Natural evolution or?

[Aloha]

Did you naturally evolved in your selection of tools you currently carry or did you just want "better/upgraded" things?  I used to carry a cheap and cheerful MT, cheap folder, and Wenger similar to a Tinker.  I also had a Maglight 2/AAA flashlight.  This set up was pretty much my base and still is.  Multitool, blade, SAK, and Light.  Not much has changed for me in term of items carried.  What has changed are the items and what I believe are quality and functions.   

So my cheap MT was replaced by a Wingman.  My cheap folder was replaced by a Kershaw something or other.  My Wenger SAK wasn't really replaced per se.  I did end up getting a Victorinox something or other.  My light was replaced by what I remember as an Olight AA. 

All these tools were again "upgraded".  The tools then evolved into a Wave, Sypderco Delica 4, SAK remained constant, AAA light. 

When I think about where I came from and where I am today I see it as evolution.  My needs didn't change but my desire for quality and more features did.  Tossing out wanting to try things and collecting I easily could have stuck with my Wave, SAK, Sypderco, AAA light set up.  My current carry isn't all too different.  Charge TTi, Spyderco Delica, Tinker, AAA light.  What has changed drastically are options.  I now have several options of what I can carry.             

[ironraven]

Thats one way of seeing it. I won't disagree with it, it's a matter of your point of view. Another way would be you have hands like a hermit crab- they upgrade shells, we upgrade tools.

Worthy of pondering.

[AimlessWanderer]

I see mine as less of an evolution, and more of an exploration. After having a few offbrand cheapos, I decided to try a branded tool and went for a Gerber Suspension. I was less than impressed. Next up was the Swisstool. Awesome tool, but a little on the large side. I then started exploring the whole world of multitools. I haven't owned every tool, as there were plenty that I simply didn't need to try after trying similar tools.

So as a result, I didn't so much as upgrade, as just continue the journey until I felt that I had a broad enough understanding, and settled with what I found had worked best for me along the way. Then I started making changes so I got even more versatility and suitability for my needs.

[surfdaworld]

Definitely an evolution for me.......but an evolution driven both by an insatiable love for tools and gadgets, and by legitimate need. As I tried more tools my tastes changed, therefore my daily toolset evolved.
Some of the changes have been happy coincidence (a cheap Coast pocketknife that I bought on a whim and loved), and some have been very intentional/strategic (my Microstream flashlight, bought to fill a specific need, and because it fit my Leatherman Wave sheath).

[ThundahBeagle]

Aloha, Aloha

For me, a little of both. I started out with some Pakistani copy of a Buck 110 when I was a kid. Moved to a Coughlin Swiss Army knock-off when I was a teen. I just felt that the "110" could cut stuff,but the Coughlin, while not as aggressive, was clearly more useful overall. So I guess that is evolution. Had it for years, the Coughlins were actually pretty rugged back in the 70's and 80's.

Late 80's I bought my own first Swiss Army Knife, the pre-hook Super Tinker. Although I was clearly moving up in quality (upgrade), the Victoinox also came with different tools than the Coughlin. So no I was still in useful territory, but had moved up in quality. I currently have 5 Victorinox SAKs and the Coughlin has been lost to time.

Same thing happened in the 90's, when I was helping a friend with some light carpentry around  house. He pulled out a Leatherman rather than have to back to the toolbox. I asked him what it was and he told me. Years later I found a cheap Chinese fake PST. It was stainless. Almost the exact tool load out as a real PST. To see one, check Grants review of his Chevy Avalanche tool in the Cheap & Cheerful section. I bought it and it did well by me for years. Eventually it lived in my tackle box.

Then it happened. I got my hands on a real Leatherman, and the difference was glaring. That was upgrade. Although I still have the "Chinese Stainless", it is retired in favor of the Leatherman quality devices I have found and bought. I now have 8 Leatherman tools, mostly old school, but a couple were built within the last ten years. So I guess once I upgraded to quality, I evolved in my tool set.

