Multi tool, which one?

[Nice65]

For Hiking you need a Victorinox Compact.

I can't see any reason to take a multi tool in the forest. Throw a simple stone in the rucksack and you have more or less the same results!

He simply said he wants a multi tool, not a hiking and bushcraft tool.

A multi tool is never going to replace a toolkit, but the fact is they’re useful to a lot of people, hence the huge market and range. If they were truly useless, there wouldn’t be several manufacturers producing a selection of models to cater for intended usage. Or forums of devotees.

https://forum.multitool.org/

I EDC a Leatherman crunch and a Micra.
The crunch has locking blades si I believe that it is not legal on your side of the pond. Sadly

Locking blades are perfectly legal in the UK, but require good reason to carry. Work, any situation where a locking knife might be considered the best option, are good enough reason.

 

[Broch]

I have often been tempted to buy a multi-tool; after all, the good ones are works of engineering art. But, when I analyse where and how I would use one I just can't justify getting one - not even to look at and fondle

If I'm trekking on foot or camping in the woods then my SAK does everything I need and, in all honesty, the most used item on that is the scissors to cut broken fingernails (not recommended with a blade ). Otherwise, in the truck, in the boat, or anywhere else I have access to full toolkits.

However, I still hear the siren's call and I suspect I'll answer one day

 

[Janne]

I guess it depends on the intended use, which one is the best.

Which tools are wanted.

Many multitools have two kind of saws, one wood (?) saw which is 99% useless, and one shorter thing with teeth which is even worse.

I wish one of the quality manufacturers had the services to make a combo to order with the tools of your choice.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Locking blades are perfectly legal in the UK, but require good reason to carry.

Ignore that is my advice.
What you deem good reason may not be agreeable by the police or judge.

 

[Wildgoose]

I’ve always favoured leatherman.
I have several which I use on a near daily basis.
Gerber quality has dropped somewhat in the last few years (my opinion obviously)

The wave is a excellent all rounder.

 

[SGL70]

Got a 10+ years old Gerber Multiplier...works great, but around the house I tend to use real tools. I think the multitools are to real tools, what freezedried is to real food

 

[sunndog]

Ignore that is my advice.
What you deem good reason may not be agreeable by the police or judge.

Carrying locking blades with good reason is perfectly legal though. No need to deprive yourself through fear of repercussions.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Carrying locking blades with good reason is perfectly legal though. No need to deprive yourself through fear of repercussions.

Easier to avoid such complications but i suppose its the kind of area you live i suppose

 

[Broch]

Easier to avoid such complications but i suppose its the kind of area you live i suppose

Whoa there, take it easy direwulf, sundog's comment wasn't a personal jibe just a statement of fact. I carry a locking blade serrated knife in my Landy - it's there to cut webbing safety belts in an accident. I hope I never have to use it but if I ever have to get someone out of a vehicle they'll be pleased I carried it and I'll be pleased it didn't fold flat on my fingers in my haste.

 

[dwardo]

I had to think about this... and the conclusion is I rarely if ever leave the house without a multi-tool. Yep, the weekends its the little Leatherman Juice. Weekdays its the swiss-tool.
The only caveats that come to mind are going out to dinner/the pub which is rare these days with rug rats! and the time our kid said "your not wearing that today!! (Wedding photos and I was his best man)

But, like carrying a pocket knife daily i think its more the type of person/mind set that find it necessary. Bear with me

Some folk I know and love have very different skills than I and would find that carrying any kind of tool complete waste of time. Where as I couldn't be without one. Sometimes I think the whole daily carry gets muddied by "right to" and "useful reason to"
I have mates who would have their eye out with a 50mm ring spanner just putting it back in the box!

The times a multi-tool has made my situation appreciatively better are vast.

To name a few,

Patched an exhaust using a beer can.
Repaired many weapons and other tools
Fixed a wheel chair.
Used to make other tools from metal that made many things.
Cut a friend from barb-wire.
Made a fence safe from said barbwire.
Repaired countless head-torches and other woods elecy stuff.
Pulled tent pegs from hard floor.
Repaired fishing gear.

The above is recent and minus the daily tasks I put it through as an engineer.



