# Prepping / Emergency Preparedness > General Emergency Preparedness >  thoughts and recommendations on multitools

## Antonyraison

Now I am a Knife guy, not a multi-tool guy... I was always brought up to use the right tool for the job, and in my humble opinion a multi-tool although combining many hand tools in one small package would never replace A proper tool for same purpose (however I see the usefulness) I grew up on Swiss-army styled knives (these where our multi-tools) But alas I have started seeing that maybe there is space in my daily and bush kit for a multi-tool.. What are some recommendations? Leather-man Wave? Leather-man super tool 300? Gerber Suspension? Victorinox RangerGrip? ( a small wood saw is paramount in the tool..) What are your thoughts.

----------


## crashdive123

I've been using a Leatherman Wave for quite a few years and am very happy with it.

----------


## Antonyraison

> I've been using a Leatherman Wave for quite a few years and am very happy with it.


Awesome.. Yeah I seen many a good thing said of these!

----------


## Alan R McDaniel Jr

I have my Leatherman (Original) on my belt every day (even if I am only going to survive sitting at my desk surfing the web).  I use the pliers the most, then the screwdrivers, then the file, hardly ever the little pokey thingy or the knife, and never the bottle/can opener.  I have several.  I keep them in tackle boxes, truck console, camping gear boxes, the boat dry box.  They do break.  I buy another one off of eBay.  I have several other brands.  None do what the Original Leatherman does for me.  Other opinions vary.

Alan

----------


## Antonyraison

> I have my Leatherman (Original) on my belt every day (even if I am only going to survive sitting at my desk surfing the web).  I use the pliers the most, then the screwdrivers, then the file, hardly ever the little pokey thingy or the knife, and never the bottle/can opener.  I have several.  I keep them in tackle boxes, truck console, camping gear boxes, the boat dry box.  They do break.  I buy another one off of eBay.  I have several other brands.  None do what the Original Leatherman does for me.  Other opinions vary.
> 
> Alan


Awesome, Yeah I likely be the same, if I where to carry a leatherman daily I likely not use the main cutting blade, as I generally carry other folders daily that would be better or easier to use ... but A lot of the other tools on there Will likely come into play like the screw drivers and awl, and saw,etc...  
I am likely going to go the leatherman route as the warranty is very good and I have not heard one bad thing said of it from anyone that owns one.

----------


## shiftyer1

I own several,  i've been carrying a sog daily for at least 15 years.  It's about the same as the original leatherman.  I have a wave and also several gerbers,  I really can't complain about any of them.  I carry several knives so I don't generaly use the blade on my multitool.....when I do it's for nasty stuff or scrapeing......things I don't want to ruin my knife with.

----------


## kyratshooter

I do not carry multitools daily.  they are too big and heavy and I do not use them that often.  Always being aroudn the house it is easier to just reach into the tool box and get a proper tool for any job.

However, I do have one in each vehicle.  I also have one on the lamp table by the recliner where I live each day from 5pm until 11pm.  That one gets a workout during every craft session I devise.

Two of mine are the Gerber standard units, except one of them I have modified with removal of a bottle opener and replacement with a better cutting blade.

I also keep a Gerber suspension in the truck but it has been modified also with the removal of a serated blade and replacement with a file blade from another Gerber.

I actually have one old Gerber that has been stripped for blades to modify or use on other Gerber tools.  None of them have exactly what everyone wants.

I also have the habit of reshaping and grinding the blades on the tool to meet my needs, so more sharp edges are available for drilling, scraping, and poking.

I also have a Leatherman Rave I use for light work when I am piddling around the yard.  Good pliers on that one,  they go through barbed-wire like hot butter.

----------


## Antonyraison

> I do not carry multitools daily.  they are too big and heavy and I do not use them that often.  Always being aroudn the house it is easier to just reach into the tool box and get a proper tool for any job.
> 
> However, I do have one in each vehicle.  I also have one on the lamp table by the recliner where I live each day from 5pm until 11pm.  That one gets a workout during every craft session I devise.
> 
> Two of mine are the Gerber standard units, except one of them I have modified with removal of a bottle opener and replacement with a better cutting blade.
> 
> I also keep a Gerber suspension in the truck but it has been modified also with the removal of a serated blade and replacement with a file blade from another Gerber.
> 
> I actually have one old Gerber that has been stripped for blades to modify or use on other Gerber tools.  None of them have exactly what everyone wants.
> ...


Yeah They dont always have the exact things everyone wants, but thats ok Mainly will be using it as a complimentary to my survival kit and daily fix random things (when I dont feel like hunting around for the right tool)

----------


## pete lynch

I have 3 of the Gerber Suspension MTs. And like kyrat, I dont carry one every day but they are spread around in places where I may need one. My edc is a SAK Explorer and I do use it every day.

