Swiss Army Knife V. Leatherman. Which Do I go With?

NoBrakesRacing wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Oh, and Swiss Army knifes are for cleaning fingernails and opening envelopes. I used to always carry one, but I threw too many away at the TSA line. They say that the Letterman PS is TSA approved for carryon, I will have to test that theory.

I've had mine inspected by agents without issue. Scissors are legal up to four inches.

I've carried one of those when I travel light (i.e., no checked baggage where my 'real' EDC multitool can be stashed) along with a Leatherman Piranha attached with a lock-wire, and it's about 50% whether they want to look at it more closely or not. After closer inspection (and confirming they're loafers...) not a single one has raised a stink about it, and many have asked exactly what it's called and who makes it so they could grab one themselves. I actually now have two since I temporarily misplaced one a ways back- I HATE not having a multitool with me so love having the PS when I travel.

Duke wrote: I have Leatherman knock-offs in every car for the most-emergenciest of emergencies. I never thought they were effective or useful enough for personal carry. I EDC a Victorinox Cybertool 29, which is a 3-bay Swiss Army knife with the usual options on the outer 2 bays. The center bay is an axial bit driver on one side and a little rack of 6 or 8 double-headed interchangeable bits on the other: flat blade, Phillips, and some small Torx bits. It's not too large to carry comfortably in dress pants, and I use it daily. The only thing I wish it had was a scissors instead of one or the other of the knife blades (it has both the large and small blades). But I wouldn't make it larger to add the scissors.

I have a sapphire Cybertool 34 that I carry all the time in a belt pouch with a very powerful 1-AA LED flashlight; the sapphire one replaced a red 34 that had gotten beat up and I decided to sell instead of having repaired because it had been a present from my ex-wife. Just got another one because it's insanely useful. I've never regretted getting the larger one with the pliers and scissors. Neither are as good as 'real' ones, but are far more useful since they're always handy. I just wish they'd come up with a better way to retain the spare bits- it's pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to not have them fall out when using the driver.

mad_machine wrote:

Wall-e wrote: In reply to SVreX: It's not the best tool for any particular job but it's always handy for a quick task. I keep a couple real tools in my backpack and a few Harbor Freight wrenches and screwdrivers hidden around our truck.

so you carry lots of hammers?

Instead of regular adjustable wrenches I've started buying spud wrenches. I grind the pointed end into a panel key to lock hatches that pop open and when the time comes they make better hammers.

Ashyukun wrote:

Duke wrote: I have Leatherman knock-offs in every car for the most-emergenciest of emergencies. I never thought they were effective or useful enough for personal carry. I EDC a Victorinox Cybertool 29, which is a 3-bay Swiss Army knife with the usual options on the outer 2 bays. The center bay is an axial bit driver on one side and a little rack of 6 or 8 double-headed interchangeable bits on the other: flat blade, Phillips, and some small Torx bits. It's not too large to carry comfortably in dress pants, and I use it daily. The only thing I wish it had was a scissors instead of one or the other of the knife blades (it has both the large and small blades). But I wouldn't make it larger to add the scissors.

I have a sapphire Cybertool 34 that I carry all the time in a belt pouch with a very powerful 1-AA LED flashlight; the sapphire one replaced a red 34 that had gotten beat up and I decided to sell instead of having repaired because it had been a present from my ex-wife. Just got another one because it's insanely useful. I've never regretted getting the larger one with the pliers and scissors. Neither are as good as 'real' ones, but are far more useful since they're always handy. I just wish they'd come up with a better way to retain the spare bits- it's pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to not have them fall out when using the driver.

Yeah, I thought really really hard about getting a 34 and a belt pouch, but I thought back to when I carried a Swiss Army knife that had eveything I really wanted in an EDC tool but ended up being too large to easily carry every day. So I went with the 29.

I think I have it narrowed down to either a Leatherman Super Tool or a Crunch. Which should I go with?

I have a 5th generation Gerber Multi-Plier, what became the current model 600, I think. The pliers are quite strong on it. Apparently they are considered "vintage" now. Mine has a metal file instead of the small pointy blade on top.

I have been carrying a Gerber for work now for 25 years.. the only reason I ever replace them, I lose one about every 7 or 8 years.

TSA tried to take this one. I had to bring it back to the car. I would not count on any of these making it through:

92dxman wrote: I think I have it narrowed down to either a Leatherman Super Tool or a Crunch. Which should I go with?

I'd go with the Super Tool unless you really need the locking pliers.

The Leatherman Wave is on Woot! right now.

http://sport.woot.com/offers/leatherman-wave-multi-tool-2?ref=sp_cnt_wp_1_35

I don't know how you guys get away with carrying those things on a plane. I had one of these on a key ring and they confiscated it. Of course, I can see what a threat it is.

Basil Exposition wrote: The Leatherman Wave is on Woot! right now. http://sport.woot.com/offers/leatherman-wave-multi-tool-2?ref=sp_cnt_wp_1_35 I don't know how you guys get away with carrying those things on a plane. I had one of these on a key ring and they confiscated it. Of course, I can see what a threat it is.

They changed the rules a few years back to allow very short scissors, and the one I carry is solidly within those rules with no other questionable parts. IIRC, part of the rules prohibits serrated edges, which it looks like that key-tool has and would thus not be allowed.

I ended up pulling the trigger on a Leatherman Crunch. Should be here today via mail