How much do you actualy use you multi-tool?

znapschatz said:
My multi-tools get rotated depending on what I expect to do on a given day, or just because. They get used daily for everything from grooming to woodwork, on the spot repairs, gardening, general all-around tinkering (I'm a general, all around tinker).

Usually, I carry two at a time, the larger in a regular pants pocket, a smaller in my jeans watch pocket. My "work" outfit these days is a Leatherman Core plus a Micra for scissors, nail file and tweezers. I also have a Super Tool, ST 200 and PST, but use them seldom anymore. A few years ago, however, the PST came in handy for a trip to England, where locking blade pocket knives are not legal for public carry.

Out and about, I sometimes carry a Juice CS4, backed by a Vic Rambler. Travelling light, I take instead a Tinker with Micra. Sometimes, always when travelling, I pack a Swisschamp, paired with the Rambler.

Hardly a day goes by without them being used several times. Today, before breakfast, I put a new socket fixture into a lamp. It turned out to be a single rather than 3 way switch, so I'll have to do it again. I wouldn't be surprised if the last thing I use my Leatherman on today will be the first thing it got used on this morning. :rolleyes: But most of the time, my fixes get done right first try. ;)

Since my first 4 bladed Scout knife at age 12 to the present day, I have carried one or another pocket tool just about every day. Not only can't I imagine doing without, I don't understand how anyone can go tool-less through their daily lives.

Just between us, there are a lot of things I don't understand. :confused:
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Woh all i can say is Woh! You carry a lot of multi-tols/pocket knives around you! You must got a big collection or something? Also how's the Tinker and the Mirraca both pair up? I was looking into the Tinker and was wondering how's the performence on it!
 
I don't. A few years ago I tried carrying a Shrade ST1 for 2 weeks. I didn't use it once. I carry a few knives and a real pair of pliers. Channellock GL6
 
idontknow312 said:
Woh all i can say is Woh! You carry a lot of multi-tols/pocket knives around you! You must got a big collection or something? Also how's the Tinker and the Mirraca both pair up? I was looking into the Tinker and was wondering how's the performence on it!
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Well, they find their way here and I give them a good home. :D

As it happens, lately I have been carrying the Tinker/Micra combination. Most of my ordinary, day to day multi-tool needs can be handled by this combo, yet they are hardly noticeable in the pocket. If I really need something else, usually I am not too far from a tool kit at home or in my car.

All considered, I think the Tinker offers the best utility/size/quality/performance/value balance of any multi-tool on the market. As a companion piece, the Micra (likewise its cousin, the Squirt) offers the best scissors of any keychain sized item. If those two were my only m-ts, I would not be unhappy. In fact, for many years I had only a boy scout knife, and was reasonably happy most of the time. Of course, I was a lot younger then.
 
idontknow312 said:
*Make sure you name your brand and model*

Leatherman Wave
Multi-tools - I took out over 30 nails that was nailed by a nail gun.
Sissors - Cut/trim so many leaves and weed and plants.
Large Screwdriver - Took out aprox 20 screws (Not a lot)
Blade - Cut through plastic water bottles
Saw - Saw a few wood sticks
Serrated Blade - Cut card board box (i dont really know what the purpose of a serrated blade)
Wire Cutters - Cut wires from my head phones.

I must say the Wave is like a tank i dropped it so many times (usualy 4-10 times a day because im so careless) from 5ft plus and the only thing i see on it is a tiny scratch... It's been soaked in water and still no rust been accidentaly kicked across the floor/cement stepped on used it as a hammer on some occasions and its still performs like day one.

How much do you really use your multi-tool now???
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I don't use it at home since I have a real set of pliers and a screwdriver + bits for anything I might need to do at home. I keep my multitool in my briefcase in case of an emergency. The way I see it that's what a multitool is for. To have a toolkit with you when carrying a real tool box would be impossible.
From my experience an SOG Powerlock S61 with V-cutter and a Victorinox Compact give me the most useful array of tools when I'm away from home and that's all I need.
 
