Just wanted to get an idea of what everybody uses for a multi-tool. I have used quite a few in the past and when I get up in the morning or pack for a trip I always grab my Leatherman Wave and my SpyderCo clip blade.

Let's hear what your multi-tool of choice is?

I've tried quite a few multi-tools in recent years, but haven't found one yet I like better than the old original Leatherman. It has a tough blade, nice torque on the pliers, good asst. of tools, and feels good in the hand. As for a fixed blade, I prefer the 4" drop point I made from an old file this past winter. Well, I will prefer it once I get a chance to use it...I hope.

Chuck

Well let's see,... I have a hemastat, needlenose pliars, and my teeth. Does that qualify? ;)

Cheers,

q_v

Only counts if you can field strip a deer or fillet a northern with those....ah....interesting implements.

Chuck

Oh yeah, and my filet knife. But I thought that was automatic...

Cheers,

q_v

Good old original Leatherman for me-

I own a leatherman but I never bring it anymore.  I have a Swiss Army Knife on a lanyard with fingernail (fishline) clippers and then I keep a needlenose pliers and hemostats in the front pocket of my thwart bag.

The leatherman got ditched in favor of the Swiss Army Knife and regular needlenose because the SAK has all the tools the leatherman has, PLUS those tiny little scissors which come in handy many times every trip.  The regular needlenose is better than the leatherman because I just grab it and use it with one hand instead of having to try to unsnap the LM holster and unfold the LM with only one hand while the other hand holds the thrashing pike/trout/whatever.

BTW, my SAK still has both the toothpick and the tweezers after many weeks in the woods.  I'm told that's unheard of.  Is it?

I'll have to agree with ckimmerle. I have tried every tool out there. and I mean EVERY single one. (except the "off-brands") I still think the original super tool is the best. Lately though I've been loyal to the wave, but only because the knife blade can be accessed with the tool closed.

Stay away from the Buck. IMO it's the absolute worst tool out there. Buck should just stick with knives and let it go at that. The design of it can cause the tool to fold up while you're using it.

yes, i like my leatherman, i especially like the scissors on it as i cut fireline with it. it has a very sharp knife for rope use, i have yet to drop it in the lake, but i can see releasing one of those slimy northerns, its day will come!
grey

I am surprised that no one (so far) uses a Gerber.  I own several multi-tools but the Gerber goes to Canada.  The stilletto pliers are handy and the blade is fantastic and is much more convenient for one hand use IMO.  But, there is a Leatherman in each car and SAK Champ in my bagpipe case.  They all have thier uses but again, the Gerber goes to Canada.

My favorite multi-tool blade?  Is my old faithful machete.  I do use it to butcher my deer, slice watermelon and canteloup, have carved a turkey with it, chop and split firewood, clear portage trails, flip flapjacks, and lots of other uses.  It is a bit deficient as a screw driver - only works on large slotted screws, and I think it would be just a bit too much work to cut through wire.  Not very good as a plier either. And its not pocket size, but in fact, I have used it a hundred times more often than my gerber or leatherman.

II have my needle nose pliers from my tacklebox and a swiss army knife.  I can't imagine needing anything other tools for repairs on a canoe trip.

On the lost "indispensible gear" thread, I wrote about the Pigsticker, a handmade sheath knife I found in an Ely antique store.  It is far and away my favorite blade.  The handle is black, with three thin alternating stainless steel and brass rings about every inch, a real handsome knife.  The six inch blade holds an edge as well as any knife I've owned.  The original sheath, also handmade, quickly showed the weakness of old leather, so I replaced it.
The pigsticker cuts anything that needs cutting, is great in the kitchen, passable at flipping pancakes, and serves as a small hammer as well.  It never fails to knock a live fish senseless so they don't learn the secrets of filleting.

I too am one who does not take a multi-tool.  I have my sheath knife and forceps and that is about it.  I am planning on taking a small drill bit and screwdriver as part of my emergency kit.  I am curious what the advantage of a multi-tool is in canoe country?

TIA,

TB

wrote on Feb 24^th, 2004 at 7:45pm:

I am curious what the advantage of a multi-tool is in canoe country?

I was kind of wondering the same thing about a machete or sheath knife.

