So Phil Hadfield, of Holme & Hadfield, asked if he could sent me this sample version of their Combo Deck as a thank you for promoting their Kickstarter (which was funded on day one!), but outside of that there were zero expectations.

I’m not really one for unboxing videos, but I do LOVE good packaging, and I love working on new and different video ideas. I had a suspicion this would be fun to open, so I set up the camera and wasn’t disappointed.

Even for a sample the quality is top notch. The finest finishes and real attention to detail make this an exquisite piece that demands to be on display.

The main selling point for me is the customisable pillars. I don’t have a huge collection of fancy watches, so the watch deck wasn’t going to work for me. I could fill a knife deck – but where would my watches go?!? Especially my solar Seiko which prefers to be in the light!

Enter the Combo Deck, that strikes the perfect balance for me by allowing me to change up the display. Even for a pre-production model the pillars don’t require any force to loosen, but once on they feel perfectly secure.

I don’t (yet!) have a collection of knives. I don’t have knives or watches worth hundreds or even thousands of pounds, so my gear is USED and never ‘safe queened’. So access is important to me.

I hadn’t experienced their previous box lid design, but the hinged opening means it’s a breeze to open and close, giving access to my gear each day without hassle.

My one niggle is that for such a stunning piece, the drawer is just a wooden drawer. There are no smooth runners or soft closure, so the opening is authentically wooden. This is only a minor thing, plus the drawers felt lining is a nice touch and keeps everything quiet inside.

With that said, when it comes to the quality and attention to details, you are getting WAY more than you pay for, especially with the Kickstarter prices. This will no doubt retail higher, so grab one now before they start charging what they’re worth!

Living in the UK, the delivery is always a query for me, but it was a seamless experience, despite the delivery heavy time of year.

For those who have an EDC they are proud of (which is most of us, right?!) this is the perfect way to show it off, and I can highly recommend jumping on the Kickstarter before it finishes…

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