Bottle openers, ubiquitous, but are they really necessary?

[Scorpion Regent]

It seems that every multitool has a bottle opener be it a simple one piece pocket tool or the most complicated tool imaginable.  This is all well and good, but is it really necessary?  I always found it a bit silly.  A degree in rocket science isn't needed to separate a bottle from its cap.  Multitools are made to overcome problems when the "proper tool" is unavailable.   Most multitools can be used to open a bottle without actually using the bottle opener.  How do you open a, non twist off, bottle without a opener?
 

[Happy Gilmore]

I know 5 ways to open a bottle.wothout any tools...have 5 on me even when I don't want them (even in my belt buckle) and imo if someone isn't capable of opening a bottle with a pair of pliers is probably too drunk anyway and should stop... It's fine if it costs nothing (like the one on a 91mm Vic, Leatherman free or the carabiner on skeletool/style/signal etc. But other than that....no..


The worst offenders by far are prytools...what do you call a pry bar that reduces strength by 50% or more in order to accommodate a bottle opener? An excessory, eye candy, or Jewelry. Calling it a tool feels like an insult lol.

[BadMechanic]

I think I literally only used an actual bottle opener once in my life. And that was to help my neighbor while camping. I couldn't twist it off (was fighting hard) and had to use my Leatherman 6 to get the booger off.

[G-Dizzle]

They are often times so easy to add on a flathead screwdriver. Why not have one?

[Ivan Perak]

Never used it.... it is too easy to find something with an edge to even bother taking the MT out of the pocket.

I have opened the bottles with everything, from a shovel to a folded piece of paper. So for me, not necessary. Flathead screwdriver is another thing, often useful.

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[Etherealicer]

I'm more bothered by the ubiquitous can-opener. Even if you eat canned food on the go, you can plan for it.

In SAK/MT's the cap-lifter is usually part of the flat-driver, so it does not bother me at all. It is more with everything else (even wallets have cap lifters). Often this creates a hotspot (e.g. the LM carbine) or a weakness (prybars) just so they can say it has x+1 functions.

[Mechanickal]

I love the Combo tool on Victorinox SAKs just because they can open a bottle or can well enough in a pinch.
No need for a full dedicated layer for them.

Out on the trail, one can easily open a can with a P38. And as mentioned earlier, this is perfectly foreseeable.

So yes, I do hate those things... popping... Up everywhere.

[Ivan Perak]

I'm more bothered by the ubiquitous can-opener. Even if you eat canned food on the go, you can plan for it.

It's for those emergencies, when you're trapped on a deserted island, and a can of stew comes floating about...

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[nate j]

I might be in the minority, but properly designed, I like both bottle openers and can openers on my MTs.

A well-designed bottle opener often does not sacrifice the strength of the tool in order to incorporate this feature.  For good examples of this, see the Vic Swisstool Spirit and 111mm liner-locks.

As a counter example, the Vic combo tool clearly sacrifices some strength in the screwdriver/pry functions in order to incorporate the bottle opener and can opener.  But when you’re getting a solid 3-4 functions out of a single implement, some trade-offs are inevitable.

Also, while I agree virtually any hard edge can be used to open a bottle, I appreciate the extra precision and control afforded by a purpose-designed opener, as I have seen the lip of the bottle actually break and come off with the cap.  The beverage had to be discarded at that point, as drinking it wouldn’t have been worth the risk of glass shards in it.

Some folks use MT can openers as their daily can openers, and a quality tool will easily handle this duty.  Personally, though, where they shine for me is situations like going camping and someone forgets the can opener, moving and can opener is packed up, etc.

[AndyTiedye]

Most GOOD beer has non-twist-off caps.  Sure there are a lot of ways to open a beer, but having the right tool for the job is best.

Back in college, most in our dorm used the night watchman stations, each of which had a large metal cover that was a perfect bottle opener.
One night someone who had had a few too many tried to do it on the fire alarm which was located directly above, setting it off, of course.

