Flatlay Breakdown #9

I often get emails and DM’s about what is a good EDC watch, what should my first EDC knife be and a different variations of EDC questions. To me, that is what makes Pinterest and Instagram so much fun, helping others to get into this madness and hopefully assisting folks in making good purchases. I am coming back to this post to explain in detail what is in the flatlay and where you can buy it.

The star of this #flatlay is none other than the Aquatico Bronze Sea Star. I’ve had this watch for several weeks and it is truly outstanding. Your looking at a full load out of my daily EDC gear. Not all of it goes in the pocket, so have no fear! My Knipex makes another appearance, I have found these invaluable to keep close at hand. Also, I just received a new Patriot Edition of the fantastic Armour Supply minimalist wallet.

You’ll notice some of my Instagram pics are laid out all neat and tidy. This has been coined “flat lay” and there are several hashtags that go along with it. I try to label mine #techwriteredc and of course use the #flatlaysatueday, #flatlaystyle and #flatlaynation. The #edcflatlay is starting to get more and more folks using it.

Gear In This Picture:

  • Bronze Sea Star
  • Benchmade Griptillian
  • Jibbon key organizer
  • Buck 110
  • Armour Supply Wallett
  • Para Cord
  • Boker Mini Foxed Blade
  • Torx Bits
  • Retro51 Pen
  • Paracord
  • Bevy Tec Bottle Opener
  • Niteize Clips
  • Knipex Pliers
  • Victorinox Rambler
  • Alox Cadet
  • Nail Punch
  • Lumintop Pic Light

EDC Buying List With Purchase Links-

Aquatico Watches

Aquatico Bronze Sea Star:

I love this watch. It’s a great value in the $300 range, and along with dependable Seiko NH35A movement, it’s handsomely designed and simply great to look at. There’s no doubt that the dial is an homage to the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze (which is also a great watch, so that’s by no means a bad thing). The bronze coin-edge bezel is a thing of beauty, and looks great with the domed sapphire crystal and matte black dial. You could also get yours with a blue, brown, or green dial, but I’m happy with my choice. Even the strap is an integral part of the overall design, made of genuine Horween leather with a matching bronze buckle. Read The Aquatico Bronze Sea Star Review Here

Buck 110:

In the world of hunting knives, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter is a stone cold classic. This knife was first introduced in 1963, and has become Buck’s signature knife. It’s equally beloved by hunters and outdoorsmen of all kinds, and it’s not hard to see why. The 3.75-inch blade is made from heat-treated 420HC stainless steel, and it holds an edge beautifully. It’s a looker too, with a Macassar Ebony wood handle and rounded brass bolsters. The Buck 110 weighs in at 7.2 ounces, so this knife is anything but lightweight. Personally, I find that there’s something reassuring about that heft, and I guarantee you won’t forget it’s in your pocket.

Victorinox Alox Cadet

There’s just something about a Swiss Army knife. You probably remember the first one you owned, and if you’re like me you might have memories of your grandfather using one when you were a kid. But the Victorinox Alox Cadet is a great knife for reasons that go well beyond nostalgia. This is a reliable companion that’s perfect for everyday carry. With nine tools packed into its slim, compact frame (large blade, can opener, bottle opener, 3mm screwdriver, 6mm screwdriver, wire stripper, nail file, nail cleaner, key ring) it never runs out of uses. It’s also well-made and durable. Almost indestructible, really. The Victorinox Cadet has earned its place in my pocket, and certainly deserves a place in yours.

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Victorinox Cadet

Retro51 Pen: P51 Mustang

As somebody who spends a lot of time writing, I really appreciate a good pen. The Retro 51 is a very good pen. It has a gliding roll on the page that makes it a joy to write with, and creates a flawlessly smooth black line. The 0.7mm tip might be a little bolder than some people are used to—I say write boldly, but that’s just me—but you can always get a refill cartridge with a thinner line. At the end of the day, what really makes the Retro P-51 Mustang pen stand out is the design, which pays tribute to its namesake WWII plane. The pen’s hefty metal barrel is acid-etched and has antique silver accents to faithfully recreate the design of a P-51 Mustang bomber.

Knipex 5” Pliers

Okay, not everybody needs a pair of pliers for everyday carry. I get that. But you know what? Some of us like to be prepared for anything! When a bolt needs to be tightened at a moment’s notice, you can bet I’ll be there. Anyway, I digress. For a long time, I was looking for a pair of reliable EDC pliers, and when I came across these Knipex 5″ pliers, the search was over. These are a really incredible scaled-down version of the standard 7″ Knipex pliers, and are supremely pocketable while still being sturdily built and fully functional. These pliers offer plenty of force and gripping power, and have a substantial capacity despite their diminutive size. They’re lightweight, handy, and always good to have close by.

Read The Knipex 5″ In Depth Review Here

Benchmade Griptilian 551

The Benchmade Griptilian 551 is an all-around winner. For some, it may have a reputation as a gateway knife, but even if this is the first so-called “good” knife you own, it can still be your go-to years later. The full-size Griptilian has a 3.45-inch blade and tips the scales at 3.25 ounces, and the scaled-down Mini Grip comes with a 2.9-inch blade and weighs just 2.56 ounces. Both feature a fine-edge blade with a drop-point design and satin finish. They’re plenty sharp right out of the box, but the stainless steel blade is also easy to hone to razor-sharpness time and time again. The molded handle is made of rugged glass-filled nylon with stainless steel liners. It’s tough and has incredible grip texture to avoid slips.

Boker Gnome

With a compact design that makes it comfortable in the hand or on the hip, the Boker Gnome is great fixed blade knife for everyday carry. It has a 2-inch blade and fits snugly in its accompanying leather belt sheath. The 440C stainless steel blade does a great job retaining its edge (it’s razor-sharp right out of the box) and the handle is made of handsome olive wood with beautiful grain. As much as the Boker Gnome is a functional knife, it’s also great-looking. It’s small size might take gettng used to for some, as its meant to be held with one or two fingers, but the handle has excellent grip despite its small size. This is a great knife for everyday tasks.

Armour Supply

Armour Supply Wallet

Ever get tired of lugging around half a pound of leather and useless cards in your back pocket? The Armour Supply Wallet is a stylish and functional way to condense the contents of your pockets into one compact package. This ultralight wallet and money clip easily holds up to 12 cards and 5 folded bills. It looks great and it’s tough too, with stainless steel and aviation-grade aluminum construction. It’s also RFID-blocking to keep all your data safe, and although I’m partial to the bamboo finish, the Armour Supply Wallet is available in several different coatings, including brass, camo and black titanium. Each wallet comes with a key holder and tactical multitool card.