What tools

SilverFoxKnows

SilverFoxKnows

Joined
Sep 25, 2002
Messages
3,179
see the most use on your multi? What sees little-to-no use? I see a lot of threads asking which is multi is the best but once you've selected the maker/model that suits you how do you use it? Is the bottle opener essential? Or would you give up bottle and can openers to have a really good file? Just curious. For myself, I never use the bottle or can openers. I never use a corkscrew. I do use saw, file, awl, screwdrivers and pliers. I've found the Gerber is way too heavy for what you get, I'm passing it along to my brother-in-law. The SAK Tinker doesn't have enough of what I use, it's going to my sister-in-law. The only things that get used on my Micra are the scissors and file, might just have to pass that along, too. My Grandpa's old Wegner has everything I use except pliers, but it's a backspring or two thicker than it needs to be. I go back and forth, looking for the One. I keep eyeing the Juice KF4 and SAK Locksmith. Hmmm...

Frank
 
Fox, you've hit on my obsession. I am also searching for "the one", and all multitools fall short somewhere.

The tools I use most are: pliers and cutters, scissors, phillips screwdriver, med/lg flat blade screwdriver, file, and the bottle opener.

Tools I rarely or never use: can opener, saw (but I want one on the tool), small screwdrivers, awl. I also rarely use the knife blade, so having two knives, as some tools do, is total overkill.

Currently I carry a Leatherman PST2 or Pulse. They are that smallest that have what I want, the main difference being locking/non-locking tools.

The ideal to me would be a Pulse, but instead of three flat screwdrivers (one with a kind of chisel grind), it would have just one plus a saw and awl. The knife would be of something other than generic stainless, and the wire cutters would be more durable.
 
Excellent topic! I will be interested tp see what other people have to say about it.

My most frequently used tools, in order of use, are:
  1. flat screwdriver
  2. Phillips screwdriver
  3. pliers
  4. scissors
    [/list=1]

    My least frequently used, also in order, are:
    1. corkscrew
    2. awl
      [/list=1]

      --Bob Q
 
Pliers
Phillips screwdriver
Flathead screwdriver
Awl
File

I never use the corkscrew, or can opener. Occaisionally, I will use the blade or scissors if they are the most convient one around, or if the tool has a serrated blade (like the Swisstool) I'll use that to open boxes, particularly when I'm putting some "some assembly required" project. No point in wasting the edge of my EDC. I occaisionally use the saw, but very rarely.
 
Pliers a lot, Phillips screwdriver often, flat screwdriver sometimes.

Because I also carry a SAK and a stockman I hardly ever use the other tools, I use the SAK´s flat driver often so that´s why the one in the multitool is not used much.

I really don´t care for a knife blade in a multitool, and don´t need it in the SAK, my stockman cuts better than either one.
 
Schrade Tough Pliers

Pliers, of course! :)

Wire cutters,
Phillips head screwdriver,
Metal file (rarely, but I have used it),
Flat, large screwdriver blade,
Flat small screwdriver/awl blade,
Woodsaw (very handy to have!)
Serrated knife blade.

Things I don't/have never used:

A fish hook remover with ruler marking on the side (carry a tape measure with me & don't fish),
A straight bladed knife,
Hook type-o-thing that's sharpened. Don't know what I'd do with it!

I also carry a Schrade Tough Chip, to have the scissors. I got them for $5 from Wal-mart on the close-out rack. Found out why they were on close-out... Don't cut paper at all! Will cut just about anything with some substance; I've cut a ton of cable-ties. Don't know if mine are a fluke or not, but I've got some SOG Powerpliers on the way (Thanks to all who recommended them!) Do use the tweezers on the Tough Chip, but I'm going to carry my Swiss Army knife as the tweezers are better.

I'd like to see the multi-tool companies come out with a long list of tools and let us customize them as we need them.

Grim/Don
 
I agree, one of the major manufacturers needs to come up with an online "build your own" option. Here's what I use.

Pliers (Otherwise I'd just carry my Vic. Outrider ;) )
Blade (if I'm not carrying a better one)
Scissors
Something for light duty prying (here I usually misuse one of the other tools)
Cross tip
Flat tip
File
Wood saw
Awl
Can/bottle opener

I'd still want all of these on any multitool
 
Excellent topic and it is my obsession as well. There are many facets to this type of tool and just as many opinions.

