EDC Experiments

Tom Munch · **on:** February 28, 2007, 01:08:51 AM

I'm starting a conscious experiment to see what I really need to carry & what best serves my needs in a multitool. I'm doing this by NOT carrying a multitool & trying to carry regular tools in my EDC bag. The only thing I carried on my person today was a locking knife (a waved Spyderco Delica) & a Photon. In my bag I carried a channel-lock pair of pliers, a few bits & a screwdriver/bit tool, & an adjustable wrench. I also have a Gerber EAB in my bag, a pen & mechanical pencil, tweezers, nail file (I'm a guitarist), sunglasses, bandana, PryBaby, pills, lighter, whistle, chapstick, reading glasses, bandaids, sewing kit & safety pins, earplugs, gaffer tape, spare cell battery, kleenex, paper, & spare batteries for the Photon.

It became very apparent immediately that I would miss a lot of multitool functions, so I relented & slipped in a Vic SwissChamp. This is just to make sure I'm not without something in an emergency.

I don't always have the bag on me, so I'll have to make a conscious decision to carry it all the time or else put a multitool on my belt. I need the bag for several things I mentioned in it, so I have to have a bag with me most of the time anyway. I had posted about regular tools recently, so I thought I'd see if it was feasible to carry some of them. I also have an emergency bag in my car since it's still technically winter, & Colorado has had some pretty bad weather this year so far.

The most interesting thing about this for me will be seeing what I do & don't miss from my multitool. The upside so far is having pliers with a big jaw span, screwdrivers with real reach, & a dedicated wrench with enough handle on it to get real torque.

This is a Sears Robo Grip. It has the shortest handles with the widest jaws of the pliers I have. It auto adjusts to size. Also a 6" Craftsman adjustable wrench, & a Rubbermaid bit driver.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2007, 01:21:57 AM

Interesting experiment....

I can't wait to see how it works out long term.

Def

J-sews · **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2007, 03:24:29 AM

Quote from: Defender on February 28, 2007, 01:21:57 AM

Interesting experiment....

Def

I think the "interesting experiment" will be to see how long Tom can go without carrying a multitool.

I tried to give it up once myself, but I gained a lot of weight, became irratable, and developed a tic in my left eye.

The next day I went back to carrying a multitool again.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2007, 03:37:50 AM

You lasted a whole day? For me I was at Canadian Tire buying a new tool before lunch!

Def

Tom Munch · **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2007, 01:26:57 AM

My first day went by with regular tools & no multitool. The only tasks I needed tools for today were opening mail & a bottle, so I didn't need more than a knife & bottle opener. I did miss the bottle opener clipped to me in my multi, but it was almost as easy to get my SAK out of my EDC bag.

I found I missed my multitool more to play with than to use.

I talked to my maintenance friend today & saw what he carried in his tool pouch:

Bit driver with a half dozen bits
Needlenose pliers
Multi Scraper
Adjustable wrench
Utility knife
Channellocks

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2007, 01:29:57 AM

Those multi scrapers are great things. I have one and I don't think I would have gotten my kitchen floor done without it.

Of course I did slip and give myself a nice little gash with it, but then a tool isn't really yours until you've shared some DNA with it!

Def

Tom Munch · **Reply #6 on:** March 02, 2007, 03:57:31 AM

I used my tools to adjust the garage door opener today. I had to get a box end wrench to go with the adjustable wrench. I think I could have used my Byrd Wrench, but the LM & Vic pliers wouldn't have worked. So far so good on the EDC experiment.

I picked up a pair of cobra pliers today at Sears. I think they're made by Knipex. The jaws really open wide for a 7" tool.

I also ordered a 7" Knipex Plier Wrench from Sears. The jaws stay parallel & don't have any teeth on them to use on bolts. I posted pictures of these in the "(Not) My Design for a Multitool" thread too.

Tom Munch · **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2007, 11:10:29 PM

Yesterday I carried a small needle-nose ViseGrip with bent jaws in addition to the Cobra & 6" adjustable wrench. I didn't need the tools again though. So far today no need either.

Here's what's in my EDC bag & on me tool-wise today.

Kershaw Scallion
Smith's Diamond Sharpener
Gerber EAB
Photon X-Light Micro
Sears Cobra 7"
Sears adjustable wrench 6"
Vic SwissChamp
Rubbermaid stubby screwdriver & extension

Tom Munch · **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2007, 03:19:47 AM

I made up a miniature set of tools to carry too.

Crescent 4" adjustable wrench
Craftsman ignition pliers
Craftsman mini bit driver & bits

Anthony · **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2007, 03:58:19 AM

Could you comfortable carry those minis on your person? (and have the larger ones in your bag?)

Tom Munch · **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2007, 06:36:42 AM

I believe so. They fit in a a small County Comm bag I have with room to spare. They'd probably go in a belt sheath too. I haven't figured a good way to carry the extra bit(s).

Tom Munch · **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2007, 06:46:37 AM

Good idea, Corrugated. I gaffer-taped the extra bit to the Crescent wrench & all three tools fit nicely into a little belt sheath.

