I have carried a Leatherman in the past and didn't find myself using the pliers that much. I have gone the last few months with carrying a Swiss Army Knife and a pair of Knipex Cobra pliers and have been okay. I have thought about this. Would you carry a knife with screwdrivers, a pair of pliers and a pair of electrician scissors to take care of wire cutting or a Leatherman?
I use a multitool for this. The Leatherman is handy because it has pliers, real wire cutters and knives, and individually I'd rarely need any of those.
Depends greatly on what I'm doing, and where. Playing handyman or such, I do find carrying the multi-tool handy. Not incredibly so, but useful enough. In the junkyard or when doing specific work, I want the "right" tools.
I use my Multitool almost daily. The pliers and screw driver for tightening loose mirrors and handrails, poping stuck coins out of card readers ect, the knife cutting stuck wheelchair straps, and can cut a pint of ice cream into bite size chunks so I don't need a spoon. I used to carry some wrenches, screw drivers and such but it's much easier to just have one thing on my belt.
One thing I would like to add is a bus panel key but I imagine the market would be limited. I did make a small one for my key ring.
Gerber 600
Carried everywhere except church on Sundays. I bet I've used it a dozen times today.
I carry a multitool everyday at work. Only other tools that are on me at any one time are a small 6" C-wrench, a knife, my flashlight, and a sharpie
I've never found a reason to have a multi-tool. Maybe i'm weird.
Swank Force One wrote: I've never found a reason to have a multi-tool. Maybe i'm weird.
I've been carrying one for 25 years. I feel naked without it.
For a flashlight I have a LEGO man key chain with LEDs in his feet. It's surprisingly bright and I always have it. I get laughed at for carrying it but my nephew gave it to me years ago and it came in handy during the 2003 black out, hurricane Sandy and countless other times. Even though he lost his arms and his face wore off I can't retire him.
Edit: I carry a Sharpie at work too incase anyone wants a autograph. Or I have to make a sign.
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer, I cut and strip wires with a pocket knife, what the hell do I know about tools?
Sitting at my desk I rarely need to use a multitool. However if I am out at the ranch I will use the thing 20 times a day easy. All depends on the location.
My dad used a Leatherman to cut a little kids shoe free from an escalator that was trying to eat his foot.
Swank Force One wrote: I've never found a reason to have a multi-tool. Maybe i'm weird.
It's kind of the other way around. You never spontaneously think, "I wish I had a multi-tool", because everything it does, a dedicated tool does much better. But when you carry one you find yourself using it all the time, because even a E36 M3ty version of a tool is preferable to the one you left at home.
Woody wrote: My dad used a Leatherman to cut a little kids shoe free from an escalator that was trying to eat his foot.
I thought I was the only one that went through this when I was a kid. A Woolworth escalator chewed my shoe when I was 8 ....
If I don't have my Swiss Army knife with me I feel naked, although I don't necessarily use it every day.
I have this SOG
I have carried it with me exactly one time. Because of the sheath. I hate having a sheath on my belt, I have to get into a bunch of tight spaces and I'm always getting snagged on something. If they made it with a pocket clip I'd have it with me all the time.
These are what I carry with me every day.
My Dad's cousin lost a couple toes on an escalator when he was a kid wearing flip flops.
I'm shocked that it never happened to me as a Kid. It was standard practice for me to stay on the step and slide up onto the landing.
Always know where the emergency shutoff is.
There seem to be a lot of pictures online of Crocs getting pulled in.
Wally wrote: For a flashlight I have a LEGO man key chain with LEDs in his feet. It's surprisingly bright and I always have it. I get laughed at for carrying it but my nephew gave it to me years ago and it came in handy during the 2003 black out, hurricane Sandy and countless other times. Even though he lost his arms and his face wore off I can't retire him. Edit: I carry a Sharpie at work too incase anyone wants a autograph. Or I have to make a sign.
my flashlight is a Lenser P7 (they have a newer and brighter one out now.. so it might get replaced) that is powerful enough that it can shine light at the top of the 38 story building I work at from the ground.
The only trouble is.. it eats batteries like nobody elses business.. thankfully I get them free from work
Flashlight is this.
I use it as much as I use the Gerber.
I lost my leatherman, and was sad, but honestly I found it too bulky. I like my little swiss army knife better, for a small flashlight I carry a Larry2, it's a little longer than I would like but comes in very handy. It is more of a led work light honestly. Also has a laser pointer, pocket clip and a swiveling magnetic type deal to use to hang it.
I use the flashlight function of my smart phone quite often, although I have a real flashlight in my bag at work when doing surveys. I also have a belt-hanger for carrying a full-sized Maglite.
Actually, my phone has become quite the "electronic" multi-tool. For better or worse, in my business having one has become expected and I'll admit it has saved me from no small number of headaches at work.
I have a nice mag light and belt holder that I never use. I don't need a light often enough to carry it and being fat the more things you clip to your waist the more times you get stuck. I have a phone app but I end up using my phone throughout the day to track buses and it runs the battery down pretty quick so I can't count on the light working when I do need it.
Don't carry multi-tools at work anymore because don't need. Channel-locks, crescent wrench and multi-tip screwdriver will work on almost half my calls.
Won't go hunting or fishing w/o a Leatherman or Gerber tho. Keep a Gerber in my tackle box.
I use a Coleman MAX focus beam 110L light at work, about $28 from W-M. As a pipe fitter we're always looking up in the trusses and the focus beam reaches the roof. Don't need a uber lume/ dollar light, if I drop it in a black hole no problem, cheap. Musta been phased out tho, bought the last one I could find for $20 on ebay. Fits in my coverall leg pocket, I'd be lost w/o it.
You'll need to log in to post.
