My next Multitool: Multitool VS. Ice-cream

[Etherealicer]

So I have my sight on a LM Surge for a while now, but today I had a epiphany (why I haven't bought it yet), while eating ice-cream.

To be more precise, I was eating an ice-cream-cup at home and it really annoyed me that it had a double-lid (more waste) with a useless little plastic spoon in between (even more waste). I mean when I buy a yogurt it doesn't have a spoon with it either. Thats when I realized what I don't like about most multitools: those little (useless) omnipresent tools, they are a waste of space and weight!

Bottle opener: Really? I mean you can open a bottle with almost anything (e.g. lighter).
Can opener: I rarely eat canned food and when I do, I'm at home and should the odd occasion arise that I'm not at home I can do it well enough with the blade.
Awl w/ Thread Loop: Has anyone ever used that for something else than to punch a hole into something because he was bored? If I need to sew something I rather carve a needle from a wood-splinter, besides who carries thread without a needle??? And anything pointy can be used as an improvised awl.

What is worse, is that these are the most abundant tools after the blade. It's okay to have those tools on some multitools but why are they on almost every one?

My other beef with some multitools, is redundancy. If I have a bit holder, why would I need another screwdriver?

The Surge
LIKE:
- Needlenose pliers (with all its goodies)
- T-shank adapter, because it gives me file and saw for wood, metal, plastic and glass
- Knife, Serrated Knife (Unlike other tools, you can never have too many blades, though I prefer non-serrated blades)

NICE BUT NOT NECESSARY
- Scissors

INDIFFERENT
- Ruler, Large and Small Bitholder*

DISLIKE
- Bottle Opener, Can Opener, Large Screwdriver, Awl w/ Thread Loop

*Primarily because I believe separate Bitholders (like those from SwissTool Plus I & II) are far better deal

Getting to the point:
Looking at these "requirements" is there a better Multitool for me out there?

[Lynn LeFey]

Bottle opener... yes, really. I use these about every week-end, but I tend to drink craft beers. In truth, There could just be one in the kitchen I'm in. Realistically, as part of a flathead driver, they take up no extra space.

Can Opener. Many, MANY people have no need for one... until you REALLY need one. And, depending on the design, the can opener becomes a more general scraping tool, and more robust than a blade. I like the Victorinox Can Opener better as a phillips driver than the t-handle phillips driver on the tinker, as well. I don't own, or CARE to own an electric can opener, and we eat a good deal of canned food. I either use a hand-crank can opener, or an opener on a multitool. Yes, seriously.

Awl. Yes, I have used them, but admittedly, not very often. Thread loop? I NEEDED one once (made a Teepee out of canvas), but didn't have it. That was like 25 years ago. Haven't needed a thread loop since. Awls are another good general pokey/scrapey tool, as well.

Why do you need another screwdriver when you have a bit holder? Because that big (seemingly redundant) flathead is also a great general purpose pry tool, which is MUCH more sturdy than the flathead bit in a bit holder. In fact, on the Victorinox Spirit, it's beefed up intentionally for light pry duties. Never underestimate the power of a simple lever.

Part of the problem is that not everyone encounters the same problems every day. Some people use awls a LOT. I personally would dance with joy if I never saw another serrated blade in my life, as I find them utterly pointless.

The good thing with Leatherman tools is that you can (to some degree) modify them fairly easily to more accurately match your needs/wants. Or you could take a look at something like the SOG line, where you can buy individual components to replace ones you don't like (again, to a degree).

I WILL say this... Can openers/Bottle openers are, I suspect, so common on MTs (particularly the cheap ones) because they're fairly cheap/easy to manufacture, to add a higher count to the number of gadgets on a tool.

[Zed]

To me the surge is my heavy duty mt, i like the large flat head as handy for popping paint tin lids off,other than the awl most mt's have cap lifters and tin openers, the surge is a great alrounder but heavy for a daily edc 

Charge next to my surge,

[farrierphil]

The can opener on my Charge is used all the time to clean under my nails, mark a notch before cutting wood or vinyl. Also used to scrape away old bath sealent before redoing it. I would be lost without it. As for opening cans i would say ive used it twice nd once to open a bottle with.  Yeah the large flathead as a pry bar or scraper. Ive never needed an awl because iv a selection of needles for canvas, leather etc so for me it would be redundant. The saw i always classed as redundant was used once to fix a door but im glad i had it when i needed it. Ive my old SAK with a corkscrew that ive never used in 30 years BUT its always there, just in case! Multitools are just that, multiple tools that some people will find more useful than others.