Flashlights...I think I went from the stainless Ray-O-Vac with the red bezel in the '70's to an old army/firefighter elbowed one in the 80's. From there I found MagLite and Mini MagLite and Streamlight in the 90's. They did fine until I got my SureFire 60 in the 2000's. As of now, I am sure I am behind the curve in flashlights.

I think the basic needs of knife, tool, and light hat a man carries every day never really change. My tools have changed if my job changed. I needed an X, so I got one, or got another multi tool with one on it. We either hang on to some combination of those that we find functional, and they become comforting to know we have them. But then something breaks, and we go to replace it, only to find that it isn't made anymore, so we have no choice but to evolve. Or sometimes we are in the field and see what someone else has, and determine that it could also be useful to ourselves. So, I need to either see proof that something is better before I move to it, or I need to be forced by virtue of a broken tool and the need to replace it with something newer the design of which may have changed since my last purchase. That's how it is for me

[Mechanickal]

I always liked quality tools since they simply have that "feel" to it. You all know what I mean.
This doesn't always means expensive. Like my Sipik SK68. Full alu body, powerfull LED, survives a machine wash, hefty feel for it's size and only €3.5.

However, I do like "better"...
More Lumens, rechargeable, waterproof (oh wait )
And that means it'll cost me eventualy.

My first multi was the Gerber Suspension but it broke on me within a few years. I bought a second hand Swisstool X and Charge AL and never looked back.
With SAKs you know you'll end up with quality for a fair price so you get best of both worlds there.

[Alan K.]

My name is Alan and I am a multitool addict. I've carried a single blade pocket knife everyday since I was 14 years old. I was close to 30 before I discovered multitools. I wasn't really looking for anything, my first 2 were a Gerber MP and a Leatherman Mini which just sort of fell into my hands as a partial trade for something I was selling.  Having that Gerber MP or the mini in my pocket showed me how useful a pliers based tool could be but I still carried a single blade knife for convenience.  I later started gathering (not collecting) different tools just to try them out.  Wanting to find out about different tools before buying them I was googling multitool reviews one day, and I found MultiTool.org..  I'm now several hundred dollars poorer, and find myself breaking out in a cold sweat when new tools are introduced.  I have even bought tools I hadn't previously thought about so I could participate in 30 day challenges.  Now I'm hanging out with a bunch of enablers who are no help whatsoever when it comes to controlling my "little problem," and I find myself carrying a knife, a SAK, and a pliers based tool most days. So much capability in such small packages. 

[Poncho65]

I started the MT journey with Sebertech M4 and a PST Then I ended up here and decided I needed something else so I could retire my grandpa's PST I got a Blast and then it went from there Now I choose my daily carry as I do my clothes for the day

[ThePeacent]

my experiences are similar to yours Aloha. I carry a light, knife, MT and SAK almost since I have use of reason

The SAK was an original one, an Outrider model (to me, as a kid, bigger meant better in this regard), which I promptly lost. I then got a Tinker, Swisschamp (inherited), Huntsman, and Classic amongst others in the next few years. I knew that SAKs were the real deal and even though I got some knockoffs and cheapos out of curiosity they soon got kicked back to the drawer

The MT was a Chinese copy of a ST at first, then I went through other cheap copies as I lost or destroyed them, they always seemed poor quality and unimpressive next to my SAKs. I keep some of them as beaters, like the Ganzo ones I had. i finally got a Leatherman ST, and then other Leathermans, SOGs, Gerbers and Swisstools and never ever looked back.

The Flashlight was a bulky, big AA one (and that, at the time, was "small size" and cutting edge technology), inexpensive and replaced a few times over the years (non waterproof, bad quality, etc.). I then downgraded to AAA size for EDC with my first "real" light, the Led LENSER P3, surprisningly compact and bright for the size!! I got a Lumintop AAA and others but boy this flashlight trend and technology evolves so quickly

The OHO folder was the last one to come, as a kid I saw no real use to them and thought they were overhyped and overpriced for offering just one function, compared to my trusty SAKs. As I grew I found uses and circumstances for those, and got some "gas station" flippers and cheap folders, which I replaced yearly after breaking them (that accentuated the feel of "rubbish, useless" pieces of gear in comparison to multipurpose tools).
When I got my first Spydercos and Cold Steels that vision changed, and I learned about the peculiarities, details and features of modern OHO folders, to the point of loving them and making them fit into my "Every Day Carry" gear

I guess that's the natural evolution of things, like the natural evolution of our body and brain, that remain the same we originally have but improve in strength, complexity, speed, toughness, etc.   

