The Best Multi-Tool Of All…
I like multi-tools. They’re like a toolbox that fit in your hand. A person could argue that Swiss Army Knives were the first multi-tool, although I’d disagree with that person (mostly because of the pliers, something I’ll get to in a few paragraphs). For me it was the first multi-tool from Leatherman in 1983; I bought one as soon as it hit the stores, although they called it a “Pocket Survival Tool” because nobody had yet coined the term “Multi-Tool”.
It was a great tool -still is- that same tool is in great shape despite hard miles, and now lives out a retirement of sorts on my desktop. The only drawback of that multi-tool, and most of the other ones I’ve added to my collection over the years, is that they’re at once too big and too small to do the jobs we need them for.
On the one hand, most multi-tools are too big and heavy to comfortably carry with you everywhere. I wore lots of holes in lots of pairs of pants (and even backpacks) carrying that first Leatherman around over the years.
On the other hand, most multi-tools are also too small, in that they lack the oomph that actual tools have, and so for serious work I reach for the toolbox, which makes me wonder why I’ve been lugging this pound and half of steel around in my pocket.
That’s where the “Best Multi-Tool of All” comes in…
