Tools you never wanted but now cant live without

[RamoN]

Anyone else had this happen before? in this case i never cared for any multi or sak with scissors, i really never needed them for any reason so i never had one with them. Now a month ago i got a swisstool rs which has scissors, an implement i thought i would never use and know to my surprise its my most used tool.

There are so many things im using it for and if that wasnt enough i find people (mostly at work) who asks me if i can borrow them a pair of scissors for whatever reason  where did all this need of scissors came from? Where were all those pieces of tape, string, leather im cutting know that i never needed to cut before.... aahh the mysteries of life 

[rdub934]

For me it is the can opener. I have always preferred to have one as opposed to not, but never thought I would use it unless I found myself in an emergency (with a convenient can of beans). We don't have an electric can opener in my home, my wife prefers the hand operated rotating style can openers. I don't like electric openers either but I really hate my wife's preferred method. So I find myself reaching for my MT to open cans.

[Agonistes]

^  have you ever opened a can in front of someone to have them exclaim, 'oh, so THAT's what that blade is for!!!'  i never thought i would use a can opener that much either, but more than once i have astounded someone at work while fixing my lunch.  and, possibly, taught one or two of them how better to use their own knife, if they didn't just already carry something stupid they got from a convenience store checkout counter.

[Taxi Dad]

I have carried a swisschamp as an EDC for many years, so have a lot of tools available  I use the scissors a lot but i'd be lost without the Mag glass ! maybe if I 'man-up' and get some glasses I could get by without ......?

[rdub934]

@ Agonistes, yes, but only once. I post with a chef (food preparer, nothing fancy about what they do) and one day the chef couldn't find a can opener... Wave to the rescue. He told me that he was familiar with LMs and SAKs but never understood how the "can opener" could open a can. I'm like "um, hellooooooo"

[Zed]

Used the most, blade,phillips, small flathead,

But the one thats surprised me is thd pen off the swisschamp, i use it at least once a day ,and the pins handy for bursting blood blisters 

[Agonistes]

right, i remember having to ask around about the one on my first knife.  once i knew how it worked, though, the first time i was confronted with a p-38 i got the concept quickly.

on topic, i have almost never used an awl.  i would think i would use them a lot, but i've always had a leather hole punch for belts, and various other tools on hand, and i grabbed them first.  i've probably lent an awl more than i have used one...yet now i have found myself using one about four times last week; i picked a hole in canvas for a grommet, made screw holes in a row so i could stand up the screws and just drive them when i was ready, trimmed a nicked fingernail so it didn't rip, and threaded a bit of thong through a thing.  i even sharpened it.  i'm wondering if this awl trend has changed.

[AimlessWanderer]

My first SAK was a tourist ... and I wasn't even sure how many of the features on that would be useful ...  After spending more time exploring different tools, I have found scissors to be indispensable and one of the "must haves" on my person at all times.

I never really thought I'd have much use for a pliers based tool either - how wrong I was

[JAfromMn]

The Swisstool is a brick of a tool I never really wanted but I can't live without.

I think the spirit is a nicer tool in a lot of ways but its not the beast the original swisstool is.

[Lynn LeFey]

I got my first MT specifically FOR the scissors. So I had a good idea how useful they were. the one that got me was the flathead screwdriver.

It's REALLY NICE to have a tiny pry tool at hand all the time. If I had to guess at the times my flatheads were used as light pry tools versus actual screw drivers, I'd have to go 97% versus 3%. Something like that.

Flathead screwdriver FTW! 

[RamoN]

The Swisstool is a brick of a tool I never really wanted but I can't live without.

I think the spirit is a nicer tool in a lot of ways but its not the beast the original swisstool is.

Actually the swisstool rs i got was because i found it cheap on ebay and thought i would try it and sell it again here, now it wont leave my belt and showed me how much i needed scissors how cool is that 

[jerseydevil]

I got my first MT specifically FOR the scissors. So I had a good idea how useful they were. the one that got me was the flathead screwdriver.