[Blackbeard]

revolution seems more like it to me

[Aloha]

revolution seems more like it to me

Pretty much.  I do find myself zeroing in on what exactly suits me.  I'm not sure I'm there.  My Squirt P4 seems to be ticking all the boxes.  I have an on and off relationship with folders.  The Delica does tick a lot of boxes.  I would like one in "better" steel.  I have tried 1 traditional folder but mines a cheap one.  What I feel I'd like is a #99 GEC Wallstreet in stag.  As for lights all I can say is my Zebralight with 14500 is by a large margin my favorite.  Goodness how I'd love a AAA version.  Its SAKs that I have the most dilemma.  I thought my 84mm Golfer would be king.  On paper its "perfect".  I just don't love the combo tool.  This also makes the 91mm Compact one I thought I'd like but dont.  I guess its time to try a Pioneer X? 

[King_Gorilla]

My name is Alan and I am a multitool addict. ...

  ^  That is perfect!   Exactly how I feel reading this thread 


I feel like 50ft-trad said it best when he said it's like an exploration.  I feel like for me, it's somewhat of an exploration but with some "upgrading" going on once you find what works for you. 

In high school, I wasn't allowed to have a blade on campus so I became very fond of small keychain multi-tools like the old Swiss Tech pliers.  This led to me having giant messy keychains that I have tried and tried to slim down but they still manage to be a mess to this day.  I have loved regular full-size MTs for a while but only started carrying them on a daily basis in the last 4 years or so.  In that time I have also taken advantage of the little elastic loops on my MT sheath to carry a small AAA flashlight and sharpie.  (I hope to UPGRADE to a good AAA flashlight soon)    The MT went from a Crunch to a Signal.  I don't really consider that an upgrade so much as an exploration.  My folding knife, however, is certainly in the UPgrade category as I started with cheap gas station knives, then fell in love with the Gerber EAB, and finally saved money in an envelope for months to buy a Benchmade 940-2 which I have a deep and personal relationship with.   

So... yeah,  kind of a little column A, and a little column B. 

[Grathr]

I have accumulated quite a few tools over the years, and have gone from the very cheap to the quite pricey tools and knives. But a certain pattern has emereged.
 
The Vic Farmer seems to always return to my pocket for EDC . Often accompanied by my beater Case Sodbuster or a Spyderco dragonfly or grasshopper and a Swistech tool.

Spydercos has become my knives of choise for most around the house cutting chores, but less expensive Kershaws and CRKTs also gets some pocket time.  Dirty hard cutting is left to my cheaper Moras.

For camping and woodwork, Mora, Helle and Fallkniven are my prefered knives.

[Aloha]

My name is Alan and I am a multitool addict. ...

  ^  That is perfect!   Exactly how I feel reading this thread 


I feel like 50ft-trad said it best when he said it's like an exploration.  I feel like for me, it's somewhat of an exploration but with some "upgrading" going on once you find what works for you. 

In high school, I wasn't allowed to have a blade on campus so I became very fond of small keychain multi-tools like the old Swiss Tech pliers.  This led to me having giant messy keychains that I have tried and tried to slim down but they still manage to be a mess to this day.  I have loved regular full-size MTs for a while but only started carrying them on a daily basis in the last 4 years or so.  In that time I have also taken advantage of the little elastic loops on my MT sheath to carry a small AAA flashlight and sharpie.  (I hope to UPGRADE to a good AAA flashlight soon)    The MT went from a Crunch to a Signal.  I don't really consider that an upgrade so much as an exploration.  My folding knife, however, is certainly in the UPgrade category as I started with cheap gas station knives, then fell in love with the Gerber EAB, and finally saved money in an envelope for months to buy a Benchmade 940-2 which I have a deep and personal relationship with.   

