Multi-Tool Mania

Multi-tools can be extremely helpful in a myriad of circumstances. Unfortunately, we can’t have our toolbox everywhere, at all times. The multi-tool was created to be portable, durable, and functional. Almost every major knife company out there makes their own multi-tool. They may contain but are not limited to: a large blade (flat or serrated), pen blade, screwdrivers (flat and Phillips), pliers, scissors, file, fish scaler, corkscrew, magnifier, bottle cap opener, can opener, awl, tweezers, toothpick, wire cutters, wire strippers, saw, and cutting hook. A multi tool with knives and various other tools incorporated could be a serious life-saving instrument, as I’ve written about in a previous blog post.

When we think of multi-tools, the golden standard Victorinox Swiss Army Knives might be the first thing that pops into our mind. Victorinox was founded in 1884 (135 years ago) by Karl Elsener of Ibach, Switzerland, and is considered to be the world’s largest pocket knife manufacturers. “Victorinox” was named for his late mother, “Victoria,” combined with “inox,” an abbreviation for stainless steel in French. His knives and surgical instruments were constructed from German and French steels and made for the utilization of the Swiss Army. The warranty they provide is a lifetime guarantee against manufacturer’s defects and workmanship (no charge to the customer).

Leatherman was in 1983 founded by Timothy Leatherman and Steven Berliner in Portland, Oregon USA. They called their first multi-tool the “pocket survival tool” or PST. Leatherman’s goal was to design a “Boy Scout knife with pliers.” He did just that and sold his first PST multi-tools through Cabela’s and Early Winter’s mail-order catalogs. They are both designed and manufactured in Oregon. I know for a fact that Leatherman stands behind their products with their 25-year guarantee warranty. They have excellent customer service that aligns with their brand values. If you send your leatherman in, the company will either completely fix the problem or will replace the whole tool with a new one (no charge to the customer).

I have my eye on the new Leatherman Free P4 (the new king of pragmatic pocket tools). It goes for about $139.95 on Leatherman’s website. It has 21 tools configured in an all-in-one easy to open multi-tool. The tool was actually created to be operated with one hand. This means no nail grooves and struggling to get the tools out. The engineers really put together a new beast and I’m so excited to try this tool out. They call it the “ultimate problem solver,” for a reason.

We have the Top 10 Multi-Tools for 2019 by Jordan Carter from Gear Hungry to help guide our new multi-tool selection process. Gear Hungry has always given me great product reviews so that I’m educated on the pros and cons before I go shopping. I also watch all the YouTube Videos I can find before making a purchase. Blade HQ provides an authentic review of their products online with either an unboxing or functional video to accompany each.

Leatherman Free Collection Review by Blade HQ:

I hope you enjoyed this post on multi-tools! Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

Kammi