I for one take the original leatherman. With a nice blade, pliers, screw driver etc. the multi-tool eliminates the need for "mutliple tools" to be brought along. Fits nicely along your belt and is always handy. I personally couldn't imagine finding a use for a big-bladed knif or machete, much less the desire to lug it around. Guess I am not really the Rambo type camper.

I carry an original Leatherman and a simple lock-back knife on my belt at all times on any kind of camping trip.  I actually rather like the knife blade on the Leatherman, but usually when I want a knife blade, I want it NOW and don't want to have to dig it out of the rest of the tool.

My lock-back knife WAS an off brand.  It's now at the bottom of Brent Lake not far from the portage to McIntyer.  I'll probably replace it with a small Buck lock-back before the next trip.  Probably pick it up at the Gander Mt. in Duluth on the way up (see the thread on favorite stores).

I used to carry a SAK, but that got retired when my son gave me the Leatherman.

wrote on Feb 24^th, 2004 at 8:23pm:

I was kind of wondering the same thing about a machete or sheath knife. ..... I personally couldn't imagine finding a use for a big-bladed knif or machete, much less the desire to lug it around. Guess I am not really the Rambo type camper.

I am with you on a machete, though a bayonet might be handy at times ;)

Seriously, my sheath knife is an old Western brand.  It has a 4” long blade and plays several roles in my outdoor adventures.  In addition to getting covered in deer blood every fall (even if I didn’t kill the deer I still seem to be gutting and skinning – how did I get that job???) it has been on my belt for my trekking.  It is my utility knife for cutting cord for the tarp or making shavings to start a fire.  It is also used (after a good washing) to cut my steak and (hopefully) to gut a trout or two (my canoe partner has a separate fillet knife for walleye if we ever catch one.)  It has been a pretty stout friend.

I like having forceps for removing hooks because they clip to my shirt and they stay there.  No fumbling or looking for them.  Even if I switched to a multi-tool, I would still have my forceps.

I guess I still don’t know what the extra tools on the multi-tool are used for on a canoe trip.


TB

I forgot, I also use the awl on my SAK to punch the paint out of jig eyes.

TB, to answer your question, I guess that if you want to consider the SAK a multi-tool then I use the knife blade, scissors and awl frequently on each trip.  I have used the screwdriver blades before, though they don't get used every trip, certainly.  I still feel better for having them along, somewhere.  For those who use Leathermans, obviously the pliers are functional for hook release and also occasionally find other camp uses.  Hemostats/forceps are great for the delicate/deep hook removal, but if you really need to put some torque on a hook, pliers are far better.  Multitools are for those who feel more comfortable having all of the above with them at all times on a single implement.

Whatever floats your canoe is what you should use.  Most of us are apparently old enough to have evolved our own system based on what works best for each of us, so the differences just come down to personality and camping style.

I found a fingernail clippers with a gap filed out (I expect for jig paint) at the portage to Ballard. (Thanks, it works great.) It's attached to the hemostat and my hook sharpener now. (The compass bellied up.)

I take an original leartherman but it's been on the short list of what stays home for a year or two. I may go back to a needle nose and the Phillips with a 90 degree bent shank and no handle. Everyone has a fillet knife. Mine is on the stiff side anyway so...

SWK? The $8 key ring size has a scissors, tweezers and toothpick. I bring 2 keys into the park anyway and it's attached to one of them. How much weight would I save if I broke off the knife?

I count the tiny folding Chicago Cutlery knife "The Traveler" among the best gifts I've ever received.

I bring a fixed blade PONTUS, a Gerber multitool, a Schrade folder, a handmade fillet knife, a folding handsaw, and occasionally a small axe.

The PONTUS goes, period. But for explanation purposes it digs, cuts, guts, slices, dices, pounds, pries and doesn't break. And it cleans up much faster than the the others.
The Gerber is very useful for: Picking up hot metal, untying knots, straightening hooks, holding hooks for sharpening, fixing reels, straightening eyes on the rod, filing sharp points smooth, unseating and re-seating o-rings in the stove and water filter pump, removing hooks if the hemostat is unavailable, splinters, etc, etc, etc.
Schrade folder tucks away for a back-up.

Everything else is pretty one-purpose and doesn't need explaining.

