I’m pretty much built of scar tissue at this point, but it doesn’t seem to help much with these thin metal U channel handles 
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I found a Leatherman tool in a totally abandoned place on a job site, nobody was missing it, and that was still too expensive.
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I’ve never found a multitool smaller than that knife. Not even close. Most seem to be designed to clip on your belt, but I don’t wear a belt so they are a nonstarter.
That knife is not large. It’s 4 blades wide (double blade, then the doublewide slot for the socket set, then the prybar/can opener) which is pretty svelte for the amount of functionality it packs. The profile is roughly square which makes it nicer on the hand when using the socket set, it feels like an ordinary screwdriver more or less.
The only downside is it is not so good for recessed screws–the socket is too thick to fit down the hole and the bits aren’t very long.
I traded one to a Cajun for a Bose Wave radio, and neither one of us got his money’s worth!
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I’ve always just found with the swiss army stuff. Since their spring back, they tend to fold at in opportune moments. I’ve gotten nasty cuts trying to use tools beyond scissors, knife blades and bottle openers. And because of the particular shape of some of the tools they like to cam out, can be quirky to fit, slip or not do their job particularly well. Like I remember the saws and files being borderline useless. The bits are gonna mitigate that part for a screw driver. I haven’t really used one since I was a kid though.
There are lots of multi tools that are gonna be smaller, or at least thinner. They make ones meant to slip into your wallet. But Its more with the bigger Swiss Army knives with lots of tools that you’re average multi-tool tends to be smaller in general. Basic SA knives are pretty compact, but as you add functions they rapidly get bulky and impractical. I’m not really a multi-tool kinda guy. But I’ve been surprised at how often I use the crappy and very bulky one I have.
I have that model and yes the screwdrivers have come in handy many times and the tweezers and pen lately when out geocaching with the mrs.
ETA and the bottle opener as well.
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Sadly the Opinel is illegal for casual carry in the UK, because our knife laws prohibit carrying locking pocket knives without specific cause. :-/
People speaking of multitools and small things though, I recommend the Gerber Dime:
I’ve had one on my keyring for years. The knife blade is very small, but if you’re only using it for things like opening boxes and stripping wires then that’s not an issue. The whole thing folds down to about 3" by 1".
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These are fantastic - I have a couple of its sibling:
Two because a few years ago I thought I’d lost mine, couldn’t live without and promptly bought another. Which in turn made sure the original turned up. Now I have one with steel blades for general use, and one that gets solely refilled with ceramic blades for really accurate cutting. From time to time I forget which is which and snap a ceramic blade - they’re seriously sharp but have zero torsional strength.
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How did they compare for comfort in your pocket. I haven’t carried an Opinel, but they look bulky.
All these comments and no No. 10?
The times in my youth when a corkscrew proved pivotal to a good time convinced me, though the Victorinox Hunter tends to be my EDC. Because saw and screwdrivers.
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True that. I think I might just be lazier than you!
They aren’t. The no7 is around the same size as a bic lighter. The handles are birchwood, which is really light weight. The blade is fairly Slim, And there aren’t a lot of parts. The bulk of the knife is the wooden handle.
I often forget it’s in my pocket. There are slimmer handled versions as well.
So, how fast can you get it open for a knife fight?
I was under the impression that carbon steel is a term of art to distinguish it from steels that have specified alloying elements.
Between mostly drinking wine at homes with full kitchens, screw top bottles, and the boot trick, I don’t have a need to carry a corkscrew.
I also carry an Opinel #8 everywhere. The only problem I have with it is that the handle sometimes swells up from moisture, making it a bit more bother to open.
The fact that you can’t is one of the things I like about it. Can’t really be accused of carrying a weapon…
quicker than you can.
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Not really. The AISI standard does list maximum amounts of manganese, silicon, and copper but no standards for any other alloying like chromium, tungsten, or nickle which are your most common alloy elements found in stainless steel. So per the AISI standard, even stainless can be carbon steel and low carbon content steel that would make crappy knives is carbon steel by this standard.
When discussing knife material you also get in to the world of bladesmithing where the term is used most commonly to distinguish from stainless even though the stainless may meet the AISI standards for carbon steel.
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I love my Leatherman Wave. Long time adventure companion. But for sure, the thing that is best about it, and gets the most use, is the pliers.
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I went and looked again at the SAE/AISI, and it appears to me that alloy steels are not termed carbon steel. I’ve never seen any stainless type of steel spec’d as carbon steel. I believe that the term is exactly to distinguish it from steels will specified threshold amounts of elements that change the chemistry to make alloys.
