality of the lock.

COOL

Thanks-
Pete

2 Butane lighters. One in trousers, one in jacket.
1 Zippo.
1 or more ferro rods.

And the usual question is "But you don't smoke. What do you need a lighter for?"

My usual response is "To light a fire under someone who needs it...."


Ask a nosey question, get a nasty answer.

I think the most unusal thing (for a lot of people) on my EDC pocket carabiner is Ambu LifeKey(a barrier with with a one-way valve). I hope to never use it.

And of course for a lot of people it would be the ferrocerium rod.

A straw with a magnet embedded at the tip. Helps fish out metal objects from... well, most places.

A Buff (multifunctional headware)

On my trail runs, I carry a hotel shower cap for a Ultra, ultra light weight vapor barrier for my head warmth.

Harmonica
Duct Tape - my coworkers are dismayed by this, but I doubt if anyone here would consider it especially unusual.

That would be the feminine hygiene products. I tell myself that they're dual-purpose, like emergency dressings or tinder, but they're really just spares for my forgetful wife.

I carry 6 d6 dice on me.. you never know when someone will want to play a game.

I carry a zippo too, and don't smoke. I say "some people carry a keychain flashlight; this is my light but its much more versatile"

I have a nice little fire-starting kit that comprises a ferro rod, a hacksaw blade, and a QuickTab, held together by being forced into a plastic tube. The hacksaw blade can also be used to cut metal etc (I've seen the film Saw) and the tube can help exploit slight sources of water.

I also have a simple home-made lanyard in the coin section of my wallet. It's a loop of paracord inner thread, with a clip attached. The clip came with my torch, but it can attach to anything I don't want to lose.

I also have a lot of other stuff, whistle etc, that should not be at all unusual for this forum.

Handcuff key- Never know when it might come in handy.

A spare truck key- I've got a hide-a-key on my truck, as well as remote unlocking via phone, but I also keep a spare key one my person. It has come in handy on a few occasions.

Lockpicks -(This one you really have to be careful with legally.) It takes a lot of practice and it isn't foolproof, but they can be useful.

Sometimes a Flask of Wild Turkey Rare Breed- 108.2 Proof means it will readily light on fire if kept at room temperature or above, it can work as an antiseptic (Typical 80 proof alcohol actually doesn't work well as an antiseptic), and it's still drinkable....unlike, say, Bacardi 151.

Permanent Match- Great little fire starting device. Like a zippo it can use just about any fluid that will burn. However, unlike a zippo, the fluid doesn't evaporate in a week or two.

Steel Guitar string- This stuff can be pretty useful when combined with a multitool.

A CPR mask- I used to carry one on my keychain. I don't anymore as my CPR certification expired long ago and I haven't kept current on technique. I really should take the course again.

Nitrile Gloves- I kept these with the CPR mask and actually used them more. Great when you don't want to touch something gross or need a little hand protection. Latex free as well.

Ear Plugs- Great to have on hand any time you are exposed to loud noises.

Hey Paul,

I also carry a hidden handcuff key, it is to prevent embarassing moments on the job.

Mike

....and here I was thinking of preventing embarrassing moments in the bedroom.

Just kidding.

You're in Law Enforcement I'm assuming?

Ya, the DW has never been up for the handcuffs.

But my 3 kids think it is really funny to get handcuffed when I get home.

Mike

Man, that's like carrying an ice scraper to play with...

I use yellow Dunlop .73 mm Tortex picks, for the win!

actually they are 1.0 mm not 1.5 mm. Only Malmsteen plays with 1.5 mm picks.

Cheers

That makes more sense. Playing with a 1.5mm would be equivalent to just grabbing any old 2x4 that is laying around....

I carry an external battery that connects to my electronics devices through their USB chargers. Will charge anything that has a USB cable. Maybe that's not too unusual, but I hate to have my gizmo's die, so I tried to find a solution that worked for everything vs. extra batteries for each device.

A fleece scarf - about 1 m

Steel chopsticks, collapsible.
A pocket metronome.
Snus (smokeless tobacco).

...thinking of adding some Jolt caffeinated gum.

For a long time, and sometimes still, I carry a 2' piece of silicone rubber tubing, about 5/16" ID and about 1/2" OD. Comes in useful for sucking up water from between rocks, siphoning gas, as an emergency airway, temporary tourniquet, quick and dirty lashing, and as way to blow air into a budding fire without risking the eyebrows.

If you add a barbed connector, the best are made of glass reinforced nylon, to each piece of tubing it adds a bit of weight to help get it down into spaces and, assuming other people on your crew each carry a piece, you can make longer siphons for tapping vehicles and bulk tanks. If the tubing is soft you might be able to use the connector for an emergency airway.

