Come on. You don’t know what a multi-tool is? OK, I guess that’s fair enough when there are sooo many different types of multi-tools. And it seems there’s a new one released onto the market every day so it’s not getting any easier to answer the question “what are multi-tools?
The simple answer
The term “multi-tool” refers to any type of unit that contains two or more manual hand tools that you can carry around with you.
That’s the technically correct answer but it doesn’t really tell you what a multi-tool is does it? If you’ve never seen a multi-tool before you would find it hard to imagine what that answer actually looks like. To get you up to speed, let’s use the old “a thousand words is worth one photo” or whatever that saying is.
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Here’s a photo of what is probably the most popular multi-tool around – the Leatherman Wave. In this case, it’s Leatherman’s latest and greatest version – the Wave Plus!
That’s the Wave Plus in its closed state. This is how you would carry it around because this is as compact as it will get. To help you carry it around, a lot of multi-tools will have a pocket clip to attach it to, yes you’ve guessed it – your pocket! Don’t be limited by the name though, you can use the pocket clip to attach a multi-tool to a belt or the strap of your pack. And some multi-tools come with a sheath (think of it like a pouch specially shaped to carry a multi-tool) or you can often buy a sheath as an option to carry your multi-tool in a lot of different ways, but it works really well for attaching it to your belt.
Sure, it looks nice and compact but the point of a multi-tool is to have multiple tools. Where are all the tools hidden?
The Wave Plus has a lot of good tools to offer, a total of 18 in fact. But I bet you can’t count 18. That’s because a lot of tools on multi-tools have more than one function. For example, the plier head includes a wire cutter, a hard wire cutter, needle nose pliers, standard pliers, wire stripper and an electrical crimper – that’s 6 tools right there.
Isn’t a multi-tool just a new type of a pocket knife?
The definition of a pocket knife and a multi-tool are pretty much identical. That’s probably because they’re both designed to meet the same need. Put a lot of useful manual tools together in one unit to make it convenient to carry tools around with you. And the pocket knife came first….or did it?
When you’re picturing a pocket knife, you’re probably thinking of the famous Swiss Army Knife. The Swiss Army Knife has been around since the 1880’s when it was issued to soldiers in the ……. you got it – Swiss Army (you’re nailing it today!). If you’re interested in a bit of the history of Swiss Army Knives and where they’re made today, you can read my article.
The multi-tool of today first came onto the market in 1983. It came about after Tim Leatherman was frustrated that his trusty scout knife didn’t have a pair of pliers. So he built his own tool and called it The Pocket Survival Tool (PST) and the plier based multi-tool was born. It’s the pliers that are the innovation that created the multi-tool and still today, most full-sized multi-tools are based around a pair of pliers combined with a variety of other hand tools.
But is Tim Leatherman really the inventor of the multi-tool? Not according to the Romans who could have claimed that title when they invented the first multi-tool around 200 AD. Sorry Tim, that’s about 1800 years before you invented the PST. The Roman version was an eating implement with 5 different utensils. It’s pretty amazing that they could produce a tool as complicated as this. Not something I would necessarily want to carry around in the pocket of my toga (did toga’s have pockets?) but still very impressive!
I own an old multi-tool that I got off Etsy as a curiosity item. It’s actually more like a pocket knife with some eating utensils. It does seem that pre-Leatherman multi-tools were gadgets to help you eat stuff with some table manners rather than with your bare hands.
What sorts of tools are usually in a multi-tool?
There’s not a “standard” set of tools in a multi-tool. The hint is in the name – multi-tool – it’s a tool that has multiple other tools and manufacturers design them with what they think is the ideal combination of tools. That’s a big part of the fun and interest in multi-tools. It’s also the reason why, once you’ve become mad about multi-tools like me, you’ll find you end up with a whole collection of different multi-tools.
When I think about the tools in a multi-tool, I think about the main tools it has and the secondary tools it has. Main tools are of course the pliers, then there’s the knife (or knives), scissors and saw. I call them the main tools because they are usually the bigger tools on any multi-tool and they are the ones you’re probably going to use most frequently. The secondary tools are the other tools. They can be anything like a flathead or a Phillips screwdriver, a bottle opener or can opener, a hex bit driver or an awl, and the list goes on….
Multi-tools of every shape and size
Full-size
The number and size of the tools will usually depend on the physical size of the multi-tool. Full-size and heavy duty type multi-tools commonly measure between 4 and 5 inches when closed. It’s these multi-tools that pack in the biggest tools and that makes them easier to use because you have more to grip on to and can get more leverage on them. It’s full-size multi-tools that attract people who want to use them for their job or want to use them for bigger tasks. Typical examples of the full-size multi-tool are the Gerber CenterDrive and the Leatherman SuperTool 300. Both rated highly by me (CenterDrive review and SuperTool 300 review) and a lot of other owners. The downside of full-size is just that – they are full-size, therefore they’re bigger and heavier to carry around.
Medium size
Down a size from full-size is the medium sized multi-tool. A typical example is the Leatherman Skeletool CX (check the current price on Amazon). It doesn’t pack as many tools into its form factor but still has a lot of the main tools like pliers, knife etc plus screwdriver and the obligatory cap lifter. Comes in a few different toolset versions and colors. Medium sized multi-tools should give you most of the basic most commonly used tools and the upside versus full-size multi-tools is that they’re easier to cart around due to their lower weight and size.