[rdub934]

With your list of "requirements" the Surge or MP600 ProScout are your only 2 option I can think of. The T-shank holder really narrows your options. If you are willing/able to mod, you can obviously transplant a T-shank holder onto other tools, as several have done here at MTO. You could always get your Surge and then gut it - take everything out of the body except the bit holders. It would lighten the load a bit, though not much.

I use almost everything on my MTs (never used a lanyard loop, yet) and get quite a lot of use out of most things on them. I probably use a saw less than anything else, but I still want to have one if possible.

[AimlessWanderer]

Scissors - Essential! Yes, a lot of the jobs I could do with a knife, but a lot of task I use a hammer for I could do with a housebrick ... but I want a hammer

Bottle opener - Required. Again, housebrick and hammer analogy. The tool is there to make my life easier, and I want to access a beer on first swipe without bruising a thumb of shearing off the top of a bottle which I have done before when using a spade (long story)

Awl - very much required. Many of the pots and planters I have bought for my container garden came without drainiage holes. An awl helped me put in a controlled drainage hole without cracking the cheapo plastic pot, or knackering up a tool which wasn't meant for drilling holes

This just goes to show that all our needs are different, and very often with me, my needs are different today to what they were yesterday.

[Etherealicer]

@rdub934: As much as I like the idea of an adaptor, I think I could live with a good diamond file and a woodsaw.

@all the small tools: Of course I'm not totally opposed to them (I even find them useful from time to time), what bothers me is that they are everywhere. I would like to choose a good multitool without them, maybe with something different (see below).

Because that big (seemingly redundant) flathead is also a great general purpose pry tool

Sure, but why not have a multitool with a more dedicated pry tool, slightly curved with a gap in the middle?

Part of the problem is that not everyone encounters the same problems every day. Some people use awls a LOT. I personally would dance with joy if I never saw another serrated blade in my life, as I find them utterly pointless.

Exactly! Not everybody has the same requirement, but every (large / heavy duty) multitool seems to require a can-opener and a bottle opener 

There are other small tools (mostly from the victorinox website)
Nailfile, tweezers, glass cutter, hoof cleaner, cheese knife, flashlight, budding blade (soft brass blade to lift the bark without damaging the sensitive cambium), window breaker, glass disc saw for shatterproof glass... or how about a gutting blade?
Ok, a hoof cleaner or a chees knive would be outright ridiculous, as would be a budding blade everything else would be awesome, maybe not for everybody but at least we would have a choice.

[Etherealicer]

Just some more "food for thoughts" in the uniformity of multitool appendages.

The Gerber OUTDOOR multitool lineup:
Every single one of them has Philips screwdriver, 2 of 8 have a bitholder (one actually has two, the other has the bit holder in addition of the Philips screwdriver). Unless I brought it to the forest there is nothing there that requires a Philips screwdriver (or any screwdriver).
Now check out how many have a woodsaw? None! A gutting blade? None! A real fish scale knife? None!
Why are these called outdoor multitools?

[Zed]

How about the mp800, just putting it there 

[Santos]

Sounds like you need a spoon. Spoony-sporks should be  more common on EDC keychain multitools

[Goatlord666]

I actually use my pharmaceutical spatula ad an ice cream spoon...as well as my cuticle pusher on my mini champ.

Sent from my Cruize W280 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[kkokkolis]

A multitool tries to reach a wider potential buyers base. For a custom tailor made multitool you have to mod it yourself. A Wave/ Surge is a nice substrate for modding.

[Etherealicer]

How about the mp800, just putting it there 

I was looking at that too. However it appears that the RemGrit blades are not easily available in Switzerland (have to check that more thoroughly though). This of course would defeat the point of having a blade exchanger.

I'm also considering the Wenger RangerGrip 90, though I'm a little bit worried about the pliers (they do not seem to open really wide).

For a custom tailor made multitool you have to mod it yourself. A Wave/ Surge is a nice substrate for modding.

I'm not quite there yet, but maybe I will hit the mod forum next, for some questions  .

[Etherealicer]

So the Gerber Legend is definitively out, as a call to various hardware stores in the region confirmed that the RemGrit blades are not available.

[Nhoj]

So the Gerber Legend is definitively out, as a call to various hardware stores in the region confirmed that the RemGrit blades are not available.

Can't it use normal jig saw blades though? Not just RemGrit?

[metasyntax]

So the Gerber Legend is definitively out, as a call to various hardware stores in the region confirmed that the RemGrit blades are not available.

