What do you do when youâre not talking knives?
I live in Munich, Germany, with my lovely wife and our four-year-old son. We love travelling together, preferably in a camper van. I also love spending as much time as possible outdoors in nature. I developed an interest in the outdoors and survival (like RĂźdiger Nehberg) at an early age, which is why I became interested in outdoor equipment from a young age. Even as a teenager, I loved flicking through BĂśker catalogues and resolving to buy this or that once I was  grown up :-)Â
Professionally, I spent the first ten years working on site as a site manager, later as a foreman on call, and now I am an engineer for traffic systems.
Which ANSĂ knife do you own â and how did it find its way into your hands?
Like many people, I suppose, Anso knives were out of my price range at first, and I always wondered how anyone could spend more than âŹ200 on a knife. As my hobby grew more serious, I got to know more and more people who owned higher-priced knives, and I gradually began to understand why it makes sense to spend more money on a high-quality knife.
At a GDC (German Daily Carry) meet-up, I had the chance to take a look at a Monte Carlo and would have loved to keep it right then and there! I then got lucky on the second-hand market and managed to bid for a Monte Carlo with zirconium scales and an RWL34 blade. This knife immediately won me over with its beautiful scratch pattern (I donât know how else to describe it) on the scales, the lovely satin finish on the blade, and the curved Anso lettering! The biggest surprise for me was that, unlike other expensive knives, I actually started using it regularly thanks to its suitability for everyday use and its elegant, socially acceptable appearance. For me, it is an important factor that i can carry that knife without violating the article 42A of the German Weapons Act. (Article 42A is the German knife law regulating what types of knives can legally be carried in public.)
My Anso collection has now grown to include: a Casino, a Monte Carlo, a Haddock, an ARN, various ASTRA items, a carabiner, pry bars, etc. Once youâve started with Anso, you just canât stop!
What made you choose this knife in particular?
I chose Anso knives because of their timeless beauty, elegance and superb quality! You can see the attention to detail and the high standard of craftsmanship in every knife. Itâs also lovely to be able to put together your own Anso collection here, as everything goes together beautifully and creates a stunning overall look. Whatâs more, thanks to their non-aggressive design, the knives are very socially acceptable.
What has surprised you most about owning an ANSĂ knife?
What surprised me the most was just how practical these knives are for everyday use! With expensive knives, you often tend to be a bit more cautious because of their delicate construction or the sensitive materials used (such as mammoth tooth), so you end up leaving them at home. Jensâs knives, on the other hand Iâm happy to take them with me and use them in everyday life. Whatâs more, they require relatively little maintenance and, if anything does go wrong, are easy to look after (such as with the ARN, which you can oil as soon as you remove the inlay with a screw!)
What else do you carry every day?
My passion for EDC is wide-ranging! I donât just collect knives, but also multi-tools, flashlights, pens, pry bars, lighters, bottle openers, coins, worry stones, fidget toys â and the list goes on. Thatâs the beauty of EDC: there are endless possibilities for collecting and combining items! Most of the time, I carry a leather organiser with a knife, a flashlight, a pen and a pry bar. I also add a hank and a fidget or a coin.
Do you have an EDC tip or habit you think more people should know about?
âLess is moreâ
As Iâd lost myself in my EDC hobby and was putting together a new set every day, I realised I wasnât appreciating the individual items as much as I should. So Iâve set up an EDC corner that I visit at least once a week and I lay out a maximum of 2â3 sets for the rest of the week. This brings more calm to my rotation and helps me appreciate each item more.
When youâre not thinking about knives â whatâs your other obsession?
My other two main interests are road cycling and motorcycling! Road cycling in particular gives me a real sense of freedom and the joy of being out in nature! Itâs something you can really get into, and thereâs a whole world of its own with different philosophies and approaches. Whether youâre riding on the road or off-road, or whether you prefer short rides, bikepacking or even multi-day tours.
I live in Munich, Germany, with my lovely wife and our four-year-old son. We love travelling together, preferably in a camper van. I also love spending as much time as possible outdoors in nature. I developed an interest in the outdoors and survival (like RĂźdiger Nehberg) at an early age, which is why I became interested in outdoor equipment from a young age. Even as a teenager, I loved flicking through BĂśker catalogues and resolving to buy this or that once I was  grown up :-)Â
Professionally, I spent the first ten years working on site as a site manager, later as a foreman on call, and now I am an engineer for traffic systems.
Which ANSĂ knife do you own â and how did it find its way into your hands?
Like many people, I suppose, Anso knives were out of my price range at first, and I always wondered how anyone could spend more than âŹ200 on a knife. As my hobby grew more serious, I got to know more and more people who owned higher-priced knives, and I gradually began to understand why it makes sense to spend more money on a high-quality knife.
At a GDC (German Daily Carry) meet-up, I had the chance to take a look at a Monte Carlo and would have loved to keep it right then and there! I then got lucky on the second-hand market and managed to bid for a Monte Carlo with zirconium scales and an RWL34 blade. This knife immediately won me over with its beautiful scratch pattern (I donât know how else to describe it) on the scales, the lovely satin finish on the blade, and the curved Anso lettering! The biggest surprise for me was that, unlike other expensive knives, I actually started using it regularly thanks to its suitability for everyday use and its elegant, socially acceptable appearance. For me, it is an important factor that i can carry that knife without violating the article 42A of the German Weapons Act. (Article 42A is the German knife law regulating what types of knives can legally be carried in public.)
My Anso collection has now grown to include: a Casino, a Monte Carlo, a Haddock, an ARN, various ASTRA items, a carabiner, pry bars, etc. Once youâve started with Anso, you just canât stop!
What made you choose this knife in particular?
I chose Anso knives because of their timeless beauty, elegance and superb quality! You can see the attention to detail and the high standard of craftsmanship in every knife. Itâs also lovely to be able to put together your own Anso collection here, as everything goes together beautifully and creates a stunning overall look. Whatâs more, thanks to their non-aggressive design, the knives are very socially acceptable.
What has surprised you most about owning an ANSĂ knife?
What surprised me the most was just how practical these knives are for everyday use! With expensive knives, you often tend to be a bit more cautious because of their delicate construction or the sensitive materials used (such as mammoth tooth), so you end up leaving them at home. Jensâs knives, on the other hand Iâm happy to take them with me and use them in everyday life. Whatâs more, they require relatively little maintenance and, if anything does go wrong, are easy to look after (such as with the ARN, which you can oil as soon as you remove the inlay with a screw!)
What else do you carry every day?
My passion for EDC is wide-ranging! I donât just collect knives, but also multi-tools, flashlights, pens, pry bars, lighters, bottle openers, coins, worry stones, fidget toys â and the list goes on. Thatâs the beauty of EDC: there are endless possibilities for collecting and combining items! Most of the time, I carry a leather organiser with a knife, a flashlight, a pen and a pry bar. I also add a hank and a fidget or a coin.
Do you have an EDC tip or habit you think more people should know about?
âLess is moreâ
As Iâd lost myself in my EDC hobby and was putting together a new set every day, I realised I wasnât appreciating the individual items as much as I should. So Iâve set up an EDC corner that I visit at least once a week and I lay out a maximum of 2â3 sets for the rest of the week. This brings more calm to my rotation and helps me appreciate each item more.
When youâre not thinking about knives â whatâs your other obsession?
My other two main interests are road cycling and motorcycling! Road cycling in particular gives me a real sense of freedom and the joy of being out in nature! Itâs something you can really get into, and thereâs a whole world of its own with different philosophies and approaches. Whether youâre riding on the road or off-road, or whether you prefer short rides, bikepacking or even multi-day tours.