Anthony · **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2007, 03:10:48 AM

That's awesome...it's all packed into the size of a standard multitool, but it's a more powerful set of tools and a longer driver. Now all you need is a Craftsman mini pry bar with the curved end taken off to slide in there. I've seen the Stanley and another known brand (can't remember the name) at Home Depot, and bith are 'mini', but not as 'mini' as the Craftsman. $5 each, can't beat that!

Tom Munch · **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2007, 05:41:59 AM

It's pretty tight. I might be able to get an Atwood Mini Prybaby in there. I have one of those Craftsman prybars I think. No, I just looked - it's a Stanley.

I'm Still Bison · **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2007, 05:55:59 AM

Tom,that is so cool !! I'm going make up a few of those for myself and family !! I seem to recall that somebody makes double ended bits for the screwdriver..pair that with your favorite multi/SAk..and you're good to go for most any occasion

Tom Munch · **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2007, 05:58:17 AM

Here's adding the Atwood Mini Prybaby. It fits!

Tom Munch · **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2007, 06:13:44 AM

Quote from: Bison56 on March 05, 2007, 05:55:59 AM

Tom,that is so cool !! I'm going make up a few of those for myself and family !! I seem to recall that somebody makes double ended bits for the screwdriver..pair that with your favorite multi/SAk..and you're good to go for most any occasion

Bison,

I haven't been able to find the little bit driver again. It was part of a cheap 10-piece bit set I got at Sears 10 or more years ago. It was probably a Christmas item, but I looked a bunch again tonight & can't find it. It's almost too small to use.

Tom

zackhugh · **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2007, 08:47:06 PM

Has anyone else found the wrench tool included with the Victorinox Sport Ratchet a handy device? I was fortunate to have it on me once so I bought a spare and made a sheath for it with some old nylon webbing but never incorporated it into a larger kit. It's a bit too long to add to the SOS kit. Just wondering...

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #18 on:** March 06, 2007, 12:40:15 AM

I haven't used the wrench, but I have used the ratchet and it's pretty darned cool! In fact, it came in handy when disassembling a SOG for cleaning a while back!

Def

Tom Munch · **Reply #19 on:** March 06, 2007, 01:40:41 AM

Did a bunch of work around the house & yard yesterday & today. Used my regular tools quite a bit to tighten things & trim stuff. Put new screen in the back screen door & used my bit set, cobra pliers, & Gerber utility knife. I almost started carrying a multi today, but decided to keep trying with the regular tools.

I carried the little mini tool set around today as well. I found that the ignition pliers open a bottle cap very nicely.

I ground off the serrated edges on my Kershaw Scallion this afternoon. I got tired of sharpening them.

Tom Munch · **Reply #20 on:** March 07, 2007, 04:55:28 PM

My experiment without a multi is going along fine. I know I'm cheating by carrying a SwissChamp in my bag, but I have yet to use the SwissChamp. I'm sure I'll go back to a multi, but I'm doing okay right now without.

Yesterday I tightened a recessed bolt on an office chair with the Crescent wrench in my mini set. It needed a socket or a hex driver for the center of the bolt, but the Crescent is fine enough like a needlenose that I was able to get a firm grip on the bolt & tighten it. A multi would have done it well with needlenose jaws.

I opened a bottle with the PryBaby this time - fine tool.

I got to go fishing for a while (didn't catch anything - darn!) but I have dedicated tools for that (needlenose fishing pliers, nipper, & hool sharpener on retractable doohickeys.)

CQC-7 · **Reply #21 on:** March 07, 2007, 08:14:39 PM

Hool sharpener? I have never seen such a thing, especially attached to a retractable doohickey.

Tom Munch · **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2007, 08:57:06 PM

Good catch. I meant hook sharpener, of course.

CQC-7 · **Reply #23 on:** March 08, 2007, 12:39:21 AM

I know. I am just in a comical mood today. I got my new toy in the mail so I am very happy. Another two weeks and I'll come down from my high and go searching for another toy.

Cheers

Tom Munch · **Reply #24 on:** March 08, 2007, 12:42:58 AM

I missed what your new toy is.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #25 on:** March 08, 2007, 01:20:41 AM

Check out the Swiss Forum. I believe he is referring to his alien manufactured Spirit!

Def

Tom Munch · **Reply #26 on:** March 08, 2007, 01:51:48 AM

That's right. I read that. I reacted to my first Spirit in much the same way - a marvelous piece of engineering & manufacturing.

Tom Munch · **Reply #27 on:** March 08, 2007, 05:07:01 AM

This experiment is starting to worry me. I not only haven't needed a multitool, but I also am finding that I don't need tools near as often as I thought I did. A knife is all I really NEED every day. But I do miss them. Hearing about a new Spirit makes me want to carry mine just for the sheer pleasure of working the glistening steel. (Homer Simpson drooling sound...)

Anthony · **Reply #28 on:** March 08, 2007, 05:20:23 AM

There are days where I don't use my multi either (not counting my SAK, that gets used daily), BUT when you end up do needing it, it's there...like insurance.

And all this talk of the Victorinox tools makes me want one..not to carry, but just to HAVE. Peer pressure is getting the best of me

Maybe Amazon will have one discounted again soon..

Tom Munch · **Reply #29 on:** March 08, 2007, 05:45:48 AM

You can always see what Tim felinevet has them at. He does free shipping.

http://www.felinevet.sosakonline.com

Just e-mail him.

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