Saturday, September 25, 2010

Multi-Tool


So gun types are often knife types too. I have a few knives

I have a few multi-tools too. Like Swiss Army knives. But a few years back Leatherman doubled down on the Swiss gadgets with more capable gadgets. REAL pliers being the biggest deal. I have various of these. I think my preferred model is the Blast. It has a blade, screwdriver, scissors, bottle/can opener, along with the pliers.

MBtGE showed me the new Skeletool. It’s more compact and looks kinda cool. And it is near perfect in its simplicity. Aside from the standard pliers it has 4 screw driver heads, a blade, and a nifty bottle opener as part of its carabiner clip. I really like it.

The only thing I’ll truly miss is the scissors. Maybe they’ll figure out a way to cram those onto this package someday and produce the Skeletool II.

Also, what might be missed, is the can opener. Multi-tool can openers are weak sauce and not really effective, and cans come with pop off lids a lit these days. But dangit, when you NEED a can opener you really need it and even the gimped jackknife type opener is better than nothing. Better salt your Bug Out Bag with P-38s or the equivalent if you go the skeletool router.

As for scissor, I kinda like the SMALL Swiss Army knives. Plus they also come with tweezers.

So, for multi-tool routine carry, I'm going with the Skeletool. But I'm strategically placing the bulkier multitools and mini-Swiss in various places, too, so they are conveniently gotten to, but not on my person.

4 comments:

Bob said...

I think that in the most recent edition of The American Rifleman there's an ad/review of the MUT, the newest Leatherman tool, designed for gun owners.

Bob said...

And the video for the MUT would warm the cockles of any mall ninja's heart.

BobG said...

I've been quite happy with the Wave and the bits that are available with it. For a can opener, the P38 is still the best; I've got one on my keychain I've had since 1968 that I took off a can of c-rats. Still works just fine for opening cans and as a screwdriver.

Paladin said...

I'm a Gerber Man, myself. I've had Leatherman products in the past. They are fine, but I've prefered the Gerber Suspension that I carry daily now.

Pretty much everything you need to "lock open", does so securely and easily. It also has scissors :)

The main weak point that I've found with most pocket tools like this is the wirecutter. Great for soft wire, but try cutting heavy gauge wire like barbed wire and you'll bend most of them before long.

Not tried the can opener yet.