LeatherMan for backpackers(Lets Make One)!!!

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NeedItCheaper

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Jun 17, 2012
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For a while now I have had a Leatherman style multi-tool designed in my head. This may be way to specialized for other backpackers, but I'll give my reasoning and maybe we can get something started.

Knife, wood saw, Pliers, Small flat-head that doubles as an awl, Can opener with a medium flat-head at the end

Knife is self explanatory
Wood saws actually work fairly well on 1 inch diameter branches(saw 2.75 inches)
A small flat head like the one pictured on the Leatherman Wave is all I have ever needed. And there are many small screws on the gadgets I use which these fit perfectly in.

Can opener is something I never use, but I know many who do and since I need a medium flat head I figure why not take advantage of the space


There are few things that I like the idea of, but never use even when I could. Like the corkscrew which can undo knots, I can use my pliers(and skill) every time. The file for filing out dents and nicks in my blades, never going to do, would rather deal with it until I get back home to do a quality job. Belt saw(saw for cutting belts and rope) is another one of those things that sounds really nice, but a knife works perfect every time for me. And I have never seen tweezers done well enough for digging splinters out of my hands, so that goes too. Philips head: yes all my gadgets have Philips heads instead of flat heads, but the flat heads work just as well.


Short and sweet. This is designed to be as light as possible while providing all the features you'll actually use on a backpacking adventure. I'd really like to see an ultra light multi-tool like this to be made. Hoping it's not too customized, would you buy this if Leatherman or Victorinox: I just realized that all the Victorinox farmer would have to do is change a can opener into a small flat head and add pliers(would be absolutely perfect).......

Would you buy it if it came out?
 
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In my backpacking days I carried the original PST. All it was missing was a saw and it would have been perfect.
 
I really like the idea of the Signal, it ticks most of the boxes for me, saw, blade, can-opener, pliers. That would be a winning package for what I do and how I work. Combine that with a small fixed blade, and I'm in. Two problems though, semi-serrated blade, which I do not like, and its heavier than my rebar. Its useful enough that I might go past that, since it would cover all the things I'm currently using a Skeletool and a SAK to cover (Love having a saw, even a little one. One handed knives are a bit grey where I live, so on the pliers really helps and so it covers as a rope rescue knife) I would trade the sharpener, ferro rod, hammer and awl for a few grams in weight, and possibly a pocket clip. Its really close though.
I think you are closer to what I would like from a wilderness multi than most of the attempts that have come up in the past. I have no need for a fillet blade on my multi.
 
Would the retired juice kf4 be along the lines of what you're thinking? Although it has more blades than you mentioned?
 
healthvet said:
Would the retired juice kf4 be along the lines of what you're thinking? Although it has more blades than you mentioned?
Click to expand...

Yes, but even more scaled down a little. Turn that awl into a longer small flat head, get rid of all the inside tools and replace with one can opener/medium screw driver, get rid of the file and belt saw and you go it.............. I wish it was simple to take apart and configure your own.

Acually, I think I would have a better shot at getting Leatherman or Victorinox to create a Create-Your-Own style of knife with the ability to add and remove things, but because of screws and not rivets the weight would almost certainly be too high.
 
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