Have we completely changed the meaning of EDC???

G

goodeyesniper

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Aug 31, 2009
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EDC. Every Day Carry...

Now, I could be wrong, but I take that to mean something you carry, um, EVERY DAY. However among the population of people who actually use the term "EDC" it seems almost none of them actually stick to one "EDC Knife". Which means they actually have no EDC knife whatsoever. They simply have a collection of knives they rotate through for daily activities.

EDC, in my eyes, is your grandpa who carried his old Buck knife for 30 years straight. Hell, I don't even look at it *too* technically, IMO, and I would consider it something you carry to work five days a week, but leave in a drawer on the weekends. As it handles your most common tasks, day in and out.

I understand when people use the phrase to say "I need a knife that can handle my EDC duties which consist of x, y, and z.", as that is a basic and helpful description, and they aren't necessarily saying it WILL BE their actual EDC. But when someone says "These are my 12 EDC knives that I rotate through every month." I can't help but think something got mistranslated along the way, as carrying a knife two or three days out of the month is hardly EDC....

Am I wrong? When EDC was coined did it not mean something you carry every day? If I'm wrong, what's the difference between "EDC" and any other knife you might carry at some point? Hell, if "EDC" simply means something that you carry every once in awhile, then all those people who take their Busses on a camping trip might as well say they EDC a Busse, right? Am I still being too technical? It just really seems like the Nutnfancy generation has simultaneously popularized and completely destroyed the meaning of the term EDC.

IMO, EDC should be a very positive definition of a knife, or any other tool, as it means it has survived the cut of whatever else you have tried to carry, and you now carry it almost religiously. Whether it's your tiny keychain SAK, Leatherman in a pouch, CR Sebenza, or anything else.

For instance, when I got my first quality knife it was truly an EDC. It was a Spyderco Native and I carried it anywhere I could for about a year straight. And it did everything I asked of it. Then I started buying more knives. Once I had a choice between 4 or so pocket knives, I no longer had an EDC knife, I just had a collection of knives which alternately handled my EDC needs. Then I got a sprint run Spyderco Military and it kicked everything out of my pocket for about two years. I once again had an actual EDC blade. Even though I occasionally carried something smaller in slacks, or something cheaper in my checked luggage at the airport, it was carried 95% of the time and could honestly carry the title.

Sorry, I'm a bit bored and it's something that has been nagging at me for awhile. Feel free to tell me I'm crazy.
 
I have to agree with you, especially since I can't legally carry my knives to school so most of the time my knives are at home every day and to make up for no knife I actually EDC a Leatherman PS4, just one MT, nothing else a true EDC.
 
I agree 100%. I actually thought about that recently and it never really hit me until I sold off most of my knife collection and only started carrying my xm18 and only my xm18 everyday. Before I just went along with everybody and called whatever I was carrying that day my "EDC" without putting much thought into it. The fact is that if you're not carrying that one knife everyday it's not your "everyday carry".
 
To me, every day carry is a category. Something I would take with me at any given time leaving the house, something that is not specific to a particular purpose. It would be seperate from other categories of knives/gear such as hunting, fishing, dress knives, etc. It doesn't mean that I should carry one particular knife EVERY day. It's kind of the same thing as casual clothing: shorts, t-shirts, jeans, etc. Seperate categories for clothing for hunting, fishing, formal, etc.

I sure hope that makes sense, I'm on my phone and it's been a long day.
 
None of my folders are truly EDCed, they alternate depending on how I am feeling or what I am expecting to do on that particular day. The only sharp things I carry every day are my Leatherman CS4 and a CRKT Stockman.
 
Bigfatts said:
To me, every day carry is a category. Something I would take with me at any given time leaving the house, something that is not specific to a particular purpose. It would be seperate from other categories of knives/gear such as hunting, fishing, dress knives, etc. It doesn't mean that I should carry one particular knife EVERY day. It's kind of the same thing as casual clothing: shorts, t-shirts, jeans, etc. Seperate categories for clothing for hunting, fishing, formal, etc.

I sure hope that makes sense, I'm on my phone and it's been a long day.
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It makes sense, yet I still think that the way you use "EDC" should be dependent on what it actually is.

The difference between an actual "EDC knife" and "a knife that you can use for EDC duties" is large in my eyes, yet I understand there is no concrete definition.