The only down side is i rarely carry a pocket knife these days Just don't see the need unless I have a whittle in mind and then i would prefer a little frosts.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Whoa there, take it easy direwulf, sundog's comment wasn't a personal jibe just a statement of fact

Dude...you just blew that way out of context,and i took nothing personally....just explained a different dynamic to the subject that could possibly save somebody reading this having to explain why they are carrying what they are,where etc
The fact stop and search policy is the big thing in todays climate,we should all think about what we carry and if the powers that be could give you an unwanted crim rec that you do not deserve. Basically in short,some local police do not care of your reasons and the cps/judge will proceed to hang you out yo dry because they cannot be seen to set precidents that will impede future prosecutions

 

[Broch]

The problem of the written word

 

[sunndog]

Dwardo, fantastic post mate

Broch, S'all good fella

 

[Broch]

Dwardo, fantastic post mate

Broch, S'all good fella

For a moment there I thought it was the old Derby/Nottingham feud
(I'll back off now)

 

[sunndog]

For a moment there I thought it was the old Derby/Nottingham feud
(I'll back off now)

Didn't realise he was from Nottingham

Oi! direwolf! Car park now!!!

 

[dwardo]

Didn't realise he was from Nottingham

Oi! direwolf! Car park now!!!

Ill av all of ye!

Little one is full of cold and I have had about an hours sleep in the past 40 hours,

What were we talking about again?

Time for bed, night all

 

[Nice65]

Ignore that is my advice.
What you deem good reason may not be agreeable by the police or judge.

Why not? And why ignore the tiny little bit of law left for us to carry a tool we need? Take a Stanley knife to work, don’t take it to the pub or football match, it’s quite simple and the discretionary part has been left for us to decide. We, as the children of the nanny state have been deemed responsible enough to carry a locking or fixed blade if we have a good reason to do so.

I live rurally, I regularly carry a locking knife, but more often something simple like a Spyderco Urban. In my car is a Leatherman with two locking blades, the serrated one used today to cut a plastic bottle to make a drinking bowl for the dogs. Piercing and sawing the bottle is a good reason not to be fumbling with a Swiss Army knife. Piercing and thinly slicing a vac pack of homemade biltong at the pub is far from frowned upon, in fact I daresay a few Opinels and other knives would be offered if I had forgotten mine.

I also have an Opinel mushroom knife in there, I like to look out for edibles while walking. The thin hawksbill blade is also a handy bramble cutter on footpaths and occasional rescuer of sheep in either wire or bramble.

Discretion and common sense counts for a lot in the eyes of the law and the people around you.

 

[Woody110]

Just to follow on from my previous post, a locking bladed knife is not legal to carry without good reason, and it would be upto you to prove your good reason, not the CPS to prove it’s not.
Lots of people will say that it’s there just in case, this isn’t a good reason. If you’re a carpet fitter and have a Stanley knife to cut carpet and you’re working, that’s a good reason. If you’re in the pub, it’s not likely you’re going to be fitting a carpet, so leave it with your other tools.

 

[Hbc]

I have several multitools and use them all regularly at work depending on what tools I think I might need for different jobs and depending on what I think I might be doing. They are definitely very useful for work and day to day around the house when I can't be bothered going to get proper tools for changing a plug or something but they aren't a replacement for proper tools. But still very useful and I wouldn't like to be without them. They have got me out of trouble more times than I can count.
Order of quality of go victorinox first hands down. Then leatherman and then Gerber last of the 3 brands i have. Dad has an old Stanley one that is very good too but I don't know about the newer ones. But it also depends on what you need it for and what tools you think you will use most. Leatherman have probably better thought out tools that victorinox but what are on a victorinox work better. Some of the leathermans have replaceable wire cutters and can replace the saws with jigsaw blades when they wear out which is very useful. But they can only be used with leatherman screwdriver bits whereas victorinox bit holder that the multitool can use any bits from any toolkit. But as a quality tool victorinox wins as a whole. Saying that if I was buying again I think I'd go for a leatherman surge. Just because the saw blades are replaceable and it has hard wire cutters that can be replaced when they get damaged. Or I wouldn't bother and just buy a much cheaper Swiss army knife with the tools I wanted on and carry a proper pair of pliers when I think I needed them which isn't often. I do have a small pair of "plumbers pliers" that fit nicely in a pocket and one of those with a Swiss army knife would probably be more useful and versatile than a full on multitool. And considersbly cheaper. I might try it and see how it works for a bit