I normally carry a locking blade tucked away as a pure backup should I either loose or damage my normal working knife. I've been considering changing this to a multitool and wondering others thoughts on this. Do any of you ever see the need for any of the addons a multitool gives you? Also do they tend to have reasonable steel blades for cost value?
Backup blade thoughts
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I've carried multi tools in general but not in outdoors.
They are a good tool with lots of useful stuff for daily life but always a compromise. As a knife they are never as comfy to use as a designated knife. And not sure what I want a selection of Philips driver bits in the woods.
I do carry a SAK everywhere (which is kind of a multi tool) and this is the best compromise tool I've ever had. Blades good. Saw is useful and a few other bits that get used from time to time.
They are a good tool with lots of useful stuff for daily life but always a compromise. As a knife they are never as comfy to use as a designated knife. And not sure what I want a selection of Philips driver bits in the woods.
I do carry a SAK everywhere (which is kind of a multi tool) and this is the best compromise tool I've ever had. Blades good. Saw is useful and a few other bits that get used from time to time.
Yep, pliers,file,awl used regularly in and around camp, good to have scissors too.
Used to use leathermans but recently got a swistool x that i think is better, it also has a small chisel,haven't tried it yet but i'm sure it'll come in handy at some point.
Used to use leathermans but recently got a swistool x that i think is better, it also has a small chisel,haven't tried it yet but i'm sure it'll come in handy at some point.
I carry an old Leatherman PS2 everywhere I go, pliers, file etc but especially scissors, but the knife, though razor sharp, is too uncomfortable for all but extreme emergency use. My back-up blade has always been a Buck 110, great tool............atb mac
Leatherman Wave owner here, can't tell you how many years I have owned it. Be warned once you get one its hard not to carry it on you all the time. Once I got it I stopped carrying my SAK, and that I'd been carrying since my 20's...
Curiously though Victorinox, and especially Wenger have been making some really interesting SAK's these days, and I've been tempted to pick up one...ohhhh, I've got to stop this addiction to knives...falling off the wagon.
Cheers
(Leatherman Wave waving owner)Alex
Curiously though Victorinox, and especially Wenger have been making some really interesting SAK's these days, and I've been tempted to pick up one...ohhhh, I've got to stop this addiction to knives...falling off the wagon.
Cheers
(Leatherman Wave waving owner)Alex
I can never stick with one EDC cos the variety of blades and different characteristics are too beguiling. But I guess for outdoors my silver SAK farmer is a tall order to beat - bomb proof, so simple yet does so much! On the MT front I decided to try cheap first. My brother Tom ordered me a Paul Chen MT for less than 10 quid. Been receiving great reviews. I've yet to try it.
SAK as EDC in the pocket and fixed blade in the rucksack. I'd done this since childhood but changed to a locking SAK "Rucksack" knife carried in my pocket as my only knife until the law changed. I'm now back to the original system, currently a Wenger Evolution 17 and a Mora, and having to remember that non-locking blades can be dangerous to the user.
Thanks Red - I'll stick with the Farmer. A pair of pliers is a useful thing to have, but my SAK copes with most everyday tasks. I even reach for it sometimes when I'm standing next to a fully stocked tool chest.
I always seem to have more than one blade about my person, and although for years one of them was a multi-tool I'd stopped carrying one.
However I recently came across my Leatherman Crunch and have started to carry it on occasion. amazing how often those mole grips come in handy and I still think Leatherman make the best (well made the new ones tend to be style over substance) multitools. The Gerber ones tend to have weak hinges and go loose and horrible after a while and the Swiss tools are just clumsy.
I have quite a few Leathermans though stopped buying after the Wave as it all seemed to go downhill from there.
Still think my Opinel is my fave pocket/backup blade. Cheap, light, functional and sharp.
However I recently came across my Leatherman Crunch and have started to carry it on occasion. amazing how often those mole grips come in handy and I still think Leatherman make the best (well made the new ones tend to be style over substance) multitools. The Gerber ones tend to have weak hinges and go loose and horrible after a while and the Swiss tools are just clumsy.
I have quite a few Leathermans though stopped buying after the Wave as it all seemed to go downhill from there.
Still think my Opinel is my fave pocket/backup blade. Cheap, light, functional and sharp.
Leatherman Juice compensates for this
Great little tool. Gerber sport multitool for woods use. Besides the scissors and screwdrivers the pliers are the most use tool, more often than not used for picking up hot stuff or cutting wire. Neither you would want to do with a knife.
Just to clarify here. Red is right, legal everyday carry requires a 3" or sub 3" blade that is readily foldable and has no locking mechanism. This is a no questions asked legal right, but with exceptions. However, locking blades are perfectly legal EDC as long as there is a reasonable need to carry one. Can't really deny a carpet fitter a Stanley, but I'd hope he wouldn't take it to a football match sort of thing.
The OP mentions a work back up, so locking blades shouldn't be discounted from the thread.
I think a multitool would make a good backup. My Leatherman Charge gets a fair bit of use. I've added a bit extender and some extra bits for versatility. I'd recommend a Charge. Swisstool is king though, but I've never justified my usage to the cost.
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Leatherman wave is the best multitool I have found and mine must now be 15yrs old....it's with me for work or the woods all the time but my EDC is a UKPK which I am never without, I thought i'd lost it a couple of months ago but fortunatly found it and have now made a sheath. Perfect one handed opening. I used to always carry a SAK farmer which is brilliant but the one handed opening of the UKPK is a major bonus. I also have a Swisstool which has better build quality but is a heavy old beast!
I carry my SAK Farmer everywhere except on a night out. I wouldn't want to do that with a locking blade.
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