Cantu Bruner Designs Bullet Pen Thoughts

I have mixed feelings on this pen. It's cool and everything, I just don't like how it feels in my hand compared to my other pens. If it looks interesting to you then I'd say check it out. However, it won't be getting my personal recommendation.

Likes

• Great quality and build
• Looks really nice and classy
• Lots of color options. You can choose the color of the pen and the clip. He has cerakoated pens too, so you can get tons of different colors.
• Clips carries well. It doesn’t seem that sturdy, but I’ve had no problems with it.
• Twisty is very smooth. It doesn’t take much effort to twist at all.
• Writes extremely well. It uses a Cross style refill, so it writes like a normal pen would.
• Good price. I picked it up for $25 when it was on sale. I think it was a good deal, since it was handmade here in America.

Dislikes

• Not too comfortable to write with. Not sure if it’s just the way I hold it, but the center ring digs into my hand a lot.
• Center ring rattles
• Clip doesn’t seem that sturdy, so not sure how it will stand up over time
• It almost twists too easily. If I carried this in the pocket, I’d be afraid that I’d actually twist the pen out on accident.

It’s an interesting pen, but not my favorite. I’ve enjoyed trying it out. It’s just not the pen for me. If it looks cool to you, then definitely check it out. It’s super high quality, so you know it will last a while. While it’s not something I personally recommend, it’s still a good pen that would work well as an EDC pen. Thanks for looking!

EDC Dump 8-18-15

So this has been my EDC for the past week or so. I got some new stuff that I've been trying out and loving a lot. The biggest thing that you can see is the Spyderco Endura. This is an awesome blade! It's pretty dang big, but it's so slim and lightweight that I don't even notice it that much. That's been riding in the waistband. In my Altoids tin, I've been carrying the Spyderco Ladybug, Gerber Shard, Fisher Bullet Space pen, Victorinox Classic, and a Fenix E05. The Ladybug, Shard, Bullet Space pen, and Classic are still going strong. I like to carry the Classic, because of the scissors. The Fenix E05 is new, and I like it a lot. I can definitely see the value in carrying a good flashlight. It's super compact plus it's purple, so it can't really get any better than that. As you can see, my EDC is pretty much entirely purple. I'm considering putting the Gerber Shard in my EDC bag just because it doesn't match. Not sure if that will happen though. I'm working on getting that EDC bag together, and it should be ready to try out soon. I'll be sure to put up a video of what I've got in it. I'm going to try and start doing these EDC dump posts a lot more often as well, so stay tuned. Thanks for looking!

EDC Pen Collection

This is my current pen collection at the moment. These are all the nicer options that I have to write with. I'm pretty happy with it for the most part. I don't have many more I want to add, and I pretty much like all of them. There is one I'll be selling soon, but besides that, this will be the core of my collection going forward. I think it's extremely important to have higher quality things to write with. I write a lot, mostly for school, so my pens get a lot of use. From left to right it goes, Fisher Cap-o-matic, two Zebra 301s(a F-301 and a G-301), Parker Jotter, Cantu Bruner Designs Bullet pen, Hinder Investigator, and a Fisher Bullet Space pen. I'll do another update if it changes drastically. Thanks for looking!

My Favorite Knife Companies

I’ve got two favorite knife companies at the moment. They are Spyderco and Cold Steel. Everyone seems to love Spyderco for obvious reasons, but not a lot of people like Cold Steel. Both are great companies that make awesome blades.

I like Spyderco for several different reasons. They probably have some of the best quality and fit and finish than any other company. I haven’t had many quality issues with any of the Spydercos I’ve tried. They also have a lot of affordable blades. You can get blades from the budget line or find other suitable ones for less than $60. Their blades are getting more expensive now, but you can still find some that aren’t going to break the bank. Another thing I love is all of the small options they offer. Pretty much every company seems to neglect the small knife market. There’s a huge need for small blades in my opinion, and luckily Spyderco has a lot to offer. From the Ladybug to the Dragonfly, you have lots to choose from. They also put out a fair amount of colors opposed to only making black knives. Most of their knives that come in G10 are black, but the FRN line comes in tons of different colors. Speaking of FRN, that’s something else Spyderco does really well. It’s a great handle material that provides a lot of grip and feels good in the hand. And lastly, the beloved Spyder hole is by far my favorite opening mechanism. It looks cool in my opinion and is super easy to use. Spyderco just has a lot of options that work out quite well in my EDC.

