What's The Best Multitool For The Job?

Bart van der Ouderaa asks: "With the Christmas bonus in the pocket, I decided to invest it in a multitool/Swiss army knife so I don't have to borrow the screwdriver every time from a co-worker. Yet in surfing the Web for reviews, I only came across reviews made by outdoorsman, etc. none of which tell me anything about how good they are for disassembling a computer. With all the different implementations (Leathermans, SOGs, Gerbels, Vincerinox cybertool) I have a hard time deciding. So If you needed to disassemble everything in your office/cubicle and reassemble it and you could only use one non-electric in your pocket fitting tool (including attachments if needed) which one would it be?"

Re:spyderco!

[Anonymous Coward]

i cannot stress exactly how useful the spyderco is

url says: "SPT01P Spyderco Wrench -with Plain Edge knife -Available 2001"

It comes with a time machine, too?

Re:Tools for the job...

[hwolfe]

My suggestion, if I'm understanding correctly, is to skip the maglight and fiber optic extension, an buy a gun bore light. For about the same price as the maglight, you get both a flashlight and the right angle attachment.

I also had a flashlight with a swivel end. However, I don't recall what I paid for it, or even where I bought it.

Re:Gerber is nice, but I'd buy a Leatherman Wave.

[delysid-x]

I picked up a KCPro multitool at Home Depot here in VanBC for CDN$20 and looks to be a cheap ripoff of the Leatherman Wave. Good deal, and when I break it I can buy 2 or 3 more for what a Leatherman would have cost me

What's your Batman factor?

[meldroc]

My Batman Factor [tuxedo.org] is 2, will be 3 if I get a Palm Pilot. Who can claim the highest Batman Factor?

Gerber is nice, but I'd buy a Leatherman Wave.

[Moofie]

I've had a couple Gerber MultiPliers. I gave my original to my ex-girlfriend. (oops.) It had a rather nice straight blade, and a sheep's foot serrated blade for cutting heavy duty stuff (rope), which worked also as a light-duty saw. The pliers were very good, comfortable to hold, and could be opened with one hand. Only drawback is that due to the way the hinge was set up, the jaws would only open to 70-75 degrees or so. I never had a problem with it, and I don't know how you'd design a folding pliers that didn't have the same issue, but it's something to keep in mind.

Now I carry the smaller Gerber Scout model. (Now available in fashion colors!) I liked the narrower profile (same length, but less thickness...and noticeably lighter) along with the needlenose jaws (which are also an option on the full-sized Gerber).

Having said all that, if I was buying one today I'd get the Leatherman Wave. Unlike other Leatherman tools, the Wave has finished edges next to your hands when you're using the pliers. I could never really crank down very hard on a Leatherman because the edges of the housing dug into my hands...very uncomfortable. Although the pliers cannot be easily opened with one hand, the two large blades (straight and serrated) are openable and closeable with one hand, with a liner-lock lockback action. Very very good feature...I need a one-handed knife more often than I need a one-handed pliers. The scissors on the Wave are also superb, and fold in a rather clever manner. They look like the same blades as my Leatherman Micra (whose tweezers cannot be beat...cuz you can't lose 'em!).

Anyhow. I played with a Spyderco, and thought it was a bit gimmicky (and I like gimmicks!). Great blade, very mediocre pliers, good screwdriver, mediocre crescent wrench (!). If it were me, I'd check out the Leatherman Crunch with the vise-grip pliers or carry a small crescent wrench in my scabbard if I were going to be needing a wrench.

Anyhow, http://www.knifecenter.com is a great resource for seeing what's available and checking prices. Good luck!

Comparison Site

[QBin]

I recently bought a leatherman wave and I love it. I think I'm going to buy a crunch to supplement it just for the locking pliers and integrated bit adapter socket.

When I was doing some research, I came across http://www.WoodNet.net/toolreviews/multi.html. It had a pretty good comparative review of the various options. Check it out.