While here in Iraq, I carry my Gerber Compact Sportsman Multi-Plier all the time, and use it many times a day. The tools that get the most use are the pliers (it sure is handy being able to open the pliers with one hand!), the Phillips screwdriver, the knife blade and the scissors. On the belt of my flight survival gear, I have a Leatherman Wave. Like the Cold Steel SRK that also rides on the belt, it doesn't see daily use, but is there "just in case."

In addition, I have a Leatherman Squirt P4, a Victorinox "Ranger" model SAK and a Wenger "Soldier" model SAK here with me, all of which see use on a frequent basis as well.

As I write this, I have the Squirt P4 in one pocket, a Schrade 34OT medium stock knife in the other, and the Gerber Multi-Plier on my belt. All in all, a pretty handy combination! But then again, anyone who has spent any amount of time here in the good ol' "Sandbox" can tell you just how handy a multi-tool can be!

Ron
 
oli said:
I don't. A few years ago I tried carrying a Shrade ST1 for 2 weeks. I didn't use it once. I carry a few knives and a real pair of pliers. Channellock GL6
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I can relate to that. Part of the learning process with carrying multi's is "seeing" the opportunities to use them. Even though I've carried for many years, once in a while someone will say to me,"Why don't you use your tool?" ;)
 
I have many multi tools. LM surge, charge tti, wave, Sog Powerlock and paratool. I Used to carry a LM Surge and Wave on a daily basis, now I carry a LM wave and a Sog paratool. I use mine pretty heavy multiple times per day.
 
Has anyone depended on their Multi-tool for camping or on some weird occasion you find your boat engine blew and your stuck on a middle of nowhere next to a island and you had to rely on your multi-tool to survive (<- just giving some examples)?
 
idontknow312 said:
Has anyone depended on their Multi-tool for camping or on some weird occasion you find your boat engine blew and your stuck on a middle of nowhere next to a island and you had to rely on your multi-tool to survive (<- just giving some examples)?
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My leatherman wave has played a crucial role in many vehicle extrications. I welded the can opener closed when I accidentally shorted out a battery when cutting terminal cables.
 
idontknow312 said:
Has anyone depended on their Multi-tool for camping or on some weird occasion you find your boat engine blew and your stuck on a middle of nowhere next to a island and you had to rely on your multi-tool to survive (<- just giving some examples)?
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No wilderness survival stories here, but if you are referring to "multi-tool saves the day" situations, there have been several. On three occasions in the last ten years, I needed one for quickie auto repairs on the road when my regular tool kit was inaccessible (frozen trunk lock, buried under a pile of luggage X2 ). Most, it saved me time and inconvenience, but in one case maybe serious injury or worse.

Posted about a year ago:

A few months after picking up the Super Tool, which I carried every day everywhere, I was waiting for a bus in early afternoon near a college campus when confronted by a local burnout who threatened me with a chain. There wasn't any time to open a blade, so I was figuring if it came to blows to use the Leatherman as a fist weight or striking tool. I turned a left 3/4 profile to him and reached under my jacket, which concealed the leather sheath. It was still new enough for the fastener to pop loudly when I unsnapped it, causing the guy to back away for not knowing what I might be packing. That gave me enough space to exit smoothly (or so I flatter myself to think ).

I would have been at a serious disadvantage if the guy had not been impressed. He was at least 30 years younger than me, and although a dissolute life had taken its toll, he had the look of someone with a lot more experience in street fighting than me.

It could have ended badly. Instead, the sound of the snap was all I needed. But it still counts in my book as "multitool saves the day."
 
Leatherman Micra; On my keychain, always there when I forget my Spyderco or Vict Sportsman. Cutting threads off my clothes, opening plastic/boxes, etc. Fingernail file is handy as well. My bigger 1990's version Leatherman goes with me outdoors, cutting fishing line/rope, tightening gun screws or gutting out bunnys. Great in the garage as well for odd jobs. A few strokes on the steel, and she is razor sharp again.
I have been looking at newer "bigger/better" models of various brands, but my old original Leatherman is all I need. At least until next week when I get the "gotta have it" bug...
 
