They are always going to be a bit of a compromise, but I'd love to know which "multi-tools" and/or compact screwdrives that you guys rate. I have a Leatherman Crunch which I quite like, but I find it a bit too large and heavy to carry everywhere, and the screwdrivers are a bit limited. (Also, having a lock knive blade, it is technically illegal to carry in the UK).
I have a Leatherman Juice pro, quite compact 3.5 x 1 x 1" collapsed.
I have an original Leatherman that usually lives in my briefcase, but I don't carry it otherwise.
I have a mini 4 blade Swiss army knife that lives in my pocket (similar to [1]) - no bigger than my car key but hugely useful even if it only has limited tools.
It seems to take enormous abuse, even hanging together when I open the screwdriver to 90 degrees and use the body of the knife as a leaver to turn it!
[1]
Leatherman PST II here.
Light and compact enough to carry (belt case) every day with just the right range of tools to do nearly everything I'd ever need such a tool for. I can honestly say I use every tool on it and can't think of a tool I need that isn't on there (I don't consider a corkscrew a tool I might need in an emergency, unless I ever find myself stranded on a desert island with only cork stopped wine to drink). ;-)
The only problem is after many many years of daily use (and abuse) it's starting to wear a bit loose and so I'm due to send it back to Leatherman for (hopefully) a tighten up.
Since getting the PST II I have mislaid it a couple of times and the last time the daughter bought me it's nearest replacement (Juice XE6) but that feels much heavier and is much chunkier.
So I bought a second hand PST II from the States just in case so that
1) I could have something to use when I send the old one back to be serviced and 2) if I have a spare I should never lose the other one. ;-)Cheers, T i m
In message , newshound writes
Leathermen are the spawn of the devil when it comes to opportunities for walkers to misread a map and then cut their way through the fence to rejoin the path. I carry a mid range Swiss army knife. Scissors for finger nails and modern packaging, saw for unexpected tree surgery, screwdriver/tin opener has a daily use bending the plastic tabs on a water butt lid, knife blades essential for adjusting the length of ubiquitous agricultural retention equipment (baler twine) and occasional pencil sharpening......
I have an original Leatherman which I carry everywhere and have done for years. I wore out the belt pouch. I also have a cheapo clone which was free from somewhere or other, which I use when we travel (since you can no longer carry knives onto planes). The Leatherman was a gift and I don't want to lose it.
Neither of them will take much of an edge to the knife.
FWIW, that's what I have too -- mid-range, two blades. corkscrew, saw, bottle-opener/screwdriver, a bigger screwdriver, an awl (bores holes, doesn't just poke them), scissors, a hooky thing, tweezers, and I lost the toothpick.
The whole thing is as tight as when I got it, and the blades (I try not to abuse them, but ... you know) still take an edge, the smaller one almost razor sharp. It's in my LH trousers pocket every day, unless I'm flying (on an aeroplane -- it doesn't give me Superman powers).
My Dad bought me this over 20 years ago, and I have used it _Every_ _Single_ _Day_ since.
John
The thing with me is I couldn't do without the pliers as I use them from tweezers, connector crimps to Mole grips to emergency spanners. On the pliers are also some reasonable wire strippers / cutters (I've never cut someone's fence, honest Mr Lamb ) and again, I use them too regularly to do without.
Also. I guess if you aren't putting the same sorts of stresses on a multi-tool that doesn't have pliers the chances are it will stay tight longer?
Classic example of where the Leatherman PST II came in handy, even over and above the socket set and ring spanners I had with me was when the Camper came to a spluttering halt one day from 50 mph on a dual carriageway. I smelled petrol and it looked like it was coming from the float bowl that was tight under the bulkhead and on a steel / banjo hose. 'Luckily' the Leatherman pliers were able to undo the banjo and the large flat bladed screwdriver set at 90 degrees was able to unscrew the bolts holding the float bowl on and I was then able to extract the swarf from the float jet.
Or pulling tubeless valves back though a car / bike wheel rim.
The pliers are 'needle nose' and in spite of regular abuse over many years will still pull out a splinter or wire.
There are many times when whilst the Leatherman isn't the 'best' or most comfortable tool to use, I'll use it over going to get the right thing because it's always with me! (And the family know that because if I send one off to get the right tool they often check that I'm not going to complete it with the Leatherman before they get back!).
The strange thing is the Pozidrive bit. Whilst it seems to be small enough to undo screws you wouldn't think it would (like the back of a laptop), it also seems to be able to fit / undo bigger stuff you wouldn't think it could.
I've even used the 20cm / 8" rule that is on the back of the grips quite a bit (when you get to the wood shop and realise you left the expanding rule at home). ;-(
The double sided file is another tool that constantly surprises. One side is coarse enough to file softer stuff reasonably whilst the other is more like a diamond stone, perfect for sharpening other stuff (everything from a penknife to scissors, garden shears and rotary mower blades).
