Who did I write this article for? The easy answer, anyone, and everyone who’s looking at getting a new multi-tool. No one can honestly tell you that the best multi-tool for you is product X, Y or Z. Not everyone has the same needs. Not everything in this article will apply to everyone, but I hope to spark thoughts and ideas that may offer you new insights, and maybe a new perspective when searching for that perfect multi-tool for YOU.
So, that time has come, you’re looking at buying that new multi-tool. Whether it’s your first multi-tool or your fourth, fifth, or sixth multi-tool, you need to figure out what multi-tool is best going to fulfill your needs. I found that choosing your first one is about as difficult as choosing one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that, you get my point.
When choosing your first multi-tool you are trying to do one of two things, either find a multi-tool that covers a lot of different tasks,
After you have several multi-tools, the situation is very similar. If you are searching for a special purpose multi-tool your choice will be straightforward, but if you want a general-purpose multi-tool, then good luck, you’re going to need it. Although usually by the time you have a handful of multi-tools you generally know what your likes and dislikes are, and what you are looking for and you are just feeding your addiction.
10 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A New Multi-Tool
- What Is Your Budget?
- What Is Your Primary Motivation For Having A Multi-Tool?
- Will It Be For Personal Use or A Supplement To Your Profession?
- How Will You Be Carrying Your Multi-Tool?
- What Hobbies Do You Have?
- Is There A Specific Tool Your Multi-Tool Must Have?
- Do You Want Your Multi-Tool To Have Pliers?
- What Type Of Pliers Do You Want?
- Can Your Multi-Tool Have A Knife Blade?
- How Often Will You Be Using The Knife?
1- What Is Your Budget?
When you are starting your search for a new multi-tool one of the first things that you must take into consideration is your budget. What you are willing to spend, can narrow down your search results rather quickly. When considering the prices of multi-tools you cannot always directly correlate price to quality. Just because product X is $100 and product Y is a similar design from a different manufacturer and is also $100, does not mean that they are the same quality and/or fit and finish.
Some manufacturers, like Leatherman, may not offer a lifetime warranty but use the finest quality materials and craftsmanship. So you are paying for the true quality of the product. Other manufacturers may use materials of questionable quality that are made in China to keep manufacturing costs low but offer a lifetime warranty with their products. In this case, it seems that the lifetime warranty is factored into the price.
This must be taken into consideration when you are debating the cost of one multi-tool vs another. It really comes down to whether you are willing to take the gamble; are you willing to wait on a product to be warrantied when something has a problem? I’m not saying that you can’t have problems with the best quality tools, but the likelihood drops substantially when you choose a high-quality multi-tool.
2- What Is Your Primary Motivation For Having A Multi-Tool?
The second question you need to ask yourself is; why do you want this multi-tool, what purpose does it serve? For some people, this will have an easy answer and for others, it will not be so obvious. For me, it comes down to solving problems. Most people, in their daily
Your motivation for having a multi-tool is most likely due to the fact you recognize that there are problems that having a multi-tool can assist you in solving. The keyword is, assist. Having the tool is only part of the equation. Having the skills to utilize the tools, can be just as important.
If you are anything like me, then having only a pocket knife isn’t enough. Yes, I use the knife on my Charge+TTI almost every day but I do use the needle nose pliers and other tools often enough to justify the extra size and weight. Sometimes having the simplest tool can save the day. Like having a small bit driver and being able to fix your kids glasses or having scissors to trim that loose thread off of your favorite hoodie. You may not use the tools on your multi-tool every day but having them when you need them makes it worth it.
3- Will It Be For Personal Use or A Supplement To Your Profession?
The third question you need to ask yourself is; will this multi-tool be for personal use or for your job or both? If you are looking for a multi-tool that will be used for your job as well as part of your EDC, then your criteria will need to include tools that will be appropriate for your profession.
Choosing a multi-tool for purely personal use is all about recognizing the problems that a multi-tool could help you solve within the confines of your daily life outside of your job. It’s best to think through all the times you could have used certain tools and how often you could have used those tools. This will give you the best idea what tools your multi-tool should have at a minimum.
Now, when it comes to having a multi-tool to supplement the tools of your profession it’s important to think about a couple of different things.
The first thing to consider; is it allowed by your company? Depending on your industry some companies can be very restrictive as to what equipment you can and cannot use.
Secondly, if using a multi-tool is okay, then you need to think about what tools are required and what multi-tools fit those requirements. For instance, if you are an EMT then you may what to look into the Leatherman Raptor or if you are in IT then maybe the Charge is best for you.
4- How Will You Be Carrying Your Multi-Tool?
Another thing you will have to consider is how you will be carrying your multi-tool. This is important because the multi-tool you choose can dictate your carry options. Many multi-tools today come with an optional pocket/belt clip, but there are some out there that do not have that option. The most common carry options available are keychain(mini-multi-tools), pocket clip, carabiner or belt-mounted sheath. All of these carry methods have their time and place, depending on your needs.
With a full-sized multi-tool that does not have a pocket clip, you are left with a multi-tool floating around in your pocket or you will have to use a sheath. Many smaller multi-tools now come with a carabiner making it easy to clip onto a belt loop or backpack.