----------


## Alan R McDaniel Jr

I got in the habit of carrying mine every day a long time ago.  Like I stated, I use the pliers the most.  They are useful for lots of things my fingers can't do, from picking up tiny things to untying knots.  As I would make my rounds at school I found that I could streamline the day by simply doing lots of things myself as I saw that they needed to be done.  I could see a glass door slamming because the tensioner was adjusted wrong or the screw had come out or a cover plate was loose on an electrical outlet or any number of other very minor maintenance issues, and I could go back to my office, write out a work order for all those things, send it in and watch things continue to deteriorate as more things went wrong.  Then Maint would come out in a week and fix only those things on the work order while stepping over other things that could be fixed...... Or I could just adjust that tensioner myself right then, tighten that cover plate or what ever, and be done with it.  I was happy, the school wasn't falling apart and Maint could continue to burn gas riding around the campuses doing nothing.  

I also carry a Leatherman Micra every day.  I use the scissors the most and the small knife blade.  

Alan

----------


## Antonyraison

> I have 3 of the Gerber Suspension MTs. And like kyrat, I dont carry one every day but they are spread around in places where I may need one. My edc is a SAK Explorer and I do use it every day.


I grew up on the swiss army styled knives, I really really like them.. hesitant on "multitools" I have used a few cheap Chinese ones and never liked them nor did they ever really feature in my kits.. however.. I may have a wrong view as I can see some use out in the field with a decent Multi-tool.. just helps with a number of other tasks more efficiently than a normal knife or normal saw might be able to, i.e with precision bush-crafting of Certain traps and notching hearth boards, pocking holes and minor kit repairs with awl and various other uses that may just simply be easier with that than "just a knife" or regular bush kit Which includes a knife and folding saw...

----------


## randyt

I carry one everyday. I like the leatherman supertool 300 and the wave. Been thinking about getting a model that has visegrips rather than pliers.

----------


## Antonyraison

For me I am thinking to go for a wave ( the new wave + seems decent) But I doubt has an awl.. I likely want that in field use, the rebar has a awl, as does the supertool..
So Far for the money the super tools seems the nicer option between all what it has and the price there of.

----------


## Antonyraison

> I got in the habit of carrying mine every day a long time ago.  Like I stated, I use the pliers the most.  They are useful for lots of things my fingers can't do, from picking up tiny things to untying knots.  As I would make my rounds at school I found that I could streamline the day by simply doing lots of things myself as I saw that they needed to be done.  I could see a glass door slamming because the tensioner was adjusted wrong or the screw had come out or a cover plate was loose on an electrical outlet or any number of other very minor maintenance issues, and I could go back to my office, write out a work order for all those things, send it in and watch things continue to deteriorate as more things went wrong.  Then Maint would come out in a week and fix only those things on the work order while stepping over other things that could be fixed...... Or I could just adjust that tensioner myself right then, tighten that cover plate or what ever, and be done with it.  I was happy, the school wasn't falling apart and Maint could continue to burn gas riding around the campuses doing nothing.  
> 
> I also carry a Leatherman Micra every day.  I use the scissors the most and the small knife blade.  
> 
> Alan


I could see myself using this daily also for similar things..
I work in IT not that I do much Techie work any more, but it does happen from time to time and if I am found on one of our sites and I dont have the usual tools to effect a repair on PCs.. well the leatherman has just about all you would need for basic computer repair work, and basic electrical work (which I also do from time to time) even do a bit of cabling both electrical and Network related in my day to day work.

----------


## randyt

Zachary Fowler has one that he modified for when he went on the Alone show. It seems like a good option

----------


## Antonyraison

> Zachary Fowler has one that he modified for when he went on the Alone show. It seems like a good option


Very true and boy did he make good use of it....

----------


## randyt

here is a multi tool that had belonged to my father

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

----------


## Antonyraison

> here is a multi tool that had belonged to my father
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


That is soooo coool.

----------


## Rick

Don't encourage him. No one person should have that much cool stuff.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

----------


## chiggersngrits

I keep a Wave in the truck and carry a Micra. Probably use needle nose pliers the most on the Wave. The Micra sees a lot of finger nail work, but I need to get a new one because I fouled up the scissors using them to strip wire. I should have known better cause one of the worse woopings  I ever got was for using momma's good sewing scissors to cut wire.

----------


## Antonyraison

I finally decided on the Rebar, which is a slightly more compact version of the super tool
Seems like about the best given price and features, and a really nice size that is not overly heavy to EDC.
36682612_10156328055160320_4411116354283765760_n.jpg

----------


## Seniorman

I've been using a Gerber Multi-Tool for years.  I've never had any trouble with it.

S.M.

----------