Smith&Wesson Mag Tool Plus

[Vrallis]

I got one of these from the local flea market (it was marked as their first production run), originally priced at $45, but I got it for $35. It includes the standard multitool and a pretty good small driver with a few bits. Personally though, I swapped a lot of the bits out with my own collection to get exactly what I wanted.

The knife blades are literally razor-sharp (not always a good thing, mind you, but rare among most of these kinds of tools). The needle-nose meets perfectly, and has no "wiggle" that most cheap multitools have. The wire cutters can handle small wire pretty well, and can cut through thin insulation well (most don't because the blades don't meet together perfectly). It DOES have trouble with the threaded cord in most CAT5, but that's what the razor-edge blade is for =).

http://www.smithandwesson.com/toolchest.htm [smithandwesson.com]

I personally would have preferred a Victorinox SwissTool Plus [victorinox.com] or a Leatherman Wave [leatherman.com] and it's added toolkit. Then again, I got mine for half the price =).

Besides, can you imagine now many people gave me strange looks seeing me wearing this big black pouch with the Smith&Wesson logo on it?

Note: For the clueless, Smith&Wesson are traditionally known as GUN manufacturers!

Screwdriver

[nuggz]

You know for a computer I'd just buy 1 or 2 nice sized normal screwdrivers.
Even the better multitools suck for real work.
If you want get a stub scredriver, or one of the ones with multiple ends so it doesn't rip up your pockets.
I carry a nice knife and small pliers not one of those tools.

Victorinox

[juno]

I have a Swiss Army knife (model other than the cybertool) that I used all the time when I was doing hardware support, and I love it to death. While with my model you don't get any kind of pliers (not sure about the cybertool), I found the tool placement and general feel of both the Gerber and Leatherman to be awkward in comparison to the Victorinox. I would also second the advice to get an additional, dedicated screwdriver if you have to deal with screws a lot... any multitool is going to get annoying to use after a while for that kind of work.

Gerber

[pyite]

Now, don't get me wrong, the Leatherman Wave is a nice tool. My friend has one, along with the tool adapter. However, I have a Gerber. The 600 if I recall. The way the plier drops is what sold me. I keep it on my belt at all times except at school where I would get expelled and probably arrested for having a weapon. Before I digress... you really have to weigh your options. If you need the knive and other tools a lot, then the Leatherman might be better because you dont have to open the plier to access the knife and other tools. If you use the plier most, the Gerber is better. Just today I was fiddling with the VCR and had to tighten some coax connectors. With a flashlight in one hand, I was able to deploy the plier with only my other hand. Gerber now has a new feature to allow you to custom build a tool on their website a la (insert favorite your way right away computer site). Both tools are built very tough and durability is not an issue. Either way, to break it in, get dry graphite and 3 in one oil or some valve grinding compound and work it in until the plier drops open when you let go of the handle. Oh, and if you don't want either of those, don't buy some chinese knockoff.

Re:spyderco!

[pyite]

Where's said tool made?

I love my leatherman except...

[Anaxagoras]

My leatherman is great, but i do have a few problems w/ it. For starters it was a bit difficult to use the plier w/ one hand, but i fixed that w/ a spring i put on it, but i have to attach it every time i want to use the pliers. Also i dislike the positioning of the screw driver, since the bit is not in the middle of the unit it feels very awkward when using it. I do love the easy access blades that you can open w/ one hand, and talking about hands the scissors are pretty handy for those pesky ingrown finger nails ;-).

leatherman

[edwarddes]

go for the leatherman, then you can get the hex drive adapter and take apart anything you could ever want to, my only complaint with the hex adapter is their use of a tamper proof screw for the pivot.