So, from your explanation I would not call your knife an EDC knife, I would say it's a knife you use for EDC tasks... The term EDC is still there, but applied in a different manner.

I certainly would not call you, or anyone else, wrong for calling their seldom carried knife an EDC knife, and I wouldn't be offended if someone said my stricter definition is completely unfounded, but I just do not see those knives as making the cut.

Maybe I'm just being an elitist because I accidentally found my grail and EDC when I bought that Military hoping to have a cool knife, kept in the drawer, that would retain its value. (even though it actually doubled in value almost instantly :p ) I never thought it would even be a seldom carried knife, let alone my sole knife for 2+ years.
 
I get what your saying. And it does irritate me when people say I edc this a every once and awhile. But, lets be real your on a knife forum lol. Everybody on here owns more than one knife. And generally when you do you rotate your edc's so you get to use all of your knives or the select few your carry. I have a work edc gear wise and it doesnt change but Im not a baton nut I'm a knife nut so I dont want to carry the same one of all the time. And what people just generally mean when they say its a good edc it justs means its up for everyday tasks or you could edc if you only want one knife. And its alot easier to type edc than "I carry that every couple of days because I dont carry just one knife all the time because I have a bunch that are all up for that". But literally yes almost nobody here probably has an edc knife. So maybe for a knife nut it has changed alittle bit?
 
EDC was turned into the anagram Every Day Carry into a whole new thing thanks to YouTube.
 
I agree... but at the same time, couldn't an EDC be something you use for Every Day Tasks, whether you use the same knife Every Day or not?
 
Yeah, I've noticed this too, which is weird since I've found it necessary to say my Izula is my EDC... And then say "I have it with me all the time, every day."
 
How about "Exciting Daily Carry" ? I love all my knives and I love carrying them. When I pull one out to cut something it makes me happy. I enjoy sharpening and keeping sharp. The hobby "excites" me. Come to think of it, I like this idea.
 
I put emphasis on the "carry". My small sebenza sits with my wallet, keys, etc, everything I take out the door. Everytime. But if I'm working or relaxing at home I don't pack up to go, and instead play with one or more of my other knives, which I do not consider edcs.
 
I think the term is used by people who carry A knife everyday, but not necessarily the same one. If it's a knife you would carry on a normal day doing normal things around town then it's an 'EDC'. Just because you don't literally carry it everyday doesn't mean it doesn't fill that role. Why do you want to ruin a useful terminology by reading it literally? :)
 
an "EDC knife" is a knife that would be suitable to carry every day. It would make more sense to call it a pocket knife, like they used to.

I agree OP, the term EDC knife should be used when you actually carry it every day. It probably makes more sense for people outside of this forum who most likely only have one good knife to EDC if that.

I EDC an umnumzaan, but even as nice as it is, 30 years? damn.
 
goodeyesniper said:
EDC. Every Day Carry...

Now, I could be wrong, but I take that to mean something you carry, um, EVERY DAY. However among the population of people who actually use the term "EDC" it seems almost none of them actually stick to one "EDC Knife". Which means they actually have no EDC knife whatsoever. They simply have a collection of knives they rotate through for daily activities.
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Hadn't really thought about it that way until you posted this, but what you've said makes sense to me. Up until now I just thought I was one of the oddballs who found I knife I really like and actually carry it every day--Mini Grip, in my case. I've carried it literally every day since I got it a couple of years back. I've added others along with it, but it's the one I always have. I see the rotation threads wonder 1)if I'm missing something by doing what I do and 2)especially for those who switch out every day or every other day, how do they develop the muscle memory to automatically draw, open, use and return a knife to its spot without thinking about it. I think just switching from Mini Grip to Delica and back constantly would cause a slight hesitation every time I put my hand on it.
 
I think you touched on it when you were talking about edc to describe certain attributes a knife has. Many people use it as an adjective although it started out as a verb.
 
Terry M. said:
How about "Exciting Daily Carry" ? I love all my knives and I love carrying them. When I pull one out to cut something it makes me happy. I enjoy sharpening and keeping sharp. The hobby "excites" me. Come to think of it, I like this idea.
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Isnt that was the term EDC meant!?!?! haha jk

Goodeye, I agree with you we have changed the meaning from what we truly carry everyday to something we carry everyday, i.e. knives being rotated. & i also have to agree with RedDevil, YouTube has been a big influence for this change.
 
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