UST Survival Card Thoughts

[rdub934]

My youngest and I spent a while this morning walking around Wal-Mart (I really hate that place) and I couldn't help myself - I picked up a UST Survival Card Tool 0.5 (is their a 1.0?). I have mostly thought these sort of one-piece credit card tools are goofy. I mean, exposed saw edge that is about 1.5" long? Come on. But for a dollar and change and to keep in my wallet mostly unnoticed, I figured why not.



I haven't used this tool for anything other than the blade for cutting through those little plastic things that keep the sales tags on clothes. But I will offer some thoughts.

1) It is more solid feeling than I initially thought it would. The reason I decided to pull the trigger was because when I picked up the package, it had a better weight to it than I expected.
2) I like the the blade edge on it - a knife is the most basic and maybe most useful  tool so, yea, no brainer - a knife in the wallet will come in handy some day.
3) Having a ruler is good. It should have been the length of the tool, included numbers, and featured both metric and imperial (stupid imperial - come on USA)
4) The bottle opener and can opener seem like they would work well. SEEM like it.
5) I still think the saw is goofy. Too short and it seriously compromises user grip.
6) The flat screw driver on the corner seems too thick. And why not each corner feature a different size driver? Two flats and a phillips
7) The box wrenches seem poorly defined enough that I could see bolts slipping.
#8 (sunglasses smiley got me) What the french toast (WTFT) is a butterfly wrench?
9) WTFT is a direction ancillary indicator?
10) Lanyard hole - ambivalent
11) Sheath - cheap/weak material for something with exposed saw and blade

Suggestions:
1) lose the saw, install a 3 sided file along that edge
2) The DAI hole (as has been suggested before) could have a mag-lens in it
3) Wire stripping notch (V style), wire-bending notches, nail puller notch would be easy to include
4) Improve the driver, and include different sizes and a phillips
5) instead of the multi-box wrench, just a dedicated 1/4". Maybe a precision bit-sized hex-hole, too.
6) Full length metric and imperial ruler

That's all I can think of right now. These card-tools are a good idea. Most everyone carries a wallet, so it stands to reason that carrying something like this, at least as a back-up, is a good idea. This particular model is very widespread and I imagine, even selling a $1.50 they make a fair amount of profit on them. But it could be a lot better.

Anybody found a card tool that they like better?

[cody6268]

Victorinox SwissCard.   I have one of those like yours I found under a different brand, and it was crap. None of the sharpened edges were usable, and the saw was useless.  In addition, it weighed my wallet down. The Swiss Card does the job much better.   However, had I paid that paltry $1.50,  my thoughts would have likely been higher.

[zoidberg]

In case you were serious, this is a butterfly screw.

[zoidberg]

Direction ancillary indicator... wait for it... markings for a water compass.      

[rdub934]

In case you were serious, this is a butterfly screw.

(Image removed from quote.)

OH! Well, in my defense, you aren't supposed to need a wrench for those lol

[rishardh]

I've got one of these. I was surprise how sharp the edge was. I guess that's why it comes with a sleeve.

I like your suggestions. They do make one with a magnifier but it's not a true wallet card size.

[styx]

In case you were serious, this is a butterfly screw.

(Image removed from quote.)

OH! Well, in my defense, you aren't supposed to need a wrench for those lol

you're not supposed to need them until some jacksmurf with the IQ of an average lug nut tightens it like he was squeezing water out of it. or if it's rusted on somewhere

[AlephZero]

#9 is a simple protractor, notice how the markings are at 15 degree increments.


It's still rather stupid "tool" (I do have one )

[pfrsantos]

In case you were serious, this is a butterfly screw.

(Image removed from quote.)

That's not a butterfly screw...

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[rdub934]

Ahhhh,

[Tofty]

Ha, nice one.

Although I can't be sure, it's possible that the original seller of these tools was BCB, a British military equipment supplier.



The tool in the top of the picture is an earlier version of the same concept. It's a little smaller, a bit thicker and much better made. The lower design looks just like the now ubiquitous tool.

It'd be interesting to know who first came up with the design originally.

P.S. A while ago some idiot designed this:

 

Is it any better than the credit-card sized tools above? Not really my place to say.

[rdub934]

Well, Tofty, I have never handled the CHA/O/HA (please explain that name ) EDC Card 2.2. But from observation I can tell that it's box wrenches are better - more defined corners and edges would bite better, in theory. The ruler is executed better on yours. Additionally, yours seems much more palm-friendly than the UST. Two flats and a pry-tip/scraper corner is a nice touch, as well.

Well done

[Tofty]

Thanks rdub934,
Cha/O/Ha is actually the trading name of the guy who commissioned me to design the tool. I believe it is a Lakota word or phase, meaning: "Among the trees" or "at one with nature".
Yes it's laser cut, rather than being stamped out, so the edge definition on the hexes and other tools is better and the rulers are probably a bit more useful, as they start on the edge. Without the saw or other sharp edges it's a lot more palm friendly. One of those flat heads is also a 2D phillips driver, like the one on the Leatherman Micro.
My issue with whether it's actually better than the UST is the massive price difference.

[Chako]

I am just going to quietly huddle all the card multi-tools I have in a drawer and keep them nice and safe. Ever safe from any EDCing a weaker person might be tempted to do. 

[Tofty]

Chako please feel free to share pictures of these tools in their big red habitat, so that we can all be sure in the knowledge that they are safe and protected.

[Chako]

There is this thread I posted last year.

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,63736.msg1200292.html#msg1200292

[rdub934]

Their is a noticeable difference in sitting on my wallet when the card-tool is in it. Not pleasant.

The cap lifter works really well though but that's all I've used it for, thus far

[Ryo Saeba]

I've got a little wallet thing that sticks to the back of my phone case that's great for holding credit card shaped tools. A lot more comfortable than putting it in your wallet.