Victorinox Cybertool

[darthpenguin]

This summer, while in Austria, I saw a Victorinox (that's the "swiss army knife" company) Cybertool pocket knife. I instantly insisted that my parents get it for me (it was about $60). It has pretty much all the screwsdriver attachments you'd need to disassemble computer related stuff. It also has pliers, scissors, knife, and the other standardparts. The screwdriver attachments fit most screws. Sometimes I am not able to exert enough power to actually unscrew them. However, I have the same problem with regular screwdrivers (note: this is only on "new" items, where the screws have been tightened to hell and back).

I am pretty much satisfied with mine, but I always keep my $10 cheap-ass radioshack screwdriver set nearby. Having both is very helpful.

Also, here is a link to buy the Cybertool from thinkgeek.com [thinkgeek.com]:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/things/3653.html

It's a little expensive, but if you have some cash to spare, it's a good way to impress your friends

-mdek.net [mdek.net]

leathermans.

[s_115]

1. gerbers are crap, due to the plastic locking devices. 2. leatherman waves are the best tool for the job. WHY? because they are the original multi-tool makers. they musty know somethign rite? u can pull anything apart wiht them,. trust me i know. from pc's to fridges. to cars, and diesl trucks. i swear this is hte best 200 [oz dollars] ive ever spent. [it also has a nice knife]

Have you seen the Kershaw?!

[delorean]

I've had my Kershaw about two years, and I still love it and think it is the best.
It has locking needle nose pliers, like Vice-Grips, and I find that INVALUABLE. Other great features include hacksaw and file, and locking serrated blade that can open without opening the whole tool, thus making it easier to use. And Kershaw make EXCELLENT blades. Very sharp, very durable. The best; my dad has been using a Kershaw filet blade on Alaska salmon and moose, caribou, sheep, bear for 20 years, and it is still perfect.
That said, it is longer than a Gerber, or Wave...

I have stopped carrying my since I got my Palm Pilot; I was beginning to feel like Batman with all these things hanging on my belt with that and my cell, pager. Now I just store it in my glove box so it close by, carrying it sometimes.

Buck

[Magneto of CERL]

I chose the original-model "BuckTool [buckknives.com]" from Buck Knives [buckknives.com].

By building it with the hinges turned 90degrees, they keep the smooth finished surfaces of the handles facing outward in both open and closed modes, which means you never have any exposed edges digging into your palm when you have to grip hard. (I believe SOG uses a similar method, with the difference that the Buck tool opens with one motion.)

In addition to the main dual-teeth-pliers / wire cutters, the swing-out tools include five screwdriver blades (three straight, two Phillips), two cutting blades (one straight, one serrated -- great for opening packages), and a can opener (which I've never used). Every tool can be accessed directly. Every tool locks open. Every tool is labeled on the handles.

Flip out a working bit and reclose the handles, and the tools fits the palm perfectly. Open one handle half way (90degrees), and use it as a high-torque right-angle driver. Open one handle all the way (180degrees), and the two handles form a long extension with the working bit at the end, much like a traditional long-shaft screwdriver.

I bought mine at REI [rei.com].

My tools..

[cmowire]

I have a few tools (heh heh.. he said tool) that I use. You'll eventually find that the Multi-tools are great to keep on your belt, in your pocket, or in your satchel, but they are not good at all for complex work.

I have a leatherman-clone tool that I got at SigGraph 2000. But that's when I need a knife or something like that.

The rest of the time, I just use a small leather-bound set of tools that I picked up in Staples. The main thing you need is two small screwdrivers and two tiny screwdrivers and a tweezer to grab any screws that you drop in the case. The part tube (to hold a unfolded paperclip for prodding things and resetting my palmtop or any annoying older iMacs) is helpful. Plus, there's a Toryx and some other little nicities.

Trust me, a real screwdriver is MUCH MUCH easier to deal with than a screwdriver one.

Oh, and BTW -- Good tip for taking stuff apart. Cary a roll of scotch tape and some white paper. You put the white paper under the item being dissassembled and you stick the screws and other loose parts to the paper with the scotch tape. You can arange the screws in groups so that the right part goes in the right place. Works every time.