I too would like to see a multi tool that you could design yourself. I thought that Gerber had a good thing going there, but they didn't go far enough. Not even close.

Things I use on a multi tool:

#1. Pliers first and foremost. I like flat nose the best with good wire cutters. I think Gerber makes the most robust plier head. Others like leatherman. C'est La Vie!

#2. Flat screwdriver in two sizes
#3. Tweezers
#4. Bottle opener
#5 Phillips Screwdriver
#6 File
#7 Saw- could be a replaceable Sawzall blade
#8 Scissors

Things I'd like to see in a multitool:

#9 Ruler that was also a prybar made out of 3V
#10 Pair of Dykes.........Diagonal Wire Cutters instead of those wimpy scissor type ones. This would require a much better grade of plier than they normally use.
#11 Tritum inserts- Hey I can dream right?
#12 lithium powered 1watt Luxeon Star LED
#13 Cool exotic material overlays like stabilized woods, CF, G10, Ivory
#14 Heavy duty Titanium frame
#15 All tools must lock

Things I think are stupid on multi tools:

A Knife- I want a tool not a knife. I almost never want a knife on a multitool and rarely have I used one. I guess they are figuring on mass appeal, but just once I'd like to have a multitool without one. One exception, if the knife blade was custom quality.

I would so rather much see a stripped down multitool with 6 incredibly well made features than an OK tool that's pretty good with 20 features.


My dream is to some day make a custom multitool that was totally stripped down but frickin' robust as hell. I'm thinking Strider AR style multitool.
 
Monday-Friday, my multitool is a LM Juice S2. I use it for lab equipment, computers, networking repairs, and light office work. My most used tools are:

- Two largest flat screwdrivers
- Phillips screwdriver
- scissors
- blade (my work folder is a Rescue Jr or Ladybug II, so the multitool is my PE blade)
- pliers (for pulling out stuck stuff and removing staples)
- wire cutters

I rarely use the smallest screwdriver. I don't think I've ever used the combo bottle/can opener.

On weekends, my multitool is usually a LM Wave or Juice Kf4, or more often replaced with an SAK. I use it for yardwork, household repair, or to take with me while hiking or biking. I use the blade, saw, file, or screwdrivers, depending on what I'm doing.
 
My current "multitool," and the one non-rotating part of my EDC, is a Victorinox Farmer. Large blade, awl, can opener, bottle opener, and saw.

I use the screwdriver part of the bottle opener constantly, a dozen times a day, sometimes even on screws. I use the bottle opener part to lever stuff up sometimes. I've never opened a bottle with it.

I use the screwdriver part of the can opener a couple of times a day, usually to tighten a phillips screw (which I run across far more than flathead screws that need tightening). I've never opened a can with it.

I use the large blade -- look, this is BladeForums, if you don't know what you use a knife for, you need to bebop over to the OhDearHeHasNailClippersWhatShallWeEverDOForums.

The awl gets used mostly as a scraper (when I don't want to wreck my knife edge, or when I don't want to damage what I'm scraping), which is actually very often. I clean my fingernails with it too, and I've punched a good handful of holes.

The saw blade I used once to cut down a Christmas tree. It's there because if you need a saw, you REALLY need a saw, you can't improvise that. I can't think of anything I'd REALLY need a file or scissors for, but I can come up with lots of scenarios where I'd need a saw and nothng else would do.

That said, if they made a SAK just like mine but with scissors, I'd have it.

The reason I have this SAK is because I had a swisschamp XLT and a Swisstool X, I picked out the tools I REALLY used (as opposed to occasionally used... I'd use the chisel on the Swisschamp sometimes, but the awl will do the same things I was using it for). I ended up with this SAK. Occasionally I also carry the Victorinox bit wrench, the Plus part of the Swisstool plus, but most of the time it's just my SAK, and I haven't wished I had another tool yet.
 
Originally posted by Peter Atwood
Things I'd like to see in a multitool
Click to expand...

Are you familiar with the SOG PowerLock? It meets most of your requirements and has the potential to meet the rest. Unlike most multi-tools, it is designed so the user can customize its tool configuration. Just unscrew the hex-head bolt that holds them in and replace whatever you don't need with something you do.

