Survival Multi-Tool Choice

T

thundermoon

Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
413
Hello,

Please forgive me, I'm sure this quesiton has made the rounds in the past. I'm still relatively new to this forum, but have learned loads since coming here. Everyone is very helpful, and willing to help, which is part of why this is such a great forum.

My question is: What multi-tool would you bet your bacon on in any given survival scenario, urban and woods......SAK, Leatherman, etc....please share the maker and model with me as I am new and sometimes unable to recognize them by just a photo. OR would you bet your bacon on a multi-tool, would you rather find yourself with just a blade of some sort? Meant to clarify, when I say survival I don't necessarily mean a tactical type scenario, mean more of one where you will need to survive and use things around you to do so.....as you try to walk out of whatever the situation is. For example you truck breaks down in no mans land, and you have to walk out, adverse weather, you're gonna need shelter, fire, etc. along the way.

Sorry for all the verbiage, I look forward to your responses, and thank you!

Thundermoon
 
Others will know more about this than I - but every multi-tool I have will contain a woodsaw and can opener. I keep a leatherman wave in my the truck for the pliers, file, etc. but find it a bit heavy. So I have a SAK for woods - again, with a woodsaw. I also don't care for serrated blades, and not because they don't work, because they are not easy to sharpen. Keep it simple.
 
I find that my Leatherman Wave does everything I ask of it. At work or in the woods, but I needed to add a couple driver bits for work. I keep a leatherman Charge in my family rigs outdoors bag, and I won't ever be without a SAK Farmer, which I use everywhere.
 
I want to try out a SOG, but the one's I've used the most are Swiss Tools (original and X-model); Leatherman multi-tools (Charge and original Wave); more recently I picked up a Swiss Spirit multi-tool which is another solid mulit-tool. There's a balance of size verse required tools ("required" is purely a personal choice), some don't like a large, heavy tool on the belt. For me, I like narrower needle nose pliers/wire cutters, saw, awl, chisel, scissors and a decent file. The Spirit is a nice balance right now, but I've carried the Charge Ti for a few years now on duty...the extra bits actually come in handy at work.

Now, I must caveat that I usually have a SAK on me as well; preference is for an Outrider model when hiking/camping outdoors, and I'll couple a good multi-tool with a SAK Farmer for around town/urban areas. I'm less concerned about a high-quality blade (like the Leatherman Charge) on a multitool as I always have another high-quality folder and/or fixed blade with me. I actually like a sheepsfoot or even serrated edge on my multi-tool for tougher cutting jobs that I don't want to risk on my plain edge knives.

I must say that I do like the Leatherman Crunch and have carried in at times as well; I really like the vice-grip pliers.

Here's the Vic's original Swiss Tool, Model X and the Spirit:
DSC02337.jpg


Here's Leatherman's Original Wave:
DSC02343.jpg


Here's Leatherman's Charge Ti:
DSC02351.jpg


Here's Leatherman's Crunch:
DSC02353.jpg



ROCK6
 
Since you threw in urban and woods, I'd pick a Gerber 600 Pro_Scout. I can see far more uses for pliers in the city than in the woods. Also the"saw" is really a holder for jigsaw blades, so it can handle metal cutting, grit, and wood cutting saw blades. It has a partially serrated knife, which I prefer NOT to have, but they don't make that particular model with a plain edge.

If it's woods only, my "multitool" iof choice is the Victorinox SAK Rucksack. Has the longest blade and saw available, has enough tools, and not too many. I wish it has scissors instead of the corkscrew (the only tool on it I haven't used), but not a biggie.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
If it's woods only, my "multitool" iof choice is the Victorinox SAK Rucksack. Has the longest blade and saw available, has enough tools, and not too many. I wish it has scissors instead of the corkscrew (the only tool on it I haven't used), but not a biggie.
Click to expand...

Hey CP, check out the Outrider...a layer thicker than the Rucksack, but it has the scissors...same locking blade, large saw and excellent awl, can opener and screwdriver. I've completely dumped the Rucksack for the Outrider.

ROCK6
 
Had the same choice to make a month ago. I went with the Leatherman Surge because it is the largest and strongest multi tool I could find.
On the Wave and other multis the diamond file can not be used to sharpen the main blade because it is not removable. The file on the Surge is removable and that in my opinion gives it a great advantage.

surge03.jpg
 
for me I alternate between my LM wave and Swiss Army Spirit...two Great multi tools,I have had every name brand multi tool that has hit the shelves all have been traded and these 2 remain with me,solid performers for my application and both have leather sheaths that is a big plus as well.
 
I carry a SOG Powerlock on my hip daily and have for years. It gets much use but the blade has never been used :).

For woodsbumming, I carry a medium sized SAK(don't even know the model). I do have a Trekker coming and I do see plenty of situations where the one hand opening is a plus- I also carry a Spyderco Delica daily. If there could "be only one" a well made 3-5" carbon steel fixed blade would be the last thing I ditched.

2Door
 
i have found that i'm more of a components guy...i don't really like to carry a multitool. i tend to specifically tailor my tool set for each outing, and a multitool almost always contains far more tools that i would like to bring.

typically my woods kit includes my fixed blade, my folding knife (both on my person) a saw or small axe, and a pair of needle nose pliers. in the woods i have never wished for a screwdriver or a file, and found that i was carrying a multitool really just for the folding pliers. i decided to just start carrying the pliers. much lighter and more to-the-point.

i sometimes also carry a SAK though, i suppose that counts as a sort of multitool. i like having the can opener and nail file for manipulating sheet metal to do my will, to construct primitive stoves or other little things...though i rarely have the chance to do so. not too much scrap metal in my neck of the woods...much more glass.
 
I use and carry a Victorinox SwissTool every day. It's got all the tools I need on a regular basis (scissors, plain blade, cap lifter, screwdriver, saw, etc.) It's heavier than some of the new Leatherman tools but I wouldn't use a Charge as a hammer like I have my SwissTool.

I carry a Silver Gripper tweezer on my keyring so I don't miss that tool from the regular SAKs.

JRESwissTool03.jpg


I just got a new leather sheath for mine from Dan and Spen at JRE Industries (right off of Spen's belt actually) as my nylon sheath has seen enough "adventure" to just about give up the ghost.
 
I carry A leatherman wave for most urban adventures and have been using it for years, its not a bad woods tool either.

If I want to lighten up. the leatherman Blast is great. is contains most of the tools without being as redundant as some tools.

For most woods carry lately I have been sticking to a Sak Farmer or a Schrrade Buzz Saw trapper, I also EDC a leatherman squirt Micro tool with this and the sak I have all bases covered and then some.
 
ROCK6 said:
Hey CP, check out the Outrider...a layer thicker than the Rucksack, but it has the scissors...same locking blade, large saw and excellent awl, can opener and screwdriver. I've completely dumped the Rucksack for the Outrider.

ROCK6
Click to expand...

Dude NICE!

Er, thanks for spending some more of my $$ LOL. . .
 
For Leatherman, I like the original Supertool or Wave. For Vic, I like the Farmer or Huntsman. Don't ask me to choose... :D
 
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