Should I change my EDC?

[turbov21]

Right now my EDC is a Super Tinker SAK.  It's never done me wrong, and I don't use it for too much: opening packages, trimming things, pryiing open computer parts, etc.  I'm a web developer/IT guy, so while it's not a major, everyday tool, I am glad to have it in my bag when I need it.

The other day, I found and fell in love with a Leatherman Blast.  I'd been meaning to get some kind of flip-fold-with-pliers multitool, and when I saw mine on sale for $25, I couldn't leave it.

Here's my question: will I get any benefit if I switch out my SAK with the Blast?  I'm reluctant to carry both, because weight is something I'd like to keep at a minimum.  Likewise, I'm reluctant to switch out a faithful friend for a new shiny.  Has anyone here ever switched from SAK to Leatherman, and do you recommend it?

Thanks.

[Gadget Guy]

Hi and welcome to MTO.    I think most of us here use both SAK's and multi-tools. I personally find them both very useful and I usually carry what works best for my needs. I'd probably carry the SAK and keep the Blast in a bag if I were you. 

[cliosguy]

My first was a mechanic and then my first mt was a spirit, my advice? Give it a try, leatherman mt are second to none

Welcome to the forum, but be careful it is well know that entering here usualy leads to a pain in the credit card 

[Gadget Guy]

My first was a mechanic and then my first mt was a spirit, my advice? Give it a try, leatherman mt are second to none

Welcome to the forum, but be careful it is well know that entering here usualy leads to a pain in the credit card 

So true!    Last year I had one multi and now I have over 30. Somebody please help me!   

[gafftapegreenia]

You could always carry down to a Spartan and carry both OR Make it better and upgrade the scales on the Super Tinker to the Plus scales so you can have tweezers, toothpick and a pen. Either way you  still keep the Awl, the one thing the Blast doesn't have.

[silentio]

Welcome to the forums! Wow, such a weighty question for your first post... and one that will goad all the loyalists too!

I'm a computer guy myself (I don't do it for a living like you though), and my favourite SAK is the Cybertool. Looking at the tasks you need done, the Cybertool 34 seems a perfect match for you. The bit kit is perfect for small fix-it jobs when opening computers and you still get a pair of pliers (albeit small) for those times you need to pull something.

Ok, I've gone ahead of myself. If you have to pick between the Super Tinker and Blast, it sure feels like the Blast will provide more in one tool. I carry the tool that suits what I'm doing for that day, so I won't comment on whether switching completely from one to another is recommended.

[Gadget Guy]

Moving up to the the Cybertool would be a good choice! 

[Tinnie]

I second to the Cybertool!

Good choice for a IT type of dude

[sardauker]

Moving up to the the Cybertool would be a good choice! 

As an owner of two (34 first, sold, then a Lite), I have to quote

[ratslash7]

I think the best way to figure this out is to spend a week with each. This is how I arrived at my EDC. Carry the blast for a week and keep track of how many times the SAK would have been a better choice. Then carry the SAK for a weel and do the same for the LM.

Do this for two weeks and then let us know what color scales are on your new cybertool

Dave

[Gareth]

Give the Blast a go.  As has been suggested before you'll soon work out whether the extra tools are worth the size and weight.  Personally I'm a SAK guy myself and rarely feel the need to have pliers on me, so I'll only carry a multitool if I think there is a greater chance of needed one then in my standard days activity.  I like my Blast too but I feel the extra hassle of having to open the handles up just to get to the blade a real drawback.  it is a great all-round tool though and at $25 it sounds like a steal.

[Mr. Whippy]

For work, I find the Cybertool extremely capable.  The weak points about it (small pliers for example) are more than made up for, by the weight savings.  An added benefit is the SAK is less intimidating than LMs to coworkers.

At home on the farm, I'm finding the LM tools slightly better because the tools are more robust.  That said, I generally carry a couple MT/SAKs and haven't found the optimum yet.  I think the LM Charge with Guppie or Wenger S557 may be pretty close.

[Rodion]

If I lived in America, I'd carry a fixed blade everywhere I went.

Or failing that, a Leatherman Blast.

[turbov21]

Welcome to the forum, but be careful it is well know that entering here usualy leads to a pain in the credit card 

Yeah, I get that impression.  My Blast isn't a week old, and I've already bought a tiny, $5 Winchester keychain multitool and I'm drooling over the Freestyle.  My poor, poor credit cards!  