So... yeah,  kind of a little column A, and a little column B.

Benchmade 

[ThePeacent]

I have an on and off relationship with folders.  The Delica does tick a lot of boxes.  I would like one in "better" steel. 

The Delica, being one of the most iconic and famous OHO folding knives in the world, has had many Sprint runs and special editions with upgraded steels, being a notorious one the last HAP40 Delica that they put out and sold in a minute almost everywhere, but it's still available at some places   

[Aloha]

I have an on and off relationship with folders.  The Delica does tick a lot of boxes.  I would like one in "better" steel. 

The Delica, being one of the most iconic and famous OHO folding knives in the world, has had many Sprint runs and special editions with upgraded steels, being a notorious one the last HAP40 Delica that they put out and sold in a minute almost everywhere, but it's still available at some places   

They certainly go quickly.  I get put off from the secondary market.   I really like the Delica in G10 foliage green. 

[Breezy12]

I have an on and off relationship with folders.  The Delica does tick a lot of boxes.  I would like one in "better" steel. 

The Delica, being one of the most iconic and famous OHO folding knives in the world, has had many Sprint runs and special editions with upgraded steels, being a notorious one the last HAP40 Delica that they put out and sold in a minute almost everywhere, but it's still available at some places   

They certainly go quickly.  I get put off from the secondary market.   I really like the Delica in G10 foliage green.

I have the Delica with the ZDP-189 steel... it's "British Racing Green" instead of "foliage green", but you're welcome to borrow it for a couple weeks to test it out if you'd like.

[4everYoung]

I was fortunate to grow up in a rural area in which most men carried a pocket knife as the norm. So I was given many knives and multitools from a fairly young age. I learned respect for the sharps and pointies pretty quickly.
I also had a love for flashlights. As a kid I'd live outside and having light meant I could continue to play well after dark.
As I got into my teens form began to take a bigger role. My gadgets got more expensive and designed to be carried on my person.
Being more expensive meant I only had a limited selection of those things. For many years I carried a kershaw folder and a streamlight with a small pair of pliers in my pocket. I abused the knife. Using it as a screwdriver, prybar, hammer and other non intended purposes. Plier based multitools never appealed to me. My main function was a blade and it just took too long to open a tool up and havin the blade not on the outside annoyed me.
Then I discovered the Skeletool. It really changed my outlook. Allowed me the best of both worlds. A OHO folder and a plier based tool in a compact size.
Since then I have really reevaluated my setup. Trying different combos is fun. Once I find something I trust it is hard for me to change.

[Aloha]

I have an on and off relationship with folders.  The Delica does tick a lot of boxes.  I would like one in "better" steel. 

The Delica, being one of the most iconic and famous OHO folding knives in the world, has had many Sprint runs and special editions with upgraded steels, being a notorious one the last HAP40 Delica that they put out and sold in a minute almost everywhere, but it's still available at some places   

They certainly go quickly.  I get put off from the secondary market.   I really like the Delica in G10 foliage green.

I have the Delica with the ZDP-189 steel... it's "British Racing Green" instead of "foliage green", but you're welcome to borrow it for a couple weeks to test it out if you'd like.

I appreciate the offer.  I have a Native that I failed to list that sees carry time too.  I would have taken you up on your offer but I just dont carry a folder enough. Very kind of you.   

[Breezy12]

I have an on and off relationship with folders.  The Delica does tick a lot of boxes.  I would like one in "better" steel. 

The Delica, being one of the most iconic and famous OHO folding knives in the world, has had many Sprint runs and special editions with upgraded steels, being a notorious one the last HAP40 Delica that they put out and sold in a minute almost everywhere, but it's still available at some places   

They certainly go quickly.  I get put off from the secondary market.   I really like the Delica in G10 foliage green.

I have the Delica with the ZDP-189 steel... it's "British Racing Green" instead of "foliage green", but you're welcome to borrow it for a couple weeks to test it out if you'd like.