Can't it use normal jig saw blades though? Not just RemGrit?

It's not quite that simple, or at least it wasn't for me. It takes u-shank blades with the small hole in the shank for the spring to hold them in place on the tool. I couldn't find any that would work in hardware stores around where I live in Indiana, USA. Most u-shank blades seem not to have the hole, and the few I found which did were way too big. I found some online, but it's hard to justify $10 in shipping for such a small thing. Maybe in Switzerland they would be more prevalent, I don't know.

Posted from my mobile.

[stealth007s]

I've also been kicking around the Surge as my next MT to get. I would only imagine that the tools you listed would be needed in more of a survival or camping situation. A lot of people use the can/ bottle openers when they camp. The awl w/ thread loop could be used for numerous applications. I am under the belief that if you don't have it, you may need it one day theory. I think the modding idea would work in this situation where if you don't need or like an item on any MT you can just remove it and add what you do like or need.

[Etherealicer]

I've also been kicking around the Surge as my next MT to get. I would only imagine that the tools you listed would be needed in more of a survival or camping situation. A lot of people use the can/ bottle openers when they camp. The awl w/ thread loop could be used for numerous applications. I am under the belief that if you don't have it, you may need it one day theory. I think the modding idea would work in this situation where if you don't need or like an item on any MT you can just remove it and add what you do like or need.

I mean all you say is true, however:
1) I rarely use bottles, never when hiking / camping
2) I rarely use cans, never when hiking / camping
3) Almost anything works as bottle opener and in emergency you can open the can with the blade.
4) So far I have never needed a "pry bar" or an awl when being outdoor (hiking, biking, camping).
Last but no least) I never camp / hike alone chance is about 110% that my buddy will have those on his tool (as they are so omnipresent)

So the Gerber Legend is definitively out, as a call to various hardware stores in the region confirmed that the RemGrit blades are not available.

Can't it use normal jig saw blades though? Not just RemGrit?

It's not quite that simple, or at least it wasn't for me. It takes u-shank blades with the small hole in the shank for the spring to hold them in place on the tool. I couldn't find any that would work in hardware stores around where I live in Indiana, USA. Most u-shank blades seem not to have the hole, and the few I found which did were way too big. I found some online, but it's hard to justify $10 in shipping for such a small thing. Maybe in Switzerland they would be more prevalent, I don't know.

Posted from my mobile.

Standard U-Shank you say? Hmm, I can get those. Thanks for the clarification.

Had the Wenger RangerGrip 90 in my Hands yesterday, it's ... huge.

[stealth007s]

I've also been kicking around the Surge as my next MT to get. I would only imagine that the tools you listed would be needed in more of a survival or camping situation. A lot of people use the can/ bottle openers when they camp. The awl w/ thread loop could be used for numerous applications. I am under the belief that if you don't have it, you may need it one day theory. I think the modding idea would work in this situation where if you don't need or like an item on any MT you can just remove it and add what you do like or need.

I mean all you say is true, however:
1) I rarely use bottles, never when hiking / camping
2) I rarely use cans, never when hiking / camping
3) Almost anything works as bottle opener and in emergency you can open the can with the blade.
4) So far I have never needed a "pry bar" or an awl when being outdoor (hiking, biking, camping).
Last but no least) I never camp / hike alone chance is about 110% that my buddy will have those on his tool (as they are so omnipresent)

My post was intended to try to reason out why LM might be putting those tools in most of their MTs.

[Shorty66]

All we really need is a company that builds high quality multitools specifically designed to be modded.

I, for example, don't like that every single tool has to fold away. For example the bitholder on a skeletool doesn't fold - and that will get the work done faster than having to flip the handles open, fold out a bit driver, flip the handles back etc.

As i don't need big tools that often, i merely carry a LM style on my keychain, and sometimes bring some small visegrips with me. That gets just about every job done.
I'm still unsure if i will buy a LM Crunch to replace the visegrips...

[rdub934]

I, for example, don't like that every single tool has to fold away. For example the bitholder on a skeletool doesn't fold - and that will get the work done faster than having to flip the handles open, fold out a bit driver, flip the handles back etc.

I actually feel the opposite about the Skeletool's bit holder. I would prefer a Wave-style bit driver that folds out. You can close the tool up with the Wave and still use it, OR have it extended all the way for more reach. The Skeletool HAS TO be opened all the way, and because the tool is so awkwardly shaped, it is quite uncomfortable and tends to fold up under load. The Wave, under load, will not fold up when it is in the closed position.

Personal preferences, I suppose