PhantomJug wrote on Feb 24^th, 2004 at 12:48pm:

I am surprised that no one (so far) uses a Gerber.  I own several multi-tools but the Gerber goes to Canada.  The stilletto pliers are handy and the blade is fantastic and is much more convenient for one hand use IMO.  But, there is a Leatherman in each car and SAK Champ in my bagpipe case.  They all have thier uses but again, the Gerber goes to Canada.

I use a Gerber Legend 800 had it for YEARS...........it goes on every fishing trip, up there and at home.  They are GREAT, but the new Gerber, you know the ones that look EXACTLY like mine but are made in some sweatshop in China..........well they are total CRAP.  Martinson bought one, based on my recommendation, and it started rusting day 1 or day 2.  I tell you this......CHINESE shit is just that.........SHIT.

Later,

Geo

I have a leatherman I take for multi-tasking,  but my blade of choice is my Cutco, expanding filet knife.   Woulodn't take a trip without it.

-Paddleguy

PJ and Geofisher, I agree on the Gerber. I have one that is about 10 years old and it is still going strong. For those of you wondering what advantages a multi tool has (I think it was troutbreath??)  they have many. I can honestly say I've used every tool on my gerber. The saw is pretty pointless, but it was used (just once and then never again  ;D) The awl comes in handy more than you'd think. The pliers part of a Gerber are easier to use IMO than a leatherman since they can come out one handed. They are really useful for removing fish hooks, fixing bent hooks, bending god only knows what, grabbing a hot pan on the fire/stove, pulling tent stakes, and when bored or in need of humor make hilarious shadow puppets. The blade has gutted fish and deer, not to mention cut so much fishing line I could fill a spool with the tags. Which reminds, the pliers have a great cutting section near the hinge that also works great on fishing line. The screw driver has fixed stoves, reels, thwarts, you name it. The can opener saved the day when an actual can opener was forgotten on a local camping trip for baked beans. (the trip wasn't for beans, they were brought along and the opener was left behind). Mine (which I believe is the orginal Gerber multitool but I could be wrong) also has a small 4" ruler on it. I've used it to make sure fish are legal, check map distances, measure an extremely tedious mile  ::)    

Despite how awesome the gerber is, a locking blade knife comes along as well as back up.

And of coarse, the fillet knife which goes without saying.

spring loaded, switchbladesque Gerber tool

thebutcher

Leatherman Kick

Seems to be perfect for measuring my average size catch!

Well... some days are better than others.

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k

I recently got the Zilla Tool from Russel Knives.  The knife blade is great.  Last week we did some perch fishing, planning to let them all go.  We caught one nice one that was deeply hooked, so I decided we would eat him.  I used the Zilla blade to filet the thing and we put him on the fire about 2 minutes later.  I was surprised how well that little blade did on the fish.

Gimp_of_01 has had a Gerber 600 on his belt for many years, in the woods and daily life.  It is indispensable.

Took me a few years (yeah, I'm slow like that) but I got tired of always asking for his so I bought a Gerber 400.  A bit smaller but every bit as functional.  I wear it constantly on my man-purse...er, fanny pack.

Leatherman Wave. One handed opening blade, diamond hook sharpener, along with all the standard bells and whistles. Had 'em all at one time or another...used this one for about 7 years now, can't see chaniging. By the way, the gerber pliers are TERRIBLE...easy to open but if they slip while you are cranking on something to tighten it you WILL get a very nasty blood blister for you trouble when the handle pinches your hand, the handles come too close together to be safe.

the spring loaded gerber is by far the best one I have come across. i do not have a clue what the model number or type it is but when i dropped one in the drink many moons ago its twin cousin was snatched up within a week of my return.

thebutcher

I use a hand-me-down Leatherman. It was my dad's for years until he snapped the file out of it, and he replaced it with one of the Gerber tools. It's old enough now to be opened one-handed, and the blades keep an edge pretty well. While the file would be nice to clean up the hatchet blade now and then, so far I haven't missed it.

I like the Gerber tool, but the Leatherman was free, and the thing is pretty much bulletproof. I don't see it getting replaced anytime soon.

I always bring my Leatherman since the time I had to cut a treble hook that was embedded in my thumb from the F-18 Rapala that was also attach to a very agitated ~15LB Northern. The cutters snapped the treble wire fairly quickly and I was greatful that my hand was not more severely injured.

Also I always bring my USMC K-Bar (short version).

The leatherman steel is brittle-I have broke the saws, small screw divers tips, and shattered the phil's head driver...on more than one. The Gerber I had sheared the main pivot pin on the pliers-only on one and I stopped there. Now I use my hunting knife and the smallest visegrips available-the grips have served me well for years and they came out of my carpentary pouches-years of service there too. I use the my stove tool-the one that came with it-for a screw driver-or the quarter in the first aide kit....Yeah so I am hard on tools...I use them ;)

Gerber Tool and a roll of Duct tape arguably saved my life. [smiley=thumbup.gif] ;)
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SW

WOW! I'm planning to bring my stripper to Q this June for the first time. She's built extra heavy, about 60 lbs for a 15ft., (2 layers of 6 oz inside, and 1 layer of 6 oz + graphite on the bottom) but looking at that photo, I'm getting a queazy feeling in my stomach. I think I'll bring an extra roll of tape and maybe even some extra glass and resin just in case.

Great repair job! Obviously it held up, but how nervous were you paddling out?

I use to carry a Leatherman but now opt for the Gerber Clutch small, light, and gets the job done. As for knives, in the last 2 years I've gone retro, I carry a Case Trapper in a leather belt sheath, use it primarily for fishing, camp chores and cooking.

I recently purchased a Leatherman charge TTi.  I love it.  It replaced my original leatherman wave.  It's super comfortable in the hands and isn't too big.  I also went through the dilema of weather or not to bring a leatherman into the backcountry. I have rarely used the pliers....the biggest concern is weight....the wave/charge weighs in at 8.5 ounces.....however...like previous posters have mentioned...if you have a gear failure or really need a pair, they're a lifesaver...I'd rather have them just in case.  I think the wave/charge is the perfect multitool...I've looked at Gerber-Swiss Tool-SOG powerlock etc. and I've found that leatherman still does the multi-tool better than everyone else in my opinion. The only thing I wish my charge would have is an AWL. Otherwise I think that a Swiss army knife paired with a normal pair of needle nose pliers is a good combo as well...can't go wrong with a SAK.

I have a Victorinox my friend picked me up when he was in Switzerland.  Awesome tool - should be though from the company that makes Swiss Army knives

Jimmar.  The first couple of days were a bit sketchy but the repair held the rest of the trip through multiple portages, some really bad weather, and the car ride back to Iowa. I wouldn't bother with the extra resin and glass. Even after a trip when I could of used it.  ;)A big roll of good waterproof duct tape and a multitool should be fine. Besides, it sounds like your canoe to be ready for anything.

I have kept the same Gerber multi tool on my hip for probably 15 years of camping & canoeing.  I have no idea what model it is, but it holds an edge well, and the needlenose can be easily extended with one hand while the other hand holds a fish.  The phillips & flathead screwdriver blades are decent.  I do not use the file or "saw" blade much at all....and I still have no idea what the round thing with the hole in it is for....other than that, it hit 'old friend' status years ago as far as gear goes.

wrote on Mar 29^th, 2009 at 11:46pm:

..and I still have no idea what the round thing with the hole in it is for....

I believe it is for attaching a lanyard. (At least that is what I vaguely remember from reading the literature that came with it oh so many years ago!) Kind of pointless, since it has to be swung out to be able to attach a cord to it.
As TTC said, I have had one of my Gerber’s (I have two; both were welcomed Christmas gifts) with me at any time I’m wearing something with a belt. Never had any other brand.  Things that are good about it are the fact that the pliers can be deployed with one hand, and the handles for the pliers put the rounded portion against your hand; unlike the Leatherman which has the open, relatively sharp side of the handles against your hand. Put the two of them side by side and exert a lot of force onto the pliers and the difference is quite obvious. Also, the pliers can be partially deployed, which gives the pliers a compound leverage effect, but at the sacrifice of reduced jaw opening. Not so good is that they need to be opened fully to get to a blade. It really just comes down to tradeoffs; I really don’t think there is any one make / model that does everything well. But, as with any other tool, when used within its intended range of use they perform well. For heavier cutting jobs the folding Buck gets used, and fillet knives (as well as hemostats) are specialty tools that are difficult to replace.