Show us your Multi tools- any advice?

rsvmark

Having a bit of cash for Christmas, I fancy a multi tool. Any brands or recommended buys out there?

Sporky

In the Leatherman sense or the Fein sense?

pintspiller

A claw hammer or an angle-grinder is generally all you will ever need.

Nomad

Beware of carrying ones with locking knife blades. There's a chance of getting done if you don't have a specific reason to have it on you (like for work - while at work, or for things like ceremonial dress/national costume). In other words, potentially illegal to have it on you because it's handy and you'll probably need it. Same applies to non-locking blades with a cutting edge longer than 3", and to anything with a fixed blade (eg, illegal to carry a fixed blade bushcraft knife unless you're actually out in the woods or travelling to/from). To be clear, the 3" size limit for every-day carry only applies to non-locking folding blades - all others come under the knife legislation and need to be justified if you get pulled.

A multi-tool with a locking blade should be okay as part of a toolkit (like in gigging kit), but not for EDC. The chances of getting pulled are pretty slim, but the consequences if you are are likely to be at least confiscation of the tool, and potentially charges depending on the circumstances and the cop's point of view/intentions.

gubble

having read this I've just measured the blade on the swiss army knife I have on my keys. I use this daily for one reason or another and it's a really useful bit of kit, not to mention a practical keyring.

Thankfully the knife is only 3"

pintspiller

The chances of me having anything longer than 3" in my pocket are pretty slim these days

rsvmark

Was thinking leatherman type of thing as part of essential gig kit but also for track days, diy etc. 

octatonic

I have a Leatherman Surge that I keep in my bike panniers for on the road repairs.
It has an optional bit set than gives me important sizes.
That and a small repair kit, important sockets, some wire, cable ties, gaff and a puncture repair kit is pretty much all I need for touring.

CHRISB50

I got one for Christmas. 

Leatherman Super Tool 300. It's great, and I've used it every day since having it. But the blade does fall foul of the law. 

I do do a bit of outdoors stuff at the weekends so I guess it is justified for that. But not an EDC. 

maltingsaudio

My leather man blast has lasted 10 years so far, locking blade but kept in gig bag only drawback no real bottle opener.not fond of multi tools with attachable bits because the handy attachable bits always get lost ( who's still got the toothpick and tweeezers from their SWARMY knife?). Only bit of wisdom to pass on is decide if you are actually going to use it, in which case don't buy compact/key ring size

Sporky

maltingsaudio said:

Only bit of wisdom to pass on is decide if you are actually going to use it, in which case don't buy compact/key ring size

I use my pair of Leatherman Squirts more than any of the others.

Gassage

.

Grunfeld

I've got a Leatherman Juice XE 6 which is useful and unproblematic from a legal point of view. 
Funnily enough though it's been the small Leatherman Squirt PS 4 which lives on a keyring gets the most use -- just cos it's always there.
I've got the PS4, a Fenix E01 mini torch, and silver gripper tweezers, all on a loop of that amazing locking wire which I discovered a while back and is the solution to problems you didn't even know you had. 
Also added a green tritium glow in the dark marker which has been super useful for just going "there it is" when it's pitch black in some pub car park somewhere..

MagicPigDetective

I have a Fein and have found so many uses for it whilst renovating the house, expensive but worth it. 

vasselmeyer

I carry this everywhere and it cost £2

sev112

Didn't know about the knife law / rules etc

it would explain why I got frisked and asked to "come this way please sir" by a massive security guard when we tried to go up the Rockefellar centre in New York this summer.

he was very good however. Clearly worked out I was a simple tourist

stimpsonslostson

I have a leatherman juice c2 on my keychain at all times. 
Short non locking blade means it's legal to carry etc. 
Corkscrew, bottle opener, Philips and normal screwdrivers and a decent set of pliers. 
I use it all the time & would highly recommend it. 

https://www.knivesplus.com/media/LE-831920.jpg
I got mine from Heinne. 
Their list is here (if you hit refine you can limit the results to UK legal carry if you like). 

https://www.heinnie.com/knives-and-tools/multi-tools

CHRISB50

vasselmeyer said:

I carry this everywhere and it cost £2

I've got one of those too but have no idea where it is! 

Thanks for reminding me I have one

strtdv

I've a Leatherman Skeletool that I keep in the car, and a Topeak cycling specific tool that I keep in my saddlebag (it has tyre levers, a chain splitter, the common sizes of Allen key etc, but no blade). That, a couple of spare tubes, and a couple of SRAM powerlink spare links and I can fix most likely roadside mechanicals.

Guitar_Slinger

Great thread!  I had a Leatherman Kick in a pouch , until some cunt stole it, and have been looking to replace it.  It came with a Micra in the pack which although small, lives in my jeans pocket and gets used all the time.

After reading replies in this thread, think I'll get a carry-friendly Gerber Dime.

Sporky

Leatherman did a knife-less Fuse for a while; it has a really useful set of tools.