I thought about removing the knife blade from mine, but decided to swap the standard combo-edge for a serrated sheepfoot instead.

The only problem is that SOG only makes so many tools that will fit their pliers. I'm surprised that none of the makers here have gotten around to offering custom tools to fit the SOGs. I would particularly like to see a prybar!

--Bob Q
 
Most of the stuff that loosens up, drives me nuts and needs to be tightened are the common size hex and Torx screws. I did a survey of the sizes of my dashboard, my gun grips and my knife handles and bought those sizes for my 'always carry' stuff.

My SnG cuts just about everything, even some of the really fine detail stuff.

I just purchased a Super Knife. That's like having an Xacto Knife around 24-7.

Ya' know, I just don't seem to need a pliers all that much.
 
My $20 SAK Tinker with the Phillips screwdriver in place of the corkscrew goes with me everywhere, and handles most little jobs quite well. I also have a Leatherman Wave, but it's just too big to carry on my person every day. Nice item to ride in a briefcase or computer bag though.

I think my ideal SAK would be one with a small/medium knife blade, and a variety of screwdrivers, and maybe a pair of scissors. Ditch the can and bottle openers.
 
Originally posted by Grim/Don


I'd like to see the multi-tool companies come out with a long list of tools and let us customize them as we need them.

Grim/Don
Click to expand...

Gerber DOES have a "build-your-own" option and you can even choos your handle and blade colors. Check out their website if you're interested. The major drawbacks are 1)List price...ouch! and 2) a pretty long wait.
 
My SAK/multis are pretty basic and good. On the Trailmaster/Wave/Micra that I EDC, only the bottle opener on the TM is worthless. The MOST worthless tools on a SAK are the corkscrew and package hook. Maybe if you're a drunken postman...
 
After almost a year sitting idly in its belt pouch, my Leatherman Wave came to the fore in the last 3-4months. Virtualyl every tool has been used including the pliers, plain blade, serrated blade, saw and file, can opener, scissors, everything !! The only thing that was redundant was that there were 3 sizes of flat head scredrivers and the largest one did the job each time. The only things I find missing are a "micro" phillips head screwdriver and a corkscrew for those pesky wine bottles.

I use my older SAK's with scissors and cockscrews around the kitchen now. I found the dedicated scissors function on the Micra too weak to put up with long term work and it retired in a dreadful mess... Jason.
 
A topic I can share my obsessions in!

I use multi-tools in a mostly "urban environment" - that is not for woodland survival stuff. What I need, in order of most often used is:
  1. Various Screwdrivers
  2. Pliers
  3. Scissors
  4. Wire Cutters
    [/list=1]
    Not much use for saws or files, but that is just me.

    For some reason, I have an unreasonable hatred of corkscrews. They take up too much room, and I just do not come across that much cork that need screwing.

    In the Leatherman line, I have owned a PST II, Pulse, Micra, Crunch, and Mini. I found the individual implements in the PST and Pulse a bit difficult to get as quickly, and sold them off. The Crunch is very well designed, but for me it is more of a "mechanic" tool. It stays in the car for that purpose. Micra and Mini are very handy (and cute) but are limited in the selection of implements.

    I found the SOG PowerLock I had to be a wonderful product, but Big and Heavy. I am going to steal Glockman's idea and wish for a Pocket PowerLock - more compact, but locking tools. The SwitchPlier is also a well designed, but light duty tool - kept that one, it is the most fun (Push button, close, push button, close...)

    The best thing the SOG's have is the aforementioned ability to add and replace tools by removing standard hex bolts. They do have a limited selection of tools and bits, but no less than other manufacturers. At least one can add what they need, and leave the rest out.

    I am currently playing with a Gerber Urban Legend. Compact, light, but with locking implements that are accessable without opening the handles. Not quite perfect, but a step in the right direction.

    On their other tools, Gerber seems to have abandoned the "build your own" option. :( In fact, I called to ask about optional or replacement tools, they told me that due to "liability" issues, the only option in the event of a broken screwdriver was to send the whole thing in! This is on a tool that can be disassembeled with a common torx bit! :mad: I will never understand corporate business - A tool with a 3 inch knife blade is safe enough to sell, but I cannot get a replacement phillips screwdriver bit, for fear I might screw myself?
 
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