It's REALLY NICE to have a tiny pry tool at hand all the time. If I had to guess at the times my flatheads were used as light pry tools versus actual screw drivers, I'd have to go 97% versus 3%. Something like that.

Flathead screwdriver FTW! 

+1 the flatheads on my SAKs get more use this way than any other tool on them!  The can opener is one that I use at work all the time, opening tint cans.  The one on my Wenger Evo16 came in very useful as well during the blackout after Hurricane Sandy.  Had to do a quick training session for my housemates though so they wouldn't starve..... 

[Bensasupertool]

The Victorinox can opener. Ive walked around for 30 years without it. It is byfar the best tool for scratch-off tickets. Im ashamed of all the wasted left,right repetitious nickel and dime scratches. Ive never scratched a losing ticket with such ease and efficiency until the SAK can opener.

[JAfromMn]

The Swisstool is a brick of a tool I never really wanted but I can't live without.

I think the spirit is a nicer tool in a lot of ways but its not the beast the original swisstool is.

Actually the swisstool rs i got was because i found it cheap on ebay and thought i would try it and sell it again here, now it wont leave my belt and showed me how much i needed scissors how cool is that 

my fist was also a rs

I carry the standard now. I use the file and added a micra to my gear.

[jerseydevil]

The Victorinox can opener. Ive walked around for 30 years without it. It is byfar the best tool for scratch-off tickets. Im ashamed of all the wasted left,right repetitious nickel and dime scratches. Ive never scratched a losing ticket with such ease and efficiency until the SAK can opener.

  That's the exact same tool I use on scratch-offs too!

[Styerman]

On SAK's , it's the caplifter/screwdriver , and can opener . The scissors are also very handy . The corkscrew has saved the day at a few picnics and parties .

Chris

[bmot]

On SAK's , it's the caplifter/screwdriver , and can opener . The scissors are also very handy . The corkscrew has saved the day at a few picnics and parties .

Chris

The corkscrew is really something you never need... Until you don't have it on you 


I needed it once... And it -had- to be the day that I carried my Tinker Small 

[Rs217]

For me it's the saw. Now that I have a Wave, which was my first MT with a saw, I have made it an effort to use it when doing yard work. Before I did all the hard trimming with big nippers. Now that I use the saw it's a million times easier than trying to nip off a 2.5 inch diameter weed. I used to use my old Wingman's serrated blade for small weeds that I couldn't pull by hand, but now it's my Wave saw for everything.

[ironraven]

The hook- I use it all the time to adjust my shoes without taking them off.

[glorn]

 I'm going to approach this differently than most..

Having carried SAKs as a kid and then pliers based MTs my entire adult life, I never had a desire or use for a OHO knife. Just didn't get it at all. Saw lots of folks carry them and thought, "Eh. Better to have a MT."

Then I got a Surge. "Now I've got it all covered." I thought.

Nope.

While out picking up something at a hardware store years back I saw a rack of Vic OH Sentinels with the pocket clip. I didn't think I needed one nor did i really want one, but for some reason I bought one anyway. Plain edge.

It has not left my side since that day. Even at home. Even in the evening at home. I am never without it if I am dressed. I probably use it 50 times a day for everything.

I have ditched OH bladed MTs now, which is fine because my two current favorites are the Rebar and Spirit. I almost never use the PE blade on the Rebar, and my Spirit is perfectly without one.

Something about a simple OH blade that is slim and easy to grab just trumps all other tools. I'd rather have my Sentinel on me than a loaded SAK or MT. I see those as back up to it.

It now has been dropped a time or three, and the scales have taken on a polished look with wear, rather like plastic vehicle key fobs do. Character and polish... Like a smooth river stone. I keep the edge absolutely hair shaving keen; I wash and then oil the foolish thing lovingly after it gets dirty; I fuss with it like a worry stone and fondle it; I consider buying extras just in case.

Never wanted one, now I would be lost and awkward without it.