Singular piece of metal reccomendation

[Kmarr]

I simply can't fit all these tools into my...TOOLS!
I think what I need is a couple small supplementary tools for what my MT can no longer fit.
Any suggestions?
ps- I have the money for Atwood, but I'd lose my phone capability for a month if I bought one so lets steer clear of them

[BigFatTon]

I'm a big fan of my Gerber Shard, The bottle opener is fantastic, and easier to access (always out) than one on a keychain multitool, and the prybar is suprisingly useful from time to time.  What other kinds of tools are you looking for specifically though?

[Freudian Frog]

In the sub-thirty field there's...

A Pocketwrench II is a great substitute (pry, closed wrench, ruler, hex driver).
The afore mentioned Gerber Shard is good too (pry with flathead screw tips, bottle opener, phillips) as is its bigger brother the Gerber Artifact (pry with flathead screw tips, bottle opener, phillips, exacto blade).
The raker ring tool (recessed cutter, flathead, hex, bigger hex or oxygen wrench): http://www.rakerknives.com/damascus_tools.htm
These Ti keys float around eBay (flathead, bottle opener).
The new CRKT TA-Bar Tool (pry, knife, hex driver, bottle opener).

Can't help much beyond that as I can't afford 'em either.

But here's a random options:

http://www.pockettoolx.com/
http://www.phlaunt.com/jdrknifeandtool/
http://sites.google.com/site/jrpcustomknives/

A forum member was working on a project with an open ended wrench and a magnifying glass but I'm pretty sure he's been eaten by a grue at this point.

EDIT: Sorry, I keep editing it as I think of more.

[Kmarr]

I'm sort of leaning into the gerber shard. I cruised MT.org(not the forum) for one-piece and its riddled with mostly unaffordable Atwood, and the shard isn't even on there .
I like the fact it has a pry bar, if I tried to use my mt screwdriver I'd hear a snap, close my eyes, and pray it is not labeled as "misuse."
I have a bottle opener so that doesn't matter, I have a couple flatheads and philips too. A wrench fixture, pry bar, or another uncommon tool would be delightful

[Gadget Guy]

For $10 it's really hard to beat the Shard.    The Pocketwrench II is great because it fits perfectly in a Leatherman sheath.

[Kmarr]

I always like to have 2 philips sizes with me. So if I have a pst, I'll have 2 philips.  But if I have my modded Powerlock with 2 philips in it...I'll have 3 philips!!   too many! The pocketwrench II is growing on me because of the wrench...and the ruler...and the 1/4 slot...and pry bar.

hmm... we might have a winner

[Freudian Frog]

I always like to have 2 philips sizes with me. So if I have a pst, I'll have 2 philips.  But if I have my modded Powerlock with 2 philips in it...I'll have 3 philips!!   too many! The pocketwrench II is growing on me because of the wrench...and the ruler...and the 1/4 slot...and pry bar.

hmm... we might have a winner

For just a pry bar you can look into the pocket/micro/pico widgy bars too. They're small and fit into anything.

http://www.countycomm.com/widgy.htm

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Another vote for the Shard and Artifact here

[Sparky415]

Artifact + 1


.... think I might need a pocketwrench aswell 

[Magnus]

I prefer the RRT myself, but I am a sucker for anything in damascus.

[zepla]

In the sub-thirty field there's...

A Pocketwrench II is a great substitute (pry, closed wrench, ruler, hex driver).
The afore mentioned Gerber Shard is good too (pry with flathead screw tips, bottle opener, phillips) as is its bigger brother the Gerber Artifact (pry with flathead screw tips, bottle opener, phillips, exacto blade).
The raker ring tool (recessed cutter, flathead, hex, bigger hex or oxygen wrench): http://www.rakerknives.com/damascus_tools.htm
These Ti keys float around eBay (flathead, bottle opener).
The new CRKT TA-Bar Tool (pry, knife, hex driver, bottle opener).

Can't help much beyond that as I can't afford 'em either.

But here's a random options:

http://www.pockettoolx.com/
http://www.phlaunt.com/jdrknifeandtool/
http://sites.google.com/site/jrpcustomknives/

A forum member was working on a project with an open ended wrench and a magnifying glass but I'm pretty sure he's been eaten by a grue at this point.

EDIT: Sorry, I keep editing it as I think of more.

Oh, I like that JRP stuff. Do you know if that Toucan thing is expensive?

[David Bowen]

It's something like $70 I think but availability is the key just like with Atwoods, sorry. Your more apt to get your hands on a Raker Ring Tool or a JDR Ti tool than anything else in the custom field.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm sort of leaning into the gerber shard. I cruised MT.org(not the forum) for one-piece and its riddled with mostly unaffordable Atwood, and the shard isn't even on there .
I like the fact it has a pry bar, if I tried to use my mt screwdriver I'd hear a snap, close my eyes, and pray it is not labeled as "misuse."
I have a bottle opener so that doesn't matter, I have a couple flatheads and philips too. A wrench fixture, pry bar, or another uncommon tool would be delightful

The Shard is indeed there- been there for a while:

http://www.multitool.org/gerber/keychain-tools/shard.html

It's just listed as a Gerber model, not One Piece.