Emergency Multitool Use

[Anml4ixoye]

Besides a fun-loving computer guy, I am also a firefighter here in Florida [lutzvfd.com]. Almost all of us carry some form of multi-use tool. While I know guys who swear by the Leatherman, I prefer the Gerber. Why? One-Handed operation. Imagine yourself deep in your Linux box, and you need to grab that screw, or piece of tomato [tomato.org] you inadvertantly dropped in there. With the Leatherman, you have to pull your head and both hands out, open the tool, then poke back in and find the tomato. With the Gerber, you simply slide it from its ballistic pouch, and with a flick of the wrist the tomato is yours. My particular one has been used for everything from cutting battery wires on wrecked cars to removing precious photos from the wall during a house fire. Plus, it looks so cool on your side.

Re:leatherman

[Alan Shutko]

If it's like mine (a security torx screw for the pivot) it's fairly easy to find a hex bit for them. I have a hex bit for a smaller security torx screw used at an old job.

Not a multitool but

[CharlieG]

I carry a multitool, but it's a LAST resort kinda thing. I built a tool kit. I dug up an old, empty Jensen Tool case ( http://www.jensentools.com )and stocked it with the tools I wanted.

5 in 1 screwdriver
GOOD needle nose pliers
good pair of diagnal cutters (mid sized)
a pair of flush cutters
a small soldering iron, solder, a jar of flux
desolder braid
flashlight
a couple of cylume sticks
an excelite nut driver set
a BUNCH of misc stainless hardware in both Imperial and Metric sizes
Regular pair of "plumbers" pliers
small cheap multimeter
a KNIFE
some tie wraps
electrical tape

I normally carry a "Pocket Ref" or I'd add that too.

Yeh, it's to big to carry all the time (it's about 8x11x2) but it fits im my bottom left desk drawer. If I need a tool and I'm at my desk, or a reasonable distance, I'll grab the case. Multitools are overrated

That said, the most important tool I carry, EVERYWHERE, is a SHARP knife

A multi tool never does it all..

[technos]

I've tried em all (with the exception of the Wave) and frankly none of them is good all the time. They'll do the job right 20% of the time and barely cut it another 50%.. The remaining 30% you're either dead in the water or you broke something trying to get by.

Now this may be a verbatim parrot of another gentleman, but it's what I've found to be the most versatile.

Ratcheting screwdriver: I like the small 'thumbwheel' ones with a pair of extensions in hex and 1/4. Add a nice compliment of bits and a couple sockets and it'll still fit into a package about as big as your wallet. I don't do 'flexible' extensions, they just get in my way. I do keep a 1/4 swivel in there though..

Needlenose: One good pair of needlenose. Small enough to get between a jumper block and its neighbor, but long enough to use as a lever on those PITA heatsinks. If it has an integrated wirecutter/wirestripper, it's a small plus.

Knife: I carry a nice big Gerber Gatorback in 60/40 serrate; Holds an edge well, fits your hand, and beefy enough to handle whatever cable you throw at it. Spyderco also makes some very nice (and pretty) knives, but I find the blades to be a little thin and breakable, especially when you're buying the longer blades. The serrated edge on the Spyderco seem to last a bit longer against abuse. The Gerber has the added bonus of scaring people; It's rather thick and wide for its length.

Flashlight: Get a 2 cell AA Maglight and a one cell AAA Maglight. The slip on fiber optic deals always struck me as cheesy, and there isn't any place you can't fit a single cell AAA Mag anyway.

Mirror: I got tired of lugging around a telescopic mechanics mirror; There are cases where you need it, but they are few and far between.. A small dental mirror cuts it for the majority of cases anyway.

Errata: I keep a small (1.5cm x 20cm) stainless steel rule around. It's great for stuck connectors, bent pins, and general prying. Also, a small donut magnet on braid fishing line, for those "I dropped the clip/screw/nut behind/under the rack/desk/bench" events.

