Multi-tools

[aicolainen]

Never been a big fan of the bit adapters,especially the (for me) pointless tiny one.

I made a cool little kit for the Surge. Added a LM bit extender, bit kit, bit ratchet, AAA flashlight and a jigsaw blade to cut metal.

I'm no fan of the LM bit adapters either. And double agree rgds the tiny one, that could have been solved much better.

When I first saw how Victorinox approached this, it seemed like they chickened out and took the easy route by just adding the bits and driver as a self-contained accessory. But the more I used LMs bit system, the more Victorinox's approach made sense to me. Why jump through hoops to use the multi-tool as a less than ideal driver handle for less than ideal bits, when you need all those accessories anyways? And as a bonus your pliers are now free to hold a nut in place while tightening the screw with your off tool driver.


And the tools Victorinox actually put in the multitool are really good.

That's not to take away from the effort you put into your kit, @Brock O Lee . I have a Surge as well, it's for a very specific use - and in that particular use case it is unchallenged. But in most cases I prefer the Victorinox (which unfortunately shares MIA status together with my Waterway... I've lost so much gear lately - and I have no clue how it happens ) or another similarly sized or smaller MT.

I wouldn't be surprised if my EDC setup looks different this time next year. I feel like as time goes o it gets harder and harder to justify carrying a dedicated folder and a multitool. I feel like a Surge of Free P2 with one handed opening would work pretty well for most my needs, and maybe carry a small fixed blade with it instead of a folder. We'll see.

I know you're a big guy, and can handle a Surge, but it's a pocket/pouch anchor for sure. I'd choose a lighter MT and a dedicated folding knife over a Surge. Every time.
The T-shank adapter is the sole reason I even decided to try one. As it turned out, just like the Crunch solved some very specific needs for me - so did the Surge. Because of this they're both very often with me, but still very rarely on my person.

[aicolainen]

But in most cases I prefer the Victorinox (which unfortunately shares MIA status together with my Waterway... I've lost so much gear lately - and I have no clue how it happens )

Though slightly off topic, I'm happy to announce my Waterway has been located.

It's been gone for quite a while, so in my head I had written it off, but thankfully there were still places I hadn't looked for it.
As mentioned there are several items on the loose, and while it felt like I've looked forthem just about everywhere I could have placed them, and then some... I was out in the forest walking with my dog the other day, and that's ofc the perfect circumstance for high quality thinking. I started pondering on where my large headlamp (21700) could have ended up, and it suddenly hit me that it could be in the water bladder pocket of my UL hiking backpack. When I got back home, not only did I find it there, but it shared that pocket along with my Waterway.

I was quite sure I'd used the headlamp after last using that backpack, and I "always" empty my backpacks after a trip anyways (but that water bladder pocket is easy to overlook), so it was a surprising although not a shocking place to find it.
Waterway OTOH was a very surprising find. I was a 100% sure I'd last used it for salt water fishing - and I never bring that backpack for those type of trips. Very happy to have been wrong about that though.

This event has boosted my creativity with regards to imagining where my other missing items could reside. And I now have a lead on the Victorinox.. well kind of. It's not a specific place I can look for it, but I'm also missing a puffy vest that I primarily use for maintenance work in the cold season, and I when it's cold out, I find it's often easier to stuff a multitool in the vest pockets after use, than fiddling to get it back in the sheath (I do have the sheath.. so that also supports this hypothesis). So if I can locate that vest, I might be up for another double score :D

[SchoonerBum]

I've carried an SAK in some form or another since elementary school and I still prefer the Victorinox multitools - I've had a pair of Spirits for a few years and I just picked up a full-sized Swisstool with the bit set a few days ago - mostly because having a small metric/imperial ruler on the handle seemed handy and I have a big project going on. I haven't felt the need for anything additional.

I owned a Gerber multitool back in the late 90s and loved it but lost it - finally replaced it 7 or 8 years ago with a bladeless MP600, but I just didn't like it. I ended up returning it and eventually got the Spirit. The newer Gerber ergos just didn't work for me, sadly. I'd still love a full-ish size bladeless multitool but I haven't found any others. Anyone have any suggestions?

[aicolainen]

I'd still love a full-ish size bladeless multitool but I haven't found any others. Anyone have any suggestions?

To me, the knifeless Leatherman Rebar is a good sized multi tool, but perceptions on size vary. Vivi would probably consider it something akin to a keychain tool :D

I'd like to see more knifeless versions as well. I almost always carry a dedicated knife, so the MT blade feels redundant. I rather the tool was made slimmer and lighter, or used the space for something I was more likely to need.

[SchoonerBum]

Thanks! I’ve never had a Leatherman, maybe I’ll try that one out. I feel the same way, I always have a knife (or two) on me, so it feels unnecessary on a multitool. I suppose I could build a tool less one the way I want it, but that’s a rabbit hole I should probably not poke my head down yet.

[FrankSD]

Leatherman, several models. I like the SideClip, Rebar, P2, and Freestyle. I always have a Micra with me.

[Evil D]

I'd still love a full-ish size bladeless multitool but I haven't found any others. Anyone have any suggestions?

The options really open up if you're willing to mod them yourself, and at least with most Leatherman it's fairly easy to do and most of the popular models have lots of custom 3rd party tools you could swap in place of the knife blade. It's not really much harder than taking a knife apart and getting it back together, they just have more parts and usually need to go back together in a particular order so the tool can close around the pliers correctly.

[ladybug93]

i'm thinking about replacing my edc blade with a signal or skeletool. i don't cut that much in a given day and a multitool seems like a more useful option for that space in my pocket. i'd still carry a se salt of some kind and maybe a waved delica with signet ring on my weak side sometimes. seems crazy to add a multitool an still keep a standard edc knife in my pocket though.

has anyone else already done this? thoughts?