[turbov21]

I think the best way to figure this out is to spend a week with each.

Good idea.  I'll do that.  Thank you!

[Gadget Guy]

If I lived in America, I'd carry a fixed blade everywhere I went.

Or failing that, a Leatherman Blast.

You can't carry a fixed blade here in California. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Welcome to the forum, and I hope you find the help you are looking for.  There will be lots of different opinions thrown at you here, but that's the problem with asking questions on forums- you can never get a straight answer! 

Still, I would guess there are two inherent truths that pretty well everyone here can agree on:

1. Cheap tools like Winchester are probably not worth what you paid for them.

2. In a Leatherman vs SAK debate, the only winner is the guy who carries both.

To elaborate a little bit, cheap tools usually don't have well formed tools, especially phillips screwdrivers, which will not only fail on you, they are also likely to strip the screw head to the pint where a decent quality tool won't be much good to you afterwards.  I really do caution against their purchase/use- I have a few myself, but they are collectibles, not users, because if they were users, well it wouldn't be long before I was chucking them in the harbour.  Having been used to a SAK all these years, I am sure you will notice a significant difference between the two quite easily.  We aren't "tool snobs" who only look at brand names, as there are a number of budget tools that are quite good, but you should never venture into that territory without the experience to back you up!

Leatherman and Victorinox are the two most popular brands, and they both have their strengths and weaknesses, and they each have their loyalists who will fight to the death over their honor, even in a friendly forum like this.  Truth be told, I am more of a SAK guy, but I have, or have had almost every Leatherman model out there, and handled even more, and I would never consider them second rate.  To be honest, I can't see myself not carrying a plier based multi without a SAK these days, as there will always be times when you have to hold a nut while turning the screw it's threaded onto, and in that one instance, you will understand that the extra couple of ounces dragged with you every day is well worth it.

All in all, I would say that you have a good combo where you are at, carry and use one for a week (or month, or whatever), then carry the other, then carry them both together, and see how you feel about it.  We can tell you a hundred times over what works for each of us, but there's no way to say what will work for the next guy, which is why there are so many options.

Then, once you have found what works for you (either one or the other, or both) then I would suggest making a mental note of any jobs you do where neither have helped you, and search for a tool that would fill that gap, and see if you can find one that would also replace one of your existing tools, so you are adding to your functionality, not the bulk.

And, if you have questions along the way, there are millions of answers here, just waiting for their opportunity to shine!

Def

[jzmtl]

What I do it keep a SAK in my pocket and leatherman in my bag.

[Rodion]

If I lived in America, I'd carry a fixed blade everywhere I went.

Or failing that, a Leatherman Blast.

You can't carry a fixed blade here in California. 

So I hear. It is my understanding you have to choose between class and freedom in the States.

[Poncho65]

I have both and for me personally I would carry both, of course there has already been given a lot of good advice

Owe and welcome to the forum

[Swiss Man]

Hi and welcome to MTO.    I think most of us here use both SAK's and multi-tools. I personally find them both very useful and I usually carry what works best for my needs. I'd probably carry the SAK and keep the Blast in a bag if I were you. 

I believe the best advise was your first response..  (even though Def's was pretty good, Love you boss) As far as trying out other items you will have more time later for that.   

It's a very slippery slope you are standing on, so watch your footing.  Remember misery loves company, there are a lot of people here that would like to see you make that plunge into our world and your wallet.

Be afraid be very afraid.   

[duckman1975]

Welcome to the forum, and I hope you find the help you are looking for.  There will be lots of different opinions thrown at you here, but that's the problem with asking questions on forums- you can never get a straight answer! 

Still, I would guess there are two inherent truths that pretty well everyone here can agree on:

1. Cheap tools like Winchester are probably not worth what you paid for them.

2. In a Leatherman vs SAK debate, the only winner is the guy who carries both.

To elaborate a little bit, cheap tools usually don't have well formed tools, especially phillips screwdrivers, which will not only fail on you, they are also likely to strip the screw head to the pint where a decent quality tool won't be much good to you afterwards.  I really do caution against their purchase/use- I have a few myself, but they are collectibles, not users, because if they were users, well it wouldn't be long before I was chucking them in the harbour.  Having been used to a SAK all these years, I am sure you will notice a significant difference between the two quite easily.  We aren't "tool snobs" who only look at brand names, as there are a number of budget tools that are quite good, but you should never venture into that territory without the experience to back you up!