One of my favorite designs is leatherman’s quick attach pocket clip that they use on the Wave and Charge models. This design uses the tool lock to hold the clip in place. When you what to remove it all you do is simply hold the lock lever down and pull the clip off and when you want it back on just hold down the lock again and
5- What Hobbies Do You Have?
The hobbies you have can also play a big part in choosing the best multi-tool for YOU. For many, this will be the deciding factor for what multi-tool to get. For instance, if you are an avid backpacker or camper then the Leatherman Signal might be near the top of your list or if you are a varmint hunter, then the Real Avid 223 may be near the top of your list.
In many cases, the first multi-tool you buy is for something more than the daily grind. It’s usually to aid you in your passion. Whether it’s hunting, fishing or gardening there’s always some tool that can make things easier. Multi-tools are not only for the outdoors but also for the do it yourself-er too. Why only have a screwdriver and a hammer in your kitchen drawer when you can have pliers, screwdrivers, files, wire cutters, and lots more, in less space, with the right multi-tool.
6- Is There A Specific Tool Your Multi-Tool Must Have?
If you have a specific tool that needs to be included with your multi-tool, depending on the tool you need, you may have to spend some time searching for the right one, if it’s even offered. If the tool you are looking for is unusual or too specialized, then you may have to look into special-purpose pocket tools. If this sounds like you, then you really should check out my article 17 Special Purpose Pocket Tools You Should Know About
7- Do You Want Your Multi-Tool To Have Pliers?
There are a few different categories of multi-tools. First, there is the traditional multi-tool as made popular by Tim Leatherman’s Pocket Survival Tool. Then there is the infamous Swiss Army
In the beginning, there was Leatherman, well not really. The first mass-produced multi-tool was really, the Swiss Army Knife and as the name implies, this was built around a folding pocket knife. Because it’s built around a pocket knife, the Swiss Army Knife did not include any pliers. Adding pliers to the pocket knife design would have added a lot of bulk which would have taken away from its appeal. Without pliers, the Swiss Army Knife is kept small and sleek. This makes it easy to carry in your pocket.
If you are willing to deal with the extra size and weight, for the advantages that pliers can add to your multi-tool then, by all means, do it. When adding pliers to a multi-tool, two things have to happen. The tool will either lose space in the handle, thus making it necessary to make the tool larger to accommodate the pliers in the stowed position or reduce the number and size of the tools within the handle. So, the large and more capable the pliers, the larger the multi-tool needs to be.
8- What Type Of Pliers Do You Want?
If you have chosen the more traditional style multi-tool that includes pliers, then you will have a choice between three different designs. First, you have the classic Leatherman design that is a hybrid of needle nose pliers and standard pliers, where the pliers are accessed via butterfly-style opening handles. They resemble the head of a normal pair of needle nose pliers with a slight modification in the center of the jaws, giving an area that resembles a standard pair of pliers. This the style I prefer, because it more closely functions like the tools I use in my profession.
Also, employing the butterfly style opening pliers, SOG uses their Compound Leverage system. These share the basic design shape of the Leatherman pliers but use a unique pivot mechanism that multiplies the applied force, providing the same amount of force using half the effort. These are particularly nice for people that have weaker hands.
Gerber’s approach to pliers varied from the rest a little bit. The method Gerber first used for accessing the pliers was a big change in the overall design. Using a sliding pliers head, moved away from the traditional butterfly-style opening and made accessing the pliers possible without opening up the multi-tool. Gerber now uses both methods of pliers deployment. Another feature that Gerber offers is blunt nose pliers, these are more indicative of a standard pliers head. I prefer needle-nose type pliers on a multi-tool, but if you need something that is more like standard pliers, then Gerber has got you covered.
9- Can Your Multi-Tool Have A Knife Blade?
For many in the United States, the knife blade in their multi-tool is one of the most used tools, but for some across the pond in the UK and other more restrictive countries, having a knife can be a no-no. This can quickly help narrow down your multi-tool options. Most manufacturers offer a couple of blade-less options to choose from. They are usually the same as another model just without the knife blade. Leatherman’s Knifeless Rebar and Gerber’s MP600 Bladeless are a couple of examples of full-size multi-tools that do not have knife blades.
Even though us Americans may think that a multi-tool needs to include a blade, it is often only one tool of five, ten, or more tools. So in the grand scheme of things, it’s not an absolute must, but it sure is handy
10- How Often Will You Be Using The Knife Blade?
So, if you have chosen to get a multi-tool with a knife, you will need to think about
The next thing you will want to consider is how abusive you will be to the knife blade and the blade edge. When it comes to multi-tool blade steels there are not the same variety of steels, as there is with knives. The industry standard is 420 stainless steel, but depending on the manufacturer some are made with imported steels and others, like Leatherman, offer better options.
Leatherman uses three main types of steel in their blades, 420HC, 154CM and S30V. For more information on these steels and to learn about which may be best for you, check out my article What Steel Does Leatherman Use? where I cover these steels, plus more about what other manufacturers use as well.
Conclusion
At this point, if you are new to multi-tools, you may be a little overwhelmed, but don’t be. The list I have is just to give you some food for thought. As long as you get a quality multi-tool there is no wrong choice. Sometimes you just have to get one to find out what your likes and dislikes are. If you find that after having one for a while, there’s something you don’t like, you can use that as a data point when searching for your next one. And there will be a next one I assure you.
