Recommend me a multi-tool?

RemyKaze

RemyKaze

Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
2,177
Hey folks, I've been hunting around for a multi-tool to carry at work and thought I'd appeal for some advice. I have a Charge TTI, but it's too heavy for pocket carry in my work environment. I've been hunting all over for something that fits the bill, but unfortunately all I know is Leatherman. I would like to list some requirements and see if anyone has a suggestion in mind.

Must haves:
Pliers (needle or blunt)
Plain edge, locking blade (1h open preferred)
Scissors
Can opener
Bottle opener
Bit driver or Phillips AND flat heads
Pocket clip or similar easy access
Lighter than 8.2oz

Also wanted:
Saw
Awl
Prying tool
Wire cutters

From what I can tell, the closest I could find are the Spirit Tool X (no clip or 1h open), and the Wingman(combo blade, bleh). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
RemyKaze said:
Hey folks, I've been hunting around for a multi-tool to carry at work and thought I'd appeal for some advice. I have a Charge TTI, but it's too heavy for pocket carry in my work environment. I've been hunting all over for something that fits the bill, but unfortunately all I know is Leatherman. I would like to list some requirements and see if anyone has a suggestion in mind.

Must haves:
Pliers (needle or blunt)
Plain edge, locking blade (1h open preferred)
Scissors
Can opener
Bottle opener
Bit driver or Phillips AND flat heads
Pocket clip or similar easy access
Lighter than 8.2oz

Also wanted:
Saw
Awl
Prying tool
Wire cutters

From what I can tell, the closest I could find are the Spirit Tool X (no clip or 1h open), and the Wingman(combo blade, bleh). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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You have described the Leatherman Charge TTi, except for an awl (for that I have a modded one that fits into the pocket clip slot.) I wish all requests for multitool guidance were this easy. :D
 
znapschatz said:
You have described the Leatherman Charge TTi, except for an awl (for that I have a modded one that fits into the pocket clip slot.) I wish all requests for multitool guidance were this easy. :D
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Except, I do have that. I'm looking for something lighter. I had a Wave, and then the Charge. I enjoy it, but I wear a lot of other gear on the job and can feel the weight. It has ended up staying at home mostly, whereas it and the Wave saw a lot of use on the last job.

I guess I was hoping for a discontinued model or even another brand that I had never heard of, or recommendations for a brand I haven't tried. Just something lighter than the Charge, which is itself lighter than a Wave.
 
One option would be to get a SOG and set it up yourself. There are some options there. My other thought is to move from a large single tool to a number of smaller ones. Depending on your tasks and needs a skinth sheath or something similar could be set up if you don't mind belt carry. I'm thinking something like a Skeletool CX for pliers and knife, then a Vic hunstman for nearly everything else, and a widgy bar to pry with.

How heavy of pliers do you need? that will be a factor in how big a tool you end up with. the skeletool pliers are not nearly has heavy duty as the bigger tools. What line of work?
 
I work in plastics/extrusion. Cutting hot and cold plastic, cardboard, zip ties and straps, rebuilding machines that use primarily Allen bolts but also some flat head. I carry around a tool pouch full of tools some days, so I'd like a multitool that doesn't add a ton of weight.
 
RemyKaze said:
Except, I do have that. I'm looking for something lighter. I had a Wave, and then the Charge. I enjoy it, but I wear a lot of other gear on the job and can feel the weight. It has ended up staying at home mostly, whereas it and the Wave saw a lot of use on the last job.

I guess I was hoping for a discontinued model or even another brand that I had never heard of, or recommendations for a brand I haven't tried. Just something lighter than the Charge, which is itself lighter than a Wave.
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So, exactly like the Charge, but lighter. Since you can't make it completely out of plastic, that pretty much means going smaller. There's the Juice line, but those have disappointed me, and I imagine you've looked at those already.

I have the same problem. For a long time I just carried a Wave in a molle sheath on my day bag; then I upgraded to a Surge for the awl and larger scissors, thinking (correctly) that I wouldn't notice the weight, and a beefier tool was sometimes good to have anyway. That left pocket carry, but since my day bag is almost always close by, things like a can opener and saw didn't need to be directly on my person.

I've carried a Skeletool CX off and on since the CX got the plain edge blade, which covers 90% of my MT uses. (It doesn't have scissors.) Lately, though, it's been a Victorinox Pioneer or Böker Tech Tool 3 paired with a Leatherman Style PS, plus a small fixed blade or one-handed folder. Some combination of smaller tools is probably what you'll end up with, but I'd be thrilled to learn that you've found a better one-tool solution.
 
