Bryce Moulton

Gerber Knives came to Western looking for ideas. The pocket knife is a dying tool; fewer and fewer people are carrying them around. Gerber asked us to explore opportunities in every-day-carry (EDC) items. How could a pocket knife or other tool be incorporated with the items the modern person carries with them daily? My solution was a multitool in a soft, pocket friendly sleeve.

RESEARCH: I began by brainstorming and researching what items people most commonly carry. Conveniently folks in the EDC community love to share what they keep in their pockets and bags, making for a convenient resource. Items like pens, wallets, phones, mp3 players/cell phones, keys, flash drives, and notebooks were the most common among everyone I observed.

IDEATION: One impression I got when doing research was that people weren’t carrying pocket knives because they didn’t feel that a knife fit their personal identity. People associate Gerber knives with survivalists and the outdoors. I pursued many concepts, with a later focus on utility pens and technology friendly pocket knives. Through evaluation with Gerber’s in-house designers, we determined that a pocket knife with a minimal design that wouldn’t damage electronics, would be more suited to the average urbanite.

FINAL PRODUCT: I refined my idea changing the size and shape of the tool insert. For the sleeve I chose silicone for its durability and flexibility. I made a mold and cast many prototypes, perfecting my method. The blade was laser cut from stainless steel, and the knife edge and Phillips driver ground by hand. The final design consists of a reversible insert with a knife edge, bottle opener, and Phillips screwdriver.

About a year later, as a part of Gerber’s GDC (Gerber Daily Carry) line, they released the Tech Skin knife. A more typical knife aesthetic, but rubber coated for safe cohabitation with a smartphone in your pocket.