[CarbideCruzer]

While this unit was discontinued in 2019, the Gerber MP1 series has easily the best multi tool pry bar I've ever used, but I do wonder how much stronger this would have been without the bottle opener aspect?  I've maybe used the bottle opener function on any multi tools I've owned  once.

[ReamerPunch]

Often this creates a hotspot (e.g. the LM carbine) or a weakness (prybars) just so they can say it has x+1 functions.

I love the PocketWrench 2 because it is pill-shaped. 

[ThundahBeagle]

I might be in the minority, but properly designed, I like both bottle openers and can openers on my MTs.

...

Also, while I agree virtually any hard edge can be used to open a bottle, I appreciate the extra precision and control afforded by a purpose-designed opener, as I have seen the lip of the bottle actually break and come off with the cap.  The beverage had to be discarded at that point, as drinking it wouldn’t have been worth the risk of glass shards in it.

Some folks use MT can openers as their daily can openers, and a quality tool will easily handle this duty.  Personally, though, where they shine for me is situations like going camping and someone forgets the can opener, moving and can opener is packed up, etc.

^^^ This ^^^

Some good beers come with scew top. A lot of good beers do not. I've opened bottles with my CLOSED Leatherman Rebar, simply by digging the thin metal of the plyers end under the cap, steadying the other end of the cap with my thumb and pulling up and back.

I've opened bottles by placing the scalloped edge of the bottle cap onto the edge of a workbench or counter top and simply smacking down on it.

While they are not difficult to get the hang of, screw up either of those two methods and you either gouge your hand near the wrist or get a broken bottle lip with glass shards or crumbled glass in your beer.

Much easier and safer to use the tool for those who dont use the other methods often enough to get good at it.

Same with can openers for me. Sure, today a lot of cans come with a pull ring, but a lot do not. In my grocery store, I have yet to see a can of tuna with a pull tab. At home, I will use the "Swing-a-way." Camping, I dont feel like scraping the top of the can on a big rock for 20 minutes. Also, anyone who may have stockpiled long lasting canned goods will likely have some older cans with no pull tabs.

Another use for the Rebar can opener is to easily slice open ridgid plastic packaging. Not as good as the dedicated tool on the Wingman, but still very effective.

So I think the can opener and bottle opener are still relevant.

[Greg Jones]

 

[G-Dizzle]

I love the vic can opener because it provides a 2d phillips that works quite well. I personally wouldn’t replace it with a combo tool.

[pomsbz]

I was right with you until a week ago. I even modded a SAK Spartan to remove the opener layer and just leave a simple two blade pen knife which I've carried for a year now, supplanting my usual traditional pocket knives. My SAK Rambler has a bottle opener, it's always on my keychain and in a pinch I can still use the corkscrew on the back of the modded knife shown below to open a beer bottle, albeit slowly.



But then 6 months ago I used my wife's SAK bottle opener as a scraper and realised just how good a little scraper and pry bar it is. I began to miss having that functionality over the following months, I seemed to need something like it more and more. I still didn't want the can opener, it's all pull rings here and I don't like a front opening can opener. Regardless on a whim recently I bought a new Spartan and left the opener layer alone this time. I then discovered that although the bottle opener is everything I'd hoped it would be (and a far better bottle opener than the Rambler), the can opener that I'd disparaged is a great metal finger nail. This had never occurred to me but I've been using it as such loads! It works really well with phillips screws. I've been using both opener tools constantly over the past week even though I've only opened one bottle of beer and no cans whatsoever. Personally I'm sold.

[Rapidray]

 

[cody6268]

In my opinion, unless they severely compromise the use of the tool, they are a handy tool to have, especially if added to another tool, such as a screwdriver or clip/carabiner, or even the knife body.  However, don't even get me started on glass breakers. Unless it's a tool expressly designed for first responders, or from egress from a vehicle/aircraft, it should not be on the knife. The Boker/Ruike Tech Tools, and a large number of Chinese designs have them. It's just a hot spot to put a blister on your hand. Especially when, with all cars now required to have laminated glass throughout (supposedly because of people not wearing seatbelts), their utility is severely hampered.

