Has your mini-tool displaced your SAK?

[VictorLouis]

Just wondering if anyone has stopped carrying their SAK because of a pocket mini-tool, w or even key-chain tool that accomplishes what you need?

 

[afi1]

Not exactly in that order, but... I've been carrying a Gerber Dime for about a year. I recently acquired my first SAK, a Victorinox Tinker. I can't bring myself to leave the Dime at home, though- for fear of needing it's pliers. I more or less purchased the Tinker just for it's nostalgia. I can't find any SAK that would cover as many tasks as a Gerber Dime or Letherman Squirt PS4 while being as key chain friendly.

 

[powernoodle]

I have been carrying a PS4 and a Victorinox Classic SD together for a good while. The one thing that will never cause me to dump a SAK is the scissor. It is so precise for fine detail work (like skin boo boos, for example), that nothing else will do. I peeled the skin off my finger today changing a car battery, and the Classic's scissor worked well at repairing my finger. The PS4's scissor is just not nearly as precise. But I like having the plier component and decent drivers on the PS4, so that rides a long too. That's about the smallest, lightest combo I can come up with that still provides adequate and usable utility.

So no, for me the SAK has not been replaced, and probably never will be unless I carry a Victorinox MT like the Spirit, which has the same precise scissor as the Classic and other SAKs.


This, more or less.

 

[znapschatz]

Just wondering if anyone has stopped carrying their SAK because of a pocket mini-tool, w or even key-chain tool that accomplishes what you need?

Nope. My keychain tools supplement my SAKs and I seldom carry one without the other.

 

[leghog]

Just wondering if anyone has stopped carrying their SAK because of a pocket mini-tool, w or even key-chain tool that accomplishes what you need?

The opposite.

 

[jackknife]

I've never bought a multitool before. I have one that I found, but it sits in the kitchen drawer. I appreciate how handy they could be in the right circumstances, but to me, they just seem too heavy for what I need. I think I've needed a pliers once or twice in my life, but I got by without. But screws seem to pop up in my life more often. A SAK for my life style seems to do well. And many times I don't even have a SAK on me, but I always have my "emergency" tools in my wallet. I've long lost count of how many times and things I've fixed with a screw driver and some improvising. I love my keychain tools, and often I just carry a dedicated pocket knife.

My wallet is my multitool.

 

[zeedeegood]

I always have both, multitools don't have a toothpick! I use both quite a bit throughout the day and have somewhat of a Batman utility belt going. If I was absolutely forced to only carry one item it would be the SAK.

 

[VictorLouis]

Well, I was comparing the recent Juice2 acquisition alongside my Explorer. The SAK is longer and thicker in either measurement. However, it's giving one more small-blade, awl, corkscrew, pkg.hook, magnifying lense, & the ubiquitous T/P n T. Main blade of SAK a smite larger, whereas scissors of J2 barely edge-out the SAK. Drivers are about a wash.

 

[James Y]

I've had a Micra for a long time, but it's never taken the place of an SAK. I rarely use the Micra; it mostly stays in my work bag. It's a good tool, but I feel way more comfortable with the SAK tools. They're easier to access, etc. I always carry my black SAK Executive regardless.

But I often will not carry a regular-sized SAK when I'm carrying my Swisstool Spirit.

Jim

 

[VictorLouis]

I've had a Micra for a long time, but it's never taken the place of an SAK. I rarely use the Micra; it mostly stays in my work bag. It's a good tool, but I feel way more comfortable with the SAK tools. They're easier to access, etc. I always carry my black SAK Executive regardless.

But I often will not carry a regular-sized SAK when I'm carrying my Swisstool Spirit.

Jim

Micra's been on my keychain forever. Fantastic scissors, cap lifter and jeweler's. I use 'em in about that frequency, too. It's tight and flat when closed, and I tuck it into my waist behind my belt easily. Only a thin, 2-layer SAK would be as comfortable.

 

[Shotgun]

Nope. An alox sak seems to be all I need. I actually use the awl the most out of every other tool. I don't think I can live without it at this point.

 

[David From NC]

I have both a Swiss Champ AND a Victorinox Swiss Tool in my war bag, and they travel together...

If FORCED to choose one (hiking, outdoors, etc.) it's the SAK.

I agree with a poster above who said the scissors are one of the biggest "draws" to teh SAK. I read an article by Leroy Thompson once who talked about how handy they were (he mentioned cutting out coupons or articles on in-flight magazines and I thought that sounded limp-wristed, at the time... ) and I now believe it! Paper, moleskin, ducttape, even trimming band-aids...

 

[Gadgetaholic]

A pocket tool may be OK for some tasks, but I never feel fully prepared unless I have a SAK with me.
If I leave the house without keys, flashlight & a SAK then I'm not fully dressed!

 

[pinnah]

YES!

Sort of.

I used to carry Ulster BSA knives. Still keep them on my work bench.

But my EDC pair is an Opinel in the RFP and a Micra is the LFP with my money clip.


EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr

I love the simplicity of a single blade knife. No compromise. The Opinel occasionally gets replaced with another single blade knife.

The Micra is always in my pocket. The Vic scissors are certainly nice for detailed work but I've grown to prefer the Micra in every aspect.

Best advice I've ever gotten and followed on a knife was to remove my Micra from my key ring and put it in my off pocket. I don't keep my keys in my pocket and the Micra was under used as I had to go fetch my keys to use it. And once I did, the tool had a mess of keys attached.

I keep a larger wave in my pack but pretty much only reach for it for the pliers or file.

For those who doubt the Micra or pocket carry of a key chain size tool, it's any easy experiment. Give it a month.

 

[znapschatz]

I read an article by Leroy Thompson once who talked about how handy they were (he mentioned cutting out coupons or articles on in-flight magazines and I thought that sounded limp-wristed, at the time... ) and I now believe it! Paper, moleskin, ducttape, even trimming band-aids...

Leroy must have been talking about clipping articles on in-flight mags a long time ago.

 

[pinnah]

Naw.


image by Pinnah, on Flickr


Take a Micra, cut off the knife blade and when you go through security, open it up like the red one in this picture. Tell the TSA agent that you are sending it through and that tool has no knife blade. I take that red one with me when I fly. No problem. Well... Manageable problems.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Well, for me I have tried (and I still use occasionally) a Leatherman Squirt, but the mainstay is a Vic Classic (in a tasteful forest green). My experiences with several Classics over the last 40 years isn't perfect, but they don't die on me the way they do for some folks.

The rounded contours of the Classic work great in my RFP pocket (where it rides, not on a key chain), and I know all the tools, and their limits, quite well. The Squirt has great pliers! But it feels like a blocky, heavy lump by comparison, and I haven't used it enough to "learn" where its tools are tucked in. Still, the Squirt will go on a trip coming up later this month to desert site full of cholla, where the pliers will be handy for extracting spines.

So — bottom line for me — no, the minitool hasn't displaced the Classic. But it has its uses and there are occasions where I'll carry it in preference.

 

[znapschatz]

The Micra is always in my pocket. The Vic scissors are certainly nice for detailed work but I've grown to prefer the Micra in every aspect.

Best advice I've ever gotten and followed on a knife was to remove my Micra from my key ring and put it in my off pocket. I don't keep my keys in my pocket and the Micra was under used as I had to go fetch my keys to use it. And once I did, the tool had a mess of keys attached.

I keep a larger wave in my pack but pretty much only reach for it for the pliers or file.

For those who doubt the Micra or pocket carry of a key chain size tool, it's any easy experiment. Give it a month.

In my considered opinion, the Micra is the most versatile and useful of keychain sized tools with scissors second only to Victorinox (THE best of class!), but plenty good enough. In 13 years I have found nothing better. Squirts are nice, more hand friendly with outside opening implements (wife likes hers for those reasons) but the scissors don't quite measure up and except for the flat ph driver, the blade and tools can't be extended, while all the Micra's can, a huge advantage. Just about the only superior Squirt gizzy is the tweezers, but it can be separated and lost. My opinion is based on the Squirt S4 (deficiencies noted), Style CS (fewer implements), Squirt PS4 and Style PS (scissors and pliers too small), none with useable or any rulers and bottle openers ranging from poor to awful. All have a few good points and get some use, but I keep coming back to the Micra. It does have one drawback, though, which is sharp edges. I used to carry the Micra in my jeans 5th pocket, but every time it would try to eat its way out. It never succeeded, but left holes in the attempt. Now I just drop or dangle it into my pocket. So far, no apparent excess pocket wear, but I'm keeping an eye on it. IMHO, Leatherman got keychain right the first time out.

 

[Tallahassee]

I EDC carry a Swiss Champ and can't imagine not having all that convenience in a couple of ounces. I like my multitools but for EDC the Victorinox ergo's just rule. Multitools live to serve in the backpack and the car console, not in my pocket as a rule.
+1 on the Micra being a superb design.

 

[mnblade]

The rounded contours of the Classic work great in my RFP pocket (where it rides, not on a key chain), and I know all the tools, and their limits, quite well. The Squirt has great pliers! But it feels like a blocky, heavy lump by comparison, and I haven't used it enough to "learn" where its tools are tucked in. Still, the Squirt will go on a trip coming up later this month to desert site full of cholla, where the pliers will be handy for extracting spines.

My experience is very similar. I know they're all small, but my Vic Rambler just rides a lot easier in pocket than my Leatherman Squirt P4 or Micra. Likewise, I do tend to tote the P4 when I'm expecting I might need pliers. Don't get me wrong -- all three are wonderful tools. But more often than not, it's the Rambler that rides along for the day in the watch pocket of my jeans.

In my considered opinion, the Micra is the most versatile and useful of keychain sized tools with scissors second only to Victorinox (THE best of class!), but plenty good enough. ... IMHO, Leatherman got keychain right the first time out.

I totally agree. Leatherman has yet to equal the Micra.