Def

[Kmarr]

How does the pocketwrench II measure up as a prybar? I know its not angled, but sometimes I don't even need an angle to do my prying.

[Swiss Man]

I had the Pocketwrench II and I loved it, (don't know why I got rid of it).

Just got the Gerber Shard and I have to admit it is growing on me the only thing
I have used so far was the Phillips driver.

[donvito]

How does the pocketwrench II measure up as a prybar? I know its not angled, but sometimes I don't even need an angle to do my prying.

I've used the pocketwrench II to pry open a locked door at work, worked fine and didn't damage the tool.

[bquinlan]

How does the pocketwrench II measure up as a prybar? I know its not angled, but sometimes I don't even need an angle to do my prying.

I ground mine down a bit to improve the bite of the prybar, but overall it does the job very well.  The Pocketwrench II is thicker than any of the other 4" prybars I've seen.

  --Bob Q

[zepla]

It's something like $70 I think but availability is the key just like with Atwoods, sorry. Your more apt to get your hands on a Raker Ring Tool or a JDR Ti tool than anything else in the custom field.

  Are you kidding me?!? What is the trick then with those things? What is that all different than, for example, that I would go to a friend with a metal shop and a lasercutter and let him cut out some design from a high grade steel? Now that I thing of it, I might just do that 

[Precise]

I have both a Raker Ring tool and a Shard! As my papaw used to say "Everyman and a farmer ought to have one of them"

The ultra stout Raker Ring tool flat head also makes a nice prybar and the seatbelt cutter works real well for anything that will fit in there: Cord, rope, tape, etc. And at 21$ for the ATS-34 how you can go wrong? (For a few dollars more you can get the pretty Damascus)

Also, if you get a shard, sand off all that ugly black paint. It makes it look like a real expensive piece then.

[nuphoria]

Loving the Pocketwrench here too - thinking of grinding a notch out of the end if possible, so it can work as a nail prying type thing.

[David Bowen]

I have both a Raker Ring tool and a Shard! As my papaw used to say "Everyman and a farmer ought to have one of them"

The ultra stout Raker Ring tool flat head also makes a nice prybar and the seatbelt cutter works real well for anything that will fit in there: Cord, rope, tape, etc. And at 21$ for the ATS-34 how you can go wrong? (For a few dollars more you can get the pretty Damascus)

Also, if you get a shard, sand off all that ugly black paint. It makes it look like a real expensive piece then.

(Image removed from quote.)

I think the Raker Ring Tool is the best bang for your buck in the custom area, the provides a quality tool at one heck of a price. I really love my Damascus one but my ATS-34 one seems more duty because it's edge retention is somewhat better (sometimes Damascus seems really toothy).

[Magnus]

Neither atwoods or the RRT are "custom" they are batch produced on a waterjet cutting machine with only a few bevels hand ground.

[Whoey]

Each has their uses...


while this is great for opening boxes...


Boba is clearly more comfortable here opening bottles!

[David Bowen]

Neither atwoods or the RRT are "custom" they are batch produced on a waterjet cutting machine with only a few bevels hand ground.

Custom in regards to them not being mass produced or by a company but by an individual. Maybe I have a broader description of what is to be considered a custom. I consider Blind Horse Knives and Nemesis knives customs too but that could be seen differently by someone else.

[grimm_kaosboy]

My vote goes for a Pirahna tool. Love mine.

[BigFatTon]

yeah, the pirahna tools seem like the way to go, I'm waiting for the Pirahna X model that has SAE and Metric though.  Atwoods are fantastic if you can afford them and then if you can find/win an auction for one

[Raker]

The word "Custom" is also bandied around in the knife making community as to what constitutes "Custom"  Some believe that it is what one person has ordered and a maker has completed.  Sole authorship also comes into play if one person has performed all the work to the customers specifications.  If the same knife is again made and displayed at a knife show, is it still a custom?  i think so but I have not the final say.  They buyer does.
I do have the Ring Tool cut by laser and water jet machines by people that have no idea or care about what the part does.  Without the ability of the machines to cut the slots out precisely (hex, O2, etc.) , the cost of the Ring Tool would be out of the cost/value curve and may never have made it to the customer base that it has.  It was still designed, ground, heat treated, and finished by one person so I think it is a custom. 
I can change the design of the slots to a customers specs when ordered in quantities.  This is on the agenda as is different stamps for volumn buyers.  I think you could say that these would be custom as they are made to the customers specs.
As I have said, the word "Custom" means different things to different people and that is alright, I can appreciate the pride that would go with an item that was specially made for by by another.
I am glad that most are enjoying the Raker Ring Tool and I will be posting another model soon.  It will be the dual hex in damascus.  I should have them completed in a couple of weeks.  I will put them on the EDCSource.com web site when available.

Ag

[David Bowen]

Cool!  Keep us informed buddy, I look forward to any progress on the RT front.