I was reviewing a favorite thread from 2005, Bare Minimum EDC, and thought I'd ask what everyone was EDCing on their keyrings now, almost one year later.

I may soon be working from our corporate offices in New Jersey, rather than from King of Prussia. That means dressing up a bit more and wearing khakis and chinos. Bye-bye jeans. I will have to be more selective about what I put into my pockets. Every bit of keyring gear will count.

-- Craig

I was working on a reply in the old thread, but this looks like a better place to go. This is my first post here and I just want to say, this forum is an absolutely amazing resource! Anyway, on to business.

I find myself in a similar situation to yours. I am a trial attorney, so not only do I have to dress nice all the time, I have to be able to go through metal-detector security points, which rules out most knives and multi-tools.

What I carry right now that I get through about 99% of the time is a leatherman squirt. However, that tends to be in the courts where I am a regular. When they don't recognize me, or I am in the nearby big city, it almost always gets taken from me. Man, I hate that. But, until something better comes along, it's what I keep on my keyring. I am considering removing the knife blade, then putting an exacto-blade in my wallet. Suggestions are welcome.

The only other odd item I carry is my mini-maglite with LED refit and about 2' of duct tape around the handle. I am considering taking the duct tape off and putting a flat roll in my wallet. Anyway, it goes in my front pocket with my keys, and has never drawn attention except when I pull it out to go through security.

A Treo 650 is on a belt holster. It's not only useful, but very chic. Right now, I'm working on loading it with files that would be useful in an emergency and assuming I can't get an internet connection with it.

My wallet contains the following (in addition to cash, credit cards, etc.):
2x large fabric bandaids
a baggie you get for vegitables in the grocery store
phone card
emergency contact list
extra business cards
2x safety pins
needle and thread

My keychain has in addition to the Squirt:
flat emergency whistle
.5 Gig Jump Drive (with daily office backup, etc.)
red LED light (not really necessary, I suppose, with the maglite, but handy sometimes and for when I don't want to ruin night vision.)

My advice is: DON'T.

Should security find it, they will nail you on a concealed weapons charge. You can then wave bye-bye to your career from behind bars.

If you store an item so that it could look (or could be interpreted) as though you were trying to hide it or get away with something, the prosecutorial powers that be will use the word "concealed" to make whatever you did, however innocent, sound threatening.

I do mostly criminal law and I really don't see that as an issue. A tiny blade buried in my wallet, especially when it's along with things like a needle and thread and bandaids, is not going to trigger any concealed weapon concerns of a DA, except maybe for in federal court. Everybody in federal courts seems to have sticks up their butts, which is why I don't do federal. So, that's not an issue.

The problem I have with the solution, though, is that a tiny blade buried in my wallet is not nearly as convenient as the Squirt.

Oh, I see. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Do ya get it back?

Craig,

I'm restricted to khakis for work. There's loads out there with a ton of pockets that still look very sharp, IE. the Trailhiker's from Cabela's. I can carry more gear in those than I can in most jeans and it all goes unnoticed except for the tell-tale clip of my Spyderco D4 or Al Mar mini S2K.

In as far as the keyring goes, no real change-ups for me, I still tote a Photon (now the IIX), a Traser Glowring, a Bison small cylinder whistle, a spy capsule with essential meds and a SwissTech Utilikey...

M

Thanks man. I'm off to browse Cabela's. You've given me hope. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-- Craig

I am down to the barest minimum ever now. I have a keyring with a Leatherman Micra, and a pill capsule with cotton and matches/striker. I have a Kershaw 1660 in my pocket and most times I carry a Leatherman Blast as well. That is about it for this summer.

Damn. That's a bit sparse, brother. More power to you.

Of course, I'm winnowing down, too. Can't report to headquarters with my trousers sagging and bagging. Want to look trim and sleek.

-- Craig