My SAK keyring knife gets used more than all others (usually because it's what I have on me at the time), usually as a letter opener, tweezers are second most used tool. Next is a SAK Huntsman, used for everything from drilling (awl); turning eye-bolts; making a slingshot for my son; if not in my pocket, it's in the sheath-pocket of my BK-7. I filed the screwdriver down to fit snugly in the flat head screws I put on my BK-7, so I can use the scale cavities for storage (usually matches). I have an old Huntsman that has both screwdrivers filed down to fit the screws of my Finnish model 39.

I have a Schrade USA tool that I don't use too much any more as it seems to have stiffened up over the years. Last is a Gerber tool that I'm keeping for when I'll finally need one.

thx -cpr
 
idontknow312 said:
What exactly does a Schrade Tool look like? I never heard of them before!
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I posted a question titled "How do I loosen up a Schrade USA Toughtool" in this same forum, and Parnass posted back an answer, along with a pic. I'll refer you to that one because mine is buried in a tool box somewhere, can't get to it quickly to take a photo. It was one of my favorite tools; had tons of uses, and got used a lot, but after a while it was a pain (literally) to close so I semi-retired it. :(

thx - cpr
 
idontknow312 said:
Woh they look pretty nice! 100% Stainless steel?
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As far as I know they are (or were) when they were made by Schrade USA. People who own these either love'em or hate'em. Usually, from what I hear, 'stiffening up' is an ongoing problem with this tool. I used mine for years until I got tired of the hassle of opening/closing it. I believe these were made with 440 series stainless steel, which was functional, but if they used that material throughout, 'galling' might be the cause of the stiffness, but that's purely speculation on my part.

After Schrade went belly up, and Stewart Taylor (Taylor Brands) bought the company, the Schrade line was re-introduced, but the new line is made in China. If you want one, these can be found, but make sure you get one of the old USA-made tools. I wouldn't trust the steel, or the steel treatment, coming out of China.

There are better tools out there nowadays. My next MT will probably be a Leatherman Charge TTi; they're made of S30V, better material then 440, IMO.

thx - cpr
 
When I got some money to my name I went out and found Gerbers Build Your Own Multi-tool. It was a great time and money well spent. But over time, I found that the blunt nose were not really what I needed. And slowly its use became less and less frequent.

This thread did induce me into getting it out of the gun cabinet and taking a picture. This is just the tool. It came in a combo pouch with a Mag Light.

gerber_byo_multitool.jpg
 
Shaman - now it's my turn for a question: a 'Build-Your-Own" MT? That sounds interesting; is that truly what it was, or something where you order the parts you want on it, and it's factory built? I'd love something like that. I have a smaller Gerber, similar to the one in the photo, but I don't think I'll ever use all of the equipment on it, and I have need for other equipment that it doesn't have. I usually end up 'mod'ing all of my MT's.

thx - cpr
 
orca8589 said:
Shaman - now it's my turn for a question: a 'Build-Your-Own" MT? That sounds interesting; is that truly what it was, or something where you order the parts you want on it, and it's factory built? I'd love something like that. thx - cpr
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Gerber had a website up for a while where you could pick the options.
You could pick the plier type, the case coloring, and they had about 20 tool sets. If I remember right it was 8 for one side and 12 for the other. You could then order the mag lite combo as well.

So you started and built it online and the website would piece it together for you and show you exactly what it would look like. You would commit the multi-tool and pay online and Gerber would build it to your specs and ship it out to you.

Sort of like all the car websites now. Start with the model and add all the options. Get it from the factory exactly like you want it. I just looked it up on the gerber website and this is what it says.

Q: You used to have a BYO website where I could build my own Multi-Plier, is that still available?
A: Due to unforeseen circumstances the design shop is no longer available. Currently, there are no plans to return the 'Build Your Own' design shop to our website. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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I guess in a way it makes it kind of rare. Still wish it was needle nose.
 
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