Cold Steel is an interesting company. They’ve got great quality blades as well and some cool designs. I haven’t tried too many of their blades yet, but I am definitely going to get more in the future. The Tri-Ad lock is neat, because of its added strength. One of my favorite blades is the Mini Tuff Lite. It’s a small knife that looks neat and functions well in my carry. Cold Steel lacks a lot of the color options and small knives that Spyderco has, but they’ve got other things that Spyderco doesn’t. I’m really looking forward to trying out some more Cold Steels soon.

Those are pretty much the only companies that I would consider my favorites. There are other companies I enjoy, but I wouldn’t want to go out and buy a bunch of their blades like I would for Spyderco or Cold Steel. Esee is a great company too. I’m not a fan of companies like Kershaw, Boker, Gerber, SOG, etc. Anyways, that’s pretty much it. Thanks for looking!

Fisher Bullet Space Pen Thoughts

The Fisher Bullet Space Pen is one of the few compact pens that I've tried that is actually good. This is an awesome pen for everyday carry. I use mine almost everyday, and it has never let me down.

Likes

• Very compact. It’s a full-sized pen in a very small package.
• Great quality. I haven’t had any problems with mine.
• Comfortable to write with. The machining on the grip area is nice and grippy.
• Love Fisher refills. They write well and can write in all sorts of crazy conditions.
• Comes in tons of different colors. The purple looks sweet!
• Clip carries well in the pocket
• Packaging is extremely nice. It comes in a high quality plastic case.

Dislikes

• At first the price seemed a little high to me at $15-$20. It’s definitely worth it though. I’ve gotten so much use out of mine.
• Used to have problems with the clip falling off. I seemed to have fixed that by pushing the clip further onto to the wider part of the pen.

This is my favorite pen I’ve tried. It’s super compact, purple, and writes well. I always thought it was overpriced for what it was, but it’s worth it once you get one in your hands. Go get one if it interests you! Sorry this was kind of short, but I don't have a whole lot to say. It's a pen that does exactly what you need it to do. Thanks for looking!

Gear Sale Preview

I'll be uploading a video soon about some gear I'd like to sell. Before I posted that, I figured I'd post a preview on here. It's a decent amount of stuff, and some of it is pretty cool.

I've been slowly making upgrades to my EDC and have a couple more things I need to get. Hopefully I can sell all this stuff to pay for those upgrades. I'll get that sale video up today. Keep yours eyes out for it if anything you see interests you. Everything will be $40 or less with a majority of it being $15 to $20. Thanks for looking!

Leatherman Squirt P4 Thoughts

Tools

Pliers

Knife

Phillips screwdriver

Small flathead

File

Awl

Bottle opener/screwdriver

Likes

• Great quality. Fit and finish is also good.
• Super compact. It could easily fit on a keychain.
• Good toolset for its small size. It has all the tools you would need.
• All tools work as they should and are very capable. The file, awl, screwdrivers, and bottle opener are great.
• Comfortable in the hand during use
• Tools are easy to get out with the nail nicks
• Spring assisted pliers are great
• All tools are accessible from the outside minus the pliers obviously
• Love the blue finish on the handles
• Tools have a nice half-stop
• Reasonably affordable. These can be found for under $20 if you look around. You can always find them on eBay.

Dislikes

• Knife is chisel ground. I don’t get why Leatherman does this. It makes for a crappy blade when combined with 420HC as the steel.
• Discontinued. That’s a real shame, because this is a fantastic tool. I think it’s superior to the PS4. Luckily you can still find these on eBay.

I prefer this tool over the newer PS4. It’s a great tool that packs a lot of functionality in a small package. It works exactly as it should and has become my favorite small multi-tool. Definitely pick one up if you can find one. I highly recommend it! It’s a much better tool than the PS4 in my opinion. Thanks for looking!

Leatherman Micra Thoughts

Tools

Scissors

Knife

File/nail cleaner

Tweezers

Philips screwdriver

Flathead screwdriver

Bottle opener/small flathead

Likes

• Great quality. Fit and finish is good as well.
• Inexpensive. These can be picked up for like $20.
• Small tool. It could fit nicely on a keychain.
• Good toolset for how small it is
• All the tools function as they should, but some of them aren’t the best. I’ll talk more about this in the dislikes section.
• Nail nicks are easy to use
• Comfortable in the hand during use
• Scissors perform decently

Dislikes

• Tools only accessible from the inside. It’s much more useful if you don’t have to open the whole tool to get to the majority of the tools.
• Scissors get stuck pretty often
• Knife is chisel ground. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, this just makes for an awful blade. Leatherman could easily change this.
• Tweezers suck. They’re not that precise at all.
• Tools are pretty stiff to get in and out

This is an alright option if you use scissors more than pliers. I prefer scissor-based multi-tools, since I use scissors more often. I never really use any of the tools besides the scissors. The scissors don’t perform the best, but they are better than Leatherman’s smaller scissors. They still don’t beat the Victorinox scissors though. It’s an interesting option and if it interests you, then check it out. I say skip it and just get a Victorinox. Thanks for looking!

Spotlight Spark Thoughts

Specifications

Lumens: 18

Run time: 2 hours

Battery: button cells

Likes

• Great quality
• Inexpensive, only $15 for a good, little light
• Comes in different colors
• Very bright for how small it is. 18 lumens is pretty impressive.
• Threads are smooth
• Good size to put on a keychain or zipper pull. It’s not the smallest light out there, but it is still pretty tiny
• Machining on the body provides a lot of grip
• Very lightweight
• Has an o-ring so it is somewhat water resistant
• 2 hour run time is pretty decent considering it runs on button cell batteries

Dislikes

• Beam has a purplish tint to it. Most lights similar to the Spark do though.
• Carabiner that came with it broke so it’s not durable at all
• Batteries are not available like AA or AAA. Most lights like this one use the button cell batteries, which are never easy to find in stores. Replacements are available from Spotlight’s website.
• Can only be operated two-handed. Again, most lights like the Spark cannot be use one-handed. I figured since this one was slightly bigger it’d be easier to do one-handed, but it wasn’t.

It’s a good light, but not a perfect one. It would work well on a keychain as long as you get a different carabiner. I do enjoy using it, and 18 lumens is a good amount of light for something this small. I will say that compared to Spotlight’s Speck, I would much rather have the Speck on my keychain. The Spark is considerably bigger than the Speck and you only get 3 more lumens out of it compared to the Speck’s 15. I still do carry the Spark and think it’s a nice addition if you like small lights like me. Is it the best? No, not at all. It works as it should though, so I do recommend it. If you want more than 15 lumens on your keychain and don’t mind the added bulk, then this is the light for you. Thanks for looking! 

Uncle Bill's Sliver Gripper Tweezers Thoughts

If you’re looking for a good pair of compact tweezers, then these are your best bet. They’re small enough to put on a keychain and are very precise. These are great quality tweezers that are made here in America. They fit quite securely in the little sheath, so no worries about them falling out. They’re comfortable in the hand, and even though they’re small, there’s still plenty to grip. They retail for around $5-$10, which is a great price for what you’re getting.

I can’t think of a single thing I dislike about them. I highly recommend you go pick up a pair. They’d be great to keep in a first aid kit to remove splinters or other small things. You wouldn't think you'd need nice tweezers, but once you try these, there's no going back. Sorry this was kind of short, but I don't have a whole lot more to say. Thanks for looking!

Victorinox Alox Bantam Thoughts

Tools

Knife 

Bottle opener/screwdriver/wire stripper

Likes

• Great quality. Victorinox’s fit and finish is excellent.
• Super slim and lightweight
• Very comfortable ergonomics
• Blade is super sharp as all Victorinoxs are
• Nice combination of tools. The knife paired with the bottle opener tool gives you the basics in a small package.
• Love the Alox scales. They look awesome and feel great in the hand.
• Nail nicks are easy to use
• Good half-stop on the bottle opener
• Perfect size for EDC. It’s not too big and not too small.
• No one is ever threatened by a Victorinox

Dislikes

• Discontinued. It's a real shame, because this was a great offering from Victorinox. They can still be found on sites like eBay.

