SAK bit adapter hack

[Guy McVer]

It's already widely known that you can use the Leatherman bit adapter with the inline phillips on a Swiss army knife. The problem is that it's not a good fit and there is a lot of wobble, which makes it pretty awkward to use.

Today I thought of a very simple little hack to stabilize the adapter and eliminate the wobble. You simply shove the toothpick and tweezers from your SAK into the gaps on either side of the bit adapter. They function as shims to fill up the empty space, which then prevents the bit adapter from being able to wiggle back and forth while you are turning a screw.

"Pistol grip" orientation.

Close-up in the straight orientation.

I went ahead and stuck a Leatherman ratchet in my example pictures, because I might as well make people jealous with it, since these ratchets have been nearly impossible to find at a reasonable price for almost a year now...

Try it for yourself, or feel free to share pictures of your Leatherman ratchet if you want to inspire envy in the hearts of your fellow man.

 

[afishhunter]

these ratchets have been nearly impossible to find at a reasonable price for almost a year now...

Or at an "unreasonable" price?
They been "Out of Stock" on the Leatherman site for about a year ... along with the replacement Bit Set #1

Out of curiosity, is (or was) $30 a "reasonable" price for the ratcheting extention?

 

[Guy McVer]

Or at an "unreasonable" price?
They been "Out of Stock" on the Leatherman site for about a year ... along with the replacement Bit Set #1

Out of curiosity, is (or was) $30 a "reasonable" price for the ratcheting extention?

They're supposed to cost 35 usd, but I hear they go out of stock in a flash whenever they might happen to sporadically show up, and the only way for a regular person to get one has been to pay exorbitant scalper prices on a certain auction site. I got mine as part of an online order from a third party retailer before the current mess started, so I only paid 35 for it.

 

[afishhunter]

think I'll pass.
this:
View attachment 2497376
and this:
View attachment 2497377
(mine holds the prorietary Leatherman flat bits just fine.)
are more budget friendly options, and ride in the LM sheath's side pocket, so don't need to be left home.

 

[Guy McVer]

think I'll pass.

(mine holds the prorietary Leatherman flat bits just fine.)

[they] are more budget friendly options, and ride in the LM sheath's side pocket, so don't need to be left home.

There are also some other really cool budget friendly options for EDC ratchets and I've made one or two posts on these forums listing some of them before, but sadly none of them have the ratcheting mechanism in a straight line like the Leatherman one, and so I don't really consider them to be true alternatives to the Leatherman ratchet specifically.

 

[Bushleague270]

I just use the Picquick "Pic" model screw driver. It holds 3 bits and is highly pocketable, it will hold 4 if your keeping it in a wallet or something. Its not as stout as their other models though, so if something is really tight I just grab the bit with my pliers, or a stubby 1/4" wrench to break it free. Works for me.

 

[jazzz]

I just use the Picquick "Pic" model screw driver. It holds 3 bits and is highly pocketable, it will hold 4 if your keeping it in a wallet or something. Its not as stout as their other models though, so if something is really tight I just grab the bit with my pliers, or a stubby 1/4" wrench to break it free. Works for me.

I love that thing. Highly recommended. I always need a stupid Robertson bit at work in the kitchen. Whoever made the place likes those screws. I carry it in a front pocket with my Vic Classic. Soldier in back pocket, and old Wave model on hip. I use all the tools in the kitchen.