Nap said:
So, exactly like the Charge, but lighter. Since you can't make it completely out of plastic, that pretty much means going smaller. There's the Juice line, but those have disappointed me, and I imagine you've looked at those already.

I have the same problem. For a long time I just carried a Wave in a molle sheath on my day bag; then I upgraded to a Surge for the awl and larger scissors, thinking (correctly) that I wouldn't notice the weight, and a beefier tool was sometimes good to have anyway. That left pocket carry, but since my day bag is almost always close by, things like a can opener and saw didn't need to be directly on my person.

I've carried a Skeletool CX off and on since the CX got the plain edge blade, which covers 90% of my MT uses. (It doesn't have scissors.) Lately, though, it's been a Victorinox Pioneer or Böker Tech Tool 3 paired with a Leatherman Style PS, plus a small fixed blade or one-handed folder. Some combination of smaller tools is probably what you'll end up with, but I'd be thrilled to learn that you've found a better one-tool solution.
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Well I always carry a SAK Huntsman, which takes care of most of it. Been eyeing those Bokers pretty hard. I may do as some of you say and go with a Skeletool paired with the Huntsman in one of those dangler quick release fobs that Victorinox offers.
 
Don't have any of these (yet -- one of these has been on my mind recently), but with only the "one-handed open" for a locking blade and "pocket clip" missing from your "must have" list, there's a couple Victorinox 111mm SAKs that may fit -- and still be under 8.2 ounces: the Hercules (also adds an awl, a wood saw, and the pliers include a wire-cutting function) and the Workchamp (same as the Herc, but adds a metal file/saw).
 
RemyKaze said:
Well I always carry a SAK Huntsman, which takes care of most of it. Been eyeing those Bokers pretty hard. I may do as some of you say and go with a Skeletool paired with the Huntsman in one of those dangler quick release fobs that Victorinox offers.
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I definitely recommend picking up a Tech Tool, even if you end up sticking with the Huntsman. With all respect for Victorinox SAKs, Böker really did pull off "SAK with a modern feel" quite well. Everything's just so smooth, the fit and finish is amazing, and the drop-point 12C27 blade beats anything Victorinox has. (I actually plan to pick up the model 1, with just the blade, sometime in the near future.) There are a few quirks, like the lack of a can opener when they put a corkscrew on most of them, and the fact that the scissors, despite being better than those on the full-size Vics, open somewhat awkwardly, but it's just a great tool all around.
 
Nap said:
I definitely recommend picking up a Tech Tool, even if you end up sticking with the Huntsman. With all respect for Victorinox SAKs, Böker really did pull off "SAK with a modern feel" quite well. Everything's just so smooth, the fit and finish is amazing, and the drop-point 12C27 blade beats anything Victorinox has. (I actually plan to pick up the model 1, with just the blade, sometime in the near future.) There are a few quirks, like the lack of a can opener when they put a corkscrew on most of them, and the fact that the scissors, despite being better than those on the full-size Vics, open somewhat awkwardly, but it's just a great tool all around.
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I wanted the largest version, but it seems quite wide for the pocket. May downgrade a bit if I do pick one up.
 
RemyKaze said:
I wanted the largest version, but it seems quite wide for the pocket. May downgrade a bit if I do pick one up.
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I just have the 3 so far. It's kind of a shame that the next step up is two full additional layers, since I want the pliers but have less use for the saw, but I understand why.

I may try either adding the pliers layer to the 3, or creating what amounts to a nicer Pioneer/Soldier (with better blade, glass breaker, and rescue cutter) in the form factor of a 2 with an awl instead of a corkscrew (and accompanying solid scale from the 1). I'll probably take a look to see how difficult that is sometime this week.
 
If you can do without the one hand opening that fits the bill of the Victorinox Swisstool spirt x. Also if you wanted to divide it you could get a Leatherman Skeletool Cx and a swissarmy knife like the new evolution 18.
 
Swisstool Spirit X is close but doesn't have a pocket clip.
Come on Victorinox put a clip on it, its a near perfect tool (maybe put regular Vic scissors in it too). I love and collect Vics but sadly Victorinox is very conservative when it comes to making changes to its models, look at how long they've been dragging their heels on putting scissors in their alox SAKs.
 
RemyKaze: I suggest the Leatherman Super tool 300 it has some of the tools and features that your looking for.

I also suggest the Leatherman OHT that stands for One handed tool it features 16 tools that open with one hand and they all lock in place individually.
 
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