[vivi]

i'm thinking about replacing my edc blade with a signal or skeletool. i don't cut that much in a given day and a multitool seems like a more useful option for that space in my pocket. i'd still carry a se salt of some kind and maybe a waved delica with signet ring on my weak side sometimes. seems crazy to add a multitool an still keep a standard edc knife in my pocket though.

has anyone else already done this? thoughts?

outside of work this is a good setup for me. at work I move at a fast enough pace I want a one handed pocket knife or fixed blade though.

I recently ordered a holster that fits any of my leathermans that can clip on to my belt. it's made carrying them a lot more convenient as opposed to having to undo my belt.

street beat + supertool 300 is about as functional as it gets IMO.

edit - here's some photos of one of my favorite setups these days:





the multitool by itself, with two blades, is more than enough to get me by outside of work.

[ladybug93]

i decided to try the skeletool. i don't care for the sharpener or ferro rod/whistle on the signal, but i was going to get it for the other tools. that's when it hit me that i don't need a saw, can opener, or awl for daily carry, so why bring the extra weight and bulk in my pocket? i'd rather carry the smaller tool with the extra options i'll use day to day in my pocket and carry my sak rangergrip in my backpack. i'm not disappearing into the woods without my backpack and the sak has a better blade, a better saw, a better awl, and a better can opener than the leatherman. the knife blade and saw are both longer as well.

i may try to carry the skeletool daily for a month and post again with how it goes. i'll miss my manix(es) and military, but i really think the skeletool will prove adequate and practical.

[vivi]

I tried that when those first ame out but I quickly discovered my hands were too large to use the pliers without yhe scrwwdriver bit sigging into my palm.

I have thought about ordering a Surge and making it my only knife outside of work. It's basically a supertool 300 with a one handed blade.

[ladybug93]

I tried that when those first ame out but I quickly discovered my hands were too large to use the pliers without yhe scrwwdriver bit sigging into my palm.

I have thought about ordering a Surge and making it my only knife outside of work. It's basically a supertool 300 with a one handed blade.

i could see that for you for sure. my hands are quite a bit smaller and i don't have to use the pliers all the time, so i think it'll be fine, but we'll see.

i have a surge and wave already. they are definitely too bulky, with the surge being considerably more so than the wave. neither one is comfortable to carry in my pocket. that played a role in my decision against the signal as well.

i have a feeling i won't really like the skeletool in my pocket either because the pocket clip looks like it's terribly placed and the bulkiest part of the tool is at the opening of the pocket. i'm kind of banking on the fact that it's smaller to make it less problematic than the larger tools. fortunately, if i hate it, it'll still be a great addition to my tool kit at work and i can still keep my bulkier tools in dedicated outdoors kits.

[vivi]

I tried a wave plus with a pocket clip and decided they're too heavy for me to want to carry that way.

I don't mind the belt pouch, especially the clipped one I posted above on a gun belt. the stiffer belt carries weight really well.

[ladybug93]

I tried a wave plus with a pocket clip and decided they're too heavy for me to want to carry that way.

I don't mind the belt pouch, especially the clipped one I posted above on a gun belt. the stiffer belt carries weight really well.

with a belt pouch, no doubt i'd carry my surge.

[ladybug93]

well, that didn't last long... the pocket clip is terrible, as suspected, but what's worse is the way the blade spine sticks out past the back of the tool when closed. that means every time i reach into my pocket, i'm scraping my hand on a sharp, metal corner. even the smaller tool isn't comfortable in my pocket, which negates carrying it at all because heavier tools are already fine elsewhere and far more capable. if these were not so expensive and were even slightly more refined, i could overlook the issues i have with it, but it looks like it's going back and i'll keep carrying a standard edc blade in my pocket with a multitool in my bag or tool kit.

the skeletool was a big disappointment.

[Brock O Lee]

I recently got a Victorinox Swisstool Spirit MX Clip. It is fantastic if you want something that is
- affordable
- high quality
- mid-sized
- easy to carry
- self contained (i.e. no loose bits or other accessories)
- wide range of tools

Here is is lenghty but interesting comparison review about a whole bunch of MT's. Forward to the last section for a good overview.

[vivi]

for me, belt carry works best for full sized multitools. I keep something minimal like a victorinox classic or a leatherman micra in my front left pocket at all times for basic nail care and tightening small screws.

tried clipped carry with skeletools, kicks and wave + and I'm not wild about it. the blocky shape, the weight, and how dense the tool is make it not the most ideal clipped carry.

I have some XL knives from cold steel that weigh as much as a multitool, but they're shaoed better for carry and having the weight spread out over a larger size makes them more comfortable in a way. Voyager XL, for example.

If I do carry a clipped multitool, I carry the much overlooked Leatherman Kick. It's pretty light and compact so it carries well.




They had a clip option. While discontinued, they pop up on ebay etc. for about $35-50 with clip. They're not in high demand with collectors or users so they don't demand the same premium as the old sideclip model does.

It's a nice minimal model, something you might enjoy ladybug.

It has:

+ pliers / wire cutter
+ knife blade
+ large flat head
+ medium flat head
+ can opener / bottle opener
+ very nice 3d philips head
+ lanyard loop
+ ruler

good day to day tool selection. i don't find myself using multitool saws much so I don't miss that, and I've never really needed both a PE and SE blade to get by. Check it out if you haven't.

[ladybug93]

you know i'm with you on sometimes carrying larger cold steel folders. the weight and bulk is far different from a multitool. i'd rather carry a 4max than a wave in my pocket.

the skeletool was strictly an attempt to make my pocket carry more versatile. it failed at that, and off-body i'd rather carry a different multitool with more capabilities. it was worth a try.