I appreciate the offer.  I have a Native that I failed to list that sees carry time too.  I would have taken you up on your offer but I just dont carry a folder enough. Very kind of you.   

fair enough

I can relate -- have a few nice folders (including the Delica) that don't see nearly as much action as they deserve.

[Etherealicer]

Nice thread...

for a long time I was adrift... living in Switzerland, owning a SAK was kinda normal, so I did not put any thought in it. At some point I was not happy with what I had anymore, so I started to look around and found LM. Got confused because the description of the Sidekick and Wingman was wrong... and this led me here.
With my 14th post I won a SOG PA (which still sees regular use, just not by me).

These days, I'm very deliberate with my purchases, trying to streamline and improve my EDC or out of curiosity, to try something new.

[King_Gorilla]

I was fortunate to grow up in a rural area in which most men carried a pocket knife as the norm. So I was given many knives and multitools from a fairly young age. I learned respect for the sharps and pointies pretty quickly.
I also had a love for flashlights. As a kid I'd live outside and having light meant I could continue to play well after dark.
As I got into my teens form began to take a bigger role. My gadgets got more expensive and designed to be carried on my person.
Being more expensive meant I only had a limited selection of those things. For many years I carried a kershaw folder and a streamlight with a small pair of pliers in my pocket. I abused the knife. Using it as a screwdriver, prybar, hammer and other non intended purposes. Plier based multitools never appealed to me. My main function was a blade and it just took too long to open a tool up and havin the blade not on the outside annoyed me.
Then I discovered the Skeletool. It really changed my outlook. Allowed me the best of both worlds. A OHO folder and a plier based tool in a compact size.
Since then I have really reevaluated my setup. Trying different combos is fun. Once I find something I trust it is hard for me to change.

That's similar to how I felt.        I liked plier based tools but never even considered buying one until my older brother came home with the original wave.  As soon as I saw those OHO outside tools I was well on my way to reconsidering my entire outlook.   

 

[hiraethus]

My carry has changed a bit over the years.  Started with a Spartan in my pocket at all times about 20 years ago, moved on to a Kick (occasionally) + Micra (on keys) then swapped the Kick for a Skeletool.  Then discovered SAK modding and this place about 3 1/2 years ago and it all got a bit messy.   Knives, SAKs, lights, multis everywhere.    I've sold on stuff I don't like or use, and tried to focus on stuff that I know I'm going to find useful.  I now try to buy the 'best' thing I can rather than settle for the cheap one or whatever is available right now.

Now most of the time I have a Rambler or Style CS and AAA light on my keys, a trad folder in my pocket, a swisscard in my wallet and a multi in my bag - and that'll do.  I do occasionally carry an alox or celidor SAK, but mostly my main tool is the trad folder - I have a few GECs and some other slip joints that I rotate through, but most of the time I carry a stockman pattern GEC #66.

[magentus]

Having carried a SAK for many years I discovered this site and as with many of you, my collection grew quite rapidly. The first proper pliers based MT I owned was a Spirit won here on a GAW. It's still the best MT out there IMO, but I recently discovered the Gerber MP which appeals to the modder in me. Currently I EDC a bladeless BO '400 and I couldn't be happier with it. The AK47 comes to mind with its robust build. Also, the flick is gret fun. I have given my Spirit to my daughter and she's making good use of it.

SAK wise I like to chop and change quite frequently - started with a Huntsman many years ago, then a Soldier which I swapped for an SI because of the bail. Then once I discovered modding I made a Woodsman and a Passenger, then quickly replaced the small blades with in line awls.

I like alox stuff - the SI is a design classic and I'll always own one (it's the only model I have 2 of), but recently thanks to Ronald Schroder I added a Bushcrafter to my EDC. My wife and daughter bought me a Swisschamp for my birthday and that has also been in my pocket ever since.

I'm kind of happy with what I have now so my attention is drifting to traditional folders, and I'd like to try out a Leatherman MT as I've never had one, but that's only because I'm a bored Gemini born in the Year of the Monkey, and need something to direct my attention to.