Even moreso than glass breaking tools is the blasting cap crimper. Not only is it common with certain cheaper designs, but also on the Leatherman Charges. Very, very, few people have a job that allows them access to, and use of, explosives. I know a few, but only because I'm in SWVA Coal Country. It always compromises the pliers--pretty much right at the strongest point of the tips. Leave it to EOD/DET models ONLY!

[ElevenBlade]

I feel that a good bottle opener that works easily and quickly is necessary - as its the one tool that I pretty consistently use in a mixed crowd of people, in some questionably (in)appropriate social situations. 

When I'm with a group of people at a backyard barbecue, or, more importantly in a BYOB restaurant, if and when I use a bottle opener I much prefer that it engages and peels off the cap with ONE swift and seamless motion.  Usually, when you use a MT or SAK to open a bottle in public (in the suburbs), it draws some attention, like it or not.  Opening a bottle with finesse means the difference between "Can you open this for me please?" vs. "What do you have that thing for... its stupid...  Is it even legal?  Those things don't work... just ask the waiter for an opener" 

Displaying the least bit of struggle with a bottle opener makes me look like a tool.  (and I wouldn't feel the same about any other implement on a MT or SAK).  Besides comments or slanted looks, it will often result in someone showing off how they can open a bottle with another bottle, or their teeth.

This significantly plays into my choices for EDC, as I am more adept with some bottle openers than others.

In my experience:

The SAK Combo tool makes the best bottle opener - it engages the edge of the cap without any fiddling, and stays on.  The fulcrum is right where I need it to be.  That said,  the Combo tool doesn't make a very good can opener or 2-D Phillips.

The 93mm SAK bottle opener is just a bit too large to engage and stay under the edge of the cap unless I'm especially careful.  Luckily I've had enough practice with it to be pretty swift.  And of course the entire opening layer is more versatile than the Combo tool. 

The 91mm SAK opener hooks on a bit easier but doesnt peel back as boldly as the 93mm.... Either way, I don't use it that much because I EDC a Compact with a combo, or a 93mm SAK most of the time.  I do use it at home.  Alone...

The Leatherman Wave bottle opener works well, but I need to be mindful of the peel-back, since the fulcrum is pointy.

The LM Micra opener bends and isn't something I'd use unless I was on a deserted island with nothing besides a LM Micra and a beer. 

Those are the bottle openers I've used most in the last decade, aside from a Griffin tool (which doesn't work very well when attached to keys), and a dedicated bottle opener which works as expected. 

Therefore, If I think it's more likely that I will need to open a bottle and less likely that I will need to turn a screw that day, I will EDC the Compact.

[Happy Gilmore]

If you seriously care that much about what others think of your tool choices...I guess maybe check out the signal or skeletool. Swift and clean bottle openers in the carabiner.

[ElevenBlade]

If you seriously care that much about what others think of your tool choices...I guess maybe check out the signal or skeletool. Swift and clean bottle openers in the carabiner.

Aye - theres the rub,  you see...

Im the guy pulling a knife out of the pocket of my sport coat to open a round of Singhas at a mid-range Thai restaurant.  That's where the Compact comes in. 

When I have all sorts of options and uses, like in just about any less highfalutin recreational activity, the tool choice broadens. 

I've never used the opener/carabiner on the Leatherman, but I am intrigued. 

[Hevy (CT-782)]

About bottle openers:
I have at least two with me every day, Just because I like beers and I refuse to open a bottle twisting the cap.
Today in my pocket I have Victorinox Rambler and Kershaw Shuffle.
I open bottles with both without problems.
The shuffle is very nice. Open with one swift movement.
The best opener in a Sak is the combo opener.


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[nate j]

The best opener in a Sak is the combo opener.

Funny that several people have mentioned this.  I generally favor SAKs with the dedicated opener layer, but based on my limited experience with the combo tool, I would have to agree.

