Multi-Tools: The Choice Is Yours!

When buying a multi-ttol there are literally thousands to choose from! Frenchie returns to a subject he has written about before, as he wades through tool-related conundrums.

Tools. I like tools; always have. As a child I was given free-rein in my father’s workshop and was wielding power-tools unsupervised at an early age. It is therefore no great surprise that I return to the subject periodically.

During this period of lockdown, having more time on my hands than I’m used to, I have been wading through a number of tool-related conundrums and it struck me that although neither ostensibly had anything to do with airsoft, they were actually both relevant. At least I think they are.

The more important, to me, of these was my search for a perfect everyday carry knife. I can’t remember a period in my life when I didn’t have either a knife or tool immediately to hand, so while a bit niche, or even irrelevant to some, this is a subject that has exercised my mind on a fairly regular basis. In times past I was quite happy to lug a chunk of steel in the shape of a multitool around, however, you get to a point (I certainly did) where the force of gravity acting on your trousers outweighs the benefit and I started looking for alternatives. I own plenty so this wasn’t a hardship - but it was deeply frustrating.

CHOICES

If you’re not going to carry a Leatherman or a Victorinox, my preferred options, then the mighty Swiss Army knife (SAK) suggests itself. It is truly understating matters to say that there are a multitude of choices out there, everything from the ridiculously massive Champs right down to the super-pocket-friendly Classics. Pretty much any combination of size, material and tools can be found but that bountiful choice is a heavy cross to bear if you are not sure what you want.