Mini/Micro/Keychain
Going down another size gets us to mini/micro/keychain multi-tools. As the name suggests, some of these multi-tools are small enough to hook onto your keychain or drop into the coin pocket of your jeans.
When you get down to this size, there’s no room for pliers but some will
include a very small knife, screwdrivers, bottle opener or file. Have a look at the Gerber Curve which packs in a lot into its small form. In effect, these are really just small pocket knives that have been given a more modern look. Obviously, they’re convenient to carry with being so small but… being so small, they are limited in what tasks they can tackle. Better than nothing though and they’re cheap enough to throw a few in your favorite cubby holes.
One-piece/credit card
The last size category is the one piece multi-tool and the credit card multi-tool. One piece multi-tools have no moving parts so that rules out pliers and scissors. It doesn’t rule out tools like screwdrivers, hex bit drivers, pry tools or cap lifters. Some even have a sharpened edge for use as a box opener. One piece tools can pack an extraordinary number of tools into their solid state form. Because of their size though, these are only for light duties – you’re not going to do any major repairs on your refrigerator with these.
The same goes for credit card multi-tools. These are like one-piece multi-tools because they don’t have moving parts and they are made in one-piece. The real difference is there size and form factor. Credit cards are designed to be able to slip into a slot in your wallet – yep, you guessed right again, one of the credit card slots!
There’s such a wide and fascinating variety on the market that I pulled together an incredible list of 136 one-piece and credit card multi-tools. If you just want to sample what it’s like to carry some tools with you, one of these 136 is a good place to start.
A multi-tool for every activity
As the market for multi-tools has grown, so has the variety of multi-tools available. There are the general purpose multi-tools like the Leatherman Surge (I’ve reviewed the heavyweight favorite, the Surge) and the best quality of all multi-tools, the SwissTools Spirit too. These are great if you just want to be ready for a MacGyver situation you need to get yourself out of, these types of tools are just the thing.
If you have a particular hobby or activity though, you should check whether there’s a specific multi-tool for you. There are multi-tools for cyclists, sports fishing people, hikers, scuba divers, pistols and rifle sportsmen, mountaineers, survivalists and first responders. If you do it, there’s probably a multi-tool that will be useful to throw into your bag or clip onto your belt.
These specific multi-tools can still be based around pliers and a knife but the secondary tools are specific to the tools you’ll need for that activity.
For example, the cycling multi-tool will be compact and light because it needs to be carried onboard the bike or the rider. It will have screwdrivers and hex heads in the common sizes used on bikes. It might even have a chain breaker, spoke key or a pedal spanner. A fishing multi-tool will have a tool for removing hooks, and crimping weights and cutting fishing line. Or if it’s a multi-tool for first responders, it will have a seat belt cutter and strong scissors. Weapons specific multi-tools will have a sight adjustment tool and a carbon scraper to get the gunk out of the trigger and bolt mechanisms. You get the idea. It’s a multi-tool that thinks about what tools you might need for your pastime.
How to sound like a multi-tool expert with 5 easy learn terms
If you’re new to multi-tools, some of the terminology is probably new and confusing to you. I can make you sound like a multi-tool expert in no time. Just drop some of 5 words into your conversation and you’ll have everyone thinking you’re a Multi-Tool MacGyver in no time!
Outside Accessible Tools
This means you can access some or all of the tools without folding open the plier handles. Some multi-tool designed have only a few or none at all but most of us think the more tools you can get easy access to from the outside, the better.
One-Handed Tools
One-handed tools or one hand opening tools is about how you get access to the tools and whether you need two hands to open them or not. One-handed opening means you can use your thumb – or maybe a finger – on one hand, to deploy the tool. Typically you would want to have one hand access to at least the knife by using your thumb on the knife’s thumb hole cutout or thumb stud. Some designs will have other tools you can access with one hand or you can switch hands and access other tools with your other hand. Gerber’s CenterDrive model is the most popular example of one-hand opening (and closing) pliers.
Thumbholes and Nail Nicks
A thumb hole is a cut out in the blade of the tool, usually a knife blade. Designed to allow you to hold the multi-tool in your hand and use your thumb to push open the blade. A nail nick is a slot or indentation in the tool blade to allow you to use your nail to drag open the tool. Pocket knives are ideal for nail nicks because nail nicks are very space efficient.
Locking Functions
When you’re using a tool on your multi-tool, ideally it doesn’t close on you, especially if it’s the knife! Usually, the knife will have some sort of locking mechanism to hold it in place when in use, something like a liner lock. But other tools don’t necessarily have a lock. It’s best if they do though.
Awl
A lot of multi-tools have an awl. When I first started discovering multi-tools, I didn’t know what an awl was and even when I saw one, I didn’t know what I would use it for. Now, I love a good awl. They are very useful and can be put to use doing a lot of tasks you might use your knife tip for or when you want to stick something small strong and sharp somewhere. I’ve become such an awl fan, I wrote this article on 11 great uses for an awl.
Hopefully, that’s given you a good overview and a taster of what the world of multi-tools offers. If you want to know how I go about choosing the right multi-tool, I’ve written a post that will help you decide what the essential things to look for when buying a multi-tool. There’s even a quick and easy checklist of 10 items to look for.
Multi-Tools – Don’t Leave Home Without One!
If you have any questions or comments, just put them in the comments section below.