Tools for the job...

[Spoing]

Multitools are handy, and feed the need for a single answer to cover all problems. Unfortunately, getting one tool that can be used optimally for all tasks isn't very likely. What I decided on was to first focus on the tasks I do most, and then build my tool chest up from those requirements. What I decided on were a bunch of small, light weight, tools that cost about as much as a single multitool but are much more capable as a set.

Here's a break down;

List of tasks in order of frequency and time used

1. Philips head screw or nut insertion/extraction.
2. Removing/adding jumpers and fan cables.
3. Examing settings and part numbers; using light in exactly the right place, and sometimes looking around cables at odd angles to read numbers and and diagrams on chips and PCBs.
4. Hardware diagnostics (SCSI, power, network, battery/CMOS, ...)

Tools chosen;

1. Radio Shack ratchet wrench: ~$8
   
   1. Why: This is light weight, and includes a nice set of bits and sockets including popular Torx 8/10/15 and 1/4" socket. The thumb wheel makes short work of loose screws, and the handle can be used briefly to tighten any remaining screws. Fits easily in any pocket.
      NOTE: As-is, this tool is almost useless since it has no extention; taking out adapter cards can rip up your hands. Also, the ratchet direction can pop to the wrong direction on occasion, but not so often as to be annoying.
2. Drill bit extention and adapter kit: ~$14 (Sears or a mega hardware store)
   
   1. Why: This has only two assets needed to make the Radio Shack tool of value; a 5" hex extention with a flexible shaft, and a bit adapter with one hex and one square end (both male). The slight flex in the shaft can be used to get at those screws that are in tight locations. Do not get one of the ~10" adapters, since these aren't needed and will only make using the tool harder. To use the sockets in tight locations, the hex-to-socket adapter is needed.
      NOTE: These kits usually come with some magnitized parts that should not be used, and some others that are simply not needed. The hex-to-socket adapter is usually not included, so be careful or buy this seperately if necessary. Getting a kit is usually cheaper then getting a single part.
3. Cheap multitool ~$10-25
   
   1. Why: Most of the value of a multitool -- once the above tools are available -- is for the pliars and a small knife. Not much else is really needed.
4. Mini Maglight (AA batery size) ~$12
   
   1. Why: Light! If you own a Maglight, you know why this is important.
5. Fiber optic light extention ~$7
   
   1. Why: Light...in the right place.
      NOTE: This is made for the Mini Maglight. Get one that is made of plastic, not metal. These can be hard to find. I found mine at an outdoor equipment store. The unfortunate fact with these is that the light is not amplified , just redirected.
6. Telescoping mirror ~$5
   
   1. Why: Rarely needed, but can be quite handy when doing inventory or trying to discover the quirks of a specific chipset without taking the whole computer apart.
      NOTE: I only found this in chrome plated metal.
7. Cable adapters and testers
   
   1. Why: If you have to ask! I've never had a problem having too many adapters and testers (multimeter, scsi, serial including nullmodem, parallel, ...).
      NOTE: Get an RJ-45 extender and create a small cross over cable for it. That way, you can always connect two machines together regaurdless of the cable available.

Re:spyderco!

[gtx]

yes, it does say that, but it was released early. -gtx

spyderco!

[gtx]

http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-ProductSpec?SPT01 P [knifecenter.com] check it out!

i cannot stress exactly how useful the spyderco is, and how compact it makes itself. i swear by spyderco. it's perfect for digging around inside a computer, too.

also on my list is one made by victorinox that i got my dad last christmas. it's nice, and the store i got it from was going out of business, so i got it at like a 35% discount (65 bucks instead of 100) it's got alot on it, but it doesn't have the same cool look as the spyderco, and it's not as compact, either. however, it does rock hard as well for functionality. i shy away from leatherman because there really are alot out there that are better, although alot of people think leatherman is the best (mostly because they haven't seen anything else). tey out spyderco and victorinox. it's the shit.