Does this mean the Alox Bantam is the ultimate Coronas & limes SAK?

[Manny Sanchez III]

“I can use my knife tip to drive a screw...”

“NO! Use the proper tool for the job!”

“What’s the deal with pry bars?”

“So you don’t break off the tip of your knife when you need to pry something! Use the proper tool for the job you idiot!”

“What’s the best pocket knife for cutting cardboard?”

“A box cutter! Use the proper tool for the job! Save your pocket knife for dump pics on the ‘Gram!”

“Are bottle openers necessary on MT’s?”

“THeY aRe ToTaLlY UnNeCeSsArY bEcAuSe yOu CaN LiTeRaLlY uSe AnYtHiNg ElSe BeSiDes ThE pRoPeR tOoL tO oPeN a BoTtLe!”





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[Scorpion Regent]

“I can use my knife tip to drive a screw...”

“NO! Use the proper tool for the job!”

“What’s the deal with pry bars?”

“So you don’t break off the tip of your knife when you need to pry something! Use the proper tool for the job you idiot!”

“What’s the best pocket knife for cutting cardboard?”

“A box cutter! Use the proper tool for the job! Save your pocket knife for dump pics on the ‘Gram!”

“Are bottle openers necessary on MT’s?”

“THeY aRe ToTaLlY UnNeCeSsArY bEcAuSe yOu CaN LiTeRaLlY uSe AnYtHiNg ElSe BeSiDes ThE pRoPeR tOoL tO oPeN a BoTtLe!”





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I use the proper tools for jobs where I'm being paid and when I care about getting it right.  I have mastered the skill of opening bottles without out bottle openers, that skill negates the need for the proper tool.  I'm no bartender, no one is going to pay me to open a beer.  Will I refuse to use a opener if it is handy no, but I won't go out of my waste my time to finding one if there isn't one available. 

Back when I was young and testosterone had my brain locked away in a basement somewhere, I broke two bottles using improvised tools.  One of those times was when I decided to use my teeth, I won't be doing that again.  After that wake up call I got serious and learned what I can and can't get away with.   
Old Clint said it right,

      "A man's got to know his limitations."

[CarbideCruzer]

“I can use my knife tip to drive a screw...”

“NO! Use the proper tool for the job!”

“What’s the deal with pry bars?”

“So you don’t break off the tip of your knife when you need to pry something! Use the proper tool for the job you idiot!”

“What’s the best pocket knife for cutting cardboard?”

“A box cutter! Use the proper tool for the job! Save your pocket knife for dump pics on the ‘Gram!”

“Are bottle openers necessary on MT’s?”

“THeY aRe ToTaLlY UnNeCeSsArY bEcAuSe yOu CaN LiTeRaLlY uSe AnYtHiNg ElSe BeSiDes ThE pRoPeR tOoL tO oPeN a BoTtLe!”

(Image removed from quote.)



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Anyone using knives to drive screws is essentially inviting the opportunity for a hand injury.  Strongly advise against this and I am speaking from experience here. 

I've yet to see any prybar's with any Leatherman tools, but several of the Gerber multi tool's and Bear and Son Red Devil re-branded multi tool have them.  You are most correct, use the proper tool for the proper job.  Slotted screwdrivers, even higher quality drivers aren't specifically meant to be used for prying.  Unless specified that is as the Klein demotion driver is.

I've found that the USA made with global components Lenox brand carbide utility blades work the best for cardboard.  Haven't tried any of the Milwaukee utility knives so I cannot speak for the quality.  As for the pocket knives, as most here know, there is multiple variations of knife steel, so if you are cutting a substantial amount of cardboard, 420 high carbon steel may be the best bet due to ease of re-sharpening.  Personally I am glad to say I have paid very little credence to "Instagram" or other similar iterations.

[eTripper]

I guess there are 'two-schools' of thought on this subject.  It's there, if you need it.  But then, you might be apt take Patches O'houlihan's advice: