GiantMouse has always talked about lines. Not just lines on a blade or handle, but the way a knife flows visually and in the hand. Ansø and Voxnaes design with intention, and most of their knives share a familiar rhythm that makes them instantly recognizable.

The Nazca breaks that rhythm on purpose.

Making sure you have the right gear for any outing or situation can be a daunting task. One item I consistently find a need for is good illumination. It doesn’t matter if it’s broad daylight or you’re broken down in the desert with a car full of groceries. Any light is better than none, but having the right light makes those situations a lot easier. I gravitate toward lights that are comfortable in the pocket while still packing a reasonable amount of power. Some days a light lives in my pocket, other days it gets tossed into a glove box, so weight is always a concern. I don’t want an anchor that’s annoying to carry or awkward to actuate.

EDC, or everyday carry, has become a bit of a buzzword lately, and I get why it can feel confusing. At its core, it’s simply the items you carry with you every day. That can be as basic as a wallet and keys, or it can include things like a pocket knife, flashlight, or multitool. Somewhere along the way, EDC turned into rotating collections and themed loadouts, which kind of takes away from the original idea. Still, I’ve noticed things other people carry that genuinely make sense, and a pen is one of them.

ROLR is a young company with a humble but honest origin story. Its founder didn’t come from an engineering background or a machine shop but from the world of illustration and design. He describes himself as more of a “drawer” than an artist—someone who’s always been creative and hands-on, just figuring things out as he went. Life wasn’t glamorous in those early years, but that scrappy, make-it-work attitude became the foundation for what would eventually become ROLR. He’d spent plenty of time fixing things with whatever was available, often in less-than-ideal conditions, and that practical mindset started shaping his view of tools and what actually makes them useful.

Like many of us who’ve carried multi-tools over the years, he’d gone through the usual suspects—Leatherman, Gerber, SOG, Victorinox—each packed with features but somehow missing the mark. They either broke, felt clunky, or just didn’t do the basics well enough. He realized that for all the bells and whistles, what he really needed was something simpler, tougher, and more focused. After tearing a few of those tools apart and salvaging what he could, the idea began forming to create something that wasn’t overdesigned or overloaded—just a tool that worked.

What’s it like having a quill-pig in your pocket? Honestly, not as uncomfortable as you might think. When Vosteed released the original Porcupine, it took off fast. It had the right mix of ergonomics, blade shape, and materials. But even good designs can have quirks, and the thumb hole was the one that got people talking. It was nicely shaped and fun to middle-flick, but the size made it easy for your finger to slip into the opening instead of catching the edge. I even had my own moments where deployment didn’t quite land.

Vosteed listened. After hearing the same feedback at shows and through the community, they brought out the Porcupine Thumb Stud Version. Same attitude, same build, but with a redesigned opening method that promised to be smoother and more intuitive.

Vosteed has always had fun with their naming, and I’ve come to appreciate that part of their lineup. A lot of their knives pull inspiration from animals, and that gives each one its own personality before you even get it in hand. A while back I spent some time with the Gator, and that knife absolutely lived up to its name. Big sheepsfoot blade, plenty of handle, and it cut like it had something to prove.

Their newer release, the Kroc, goes in a different direction. Funny enough, the names don’t line up with the real animals. Crocodiles are bigger than gators, but here the Kroc is the smaller knife in the family. Size difference aside, this little guy still has some bite. It’s an in-house design and they did an amazing job. The lines, the colors, the lock, everything fits together in a clean and playful way.

Jonathan Styles comes from Newfoundland, and you can tell right away that his work is shaped by the place he calls home. He’s spent his life outdoors—hunting, fishing, hiking, exploring—and that connection with nature shows up in the way he approaches design. He’s always been an artist too, dabbling in everything from painting to woodworking to carving, so knife making wasn’t really a leap for him. It feels like a natural extension of who he already is. His motto is “functional art,” and once you get the Kitpu in hand, that line makes perfect sense.

The Kitpu takes its name from the Mi’kmaq word for eagle, which is fitting for a knife that leans heavily into slim, airy lines and a sleek pocket presence. It’s meant to disappear in the pocket with its slim titanium frame and deep carry clip, and it nails that role right out of the gate. Before I even get into performance, this knife hits that sweet spot I’m always drawn to—something that performs well but also looks the part. Some knives are rugged and ready for work, and some are gentleman’s knives that bring a little polish to your day. The Kitpu clearly lands in that second category. It’s about the size of a trapper and has those clean, classy lines that make you want to carry it even if you don’t need to.