The smallest flat screwdriver blade is fine enough to do up eyeglass hinge screws but strong enough to use as a bradawl or a fine lever. The last time I used that (when little else would have worked better) was to remove the tip of a key that was broken off and flush in a high security van slamlock.
The tool I least use (but still do) is the can / bottle opener and whilst I thought I would miss the awl when I lost my first Leatherman PST and had to replace it with the PST II, the small screwdriver seems to work just as well. I also didn't think I would use the scissors but I do, from trimming that broken fingernail to cutting out templates / gaskets etc.
Because they are guaranteed for life (or were), if you send one back for repair and they can't repair it they give you the option of a free tool that is the nearest equivalent. If you take that option you can't also have the old / broken tool back but I wouldn't want a new one as there is nothing they offer atm that would replace the PST II. ;-(
Cheers, T i m
NT :)
Some brilliant user comments too!
Yebbut the blades are blunt.
I have multiple Swiss Army knives. One in the office, one in tyhe workshop at home. One in the car. One by my chair in the living room.
I carry one of two bunches of keys with me when I go out. Each has a mini Swiss Army knife on it (different colours because I found myself picking up the wrong keys!)
And in my wallet I have a Swisscard.
The one I use the most is the mini Swiss Army knife on my Keyring.
Mike
BTW, I can recommend these people:
They sell a *very* wide range, including colours, patters, etc. Also SwissCards.
And spare parts - pins and (most usefully for me) spare scissor springs, which are easily changed. Also toothpicks, tweezers, pens and the tiny screwdrivers.
Thanks. I'm inclining towards getting another Swiss Army Knife. I had a good one years ago which I lost, something very similar still seems to be available. Interested to see all the comments on Leathermen too, I think I probably need another of these for the briefcase, with perhaps a small SAK for the keyring.
If we are talking about what are basically penknives+ than I would imagine yer typical SAK would be a handy pocket tool for most people.
However, once they go beyond just a couple of blades and maybe some screwdriver bits then they start to get bulky and heavy and not something I would want in my pocket. Get anything with a useable pair of pliers then you are probably looking at something that is best carried in a belt pouch and then it's a better (IMHO) having something the least bulky, heavy or conspicuous, unless you are really exploring the outback etc. ;-)
I don't think I could just go back to a penknife+ as whilst I do use the blade a reasonable amount, I think I use the pliers as much or possibly more, something you may not appreciate till you have regularly carried a tool with for around 30 years (depending on the range of things you may end up doing each day etc). ;-)
"Leatherman was inspired to design a "Boy Scout knife with pliers" while he and his wife traveled Europe and the Middle East in 1975, often attempting to use a simple pocketknife to repair their repeatedly malfunctioning car and leaky hotel plumbing."
Or your belt. The only time I don't have a bet is on my pajama's so from jeans to suit, my Leatherman is on my hip. ;-)
I don't have anything like that on my keyrings because I have several and *always* have my Leatherman on me.
Yesterday I was asked to check over an old chicken coop to determine if it was worth using / saving or not and I decided it wasn't. So, before disposing of it I removed all the (many, some quite heavy) hinges, latches and turnbuckles that were held on with a range of screws (flat blader and Pozi) and pulled the staples holding the mesh with the pliers.
I bought the PST II when I lost the PST after using it to replace the clutch cable on the Sierra on the side of the road. Not something I could have easily done with a penknife+ and there is no point keeping it in the car as we have several (and motorbikes) or may not be in any of our vehicles when such a tool is required.
I now look upon my Leatherman as I do my smartphone ... don't leave home without it as both are very flexible tools that I may need at any time. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
p.s. Victorinox now do 'Swisstools' and it looks like this would be the closest replacement for my PST II:
But the PST is only 150g whereas that Swisstool is over twice the weight (so no wonder people wouldn't want to carry one). ;-(
In message , T i m writes
Tsk! You need corded PJs so you can take your Leatherman to bed :-)
I think the key here is the belt pouch - the moment you move to carrying anything larger than a fairly small SAK, it no longer becomes ideal to do it in a pocket.
Yup I don't think there is any argument - the leatherman is a far more serious tool kit in a small form factor. If you need to maintain something mechanical and you only have the one to choose from, then the leatherman (or a clone) will win every time.
If people didn't use barbed wire in fields where no beast larger than a sheep is ever likely to stray then they might not have to. Saying that, I've always managed to climb over, gingerly. (And less scrupulous people than you do put fences across little-used RoW.)
Good idea, ordered, thanks! ;-)
Cheers, T i m
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