You can use any suitable tubing. Vinyl tubing works, is immune to most chemicals, and it is cheap and readily available, but it doesn't stretch much and it hardens with age. Latex rubber stretches well so it works better as a tourniquet or restraint but it deteriorates very rapidly if exposed to petroleum products and it is often so soft it can be difficult to work down a hole to use as a siphon and it can sometimes be too soft to use as an airway. Latex allergies can also be a consideration. Slightly stiffer tubing, like polyurethane, makes better airways but doesn't store or tie well. Synthetic fuel line is good in some ways because it is chemical resistant and fairly stiff while being soft enough to store easily. Automotive vacuum line is another alternative. Both are available at any auto parts store.

My favorite is high-grade silicone rubber. Sweat, gasoline and sunshine doesn't damage it. It handles heat well, up to about 500F, and doesn't really burn. It stretches fairly well but at close to 1/2" OD it is just stiff enough to stuff down a hole for siphoning and and to maintain an airway.

My advice would be to buy lengths of anything that looks promising and keep trying until you find something you like.

Nothing really unusual. Just a knife, leatherman, pistol, spare magazine, lighter.

And I ALWAYS have sunglasses on me, either on my face or on top of my head. Unless it's like midnight. I hate squinting.

Considering this is ETS there are only few unusual items:
* Lockpicks - I decided against the pen type, not trying to hide them is less suspicious
* tiny ferrocerium rod for gas lighter - mounted it for the keychain with a spring but I consider making a device that is easier to use
* alligator clips
* WMF nomad cuttlery set or knife and fork in a credit card case
* a few neodymium magnets
* VHF/UHF handheld ham rig

The rest is just the usual stuff.

One more thing I just thought of. I guess you could consider it EDC gear, since it travels pretty much everywhere with me...

A Rubik's cube. I'm constantly playing with it, solving it, and scrambling it.

not every day, but i sometimes carry a coathanger in my jacket pocket.

Well, as long as it's been revived ( ) . . . .

Judging by this group, the only unusual things I carry are:

* 5x/10x pocket magnifier (I work in the printing industry)

* 6' Tape Measure


Judging by other people's reactions, though, pretty much ALL of my EDC is "unusual". The things people seem most surprised by are:

* AAA Flashlight

* Spare car key

* Lighter (I don't smoke, either)

It amazes me how surprised people are that I carry a spare car key in my wallet. I just ask them how many times they've locked themselves out of their car.

And when they ask why I carry a lighter, I usually just indicate whatever it was just used for.

Pepper mill ?
william bound's 'The Traveller Pepper mill'

I usually have an eraser on me. That is not too odd for a college student, but my eraser is an "artists" mold-able kind, crammed into a ear plug carrier. Great for tinkering with, mostly just a nifty eraser. (Works like a champ too )

I carried a 2-type for a while (pen and pencil combo) but it did make the grade.

My EDC includes a carefully stashed $50 bill. Not too surprising, and very useful in urban situations.

But this bill is versatile. only half jokingly, I characterize it as multipurpose, the other use being for emergency fire tinder.

This begs the question, in what situations would you actually use a fifty to start a fire? Actually, I can think of three situations where I needed to start a fire and would have used a fifty if that was all that was available. Then there are the $20 situations, and so on.

Of course, dryer lint (to say nothing of belly button lint)is fairly abundant, quite effective, and much cheaper.

If you're goint to use currency as fire tinder, fifty $1 bills is preferable to one $50 bill. ... Just my two cents.

I tend to carry a small bag with 6 d6 dice in in... good way to pass the time if you are bored.
kat

I've seen more people surprised that I carry a pen on my keychain than a flashlight or knife.

Ummmhh...yep, a BRAIN Doh..

Oh yeah, and a hot-glue stick!
Comes in handy every now and then.

ATB
Pharaoh.

Melt the stick end with a flame?

An Altoids tin ... that actually has altoids in it!

And please do elaborate on the glue stick. Inquiring minds wanna know.

Itty bitty ziploc bags; the kind you can buy at a crafts store. I've found them to be wonderful for organizing various EDC items, and can be used to keep used bandaids and other "biohazards" apart from your gear until a trash bin is found.

Exactly.
Weighs next to nothing.
Works like a charm when needed.
Also, no mess in your pocket and no shelf life.

Pharaoh.

Unusual, and not unusual at the same time - Blood Glucose meter, test strips, and glucose tablets. Basically every "Person with diabetes" (which is the PC term for a diabetic) will be carrying at least that

I have a two AA cell Mini Mag flashlight with me at all times

Flat strips of duct tape.

A short pry-tool.

A couple of large USB keys for transporting data.

40" of retractable measuring tape marked in both metric and imperial.

Headlamp.

KG2V, you must be type II since you did not mention insulin and syringes, my other unusual EDC WRT everyone else who is not diabetic. Glucose tablet's work, but when I was a CIT at a diabetic camp (the same camp I attended for years previously) we used honey to counteract an insulin reaction. Forunately no one ever seemed to have an allergy to it. There was one year they tried this nasty glucose gel that was invariably worn by the counselor, nurse or whoever was administering it when it was spit back at them. Needless to say that was the last year of that and next year the glorious return of honey packets. Good times ...

Yep, type II

pill or diet?

Both - got my A1C down to 5.9 last check, but my glucose has trended up lately - particularly I've been having a dawn effect issue