This is a great tool if you want something very minimal. It’s so easy to carry and is an awesome option for an EDC tool. I love mine and highly recommend you pick one up. No one is ever afraid of a Victorinox, so this could be a great people-friendly knife. Go check it out. Thanks for looking!

Gerber Shard Thoughts

Tools

Prybar/nail puller

Small flathead

Large flathead

Phillips screwdriver

Wire stripper

Bottle opener

Likes

• Extremely affordable. $5 is a perfect price for this tool.
• Good quality. It’s a very solid and durable tool.
• Solid toolset. You get a lot of functionality in a very small package.
• Easy to put on a keychain or carry loose in the pocket because of the small size and weight
• All tools work as they should, but may not perform as well as a real dedicated tool. This is to be expected, and I’ll talk about this a little more later.
• Coating has held up well
• Comfortable in the hand while in use
• Large lanyard hold is nice

Dislikes

• OPMT’s can never truly replace dedicated tools. They are meant to be used in a pinch. That means these tools on the Shard aren’t necessarily the best to get the job done, but they are manageable. For example, the flathead screwdrivers are somewhat difficult to use because of their placement, on the tips of the pry bar. They’re slightly awkward to use, yet they can get the job done.
• Not flat, but then again, the slight curve gives you some more leverage. From a carrying standpoint, the curvature makes it a little odder to carry.

This is Gerber’s sole gem in my mind. These OPMT’s are great for prying/scraping stuff so you don’t mess up your knife blade. I don’t use the bottle opener/screwdrivers that often, but they are nice to have in case you need them. This is a surprisingly awesome tool and is my favorite OPMT that I’ve tried. I highly recommend you pick one of these up. You can’t beat it for the price. Thanks for looking!

August 2015 Updates

I'd like to start doing more routine posts that you can expect to see every month. It will help me be more consistent and keep you all updated on what's going on. I've started doing the new gear wrap-ups at the end of every month, and now I'll add these update posts to start off the month. In these update posts, I'll be talking about things going on with the channel or anything else that's relevant.

First off, during the rest of August, I'd like to finish making reviews on all my gear. Once I get everything reviewed, I can move on to other newer stuff. I've got a lot to get through, but hopefully I can get most of them up before the month is over. Otherwise, I'll keep posting them throughout the school year.

I went a little crazy on Amazon, which means I've got some cool stuff coming in the next week or two. It's mostly stuff for my EDC bag. I'm hoping to get that bag together and get some good testing out of it before school starts back up.

Thinking about school, once that starts up, video output will decrease which is to be expected. I'll be a senior in high school and am going to be busy with work and applying to college. I will try to post as many videos as possible, but they will probably only be posted on the weekends.

That's all for now. I was able to post a new blog post everyday in July which was awesome! That won't happen again this month, but I will be getting as many posts up as possible. Stay tuned for new posts and videos! Thanks for looking!

Victorinox Classic Thoughts

The 58mm Victorinox models are perfect for everyday carry. They're small and lightweight enough that you don't really notice you have them on you. The Classic is the perfect balance between everything you need in a tool without including many worthless features. I use mine every single day and absolutely love it! I think everyone needs one of these, or even a few, in their collection.

Tools

Knife

Nail file/screwdriver

Scissors

Tweezers

Toothpick

Likes

• Great quality. Victorinox makes some of the best tools out there.
• Small size. It can easily fit on a keychain or be thrown loose in a pocket.
• Good toolset. It has the bare minimum and covers all your bases pretty well.
• Blade is super sharp. I have no clue what steel Victorinox uses, but it always impresses me.
• Tools all work as they should so no complaints there.
• Scissors are the best multi-tool scissors I have ever used. They cut through everything I’ve tried with such ease. That includes things like paper, cardboard, fabric, bubble wrap, clam shell packages, etc.
• Comfortable in the hand
• Nail nicks are easy to use. All the tools open easily.
• No one is ever threatened by a Victorinox.
• Super affordable, around $10-$15
• Comes in tons of different colors and patterns. Victorinox also makes a lot of variations of the 58mm tools. 

Dislikes

None

Like I said in the beginning, everyone needs to have a few of these in their collection. They work exactly as they should and are the perfect keychain multi-tool. It has all the essential tools in a very small and compact package. I’ve had no issues with mine and use it every day. I highly recommend you go pick a few of these up if you don’t have any already. Thanks for looking!