Leatherman and Victorinox are the two most popular brands, and they both have their strengths and weaknesses, and they each have their loyalists who will fight to the death over their honor, even in a friendly forum like this.  Truth be told, I am more of a SAK guy, but I have, or have had almost every Leatherman model out there, and handled even more, and I would never consider them second rate.  To be honest, I can't see myself not carrying a plier based multi without a SAK these days, as there will always be times when you have to hold a nut while turning the screw it's threaded onto, and in that one instance, you will understand that the extra couple of ounces dragged with you every day is well worth it.

All in all, I would say that you have a good combo where you are at, carry and use one for a week (or month, or whatever), then carry the other, then carry them both together, and see how you feel about it.  We can tell you a hundred times over what works for each of us, but there's no way to say what will work for the next guy, which is why there are so many options.

Then, once you have found what works for you (either one or the other, or both) then I would suggest making a mental note of any jobs you do where neither have helped you, and search for a tool that would fill that gap, and see if you can find one that would also replace one of your existing tools, so you are adding to your functionality, not the bulk.

And, if you have questions along the way, there are millions of answers here, just waiting for their opportunity to shine!

Def

Very well explained!
Def is right if you doubt the quality of a cheap tool DO NOT buy it learned the hard why, you might end up with a useless tool and a bruised or cut hand. Welcome to the forum!

[turbov21]

I really do caution against their purchase/use- I have a few myself, but they are collectibles, not users, because if they were users, well it wouldn't be long before I was chucking them in the harbour.

Absolutely.  I bout it for two reasons: (a) as a collectible because it was cute, and (b) to pose with my action figures.  My 21" Batman needs his own MT.

[cliosguy]

I really do caution against their purchase/use- I have a few myself, but they are collectibles, not users, because if they were users, well it wouldn't be long before I was chucking them in the harbour.

Absolutely.  I bout it for two reasons: (a) as a collectible because it was cute, and (b) to pose with my action figures.  My 21" Batman needs his own MT.

now thats a good reason.....when can we spect the pics?

[Anthony]

So I hear. It is my understanding you have to choose between class and freedom in the States.

We don't have a voice in the matter actually; we have no class and freedom is wearing away very fast.

BUT, regarding the OP...I carry both a SAK and a plier multitool.  At one point I carried two plier multitools, a SAK and a Micra.

But there are so many combinations you'll eventually find that zone where you're comfortable and capable.  A Cybertool (bigger SAK) and a Skeletool (smaller plier multi) might be worth looking into if you're trying to keep the weight/size ratio down.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I really do caution against their purchase/use- I have a few myself, but they are collectibles, not users, because if they were users, well it wouldn't be long before I was chucking them in the harbour.

Absolutely.  I bout it for two reasons: (a) as a collectible because it was cute, and (b) to pose with my action figures.  My 21" Batman needs his own MT.

now thats a good reason.....when can we spect the pics?

I have a pic of my Optimal Optimus with a Spyderco around here somewhere...

And my lil Decepticons occasionally commandeer a SwissCard, but that doesn't make me a geek!



Def

[cliosguy]

I really do caution against their purchase/use- I have a few myself, but they are collectibles, not users, because if they were users, well it wouldn't be long before I was chucking them in the harbour.

Absolutely.  I bout it for two reasons: (a) as a collectible because it was cute, and (b) to pose with my action figures.  My 21" Batman needs his own MT.

now thats a good reason.....when can we spect the pics?

I have a pic of my Optimal Optimus with a Spyderco around here somewhere...

And my lil Decepticons occasionally commandeer a SwissCard, but that doesn't make me a geek!

(Image removed from quote.)

Def

no, of course no...........













.......or does it?

[silentio]

I have a pic of my Optimal Optimus with a Spyderco around here somewhere...

And my lil Decepticons occasionally commandeer a SwissCard, but that doesn't make me a geek!

(Image removed from quote.)

Def

Sorry... can't help using the smileys. "doesn't make me a geek", can't take it. I've been accused of being a geek for doing very very much less than these pics.

[turbov21]

now thats a good reason.....when can we spect the pics?

Here's Batman showing off his multitool's blade:



When he's finished with it, it fits nicely in his utility belt:



And just in case Catwoman comes over, with a multitool, he's always prepared:

[cliosguy]

nice