Although I have carried one or another multitool since age 12, for most of that time pocket knives held little interest for me as a subject, any more than sandpaper or hammers have for me today (no offense intended to the sander/banger communities.) Early on I recognized the value of having a pocketable set of tools on hand, and for this my first scout pattern Kamp King was just fine over 15 years.
My next was a Wenger SAK, which lasted a few years until falling apart. It was replaced with a Victorinox that had a bunch of tools more than my previous 4-bladers. I liked that a lot, opened worlds to me, but my continuing lack of interest in the fine points was such that I don't have a clear memory of all the implements or what the model was called.
I could tell, however, that Vic was the goods. When that knife was stolen, I went all the way with a Swisschamp, which I carried exclusively for years. During that time I felt no need for supplementary gear beyond a maglite solitaire. As far as I was concerned, I was set for life with the ultimate multitool. Then came a disturbance in the harmony.
During a 1996 weekend, I was in a rural environment with a recent acquaintance and his 8 year old son. We were improvising some fishing gear, and I noticed he kept producing a little stainless steel thing out of a leather belt pouch, pull out a knife blade to whittle or cut something, thumb out a file to smooth a handle etc. It was some sort of multiple use pocket tool, providing capabilities I already had with the Swisschamp. Then he opened a needlenose pliers to bend some thick wire. That got my attention. I had met my first Leatherman, a PST model.
ASAP, I got myself a one. After a trial period, I concluded that even though the real pliers were much more useful the dinky ones on the Vic, the PST didn't show me enough, so I went back to the Champ. But I was vulnerable to the next Leatherman that came along, a Super Tool. Locking blades, the heft, sharp cut screwdrivers, etc. made clear this was a working tool. The only thing missing was scissors, but then Leatherman introduced the Micra, a perfect complement. That closed the deal. For the next bunch of years, that pairing was my main EDC.
Collateral damage: doing research on multitools led me to this and other knifely forums, so everything changed. I now have several each of Leathermen (including a PST, which I revisited), also Victorinox, and spend altogether too much time doing stuff like this
.
Then the pendulum swung back. Often when I carry a Leatherman, I miss the Champ. So I strap on the Vic until I miss the Leatherman (repeat.) This has been going on for years.
That's my story.
, plier+scissors